* AHRC's call for a parliamentary debate

On May 26, 2007 five persons belonging to the same family were chopped to death in their own home. According to reports the alleged cause of the multiple murders was a land dispute which had gone on for some time.

The following day, according to reports, a group of people arrived from outside the neighbourhood in a bus and burned three houses. The same day two suspects were arrested by the police and within a few hours they had been shot dead and their deaths were announced through electronic media to the whole nation. Within 24 hours of that event the magistrate of the area pronounced that the two deaths amounted to justifiable homicide in self defence.

Within the two weeks around this event there have been several murders of families in various parts of the country. In fact extra ordinary forms of crimes are taking place reflecting an extremely abnormal situation.

- Basil Fernando