We, the Sport Shooting community of Sri Lanka, were taken by surprise when a news telecast in one of the leading electronic media institutions (on 23rd June, 2020) and subsequent newspaper articles communicated completely incorrect facts criminalizing the Sport Shooting community of Sri Lanka.
It said that according to the Police Spokesman, the firearm used by an individual, who supposedly committed suicide on 12th June, where the body of the deceased was found in Independence Square, was the same type of firearm used for Sport Shooting. It further stated that .22 (point 22) firearms require no license.
Firstly, it clearly shows that the individual responsible for such an irresponsible statement has no idea what is categorized as a firearm, according to the Firearm Act and has not seen a Sporting Firearm of the same caliber.
The firearm used by the deceased individual to commit suicide was a .22 semi-automatic micro pistol. This kind of firearm is not used for competitions by the National Shooting Sport Federation of Sri Lanka (NSSF) for any of its Shooting disciplines.
Another false fact that was telecast was that .22 caliber firearms does not need licensing. This is completely false, because all .22 Rifles and Pistols coming under the purview of the NSSF are checked thoroughly and licensed annually.
So any attempt to degrade our very stringent controls that have been put in place will only lead to expose those who make statements due to the lack of knowledge. Our Technical Teams within the NSSF shall be more than happy to conduct a full day workshop to educate and showcase the types of firearms that are used by the NSSF.
At NSSF, every single licensed firearm holder’s participation is closely monitored and all aspects are taken into consideration when renewing a firearm license. The issue of a firearm license is an even more stringent procedure and thereby the NSSF maintains an unblemished record to date. The 17 affiliates of the NSSF too have been maintaining absolute discipline within their associations and have contributed to the development of a large population of youth who are focused, intelligent, respectful, self-restrained and thoughtful about others and their surroundings.
An ISSF (International Shooting Sport Federation) shooter can be easily recognized because they shine in society. Parents of children who have been taken to the Sport of Shooting will bear witness to the same.
We, the NSSF, hereby wish to appeal to the administrators and the society, to supports our efforts which will ultimately contribute to a disciplined, law abiding society through our carefully thought-out training programmes. -NSSF Press Release
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