'View impeachment motion against CJ more seriously'

by Uditha Kumarasinghe

Mass Media and Information Minister Keheliya Rambukwella called upon the country's legal fraternity to look at the impeachment motion against Chief Justice Shirani Bandaranayake more seriously and not as an isolated case.

A particular case cannot be used for a particular situation and it has to be looked at in general. It was obvious right from the beginning that there were sinister efforts by certain anti-Government forces to cause a breakdown in the relations between the Judiciary and the Legislature, the Minister told the Sunday Observer.

He said during the regime of President J.R.Jayewardene, there were instances where stones were hurled at judges' houses and perhaps sacking some judges. But it didn't spark any controversy like at present. "That is why much political interference has crept into the present impeachment motion against the Chief Justice.

This could lead to the total destruction of the country's legal system, the Minister said. Minister Rambukwella said that he had seen articles in some newspapers that barbarians had been at the gates of the temple of justice or something to that effect.

"Who are these barbarians? This has to be clarified. We now find that some barbarians are a part of the legal system itself.

I feel that they had been activated by an external force which is outside the legal fraternity. It is unfortunate that such a thing is taking place."

He said if one were to look at these incidents unbiased, it is clear that these things happen in the political arena. Unwarranted activities associated with an impeachment motion affect this scenario. Some people are behind it. Some elements of the Tamil diaspora are also playing a major role in this connection.

Those who advocated that the only way to get rid of the terrorist menace was to discuss and negotiate with Velupillai Prabhakaran, are also involved in it.