Tuesday, October 09, 2012

Dark days in Sri Lanka...

It was not a surprise when yesterday morning in a Colombo suburb, a motivated group, arriving in a white van, launched commando-style attack on Manjula Thilakaratna, Secretary to the Judicial Service Commission (JSC). The victim was admitted to a hospital, where the government refused to allow visitors, including members of the media. A similar attack had targeted the Editor of the Sunday Leader, Lasantha Wicramatunge, in January 2009. On that occasion, the victim was hacked to death by a group of people, in a part of Colombo believed to be safe and secure.

Today, the October 8th, is another dark day of the history of Sri Lanka. All lawyers have boycotted the courts in protest against the attack on the JSC Secretary. This is the second time in three months that lawyers are on strike countrywide. The first strike was launched after the Magistrate Court in Mannar had been attacked by henchmen of a ruling party politician. A few days later, another judge in the North had been attacked, but security forces in the area were able to sweep the incident under the carpet in the name of national security and territorial integrity.

The need for a genuine investigation to prove the ruling party and its allies’ connection to these lawless, armed groups is undeniable. The people are no longer interested in listening to the same song from the government – that always categorises such incidents as a part of an “international conspiracy”, or an act by certain opposition groups, to tarnish the image of the government and its leadership. Full story...

Related posts:
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  2. Sri Lanka government shuts down universities...
  3. Sri Lanka: A nightmare for Tamils...
  4. Sri Lanka to amend press law to include websites...
  5. Sri Lanka told to halt harassment of media...
  6. Sri Lanka minister Mervyn Silva threatens to "break the limbs" of journalists...
  7. Thousands missing in Sri Lanka as people continue to disappear...
  8. Sri Lanka's sinister white van abductions on the rise...

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