The Bar Association of Sri Lanka (BASL), in a statement, condemned Parliamentarian Wimal Weerawansa‘s statement that the Constitutional Council and the appointment of apex court judges are influenced by a US-funded religious sect.
Wimal
The BASL said Weerawansa’s statement impinged on the independence of the Judiciary and the Rule of Law. “Had this speech been made outside Parliament, the Bar Association of Sri Lanka would have without any hesitation called for him to be dealt with for Contempt of Court in terms of the law,” the BASL added.
The full statement issued by the BASL is as follows,
“The Bar Association of Sri Lanka unequivocally and strongly condemns the speech made by Member of Parliament Wimal Weerawansa in Parliament on January 10, 2019 wherein he made derogatory remarks about the Supreme Court of Sri Lanka. “During the course of a speech during the debate on a Bill,
Hon. Weerawansa stated that “the Supreme Court has become a den for a certain religious sect.” In the course of speech Mr. Weerawansa alleged that the Constitutional Council had approved only the names of persons from a certain religious sect for appointments to the Supreme Court. When appointments to the Supreme Court over the last few years are considered it is clear that Weerawansa’s statements are baseless and devoid of truth.
The aforesaid words of Weerawansa have effect of interfering with the independence of the Judiciary of this country. The Bar Association of Sri Lanka stresses that the race and religion of members of the Judiciary should not be used to unfairly attack the Judiciary. Whilst members of the public including politicians are entitled to criticise the Judiciary in a reasonable and objective manner, they are not entitled to cast aspersions on the Judiciary in such a manner as to bring the Court into disrepute. Such attacks impinge on the independence of the Judiciary and the Rule of Law.
“It is regrettable that Weerawansa has made this speech in Parliament under cover of privilege, preventing him from being dealt with by the laws of contempt. Had this speech been made outside Parliament, the Bar Association of Sri Lanka would have without any hesitation called for him to be dealt with for Contempt of Court in terms of the law”.
Diogenes / January 16, 2019
Mike: This bugger`s cesspit seems to be Mahinda`s “Manhole” !!
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Native Vedda / January 16, 2019
Diogenes
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What brand of “Eyetex” does Windbag Wimal use to enhance his rhetoric?
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Some days he looks like late General Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq of Pakistan.
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Diogenes / January 16, 2019
Mike: This bugger`s cesspit seems to be Mahinda`s “Man Hole” !!
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Diogenes / January 16, 2019
Champa: You say: “Every citizen has a right to speech and expression as stipulated in the constitution” Correct. If I come to you and abuse you in utter filthy language, and give you a bloody biff on your mug as my way of expression would that be all right?
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Champa / January 17, 2019
Diogenes
A pathetic comment not worth replying. Go back to school and try to write Grade 5 examination.
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Tamil from the north / January 20, 2019
Chimpa: A pathetic comment not worth replying. Go back to school and try to write Grade 5 examination.
TFN: dumb wingnut, you just replied to Diogenes. Idiot! Mutts, fools, uneducated village monkeys are the support base for these Rajapaksa hoodlums. Prime example is Chimpi
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RBh / January 16, 2019
How did they have many passports how did they prepare the attachments.influenced by whom
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Charles Cooray / January 16, 2019
What has got obscured in this rhetorical diatribe is the harmless nature of the talk of Mr. Wimal Weerawance which owing to his notorious character no one takes him seriously or with a pinch of salt perse, should be taken in a most innocuous sense out of which only some good can turn up. But in contrast, the damage that a corrupt judiciary does is stratospheric, unquantifiable wiping out whole families as it has done to me. I spent everything I earned through hard work pawning the future of my children, with full confidence that at the end of the day obvious justice is guaranteed and will sure arrive. I spent 18 precious long years hanging around Hultsdorp Court Complex. The utmost trust and faith I placed in the judiciary stunned me like grabbing a poisonous snake. BASL is well known for the inherent capacity to make a mountain from a mole hill.
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Native Vedda / January 16, 2019
Charles Cooray
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“What has got obscured in this rhetorical diatribe is the harmless nature of the talk of Mr. Wimal Weerawance which owing to his notorious character no one takes him seriously or with a pinch of salt perse, should be taken in a most innocuous sense out of which only some good can turn up.”
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Of course you may or may not be right.
However Tamils and descent people of this island would have appreciated if there was the rhetorical diatribe of harmless nature of the talk of Cyril Mathew in the late 1970s and early 1980s.
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As a result the Jaffna Library would not have lost 90,000 book including many rare ones, people would not have lost many of their properties and kith and kin, would not have left the country in draws.
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Naman / January 16, 2019
Weerawansa is the barking one for Rajapaksa clan and supporters. He can organise a FAKE fast! Protests against UN or the western countries Embassies and high UN commissions.
He is just the FRONT to do the DIRTY work for Rajapaksa.
It’s better for media to ignore him
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Douglas / January 17, 2019
Mr. Charles Cooray: Please do not hang on to this vagabond Wimal W just because he said some thing of the Judiciary that which is appealing to your cause. Just read through his speech and the you will note what stinking words were uttered in relation to the appointment of Judges. I too agree that all is not well with the Judiciary. For instance, just yesterday, a verdict was delivered by the courts, on a petition by a student of Vishaka Vidyalaya, contesting her results at “O” Level examination. She filed the case in 2105 and the verdict comes after “FOUR” long years. There are much more WORSE things happening in the Judiciary at all stages. There is a dialogue on these issues; but all concerned i.e. the Minister, JSC; BAR have FAILED to address those issues so far. You must know a “Legislator” of the kind of “Wimal W” cannot and highly incapable of addressing those issues, excepting to “VOMIT” filth that has got stuck in his blood stream.
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Lanka Watch / January 17, 2019
President, BASL- You know the law and you know how to twist it. Why not take this uneducated brute to courts, some or other and the judges will do the needful as no
one can criticize the SC judges and those who criticize should be prepared to accept
the consequences.
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Kusal / January 17, 2019
Sri Lanka judiciary is NOT independent anyway. The foreign religious sect. Wimal refers here is the US Evangelicals to which there are many Lanka loyalists: even Eran Wick. is referred to as US Evangelical Pastor, others are Rosy Sen’yake, Sumanthiran, Pakiasothy etc. Ranil is from head to toe deeply immersed in the sect. otherwise he couldn’t have been holed up in the Temple Trees during the 52 day crisis, and today sitting as a bloody useless PM. Many in this forum may not like this comment, but this is the fact whether one likes it or not.
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Champa / January 17, 2019
Ha ha ha ha The unusually large number of comments attacking Wimal is proof that he is a force to be reckoned with. Thanks guys. I am super happy.
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Charles Cooray / January 17, 2019
I did urge the present Chief Justice directly and through the highest Buddhist and Catholic Clergies in the name of Righteousness and Justice to put right the sins of his past predecessors. Sadly though he remains stiff deaf and dumb.
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CITIZEN / January 17, 2019
The BASL should find some way to pin this bugger for discrediting the Judiciary using the privilege as an MP. If we recognise this privilege and condone the vermins like Wimal and them they can do serious damage to the dignity and independence of the Judiciary! Fellows like Wimal who does not have even an o/l education should not be allowed to insult the educated and discredit the Judiciary/Judges. He may be thinking sitting on judgement against the CJ in the infamous & ignominious inquiry is a feather on his cap!! BULLSHIT!
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Paramanathan K / January 17, 2019
Wimal Weerawansa rose to the ministerial level mainly due to his oratory talents and the background he had with the JVP. He was clever enough to muster support among the voters to get a high number of votes polled in general elections. But his conduct and behaviors in public and with his opponents are not up to ethical standards which portrays him as an uneducated ruffian. He doesn’t seem to realize the fact that he is in the national politics and the leader of a political party (NFF) and he is still one of the key people with former president Mahinda Rajapakse. He has been involved in national politics for so long and yet he is nowhere near a statesman to lead a political party. Probably his close associates don’t have the capacity to guide him. He very often gets into controversies with the judiciary is the proof of political immaturity.
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Charles Cooray / January 17, 2019
Srilanka is a Banana Republic with Kangaroo Courts & Rogue Police. Mr. Wimal Weerawansa is a typical Bhumiputra (Son of the Soil). I do not understand why all of this fuss is about of hum. Shinhalese do not have a codified book of ethics nor a Penal Code. The only Race I know of who will be happy to sell their Mother or Father for one Half Pence.
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Native Vedda / January 17, 2019
Charles Cooray
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“Shinhalese do not have a codified book of ethics nor a Penal Code.”
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However they have a book of everything, the Mahawamsa.
Hence why do you think they need separate books for every little thing, waste of time waste of money, waste of energy, waste of brain, …………… ?
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Saman Adikari / January 17, 2019
The ruthless attacked against Wimal Weerawansha by politics of Tamil chauvinist has skipped and avoided UNP undemocrcay norms of political vandalism by TNA and JVP.
Therefor that UNP+TNA+JVP+CBK of these group are targeted against W.W .
They look at WW an Enemy of Tamil Eealm. It is correct. But Wimal W.. is not that anti-Tamils and anti-Muslims.
The WW is love for the an Independent and Sovereignty of our nation by unitary nature of Lankan state?
He is right now, while is in Right Path of ours Democracy…Development of Lanka..
Regarding matter of judiciary of that we having reasonable doubt that SC verdicts was against Universals franchise that entitlement been suppressed by verdicts of SC.
Having that Universal Franchised eligibility we won during that by people Ceylon 1931!@
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Diogenes / January 18, 2019
My congratulations, Champa! You seem to have at last managed to pass the Grade 5 Examination !
For a person like you it is really a great achievement!
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Tamil from the north / January 20, 2019
It is hilarious to see this uneducated uncouth barbarian Buruwansa giving advise to the judiciary.
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