On 22 February, the Saubhagya Foundation together with Kantha Saviya Women’s Organisation held a press conference condemning the petition filed by 32 Senior Superintendents of Police (SSP), including SSP Ruwan Gunasekera, seeking an annulment of the promotion of Bimshani Jasin Arachchi, Sri Lanka’s first female Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIG).
The petition states that the appointment was made in violation of the standard promotion procedure claiming that no female police officer in the country can be appointed as the DIG of Police as the word “women” is not mentioned in the regulations pertaining to promotions. The Supreme Court has since set a date for the hearing of a fundamental rights (FR) petition in this regard.
The gathering brought together numerous women’s representatives, including Dr. Ajantha Perera who was the only female presidential candidate to contest in the 2019 presidential election and the first to do so in 20 years; Moratuwa Municipal Council Member and Attorney-at-Law Lihini Fernando; Sri Lankan film director, producer, and former Sri Lanka Rupavahini Corporation Chairperson Inoka Sathyangani; Kantha Saviya Chairperson and Colombo Municipal Councilor Sharmila Gonawala; and several others.
The gathering of women each spoke of the discriminatory actions that DIG Bimshani Jasin Arachchi has had to face in the wake of her promotion, sharing also that it is discrimination aimed not only at one individual, but all women.
Most notably, Moratuwa Municipal Council Member and Attorney-at-Law Fernando noted how female representation is extremely low in a cross-section of industries and professions in Sri Lanka, particularly when it comes to those decision-making positions; for instance, among Members of Parliament (MPs), there is only 5% female representation.
She shared that there are 80,000 male police officers in Sri Lanka. However by 2019, there were only 8,878 female officers, which is a total representation of 11.7%. If we are to look at ranks, for the position of Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP), there are 314 male officers and only 16 female officers. For the position of Superintendent of Police (SP), for 162 male officers, there are only four female officers. For 46 Deputy Inspector Generals of Police (DIGs) whom are male, there is only one female; and for 12 Senior Deputy Inspector Generals of Police (SDIGs), there are no female officers.
She voiced the question of why is it that in Sri Lanka we witness this disparity between male and female representation. She asked: “Do those in power truly believe that women are simply incapable or are less equipped to take over these positions?”
The panel collectively agreed that laws must be reinterpreted to suit the current socioeconomic context of our society; they mustn’t still read what was intended nearly a century prior, adding that there is a necessity for a gender quota to be introduced.
They also took note of how, had DIG Jasin Arachchi not been a Sinhala-Buddhist, then we would’ve had to face a far different struggle, adding also that we possibly may have even attracted international attention for the discriminatory action that is taking place.
Dr. Perera added that women, historically, have opted to protest peacefully, but she believes they should be more aggressive, stating: “I see no progress since we gained independence; there’s no intendance from the patriarchy.” She also added that if we are a country that rejoices when foreign women in a foreign land are duly recognised for achievements and appointed Vice President of their nation, surely we can raise our voice when an equally deserved woman is stripped of her achievement.
The collective shared their closing remarks stating that it is extremely unfortunate and ugly the way that a successful woman has been torn down despite her right to be viewed as equal being protected by our Constitution.
Photos Eshan Dasanayaka