Monthly Archives: January 2013

The road to Nandikadal lies through the jungles of abuse and impunity

“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 end.
Parliament will debate
The parliament […]

By Tisaranee Gunasekara | Published on January 10, 2013 at 3:46 am

Rizana Nafeek a domestic worker executed in Saudi Arabia short while ago

UPDATE:On January 9, 2013, the Saudi Ministry of Interior announced the execution of
Rizana Nafeek, a Sri Lankan domestic worker convicted of killing a baby in her care in 2005 when she was 17 years old.
Human Rights Watch strongly condemns the execution.
“Saudi Arabia is one of just three countries that executes people for crimes they committed […]

By Human Rights Watch | Published on January 10, 2013 at 12:41 am

The curse of January: Darkest hour for democracy as Parliament violates the law and debates impeachment tomorrow

10th JANUARY marks the Darkest Hour of Democracy
Ignoring the Supreme Court and Court of Appeal judgments, Parliament will debate the
Impeachment against the Chief Justice tomorrow – Thursday 10th January.
The Executive and Parliament have jointly decided to proceed with the impeachment, notwithstanding the Supreme Court and Court of Appeal determination holding it to be unconstitutional. The […]

By Lawyers Collective | Published on January 10, 2013 at 12:22 am

Rape of the Constitution – Murder of the Supreme Court

A Supreme Court that has, in Judge Weeramantry’s estimation, been “a great pride to the country and has been highly esteemed both Domestically and Internationally” is faced with the threatened ignominy of sudden extinction.
The character of “Braveheart” who dared to retrieve the irretrievable, if not fatal damage caused
to the esteem of the Supreme Court, has […]

By Elmore Perera, Attorney-at-Law | Published on January 10, 2013 at 12:16 am

Sri Lanka lawyers on strike over impeachment

The Bar Association of Sri Lanka strongly, unequivocally and with no reservations whatsoever condemns the decision to take up for debate the impeachment motion against her Ladyship the Chief Justice Dr. Shirani A. Bandaranayake based on the findings of the Parliamentary Select Committee which was quashed by the Court of Appeal and determined to be […]

By Bar Association of Sri Lanka | Published on January 10, 2013 at 12:07 am

BASL urges the President and his cohorts to honour the Judiciary

BASL Statement (8th January 2013)
The Bar Association of Sri Lanka strongly, unequivocally and with no reservations whatsoever condemns the decision to take up for debate the impeachment motion against her Ladyship the Chief Justice Dr. Shirani A. Bandaranayake based on the findings of the Parliamentary Select Committee which was quashed by the Court of Appeal and determined to be […]

By Bar Association of Sri Lanka | Published on January 10, 2013 at 12:01 am

Respect the decision of the Supreme Court or face lawlessness says JSA

Statement issued by the Judicial Service Association of Sri Lanka.
The Supreme Court of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka exercising exclusive jurisdiction to interpret the Constitution vested under Article 125 of the Constitution has held that the Parliamentary Select Committee procedure which found the Chief Justice Dr. Shirani Bandaranayake guilty was unconstitutional.
The Judicial Service […]

By Judicial Services Association | Published on January 9, 2013 at 11:52 pm

Opposition writes to Chamal: Debate on impeachment violates Constitution

8th January 2013
Hon. Speaker
The Parliament of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka
Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte.
Hon Speaker,
Debate on the impeachment of the Hon. Chief Justice
We write to express our protest against the decision taken at the Party Leaders’ meeting yesterday to take the above matter up for debate in Parliament on 10th and 11th January, 2013.
Speaker […]

By | Published on January 9, 2013 at 11:43 pm

Judges require protection: Public urges government to respect court decisions

9th January 2013, 1.00 p.m:
1. On 8th January 2013 the leaders of the Opposition Political Parties wrote to the Speaker and protested against the decision taken to take up the debate on the impeachment on 10th and 11th of January. Opposition Leaders reminded the Speaker that proceeding with the Impeachment debate is a serious violation […]

By Lawyers Collective | Published on January 9, 2013 at 11:37 pm

Validity of Parliament’s interpretation of the Constitution – re OPA response

On 26th September, 2012 at the request of the National Issues Committee of the OPA, I drafted a press statement which was issued by the then President on 27th September under his signature and was thereafter unanimously approved by the OPA Forum on 28th September 2012.
Sad to say, the only apparent result of that statement […]

By Elmore Perera, Attorney-at-Law | Published on January 9, 2013 at 11:34 pm