What has
got into the heads of the so called educated highly placed people in Sri Lanka. It was mostly the rural youth who sacrificed
their lives, limbs and blood with the fervent hope delivering Sri Lanka from
the fetters of devilish terrorism , to keep the country united and
undivided. They were real heroes, they
were not asking for pay hikes, political rights, bribes and commissions, but
they faced the enemy without knowing whether they will be there to see another
day.
But with
such an indelible background what we see three years after is shameful. There
is greed for money, greed for status, greed to gain power. We see people with short lived memories, we
see local and foreign forces denying the sacrifice our youth made for the sake
of their motherland, we see character assassination, we see refusal to give
credit to those need credit, we see the
University Professors , and those in high office feathering their own nests, without
giving a “damn” to the people and the country.
The
Impeachment of a Chief Justice has brought out the worst in some people. Is this Sri Lanka, that was beaten and
battered by the foreign invaders for ages, but yet raised itself from the worst
of suffering to at last see development and progress ? It
is sad those Parliamentarians in the opposition, the media, the judiciary, the
academic staff, and even some monks like
Madoluwawe Sobhita have not grown up to understand what is democracy, what is independence,
and what above all is National Pride of being Sri Lankans .
Sri Lanka is called a democracy since we have
accepted a Parliamentary system of Government.
But that democracy we have safeguarded more than those who claim to be
the “ fathers of ” democracy”. No
constitution is perfect. Imperfections
are rectified by amendments. Sri
Lanka has an accepted constitution despite
its defects. Our country went through a
worst of times, first under colonialism and then a still worst
time under terrorism. We have got rid of terrorism with sacrifices and
deaths, however much the interfering
West the worst of perpetrators of violation of human rights, claim there were
violation of human rights in the elimination of terrorism. Is there a perfect
end of a war ? Nothing is perfect. But our
country did not cave into anarchy or
civil war we still remains a healthy democracy.
The
Legislature, the Judiciary and the
Executive are independent of each other in our country. Judicial independence is accepted. We expect an exemplary standard of conduct from the members of the
Judiciary. However, if members of the Judiciary have acted beyond
the law of the land, passed by the Legislature and implemented by the
judiciary, then such Judges have to be brought before the law like any one else
who breaks the law.
The Judges
are not taken before a court of law to
plead before another Judge. But they can
be taken before the highest court of the land to be judged by the people. As in
Athens the
people do not congregate any more to take decisions on judicial, political or
economic matters. Therefore, it is
before the Parliament of the representatives of the people that a Judge is
taken to be judged which is called an Impeachment. That is democracy.
As much as
a citizen is taken before a Judge in
Court, a Judge could be summoned to be present before a Parliamentary Select Commit which represents the Parliament, to be judged on
the charges against her. The
Judge has to respect the PSCas much as a
ordinary citizen is expected to respect a Court of Law. Otherwise as much as there is a contempt of
court in the case of an ordinary citizen there a contempt of the Legislature in
the case of a judge.
All those
legal details adhered to in a Court of
Law , can also be adhered to by a
Parliamentary select Committee. The
members of a Parliamentary Select Committee, like the members of a Jury, will not discuss out side what happened
inside the PSC . But in the Impeachment of the Chief Justice in Sri Lanka those
very people who speak of break down of democracy, act contrary to the demands
of democracy.
Now let us
see the democratically demanded independence of the Judiciary. The Judiciary is
independent of the interference by the Legislature and the Executive, but the
Judiciary is not sacrosanct and above the Law.
The Judiciary while being independent should respect the independence of
the Legislature from the Judiciary. The Legislature remains supreme as it is
representative of the people. The
Legislators are the Law makers. Once a
Law is passed it is sent to the Judiciary to carry it out. The Judiciary interprets the law without changing it. The Judiciary may suggest changes. The proposed changes are then discussed in the
Legislature, which may pass an
amendment if the suggested change by the
Judiciary is accepted.
The
Legislature is the highest Court of the people.
The Legislature makes inquiries into the charges in a Impeachment Motion
against Judges through a Committee selected by the Legislature.
In Sri Lanka it
was reported that the Chief Justice Shirani
Bandaranayake had ‘fled’ from the Parliamentary Select Committee
trial. This is highly irregular, and
amounts to a contempt of the Legislature.
In view of
this blame worthy act of the Chief
Justice S.Bandaranayake, it is
interesting to read the following excerpt taken from the Wikipedia relating to
the Impeachment of Renato Corona the Chief Justice of Philippine:
“At one point,Chief Justice Corona of Philipines tried walk out of the
proceedings, and was prevented from doing so by the Senate president, who
ordered the Senate doors closed and gave him a tongue-lashing. He rolled
back in a wheelchair, with an attendant at his side. One of his lawyers said he
was suffering from dizziness and could not continue. The judge adjourned
the proceedings, ordering Corona
to return to court next Wednesday.”
In the
drama of the Impeachment of Shirani Bandaranayake in Sri Lanka it was reported that the
Supreme Court of Sri Lanka wanted to intervene in the Impeachment on a case filed by the Sri Lanka Lawyers’
Association. But the Supreme court has no legal right to hear a case against
the legislature or the Committee appointed by it to inquire into the Impeachment
Motion against the Chief Justice.
On the
question of an impeach in USA it was stated, that: “Defendants challenged the use of these committees, claiming them to be
a violation of their fair trial rights as well as the Senate's constitutional
mandate, as a body, to have "sole power to try all impeachments."
Several impeached judges sought court intervention in their impeachment
proceedings on these grounds, but the courts refused to become involved due to
the Constitution's granting of impeachment and removal power solely to the legislative
branch, making it a political question.” ‘(wikipedia)
Impeachment
therefore is a democratic process and
the Parliament of Sri Lanka has every right to inquire into an Impeachment
Motion presented by the Members of the Parliament. Once a Committee is appointed
by the Parliament it becomes the “court”
that inquires into the Charges on the Impeachment Motion.
It was
reported that four members of the committee had walked out refusing to continue
with the Impeachment proceeding which is a contempt of Parliament. Unfortunately some of our Parliamentarians
haven’t got the maturity to uphold the privilidges and customs of the
Parliament. Their behaviour is disrespectful
to the august assembly the Parliament to
which they have been elected by the people. These MPs are not suitable to represent the people who elected
them as they have breached their confidence.
Normally they are expected to
respect their own title of MP and
respect the Parliamentary procedures.
Otherwise they should resign giving their place to more worthy persons
to represent the people.
Once
appointed to a Committee of the Parliament the members are expected to serve
the Committee until the sittings are over.
In their absence the PSC may
continue its deliberations without those members. They may be replaced by other members by the Speaker. The hearings of the Impeachment motions could
be continued even in the absence of
the Chief Justice-the defendent.
It is not
democratic for other countries to interfere in to the deliberations of an
Impeachment Motion by a Committee appointed by the Parliament of Sri Lanka. It
is a highly objectionable interference
on the part of the American Embassy to have issued a statement to say :
“These latest developments are part of a disturbing deterioration of
democratic norms in Sri
Lanka, including infringement on the
independence of the judiciary. The United States,
along with our partners in the international community, continues to urge Sri Lanka
to uphold the rule of law and democratic governance and to continue to address
outstanding accountability and reconciliation issues,"
What do they mean by “ disturbing
deterioration of democratic norms” ? Do
they want to make it out to be another Bengazi ? They are itching to change regimes, their
favourite past time.
This shows that the American
Embassy is acting in ignorance of democratic procedures of a country. It also shows lack of respect to the country
the Ambassador has been posted. Because
they are American they cannot dictate terms to a Sovereign State
more so with regard to its Constitutional procedures.
A man called Laksiri Fernando writing to Colombo Telegraph( which has
become the Journal publishing all anti-Impeachment news and articles) has “ raised serious doubts about the political
motives behind the move. By that time hurriedly framed bribery charges against
the husband of the CJ have already been initiated”.
Laksiri
Fernando should know that these matters
such as how and when the Impeachment
Motion was conceived and presented to the speaker of the Parliament are
immaterial . What is important is the
fact that an Impeachment Motion has been presented, and the fact that it is being investigated, and
that a report of the investigation will be presented to the Speaker.
In the mean
time the International Commission of Jurists too makes an uncalled for
statement: “The impeachment process against Chief Justice Shirani Bandaranayake
ignores international standards and practice, says the ICJ.” Sri Lanka is not bound to follow
any International Standards in inquiring into an Impeachment Motion. Sri Lanka
Parliament has its own Standing orders and procedures . The
Parliament of Sri
Lanka is an old Institution and it has matured to put into
practice its Constitutional and Democratic processes.
It is the
stupidity of our own Parliamentarians of the opposition that is putting our
country into disrepute and jeopardy. The
four members of the opposition walking away from the PSC is objectionable. I am sure there are punishments that could be
meted out to them for contempt of the Parliament.
Sri Lanka
Media has not done their duty to uphold the traditions of our Parliamentary
System. They too see the Impeachment Motion as some thing invented by “
Rajapakse Government” to harass the Chief Justice. They should try to look at
things differently more objectively to
make the world understand that we are not a “Banana Republic” .
In this
respect one feels ashamed of the type of
information that is formulated and emanated by the Island News paper. The following extracts from the Editorial of
the Island of the 8.12.2012, is improper and
blame worthy:
“ Parliament
rejected out of hand notices issued by the judiciary and decided to go ahead
with the PSC process without caring a damn about a recent Supreme Court
recommendation that the PSC proceedings be postponed until its ruling.
So, the CJ’s pull-out from the PSC proceedings must have warmed the
cockles of the hearts of those opposed to the impeachment motion.”
The Supreme
Court has no right to issue instructions to the Legislature. The “wise” Editor of the Island News Paper is
ignorant that the Legislature is independent of the Judiciary as much as the
Judiciary is independent of the Legislature and the Executive. CJ’s pulling out is a contempt of the
Parliament.
The Island continues, “…..The unnecessary showdown between the legislature controlled by the Executive President and the Judiciary and the deplorable manner in which they are undermining each other’s authority. The late President Ranasinghe Premadasa was troubled by a legislative coup in the form of an abortive impeachment bid. He, however, had no problems with the Judiciary which he effectively kept under his executive thumb. That was the time when judges were scared of opening their mouths—even for a tooth extraction! There was a brief respite during President D. B. Wijetunga’s tenure. President Chandrika Kumaratunga clashed with the legislature and went so far as to sack a UNP-led government having lost control over Parliament in 2001 and been reduced to a titular head of State in all but name for three years. President Mahinda Rajapaksa’s first term was characterised by a wrangle with the Judiciary and currently his government is all out to oust the incumbent CJ.”
As against
the late President JR Jayawardhana , and President R.Premadasa, President
Mahinda Rajapakse who has done yeoman service to his country is different from
the sighted previous Presidents. The President Rajapakse has respected the
Parliamentary traditions and has not used his executive powers to the detriment
of the people , or the country.
When will
our MPs of the Opposition and the Media begin to love their country and respect
those traditions and accept the necessity to cooperate with the ruling party
“democratically” to keep the interfering International Community away from harming our country.
All in all
the Impeachment Motion should be turned into an enriching experience of a
correctly functioning Democracy in a country progressing fast into development.
No comments:
Post a Comment