Civil Groups Condemn President Sirisena for Retaining the
Advisory Panel Hired by Rajapaksamissing2Sri Lanka
Brief04/08/2015Civil Society groups have condemned President
Sirisenas governments continued retention of the Advisory Panel of
international lawyers hired by the Rajapaksa government to defend
its record. It furthest says that the Commission of Inquiry has
failed to earn the confidence of victims and overburdened it with a
mandate that was meant to address the overwhelming cases of missing
persons from across Sri Lanka, raising serious questions about the
willingness of the government to address the issue of enforced
disappearances.The full statement follows:His Excellency
Maithripala Sirisena,President of Sri LankaYour Excellency,We the
undersigned members of Sri Lankan civil society write to you
pursuant to credible information made available to us that the Bar
Standards Board of the United Kingdom has decided to initiate a
formal investigation into the conduct of Sir Desmond de Silva with
respect to his role in Sri Lanka. This investigation commenced on
20 July 2015.In this respect, we unreservedly condemn your
governments continued retention of the Advisory Panel of
international lawyers hired by the Rajapaksa government to defend
its record. This Panel has further discredited a Commission of
Inquiry that has failed to earn the confidence of victims and
overburdened it with a mandate that was meant to address the
overwhelming cases of missing persons from across Sri Lanka,
raising serious questions about the willingness of the government
to address the issue of enforced disappearances. We were therefore
shocked that your government several Ministers of which were in the
past scathingly critical of the lack of independence of these
lawyers and the astronomical fees paid to them has continued to
retain the Advisory Panel chaired by Sir Desmond de Silva.We
understand that Sir Desmond was prior to being appointed to the
Advisory Panel retained by the Rajapaksa government to provide
advice concerning, among others, that governments own
responsibility for international crimes. Upon producing a written
opinion to the Rajapaksa government, Sir Desmond was appointed
thereafter to chair the Advisory Panel.Despite this, your
government continues to retain him as an advisor to a Commission
supposed to provide answers to deeply anguished victims. Your
governments continuation of Rajapaksa administration policies is
dangerous and utterly incompatible with a stated commitment to the
rule of law and good governance. Sir Desmonds continued role as
Chairman of the Advisory Panel is simply untenable in light of a
pending formal investigation being conducted against him by the Bar
Standards Board. In light of these serious concerns, we urge you to
rescind Sir Desmonds appointment forthwith and to take steps to
ensure the independence and integrity of state institutions.CC:
Hon. Prime MinisterHon. Minister of External AffairsSir Desmond de
SilvaMr. Maxwell ParanagamaMr. Zeid Raad al Hussein UN High
Commissioner for Human RightsMr. Pablo de Grieff United Nations
Special Rapporteur on Truth, Justice, Reparations and Guarantees of
Non-RecurrenceSignatures:IndividualsAmeer M. Faaiz
Attorney-at-law
Anthony Jesudasan
Aruni Jayakody
Gowthaman Attorney-at-law
Bhavani Fonseka Attorney-at-law
Bishop Duleep de Chickera
Bishop Kumara Illangasinghe
Brito Fernando
Damaris Wickremesekera
A.C. Visvalingam
Paikiasothy Saravanamuttu
Philip Setunga
Selvy Thiruchandran
Gajen Mahendra
Gamini Jayaweera
Gamini Viyangoda Writer & Journalist
Godfrey Yogarajah
Isabelle Lassee
Aingkaran HRD & Attorney-at-law
S. Ratnavale Attorney-at-law
Kusal Perera Journalist
Marisa de Silva
Nalini Ratnarajah
Nichola Emmanuel
Niran Anketell Attorney-at-law
Arjuna Aluwihare
Jayantha Seneviratne University of Kelaniya
Savitri Gunesekera
Pulasthi Hewamanna
M.B Senanayake Retired CCS
Fr. Jeyabalan Croos
Fr. V. Yogeswaran
Rosanna Flamer
Ruki Fernando
Sampath Samarakoon
Shreen Abdul Saroor
Udaya Kalupathirana
Vijaya
OrganizationsCentre for Human Rights and Development (CHRD)
Centre for Policy Alternatives (CPA)
Centre for Promotion and Protection of Human Rights (CPPHR),
Trincomalee
Committee for Democracy and Justice
Equal Ground
INFORM Human Rights Documentation Centre
Kandy Citizens Front
Religious Liberty Commission
Resource Center for Community Groups
Right to Life (R2L) Human Rights Centre
South Asian Centre for Legal Studies
World Evangelical Alliance
04thAugust, 2015Posted byThavam