Cabinet Spokesman and Mass Media Minister Dr. Bandula Gunawardena yesterday said the proposal presented by Justice Minister Dr. Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe to the Cabinet of Ministers to declare March 7 as the day to support and protect the victims and witnesses of a crime was approved by the Cabinet.
He said this while speaking at the Cabinet media conference held at the Government Information Department.
The Minister said that the Victims and Witnesses Support and Protection Act No. 04 of 2015 has been introduced in order to promote the recognition of the rights of victims and witnesses of a crime and to establish a formalisation mechanism and there is a national authority to protect the victims and witnesses of a crime.
Taking into account the number of people including women and children who are victims of crimes that are increasing day by day in Sri Lanka, with the aim of sensitizing the officials of government agencies related to the crime victim and witness protection, with the aim of sensitizing the society about the protection of the victims and witnesses of a crime, 7th of March is the day to support and protect the victims and witnesses of a crime. It was further said that the Cabinet gave approval to publish.
The Minister further said that the most severe type of crimes in recent history are growing in Sri Lanka after Independence and as a result of unleashing violence filled with hatred almost every day in Sri Lanka, our country is joining the world as a crime-ridden country. Different sociologists have different opinions about why a sat society has become such a violent society.
In the university system, students have become suicidal and the society is fast moving to the point of intimidation, threat, violence and crime in all sectors, he said.
The Minister also emphasized that naming such a day to educate the society in such a background is an urgent need.
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