news
Yusuf says his stand on 19 A never an issue for CC ire
‘All CC members enjoy equal rights’
By Shamindra Ferdinando
Constitutional Council member Javid Yusuf said yesterday that the Constitutional Council (CC) had not made an issue of his call for taking a stand on the much-debated 19th Amendment to the Constitution on a civil society platform in the run-up to the Aug.5 general election.
Attorney-at-law Yusuf said so in response to a query raised by The Island.
Outgoing Chairman of the CC and former Speaker Karu Jayasuriya chaired its final meeting on August 3 – two days before the election, at the Speaker’s official residence.
Asked whether the CC had taken up for discussion his declaration against the moves to do away with the 19th Amendment at its last meeting or the outgoing Chairman raised it with him on some other occasion, Yusuf said: “The answer to both questions is in the negative.”
Addressing a civil society gathering at the New Town Hall, on July 8, Yusuf declared his strong opposition to the high-profile campaign by the ruling Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) to abolish the 19th Amendment enacted at the onset of the yahapalana administration.
Yusuf was among three civil society members of the 10-member CC. Of the seven other members, the Speaker, Prime Minister and the Opposition Leader held ex-officio positions.
A member of the now defunct CC told The Island that Yusuf, in his capacity as a member of the apex body couldn’t be faulted for taking a stand on the 19th issue as Premier Mahinda Rajapaksa, in spite of him being a CC member, did the same.
The former pointed out that except for the then Chairman Jayasuriya, six of his parliamentary colleagues represented in the CC either backed moves to abolish the 19th Amendment or opposed the SLPP project.
In spite of the SLPP making unprecedented electoral gains at the commencement of the releasing 2020 general election results, civil society grouping, ‘Freedom: People’s Collective’ that campaigned for the continuance of the 19th Amendment still believed the required two-thirds majority couldn’t be achieved by the ruling coalition.
Prof. Rohan Samarajiva, while acknowledging a comfortable victory for the ruling party at the 2020 General Election said that two-thirds was impossible under the Proportional Representation system. The academic who appeared on the platform of ‘Freedom: People’s Collective’ with Yusuf told The Island that a two-thirds was beyond the SLPP’s capability.
Meanwhile, UNP Colombo District candidate Oshala Herath yesterday told The Island that he was quite disappointed by the failure on the part of the CC at least to make a reference to serious allegation he made to the then Chairman himself as regards the irregularities in the registration of the Samagi Jana Balavegaya (SJB). The CC couldn’t under any circumstance absolve itself of the responsibility for the conduct of the Election Commission.
Herath pointed out that the CC and the former Speaker commended the EC without taking into consideration serious accusations directed at the latter over its conduct. Herath said that he moved the Supreme Court against the SJB registration as the EC in no uncertain terms confirmed irregularities taking place in the process. The civil society activist vowed to go ahead with his campaign regardless of the heavy defeat suffered by the UNP.
Herath lambasted the poll monitors for remaining silent on what was going on. They complained, he said about the display of propaganda and campaign advertisement on social media whereas far bigger irregularities took place at the very place responsible for managing the parliamentary election, Herath said.
The CC will meet again after the new parliament begins sittings on Aug 20.
Herath alleged that all political parties to varying degrees cooperated with the EC.
Author
- News Advertiesment
See Kapruka’s top selling online shopping categories such as Toys, Grocery, Flowers, Birthday Cakes, Fruits, Chocolates, Clothing and Electronics. Also see Kapruka’s unique online services such as Money Remittence,News, Courier/Delivery, Food Delivery and over 700 top brands. Also get products from Amazon & Ebay via Kapruka Gloabal Shop into Sri Lanka.
Author
-
sdfsdf sdf sf sf sdf sf sdf
Author
PCoI on Easter Sunday attacks:
By Shamindra Ferdinando
Attorney General Dappula de Livera, PC is not bound by recommendations made by the Presidential Commission of Inquiry (P CoI) into the 2019 Easter Sunday carnage, or presidential directives in that regard, according to authoritative sources.
They said that the AG couldn’t under any circumstances initiate legal proceedings until he had received the full PCoI report.
President Gotabaya Rajapaksa received the PCoI report on Feb 1. The President’s Office delivered a set of PCoI reports to Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena on Feb 23, a day after the report was presented to the cabinet of ministers. The Island raised the matter with relevant authorities in the wake of a section of the media reporting the PCoI recommending punitive measures against former President Maithripala Sirisena, Defence Secretary Hemasiri Fernando, IGP Pujitha Jayasundera, Chief of State Intelligence Senior DIG Nilantha Jayawardena, Chief of National Intelligence retired DIG Sisira Mendis and All Ceylon Makkal Congress (ACMC) leader and Samagi Jana Balavegaya MP Rishad Bathiudeen et al over the Easter Sunday carnage.
Sources pointed out that due to the inordinate delay in sharing the PCoI report with the AG, the department hadn’t been able to take preliminary measures required to initiate the proceedings. Sources said that a team of officers would take at least six weeks or more to examine the report before tangible measures could be taken.
With the AG scheduled to retire on May 24, 2021, even if the AG Department received the P CoI it would be quite a tough task to initiate proceedings ahead of retirement, sources said. However, in terms of the 20th Amendment to the Constitution enacted in last October, both the AG and the IGP could receive extensions beyond 60 at the President’s discretion.
Dappula de Livera received an Acting appointment as the AG a week after the Easter Sunday carnage whereas his predecessor Jayantha Jayasuriya, PC, was elevated to Chief Justice.
Responding to another query, sources said that the Attorney General two weeks ago requested Secretary to the President for a copy of the P CoI. However, the AG was yet to receive one, sources said. In spite of the AG not receiving a P CoI copy, the AG had instructed the IGP to obtain a copy of the report when he requested the police to complete investigations into the Easter Sunday carnage. The AG issued specific instructions after having examined police files pertaining to the investigations.
The IGP, too, hadn’t received a copy so far though some sections of the report were in the public domain.
Agriculture Minister Mahindananda Aluthgamage displayed at a live political programme on Derana a copy of the P CoI report he received at the cabinet meeting earlier in the day.
Sources said that the Attorney General’s Department couldn’t decide on a course of action in respect of the Easter carnage on the basis of a section of the report. In terms of the Commission of Inquiry Act (Section 24), the AG enjoyed significant powers/authority in respect of investigations; sources said adding that the Department urgently required both the P CoI report and police investigations report. The Attorney General’s Department has raised the delay in receiving a P CoI report amidst the Catholic Church attacking the government over the same issue.
Sources said that ministerial committee appointed to study the P CoI report couldn’t decide on how to proceed with the recommendations and the matter was entirely in the hands of the AG. Sources pointed out that the delay on the part of the government to release the report had received the attention of sections of the international media, including the New York Times. Public Security Minister retired Rear Admiral Sarath Weerasekera having met Malcolm Cardinal Ranjith at the Bishop’s House on Dec 8, 2020 said that the AG would get a copy of the P CoI report once the President received it. Minister Weerasekera said that the CID had handed over the relevant files after having completed investigations into eight blasts. Referring to the Parliamentary Select Committee (PSC) report on the Easter Sunday carnage, the former Navy Chief of Staff said that all such documents would have to be brought to one place and considered before initiating legal proceedings. Acknowledging that there could be delays, lawmaker Weerasekera said that on the instructions of the Attorney General a 12-member team of lawyers was working on the case. The minister vowed to expose the mastermind behind the Easter Sunday attacks. Investigations continued while some of those wanted were overseas, the minister said.
The minister acknowledged that the Attorney General couldn’t proceed without the P CoI report. Minister Weerasekera reiterated that once the President received the P CoI report, it would be sent to the Attorney General. The minister said that there were documents two to three feet high that needed scrutiny. The minister assured comprehensive investigation. The minister said that investigations pertaining to eight blasts had been completed and the reports handed over to the AG. However, the Attorney General had found shortcomings in those investigations.
Author
By Saman Indrajith
The Presidential Commission of Inquiry on the Easter Sunday bombings had failed to identify the mastermind of , the JVP said yesterday.
Addressing the media at the party headquarters in Pelawatte, JVP Propaganda Secretary MP Vijitha Herath said that the PCoI report had levelled accusations against former President Maithripala Sirisena, former IGP and head of intelligence for their dereliction of duty, shirking of responsibilities and not taking action to prevent the attacks and negligence. There were reference to the causes of the terror attacks and actions to be taken to avoid such attacks and the influence of extremist organisations. “However, there is no mention of the mastermind of the attacks, the handlers of the attackers and those whose interests the carnage served. It is also not mentioned whether there has been any foreign or local organisation behind those attacks. As per the PCoI report the attack took place as a result of culmination of extremism.
“According to the PCoI the extremist activities were a result of the prevailing political situation then. The entire nation was waiting to see who was responsible and who masterminded those attacks. The PCoI has failed to identify the true culprits responsible for the terror attacks. The report says that the leader of the suicide cadres killed himself in the attacks and it was a puzzle. That means those who are actually responsible for the attacks are still at large. The report does not provide exact details of the sources of the attacks. The PCoI had sittings for one year and five months. It summoned various persons and got their statements but it has failed to shed any light on the terror attacks. Everybody knows that the top leaders of the government and heads of security and intelligence establishments failed in their duties. Ranil Wickremesinghe was the second in command and he too is bound by the responsibility but the PCoI report fails to identify him as one of the persons against whom legal action should be instituted. The PCoI has treated Wickremesinghe and former President Maithripala Sirisena differently. We are not telling that this report is a total failure but we cannot accept this as a complete report. The PCoI handed over its report to the President on Feb 1. After 23 days it was sent to Parliament. Now, a copy of the report is there in the parliamentary library for the perusal of MPs.”
Herath said that the PCoI did not have powers to take punitive action. “It only has powers to name those responsible and recommend action to be taken against those named.
