ABSTRACT
The introduction of human rights as a core competency in policing has been witnessed globally. However, it has been even more strongly promoted in post-war/post-atrocity societies. Sri Lanka has been no exception as a site for initiatives aimed at promoting human rights within the law enforcement sector. In order to explore the impact of these post-war human rights training and reform initiatives in Sri Lanka, we conducted research between February 2012 and February 2015 on the everyday attitudes and practices of police. In response the government launched ever more violent counter-insurgency operations. The language of human rights has penetrated everyday police practice in Sri Lanka. A core component of basic training, all the police we spoke with knew of human rights. School principals and teachers we interviewed frequently adopted strategies for provoking shame and fear in their students as a means of disciplining them.
