LAWASIA – an international organisation of legal professionals have called upon the Elections Department to ensure free and fair elections by fulfilling its mandate under the Sri Lankan Constitution.
Elections Commissioner Mahinda Deshapriya
In a statement issued yesterday LAWASIA President, Isomi Suzuki has also called upon the Elections Department to prohibit the misuse of official machinery and direct all state agencies including the IGP to ensure a strict compliance with the regulations governing elections.
The organisation has also raised concerns over the observation of laws governing free and fair elections as well as the general laws of the country by both the Opposition and those in power in these days leading up to the election.
It has also expressed their strong support for the endeavors of the BASL and its members against the violation of election laws and have emphasized on the fact that no person or authority stands above the law.
We publish the full statement below:
LAWASIA SUPPORT FOR FREE AND FAIR PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS IN SRI LANKA
Reports from Sri Lanka indicate developments that bring into question whether the laws governing free and fair elections, as well as the general laws of the country, are being properly observed by all sides during the lead up to the current presidential elections.
As an organisation committed to supporting the rule of law, LAWASIA, the Law Association for Asia and the Pacific, records its concern at these reported developments, which have prompted the Council of the Bar Association of Sri Lanka to resolve unanimously to take all possible and proper action to support the conduct of free and fair elections and to prevent violations of the law during this process.
LAWASIA strongly supports the endeavours of the Bar Association of Sri Lanka and its members in this regard and emphasises that no person or authority stands above the law.
It calls upon the Election Commission to fulfil its mandate under the Sri Lankan Constitution in a robust and effective manner to ensure a free and fair election by prohibiting the misuse of official machinery and to direct all state agencies, including the Inspector General of Police, to ensure a strict compliance therewith.
It further calls on all government agencies to observe the requirements of the Election Commission so that presidential elections are able to take place peacefully, freely and with complete fairness to all candidates, in accordance with democratic principles.
Isomi SUZUKI PRESIDENT
22 DECEMBER 2014
Paul / December 23, 2014
Human Rights Asia on the coming election
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FcUjgjMNsog
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Dudley Malli / December 23, 2014
Law Asia is an international law firm set in Singapore.
What fricking right have they got to invene in the internal matter of Sri Lanka?
Just ignore, Mr Election Commissioner.
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Davidson Panabokke / December 24, 2014
”internal matter”?
In 2005 Sri Lanka made an application to the EU for GSP+ with a lot of lies to meet the condition of implementing certain UN Conventions on human rights. In 2008/9 an investigation was made and the lies were found out In February 2010 the EU decided to withdraw GSP+ from SriLanka and announced that the withdrawal will come into effect in 6 months. But it offered o have talks with it for extending it for 6 months from August if it agrees to implement certain human rights conventions. Sri Lankan govt engaged in a series of talks till June and declared it cannot meet their conditions and the EU benefits came to an end in August 2010.
Sri Lanka continues to enjoy GSP which has no conditions.
Sri Lanka wishes to be part of the globalised world!!
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Email / December 24, 2014
“Sri Lanka wishes to be part of the globalised world!!”
May be the wish of fifth columnists (dollar kakkas), but not the vast majority of patriotic Sri Lankans.
We are paert of the global community, but not hymie globalised!!!
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Goodness Gracious / December 24, 2014
The voters of this country, a good amount have made up their mind and let that be reflected in the elections. In making statements that the umpire must judge properly, without citing any specific instances of his failings at this stage, only leads to the suspicion that should the election results be not of the liking of the parties then the ground is set to tender the excuse that even failings of the umpire was a factor in the negative results.
Those who preach on umpiring must do something positive. Provide tools for better umpiring.
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