Peel Police Chief Duraiappah’s photo with Sri Lanka police chief: Problematic or harmless?
The police chief's photo with his Sri Lankan counterpart has raised some eyebrows. Some have called for an apology, while others say it's no big deal.
Lavan Kandiah
Other Professional
Toronto, Canada
Post image

Peel Police chief Neeshan Duraiappah has faced some criticism online after appearing in a photo with the Sri Lanka Police's chief, Deshabandu Tennakoon. Tennakoon has been accused of directly overseeing incidents of torture in 2010; Duraiappah appearing in his Peel Regional Police uniform alongside Tennakoon has variously been criticised as tone deaf, problematic, and as an insult to Tamils.  

The two main sticking points around the trip are whether or not Duraiappah was there in any official capacity as a police chief, and whether or not he was aware of the allegations against Tennakoon. Peel Police and the RCMP confirmed that Duraiappah was there on a personal trip, while the Tamil Guardian has reported that he was informed about Tannakoon’s past actions before the meeting was arranged. 


Meet Tamil singles looking for meaningful connections from Canada, USA, UK & more! Join here.


On the more extreme end, the criticism levelled at Duraiappah has accused him of betraying fellow Tamils. It is unclear if any of Tennakoon’s allegations date to the war period; however, on one hand, the image of a Tamil police chief posing with a Sinhala counterpart found guilty of crimes against civilians is sure to evoke strong feelings from many. As many of you are probably aware, May 18 is Mullivaikkal Remembrance Day. During a time when many Tamils around the world are commemorating those who died in the last days of the war, the picture is undeniably going to offend. 

Much of the criticism levelled against the photo has centred around this idea that it is disrespectful to the victims of Tennakoon’s alleged actions and the actions of the Sri Lankan state as a whole. On the other hand, there could very well be an argument made that it is time to stop fueling the idea that Tamils and Sinhalese belong on opposite ends of a conflict, and move towards healing these divisions rather than perpetuating them. Whether this harmonious perspective should apply to individuals actually proven to have committed human rights violations is clearly very subjective. 

More muted criticism of Duraiappah on social media has taken the angle that the photo simply looks bad. It could be argued that whether or not he was aware of Tennakoon’s background, it is highly likely that a senior police commander who served during the civil war has a less-than-ideal record on human rights, especially given the well-documented abuses linked to Sri Lankan law enforcement well into 2023. The Peel Police uniform standing alongside the Sri Lanka Police may not be a great look. Those defending Duraiappah, however, point to his many years of good police work and public service, and argue that while this incident may have been a misstep, it doesn’t warrant any more critique. 

While some see his actions as problematic, others argue for understanding and context. Some have called for an apology to be made, while others have stated the whole incident is being taken out of proportion. In light of these differing perspectives, the incident involving Duraiappah highlights the complexity of international relations and personal accountability as a public figure.


Lavan Kandiah
Other Professional
Toronto,  Canada
Raised in Norway and Canada. Project manager, fitness enthusiast and BJJ addict who enj...
Raised in Norway and Canada. Project manager, fitness enthusiast and BJJ addict who enj...
You may also enjoy these
Three Creators Represent Tamil-Canadian Population at Raptors’ South Asian Heritage Night
Yanchan Produced plays the mridangam while Dusha Jeganathan and Mathushan Srikannathasan are selected as two of the three South Asian representatives

Jenani & Nav

met on myTamilDate
Join for Free Today
Madhu & Nia
met on myTamilDate
Join for Free Today
Network with TamilChangemakers
close
Stories
Videos Podcasts