28 March, 2024

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Intimidation Of The Judiciary Shockingly Illustrates The Gravity Of The Situation

By Dr. Jayantha Dhanapala and Professor Savitri Goonesekere 

The Friday Forum is a group of citizens committed to the advancement of democracy, social justice and pluralism in Sri Lanka.  The Forum has regularly issued public statements on issues of common concern in the spirit of democratic engagement with a view to stimulating public debate and encouraging action from state authorities and other relevant parties.

The independence of the judiciary in Sri Lankahas seen consistent erosion for decades. The unprecedented public statement by the Judicial Service Commission of Sri Lanka (JSC) complaining of intrusions into its functioning is yet another example of the incremental assault on democracy and judicial independence in this country. The public protests against a recent  attack by a mob on a court house and a member of the judiciary in Mannar, allegedly instigated by a Cabinet Minister, appears to have had no impact on governance which continues to display contempt for the Rule of Law.

The Judicial Service Commission (JSC) is created by the Constitution and is composed of the Chief Justice and two other Judges of the Supreme Court. Its function is basically the appointment, transfer and disciplinary control of what is commonly referred to as the “minor judiciary”, consisting of District Judges, Magistrates and other judicial officers. Its independence is protected by the Constitution, which makes it an offence to influence the decisions of the JSC otherwise than in the course of duty. The independence of the JSC is thus an integral part of the independence of the judiciary. Giving a testimonial to an applicant for a judicial appointment is expressly permitted, otherwise this would be an offence.

We are informed by the JSC that its members (ie the Chief Justice and the other two Supreme Court Judges) were summoned to a meeting by an unnamed political authority. We are greatly encouraged that on this occasion that move was strongly resisted by the JSC.

The Friday Forum unequivocally condemns any attempt at violating the independence and authority of the judiciary. We urge all sections of Sri Lankan society to respond to this threat by reaffirming our commitment to preserve our democratic rights. It is only an alert and active citizenry that can prevent this type of abuse of power.

In a democracy principles such as independence of the judiciary are not purely theoretical propositions. Attacks on judicial independence are attacks on the people. Article 4 of our Constitution recognizes that the judiciary  exercises the judicial power of the people. The judicial power of the people has to be exercised both independent of the political authorities and also without partiality. Otherwise we, as citizens, are left without equal protection of the law, particularly against violations of our democratic freedoms and rights by political authorities. We need to do all we can to safeguard judicial authority and independence.

We emphasise the professional responsibility of the Bench and the Bar to actively protect the integrity of the judiciary. We are impelled to point out that this state of affairs did not come about suddenly and in isolation. Actions and omissions of both the Bench and the Bar were strong contributory factors to precipitating the current erosion of democratic values and assaults on judicial independence.

We recall with deep regret the stunning silence of the Bar and the Bench in the face of judicial appointments made by the Executive in violation of the Seventeenth Amendment. The Bar Association was duty bound to protest and take necessary action including enlightening the public on the unconstitutional nature of such appointments and the negative implications for the Rule of Law and judicial independence. It is doubtful that the legal establishments in our neighbouring countries in South Asia would have tolerated such a situation. Similarly, attempts at compromising judicial integrity through political appointments and other benefits granted to immediate family members of judges should have been strongly resisted through public debate and demands for accountability on the part of both the political authorities and the recipients. When a retired Chief Justice was appointed as a presidential advisor and other retired justices were given diplomatic appointments such moves too should have been forthrightly resisted as such political appointments clearly compromise the integrity of the judiciary. The weak response of the Bar when the Eighteenth Amendment Bill was rushed through Parliament as an “Urgent” Bill was a blow to democratic governance and the rights of the people of this country. Furthermore, controversial judgments impacting on our constitutional rights do not receive the critical discussion and review in the media by either the Bar or by academics that the public benefit requires.

Casting aspersions on officials of the JSC through the media is totally unacceptable. There can be no defence for interfering with judicial independence by either the Executive or the Legislature. Both these organs of State are bound by the Constitution and by well-established constitutional conventions to ensure judicial independence. The government must also be mindful of Sri Lanka’s obligations under international law. That these events are taking place just a few months from the second cycle of the Universal Periodic Review of Sri Lanka by the UN Human Rights Council is also significant. It sends a signal to the international community thatSri Lankadoes not take its international human rights obligations seriously.

While the Bar has done right by responding strongly to this latest intrusion on judicial independence, we stress that consistent action is required in the future to send a strong and unequivocal message to the political authorities. We wish to remind legal academics too of the role they are expected to play in educating their students, their peers and the wider community. We remind our fellow members of the public that eternal vigilance is the price of freedom from tyranny.

An appalling physical assault on former District Judge Mr Manjula Tillakaratne, Secretary of the JSC, has taken place even as this statement was being completed. This shockingly illustrates the gravity of the situation. It also underlines the concern we have voiced at the public casting of aspersions on this officer, whose independence of function is provided for in our Constitution.

Dr.Jayantha Dhanapala   and   Professor Savitri Goonesekere

On behalf of Friday Forum, the Group of Concerned Citizens

Jayantha Dhanapala, Professor Savitri Goonesekere, Rt. Rev. Duleep de Chickera, Professor Arjuna Aluwihare, Anne Abeysekera, Dr. Jayampathy Wickremaratne, Tissa Jayatillaka, Dr. Geedreck  Usvatte-aratchi, Professor Ranjini Obeysekere, Shanthi Dias, Damaris Wickremasekera, Dr. Nelum Udagama, Sithie Tiruchelvam, Lanka Nesiah, Dr. A.C.Visvalingam,              Dr. Camena Gunaratne, Suriya Wickremasinghe, Dr. Selvy Thiruchandran,   D Wijayanandana, Suresh de Mel, Dr. Radhika Coomaraswamy, Professor Gananath Obeysekere, Faiz-ur Rahman, Manouri Muttetuwegama,  Daneshan Casie Chetty, Rev. Dr. Jayasiri Peiris, J. C. Weliamuna, Ranjit Fernando, Mahen Dayanada, Dr. Devanesan Nesiah, Ahilan Kadirgamar, Chandra Jayaratne

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    This article endorsed by many respected people states that
    “The independence of the judiciary in Sri Lankahas seen consistent erosion for decades. The unprecedented public statement by the Judicial Service Commission of Sri Lanka (JSC) complaining of intrusions into its functioning is yet another example of the incremental assault on democracy and judicial independence in this countryThe independence of the judiciary in Sri Lankahas seen consistent erosion for decades. “

    In my opiniion, this unprecedented public statement by the Judicial Services Commission is done in haste without giving proper reasoning … I am still surprised about the said public statement issued by the JSC and I never expected that kind of ‘ready to fight stance’ from that branch of goverment …
    Confrontational attitude among the executive, legislature and judiciary would lead to loose the confidence of people regarding them … Result is chaos , confusion and disorder …

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    The unelected Military Governer of the nothern province has been allowed to give consent on behalf of the people of the nothern province,without their consent, to the “urgent” Divineguma Bill which also has a “Secresy Clause” precluding employees from divulging details of disbursement of public funds.
    This confirms that Sri Lanka is now under a military regime, and is now a Police State.
    In such a state,”judicial independence” is unimportant and has no meaning.
    We have now become a ‘banana republic’.

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      No provincial governor gets elected. They only get appointed.

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        JD,
        Exactly.They cannot speak on behalf of all citizens.Their role is to ensure corrct administration and nothing more.

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    The UPR should take up the issue of the huge defense budget whcih has again been increased rather than down sized 3 years after war ended, as a means to militarize the cournty and make Rajapakse immune from criticism and intimidate those who believe in democracy – even the already supine judiciary!

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    “We are informed by the JSC that its members (ie the Chief Justice and the other two Supreme Court Judges) were summoned to a meeting by an unnamed political authority.”

    I believe that both Jayantha Dhanapala and Savithri Goonesekere have a duty to disclose the identity of this “political authority” to readers of this forum.

    One must not leave room for speculation in this regard.

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    IT IS MOST ENCOURAGING AND REFRESHING TO SEE THE LIKES OF DISTINGUISHED INTELLECTUALS JAYANTHA DHANAPALA AND SAVITRI GUNASEKERA AND OTHERS COMING FORWARD TO SPEAK UP FOR JUSTICE.

    WRITE UPS IN THIS FORUM ALONE WILL NOT TO DO. THIS MESSAGE HAS TO BE TAKEN TO THE ORDINARY MAN, IF WE ARE TO SALVAGE OUR COUNTRY EVEN ST THIS LATE STAGE FROM THE RUHUNU ROBBERS AND THEIR HENCHMEN.

    I MUST EXPRESS MY APPRECIATION OF THE ACTION OF THE JUDGES AND THE LAWYERS TO RESIST THE INTERFERENCE OF THE EXECUTIVE ON THE JUDICIARY.

    THE LAWYERS ARE THE BEST TO TAKE IT TO THE GRASS ROOTS LEVEL OF OUR VILLAGERS. FOR ONCE LET US FORGET CASTE CREED AND POLITICAL AFFILIATIONS AND STAND UP FOR JUSTICE IN OUR COUNTRY.WE OWE IT TO
    THE FUTURE GENERATIONS. LET THEM NOT SAY THAT WE DID NOT DO ANYTHING TO RESIST AND FIGHT THESE DESPOTS.

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    It is obvious that JSC was asked by some one from the President’s office to come and see the president. later it was said (by the president) that the President called the meeting to discuss about some scholarships to be allocated to the judiciary. Why should president discuss such matter with JSC headed by the Chief Justice? Obviously if there were any scholarships JSC could have been informed by the Minister of justice about the availability of those scholarships leaving the JSC to choose the suitable judicial officials according to the required qualifications.

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    The situation became grave a long time ago. It is obvious that this group of ‘Intellectuals’ have penchant for issuing statements that are long overdue. They say just enough to show displeasure but they always fall short of what really needs to be said. That is, they say enough to show that they are intellectuals but not enough to get themselves into trouble. The ‘Sunday Times’ political column has a similar arrangement. How much reach among the local population does the Friday Forum really have? Does the mainstream Sinhala media pick-up these statements? Come on, most of these geezers are in the twilight of their lives. What do they have to lose? Make a youtube video, that hopefully, goes viral. Do something other than issuing statements. Sri Lanka is rife with people making statements. Hopefully there is a youth component to the Friday Forum. Either way all signs point to this group becoming irrelevant, just like the ‘Elders’.

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    “The integrity of the judiciary has been compromised” over and over again many a times in recent times. A former CJ consenting to be “Advistor” to the Govt in a salaried position is unheard of.
    The Rajapakse Brothers are far too ignorant and venally focussed to understand the gravity of the damage they do to the political firmament of the land and people.
    Parliament, the Bar Association and the like, civil society should have taken to the streets to prevent these calculated assaults on the integrity of the judicial process. We are already a fascist State run with collusion from theocratic Mullahs, who are bribed to silence.
    The cancer that began in 1956 has now become terminal.

    Feeble and ineffective it is, at least the honourable men and women of the Friday Forum have raised their voices again – loud and clear in our gasping demonocracy that is on life-support.

    Senguttuvan

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    The law failed to protect Tamils for decades. This same “Supreme Court” was complicit in such racist draconian legislation as the PTA and Emergency Regulations. As the Sri Lankan Army got away with murder, kidnap, and rape, Savitri Goonesekere and her colleagues justified everything in the name of “eradicating terrorism.” Now the Government no longer has any use for the Supreme Court, except to rubber stamp its proposals at lightning stamp. Before Savitri Goonesekere voices her opposition loud and far, might I encourage her to take a shovel and dig up the mass graves in Kilinochi and Mullaitivu.

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      well said lester These so called liberals are also sinhala racist. They kept silent when 150,000 innocent Tamils were massacared. Whenever schools were bombed churches were bombed They kept silent. No only they have woken from their slumpers or ist Killing Tamils is Ok for them

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        Raja says:

        “ist Killing Tamils is Ok for them”

        When Sri Lankan armed forces killed 18,000 innocent Sinhala youth in 1971, it was okay for Tamils.

        When Sri Lankan armed forces killed 130,000 innocent Sinhala youth between 1987 and 1991 it was okay for the Tamils.

        When LTTE killed many innocent Tamils and Sinhalese it was okay for the Tamils.

        When LTTE ethnically cleansed Muslim from the North it was okay for the Tamils.

        Tamils never uttered a word againsts the killers because it was not them who suffered in the hands of Sri Lankan armed forces or LTTE.

        Just as the Sinhala/Buddhists you too are selective in your humanity. This won’t wash.

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    The rift between the executive and the judiciary as well as the executive and the service sectors is widening alarmingly. They are kept together by threats, physical harm, and patch up operations, as with the FUTA strike and solution.

    Recently the Speaker, his brother, in an unprecedented move, declared a decision of the Supreme Court ultra vires the Constitution. the rift is now come out in the open. I consider the Speaker’s statement an insult to the Supreme Court which is the ultimate guardian of the Constitution, and the not the bunch of riff raff that represents the nation in the National Assembly. It is now for the Supreme Court to make a statement on the speakers ruling. If a superior bench finds the accusation to be true, the honourable thing is for the entire Supreme Court Bench to resign in toto, assuming collective responsibility. If not, the speaker must tender a public apology to the Supreme Court and his resignation as well. The credibility of the Supreme Court has been affected by the Speaker’s statement in open parliament and cannot be passed in silence. This declaration will erode public confidence in the Supreme Court. Immediate action by the Supreme Court is awaited to set things right. Silence would only connote guilt, and such a Supreme Court ceases to be Supreme. If the Speaker is not contested by the Supreme Court, then leave interpretation of constitutional matters to the National State Assembly and to Provincial Parliaments. Such a situation would validate Shakespeare’s lines: judgment has gone to brutish beasts and men have lost their reason.

    Mario Perera, Kadawata
    (This comment was originally posted in Lankaweb)

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    Great article by two great intellectuals and also the members of the Friday forum.
    These are the people we need to serve justice in the country.

    Aggree with them a lot especially with the point of the bar needs to protest and act against any violation of the constitution especially in the case of judicial appointments.

    What we need right now is a bench and a bar free from state influences and who would strongly act agaisnt abuses caused agaisnt the members of judicary.

    If the Bar assocation fails to act then we will end up having anarchy and dictariol rule.

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    Great article by two great intellectuals and also the members of the Friday forum.
    These are the people we need to serve justice in the country.

    Aggree with them a lot especially with the point of the bar needs to protest and act against any violation of the constitution especially in the case of judicial appointments.

    What we need right now is a bench and a bar free from state influences and who would strongly act agaisnt abuses caused agaisnt the members of judicary.

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    Cannot think but wonder when and where the undermining of the judicial system could have started in our country. This perhaps is a woe tricked down from the incessant bastardization of the constitution itself. Perhaps the first significant was Srimawo Bandaranaike’s extension of her term as the prime minister, and then undoubtedly the “works” of J.R.J who at the accomplishment of his mission proclaimed “You could turn a man into a woman, wont so be the power of rule from the United National Party to another”. The executive presidency is the bastard child who emanated from that defamed rape of the country’s constitution. Defaulting the duty to uphold the country’s constitution to people is plausible only as long as they get to positions of power. This then by nature becomes bestowed upon the opposition to safeguard the constitution which in most democracies is assigned by the requirement of 2/3 or higher majorities in the parliament (which strictly consists of the representatives elected by the public) or “houses” as called in some cases. The opposition is then driven to oppose constitutional fortifying of the ruling power by their innate will to return to power in subsequent elections – amply permitted under the disguise of protecting the constitution. There are several key pillars to this structure, the first of which is to define the parties and their members in a stricter sense, that is to stop political cross overs which could weaken or fortify a ruling party during its governance, and then to abolish positions of executive power concentration. In simpler terms:
    1. Abolish preferential voting
    2. An elected official when crosses over looses his elected office
    4. Abolish positions of concentrated executive power
    3. Fortify all of the above with the requirement of 2/3 or higher majority of the parliament to overturn

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    While appreciating the statements of the Friday Forum in its commitment for the retention and promotion of the very basic tenets of a democratic polity in Sri Lanka I suggest that they go further in taking combative action against legislation already sanctioned by the Judiciary to grant legality to the crossovers of elected members of parliament from their respective parties. This has dealt a death blow more damning to the practice of democratic rule than any other mechanism that can be imagined and is ironically the Frankenstein baby of a freakish ex-Chief Justice Sarath Nanda Silva who now sheds tears for the sovereignty of the people.

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      Mahanama

      Unwisely says:

      “I suggest that they go further in taking combative action against legislation already sanctioned”

      They do not intent to travel by white vans.

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      Mahanama,
      Sarath N Silva did permanent damage by excusing/forgiving the Hambantota Account fraud by Mahinda Rajapakse – and thus let loose this monster and his chorts on the nation.
      He did some more damage by allowing/approving parliamentary cross-overs.

      Now the Family Dictatership is entrenched and grows stronger daily and panders to a pampered peacetime army and murderous police force to nip in the bud,any mass uprising.
      They are quietly laughing at this puny FUTA and the like,knowing that nothing and nobody can do anything against them.

      Lokka,
      Now we need 3/4th majority for important legislation,since more than 2/3rds have been bought over and enslaved.
      The balance 1/4th may just survive temptation.

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      You are correct sir. Now the same individual is running behind SF. I hop he does not mess up the great soldier with his pea brained antics.

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        Don’t forget Sarath N was a political parachutist. Justice Mark Fernando resigned in disgust at the antics of SN

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    We are a people who following de-colonisation failed to prevent ourselves being lumbered with a constitution which we did not create ourself as a people.We left that to our colonisers and that is where the whole problem starts.

    We entered the international arena without learning the basic rules of the game in the first place. If we had understood our place amongst the other nations of the world in the context of the power,the money,the bombs that they had then we could have made an honest assessment of ourselves considering the size of our country,it’s economic potential,our people, it’s history, religion, values, culture, and the greedy mindset of our politicians for finding enemies amongst ourselves and the neighbourhood; then we could have devised a constitutional framework for regulatiing our lives as a people.

    If we are to learn from our mistakes and bitter experiences, it is now high time to set matters right and find honest answers to certain uncomfortable questions as to our identity as Lankans if we are to make any progress.

    Our neighbourhood in itself is no example for us to follow because that is a land of different nationalities,languages and religious extremes. It itself is confused,confounded and beleagured with corruption; with caste prejudices and old superstitions.A majority of it’s population lives in squalid shanty towns in poverty while the better off live in gleaming skyscrapers, with bollywood dreams and the benefits of information technology and grandoise dams across it’s rivers;with rocket missiles tested for their destructive capacity and reach.

    But here now in our country, after thirty years of war, there is the phenomena of the newly born bourgeoisie reasoning, ‘that in an undeveloped country the direction of affairs by a strong authority is necessary’ has become vogue.

    To this end the party in power, has succumbed to familial control. That family belongs to a majority ethinicity or tribe, then it is natural for that ethinicity or community or tribe to gain ascendency and influence with the understanding and support of a major section of that community.

    The leader of the party will chose ministers,cabinet members,ambassdors,and other important state functionaries from that majority community to carry foward his government’s programmes.
    This will also apply to members of the judiciary and the services.He will see to it that the inchoherent mass of people in the country are held in check either by mystfication with the help of religious opium and that any oppostion is beaten;the police and army will wee to it that people remain silent through fear and with the help of censorship and loud propaganda.

    What can we do to remedy all this?

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      Uthungan

      “What can we do to remedy all this?”

      Abolish all parties, parliament,judiciary, universities,police forces, …………….

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    Re. Uthungan’s comments based on ground reality, it is clear our 60+ years experiment of a forced marriage will not work. The Sinhala Nation of today and the future will be forced to apportion the lion share of the meagre resources of the State to their own people – for their political survival. The liberal, educated, wise political Sinhala leadership we had till the mid-1950s is history now. The future will be dominated by skewed jerks like Ranawake, Weerawansa, SB, Dinesh G (and possibly extremists like SF) and the like – with unthinking support from the Buddhist religious heirarchy, where the Tamil Nation will always cause for just complaint. Short of a Separate State is that option of 2 Nations in one undivided Country where Cbo/South will not interfere in the allocation and sharing of resources – that has so far characterised our divide. One important nail in the coffin was the removal of 29C in the 1948 Jennings Constitution and the denial of a protective clause to the minorities (Tamils in particular at that stage) In spite of Colvin’s socialist make-up Felix Dias succeeded in getting the Pro-Sinhala Buddhist Govt of Mrs B’s 1970 to bring in the Unitary State project that has dominated our political discourse in the interim. This was a Pan Sinhala if you exclude that cosmetic inclusion of the uknown Architect C. Kumarasuriyar/Posts Minister to appease the India and the donors. Cumarasuriyar’s path to the Cabinet was because he was a minor member of TB Illangaratne-inspired Socialist Study Circle.

    The way out presaently, therefore, is the restoration of the Status Quo that was dismantled when the Portugese stepped in (1505) It is good to remember until that time the Island for millentia was ruled by 3 different kingdoms. The recommendation of the Colebrooke-Cameron Commission in the mid-1930s to unify the 3 kingdoms “for administrative purposes” was rooted on the premise the Tamils (Muslims and others were far too small in numbers then) will be protected. That Jennings did in his Constitution that was crudely done away with in 1972. No Sinhala Govt since then has made an attempt to right this enormous wrong by the Tamils.

    The Rajapakses are unaware of what’s happening outside. India is in a quandry with continued perfidy by the Rajapakses. The USA, EU and other donors are in exasperation at the lack of objectivity in solving the National Question by the Rajapakses. On October 12 Tamils in Canada, USA, Britain, Europe, Australia will come together in a high-profile attempt in the collection of a million signatures to seek UN intervention (1) on definitive action on the missing 100/200,000 IDPs something which the Rajapakse Govt has totally ignored in the recent past(2) in the absence of action by the Sinhala-dominated GoSL to allow Tamils in the country to enjoy political-participatory rights allowed to the other 7-8 Provinces to consider the recognition of a Separate State to Lankan Tamils in their tradtional homeland. The Rajapakses appear to be far too busy in lining their pockets to take the trouble to see what is happening outside.

    Senguttuvan

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    I hope Friday Forum makes simultabeous statements in Sinhala too. Otherwise there is no point intelling the small fraction of population reading English.

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    Native Veddah – Both in 1971 and 1989 when Sinhala youth were slaughtered the Tamil political formation raised their voices both in Parliament and elsewhere. When Mrs B’s rights were removed the Tamil MPs, lead by the late Amirthalingam, unequivocally condemned the JRJ Govt resulting in Mrs B, lead by senior SLFPers, walking upto Amir
    and acknowledging the principled courtesy – with folded palms.

    Senguttuvan

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      Senguttuvan

      You are right however the point I was raising in my comment was aimed at Tamil middle classes whose muted reaction to all forms of atrocities committed by all and sundry.

      Tamils don’t empathise with Sinhalese and Sinhalese don’t empathise with Tamils and both hate Muslims.

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    Good, although it too late, some learned people come forward to criticise the deplorable act committed by the former CJ Asoka Silva, who accepted the appointment as an advisor to the President after retirement. Any person with common sense knows knows he was appointed to the office of the CJ over Shirani Bandanayake J by President Rajapakse for a mission to accomplish i.e. to approve the constitutional amendment that a facilitate President Rajapakse to contest for a third term without obtaining peoples’ mandate at a referendum. So he was duly rewarded for the ‘job well done’ for the President Rajapakse. Simply, for personal benefit Asoka Silva betrayed the peoples’ trust placed in the judiciary that exercise peoples’ judicial power and not President Rajapakse’s judicial power.

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    If Native Veddah will allow me, the Tamil Middle class does not have a separate political formation to express specific opinions. I must disagree with you Tamils do not empathise with the Sinhalese. During those unfortunate days from the 80s to the mid-2,000 when bombs went all over the country the TULF and other organised leadership have openly declared its pain and regrets. In my presencde the late MP Sivasithamparam, then President/TULF, apologised both to Sinhalese and Muslims gathered in an NGO I chaired for LTTEs excesses – to the admiration of all present.

    Despite the deep wounds Tamils today are ready to join hands with the Sinhalese – something Mr Sampanthan has over and over repeated. Lawyer/MP Sumanthiran recently visiting Galle/Matarad declared this openly both in Sinhala and English. I must say, it is no different from the Sinhala side as well. There are many wise, peaceful and accomodative voices in the Sinhala side as well.

    There is sufficient space for the larger Sinhala side to make the necessary amends. Unfortunately, the more representative and organised heirarchy in the Sinhala Buddhist side have failed to give the leadership. So called “leaders” like Ranawake, Weerawansa, Dinesh Gunewardena, SB Dissanayake et al will do anything to scuttle a reunion. After all, these men will find themselves without employment if there weere to be genuine peace between the two major communities – is something nationally accepted. On the other hand, the Christian/Catholic leadership have been more vocal, fearless and positive in the matter. It is not sufficient to merely whisper “we have saved the religion and the nation for 2,500 years” Much more needs to be done. For this honesty, courage, sacrifice and unadulterated patriotism are vital and necesssary ingredients.
    The Mahanayakes did make one feeble attempt – about 3 years ago – when they announced to summon the Great Meeting of the Sangha in Kandy. But that political thug in saffron – Elle Gunawansa – was sent to threaten the Mahanayakas there will be blood and thunder if they go ahead. And the Veneable Mahanayakaes, meekly and weakly, surrendered.
    So much for the hollow claim of saving the religion and the Nation.

    Senguttuvan

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    No Sinhalese opposed Tamil race.Large number of Tamils are doing Trading and other busniess in Colombo and other Southren Cities.
    But when Tamils goes to overasees they claim, they have been discraminated inhalese race or Governmnat..That is how Tamils survival tatics and seek so-called ASYLUM IN MANY RICH COUNTRIES.HUNDERD THOUSNADS OF TAMIL BENIFTED AND HAVING BETTER LIFE GIVEN WRONG PICTURE OF POOR SINHALASE RACE IN WORLD.

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    Native Vedda

    About your comment on the ablolition of the list of those institutions you have mentioned,is that not already a Fait accompli?

    As for your point about Tamils & Sinhalese hate Muslims take a look closely at the list of the names of all the signatories to the above statement and draw your own conclusion.

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