Sri Lanka: One Island Two Nations

Sunday, March 31, 2013

By Stanley Samarasinghe-2013-03-31

In a plain snub directed at incumbent Chief Justice, Mohan Peiris, the Bar Association of Sri Lanka (BASL) had Peiris' predecessor, the 43rd Chief Justice, Dr. Shirani Bandaranayake, as the chief guest of the induction ceremony of the newly-elected BASL President, Upul Jayasuriya, and the executive committee, held at the New Town Hall yesterday.

Attorney General Palitha Fernando left the event, accompanied by the Deputy Solicitors General, minutes after the arrival of the former Chief Justice at the venue.

Former President Chandrika Kumaratunga, who is reportedly exploring a return to politics, was also present on the occasion.

Justice Minister, Rauff Hakeem, was a notable absentee. Among others who were present were former Attorney General, Sunil de Silva, and former Supreme Court Judge, C. Vigneswaran.

The centuries old tradition is that the incumbent chief justice is invited as the chief guest of the induction ceremony of a BASL President.

Jayasuriya, delivering his inauguration address said: "A political judge or a political chief Justice can, in fact, cause more damage to the morale of the Judiciary than an unscrupulous politician.

Yet, it is the solemn duty of the Bar to face these challenges with firm resolve, to stand up to judges acting according to political dictates rather than the judicial conscience and on the contrary, to defend judges who defy political commands at the expense of their civil liberties and sometimes, their very lives."

Justice Vigneswaran, delivering his speech at the ceremony said, "The powers that be in this country are missing the wood for the trees, it appears. By interfering with the independence of the Judiciary, they are disturbing the course of law and justice in this country for all time."

The BASL, in an earlier extraordinary meeting, held during the height of the attempts to remove Dr. Bandaranayake from the post of Chief Justice decided it would shun her successor, if she was removed from her office in violation of a Supreme Court determination.