| Colombo, December 12, 2012| The Hindu
Sri Lankan Human Rights lawyer Chrishantha Weliamuna(second
from right in front) with representatives of various lawyers associations
supporting Chief Justice Shirani Bandaranayake. Photo:AP
Lawyers across Sri Lanka went on strike on Wednesday
protesting the impeachment motion against the island nation’s first woman Chief
Justice, bringing the judiciary to halt.
The protesters were seen clashing with pro-government
protesters who called for the resignation of Ms Bandaranayake staging counter
demonstrations in support of the impeachment
“We have come out today to protest in the branch association
across the country on the single theme, ‘let’s protect the independence of the
judiciary’”, Wijayadasa Rajapaksha, the head Bar Association of Sri Lanka
(BASL) said.
Mr Rajapaksha said the BASL committee had resolved to
condemn the procedure adopted and the findings of the parliamentary select
committee on the impeachment of Chief Justice Shirani Bandaranayake.
The parliamentary panel last week announced that Ms
Bandaranayake has been found guilty of three of the 14 charges slapped against
her by the government.
The protesting lawyers said that some of the court’s
functioning was crippled in many provincial areas throughout today and is
likely to remain so tomorrow.
Bandaranayake, 54 awaits removal from the position early
January after parliament holds a vote on the recommendations of the
parliamentary select committee submitted last week.
The report was released after Ms Bandaranayake and her lawyers
walked out of the proceedings calling it unfair.
Following concerns raised internationally, President Mahinda
Rajapaksa, on Tuesday, said he would appoint an independent panel to seek its
views on the select committee report prior to acting on them.
However, the lawyers rejected the President’s offer.
“The President’s statement that he would appoint an
independent panel to review the report is an admission by the President that it
was an unlawful process and that the report is flawed. Therefore the said
Report must be withdrawn immediately. Any future inquiry must take place only
after a fair procedure and tribunal are lawfully introduced. Until then the
agitation of the Bar will continue”, a lawyer’s union statement said.
