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Lawyers’ Collective calls for prosecution of Acting IGP for FR violations
The Lawyers Collective has written to Attorney General Sanjay Rajaratnam, requesting him to prosecute respondents of the Fundamental Rights Application 107 /2011, including Acting IGP Deshabandu Tennakoon.
The Lawyers Collective has said the Supreme Court found Tennakoon and two other police officers guilty of infringing upon the Fundamental Rights of petitioner Ranjith Sumangala guaranteed by Articles 11(1), 12(1), 13(1) and 13(2) of the Constitution relating to freedom from torture, the right to equality and freedom from arbitrary arrest, detention and punishment.
Full text of the letter, titled ‘SCFR Application No. 107/2011 decided on 14.12.2023 wherein three police officers namely one Bandara, Bathiya Jayasinghe Inspector of Police and M.W. Deshabandu Tennakone (the current Acting Inspector General of Police), the 1st, 2nd and 5th Respondents to the said Application were found guilty of infringing the fundamental rights guaranteed to Ranjith Sumangala, the Petitioner under Articles 11, 12(l), 13(2) of the Constitution’: The Supreme Court on 14.12.2023 found that the above named Police Officers, including the Current Acting Inspector General of Police Deshabandu Tennakone have violated the fundamental rights guaranteed to the Petitioner, Ranjith Sumangala, by Articles 11, 12(l), 13(1) and 13(2) of the Constitution by assaulting the said Petitioner, Ranjith Sumangala, whilst in Police custody at the Mirihana Police Station, in order to extract confessions with regard to the robberies that the said Ranjith Sumangala had allegedly committed.
In the said judgment, the Supreme Court has unreservedly upheld the following contentions of the Petitioner.
1) that the 1st and 2nd Respondents above named tortured the petitioner at the Mirihana Police Station, in order to extract confessions with regards to robberies allegedly committed by the Petitioner.
2) that the 5th Respondent above-named tortured the Petitioner at the Mirihana Police Station on 17.12.2010 by beating him with a rubber band after stripping him naked and ordering him to rub Siddhalepa on his Genitals in order to extract confessions with regards to robberies allegedly committed by the Petitioner.
It would be clear to you that the above findings constitute the offence of torture under and in terms of section 2 of the Convention against Torture and other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment Act No 22 of 1994.
As the Supreme Court has held in Land Reform Commission v Grand Central Limited (1981) reiterated by Janak De Silva J in SC(FR) Application 209/2021, “The Attorney General has a duty to the court, to the state and to the Subject…. he is vested with extensive statutory powers in relation to criminal investigations and prosecutions. Such powers are held in public trust.
They must be exercised for the due administration of justice according to the Rule of Law the basis of our Constitution.
In as much as the aforesaid findings demonstrate the presence of clear acceptable material constituting the said offence of torture, the Lawyers Collective points out, that it is your bounden duty to immediately prosecute against the said officers for committing, inter alia, the said offence of torture.
The Lawyers Collective also points out to you, in as much as an impartial investigation cannot be done whilst the 5th Respondent above named is functioning as the Acting Inspector General of Police, it is also your bounden duty to advice the appropriate authorities to have the 5th Respondent above named i.e. M.W. Deshabandu Tennakone, interdicted pending investigation.”
The letter has been signed by Reinzie Arsecularatne PC, Upul Jayasuriya PC, Prof Savithri Goonesekera, Dinal Phillips PC, Saliya Peiris PC, Nalin Dissnayake PC, Prof Camena Gunaratne, Geoffrey Alagaratnam PC, Manoj Nanayakkara AAL, Amila Egodmawatta and Prof Deepia Udagama on behalf of the Lawyer’s Collective.
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
