Impeachment Update For The Day: Justice Shiranee Vs Chief Justice Shirani

By Colombo Telegraph –December 7, 2012 

The Government Information Department  informed the public that Justice Shiranee Tilakawardenewas giving evidence before the PSC. This was the first time the public or the lawyers were informed that oral evidence was being led by the PSC. As pointed out in the previous updates, the PSC had previously said that the PSC would not hear oral evidence and therefore the question of cross examination would not arise. All these evidence had been lead by the Members themselves without the participation of the Chief Justice or the Opposition Members of the PSC. 

Several witnesses, including Justice Tilakawardana,Lalith Weeratunga and Secretary of Judicial Service Commission had been summoned to give evidence with extremely short notice (within a day), contrary to the previous  pronouncements of the PSC. The proceedings continued until 10.00 p.m.

“The report is expected to be completed and printed tonight and then be placed before the Parliament by tomorrow (8th December), which is probably the most expeditious parliamentary committee report ever in the history of parliament.” a senior lawyer told Colombo Telegraph.

Here is the update for the day;

Justices Shiranee Tilakawardane

At 10.00 a.m. Lawyers Collective of Sri Lanka (representing all lawyers groups) held a press conference in the Supreme Court Complex saluting the CJ for withdrawing from the inquiry where she had been insulted by few Government Minister Members of the PSC (Wimal Weerawansa MP and Dilan Perera MP) and when the PSC failed to follow basic principles of natural justice.  She was commended by the lawyers for not legitimizing the unconstitutional inquiry that is being conducted by the PSC.

The PSC  inquiry commenced around 2.00 pm where the four Opposition Members walked out the proceedings due to the bias and arbitrary nature of the proceedings. These Members specifically stated that the Chief Justice is being humiliated by several Members representing the Government. Thereafter they held a press conference in the Parliament.

All Members in the Opposition walked out the Chambers in protest against the treatment meted out to the Chief Justice by the PSC.

Nevertheless, the remaining Members (7 out of 11 who are all representing the Government) decided to continue with the inquiry ex parte, without other Members or the Chief Justice.

In the mean time, the Chief Justice through her lawyer urged the Speaker not to proceed with the inquiry until an independent external panel examined the charges and reiterates that she would face any independent inquiry.

Soon thereafter, in the afternoon, the Government MPs, those who have signed the impeachment held a press conference in Parliament and reiterate the justification of the impeachment.

The Government Information Department then informed the public that Justice Shiranee Tilakawardene was giving evidence before the PSC. This was the first time the public or the lawyers were informed that oral evidence was being led by the PSC. As pointed out in the previous updates, the PSC had previously said that the PSC would not hear oral evidence and therefore the question of cross examination would not arise. All these evidence had been lead by the Members themselves without the participation of the CJ or the Opposition Members of the PSC. The PSC is a judicial body and therefore, there is no legal validity when four members do not participate in the proceedings.  

The Government had then made arrangements to prepare the Report and print it and the Government Printing Department was kept ready to print the report so that the PSC  could place it before the Parliament on the 8th December (last date of the sessions in the year).

Meanwhile several witnesses, including Justice Tilakawardana,Lalith Weeratunga and Secretary of Judicial Service Commission had been summoned to give evidence with extremely short notice (within a day), contrary to the previous  pronouncements of the PSC. The proceedings continued until 10.00 p.m. The report is expected to be completed and printed tonight and then be placed before the Parliament by tomorrow -8th December.

Several Opposition political parties, Trade Unions, Students’ Unions, Religious Groups and Civil Society Organisations are in the process of discussing the developments and the Bar Association of Sri Lanka is expected to meet on 8th December to take a vital decision on the issue.

Related posts;

Select Committee: MaRa destroys laws with enthusiasm of a bull in a china shop ;unilateral verdict invalid – legal experts
(Lanka-e-News -07.Dec.2012,11.00PM) The MaRa’s lawless and 
law ignorant demons engaged in dispensing horror (and hora ) justice violating every letter, syllable and spirit of the law are right now moving heaven and earth to rid the chief justice (CJ) of her official position via the fast forward track. After hearing the inquiry within the four walls of a premises today, they are getting ready to announce the verdict which was a foregone conclusion with the MaRa demons having written it down even before the case was heard and finished. It is significant to note that this hearing was most reprehensible , illegal and rudely shocking to all because all this is being done while the lawyers for the CJ and the opposition representatives of the Select Committee of inquiry had withdrawn from the proceedings on the ground that the inquiry is absolutely irregular , illegal , unjust and not impartial. 

While the lawyers for the CJ yesterday and the opposition representatives today demanded the list of witnesses and the documents , the Govt. representatives without submitting them , and after the opposition representatives and the lawyers for the defendant had walked out , unilaterally and according to their whims called witnesses and recorded evidence like ghosts and demons within a premises in a devastation spree taking over after the humans had deserted .

In the afternoon , evidence was recorded of Supreme court judge Shiranee Thilakawardena, Central Bank Governor and a number of chiefs of several Banks. Shiranee Thilakawardena , had furiously castigated the CJ when giving evidence. 

This one sided unfair and unjust inquiry conceived in the womb of vengeance, and nursed and nurtured solely and wholly by the burning desire of despotic MaRa regime to subjugate the judiciary while vilifying the CJ using all their resources and powers unlawfully and dictatorially was concluded at about 9.30 p.m. today . 

MaRa has given stern orders that the report of the verdict of this fake and fraudulent inquiry should be presented to Parliament tomorrow morning.
It will be just some additions that will be necessary to be made based on today’s proceedings to the decision written down by Dr. G L Peiris already for tomorrow .The regime had first decided to inform the President and change even the Parliament standing orders tomorrow to finish what affairs that would take a month . The legal sector had advised against it , and it is not possible to do so. They have pointed out by trying to change the standing orders in a day , the existing orders will become invalidated.

Meanwhile a senior legal expert speaking to Lanka e news said, the unilateral decision of the Select Committee is not valid in law though the Govt. may assume it is , because a report of the opposition representatives is mandatorily necessary . Therefore , hearing the case until late night is of no avail even after using every trick in the book to turn the decision against the CJ, he added.
But , the MaRa regime that is desperate and maniacally mad to achieve its dastardly , diabolic and despotic objectives had still not abandoned its idea of appointing an acting CJ and achieving its lawless goal before the decision scheduled for the 13th is delivered by the Supreme court on this impeachment .

‘Pissu Geni’ ‘Baby Nona’ : This Eve Of Course Has Many Many Adams – Weerawansa & Dilan

By Colombo Telegraph -December 7, 2012

‘Pissu geni’ (mad woman), ‘baby’, ‘baby nona’ (baby mistress) and several other derogatory terms were used to address Chief Justice Shirani Bandaranayake by Ministers Dilan Perera and Wimal Weerawansa during Parliamentary Select Committee proceedings on Thursday, Colombo Telegraph learns.

Dilan Perera

Perera and Weerawansa who from the first were tasked with humiliating the Chief Justice at the Committee sittings were not checked even once by the Select Committee Chairman Anura Priyadarshana Yapa, sources said.

Furthermore, when Romesh De Silva PC who is leadingBandaranayake’s legal team was making submissions on Thursday, he alluded to the fact that even Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden had been given the opportunity to explain themselves. Interrupting the Senior Lawyer, Perera sniped “This Eve of course has many many Adams,” sources said.  The statement shocked lawyers and Opposition MPs on the committee.

The following is the sequence of events at Thursday’s PSC sitting, before Bandaranayake and her lawyers walked out in protest:

1. PSC convened at 2.30 pm today. The Chairman without consulting other Members overruled the objection of bias raised against two Members. Opposition Members dissented.

2. Romesh de Silva PC (Counsel for CJ) then raised the issue of the Procedure. No specific and legitimate procedure was adopted. Instead, documents (approximately 1000 pages) were handed over the CJ requiring her to respond by 7th afternoon. No list of documents or witnesses were given.

3. CJ was told that there would be no oral evidence and therefore no cross examination would be permitted.

4. When the issue of rules of natural justice was raised, the Government members responded that this is not a court and that rules of natural justice is applicable for the people and not for the representatives of the people.

5. Several Members of the Government referred to various allegations, not based on the charges. When the Counsel pointed out that those allegations are not part of the charges, they took the view that the Committee can go beyond the allegations.

6. Two Members of the Committee particularly ridiculed the Chief Justice with totally unacceptable remarks (Pissu Geni; Nadagam Natanawa etc). Counsel was also subject to hostility. Member of the Opposition requested the Chair to control the proceedings and ensure that Chief Justice and Counsel are treated with dignity but Chair did not make any attempt to prevent further humiliation.

7. When the PSC was unable to ensure any acceptable procedure for inquiry and continued with the violation of Rules of Natural justice and in particular the Chief Justice and Counsel was subjected to intimidation, the Chief Justice and her Counsel walked out of the PSC

Related posts;

Sri Lanka chief judge Bandaranayake found guilty by MPs

Supporters of Chief Justice Shirani Bandaranayake say the attempt to impeach her is politically motivated

A report by a Sri Lankan parliamentary committee has found Chief Justice Shirani Bandaranayake guilty of three charges of misconduct.

She could be dismissed after parliament votes on the report in January.

Mrs Bandaranayake denies allegations of financial and professional wrongdoing. Her lawyer said it was not clear how the conclusion had been reached.

Her supporters say the government wants to get rid of her and undermine the independence of the judiciary.

US concern

The investigation was mounted after Mrs Bandaranayake ruled against several government bills, including one that gave more powers to President Mahinda Rajapaksa's brother Basil, the economic development minister.

Continue reading the main story

Nimal Siripala de Silva, a government minister and member of the committee, said: "We have found her guilty of three charges out of the first five we have investigated."

He said she had been found guilty of an illicit property transaction and of failing to declare many bank accounts.

The chief justice was also convicted of being unfit to serve in office because of her potential influence over a case in which her husband is accused of bribery.

Mrs Bandaranayake's lawyer rejected the charges, saying they "will not stand the scrutiny of law".

"We can't understand how they came to these conclusions," lawyer K Neelakandan told the BBC Tamil Service.

Under parliamentary procedure, if the chief justice is found guilty of even one charge, and a majority of the 225-member house votes for her removal, the president can dismiss her.

The president's party controls a two-thirds majority in the house.

Mrs Bandaranayake has criticised the committee for giving her insufficient time to prepare her defence, failing to follow proper procedure and for concluding its report with undue haste.

She walked out of its hearings on Thursday, as did the four opposition MPs on the panel.

The US embassy in Colombo has said it is "very concerned" about the impeachment process and has demanded that the government follow the rule of law.

Tamil fears in the North

Critics say President Rajapaksa has concentrated enormous power in his hands since he crushed the Tamil Tiger separatist rebels in 2009 after a long and bloody war.

Human rights activists remain concerned about conditions in the Tamil heartland of northern Sri Lanka.

Eleven students have been arrested by the anti-terrorism division in the past few days and their teachers have warned that they face what they called a grave and dangerous situation.

In a letter to President Rajapaksa, the Jaffna University teachers say the authorities have been heavy handed in tackling festering political issues and have detained people on false pretences.

They also accuse them of failing to understand the gravity of the problems in Jaffna, the spiritual capital of the minority Tamil community.

The Walk Out Of Chief Justice And The Rajapaksas

By R Hariharan -December 8, 2012 

Col. (retd) R.Hariharan

The walk out of Chief Justice Mrs Shirani Bandaranayake and her team of lawyers from a Parliamentary Select Committee (PSC) hearing on an impeachment motion against her Thursday was an eloquent testimony to the charade being enacted in Sri Lanka in the name of democracy. Probably it is a matter of time the PSC would find her guilty of the charges of corruption slapped against her.

Mrs Bandaranayake, who was picked by the President for the high office though she lacked adequate judicial experience, fell out of favour with her ruling on the Dive Neguma Bill. She ruled that the Bill required the approval of all provincial councils before enactment as it impinged upon their constitutional powers. Apparently she had taken her job too seriously and stopped the Bill from being passed forgetting it was moved by President’s brother Basil Rajapaksa, Minister for economic development.

The Divineguma Bill aims to create a department merging three authorities – Samurdhi, Southern Development and Udarata (up-country) Development involved in savings and loan schemes. Though the Bill appears innocuous, its enactment would deprive the limited financial powers of provincial councils have rural development. The Bill is important for the Rajapaksa clan because it forms part of President Rajapaksa’s grand plan to consolidate his hold on power. And as a masterly stroke, it would strike one more nail in the coffin of the much maligned 13th Amendment (13A) to the Constitution which created the provincial councils.

The Rajapaksas are set on getting rid of the 13A. The first call for abolishing 13A came up from the President’s brother and defence secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa in September 2012. It was vigorously backed by some coalition partners – the Right wing Jathika Hela Urumaya (JHU) and the former JVP-leader Weera Wansa’s National Freedom Front (NFF) and the Mahajana Eksath Party (MEP). Both JHU and NFF feared if it is not abolished the “anti national” and pro-LTTE Tamil National Alliance (TNA) was likely to gain control the Northern provincial council in September 2013. Basil Rajapaksa vexed by the opposition criticism of the Dive Neguma Bill spoke of the need to replace 13A and suggested introducing 19thamendment. The ruling coalition immediately reacted to say there was no move to abolish the 13A when probably the Chief Justice’s ruling was not factored in the scheme of things.                                            Read More

The Most Expeditious PSC Report Ever In The History Handed Over To The Speaker A Short While Ago

Chairman, Anura Priyadarshana Yapa

By Colombo Telegraph -December 8, 2012

(Second update)The Parliamentary Select Committee report on the motion of impeachment against Chief Justice Shirani Bandaranayake has just been handed over to Parliament by Committee Chairman, Anura Priyadarshana Yapa. The report says three out of five charges (1,4,5) against Chief Justice Shirani Bandaranayake have been proven at the PSC inquiry held on the impeachment.

Chief Opposition Whip John Amaratunge has requested a debate on the report. Speaker Chamal Rajapaksa said the debate would be held in a month after the item is included in the order paper.

The PSC was constituted on 14 November, eight days after the motion of impeachment against Bandaranayake was tabled in Parliament.  The Chief Justice appeared before the committee three times before she and her lawyers walked out of proceedings on Thursday citing a lack of faith in the committee’s ability to grant her a fair trial. Yesterday, the four opposition members on the PSC also walked out saying the process was unfair and violated all laws of natural justice.

The report by the PSC is likely to find Bandaranayake guilty on at least three counts. 14 Charges were brought against her in the motion. The report comes in the wake of lawyers for the Chief Justice crying foul over the summoning of witnesses following the walk out by the CJ and the opposition.

Attorney at law and lawyer for Bandaranayake Saliya Pieris said that until the Chief Justice and her counsel walked out of the Select Committee yesterday it was maintained by the Committee that no oral evidence will be led. “Despite our demands to cross examine the witnesses we were not given the list of witnesses or documents and were told that there will be no witnesses called. This same observation has been made by the Opposition Members of the Select Committee today at 2.30 pm. We now find that after the Chief Justice and her lawyers walked out of the Select Committee, the Committee has called for witnesses and led their evidence. We understand that all those witnesses were summoned today (the 7th) after the lawyers walked out. It appears to us that as long as the Chief Justice and her lawyers were present witnesses would  not have  been called,” he said.

Speaking at the parliament today, Minister De Silva had stated the CJ has been proven guilty of the following three charges against her: the issue concerning the Trillium property, failing to declare certain bank assets and liabilities and being biased against legal action initiated against her husband at the Magistrate’s Court of Colombo in connection with the offences regarding acts of bribery and/or corruption under the Commission to Investigate into Allegations of Bribery or Corruption Act.

The report and the motion will likely be taken up for debate on 8 January when Parliament reconvenes after vacation. The debate on impeachment will be conducted for 10 days.

Related posts;

Mega Rally In Toronto - To End Militarization Against 

Jaffna University Students

The Canadian Tamil Youths and the Tamil Community will be organizing a huge rally condemning the Sri Lankan Army’s brutal attacks and unjustified arrests of the students of Jaffna University. Through this rally, Canadians will be demanding 

the release of the Jaffna University Students as well as the removal of Sri Lankan military forces from Tamil Homeland.

Location: 360 University Avenue (In Front of the American Consulate)
Date: Friday, December 7, 2012
Time: 3:00 P.M. – 7:00 P.M.


Tamil Students Associations across Canada
Tamil Youth Organization – Canada
National Council of Canadian Tamils

Let’s stand in solidarity, in large numbers, to protect and free our fellow students!


https://www.facebook.com/events/382374368517352/

Ten students among 25 arrested in panic-hit Jaffna, more arrests imminent

07 DECEMBER 2012

BY RAMANAN VEERASINGHAM

At least ten more Jaffna University students and 15 other men – aged between 19 and 55 – have been arrested by Sri Lanka’s notorious counter-terrorism police unit on Thursday, on charges of alleged links with the defeated Tamil Tiger rebels, creating a panic wave among the parents and students’ society in the heavily-guarded northern Jaffna peninsula.

According to sources in Jaffna, special teams of the Terrorism Investigation Division (TID) from Vavuniya have made these arrests from Kopay, Chavakachcheri, Point-Pedro, Valvettithurai, Chunnakam, Jaffna and Chankanai areas. They have all been arrested under the draconian Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA).

Top TID officials in Colombo have confirmed the arrest of 25 men from Jaffna, claiming that the arrests were made based on intelligence reports.

Apart from the University students, many among those arrested were former members of the Tamil Tiger rebels, who have resettled in the peninsula after having been through the government's 'rehabilitation program'. 

The Sri Lanka Human Rights Commission (HRC) in Jaffna said that the relatives of the seven freshly arrested men have lodged complaints with the HRC.

Academic sources of the Jaffna University said that on the request of the University Administration, the Jaffna police on Tuesday “has sent a name list of ten students from various faculties here”.

VC succumbs to police pressure

“Of the ten wanted students in the police list, five are attached to the Jaffna Medical Faculty, three are from the Science Faculty while the remaining two students are from Management Faculty. The Vice Chancellor and some top Professors have more or less compelled the above students to immediately report to the Jaffna police station along with their parents,” the University Academic sources told the JDS via phone.

“When all five Medical Faculty students visited the police station, they have been arrested and handed over to a TID team from Vavuniya. The University administration demanding the students to surrender to the police has resulted in a heated arguments and counter arguments among the students and the academic staff” one source said, adding that the military appeared to have almost succeeded in taking over the University administration.

Some of the university professors and lecturers have been accused by student sources for compromising the independence and integrity of the University by carrying out orders of the police and the military.

More arrests imminent

Meanwhile, a latest report said that the local police stations have also sent letters written purely in Sinhala language to several other people in Jaffna, demanding them to immediately report to their respective police stations. Many among those received such are 'rehabilitated' former LTTE cadres and families lived in the former LTTE controlled-areas in the Wanni, before the government declared military victory over the Tamil Tigers in May 2009.

Tamil National Alliance (TNA), P. Ariyanethran took up the issue in Parliament on Thursday said that “there was no guarantee for the Tamil youth living in the north and the East.”

“Our youth who went through the government’s rehabilitation process are going missing. They are still being picked up by the white-vans. These are the reasons why the people are feeling Sri Lanka towards Australia. We request the Australian government to stop deporting people from Australia, to avoid them getting killed or disappeared on deportation,”

Secretary of the Jaffna Students’ Union Paramalingham Darshananth (24) of Kantharmadam, Arts Faculty Union President Kanakasundaraswami Jenamejeyan (24) of Puthukkudiyiruppu, Science Faculty Union member Shamugam Solomon (24) of Jaffna and Ganeshamoorthy Sutharshan (22) of Urumpirai were arrested by  the police on Saturday (1).

Seven more men were arrested on Tuesday (4) and the police is conducting interrogation after detaining them under the PTA.

SL police directs Medical Dean to hand over students to SL military intelligence

[TamilNet, Thursday, 06 December 2012, 20:12 GMT]
People of Jaffna were shocked to see Prof Balakumaran, the Medical Faculty Dean of the University of Jaffna under pressure, handing over five students of his faculty directly to Sri Lanka’s military intelligence on Thursday. Another student of the Science Faculty was handed over by his father. When the students were first taken to the SL police at Koappaay, the police refused to take charge of them saying that they had no ‘instructions’ and directed the university authorities to take the students to Military Intelligence headquarters in Jaffna. The students who were handed over were immediately taken to Vavuniyaa where a notorious unit of Colombo’s White Van defence functions. While escorting the students the Medical Faculty dons scared of even taking the students in their cars asked them to come in motorbikes. 

The occupying SL military was individually intimidating the deans and former deans of all the faculties of the university.

The Medical Dean was not acting on his own, but was directed by another faculty member Dr. Raviraj, who was earlier in the EPDP-controlled Council of the University and by one more faculty member, Dr Mukunthan, informed sources said.

Out of the four students detained earlier this week, one has been released, but three are kept in SL military detention in Vavuniyaa.

After handing over six more students, the university authorities under pressure are in a hurry to call off the protest, declare ‘normalcy’ and open the university for classes. But the media and public, aware of the realities, took no notice of their statements.

The Jaffna University is getting into a situation reminding of the Dhaka University under the Pakistani military in 1970-71. Whether the West and India are going to allow another worst to happen as they allowed the genocidal Vanni War, or whether they are going to act accepting their blunders, ask social and humanitarian workers in Jaffna.

The medical faculty students in the universities all over the island are known for their timidity and submissiveness in shunning any protests usually spearheaded by the other faculties. Those who know the history of the medical faculties in the island were surprised to see so many of the ‘wanted’ students coming from the medical faculty of the University of Jaffna. That is the reality of the times and the reality of a genocide-affected society, commented a senior faculty member of the university.

The Tamil National Peoples Front (TNPF) plans to hold a press meet in Colombo on Friday to protest the occupying military’s brutal crackdown on the democratic expressions of Tamil students.

The so-called international media and its reporting infrastructure still operates and thinks Colombo-centric as it was in the times of the genocidal war, commented a senior Tamil journalist in Colombo.

Civil Society Condemns Unlawful Detention Of Jaffna University Students

By Colombo Telegraph -December 7, 2012 

“Release with immediate effect the three detained students in the absence of clear evidence linking them to the alleged crime, Permit the students access to legal assistance and regular visits by their family members, Ensure the safety, and physical and mental welfare of the students currently held in detention, Put an immediate halt to any further arrests, acts of intimidation, harassment and reprisals carried out by the TID and Sri Lanka Army on students from the University of Jaffna, Stop all interference by security forces and law enforcement authorities in the internal administration of the University of Jaffna and its student body, Investigate into all past attacks of violence against students of the University of Jaffna, including incidents where the perpetrator/s is unknown “civil society urges government.

We publish below the full text of  the statement;

Statement Condemning the Arrest and Unlawful Detention of Four Students from the University of Jaffna, and Calling for their Immediate Release

We the undersigned, strongly condemn the arrest of four students of the University of Jaffna (UoJ) by the Terrorism Investigation Department (TID) on Thursday, November 29, 2012. While welcoming the release of Kanesamoorthy Sutharsan, a student of the Jaffna Medical Faculty on the morning of Tuesday, December 4, we condemn the continued detention of the remaining three Jaffna University Student Union members: Sanmugam Solaman (24), Kanagasundram Jenamajenth, and Student Union Secretary Paramalingam Tharshaanan (24).

The four are part of a group of seven Jaffna University students who were summoned by the Kopai Police (in the Jaffna District) on Thursday, November 29, 2012, in connection with an alleged arson (petrol bomb) attack on the office of the Sri Tamil Eelam Liberation Organization (TELO) in Thirunelvely, Jaffna. Sri-TELO had opened its office at Thirunelvely near the Jaffna University, only a week prior to the alleged arson attack. The students were later charged with putting up posters around the Jaffna University relating to Maaveerar Naal(LTTE heroes/martyrs day) which fell on Tuesday, November 27, 2012.                Read more...

Jaffna University teachers remind SL President about rule of law

[TamilNet, Friday, 07 December 2012, 12:59 GMT]

“There is now no anti-state terrorism in Jaffna. An important part of consolidating peace is for the State to conduct itself in a manner that induces respect for the rule of law,” reminded Jaffna University Science Teachers’ Association in an appeal sent on Friday to Sri Lanka’s President Mahinda Rajapksa on “grave and dangerous plight of students at the University of Jaffna. “Your Excellency well knows, having been in politics for several decades and in the center of two Southern insurgencies, that the defeat of an insurgent force does not extinguish the feelings or causes that gave rise to it. Such feelings are not a police matter, but are rather to be handled as part of the political task of reconciliation and rebuilding,” the academics reminded the SL President further. 

The Science Teachers’ Association of the university staged a demonstration in front of the Vice Chancellor’s office on Friday morning, condemning the irresponsible behaviour of the university administration.

The demonstrating science academics accused the university administration for the plight of the detained students. Without the release of the students there could be no talk on dropping the boycott, the demonstrators said.

While the Medical Dean, who on Thursday handed over five students of his faculty to the SL Military Intelligence, accuses the Arts Faculty students for causing trouble in the university, Friday’s demonstration by the Science Teachers’ Association has set a significant trend, observers of the university situation said.

The Medical Dean Prof Balakumaran and academics of the faculty Dr. S. Raviraj and Dr. T. Mukunthan, who handed over ‘wanted’ medical faculty students to SL Military Intelligence, face the brunt of criticism in the university circles.

The Science Teachers’ Association in its letter on Friday said: “The practice of the University authorities ‘handing over’ students gives rise to some questions and we are not sure of the legal situation.” 

However, the science academics also implied that the prevailing situation is such that parents of the students wish the university to get involved, for the sake of the safety of the ‘wanted’ students. 

Even lawyers are afraid to get involved in representing university students and advise them to go through the university, the science academics said.

“What does concern us however is that, while complying with police requests to hand over students the University authorities fail to question the police as to the reasons and to seek speedy resolution,” the science academics clarified their position on the protest against the university administration.

• Letter to SL President by Jaffna Univeristy Science Teachers' Association

The appeal of the Science Teachers’ Association was testifying to the legality and innocence of the Jaffna University students.

[..] “Dragging innocent students through police stations and police cells, as happened in the 1970s and 1980s, is frightening at the start and then hardens them and breeds contempt for the law and for the officers entrusted to uphold it. Where there should be trust and co-operation there is fear, resentment, and then defiance. Surely, we do not want the consequences of that again,” the academics said in their appeal. 

Chief Justice at the launch of Law Journal

Participating in the first public function after walking out of the Parliamentary Select Committee (PSC) yesterday, Chief Justice Shirani Bandaranayake is seen here participating as the Chief Guest at the launch of the Law Journal at the Bar Association of Sri Lanka (BASL). Pix by Romesh Danushka Silva