By Colombo Telegraph –
The ceremonial sitting that was held in breach of traditions that has been followed for well over 200 years was boycotted by Bar Association of Sri Lanka and all leading Presidents’ Counsel in the Country. All local and international media were prevented from entering the Supreme Court complex and not allowed to cover the ceremonial sitting.
For the first time in the history the Ceremonial sitting to welcome new Chief Justice was held under heavy police protection as has never seen before. Those who did not grace the occasion and notably absent President’s Counsel were Wijedasa Rajapakse, K. Kanag-Isvaran, Romesh de Silva, Ikram Mohamed, Srinath Perera, Dr. Jayampathy Wickremaratne, Geoffry Alagaratnam, Jayantha Gunasekera, Anil Silva, Ananda Wijesekera, Maureen Seneviratne, Rohan Sahabandu, Uditha Egalahewa, Prasanna Jayewardene, Maithree Wickremasinghe, Harsha Amarasekera, Nalin Ladduwahetty and Senior Lawyers S.L. Gunasekera ,I.S. de Silva.
A ceremonial sitting of the Supreme Court is traditionally organized after the Bar Association of Sri Lanka makes an official request for a ceremonial welcome of Judge who is appointed to the Supreme Court.
Without such a request there cannot be an official ceremonial sitting. In the case of appointment of Mohan Pieris as the Chief Justice the Bar Association did not make such a request and in fact passed a resolution unanimously at an extraordinary meeting where well over 3000 of the Lawyers participated that the BASL will not participate in any such ceremonial sitting.
A Ceremonial Sitting involves two traditional addresses – one by the President of the BASL (the head of the unofficial bar) and another by the Attorney General (head of the official bar) welcoming the new appointee to office. The President of the BASL and its members cannot participate in any ceremony to welcome Pieris in keeping with the resolution of the BASL general body. All Attorneys at Law are members of the BASL, including the officers of the Attorney General’s Department.
In keeping with that resolution the Bar Association and its members and leading Presidents’ Counsel who form the inner Bar did not grace the occasion. There were pro Government Lawyers who are holding key posts in the Government Corporations and Departments who participated. There was not a single President’s Counsel with a standing who was willing to break the tradition and go against the resolution passed by Bar Association of Sri Lanka.
However, breaking all traditions Razeek Zarook, President’s Counsel the recently appointed Chairman of the Bank of Ceylon, has made a welcome speech.
frank hilary / January 23, 2013
How about the book lickers, Faiz and Faizar Musthapa ? I am sure they would had participated, for further kickbacks.
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Irikkiran Mohamad / January 23, 2013
Ali Horu. Okkoma Horu.
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perakadoru bena / January 23, 2013
Faiz and Faized organised lawyers to attend. But as usual Faiz did not make the welcome speech despite being much senior to Zarook. Now he will say ” I did not speak because of the BASL decision” but he will tell MR and UOPFA supporters ” Although I did not speak, I organised lawyers to attend.”.
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AYMAN / January 24, 2013
RAZIK ZAROOK WAS JUST APPOINTED TO THE POST OF CHAIRMAN, BANK OF
CEYLON, WHICH WAS THE BRIBE TO GET HIM TO WELCOME THE
“CHEAP JUSTICE” AFTER ALL HE IS ALSO FROM RUHUNA
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mahanama / January 23, 2013
Government should cancel the license of all 10,000 odd lawyers for doing this to our great sheep justice. who needs lawyers. we should be allowed to appear before courts without lawyers.
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ishanga wanasundera / January 23, 2013
don’t let your ignorance make a donkey’s ass of yourself
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Safa / January 23, 2013
Address of welcome by another political appointee sets the tone for installing the Mischief Justice. Unwelcome by the bar and all law abiding citizens.
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kuma / January 23, 2013
Chairman of the Bank of Ceylon has welcomed Chairman of Seylan Bank. Whose deposit and at what interest will they operate in future? I saw Gotabaya and Nivad Cabral (Seylan Bank chairman’s friends) coming into courts.
Kumar
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Villager / January 23, 2013
This boycott by some lawyers is not a big deal. Sooner than later, one by one they will all creep to courtrooms one after the other.
When Shirani Bandaranayake was appointed Chief Justice she did not have a ceremonial sitting because there was a protest by some lawyers just like today. Not just that, during Sarath N. Silva’s ceremonial sitting Justice Mark Fernando was not present. And that’s what Ada Derana reported.
Leela
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Punchi Banda / January 25, 2013
Leela will stay hallucinated for her rest of her life. I wonder whether she would ever be able to REALIZE this life… :((
Anyway, all what we (right thinking, law respecting ones) can do is to forgive her.
BS are u talking about..
This is the first time ever – this kind of protests arose by LAWERS COLLECTIVE…
please get some references to yours – Leela, you can explain donkey arguments to the shanty dwellers and the poor uneducated masses but no tot the readers of CT.
. THIS BRUTAL MAN MR had always calculated plans before him.. Dr Bandaranayake he thought could manipulate as he has been doing with the masses alike you and the poor of this country.
But the brave and exemplary lady did not resign her job – but fought to the very end. Now the entire world is on her side – MR is disgraced by EU, UN, US, CANADA and Australia.
Again and again, they discuss until the NEXT UN meeting in March.
There, this man Peris WILL perhaps be not in office anymore. So the MR will have to appoint the ones on his lists – repeatedly to the post.
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K A Sumanasekera / January 23, 2013
Leelo, I am not a lawyer, only JSC pass, but I also attend.
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Remote Villager / January 23, 2013
The move by BASL is appreciated for the time being, though we know that it does not create any impact based on the past experience. If lawyers (majority?) prove that they have backbone to standby what they preach, we would salute them.
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Senguttuvan / January 23, 2013
Probably the first and major obstacle of the faltering regime that is likely to have a deleterious dimension with overseas audiences as well.
BASL will go down well in the imagination of the people – despite
a suspect and collusionist head.
Senguttuvan
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Citizen / January 23, 2013
Mohan Peiris will feel shame to meet the ICJ, Commonwealth Lawyers Association, the Commonwealth Judges & Magistrates Association et al hereafter and what a disgrace to Sri Lanka. Atleast Gota would have learnt some traditions that were not adopted and would be thinking how to introduce Gadaffi’s methods and could even thrust such ideas in stead of aadopting the Commonwealth values.
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justice / January 23, 2013
Citizen,
No he wont. There is no shame in politics – he is a “political CJ”.
The Real CJ is at home.
Indictments have NOT been filed against her regarding the ‘discoveries’ of ‘financial improprieties’ by the 7 member PSC – as these were invented/imagined.
She too cannot be blamed for posts thrust by the President,on her husband.
We have to wait and see how this situation will develop.
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Ramani / January 23, 2013
My thoughts are with REVD MENDIS who wrote sometime back that the MEDAMULANA THUG has brought all values down and its alround BALAI(SUB STANDARD)How true. World leaders please take note of this tragedy.
We are no longer a respected country and are now with Mugabe Chavez and Ahminajad.However a little difference Ahminajad sleeps on the floor our KING family and all hangers aon are living in Paradise while millions are without a square meal.RECENTLY TWO SPECIAL LUXURY HELICOPTERS WERE GOT DOWN COTING 25 MILLLION DOLLARS EACH FOR THE KING TO GO TO TEMPLES AND THE WIFE AND FAMILY TO GO TO TANGALLA,CARLTON A HOUSE OWNED BY A RESPECTABLE FAMILY WHICH HE HAS FORCIBLY TAKEN
Newspapers said 17.5 million spent to equip Police to kill and massacre people if they protest.
PEOPLE GET THE GOVERNMENT THEY DESERVE
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Jayantha / January 23, 2013
I have a strong feeling that Mr.Mohan Pieris will not stay in his seat for long. Infact it could be a few weeks or months before he voluntarily will step down.
The reasons are he is not recognised by The Bar Association,Appeals court or SC, or the public, business community, Chamber of commerce, Financial speculators, Import and exporters associatoion, FUTA and professional Association and finally the Opposition parties,Clergy and the Kandy three Buddhist preletes.
Also Mr.Mohan Pieris is not recognised by CW, EU, England, USA and the UN.
Therefore either he has to work like a mere puppet…..bowing down to every body….or leave his position before chasing out with disgrace.
How come the Govt. sign foreign contracts without an Internationally recognised Chief Justice in place. Where is the Truthfullness and the Transparency in Obligation of the contracts without a trusted CJ in place. This will spread into other International Commercial and Financial transactions, Foreign Loans and Foreign Trade.
Constitution, Law and Judiciary are the Back bone and Foundation of any Country, Society or Religion, and break down of it will lead to eventual downfall and destruction of it.
Therefore unless GOSL think seriously to replace Mr.Mohan Pieris ASAP, Sri Lanka will face untold amount of, Business, Monitary and reputation losses both locally and in International Markets.
MARA will try to keep his swolen head high while it is the Country and the people will suffer economically due to MARA’s stupid selfish Blunders.
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Rufus Michael / January 24, 2013
No amount of ceremonies can wash the sins
of Mohan Peiris, the Chief Justice. Its is
a crying shame for any right thinking Sri
Lankan!!
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Harry / January 24, 2013
bloody joke! this CHEAP justice is a disgrace, an international liar and a number one dirty linen washer of rajapassa.
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Mahanama / January 24, 2013
Colombo Telegraph should clarify as to how another contributor by the name of mahanama which name has right through been used by me is allowed for another person.
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Mahanama / January 24, 2013
Colombo Telegraph should clarify how another person is there on this planet earth with the same name that I use. There was and is and will be only one Mahanama in this universe.
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COLOMBO_TELEGRAPH (Author) / January 24, 2013
Can’t you see the other Mahanama’s “Identicon” is different from yours? And you are commenting under two different names – one is Mahanama and the other is Harry !
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Mahanama / January 24, 2013
@COLOMBO_TELEGRAPH –
that last comment was posted just for fun. Mr. Mahanama is worried why his name is used by another one. come on telegraph, didn’t you get the light side of affairs? cheer up mate!
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Perera / January 24, 2013
oh! his name is Harry Mahanama, our Ambassador to Transylvania. this is what he is doing with our tax money. posting comments on websites!
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Jim Hardy / January 24, 2013
In SriLanka nobody could be trusted all selfish betrayers.
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The Professional / January 25, 2013
What are we talking about 200-year tradition?
People of SL has a history going back to over 4,000 years. Carbon dating tests on remains of an old sluice gate Maduru Oya proved it. We had a self regulated system for distribution of water for cultivation and there was no Irrigation Department. We had village level Reconciliation Boards and there was no Ministry of Justice or AG’s Department. People exchanged goods among themselves without money because there was no Central Bank to print money.
People managed the affairs well and they respected the tradition. People were really sovereign until Mahaasmmathaya changed to Janasammathaya and with money playing the key role under Janasammathaya two new sub-traditions; “Mahaa Sampradaaya” and “Chula Sampradaaya” came into being.
Those who embraced Mahaa Sampradaaya followed the western value system and the majority of Chula Sampradaaya followed the local value system. Those in between could always be relied upon for anything for money. They embraced the “Paathaala Sampradaya” and they followed the value system based on the law of the jungle.
It may be that those who attended the Ceremony, belonged to the clan that embraces Paathaala Sampradaaya.
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Punchi Banda / January 25, 2013
See, now GOSL is trying to whitewash
US govt believed Pillay held biased views – Tambimuttu
Nadira Gunatilleke
The US government at first was reluctant to support the appointment of Navinitham Pillay to the position of UN Human Rights Commissioner because of the anxiety that she could over react and hold biased views. This has been very clearly proven today, Batticaloa district Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) organiser Arun Tambimuttu told the Daily News yesterday.
Tambimuttu said today she is very interested in the issue of removal and appointment of Chief Justices in Sri Lanka. Ms. Pillay has been always a strong critic of Sri Lanka. She sees the Sri Lankan issue from a black and white perspective. She only sees the oppressed and oppressors. As a Tamil, she believes whatever she has been told about Sri Lanka.This is purely due to her past experiences. When she hears such things, what she does is immediately compares such fabricated information with her past experiences and takes a very biased view on Sri Lanka.
According to Tambimuttu, what is happening now is that certain forces use anything and everything to destabilize Sri Lanka. Sri Lanka will not be able to function if we wait to please the EU, Commonwealth, India etc. We cannot please all.If so, we will have to wait doing nothing and pray to god for food, water, justice and everything.
He pointed out that the TNA’s political survival depended on the fire burning of ethnic nationalism. Therefore, they keep it burning. They are being manipulated by outside forces and they manipulate local people. Now they say PCs are not given adequate powers. Now the TNA is not demanding or at least talking about land and police powers. This is because they have understood that the ordinary people living in the North and East are not interested in them. Politics and power is their ‘Manthra’ for the last 30 years. Unfortunately the TNA sees things through a smoke screen of ethnic politics.
Tambimuttu noted that earlier the TNA always ran to India in order to complain about everything and always sought the assistance of India. Now they go to South Africa for ‘assistance’ ! South Africa has become a centre of Tamil activism now. South Africa is being misinformed about the Sri Lankan situation. Because of this, they do strange and unrealistic comparisons.
South Africa is least informed about the Sri Lankan situation. On the other hand, America is very strict about terrorism, extremists etc after 9/11.
Therefore, the Tamil Diaspora turned to South Africa as a result of this.
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