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Implementing PCOI recommendations will be detrimental to judicial independence — Lawyers’ Forum for the People
by Saman Indrajith
The implementation of the recommendations of the Presidential Commission of Inquiry into political victimization (PCOI) would have a huge effect on the independence of the judiciary and its function in search of justice, says the Lawyers’ Forum for the People.
“This is a real danger to democracy and the country’s democratic institutions and processes”, Co-Convener of the Forum, Attorney-at-Law Senaka Perera told a news conference at the Dr. NM Perera Center last week.
“The recommendations, if implemented, will inflict irrevocable damage on the judiciary and impact adversely on democracy. Politicians can come and go. They appoint commissions as a means to their political ends, but the judiciary is not so. The Judiciary is not there to serve the politicians to achieve their political goals but to serve all people alike”, he noted.
The present government recognized the PCoI and thereby what had been done during the former regime as political victimization. Who can give a guarantee that the next government would not do the same? And what would be the end of this if these recommendations are implemented,” Perera queried.
He said that there are reports that the PCoI had identified the anti-corruption committee of the former government as ‘an illegal outfit’ and recommended legal action against its members.
“Legal action has been recommended against a list of politicians including JVP Leader Anura Kumara Dissanayake, former Minister Patali Champika Ranawaka, TNA leader R. Sampanthan, MA Sumanthiran, Field Marshal Sarath Fonseka etc. Why is the PCoI silent about former President Maithripala Sirisena who chaired the anti-corruption committee? Doesn’t this point to a targeted witch hunt?” Perera asked.
Attorney-at-Law Namal Rajapakshe said that implementing the recommendations of the PCoI would place Sri Lanka on par with Myanmar. The government has no regard to the rule of law. It is making use of the law for its political witch hunt. People should protest against this injustice, he said while urging the government not to implement the recommendations of the PCoI in the name of democracy,” he said.
Attorney-at-Law Achala Seneviratne said that the government has appointed another committee to give legitimacy to the PCoI’s plans to suppress the voices of the opposition. The PCoI’s parameters of identifying victims need to be clarified because the PCoI has recommended tough legal action against respondents in the complaints – including police officers, former commanders of the military, MPs, former ministers and deputy ministers and prosecutors attached to the Attorney General’s Department.
Attorney-at-Law Tambiah Jeyaratnaraja said that the recommendations of the PCoI amounted to contempt of court. “The recommendations exert undue influence on the judiciary. The PCoI recommends putting an end to hearing 79 cases pending before courts. What mandate does a PCoI have to make such recommendations?” he asked.
Attorney-at-Law Chula Adikari said that the PCoI has also recommended compensation for complainants facing trial for murder, kidnapping and extortion in High Courts, that includes, inter alia, back pay, promotions, foreign workshops and popular school or university enrollment for their children.
“One of the cases recommended to be dropped is against Yoshitha Rajapaksa investigating how he raised funds to start CSN TV channel. The other one is the Mig deal involving Udayanga Weeratunga. Then there is another case in the list against Thiru Nadesan who is the husband of Nirupama Rajapaksa. Another case recommended to be dropped is against Jaliya Wickramasuriya, brother of the Prime Minister’s wife. All these 79 cases have a common factor- they are against members of a single family and its friends and relatives. Those cases are against misappropriating of trillions of public funds,” he alleged.
“Who is a political victim? We have clear examples, Lasantha Wickramatunga, Keith Noyahr, Upali Tennakoon, Eknaligoda and other journalists whose limbs had been broken. They were political victims. Now according to the PCoI there is a list of political victims who had been charged of extortion, killing, abduction, assaulting journalists, defrauding public funds etc,” Adikari said.
Attorneys-at-Law Upali Ratnayake and Manju Sri Chandrasena also addressed the press.
The U.S. Embassy in Colombo welcomed the U.S. Sports Envoys to Sri Lanka, former National Basketball Association (NBA) and Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) players Stephen Howard and Astou Ndiaye, from June 8 through 14.
The Public Diplomacy section of the U.S. Embassy said that it would launch a weeklong basketball program intended to harness the unifying power of sports, made possible through collaboration with Foundation of Goodness and IImpact Hoop Lab.
While in Sri Lanka, Howard and Ndiaye, both retired professional basketball players, will conduct a weeklong program, Hoops for Hope: Bridging Borders through Basketball. The Sports Envoys will lead basketball clinics and exhibition matches and engage in leadership sessions in Colombo and Southern Province for youth aged 14-18 from Northern, Uva, Eastern and Western Provinces, offering skills and leadership training both on and off the court. The U.S. Envoys will also share their expertise with the Sri Lanka Basketball Federation, national coaches, and players, furthering the development of basketball in the country. Beyond the clinics, they will collaborate with Sri Lankan schoolchildren to take part in a community service project in the Colombo area.
“We are so proud to welcome Stephen and Astou as our Sports Envoys to Sri Lanka, to build on the strong people-to-people connections between the United States and Sri Lanka,” said U.S. Ambassador Julie Chung. “The lessons that will be shared by our Sports Envoys – communication, teamwork, resilience, inclusion, and conflict resolution – are essential for leadership development, community building, equality, and peace. The U.S. Sports Envoy program is a testament to our belief that sports can be a powerful tool in promoting peace and unity.”
SJB Colombo District MP Mujibur Rahuman in parliament demanded to know from the government the reasons for CEB suspending the leave of all its employees until further notice from Thursday.
MP Rahuman said that the CEB has got an acting General Manager anew and the latter yesterday morning issued a circular suspending leave of all CEB employees with immediate effect until further notice.
“We demand that Minister Kanchana Wijesekera should explain this to the House. This circular was issued while this debate on the new Electricity Amendment Bill was pending. There are many who oppose this Bill. The Minister must tell parliament the reason for the urge to cancel the leave of CEB employees,” the MP said.However, Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena prevented Minister Wijesekera responding to the query and said that the matter raised by MP Rahuman was not relevant.
The Chartered Institute of Personnel Management (CIPM) successfully concluded the 8th Annual CIPM Symposium, which took place on 31st May 2024. Themed “Nurturing the Human Element—Redefining HRM in a Rapidly Changing World,” the symposium underscored the pivotal role of human resource management (HRM) in today’s dynamic global landscape. Since its inception in 1959, CIPM has been dedicated to advancing the HR profession through education, professional development, and advocacy, solidifying its position as Sri Lanka’s leading professional body for HRM.
Ken Vijayakumar, the President of the CIPM, graced the occasion as the chief guest. The symposium commenced with the welcome address by the Chairperson, Prof. Arosha Adikaram, followed by the Web Launch of the Symposium Proceedings and Abstract Book by the CIPM President. The event featured distinguished addresses, including a speech by Chief Guest Ken Vijayakumar, President of CIPM, and an address by Guest of Honor Shakthi Ranatunga, Chief Operating Officer of MAS Holdings Pvt. Ltd., Sri Lanka.
The symposium also featured an inspiring keynote address by Prof. Mario Fernando, Professor of Management and Director of the Centre for Cross Cultural Management (CCCM) at the University of Wollongong, Australia.
Vote of Thanks of the inauguration session was delivered by Dr. Dillanjani Weeratunga, Symposium Co-chair.
The symposium served as a comprehensive platform for researchers to present their findings across a wide range of critical topics in HRM. These included Cultural Diversity and Inclusion, Talent Development and Retention, Ethical Leadership and Corporate Social Responsibility, Adapting to Technological Advancements, Mental Health and Well-being at Work, Global Workforce Challenges, Employee Empowerment, and Reskilling and Upskilling.
The plenary session was led by Prof. Wasantha Rajapakse. Certificates were awarded to the best paper presenters during the valedictory session, followed by a vote of thanks delivered by Kamani Perera, Manager of Research and Development.
The annual symposium of CIPM was a truly inclusive event, attracting a diverse audience that spanned undergraduates, graduates, working professionals, research scholars and lecturers. This widespread interest highlights the symposium’s significance in the field of HRM, offering a unique opportunity for everyone to network and learn from scholarly brains.The CIPM International Research Symposium was sponsored by Hambantota International Port, Sri Lanka Institute of Information Technology (SLIIT), E B Creasy & Co. PLC, and Print Xcel Company.
US sports envoys to Lanka to champion youth development
Rahuman questions sudden cancellation of leave of CEB employees
