Over 300 lawyers gathered outside the Chief Magistrate Court today to welcome the De Jure Chief Justice, when she came to the court answering summons. The Bribery Commission had instituted action against her on the basis that she had not disclosed two bank accounts in her asset declarations. Counsel for the Chief Justice pointed out that those two accounts didnot have any funds and therefore were not assets. It was also pointed out that the Chief Justice, who was controversially removed has been charged for an offence that brings with it a fine of only only Rs.1000 (less than US$10) and the entire prosecution is malicious. Over 100 lawyers, from all parts of the country, appeared for her. Her passport was impounded but the Judge indicated that the court permission will have to be obtained if she wants to go out of the country. No other bail conditions were imposed.
CJ Shirani
When her name was called, CJ Shirani Bandaranayake came up and she was requested to wait outside the Accused Stand (BOX) but she politely declined the offer and get into the Box like any other criminal, stating that she does not seek special privileges. The packed court house was deeply moved when for the first time in the history of Sri Lanka judiciary an unlawfully removed chief justice was prosecuted in a vicious manner. CJ Bandaranayake had previously openly challenged the biased conduct of two of the members of the Bribery Commission. Hundreds of lawyers were seen in tears when she came out of the Court House.
Addressing the media, the President of the Bar Association said that all the lawyers in the country and outside wanted the Bar Association to observe the proceedings to ensure justice for the lawful Chief Justice of the country. Attorney at law J.C. Weliamuna, the convener of the Lawyers’ Collective stated that they were closely observing the proceedings.
Safa / September 16, 2013
Another first for this ‘wonder of Asia’.
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Mahela / September 18, 2013
Just to please one Dictator.
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Jayantha / September 18, 2013
The whole world is watching.
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Ajith / September 16, 2013
We are in the middle of a dirty politics by an Authoritarian regime. If Sinhala people fail to remove this regime one day it will come to your door step. Justice system is fundamental to the Nation. If that fails, people fails.
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Lanka Liar / September 18, 2013
This government is by the people for the people of the people. It has very good advisers Karuna Pillaiyan Doglas KP. Count the number of people they have murdered ? That is how good it gets.
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Desperate_Jay / September 16, 2013
This is how the jungle law is being practised by Rajapakshes.
If Mervin^s son following the assaulted made to that army officer was allowed to leave the country for Rome – why the former CJ of the country has no right to leave the country for any other destinations ? Are there any provisions of the lanken law that the head of state could arbitrary practise these entities according to his malicious or revengeful agendas ?
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Lankan / September 16, 2013
She should contest the next Presidential election.
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ahamed / September 16, 2013
She will definitely loose since she had no foresight and is totally responsible for this situation.
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Desperate_Jay / September 16, 2013
Her only problem was to allow passing that 18 Amd. That is an unforgivable act to everyone ^s eye.
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ashok / September 16, 2013
She has done many mistakes and she created her own down fall. Using her powers abusively she bought a house while she was the judge and the company who sold her the house was in prosecution. It is a grave mistake and should not have done by nobody.Let alone by a supreme court judge.Her mistakes were very very serious and she is no saint too.
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Uthungan / September 17, 2013
Correct.She should never have bought the house especially when it was subject to an order of court.She should have known better.
But crimes more more grievous in nature have been committed by people holding important posts in government.Seeing this she may have got encouraged that she can get away with what she did.
But when she took a correct decision with respect to a matter that came up before her in court,it did not go well with the government.That was the main cause for her illegal removal from her position as CJ by an illegally constituted farcical Parliamentary Committee.
All that is now history.
The task of the Lawyers Collective now is to see that she is not maliciously hounded and her human dignity violated in the manner she was when she appeared before that aforesaid committee.In the absence of the Rule of Law that is all that can be done now.
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vasanthie / September 17, 2013
TOTAL RUBBISH. HER RULING WAS BASED ON JUSTICE
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Janaki / September 17, 2013
what justice are u talking about ?
Perhaps you need to define it according to the rulers. Right at the moment, it has diminished to the level, we the general public cant open up our mouths protecting any justice.
Stupid people should know that this was not the case under CBK administration, if any idiots would come up say – she was wrong.
I wish the bugger should be met with a set of interviews during his tour to the US soon. That can then backfire in Nov. This show should be declared to the world leaders.
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Backlash / September 17, 2013
She also brought her high office to disrepute when she joined
the President, his wife and other hangers-on at Law College when
the Crown Prince passed out as a “lawyer” (or PC). There are many reasons why this person is not fit to hold the office of CJ – even when she was hobknobbing with the President and his lackeys.
Backlash
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kali / September 17, 2013
No Ahamed,
I am sure of all the people you should know as to why she would loose. Not because she has done anything wrong but because she stood up to a Tyrant who is surrounded by Thugs to interpret Law.
If you are a true Muslim you would have found that out to your cost as your religion is being ridiculed by BSS and Gotha.
I have my doubts as to whether you are indeed Muslim because so many Sinhalese have now taken up Tamil Names since the election to the Northern Assembly was announced in anticipation that the Tamils are going to conquer Sinhala Lanka. How wonderful
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ahamed / September 18, 2013
Kali
I don’t think people will want another stupid woman to be at the helm and bring in more disarray to the country when there are many competent and capable people to choose from. The problem is whether what she saw as right when in office is right? Had she seen it rightly she as well as the nation wouldn’t be in this predicament. No need to drag Muslims, BSS and Gotha which are not relevant to this issue.
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MJ / September 17, 2013
She will pay for that 18th amendment for rest of her life. That is a corrupt amendment.
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Mahela / September 18, 2013
She could have gone home long ago if she would have opposed to 18th Amendment. 18th Amendment was passed in the Parliament with Bought up 2/3 majority soon after winning the LTTE war. She had no powers then to oppose it. The whole world is watching.
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Desperate_Jay / September 16, 2013
How can she do so ? while the rulers are about to harm her civic rights ?
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Lankan / September 17, 2013
If she looses civic rights then Gotha and Basil will loose their green card as they are US citizens and any one can file a case against them in any US courts for human rights violations.
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Janaki / September 17, 2013
Lanken@,
do you really feel it like that – now in a country where the people are not provided healthy drinking water though it passed almost 2 months since the brutal protesters were killed and injured. Nor have they YET carried out a chemical analysis of water contaminations in the area. In a country where minor issues are deliberately handled in this way, do you think that they would ever work on HUMAN RIGHTS of the people. If an European style opinion poll would be called, significant majority would share their views – that they are fully against the ruling authorities.
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Desperate_Jay / September 16, 2013
Law institutions have now been their own assets in srilanka under the rulers.
We never heard this in previous regimes.
Donkey President should better focus on these issues than leaving sinahala wording to manipulate the poor masses again and again. Now ENOUGH IS ENOUGH.
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aratai / September 16, 2013
CJ should go for Presidency.
:-)
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sarojini / September 17, 2013
have you examined the evidence for you to be the judge and the Jury ? So typical of SL . IF they can accuse the government of corruption they will even defend a wrong doer. This is their way of scoring points against the Government .
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Citizen / September 16, 2013
Sri Lanka’s shameful conduct.
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Namal Perera / September 16, 2013
What else to expect when you live in a corrupt lawless Banana Republic with Jungle Law owned by a family of lunatics that serve and protect only the CRIMINALS?
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Nagananda Kodituwakku / September 16, 2013
I feel extremely bad and profoundly sorry about this upright lady CJ, who is the Chief Justice of Sri Lanka, although not allowed to resume duties of the office of the CJ.
On 20th of December 2012, when the case against Mohan Peiris was taken up before the CJ Bandaranayaka, challenging his alleged misconduct, and dishonestly in a fraud of over 619 million rupees of public funds, appearing for the Petitioner in the case, I pleaded for Court’s permission to support the case on that day. By then, the said case was dragging before the Court for well over 2 years, clearly denying justice to the Petitioner.
But CJ informed the Petitioner that he would be allowed to support his case on the ‘NEXT DATE’ and I instantaneously informed the Court that ‘by the next day comes probably the Lady CJ would not be the Chief Justice in this country’.
If she had permitted the Petitioner to support the case on that day, the surely the destiny of ‘Rule of Law’ of this island nation would not have faced the pathetic situation it faces today.
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gamini / September 17, 2013
Today the CJ DE Jure paying the price for dereliction of duty. It is similar to all those who supported MR repenting today.
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coconut donkey / September 16, 2013
Even I would be in tears.. Except you ruled the 18th amendment to be constitutional.. Cried much more for that..
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sarojini / September 17, 2013
Next time the courts should provide a free box of tissues for these silly lawyers.
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gamini / September 19, 2013
And Tam Pax for those who soil this Web Site with their putrid discharges.
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sarojini / September 19, 2013
Gamini feelings are mutual.
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MJ / September 17, 2013
She will pay for that 18th amendment for rest of her life. That is a corrupt amendment.corrupt family.
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Ex Atheist / September 16, 2013
CHIEF JUSTICE MEETS THE GREATEST INJUSTICE IN THIS WONDERFUL & BEAUTIFUL COUNTRY!
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manel fonseka / September 16, 2013
Ex-Atheist! I am interested. Why ex? or should I ask: YX?
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Janaki / September 16, 2013
It is because that everyone in the country is asking help from the god today than any time in the past. Murderers in power paving the way all criminals to easily get bred. So, even atheist become god believers today, facing the fate, but being very helpless not being able to ask for their own rights. Human rights have been a joke under the current RULERs.
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punchinilame / September 16, 2013
She should join the UNP and seek nomination for Presidential election
on the basis of a 100-day Programme to eliminate Executive Presidency,
which will bring back RW as Prime Minister, whilst she becomes an
appointed MP with Cabinet rank as Minister of Justice & Constitutional
Affairs.
This is a resonable way forward to all Lankans instead of the “stl”
-sexually transmitted leadership – kind of governanace!
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Ronny / September 16, 2013
Punchinilame, your idea is great and this is what should really happen to save not only our country but also all the citizens of the country. Rajapakses know that the present Chief Justice Dr. Shirani Bandaranayake will win very handsomely if she comes forward as the Presidential Candidate similar to General Fonseka who too won very handsomely but the results were turned upside down through various “jilmarts”. Their next step is to remove her civic rights so that she will not be able to contest. If she is unable to come forward, then the only alternative is for Rev. Sobitha Thero to come forward and I am sure that over 75% of the non Buddhists too (including my whole family) will vote for him as his sole ambition is to abolish the Executive Presidency which is a damn curse to our country. Hon. Ranil Wickramasinghe is ideal but people have been misled by Rajapakses and WW and it is better for him to allow someone who is acceptable to the majority Buddhists as well as to the minority communities and then take control of the premiership after abolishing the Executive Presidency and then develop our country as he did in the past. I am not afraid to say that Hon. RW is the most suited and also experienced Gentleman politician to be the Prime Minister of our dear motherland. Even though we are far away and don’t depend on any politicians, we cry for our motherland when we see the suffering of the poor masses and the self-appointed rulers and their henchmen becoming bilionnaires at the expense of all the poor suffering masses.
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Banda / September 18, 2013
No one can stop Shirani or Sobitha Thero or any Sri Lankan for that matter from contesting to be the president of Sri Lanka. Excuses like “jilmarts” are just bullshit. Vast majority in villages know who brought them peace and where they are now. Just gauge what is to come from this election.
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Asoka Jayawardane / September 16, 2013
Don’t give her dead ropes same as Sarath Fonseca who also got dead rope from JVP and UNP. Now, each and every Sri Lankan thinking of motherland Sri Lanka no one interest of party. If any Sinhala leader safe guarding the Sinhalese Nation, people are in his side. Last 35 years we were under the treat from Tamils. Now, Sri Lanka peaceful country, any one can travel to any part of the Sri Lanka. Present world too much hard life not only for Sri Lanka.
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kali / September 17, 2013
Asoka,
You really are a moron.
Last 35 years we were under the treat from Tamils. Now, Sri Lanka peaceful country, any one can travel to any part of the Sri Lanka. Present world too much hard life not only for Sri Lanka.
The Tamils have been under the threat from you animals for the last 64 years. Now the Muslims and a few Civilised Sinhalese left are under threat from animals like you.
Sinhabahu or (“Lion-arms”), was the son of a Vanga princess and a lion. He killed his father and became king of Vanga. His son Vijaya would emigrate to Lanka and become the progenitor of the Sinhala people.
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Lanka Liar / September 18, 2013
All those animals are in the government. Some of them ministers. They rule the country. They are free to do anything they like. That is why there is freedom. Freedom from justice
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mike / September 17, 2013
We should give you a rope to hang yourself!
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Lanka Liar / September 18, 2013
Give that rope to Merwin he will tie someone to a tree.
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justice / September 16, 2013
If she omitted to include two bank accounts with no funds in them,it is a minor “offence” always dealt with by the Department of Inland revenue,who usally send a warning to include all in the next return.
Further,the department files cases in courts against major tax evaders only,hence this matter has been taken up by the bribery commission all by itself.
This shows the bia of the comission against her.
The commissioners are unfit to hold office,and in any democracy,would have been releived of their duties.
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Fathima Fukushima / September 16, 2013
In SL, CJ is above the law!! :)
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Janaki / September 16, 2013
Today there is no CJ for the nation.
CW member states should be blind not to see all these in open eyes but to say yes for their attendance in the upcoming summit of the banana republic under uneducated thugs.
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kali / September 17, 2013
Fat “Mama ” Fuk US (h)imam it only happens under Sharia Law. :)
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iwon / September 16, 2013
MR family is trying to avoid another credible Presidential candidate coming forward?
Such time and energy wasted on vendettas & witch hunts instead of REAL economic growth
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Point of View / September 17, 2013
This is what Prabakaran did – killing potential leaders !
See the similarity ?
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mike / September 17, 2013
Yes. Hitlerpaksha a.k.a Idi Mahin is the Sinhala Prabakaran.
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Puswella / September 16, 2013
All these people make Sri Lanka the laughing stock of the world. Shirani B was appointed Chief Justice by MR although she was an academic and had never been a judge. UNP and others protested that MR would control her and have his dirty work done. Where were the weeping lawyers then?
After she fell out with MR she suddenly becomes the darling of the UNP. Bloody typical of the accursed hypocritical politicians who have ruined the nation.
I have no sympathy for Shirani B or any of the others involved. All are timeserving power hungry scoundrels.
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Asoka Jayawardane / September 16, 2013
She is not a patriotic person at all. She gave bad reputation to Sri Lanka. One of the “Sinhala Modaya” as per the Tamil view.
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Nas / September 16, 2013
It is well known that if you against MR you are out? It does not matter how many qualifications you have? This is politics of our country: it is freedom of speech and freedom of thought you have
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Voice of Justice / September 16, 2013
Judiciary is under the shoes of Mara a dictator who do not hasitate to do anything for power and money. The justice is not guranteed in Sri Lanka
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RajasH / September 16, 2013
CHOGM Leaders want to come and shake hands with this regime?
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Janaki / September 16, 2013
That says the credibility of the CW leaders.
They dont check the ground realities before being present in that summit. That I see is a great mistake. I really dont know why. May be, CW states have not unity among them.
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Jayantha / September 18, 2013
CHOGAM leaders will not shake the hand but the Body of the Regime.
Wait to see 2013 CHOGM fireworks.
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punchisingho / September 16, 2013
All the right thinking people in this country are with madam Shirani Bandaranayake.
I dare say she is the strongest woman in this island.
History will absolve her.
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Desperate_Jay / September 16, 2013
Great great, but so long idiots are in power, nobody would and could go against them. CW should WORK on getting her passport back. So that she can enjoy her rights fully as a srilanken citizen.
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RajasH / September 16, 2013
The right thinking people need to mobilise get to the streets NOW!
If not she will be history soon.
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Deselva / September 17, 2013
Not just her …the democracy will be consigned to the rubbish heaps of history
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Lapatiya / September 16, 2013
Sri Rohana Manaranjana, 3 Sinhaladeeshwara, Sambudda Saasana Chakrawarthi is always saying that everybody has equal rights before the Law except Executive President. Also as a Pure Sinhala Buddhist he never take revenge from his opponents as he observe “SIL” in front of SIRASA TV Camera in every Poya day. Therefore no one can say our Sambudda Saasana Chakrawarthi is harassing legal CJ.
Mr. Jagath Balapatabadi and other commissioners of Bribery commission are highly educated, unbiased, Independent, very efficient officers and no body can complain that they filed charges against Legal CJ on the Instructions of Sambudda Saasana Chakrawarthi. There is a one commissioner, former IGP, Jayantha Wickramaratna once said at a press conference that if anybody see any crime, they should take a Picture from his or her mobile phone and send to him to take action. We have such brave persons as Bribery commissioners.
Actually Commission members found lot of un-declared Assets in her Possession while searching in the house but they Ignored them as they found 2 “0” balance bank accounts are more important than the others.
Now everybody who has Bank accounts should be very careful as they have to declare “0” balance bank Accounts only as Mr. Balapatabadi is very tough with “0” balance accounts rather than undeclared accounts with Billions of Rupees.
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Peace Lover / September 16, 2013
All those lawyers who appeared for her are under the pay of the diaspora with sambandans help to discredit the country and undermine the majority inhabitants who are living peacefully and prospering ……well thats not me but saying it,but just guessing what blokes like Lee Potter Leela (K A Sumana’wathie) and mumbo jumbo jimmy will say ;-)
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Renu / September 16, 2013
They will suffer for this very soon. Karmic forces
Are bound to act on them
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Max Silva / September 16, 2013
Bloody hell lawyers are in tears!When the terror lord Prabakaran was on a killing frenzy where were these lawyers?Anyway it’s nice to know that lawyers are shedding tears.Hope it’s not crocodile tears!
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Jay Ranaweera / September 17, 2013
Only PATRIOTIC COMMENT!!!
May you live long to PROTECT SRI LANKA BY THE GRACE OF THE NOBLE TRIPPLE GEM!!!
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Max Silva / September 17, 2013
Thanks CT for allowing to air my views.*It’s very interesting to note that lawyers are shedding tears.I am made to understand that there were around 100 lawyers.But the thing is there’s over 25000 lawyers in this country.But this is the first time that i have heard of lawyers shedding tears!Among the guys was the so called president of the unofficial bar(hope it’s not a Kassippu joint)Lawyers shedding tears is a lot of crap!
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Ronny / September 16, 2013
I think the whole world must be laughing through their backs for charging a great personality for NOT DECLARING HER two “0” BALANCE ACCOUNTS. Is it punishable? The Heads of the Commonwealth Countries should take serious note of this stupid and revengeful act of the present regime.
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sarojini / September 18, 2013
Ronny it is called Tax evasion actually !
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Sunil Perera / September 18, 2013
The Hambanthota Villege Gas Gembas do not understand the meaning of Zero “0” Accounts mean. These accounts are generated by Banks automatically when transferring funds to various money market accounts after their maturity when transfer them to other funds generating new accounts.
These are Banks internal Fund transaction generating accounts and has nothing to do with the depositor.
The Hambanthota Crook Gas Gembas only know how to make commissions through illegal contracts.
All comes to the Breed “Jathakaya” of these of these crooks and nothing else.
Very soon the whole country will become another Somalia.
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Piranha / September 16, 2013
The powers given to the president by the 18th amendment made many anti-democratic and anti-people acts possible and the CJ Bandaranayake is paying the price for allowing the amendment. She is partly responsible for the state she is in now.
However, what Rajapaksa did to her and is doing to her is unacceptable and vindictive. If the COmmonwealth report into her impeachment is made public she will attract a lot of sympathy and Rajapaksa a lot of scorn from all over the world. At some point in the future Rajapaksa will pay a heavy price for his folly in impeaching her.
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ilyasfazly / September 16, 2013
In 1983 it was a black july, Today 2013 its a black september. a shame every citizen will have to carry.
This charge(accusation) if applied in earnest will find 80% of the citizens behind bars!
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Hamban / September 16, 2013
This is shameful witch hunting when criminals like Duminda and Merwin are honoured and rewarded by the MaRa’s Regime.
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Mahadena Mutta / September 17, 2013
Shirani,
You created your own noose by sucking up to the powers that be, to become the CJ jumping over many other more deserving Judges!! Wh did you NOT REFUSE special privileges then??
You washed their dirty linen by agreeing to their command that the 18th amendment was legal, while the Intelligentsia of our country cried!!
What goes around, comes around, my dear, so reap the crop from the seeds you sowed!!….A GOOD LESSON to ALL those Government Servants who become the Rulers Servants!!
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ahamed / September 17, 2013
Very true
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Janaki / September 17, 2013
This is typical to Lanken law professionals. They seem to be not knowing what powers they could have. Actually – if Dr. SB did not support the bunch in terms of passing 18 Amd, PEOPLE of this country would have backed her more today. Also, why she stayed silence at the time, the most corrupted MR appointed her husband for the position in bank – that alone was going against the paragraph. This has been the tradition of the lanken law professionals, they just stay allowing politicians to do whateever they feel is right. I believe here, the president has VIOLATED paragraphs in the constitution. But respective authorities stay calm and quiet – this can only be possible in OUR countries not in Europe.
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Puswella / September 17, 2013
Exactly!
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Sunil Perera / September 18, 2013
It was the other [Edited out] Ex. CJ crook Sarath Nanda Silva who spoilt Rajapakse from letting the noose away from Tsunami Fraud.
Ex.CJ Sarath N.Silva is the cause for our Judiciary to be corrupt while getting millions of Santhosam from Rajapakses and Honeymooning with student female Lawyer near Diyawanna oya.
Dr.Shirani Bandaranayake could have gone home long ago if she would have opposed to 18th Amendment.
18th Amendment was passed in the Parliament with Bought up 65 opposition parliament whores who gave Rajapakses 2/3 majority soon after winning the LTTE war. She had no powers then to oppose it. Also Ex. CJ Sarath N.Silva and other Rajapakse Crony Judges Pressed her to authorize 18th Amendment.
The whole world knows about this and are watching the Drama.
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R.Dias / September 17, 2013
It is certain that the Govt expected till yesterday that she would make the 1st move by going out of the country and claim refugee status…so that they would have made a ‘ pickle ‘ out of her….calmness and being a woman the GREAT COURAGE ‘ she displays in facing the allegations is something that the regime cannot stomach. …it is good that she stood by the PRINCIPLE than the PRINCIPAL …because either way she would have been axed on the 18th Ammendment she hurried through…like one of the former very good Buddhist CJ who said nothing wrong in jumping.(..hik..hik..hik..because he Jumps ‘ drains with holes ‘ without conscience..) that today has become a National sport…
all blames the Interpretation and curse that CJ than questioning the conscience of their electors / members…that CJ will have no peace even in hell….in the same manner already the curse of the 18th ammendment is on her not on the Principal. By realizing to whom she ultimately is answerable she gave a bold and honest interpretation of the 13th Ammendment. ..
Couldn’t she have left the Country long before…? …being the CJ she perhaps knows how best to move …because of one brilliant move the whole foundation of the school cracked and the principal did not know that he lost the sarong. This is to insult her and to provocate… this will be the News Headlines of National Dailies tomorrow….
Ayiyoe …ayiyoe…this is the Country that issued an International warrant on Sisil…does anyone know about her..
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