An attempt to use violence
against lawyers opposing the government’s move to impeach the CJ
| A Statement by the Asian Human
Rights Commission
( December 17, 2012, Colombo-
Hong Kong, Sri Lanka Guardian) The Asian Human Right Commission has learned
that there was an attempt at the life of Gunaratne Wanninayaka, the President
of Colombo Magistrate’s Court Lawyer’s Association and the Convener of People’s
March. He has played a very prominent role in fighting for the independence of
the Bar for several years. He has actively participated against the impeachment
move on Chief Justice Shirani Bandaranayake.
According to reports, a group
of four persons have tried to follow him and tried to enter his house. He has
managed to close the doors and prevent the entry of those persons. It is the
view of many lawyers that this is a planned attack and perhaps the group was
sent to carry out a mission of kidnapping or, more likely, assassination.
In fact, after the Bar Association
meeting, where about 3,000 lawyers gathered last Saturday, the 15th of
December, and passed a unanimous decision to oppose the impeachment move by the
government and, particularly, the inquiry been conducted through the
Parliamentary Select Committee. The lawyers clearly stated that if, without a
proper process, the Chief Justice is removed, the bar will not welcome the
person who is appointed in her place.
This is the worst defeat that
the present government has suffered. It was a prediction by many that there
will be retaliation against the lawyers, and particularly those lawyers who
have taken active part in pursuing opposition to the government’s unprincipled
attempt to remove the Chief Justice as a punishment for her being part of the
Supreme Court Bench, which has given an adverse judgment against the
government. On the 17th of December, the SLBC Program inappropriately named
“People’s Power” carried out a scathing attack against lawyers. This is in
retaliation against the vote by Bar Association. The whole method of this
program is geared towards and creating hatred against the Chief Justice and all
those who are opposing the impeachment move. There is a contempt of court case
filed against the commentator of this program, Rajpal Abeynayake.
That the present government
and, in particular, the Ministry of Defence, engage with any opponents of the
government with abductions and assassinations is well known. The victims of
such assassinations are many. The case of Prageeth Eknaligoda, who disappeared
during the days preceding the last presidential election, has attracted
protests locally and internationally. However, there has been no inquiry and
representatives for the government have openly lied on this matter at the last
session of the Committee against Torture in 2011. Lasantha Wickramatunge, the
Editor of the Sunday Leader, was assassinated in broad daylight. Poddala
Jayantha, a journalist, had his legs broken and finally, due to continuous
harassment, had to leave the country. At this moment, many students in Jaffna
are being arrested, tortured and imprisoned. Those who have suffered such
political punishments have to be counted in their thousands.
The Asian Human Rights
Commission calls on everyone, particularly all the lawyers of Sri Lanka, to
come to the support of their colleague Gunaratne Wanninayaka, who has become a
target of this attack.
We also call upon the Bar
Associations all over the world to come to support the Bar Association of Sri
Lanka, which is standing up for the rule of law, independence of the judiciary
and the right to fair trial. In the moments of crisis such as these, it is the
duty of the legal profession throughout the world to defend the independent
associations of lawyers.
We also hope that the UN
Rapporteur on the Independence of Judges and Lawyers, the Commonwealth
Secretariat and the Commonwealth Association of Lawyers and Judges, as well as
Law Asia, the International Bar Associations and the International Commission
of Jurists, and all others who stand up for rule of law and human rights,
demand from the Sri Lankan government a credible inquiry into this attack and
also a guarantee for the security of Gunaratne Wanninayaka. All the lawyers who
have taken an active part in the lawyer’s movement in Sri Lanka for the
independence of judges and lawyers should make themselves heard.
