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Lawyers protest opposite AG's office A large number of lawyers practising in Magistrate’s Courts and the Colombo High Court yesterday launched a protest in front of the office of the Attorney General at Hulftsdorp, against the arrest of High Court Judge Mahanama Thilakaratne. Carrying placards to express their displeasure over the arrest of Colombo High Court Judge Mahanama Thilakaratne by the CID, the protesting lawyers went in a procession from the premises of the Magistrate’s Courts to the AG’s office. After their protest opposite the AG’s office, they set out to meet the Chief Justice. Some of the placards displayed by the demonstrating lawyers read: ‘Is the independence of the judiciary going to be decided by the CID?’ and ‘Attorney General, please tender your resignation’. The protest was peaceful. Democratic rights of Tamils unashamedly
violated by successive govts The EPRLF told yesterday’s UNP consultations on free and fair elections, that democratic rights of the Tamil people were violated unashamedly by the governments during 1981 DDC 1989 and 1994 general and 1993 local government polls in the East. The EPRLF statement says; This is indeed a critical moment in the history of our country. The future of democracy and the multi-party system is under threat. Restoring public confidence in the electoral process has become an urgent necessity. But I am puzzled to note that are we talking about restoring the democratic values only in the South of this country? The UNP is worried about the postponement of Provincial Council elections in the South. We too are worried. But for the past eight years the North East provincial council is under Governors rule. While we talk about higher democratic values for the south, we neglect the fact that the very foundations of democracy is shattered in the North East during the last decade. While the UNP and the PA talk about bringing five star democracy to south they also propose to hand over the destiny of the Tamil people to Mr. Prabhakaran and his LTTE for ten years. I don’t need to tell you about the commitment of Mr. Prabhakaran to the democratic values you propose to restore to the Sinhala people in the South. Is it democracy such a luxury that the Sinhala people in the South are entitled to enjoy and the Tamils of this country do not deserve that? I am posing these questions because when we look back at the 17 year rule of the UNP and the 4 year rule of the PA I cannot find one instance where the democratic rights of the Tamil people were respected or given importance. But I can find numerous instances, such as the 1981 DDC elections in Jaffna. The General Elections of 1989 and 1994, the local government elections in the East in 1993, where democratic rights of Tamil people were violated unashamedly by the State. The situation in the North East is still worse now. On one side the LTTE and its lunatic approach to impose their will on the people through the barrel of the gun. On the other side the omnipresent military interfering in all aspects of civil administration. The average Tamil is today like the proverbial arecanut between two blades. He is free to open the mouth only to eat and yawn. Under these conditions as a party committed to the restoration of democracy to the Tamils we are frightened over the UNP’s proposals for unconditional talks with LTTE. For the LTTE unconditional talks means licence to annihilate the other Tamil parties. TULF leader Amirtha-lingam was killed during the unconditional talks with the government. PLOTE and EPRLF cadres were massacred during unconditional talks with the government in 1990. Therefore as a political party committed to democracy the UNP must stress for the precondition that LTTE must accept the democratic norms and values. There is no place for a sole representative in a democratic environment. Church organises massive demo, protest rally
against Norochcholai project The Catholic Church has called on people to protest against the proposed 300 MW coal fired power plant at Norochcholai, Kalpitiya.Both Catholics and non-Catholics have been invited to take part in a demonstration and a protest rally at St. Joseph’s Church grounds, Wennappuwa next Saturday [19] an authoritative church spokesman said yesterday. Wennapuwa protests come soon after church leaders expressed their opposition to the proposed project during a brief meeting with Transport and Highways Minister A. H. M Fowzie. Rt. Rev. Dr. Frank Marcus Fernando [Bishop of Chilaw] has briefed the Minister of the dangers of the controversial project when the latter visited Thalawila, sources said. Several ruling party politicians representing the Puttalam district had also been present when Rt. Rev. Fernando strongly protested against the project while explaining that it would affect people of all walks of life in the area, sources said. "Minister Fowzie is fully aware of how many Muslims were also going to be affected if the project gets underway," sources said claiming that many Buddhists too have joined the ongoing protests aimed at forcing the government to abandon the project. During last Sunday mass parish priests of Chilaw, Colombo and Kurunegala dioceses urged the people to attend the Wennappuwa protest rally. In a message issued by the parish priest of Thalawila church, one of the oldest churches here, Catholics were urged to gather at Wennappuwa to protest against the project. Wennappuwa protest rally will be presided over by the Bishop of Chilaw. Church sources said that many politicians representing the Puttalam district have refused to support the anti-coal fired power plant protests. "They may be thinking of their political future," sources said. Under the proposed US$ 300 million project, approximately 300 acres of land is to be utilised for the plant and the coal yard. The project also includes the establishment of two more plants with similar capacity at a later stage. Norochcholai has been selected following a feasibility study conducted by the Japanese consultant institute five years ago. "Norochcholai has been selected over three other sites along the west coast sources said. Both the government and the supporters of the project insist that fresh power projects were needed to meet country’s rising energy demands." Some people especially NGOs oppose any project," one source said pointing out that they consider protests, demonstrations and rallies against every state sponsored project a part of their employment. However the church and community leaders in the area firmly believe that the project will result in disaster. Various constructions connected to the project [in the sea] will undoubtedly result in sea erosion sources said claiming that approximately 600 dwelling places had been lost in between Kammala and Ulhitiyawa as a result of sea erosion. All this destruction occurred in the past eight years. They also claimed that building of barriers to protect hotels along the Negombo coast had increased sea erosion, considerably. Same fate will befall if the government goes ahead with the coal fired project they said. The church is also making arrangements to hand over a petition with 100,000 signatures to President Kumaratunga in protest against the project. Some time ago, the church led protests against the Voice of America [VOA] station at Iranawila. However despite protests by the church and many other organisations, the government went ahead with the VOA project and according to sources, there was no evidence so far to suggest that the American project had affected the people. Ranil
says event successful The UNP’s "all party conference" at the Sri Lanka Foundation Institute was boycotted by all major political parties and the bigger NGOs. Only the EPDP, TELO, Lalith Front and EPRLF were present. However, Opposition Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe said that the event was successful because it had attracted wide ranging opinion and no one had been censored. He said that if the two committees appointed to formulate their proposals were in agreement, legislation to create mechanisms for free and fair elections would be presented to Parliament as a private member’s bill. Over three hundred persons drawn from civil society, the NGO sector and the diplomatic corp attended the meeting and included heads of mission of Sweden and Norway and representatives of the Indian, British and US embassies in addition to several other European and Middle Eastern countries. The chief organiser of the event, parliamentarian Mahinda Samarasinghe said that he was not discouraged by the boycott of political parties. "Speakers were allowed to speak from the floor, there was no censorship and this is the new image of the UNP," he said. The Lalith Front’s Ravi Karunanayake was seated next to the Leader of the Opposition during the entirety of the event. In his opening address, Mr. Wickremesinghe said that people had lost faith in democracy and it was important to de-politicise institutions to ensure that any government in power served all the people. "Fifty years ago when we attained independence we had independent institutions, but these have been eroded today. Parliament should reflect the views of the people, and not those of the political parties," he said. Mr. Wickremesinghe added that in the debate over President Clinton, members of the US Congress had said that it acts as the representatives of the people and must reflect their views which had to be ascertained from the people themselves. Mr. Wickremesinghe also stressed that the meeting was not of a political nature and that his role would end after the day’s event. Godfrey Gunatilleke, Chairman of the Marga Institute and of the People’s Alliance for Free and Fair Elections (PAFFREL) said that many NGOs were participating in the meeting because the issue of free and fair elections was a national one. He said that there was a need to go beyond what had been proposed in the deliberations of the Parliamentary Select Committee on Constitutional Reforms. "Having independent institutions is necessary but not sufficient condition for free and fair elections. There are other issues of internal discipline of political parties and codes of conduct that also need to be addressed," he said, pointing out that the last local government elections had seen an unprecedented level of violence. Explaining why many of the invitees were not participating in the meeting, Mr. Gunatilleke drew attention to the suspicion that this meeting had been summoned by the UNP for "diversionary purposes" to get away from the issues directly affecting the ongoing ethnic conflict and its solution. He said "We are a little perplexed that this meeting is independent of the constitutional reform process that is already in place." He called upon the UNP to restore credibility to its summoning of the consultation by unilaterally giving an example to the country by bringing in a code of conduct, and by coming together with other political forces to evolve a solution to the ethnic conflict. Prof. Ravindra Fernando, Director of the Centre for the Study of Human Rights of the University of Colombo pointed out that in the past when governments had abused the electoral process they had suffered landslide defeats. This demonstrated the people’s commitment to free and fair elections and human rights which his organisation was committed to defend. EPDP parliamentarian S. Sivadasan said that his party had already submitted its proposals on an independent election commission and a public service commission to the Parliamentary Select Committee as a rider to the government’s proposals. TELO member Abu Yusuf expressed disappointment that no provision had been made to translate any of the speeches into Tamil. He said that unless the ethnic conflict was addressed at the consultation, free and fair elections would he restricted to the south of the country. Other speakers included former Governor of the Western Province D. M. Swaminathan, A. L. M. Hasheem of the All Ceylon Muslim League and former Surveyor General Elmore Perera of the Organisation of Professional Associations. In his concluding speech Ranil Wickremesinghe explained that the UNP did not wish this consultation to be a rival body to the Parliamentary Select Committee on Constitutional Reforms. Reforming key institutions relevant to free and fir elections did not require constitutional amendment with a two thirds majority, whereas this was necessary where the devolution of power was concerned. Two committees were appointed. The first committee would decide on the areas of concern. It comprises UNP chairman Karu Jayasuriya, Wimal Fernando, A. L. M. Hasheem, Fr. Oswald Firth and Janaki Gunawardena. The second which would formulate the recommendations comprises Shibly Aziz former IGP Ana Seneviratne, D. M. Swaminathan, Elmore Perera, K. H. J. Wijedasa, Kingsley Rodrigo, Bradman Weerakoon and Swarna Obeysekera. To show solidarity to Judge Tillekeratne Hulftsdorp’s legal fraternity crammed High Court No. 8, to declare their solidarity to presiding judge, Mahanama Tillekeratne, who, for the first time after the weekend ordeal, sat in his bench yesterday. President, Bar Association of Sri Lanka (BASL), Romesh de Silva PC, officials of the BASL and senior members were among those present on the occasion. Romesh de Silva PC told ‘The Island’ later that he was present when HC Judge Mahanama Tillekeratne took his seat to "express our solidarity to him" ‘The Island’ learns that the judge attended to his usual functions after taking his seat. The Executive Committee of the BASL met minutes after HCJ Tillekeratne was produced before the Chief Magistrate of Colombo by the CID, which arrested him the previous night, under an invalidated arrest warrant according to BASL sources. Issuing a statement on the incident the BASL Executive Committee said: " The Executive Committee of the Bar Association of Sri Lanka is gravely perturbed by the circumstances in which Mahanama Tillekeratne, High Court Judge of Colombo was arrested on 10th September, 1998. It has become aware that prior to his arrest upon a warrant issued by the Magistrate of Kesbewa and prior to the execution thereof Mr. Tillekeratne has appeared before the Magistrate of Kesbewa with his lawyers, and on submissions being made the learned Magistrate had released him on bail and recalled the warrant and directed him to appear in the Magistrate’s Court of Kesbewa on 17th September, 1998. Notwithstanding the said order Mr. Tillekeratne had been arrested by the officers of the CID the very same evening despite being shown by his lawyers a certified copy of the Order of the Magistrate of Kesbewa that Mr. Tillekeratne has been released on bail. Thus at the time Mr. Tillekeratne was arrested he had been released earlier on bail by a court. Mr. Tillekeratne was then taken into custody approximately at 8.30 p.m. and had been detained overnight at the CID Headquarters in Colombo and then produced before the Chief Magistrate of Colombo ( not the Magistrate who gave bail) approximately at 1.15 p.m. on 11.09.1998. The Chief Magistrate ordered that he be released from custody in view of the fact that the Magistrate of Kesbewa had already released him on bail. The Executive Committee of the BASL strongly condemns the improper conduct of the authorities concerned which is grossly violative of personal liberty and the safeguards provided by law for the protection thereof. Vasu calls for abolition of Executive
Presidency A motion to abolish the executive presidential system is expected to be placed before the House next week as a private member's bill by MP Vasudeva Nanayakkara. The motion will propose the abolition of the Executive Presidency and will recommend that all Executive Presidential powers be vested with Parliament with a Cabinet of Minister headed by the Prime Minister as the Executive Member of Parliament, Vasudeva Nanayakkara told "The Island". He claimed that there is provision to introduce this bill without awaiting a complete amendment to the constitution. Mr. Nanayakkara expressed confidence of securing a two-third majority in Parliament with ease for his motion. Senior intelligence officer appointed Jaffna
SSP Amidst ongoing changes in the Police Department, the IG police, Lucky Kodituwakku has appointed a senior intelligence officer as SSP, Jaffna. Senior SP G. N. Patikirikorale has filled the void created by the death of senior SP Chandra Perera who died in last week’s Nallur bomb blast. Patikirikorale has been in police intelligence, Jaffna at the time of the Nallur incident sources said. "He was directed to take over Perera’s place," sources said adding that Chief Inspector J .A. K. Mark [OIC Kayts] has been appointed HQI, Jaffna. HQI, Jaffna Mohandas died along with senior SP Perera. Chief Inspector D. M. Woodward [Kegalle division] has been sent to replace Kayts OIC, police headquarters said. Both police and military said that the Nallur blast clearly proved that enhanced security precautions were necessary. "We’ll probably have to summon local government politicians and officials for meetings in camps," one officer said. The new SP Jaffna has been with the National Intelligence Bureau [NIB] for some time. DIG Indra de Silva has been recalled from Jaffna to take over the post of senior DIG/Administration, the department’s number two position previously held by senior DIG Dr. Dharmadasa de Silva. Indra de Silva ranks eighth in the seniority list. It was not clear what will happen to Dr. de Silva when he returns from abroad following an official assignment. Senior DIG A. S. Seneviratne, the second senior most officer has been named senior DIG/ Support Services. He replaces senior DIG Merril Gunaratne, sent on compulsory leave on the recommendation of Batalanda Presidential Commission .Messrs. Gunaratne and five other officers were sent on compulsory leave in the third week of last month. Senior DIG H. M. G. B. Kotakadeniya has been appointed DIG Crimes, Criminal Intelligence and Organised Crime, a post previously held by senior DIG Gamini Gunawardene. Both Gamini Gunawardene and Kingsley Wickremasuriya resigned this month over the appointment of Lucky Kodituwakku as the IG police. DIG Bodhi Liyanage who held the post of Commandant, STF for a brief period has been named DIG, Northern Range. Earlier he was to replace DIG Lionel Karunasena at Vavuniya. However, with the on-going changes, Liyanage has been made incharge of the entire police in the northern region. It was not clear whether the headquarters intends to station a senior officer at Vavuniya to take charge of police deployed in support of the ongoing Wanni offensive, Jayasikuru. Karunasena who served in Anuradhapura and Vavuniya for almost three years has been recalled to Colombo. He has been made DIG Operational Command, a post previously held by A. S. Seneviratne. This particular post was created during retired IG W. B. Rajaguru’s tenure of office. DIG Gamini Randeni has been named senior DIG Rangers 1, post last held by present IGP. DIG O. K. Hemachandra, a former director of the Criminal Investigation Department [CID] has been named the police Ombudsman. However, several posts still remain vacant. Senior DIG Security/Intelligence, a post last held by Kingsley Wickremasuriya remains vacant. Security divisions of the President, Prime Minister, Ministers, Ex-Presidents and other VIPs come under DIG Security/Intelligence. The seniority list is as follows: Dr. Dharmadasa Silva [currently abroad], A. S. Seneviratne [Support Services] ,H. M .G. B. Kotakadeniya [Crimes/Criminal Intelligence and Organised Crime] ,T. E. Anandarajah [Rangers 11], A. A. Samarasinghe [SLPR], Chandra Fernando [Higher Training], Gamini Randeni [Rangers 1], Indra de Silva [Administration] , Jayatissa Herath [Welfare], Lionel Karunasena [Operational Command], Bodhi Liyanage [Jaffna], Sirisena Herath [Kandy], Kumarasiri Gamage, Jayantha Wickremaratne [Western Province/South], Mahinda Balasuriya, Seneviratne Banda [Southern Range], Victor Perera [PSD], P. K. C. Perera, Camilus Abeygunawardene [North Western Range], Nimal Gunatilake [STF], S. C. Pathirana [Terrorist Investigation Division], T. N. de Silva [Western Province/North], O. K. Hemachandra, Jagath Jayewardene [Colombo] and Punya de Silva [CID] With the recent retirement of officers only two senior DIGs now remain in the department. They are Messrs. Seneviratne and Kotakadeniya. The headquarters was expected to name three more senior DIGs. Police said that there was a need to promote at least a few senior SPs to the next rank to fill existing vacancies. The five senior most officers [SSP] are Mitra Siriwardene, Lal Ratnayake, S. A. D. R. Solangaarachchi, M. W. M. W. Dharmaratne and S. K. Shankar. Slain war hero given full military honours The funeral of Major General Susantha Mendis who lost his life following the bomb explosion at the Jaffna Town Hall last Friday took place being given full military honours at the Catholic Section of the Mahaiyawa cemetery yesterday afternoon. Sri Lanka Army Commander Lt. General Rohan Daluwatte was among the mourners at the cemetery. Large crowds attended to pay last respects to the war hero who was a popular figure in Kandy from his school days and as member of the armed force. Thousands of mourners lined up from the residence of the late Major General Susantha Mendis at Mulgampola to the cemetery to pay their respects to the slain warrior. As the funeral procession reached St. Sylvester's College, the alma-mater of the late Major General Mendis the school band took over from the police band, and subsequently the army band took over at Mahaiyawa. The funeral Mass at the cemetery was conducted by the Lord Bishop of Kandy Dr. Vianny Fernando in association with Fr. Keeltus Perera, Vicar General of Kandy. Present at the cemetery were the widow of Major General Susantha Mendis, Kumari, son Hasantha and daughter Udari and the principal St. Sylvester's College Asoka B. Herath. CEB
scheme to be widened Under the interest free loan scheme for the purchasing of energy saving bulbs which was introduced by the Colombo Electricity Board a couple of years back, 350,000-400,000 have been sold in the Colombo city and in certain suburbs, a CEB official said yesterday. Under this scheme, a minimum of four lamps could be purchased by a consumer from any of the eight suppliers and paid back in instalments within a period of one year. The amount will be deducted in equal instalments from the monthly electricity bill. This offer will be only available for a period of six months due to administrative problems, he said. This scheme will be introduced to the Central Province and the North Western provinces within the next three months, he added. By the beginning of next year, the rest of the areas will be covered. He said that they hope to sell about 800,000 bulbs by the end of this year and about one million next year. Arrest illegal holds Supreme Court The Supreme Court yesterday declared that the arrest of U. L. Seneviratne by the CID between the period of 14.3.96 and 26.4.96 is illegal. The Court order said that, U. L. Seneviratne was arrested on 14.03.96 by the second respondent, Sub Inspector Udugama of the C.I.D. on a directive of the first respondent O. K. Hemachandra Director of the C.I.D. The purported arrest was made under Section 6 (1) of the Prevention of Terrorism Act. There had been no written direction by authorities to allow Sub Inspector Udugama to arrest the petitioner. The arrest of the petitioner is illegal the court held. The state was directed to pay the petitioner Rs. 50,000/- as compensation and costs. The aforesaid order was made in-respect of a Fundamental Rights violation plea filed by U. L. Seneviratne, who alleged illegal arrest and illegal detention by the CID. The petition said that the CID had arrested the petitioner since the petitioner's name had transpired in the investigations of the Athulathmudali Commission of Inquiry. The petition was supported by President's Counsel. Tilak Marapana with Dulinda Weerasooriya, instructed by Sunderalingam Associates. The bench comprised Justice R. N. M. Dheeraratne, Justice Dr. Asoka de Z. Gunewardene and Justice Lakshman Weerasekera. LTTE
arms hidden in Colombo There is every possibility that caches of arms, ammunition and explosives had been concealed by the LTTE in safehouses in Colombo. The police and the army are all out to locate these deadly consignments, Inspector General of Police Lucky Kodituwakku said yesterday. The IGP was commenting on the recovery of 25 kilogrammes of high-powered explosives found buried behind a garage in Grandpass, Colombo on information provided by seven Tigers taken into police custody. These suspects were being grilled to gather more information regarding hidden arms and explosives and in the near future police are confident of recovering these lethal hauls, IGP Kodituwakku told ‘The Island’. Cholera continues to cause concern The number of cholera patients admitted to hospitals in the Polonnaruwa region continues without any significant decrease. According to the Polonnaruwa district health authorities 4 cholera patients were admitted to the Polonnaruwa base hospital during the past 24 hours ending noon yesterday, 12 patients to Welikanda hospital, 10 to Galgamuwa hospital and 2 to the Hulasthigama hospital. A similar number of cholera patients have been admitted to these hospitals during the past few days and this number includes 14 soldiers who were admitted to the Welikanda hospital on Sunday. Around 20 patients are receiving treatment for cholera at the Polonnaruwa base hospital. Two deaths have been recorded from cholera during the period 10 to the 13 in the Polonnaruwa health region. The officials of the Polonnaruwa base hospital said that the number of admissions of cholera patients decreased slightly but the same could not be said about other hospitals in the region. The provincial health authorities are taking measures to stop the spread of the disease Health Services officials said. Addition of higher amount of chlorine to purify water and informing the public on measures to avoid the disease are some of the counter measures the official added. Pakistan Day at SAARC trade fair The 2nd SAARC Trade Fair began here in Colombo from September 8, with a large participation from the seven SAARC countries. Pakistan is participating in the fair with 48 stalls erected to exhibit items ranging from light and heavy engineering goods, scooters, motor-cyles, air conditioners, uninterrupted power supply systems, furniture, rice, dates and traditional Pakistani exports like garments, hosiery fabrics, cotton made-ups etc. A number of local dealers have shown interest in the surgical goods, uninterrupted power supply, pharmaceutical goods and motor cycles. Pakistan products, particularly cotton fabrics, embroidery items, bed sheets and Victorian style furniture attracted a large crowd every day. Pakistan day will be observed today (September 15), which will be attended by the Minister for Industries C. V. Gooneratne and the Ports & Shipping Minister M. H. M. Ashraff. High Commissioner of Pakistan Abdul Basit Haqqani will welcome the guests. Navy patrol boats yesterday destroyed four Sea Tiger craft off Alampil in the east coast killing at least eight terrorists, security sources said. Navy did not suffer losses. Kenneth Hall's funeral tomorrow Veteran journalist Kenneth Hall's funeral takes place tomorrow (Wednesday 16) at 11.00 a.m. at the Anglican Section of the General Cemetery, Kanatte. He also worked at the 'The Island' as a Deputy News Editor. The body now lies at the A. F. Raymond Funeral parlour. |
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