“Appoint of a suitable chairperson to the RTI Commission”: Request to the CC and the President

An earnest request to the Constitutional Council and the President to recommend and appoint a suitable chairperson to the Right to Information Commission.

1. “It is learned the Constitutional Council is set to make a recommendation to fill the long-overdue vacancy for the chairperson of the Right to Information Commission. In the public sphere, discussions among various social groups raise the question of whether the CC’s recommendation and the subsequent appointment will meet the expectations of the people who are committed to a system change for good governance.”
2. The RTIC chairperson and the commissioners are entrusted with the exemplary task of ensuring and guaranteeing the constitutionally protected right to information, transparency in governance, and accountability. Therefore, we firmly believe that the recommendation/appointment of the chairperson should be based on the proven track record of the candidates’ commitment to these good governance principles.
3. In addition to the qualifications outlined in subsection 12(2)(a)(1) of the Act for the appointment of Commissioners and the Chairperson, we believe advocacy, the defence of human rights of society at large, democratic practices, and moral and ethical excellence are also of critical importance.
4. As the people’s struggle for system change in 2022 and the voting pattern in last year’s presidential and parliamentary elections indicate, Sri Lankans are aspiring for positive and progressive changes in the economic, political, and cultural life of society.
5. Since the Right to Information Commission is a critically important independent organ that ensures the government’s accountability to the public, we believe that the Constitutional Council, when recommending a chairperson and commissioners to the RTIC, will consider their proven track record of commitment to human rights and free speech, as well as their knowledge, experience, and proficiency. We, the undersigned, also urge the President to follow the same criteria in making the appointment.

1. S.G. Punchihewa – Formerly RTI Commissioner, Attorney at Law
2. Mahinda Hattaka – Senior Journalist, Author 
3. Emeritus Prof. Praneeth Abyesundara 
4. Emeritus Prof. Sarath Wijessoriya
5. Dr. Kumudu Kusum Kumara 
6. Venerable Uduwela Nanda Thero 
7. Dr. Lionel Bopage 
8. Sabapathy Sivagurunathan –  Social Activist
9. Mahinda Deshapriya – Formerly Election Commissioner
10. Latheef Farook – Senior Journalist
11. Dr. Rajan Hoole – Human rights activist, Author
12. Brito Fernando – President, Families of the Disappeared 
13. Anupa Nandula – Senior Vice President, Ceylon Bank Employees’ Union (CBEU)
14. Swasthika Arulingam – President, Commercial and Industrial Workers Union (CIWU),  Attorney-at-Law 
15. Marshall Fernando
16. Dr. Herath M. Ariyarathne 
17. W.M. Sunanda Deshapriya – Senior Journalist, Civil Society Activists
18. Dr. Ahilan Kadirgamar
19. Dharmasiri Lankapeli – Media Activist and Political Analyst
20. Parakrama Niriella – Dramatist,  Poet 
21. Dr. Jehan Perera
22. Gamini Viyangoda – Civil Society Activists, Author
23. Sunil Jayasekara – Secretary, National Movement for Social Justice
24. Gayathri Nawarathne – Attorney-at-Law, Women’s Rights Actives
25. Dr. Seyed Firdawoosbee Hanifdeen 
26. Tharindu Amila Uduwaragedara – Journalist
27. D.M. Dhamma Dissanayake – Senior Lecturer
28. Thushari Madahapola – Secretary, Movement for the Defense of Democratic Rights 
29. P.D. Saranapala – Secretary, All Ceylon Commercial and Industrial Workers Union 
30. T.M. Premawardhana – Formerly Director of Education
31. Suranjaya Amarasinghe – General Secretary, Commercial and Industrial Workers Union (CIWU)
32. Chamil Jayaneththi – Film Maker and Author
33. G.V.D. Tilakasiri – Assistant Secretary Democratic Left Front
34. Priyantha Wickramasinghe – Vice President, United Federation of Labour (UFL)  
35. Lasantha de Silva – Convener, Free Media Movement 
36. Sujeewa Senarath – Vice President, Free Media Movement Trade Union
37. Wimalanath Weeraratne – Senior Journalist
38. N.M Ameen – Senior Journalist
39. Wijepala Weerakoon – Organizing Secretary, United Federation of Labour (UFL)
40. P.D. Gunatilake – Social Activist
41. Jeewwarathnam Suresh Kumar – ED, Institute for People Engagement and Networking (iPEN)
42. E.W.P.  Pushpakanthi
43. Dr. S Mogan – Chairman, Tamil Buddhist Congress 
44. Herman Kumara – National Convener of NAFSO
45. Denagama Siriwardena – Writer and Journalist
46. W.A.D.C. Gunasekara 
47. Keerthi Vithanage 
48. Bandara Pahalawatta
49. Nihal Ajith– Secretary, United General Employees Union
50. Wimal Fernando – Social Activist
51. Sithum Chathuranga Witharana 
52. Hussain Shamil
53. H.A. Hemantha
54. Lakshman  Gunasekara – Senior Journalist
55. Darshana Godawaththa
56. V. Weerasingham – Social Activist
57. Y.M. Nawarathne Banda.
58. H.E. Hajiani
59. D.M. Dissanayake 
60. Rahula Jayasinghe
61. Shantha liyanaarachchi 
62. W.F. Priyankara Costa
63. Lakmal K. Baduge 
64. Ameen Izzaadeen – Senior Journalist
65. Samudrika Sylva
66. A.R.U.N.A. Nishantha Ranaweera 
67. G.M. Upul Mahesh De Silva 
68. Ravindra Medagedara 
69. Jayantha Kumara Dissanayaka
70. Bingun Menaka Gamage 
71. Indira Nawagamuwa 
72. Renuka Kumari Maliyagoda
73. Thissa Sarath Rasnayake
74. D.M.S.N.K. Dissanayake
75. Jayawardhana Dissnayaka
76. Rubasin Siriwardhana Dharmadasa
77. Samanthie Jayamanna – Attorney at Law
78. Surang Rajanayaka
79. Pradeep Jeganathan 
80. Vincent Bulathsinghala – Attorney at Law 
81. W.M.G.S.N. Bandara 
82. Hemantha Jayawardena
83. Saman Hettiarachchi 
84. Pradeep Kumar Senadheera 
85. H.M. Nawarathna Bandara 
86. Darshatha Gamage
87. L.H.U. Hemantha
88. Samith Kulasekara 
89. Sudath Nishantha Nethisinghe
90. Wasantha Deshapriya 
91. D.L.A.D. Perera
92. Anura Jayawickrama 
93. Ruwan  Chinthana 
94. Sarath Athukorala 
95. Suwanthi Weerasekara 
96. Gnanaweera Dissanayake,
97. Dhammika Senaratne
98. Lakru Sampath Ganewaththa
99. Kumarasamy Selvakumar
100. 100.Sivakumar Thiviya
101. 101.Karuppaiya Prasannakumar
102. 102.K. Sureshkumar 
103. 103.Anthony Jesudasan – ED, Voices of Plantation People
104. 104.Thangaraji Dewamada
105. 105.Lourdusamy Anthonimuthu
106. 106.Laxman Mudunkotuwa
107. 107.Harindra Weliwita
108. 108.Wageesh Chathuka
109. 109.Sarath Athukorala
110. Harindra Weliwita
111. Dr. Rajendra Wijetunga
112. S.T.Ganeshalingam
113. Suchith Abeyewickreme
114. Dulanjaya Mahagamage
115. Wasantha Dissanayaka – Social Activist
116. R Krisnakumar – Formrly Registrar Jaffna University 
117. Surendra Bulathsinhala – General Secretary Cooperative Entrepreneur Council