Death sentence:

Judges in quandary at times!

"In my capacity as a judge it is against my conscience to pass the death sentence on a convict. But then it is the only punishment prescribed for murder in our law" said Human Rights Commissioner and former Justice D. Jayawickreme, while addressing a seminar on 'Human Rights', jointly organised by the Human Rights Commission, Human Rights Study Circle and the Peradeniya University at the Kandy D.S. Senanayake Memorial Public Library auditorium recently.

Justice Jayawickreme said the death sentence is passed against a person because he or she has violated the human rights of another person who had his/her own right to live.

"Personally I am against the death sentence but when you are a judge you have to implement the law of the country, Justice Jayawickreme said.

Jayawickreme said there was ample evidence to show that people in ancient times always respected and guaranteed human rights in their daily activities. People in rural areas in particular had lived in peace and amity.

A majority section of the society in ancient times had acted with humanism towards others. People in ancient times rarely heard about those resorting to robbery and grave crimes. But, today, we hear of parents abusing or murdering their own children.

There have been reports of teachers who produce future citizens abusing their own students. If anyone misused state or public property it could be described as a serious violation of human rights. Anyone acting against his religion could also be described as a violation of human rights.

Peradeniya University Deputy Vice Chancellor and Human Rights Study Circle Director Prof. Navaratne Banda said present day society experienced serious violations of human rights because people have lost human values various problems have cropped up throughout the world due to the non-implementation of a systematic program to safeguard basic human rights of the underprivileged and poor masses.

He said division of people according to race, religion, caste or colour could also be categorised as a violation of human rights.

Prof. Kamala Liyanage and Attorney-at-law, Nimal Punchihewa of the Human Rights Study Circle and Niranjan Dias Sumanasekera also spoke.