President
Maithripala Sirisena’s comment during a speech at ‘Sathviru Heritage’
function at the Sri Lanka Foundation Institute (SLFI) organized to
transfer ownership of houses and properties to the security divisions on
October 12 and the subsequent events which included the resignation of
Bribery Commission’s Director General Dilruskhi Dias Wickremasinghe
created a quiet a stir in the political and civil circles. The most
shocked sections were the members of the civil rights groups who worked
tirelessly even with a risk to their lives to bring President Sirisena
to power. Dailymirror spoke to widely respected human rights lawyer J.
C. Weliamuna, one of the leading activists who worked to defeat the
Rajapaksa regime on January 8, 2015 about the after effects of the
President’s speech and reaction of the civil society groups. Excerpts;
Q When you look back do you feel happy about the change that took place on January 8, 2015?