Civil Groups Condemn President Sirisena for Retaining the Advisory Panel Hired by Rajapaksa

Civil Society groups have condemned  President Sirisena’s  government’s 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 Lanka

Your 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 government’s 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 government’s 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 government’s continuation of Rajapaksa administration policies is dangerous and utterly incompatible with a stated commitment to the rule of law and good governance. Sir Desmond’s 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 Desmond’s appointment forthwith and to take steps to ensure the independence and integrity of state institutions.

CC:      Hon. Prime Minister

Hon. Minister of External Affairs

Sir Desmond de Silva

Mr. Maxwell Paranagama

Mr. Zeid Ra’ad al Hussein – UN High Commissioner for Human Rights

Mr. Pablo de Grieff – United Nations Special Rapporteur on Truth, Justice, Reparations and Guarantees of Non-Recurrence

Signatures:

Individuals

1. Ameer M. Faaiz – Attorney-at-law
2. Anthony Jesudasan
3. Aruni Jayakody
4. Gowthaman – Attorney-at-law
5. Bhavani Fonseka – Attorney-at-law
6. Bishop Duleep de Chickera
7. Bishop Kumara Illangasinghe
8. Brito Fernando
9. Damaris Wickremesekera
10. A.C. Visvalingam
11. Paikiasothy Saravanamuttu
12. Philip Setunga
13. Selvy Thiruchandran
14. Gajen Mahendra
15. Gamini Jayaweera
16. Gamini Viyangoda – Writer & Journalist
17. Godfrey Yogarajah
18. Isabelle Lassee
19. Aingkaran – HRD & Attorney-at-law
20. S. Ratnavale – Attorney-at-law
21. Kusal Perera – Journalist
22. Marisa de Silva
23. Nalini Ratnarajah
24. Nichola Emmanuel
25. Niran Anketell – Attorney-at-law
26. Arjuna Aluwihare
27. Jayantha Seneviratne – University of Kelaniya
28. Savitri Gunesekera
29. Pulasthi Hewamanna
30. M.B Senanayake – Retired CCS
31. Fr. Jeyabalan Croos
32. Fr. V. Yogeswaran
33. Rosanna Flamer
34. Ruki Fernando
35. Sampath Samarakoon
36. Shreen Abdul Saroor
37. Udaya Kalupathirana
38. Vijaya

Organizations

39. Centre for Human Rights and Development (CHRD)
40. Centre for Policy Alternatives (CPA)
41. Centre for Promotion and Protection of Human Rights (CPPHR), Trincomalee
42. Committee for Democracy and Justice
43. Equal Ground
44. INFORM Human Rights Documentation Centre
45. Kandy Citizens Front
46. Religious Liberty Commission
47. Resource Center for Community Groups
48. Right to Life (R2L) Human Rights Centre
49. South Asian Centre for Legal Studies
50. World Evangelical Alliance

04^th August, 2015