By Sanjeewa Ranaweera –
Sanjeewa Ranaweera
Last Friday, the lawyers across the country boycotted court proceedings. The learned judges of the lower courts also did not take their respective benches. And the cases that were to be heard in the superior courts had to be postponed as a result of the lawyers’ absence. So, the 20th of July 2012 made history as a day, on which the justice system of the country shuddered to a halt of its own volition.
Well, one might argue that bringing the judiciary to a virtual standstill is not the proper response to an assault on its independence. But it was only a mark of protest. And such protests are inevitable when ministers are beginning to feel that the learned judges of this country need their (the Ministers’) instructions to make a just and fair court order.
Sometime ago, one potential litigant told me that he was confident of the victory in the court case that he was planning to institute. I casually asked him as to what made him to be so certain about the outcome of the case even before the Court hearing it. Then he triumphantly said that so-and-so (an influential figure) had spoken to the judge. I didn’t take it seriously then and assumed that the poor man had been cleverly deceived by the politician concerned (This politician was known for his artful deceptive tactics anyway).
However, the situation has now changed evidently. There is this unfortunate perception amongst the public now that the political authorities are manipulating the decisions of the judiciary. And also, there are many instances where people choose not to litigate, purely because some dominant personality was involved in the matter. They believe that the learned judges would not dare to make an order favourable to them in the teeth of the super powers involved. And recently, we witnessed how a Minister (who has come under severe criticism over his handling of the subject of education) and few of his loyalists reacted to a judgement delivered by the apex court of this country. They hurriedly called a press conference and questioned the clarity of the judgement! And a so-called professor who was responsible for the blunder, which the Court has now finally remedied, publicly claimed that he still stands by his decision showing no respect to the verdict delivered by the head of the judiciary.
Last Friday, the lawyers across the country boycotted court proceedings
It appears that the Ministers, Parliamentarians and some of the staunch supporters of the ‘widely perceived supreme power’ can borrow its supremacy as and when they need it and conduct themselves with manifest impunity. The only institution that the powerless could seek justice is now being publicly ridiculed and the perpetrators are protected by the supposed supreme power itself.
We all know that power corrupts. And now we see that it generates insanity too. Perhaps ‘insanity’ is the stage that one reaches when the power he wields corrupts him to the hilt. When ministers threaten to burn down cities and the court houses are being stoned, it is self-evident that our chosen rulers have reached that stage of insanity. And when the insane governs the country, it is in an utter mess for obvious reasons.
And in the midst of all this negativity, let me acknowledge something positive as they say – “Every cloud has a silver lining”. That is, we still have forthright men serving on the bench. Also, we still have principled professionals who stand firm collectively when the course of justice is challenged by the high and mighty who, with the accumulation of wealth and power, have lost their sanity!
* Sanjeewa Ranaweera ; Attorney-at-Law
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gamini / July 21, 2012
It is nice to see little by little people are coming out decrying the system and the perpetrators. Not that I believe in God, but it is said that those of whom the God wants to destroy, first he makes them mad. Each time I see the dead Gadaffi, I see two prominent individuals, brothers instead, in such a situation here in this country. What a hallucination!
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fazeel / July 21, 2012
Like hell you have have forthright men serving on the bench. While I do not condone the actions of the Thugs, no one has pointed out the Christianisation of Mannar. The Muslims lived in this areas carrying on their livelihood of Fishing and Farming and the biggest LTTE sympathizer Fr Rayappu Jeseph and now a stupid Judge should decide that the Muslims cannot return to their former homes and start their livelihood. What F….ing justice is this?
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Sanjeewa Ranaweera / July 22, 2012
You say the facts. And we should take it as gospel truth! No inquiry is required. No judges are needed. Well, perhaps that’s what ‘justice’ mean to you!
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gamini / July 23, 2012
With this kind of mind set, without adjusting to live in a global village, looking for home lands, and trying to preserve non existent Gods and Religions, is the best recipie for World War 3.
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ranbanda / July 23, 2012
Fazeel in a democratic country one can choose a religion, this is not Saudi Arabia living in the stone age for laws and customs.The relocated fishermen should be accommodated in the fisheries harbour as best as possible till it is enlarged,but it gives no right for anyone to break the law because they have grievences, you end up in anarchy.
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Concerned / July 27, 2012
Alo fazeel remember rishad bhadurdeen has done nothing for the areas he represents apart from putting his name on ll the old buildings. If you don’t believe me ask the returning Muslim civilians to Mannar and mullativu . He has done nthng for them so don make this a race issue. I agree this is not arabia, we are ALL Sri lankans first .
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