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Lessons from a conspiracy

The quick and drastic action which is being currently taken, including the launching of disciplinary action against offending army officers and other personnel, in the now notorious raid on the "Athurugiriya safe house", is likely to meet with public approval.

The findings on this illegal raid were so damning that the one man Presidential Commission which conducted the probe into the scandal was compelled to remark that the raid was a betrayal and absolute treachery on the nation.

The spate of killings of army intelligence operatives and collaborators - some based in the North-East - is ample proof of the damage, the illegal raid headed by a top-ranking police officer, triggered. The raid, immediately after the 2001 December general election, was apparently of a highly conspiratorial nature, considering the extent to which national security was compromised.

What is most intriguing is that the raid came at a time when the Long Range operatives, at the centre of the raid, were proving highly effective against the LTTE. The national security implications of the raid thus becomes evident. To the extent to which the Long Range arm of the Sri Lanka Army is weakened, to the same degree would our security be compromised and harmed.

As the Commission findings have revealed, the Army Commander's nor the IGP's permission was obtained for launching the raid. Besides, surreptitious attempts were made by the personnel in question to get at the address of the "safe house", the existence of which was known to the Army authorities.

The evidence points to a conspiracy by a section of the law enforcers, below the rank of the very top in these institutions, to weaken a security operation which served the national interest superbly. The legal process must continue to ensure that all wrong-doers are brought to justice to ensure that the country's security wouldn't be harmed by underhand operations of this kind.

Apparently, the shadow of politicization has also fallen with chilling impact on sections of the law enforcement machinery. It is possible that the illegal raid was the result of some law enforcers attempting to undermine each other in an effort to please political patrons. If this is so, it is lamentable because institutions such as the Army and the Police need to be apolitical and should be left alone by politicians.

Perhaps, this scandal should spur the Government into finding ways of protecting the integrity, independence and political neutrality of the law enforcement authorities. A National Police Commission is in operation and we hope it would ensure these ends as far as the Police is concerned.

The machinery must be in place to ensure the apolitical status of the Sri Lanka Army also. The accountability procedures within the Army, obviously, need to be greatly strengthened and the integrity of the service protected in sustained fashion.

A plant with a mission

More than 100 million landmines are embedded in the soil of about 75 countries. Now, a lowly plant could help uproot these mines without using expensive equipment.

Sri Lanka, whose Northern region contains thousands of buried mines, will be one of the first countries to try this landmine-detecting plant.

Danish researchers have produced the plant, which can help detect hidden landmines by changing its colour from green to red when its roots come in contact with explosives.

The plant, Thale Cress, scientifically known as Arabidopsis thaliana, has been genetically modified to perform this function. It will especially help detect mines planted in agricultural areas.

Landmines kill and maim millions each year. Most mishaps occur when people unwittingly step on these devilish devices. Many countries including Sri Lanka have launched landmine removal programs with the help of international organisations. But it is expensive, laborious and often risky work.

The Danish experiment offers a ray of hope for both landmine victims and clearing teams. It is inexpensive and locals can easily be taught to distinguish between the two states of the plant. The genetic makeup of the plant does not allow it to spread without the help of humans, so there is no danger of the plant itself becoming a weed.

Thale Cress's transformation into a landmine detector proves that genetic engineering can be used beneficially, despite the hue and cry over Genetically-Modified (GM) crops. As yet, there is no conclusive evidence that all GM foods are bad for health.

There are many other examples for the good side of biotechnology and genetic engineering. If genetic engineering can lead to disease-resistant plants and humans without congenital defects, such research must be encouraged. Of course, it is up to individual governments and regulatory authorities to define the limits of genetic research.

The Danes have shown that plants can be adapted to perform serious tasks with genetic intervention. Botanists are discovering new plant species everyday. Every plant is useful in some way and some can now be tailored to meet our requirements. More research is essential to make them work for us in ways that we have never imagined before.

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