COLOMBO: Sri Lanka on Tuesday began interviews for the post of hangman a year after two positions fell vacant, with at least 480 convicts on death row.
But it was not quite clear how the two successful candidates would fill their days - the death penalty has not been used in Sri Lanka, a predominantly Buddhist country, since 1976.
"About 176 applicants are there and interviews are going on today and tomorrow," Gamini Kulatunga, commissioner operations at the Prisons Department, told Reuters. "Only males will be eligible for the post."
The two posts fell vacant after one hangman was promoted and the other retired.
At least 480 people convicted of murder and drugs offences could potentially be executed, Kulatunga said.
There has been an alarming rise in child abuse, rapes, murders, and drug trafficking since the 25-year war against Tamil Tiger separatists ended in May 2009, prompting some lawyers and politicians to push for the death penalty to be reintroduced.
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i am lookin for the vaccant would you mind if i am a Zimbabwean and i am in Zimbabwe
@Pops: Supervisor of Hangman
@ Pops
“One hangman was promoted” promoted to what?
Senior Hangman.
@Pops: was assigned to work on electric chair, which is expected to arrive shortly from abroad. Hopefully by that time the executions will start again.
"..... the death penalty has not been used in Sri Lanka, a predominantly Buddhist country, since 1976......" Sri Lanka going the Land of Pure, so sad! Why do you need death penalty, it does not solve any problem. Look at us; we hang and we kill people for every real and imaginary crime and what has happened to us as society, country?. Now we have not only the government employed hangmen, we have a huge thriving industry of killing in private sector!
i used to hang little insects when i was a kid.. if i get a srilankan id card, i surely will apply for this
@Pops: May be promoted as a consultant.
"One hangman was promoted" promoted to what?