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No eyewitnesses, but suspects in remand for three years – defence counsel
Attacks on Buddha statues case before Kegalle Trial at Bar
The accused in the case pertaining to attacks on some Buddha statues at Mawanella are completing three years in state custody, though there is not a single eyewitness who had seen any of the accused in this case attacking any of the Buddha statues. They are in remand custody without the availability of any judicial recourse to bail under the draconian provisions of the PTA, in violation of the principles laid down in the 2006 Supreme Court case of Sumanadasa and 205 others vs Attorney General.
President’s Counsel, M M Zuhair, made these submissions Thursday (23) before the three-member Kegalle Trial at Bar, before whom 16 accused stand indicted for causing damage to Buddha statues in Mawanella and other places. 45 suspects arrested in connection with the alleged attacks in Didulwatta, Mawanella on 26th December 2018, are in remand custody, 16 of whom have been indicted before the Trial-at-Bar hearing the case.
The Kegalle High Court Trial-at-Bar comprising H C Judges Jagath Kahandagamage (Chairman), Jayaki de Alwis and Indrika Kalingawansa heard submissions that the accused who are in State custody for nearly three years be enlarged on bail and to ensure a fair trial.
We have filed a record in this case, a list of 44 cases of attacks on objects of religious worship in the country, giving the names, places and dates of such attacks. Twenty of these attacks were in 2018, before the reprehensible Didulwatte attack. Of these 20 attacks 18 were against several Mosques, 1 against a Buddha Statue and 1 against a Hindu Kovil, all in 2018 prior to the Mawanella, Didulwatta attack in December 2018.
Zuhair PC asked how the Attorney General selected, out of a large number of similar incidents in the country involving accused mostly belonging to the majority community, only the case allegedly involving minority Muslims to be indicted under the Prevention of Terrorism (Temporary Provisions) Act in the High Court and that too at a Trial-at-Bar.
The list shows, he said, nearly 58 persons were arrested, all from the majority community for the attacks on the 18 Mosques and the Malmaduwa Buddha statue in Kegalle, all of which preceded the Didulwatte incident, but all 58 suspects were soon enlarged on bail, unlike in this case.
Similarly, the list filed with the written submissions for bail in this case shows 24 attacks in 2019 and 2020 on objects and places of religious worship. 118 suspects were arrested and all of them bailed. Two of these cases were referred by Courts to Mediation Boards and settled.
None of these attacks were investigated under the PTA or prosecuted under the PTA. It is disturbing, he said, that the Attorney General has not consented to bail under the PTA for these persons in custody for three years. This is a clear case of discrimination, unequal treatment before the law and unequal protection of the law contrary to Article 12(1) and 12(2) of the Constitution. How can there be then a ‘fair trial’, a fundamental right required to be ensured by this Court by Article 13 of the Constitution? This Court is obliged not to permit the violation of the fundamental rights of the accused. This Court is mandated by Article 4 of the Constitution to “respect, secure and advance” compliance with the fundamental rights of the citizens, Zuhair PC said.
The accused in this case are also in remand without a valid judicial order contrary to the judgment of the Supreme Court in Weerawansa vs Attorney General, the President’s Counsel submitted further.
Senior State Counsel Wasantha Perera submitted that this is a case in which the accused had been conspiring over a period of time at different places in the country and that the attack had been carried out in furtherance of that conspiracy and that he objects to the accused being granted bail as the trial dates have now been scheduled. The High Court Trial-at-Bar reserved order on the application for bail.
Sasika Perera for the 3rd, 4th and 14th Accused raised a preliminary objection to the Indictment that certain counts in the Indictment were not in conformity with the Code of Criminal Procedure Act as there were more than three incidents covering a period of more than one year and that the Indictment in the present form cannot be maintained in law. Court reserved order on the objection for 23/02/2022.
SSC Wasantha Perera with SC Harindra Jayasinghe, SC Udara Karunatilake and SC Sajin Bandara appeared for the prosecution.
M M Zuhair PC with M C M Muneer, M I M Naleem and Rizwan Uvais appeared for the 1st, 2nd, 5th, 12th, 13th and 16th Accused. Sashika Perera with M Mubeen appeared for the 3rd, 4th and 14th Accused. Sampath Hewapathirana with Avdan Singh appeared for the 15th accused. Gazzali Hussain with Thushari Warapitiya appeared for the 9th Accused. Rushdhie Habeeb with M Imtiaz appeared for the 6th, 7th, 8th, 10th and 11th accused as Counsel assigned by the State.
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
