A Brief Colonial History Of Ceylon(SriLanka)
Sri Lanka: One Island Two Nations
A Brief Colonial History Of Ceylon(SriLanka)
Sri Lanka: One Island Two Nations
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Thiranjala Weerasinghe sj.- One Island Two Nations
?????????????????????????????????????????????????Monday, June 5, 2017
BASL to take action
Websites, tabloids beware
June 4, 2017, 12:00 pm
The
Second Meeting of the Bar Council which was held on 27th of May 2017
under the Chairmanship of Mr. U.R. de Silva PC, made some import
decisions with regard to the continuous attack by websites, social media
and tabloids of the judiciary of Sri Lanka. This decision was arrived
as a result of Mr. Upul Jayasuriya PC, a former President of the Bar
Association bringing to the notice of the Bar Council that certain
organizations has insulted the Attorney General and they have questioned
the propriety of the Attorney General being called "Honourable the
Attorney General". They do not know that the Constitution names that
position as "Honourable". The Attorney General is the Head of the
official Bar. Therefore, we must take corrective action against such
derogatory statements. Thereafter, Mr. Geoffrey Alagarathanam, Immediate
Past President of the Bar association agreed with Mr. Jayasuriya and
said that the Bar Association must initiate action against anyone who
ridicules the Attorney General who is a Member of our Association and we
have a right to protect him.
Mr. Ali Sabry PC, who is the Dy. President of the Bar Association then
intervened and said that "not only the Attorney General what about the
ridiculing and mocking of the so called websites continuously? Utterly
disparaging remarks have been published mocking the entire judiciary and
it is time for the Bar Association to take over these matters and go
before the Supreme Court and file action for Contempt of Court."
Mr. Hemantha Warnakulasuriya PC, said that he is "extremely happy that
two former Presidents of the BASL have been shaken and woken from their
deep slumber and has taken offence against an organization for calling
names and ridiculing the Attorney General. This was due to the fact that
these remarks were made by an organization against whose President, Mr.
Jayausuriya has filed a Contempt case. But, he and his successor were
completely silent when the Supreme Court Judges were attacked
mercilessly and the web mafia called some of the Lady Judges,
prostitutes who lift their skirts to various individuals and the other
Judges are bribe takers and thieves. I have consistently brought these
matters to the Bar Council and I did not even get a fair hearing. I
would recall specifically, two instances. The first instance was where
this web mafia called Mr. Anura Kumara a thug who had assaulted a
stenographer in his chambers. Without consulting anyone, not even the
Ratnapura Bar Association, the former President writes a letter the
Chief Justice and complaints about the alleged assault. The Chief
Justice taking this letter seriously transferred the High court Judge
from Ratnpura to Moneragala. Thereafter, when the CJ found that the
complaint was untrue, he was then transferred to Kandy High court. The
police has found that the complainant had made a false statement. But
the anguish caused to the learned High Court Judge by our President,
remains unsolved. The second matter is when I complained that Shiran
Gunerathne High Court Judge had been defamed by a tabloid, and that his
telephones tapped and emails hacked. The President took the view that no
complaint was received. Under his leadership His Executive Committee
questioned me whether I have any professional interest or appeared for a
party in that case. No inquiry was initiated though the Chief Justice
himself has complained to the President. In another instance statements
made by the Bar Association with regard to the Gangodawila Magistrate
Kanishka Wijeratene appeared in the website long before the letter
reached the Chief Justice. There was a sleight hand which had direct
connections with the web sites to attack the judiciary. I am happy that
BASL headed by you and your forthright Deputy President, has taken
serious notice of the manner in which these websites through interested
parties try to control the Judiciary. Mr. W. Dayaratne PC, a former
President of the Bar Association said when a Supreme court Judge was
appointed, the appointment was openly criticized that he was working
with the Mahinda Rajapaksa Government. The innuendo was that he was part
to the previous regime. But when another Judge appointed by the Private
Bar, the Bar Association was silent. The Bar has been politically been
compromised and I am happy that the present President and the Deputy
President would strive to preserve and protect the judiciary, Members of
the Attorney General Department and Members of the Association by this
sinister website who are not accountable to anyone".
Mr. U. R de Silva PC, thanked the Members for having brought these
matters to the notice of the Bar Council and said he would immediately
take steps so that the Judiciary, the Members of the AG’s Department and
the Members of the Association will not be insulted by any printed or
electronic or online media.