Seventy Years Of Independence and the Tamils of Sri Lanka
It was only in 1833 after the Colebrooke reforms of 1832 that pre-dominantly Tamil territories were integrated into a unified Ceylon. Until then they were administered separately.
by D.B.S.Jeyaraj
Three score and ten years have passed since Sri Lanka then known as Ceylon gained Independence from Britain on February 4th 1948. The Island nation has been under colonial bondage for a very long period. Portugese rule came first in 1505,followed by Dutch rule in 1658.Finally came British rule in 1796 that lasted until 1948. It was the British who unified the Island under a single administration in 1833. They also introduced universal franchise and electoral representation through the State Council in 1931.
Sri Lanka will celebrate her seventieth anniversary of Independence tomorrow February 4th 2018. Completing 70 years of freedom is indeed a significant milepost.Independent Sri Lanka or Ceylon has faced many challenges and problems in the past 70 years. We have had military coup attempts, communal riots, pogroms, armed revolts, external military intervention, assassinations of heads of state, terrorist violence and above all a long secessionist war that threatened to tear apart the country.
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Enraged Maithripala Sirisena Rants and Raves Against the Constitutional Council for Displaying Independence in Judicial Appointments and the Sri Lanka Human Rights Commission for Protecting the Human Rights of Prisoners and Alleged Drug Criminals
Refusing to back down on his stance to carry out the death penalty, President Maithripala Sirisena yesterday criticised the Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka for what he termed as interference in Government decisions to establish law and order, and the Constitutional Council for disregarding his recommendations on promotions of judges.
Sirisena, addressing the Parliament, criticised the human rights institution for standing up for the rights of the prisoners and the criminals with drug convictions. Commending the Special Task Force of the Sri Lanka Police, which is under the President, Sirisena attacked the Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka (HRCSL) for questioning the deployment of STF in the Angunakolapelessa prison.
“The Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka is appearing for whom? Special Task Force is a highly capable unit. So, we have extended the tenure of the STF Commandant, Senior Deputy Inspector General M. R. Latheef by a year. I am happy the Cabinet stood together to make this unanimous decision. STF supports us taking action against the drugs and the underworld. But the Human Rights Commission is questioning us why we have used the STF in the Angunakolapelessa Prison, sending us a long list of questions,” he said.
He also passed the blame for the two Sri Lankan army personnel killed recently in Mali while serving the United Nations peacekeeping mission to HRCSL.
Speaker Karu Jayasuriya Makes Special Statement in Parliament Refuting “Unjust” Critical Allegations Made By President Sirisena Against the Constitutional Council and Sri Lanka Human Rights Commission
I made a statement before this August Assembly even on 25th January 2019 regarding the activities of the Constitutional Council.
I informed on that occasion that I had tabled on 08.12.2016 in Parliament a report containing the guidelines followed by the Constitutional Council in submitting nominations for appointing members to the Independent Commissions laid down in Article 41 (b) of the Constitution and in approving the nominees sent to us by the President for appointing persons to positions stipulated in Article 41 (c) of the Constitution as stated by me. In addition to that, the report containing the aforesaid guidelines will be tabled in Parliament tomorrow for the information of Hon. Members.
It shall be mentioned that seniority, integrity, independence and impartiality of persons are considered in addition to the said guidelines in appointing persons to respective positions.