By Dr.Nihal Jayawickrama In Libya, at the height of the 2011 revolution, it was said that Colonel Gadaffi did not believe rebel claims of captured territory. And, as Tripoli was being encircled, Gadaffi famously exclaimed to a BBC interviewer that “the people love me”. The disinformation practised by the Libyan Government through the state controlled …
By Gamini Weerakoon Is a Parliamentary Select Committee, the magic bullet that was hailed as the weapon that would destroy the 55-year-old monstrous communal problem, a spent force now? This magic bullet, it was claimed by Rajapaksa loyalists, would fell the monstrous communal problem that had beset the nation and repel the pressures brought on …
On the Spot Report By Namini Wijedasa and Wasantha Ramanayake The corridors of the Superior Courts building were oddly uncongested on Tuesday, the first day of work for the New Year. There should have been throngs of jovial lawyers, slapping one another on their backs, and asking how the holidays had been. But attendance was …
Continue reading ‘Govt Show of Force at Hulftsdorp Puts Justice to the Sword’ »
By Kishali Pinto Jayawardene With the dust uneasily settling over a legal community thuggishly coerced into fuming silence, an unjustly ousted Chief Justice Shirani Bandaranayake may yet be proud.
By Sujeeva Nivunhella in London With Canada planning to report Sri Lanka to the Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group (CMAG) following the impeachment of Chief Justice Shirani Bandaranayake, the chances of Colombo hosting the Commonwealth Heads Of Government Meeting (CHOGM) this year appears to hang in the balance, observers here warned last week.
By Gomin Dayasri Never before did the choice of the candidate become so pivotal as when the present Chief Justice was appointed; reason – no previous Chief Justice was removed by impeachment.The bona fides of the removal are questionable if the selection of the successor is controversial. Removal can be justified but intention may not …
By Prof.G.L.Peiris (Minister of External Affairs Professor G.L.Peiris made the following statement exclusively to the Sunday Island regarding the statements made by several foreign governments about the impeachment of the former CJ Shirani Bandaranayake. Professor Peiris stressed that the tenure of the previous chief justice has been brought to a closure following proceedings in accordance …
By C.A.Chandraprema Even as we write this, the impeachment drama that gripped the country over the past few months has receded from the public consciousness. Shirani Bandaranayake is already only a distant memory. Last Thursday, as we walked out of the Rupavahini Corporation studio after a late night talk show on the aftermath of the …
by N. Sathiya Moorthy Protests by the Bar, posturing by political parties, condemnation by the civil society and constitutional possibilities notwithstanding, the judicial transition at the top, following the fast-tracked impeachment of the incumbent, has gone off incident-free thus far, reflecting the inherent resilience of the Sri Lankan nation and its people. Conversely, it could …
A Statement by Women’s Action Network Ashraf Nagar’s inhabitants can trace back their history to 1952 when it consisted of the following small villages -Aalim Nagar, Vilankadu, Kasangkeni, Muthiriyadiwattai, Pallak Kadu, Sinna Pallakkadu, Kattu Vattai, Ali Mudakadu and Aalim Chennai. Ashraf Nagar’s name was changed in the year 2006 to Oluvil first division and even …
By Ananth Krishnan For Zhao Jiang, who prefers to go by her Tamil name Kalaimakal, writing a book in Tamil would have seemed unthinkable when she first began learning what appeared to be an undecipherable script in a Chinese university classroom some 15 years ago. Today, as a fluent Tamil-speaker and the director of the …
By Dr. M.A.M.H. Barry (Attorney-at-Law) The tragic and shocking news of execution of Rizana Nafeek sends shock- waves to all corners of the island. It gives a wrong picture to the people on the nature and the application of the Islamic law as many people are under the impression that the applicable law in Rizana’s …
Continue reading ‘Execution of Rizana Nafeek is a Serious Miscarriage of Islamic Justice’ »
By Mike Andree January 08, 2013 was one of the most fateful days in the history of the judiciary in this country. Over 3,200 lawyers, who assembled for a general meeting of the entire membership of the Bar Association, resolved not to accept the impeachment motion. Never in its history has the Bar been more …
By Asian Human Rights Commission Romesh de Silva PC is one of the topmost lawyers in Sri Lanka, a former president of the Bar Association of Sri Lanka. He led the legal team which represented Dr. Shirani Bandaranayaka (CJ) in all forums during the impeachment saga. Jayampathi Wickremarathna PC, who was formerly the senior consultant …
By Asian Human Rights Commission With the law, the legal institutions and the courts diminishing in value secret agencies are surfacing quite openly once again. The presence of the military and the police the night before Mohan Peiris was sworn in as chief justice and also during the day itself and the ferocious manner in …
By Mangala Samaraweera M.P. All right thinking people of Sri Lanka unequivocally and unreservedly condemn the purported appointment by President Mahinda Rajapaksa of Mr. Mohan Peiris as the Chief Justice of Sri Lanka. This utterly irresponsible act of the President is in defiance of the judgments of the Supreme Court and the Court of Appeal. …
Continue reading ‘Ruling Regime is no Longer Interested in Hiding its Autocratic Face’ »
The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay is deeply concerned that the impeachment and removal of Sri Lanka’s Chief Justice has further eroded the rule of law in the country and could also set back efforts for accountability and reconciliation. The removal of the Chief Justice through a flawed process — which has …
His foes accuse Mahinda Rajapaksa of many sins during his seven years as Sri Lanka’s president. They blame him for the savagery that cost so many civilian lives as his army defeated the rebel Tamil Tigers in 2009. They bridle at how he has carved up the government among his brothers, like a thriving family-run …
By Ajith Samaranayka (This Article written by the Late Ajith Samaranayake in the “Sunday Observer” of August 30th 2004 on the occasion of Fr.Tissa Balasuriya’s 80th Birthday is reproduced here as tribute to the memory of Fr. Tissa Balasuriya who passed away on 16th January 2013.) Fr. Tissa Balasuriya is 80 years old today and …
Continue reading ‘Fr. Tissa Balasuriya: An Inspiring Confluence of Society and Religion’ »
By Izeth Hussain It seems to be a widespread notion that however tragic and horrifying Rizana Nafeek’s fate might be, we cannot in the last resort object to the Saudis having their own laws and applying them in the manner they think fit. That view seems sound on the principle of non-interference in the internal …
By International Crisis Group The impeachment of the Sri Lankan Chief Justice, Shirani Bandaranayake is possibly a watershed moment in Sri Lankan law and politics. President Rajapaksa’s 13 January decision to ratify the impeachment decided two days earlier by a parliament controlled by his ruling United People’s Freedom Alliance is the latest step in the …
(Text of an Editorial Appearing in “The Hindu”of January 16th 2013) Sri Lanka’s democratic institutions are in ferment once again. The impeachment of Chief Justice Shirani Bandaranayake and her quick replacement with former Attorney General Mohan Peiris come as an unsavoury climax to an unedifying standoff between the judiciary on the one hand and the …
(Text of editorial Appearing in Wall street Journal of January 16th 2013) While Pakistan’s judges try to oust their elected leaders, elsewhere in South Asia an elected leader is busy ousting judges. We’re talking about Sri Lanka, where President Mahinda Rajapaksa sacked the country’s Chief Justice over the weekend.
by Tisaranee Gunasekara “Hitler seemed intent, in fact, on delivering these blows completely in the open so as to leave a deep and abiding impression, as if proclaiming from the rooftops his immutable will….” Joachim Fest (Plotting Hitler’s Death) The end was preordained. The quintessentially Rajapaksa-impeachment produced a quintessentially Rajapaksa Chief In-justice. Mohan Peiris, the …
Continue reading ‘From a Shameless Impeachment to a Shameless Chief In-justice’ »
By Ishara Rathnakara An organization called, Voice Against Corruption (VAC), lodged a complaint with the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption(CIABOC), against the newly-appointed Chief Justice Mohan Peiris, alleging that he had committed a fraudulent act in 2008.
Senior lawyer, S.L. Gunasekera, has written to his clients yesterday informing them that he will not appear in cases before Chief Justice, Mohan Peiris. He had asked them to get the service of another lawyer, who is willing to appear before the new CJ.
by “Shades of Grey” Column in “Ceylon Today” The tug o’ war between the Parliament and Executive climaxed and reached the predicted end on Tuesday, with the appointment of Mohan Peiris as Sri Lanka’s 44th Chief Justice. Peiris counts, among his somewhat dangerous credentials, a close affiliation with the incumbent government – specially in his …
By Sathy Liyanasuriya Mohan Peiris, appointed as the country’s new Chief Justice on Tuesday, is the latest actor to enter the impeachment drama. As the spotlight shifts from impeached Chief Justice Shirani Bandaranayake, his will be the most controversial selection to this high office. Peiris’s appointment follows weeks of uncertainty and bitter legal battles between …
By Zacki Jabbar The legal and political fraternity condemned the search of Supreme and Appeal Court judges’ vehicles entering the apex court premises in Hulftsdorp yesterday. Court sources told The Island that the cars of judges were searched by the Marshall. They said that the Marshall had the authority to check everyone entering the courts …
BY Dharisha Bastians “The world will know that free men stood against a tyrant, that few stood against many, and before this battle was over, even a god-king can bleed.” – Leonidas, 300 (The movie) On Friday, 11 January moments after Speaker of Parliament Chamal Rajapaksa announced the results of a vote on the impeachment …
By Dr Reeza Hameed The case involving the impeachment of Chief Justice Corona of Philippines has been cited in some places in support of parliament’s move to impeach our own Chief Justice. It was most recently invoked during the recently concluded impeachment debate in parliament when, speaking favour of the motion, our Minister of External …
Impeached Chief Justice Shirani Bandaranayake left her official residence at Wijerama Mawatha yesterday, after Police wrestled media personnel out of the way in a bid to prevent her from making a statement to journalists during her departure. Lawyers said the impeached Chief Justice had been informed by the Police that she would not be permitted …
By The Lawyers Collective 1. On 14th January, around 7 pm the Secretary to the President and DIG Anura Senanyaka required the Registrar of the Supreme Court to pack all belongings of the Chief Justice (Dr. Bandarayaka) and send the same to her residence. He had also been told that the new Chief Justice would …
Continue reading ‘Police Prevent Departing Chief Justice Shirani Bandaranayake Addressing Media’ »
By Dr.Vickramabahu Karunaratne The Parliament ‘debated’ the PSC Report, an illegal document according to court decisions, on January 10 and 11. The MPs (with an artificial majority) of the government voted by a 2/3 rd majority to impeach the Chief Justice on the evening of January 11. Accordingly, the President was able to ‘sack’ the …
By Dharisha Bastians Notwithstanding the outcry from the legal fraternity, international community, and Opposition political parties over the removal of Shirani Bandaranayake and the choice of her successor, President Mahinda Rajapaksa yesterday swore in Mohan Peiris as the new Chief Justice of the Republic. The Government described Peiris as the most suitable whilst good governance …
By Kath Noble The execution of migrant worker Rizana Nafeek in Saudi Arabia touched the hearts of people around the world. That a girl of 17, left to care for a baby, in addition to being charged with the supervision of the other children of the household, plus the cooking and cleaning, should be punished …
Continue reading ‘Govt has tremendous Responsibility to Stop Further Growth of Sinhala Extremism’ »
(Text of Editorial Appearing in the “Daily Mirror”of January 16th 2013) In the aftermath of Sri Lanka’s gravest constitutional, legal and political crises since independence, right-thinking people and especially judges and lawyers were wondering whether Sri Lanka could recover from a virtual death blow to the independence and dignity of the Judiciary amid speculation of …
Continue reading ‘A constitutional Crisis of Two Chief Justices-Daily Mirror’ »
by International Commission of Jurists The appointment of former Attorney General Mohan Peiris as Sri Lanka’s new Chief Justice raises serious concerns about the future of the Rule of Law and accountability in the country, the International Commission of Jurists(ICJ) said today. Mohan Peiris has served in a variety of high-level legal posts in the …
( We reproduce below the text of the letter written to the UN High Commissioner and the President of Sri Lanka requesting to cause an inquiry into the verdict and the execution of Rizana Nafeek who was executed in Saudi Arabia on January 9.) The text of the letter: The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) …
TORONTO– Liberal Leader Bob Rae made the following statement today on the Sri Lankan government’s dismissal of the country’s Chief Justice: “The Liberal Party of Canada strongly condemns the Sri Lankan government’s unconstitutional dismissal of the country’s Chief Justice, Dr. Shirani Bandaranayake.
By Shirani Bandaranayake (Text of a Statement Issued By Sri Lanka’s 43rd Chief Justice Dr.Shirani Bandaranayake who was not allowed to address the media when she vacated her official residence and chambers on January 15th 2013.) I am the 43rd Chief Justice of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka. As the Chief Justice, I …
We, the undersigned, condemn in the strongest terms the beheading of Rizana Nafeek – the Sri Lankan domestic migrant worker convicted aged 17 in 2005, for the accidental death of an infant – in Saudi Arabia on the morning of 09 January 2013. We are shocked at the decision of Saudi Arabia’s Interior Ministry, under …
Ottawa, Ontario – Canada’s Prime Minister Stephen Harper today issued the following statement regarding the dismissal of Sri Lankan Chief Justice Shirani Bandaranayake: “Canada is deeply concerned by Sri Lankan President Rajapaksa’s decision to remove the Chief Justice from office following an impeachment process which appeared to be highly politicized and lacking transparency and respect …
Commonwealth Secretary-General Kamalesh Sharma today (13 January) expressed deep disappointment at the dismissal of the Chief Justice of Sri Lanka. The Secretary-General recalled his earlier statements about this matter, in particular his statement following the decision by Parliament on 11 January to impeach the Chief Justice, in which he had urged the Executive to pause …
by N Sathiya Moorthy As a follow-up to the impeachment motion passed by Parliament by a two-thirds majority, Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa has sacked the nation’s Chief Justice, Shirani Bandaranayake. The week-end decision gave a lie to earlier pronouncements of the President referring the motion to four eminent persons for their opinion before deciding …
By Ravi Ladduwahetty The Bar Association of Sri Lanka (BASL) would work with the new Chief Justice to be appointed shortly but boycott the ceremonial induction and welcome address of Dr. Shirani Bandaranayake’s successor, BASL sources said last night. Former Attorney General Mohan Peiris is tipped to succeed the impeached Dr. Bandaranayake. “The BASL will …
Continue reading ‘Bar Association will boycott ceremonial sitting of New Justice’ »
By Ajith Alahakoon The Lawyers Collective has decided to challenge the appointment of the new Chief Justice before the Supreme Court by filing a fundamental rights violation case. They would seek a Quo warranto (by what warrant/authority) writ against the new appointment and that such appointment be declared illegal, President’s Counsel Dr. Jayampathi Wickremaratne and …
Continue reading ‘Quo warranto writ to be filed against appointment of New Chief Justice’ »
By The Lawyers Collective 1. The letter of removal of the Chief Justice was received by her on 13th January 2013. 2. The President has summoned judges of the Supreme Court, Court of Appeal and High Court 13th, 14th and 15th January respectively.
UN Chief Slams Beheading Of Rizana UN Secretary-General Ban ki-Moon is dismayed by the execution in Saudi Arabia of Rizana Nafeek, his spokesman said in a statement late on Friday. The spokesman said that Ban was concerned about reports of irregularities in Rizana’s detention and trial, as well as the increase in the use of …
Continue reading ‘Beheading of Rixana Nafeek: The Internatianl out cry’ »
Presidential Spokesperson Mohan Samaranaike said that the official announcement of the removal of chief justice was delivered to her residence on Sunday January 13th morning.
By Thelma My dear Ma-hinder, ….or should I say Mein lieber Führer. If ever there was a time for you to sport a toothbrush darling, this time is that time.
By Gamini Weerakoon The froth and fume directed against the Saudis on the beheading of the innocent Sri Lankan girl Rizana Nafeek can be understood but can Saudis alone be held responsible for this tragedy?
By N. Sathiya Moorthy What the ‘Geneva vote’ in March last could not achieve, it now seems, the Parliament vote on Chief Justice Shirani Bandaranayake’s impeachment is capable of attaining. It was argued then that the Geneva vote aimed at destabilising not just the incumbent government but Sri Lanka as a nation. Despite the vote, …
By Mandana Ismail Abeywickrema (UNP parliamentarian Eran Wickramaratne says that if the Chief Justice is removed unconstitutionally, the legality of the appointment of the successor will be placed in doubt and that judgments delivered by a bench with such a person as a member may be contested. “We spoke against the impeachment in Parliament, we …
By National Peace Council The Sri Lanka Parliament vote to impeach the Chief Justice has been in total disregard of the judicial decision by the country’s two highest courts- the Supreme Court and the Court of Appeal that the findings of the Parliamentary Select Committee have no basis in law and are invalid. Now this …
By Dr.Reeza Hameed It is provided in Art 74 (1) of the Constitution that parliament may by resolution or standing order provide for “the regulation of its business, the preservation of order at its sittings and any other matter for which provision is required or authorized to be so made by the Constitution.”
By Gagani Weerakoon and Binoy Suriyaarachchi In a move that is seen as historic as the impeachment motion against the Chief Justice that was passed with a two-thirds majority in Parliament on Friday, Leader of the Opposition and the United National Party (UNP), Ranil Wickremesinghe, chose to remain silent through the two days of debating.
By M.A.Sumanthiran M.P. “All rights secured to the citizen under the Constitution are worth nothing and a mere bubble, except guaranteed to them by an independent and virtuous judiciary” – Andrew Jackson Friday, the 11th of January 2013 will go down in the history of Sri Lanka, as a day marked by the accomplishment of …
by Tisaranee Gunasekara “Why couldn’t you at least get my child’s body down?” Rizana’s mother queries the government (BBC – 11.1.2013) Rizana Nafik was beheaded at 11.40 am on 9th January 2013. Two hours later, at 1.40 pm, Minister Dilan Perera informed the Lankan parliament that “the government has done everything to save Rizana and …
Continue reading ‘Rizana Nafik, Shirani Bandaranayake and the Lankan Reality’ »
Senior UNP Parliamentarian Karu Jayasuriya yesterday accused the governm ent of running goon squads. The former UNP deputy leader was commenting on Wednesday’s attack on political activists protesting against the impeachment of Chief Justice, Dr. Shirani Bandaranayake. The following is the full text a statement issued by MP Jayasuriya:
By Prof.Rajiva Wijesinha M.P. (UPFA national list Parliamentarian Prof.Rajiva Wijesinha abstained when Parliament took a vote on the Impeachment motion against the Chief Justice. Prof Wijesinha who could not speak during the two day debate has prepared a speech the text of which is posted here. Prof Wijesinha says “This was not delivered as there …
Continue reading ‘Why I Cannot Vote for the Impeachment of Chief Justice Resolution’ »
By Dharisha Bastians Firecrackers rent the air near the Parliament Complex last night, as the Government passed a resolution of impeachment against Chief Justice Shirani Bandaranayake at about 7:40 p.m.
several senior Lawyers have written letters to all Supreme Court Judges urging them not to accept an acting chief justice or chief Justice post if appointed and not to recognize anyone who accepts such appointment. The lawyers have pointed out that doing so would amount to a violation of the Constitution.There are Eleven Supreme Court …
by M.A. Sumanthiran M.P. Full text of Speech made in Parliament on 10th January 2013 by MA SUMANTHIRAN M.P. during the debate on Impeachment of the Chief Justice Mr. Deputy Speaker, are you able to control the proceedings? Thank you sir. Before I commence my speech I need to deal with two preliminaries, both relating …
Speech made in Parliament on 10th January 2013 by MA SUMANTHIRAN M.P. during the debate on Impeachment of the Chief Justice
(Text of Editorial Appearing in the “Daily Mirror” of January 11th 2013) For Sri Lankans, Rizana was more than a mere blurry black and white picture of a girl in a hijab. Having been forced to spend eight years behind bars in an unknown land, for a crime which could when taken out of context …
Continue reading ‘It is Not Only Justice That Has Failed Rizana But Her Own Country Too’ »
By S.L.Gunasekara The Court of Appeal, following the interpretation of the Constitution given by the Supreme Court has quashed by way of Certiorari the findings of the Parliamentary Select Committee.
( Full Text of a Statement Signed by 389 Sri Lankan Law Students from Law Faculties and Law College) We, as law students in Sri Lanka, wish to record our deep concern over the blatant violation of judicial independence and the usurpation of the role of the judiciary by the executive and legislative arms of …
By Harim Peiris Earlier this week the Rajapaksa Administration added yet another dubious distinction to its governance records by breaking decades of parliamentary tradition and forcing on the order paper of Parliament the debate and vote on the impeachment motion against Chief Justice Shirani Bandaranayake. Traditionally and historically the agenda of parliament, is agreed upon …
By Chelvatamby Maniccavasagar (FORMER CHIEF JUSTICE S. SHARVANANDA’S 6TH DEATH ANNIVERSARY IS ON JANUARY 10TH) Former Chief Justice ‘Deshamanya’ S. Sharvananda who passed away on January 10, 2007 in Sydney-Australia at the age of 83 after a brief illness was a multi-faceted and multi-dimensional personality who maintained tremendous courage and high degree of Judicial Statesmanship. …
Continue reading ‘Chief Justice Sharvananda Preserved Dignity of Courts and Image of Justice’ »
(Groundviews interviewed Luwie Ganeshathasan, a Researcher in the Legal and Constitutional Unit of the Centre for Policy Alternatives, on several key issues arising from the impeachment proceedings against the current Chief Justice of Sri Lanka, Shirani Bandaranayake) Is there provision in the constitution to impeach the CJ? Yes. The Constitution in Article 107 provides for …
Continue reading ‘Questions and Answers Explaining the Impeachment of Chief Justice Issue’ »
By Dharisha Bastians Chief Justice Shirani Bandaranayake has reiterated that she remains willing to face any independent inquiry constituted according to the law that would investigate the 14 charges of impeachment filed against her, even as Parliament prepares to debate on the motion today.
By Tisaranee Gunasekara “Find out what any people will quietly submit to and you have found out the exact measure of injustice and wrong which will be imposed upon them….” Fredrick Douglass (Speech on 3.8.1857 – The Fredrick Douglass Papers) The real ‘Hulftsdorf Coup’, plotted and unleashed by the Rajapaksa Brothers, is nearing its appointed …
By Dharisha Bastians The Lagoon’s Edge holiday bungalow has a unique selling point no other resort location in the island can match. Tourists can spend Rs. 15,000 to spend a luxurious night on the banks of the lagoon in which one of the world’s most ruthless terrorist leaders were killed by Sri Lankan armed forces.
(Text of statement issued by the Asian Human Rights Commission on the Execution of Ms. Rizana Nafeek) According to reports received, the Government of Saudi Arabia has executed Ms. Rizana Nafeek (1988 – 9 January 2013) today. The embassy of Sri Lanka in Riyadh has confirmed this report. Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) wishes to …
Sri Lankan housemaid Rizana Nafeek who was on death row on charges of having killed an infant has been executed in Saudi Arabia, External Affairs Ministry said today.
Text: Marianne David Pix: Arthur Wamanan A memorial service was held at slain Editor Lasantha Wickrematunge’s gravesite at Kanatte on the morning of 8 January to mark the fourth anniversary of his brutal murder. The service was attended by Lasantha’s brother Lal Wickrematunge and his family, and current and former The Sunday Leader staffers, including …
Continue reading ‘Lasantha Wickrematunga Remembered on the Fourth Anniversary of his Murder’ »
By K. S. Sivakumaran Akkaraihal Pachchai Illai is the name of a book in Thamil by a Lankan writer named Arul Subramaniam who hails from Thiru Koana Malai (Trincomalee). The title of the novel is a maxim well known to everybody. It means Foreign Borders are not green anymore.
By Taylor Dibbert President Barack Obama has nominated Chuck Hagel as the next Secretary of Defense. With John Brennan tapped to be CIA director and John Kerry as the next Secretary of State, Obama’s second-term foreign policy team appears to be coming together.
By Mano Ganesan (Text of press release issued by the Democratic Peoples Front) Mano Ganesan, the Leader of the Democratic People’s Front said that ‘the lamentable death of Kaathai Muththusamy, a 68 year-old female of the Adawaththa Estate, Lunugala in Badulla, who died yesterday after a long illness while in prison is proof enough for …
By Kath Noble Rajiva Wijesinha has been attracting attention in recent weeks due to his unfortunately rather lonely stand from within government ranks against the impeachment of the Chief Justice. It would have been easy to keep quiet, so he deserves a round of applause. But it is the effort that he has been making …
By the Free media Movement It is exactly four years since Lasantha Wickrematunga, the former editor of The Sunday Leader, was murdered. The proverbial ‘unidentified gunman’ who killed him and dozens of our colleagues still reigns.
By the Free Media Movement It is exactly four years since Lasantha Wickrematunga, the former editor of The Sunday Leader, was murdered. The proverbial ‘unidentified gunman’ who killed him and dozens of our colleagues still reigns.
By Chandrasena Maliyadde Living up to the letter as well as to the spirit of this notion, the country has been submerged in a series of problems and challenges: Bridging budget deficits, containing widening trade balances, arresting slowing down growth, reducing the debt burden, facing long-drawn droughts followed by heavy rains causing flood havoc in …
By Chitra Weeraratne The Court of Appeal yesterday issued a Writ of Certiorari quashing the findings of the Parliamentary Select Committee (PSC) which probed impeachment charges against the Chief Justice Dr. Shirani Bandaranayake.
By Charitha Ratwatte A newspaper quoted the President, speaking at a function of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Sri Lanka, as follows: “I want to say something about today’s situation as well since it was mentioned earlier. People may misunderstand, the Chairman of the National Savings Bank (Pradeep Kariyawasam, husband of the Chief Justice) …
By Vishnuguptha With the passing away of the year 2012, I wish to invite the attention of the readers to a fresh concept. Although I may call it fresh, it is not all that ‘fresh’ and the format that I am presenting below has been in use over and over again by various news media …
By Harasha Gunewardene (Outgoing Ambassador to France Dr.Dayan Jayatilleka who bade Adieu to Paris this week is Interviewed by Harasha Gunewardene for mirror.lk) Question:Your thoughts on the Impeachment crisis? Answer: Having spoken in support of President Rajapaksa in his re-election campaign in December 2009 – which I do not regret for a moment – I …
by Sarabjit Pandher In a departure from previous occasions, the top leadership of the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) and the ruling Akali Dal, stayed away from a function within the Golden Temple complex, where the Jathedar of the Akal Takht, Giani Gurbachan Singh honoured on Sunday the assassins of former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi.
As promised at a meeting with Heads of Media Institutions a few weeks ago, President Mahinda Rajapaksa has appointed an independent 4 Member committee (IC) to review the Special Parliamentary Select Committee report on the Impeachment Motion against the Chief Justice Mrs. Shirani Bandaranaike and to advise him. The 4 member committee comprises of a …
By Tisaranee Gunasekara “The arbitrary and apparently irrational, antiutilitarian nature of life under such regimes….disarms all attempts by reasonable men to understand and explain the course of events”. Tony Judt (Reappraisals) Hasitha Madawala was shot dead on the night of January 5th, outside his house. His murderers rode a motorcycle, wore hoods, and got away. …
The Supreme Court when making its decision, had not taken any notice of “by Standing Orders” in Article 107-3 of the Constitution which reads, “Parliament shall by law or by Standing Orders provide for all matters relating to an impeachment”, said former Chief Justice Sarath N. Silva.
by N. Sathiya Moorthy Lies, damn lies and statistics – so goes the adage. The Census staff in Sri Lanka has to be congratulated for making the decennial national head-count a serious job, particularly post-war, yes. But the figures that they have thrown up in the process have raised more questions than answers. Or, so …
Continue reading ‘Deepening Mystery:Why is the Up-Country Tamil Population Declining in Numbers?’ »
By L. Wickrematunge (A service of remembrance on the 4th death anniversary of the founding Editor of The Sunday Leader the late Lasantha Wickrematunge will be held at his gravesite at the Kanatte cemetery in Borella on Tuesday, January 8 at 7.30 a.m. Wickrematunge was assassinated on January 8, 2009 while he was on his …
Continue reading ‘Four Years Have Lapsed and the Killers of Lasantha Wickrematunga yet Walk Free’ »
By Chris Kamalendran Higher Education Minister S.B. Dissanayake warned that the Jaffna University would be closed if academic activities did not recommence tomorrow. “I have told the university authorities that, willingly or unwillingly, we will have to close the university, even for one year, if campus activities are not normalised,” Mr Dissanayake told the Sunday …
By Dr. Sanjiva Wijesinha I was saddened – as I am sure many of us in this island were – when the news came in last Saturday of the passing away of Tony Greig.
The drama over the ongoing attempt to impeach Chief Justice Shirani Bandaranayake is expected to end later this week with Parliament debating and voting on the report of the Parliamentary Select Committee (PSC) which found her guilty of three of the five charges examined.
By Maheen Senanayake The US Embassy in Colombo had to deal with an unprecedented `monkey’ situation its Marine guards were not trained to handle when a common or garden rilawa entered its highly fortified compound at Kollupitiya a few days ago and could not be ejected. The story even made the Washington Post..
(Excerpts from “Temple Trees” column in “Ceylon Today” newspaper) While the entire country was watching all agog the impeachment saga, in which the government and the Chief Justice were the main actors, Opposition Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe was playing a duplicitous role behind the scenes, which was known only to a few people.
By Dr.Vickramabahu Karunaratne Some people are angry that no real protest develops in the streets of Lanka. The incidents that have taken place thus far ought to have awakened the just wrath of the people, they say. Enough has taken place to rouse the masses to practical actions against tyranny. Some go to the edge …
Continue reading ‘Mahinda Regime in Trying to Impeach the Chief Justice has Impeached Itself’ »
By Latheef Farook This is sheer madness. This is how one could describe the potentially disastrous hate campaign unleashed against the island’s peaceful Muslim community by a handful of racist rabble-rousers who are law unto themselves.
by Kishali Pinto Jayawardene Predictably, Government propaganda hitmen wasted little time in rushing to condemn the Supreme Court’s most extraordinary and exceptional Determination this week that the parliamentary impeachment of a superior court judge has to be determined by law and not by Standing Orders.
By M. S. Shah Jahan “We are very sad to report that the patient passed away peacefully at 4:45 a.m. on December 29, 2012 (2045 GMT Friday). Her family and officials from the High Commission of India were by her side. The Mount Elizabeth Hospital team of doctors, nurses and staff join her family in …
By Parameswaran Sivaramakrishnan | Producer, Tamil Service, BBC World Service India, the largest banana producing country in the world, is vying for a bigger share of the global market. An ambitious plan has been drawn up by the Confederation of Indian Industries (CII) to export Indian-grown bananas globally to China, East Asia, the Middle East …
Continue reading ‘India’sLargest Banana Producing Area Tamil Nadu has More than 30 Varieties’ »
by Nihal Sri Ameresekere Hon. Chamal Rajapaksa Speaker of Parliament Parliament of Sri Lanka Sri Jayewardenepura Kotte. Dear Hon. Speaker, Supreme Court Order of 1st January 2013 interpreting Article 107(3) of the Constitution I write further to my Letter of 5th December 2012 forwarding my Affidavit of the same date,inter-alia, vis-à-vis, the cover-up by some of the Justices of the Supreme …
by Tisaranee Gunasekara “We were on the Titanic and everyone knew it was hitting the iceberg” – Eric Hobsbawm (Interesting Times) In 2013, Sri Lanka will continue to be blessed with a President who is intent on life-long rule and dynastic succession, at whatever cost; and a Leader of Opposition who unfailingly lends that President …
By Dr Reeza Hameed Those who were instrumental in drafting the Sri Lanka constitution currently in force were keen to limit parliament’s powers. Mr. J R Jayewardene, who as Prime Minister chaired the Parliamentary Select Committee on the draft 1978 constitution, remarked at one of its hearings: “We are practically a dictatorship today. There is …
By S.Sivathasan The challenge before a developing country is to transform the agrarian texture of the economy and to shift emphasis to industry and services. Such a change is known to be indispensable to move away from third world to first. But no sooner policy pronouncements are made or investment plans announced, forces of reaction …
In the supreme Court of Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka In the matter of a reference under and in terms of Article 125 of the Constitution of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka S.C. Reference No. 3/2012 C.A. (Writ) Application No. 358/2012
Text and pix by Dushiyanthini Kanagasabapathipillai New Year joys to Someone Truly LOVABLE New Year Day is observed on 1st January, the first day of the year on the modern Gregorian calendar while the New Year’s Eve is celebrated on the last day of the year – 31st December. In many countries, New Year’s eve …
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The UN Special Rapporteur on the independence of judges and lawyers, Gabriela Knaul, expressed today serious concern about the impeachment proceedings against the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court and the recent attacks against lawyers who have been fighting for the independence of the judiciary in Sri Lanka. According to information received by the independent …