Fri, 29 Mar 2024 Today's Paper

The Sword of Damocles over Democratic Governance?

By

31 October 2012 06:30 pm - 4     - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

A A A

                     Impeachment of the Chief Justice                      


Dr Paikiasothy Saravanamuttu
Accounts, claiming varying degrees of authenticity abound of the impending impeachment of the Chief Justice.  This is not the first time this has been attempted. Denizens of Hulftsdorf within its ranks stopped the UNF government in its tracks from attempting to do this.  A third of the members of parliament are required to sign a motion to this effect, which once entertained by the speaker will go to a select committee. The findings of that committee are reported back to parliament, which votes after a debate on whether to impeach the Chief Justice. All that is required is a simple majority.



There is considerable speculation as to why the Rajapaksa regime would want to even consider this and as to the charges that will be made in the impeachment motion.  The consensus in general public discourse is that this has everything to do with the initial Supreme Court determination on the Divineguma Bill by which it was required to be first submitted to all provincial councils and speculation with regard to the Court’s determination on the Bill thereafter on the validity of the Northern Governor’s consent to the Bill in the absence of an elected council, as well as its substantive provisions.  The argument here is that the regime and its supporters see the Chief Justice as being too disposed towards the Thirteenth Amendment and devolution and accordingly insufficiently protective of the unitary state.  Underpinning all of this, it is mooted, is the desire of the regime to control everything within its reach and neuter the Thirteenth Amendment if not kill it off altogether, so as to deprive the north of an effective, elected council controlled by an opposition political formation - the only one in that event, in the country.   The abolitionists outing calling for the jettisoning of the Thirteenth Amendment, which involved the Defence Secretary stepping egregiously out of line yet again to make pronouncement on government policy, must be seen in this context.  He is after all, if not the most powerful man in the land, one of three or four.  He is also known to be quite blunt and frank.

There is additional speculation and argument about the spouse of the Chief Justice, the investigations into his financial transactions, the behaviour of the Secretary to the Judicial Services Commission and even salacious gossip being disseminated about personal relationships.  All in all, very Sri Lankan - a country like no other in which truth will always be stranger than fiction, be it the private realm or the public.  One point needs to be stressed here and that is as to why appointments in particular are being questioned now and taken exception to, when they were made by and concurred with by those leading the charge to impeach.

Another school of thought maintains that along with investigations into the dealings of her spouse, impeachment is being used as a threat, a form of intimidation to ensure that the Court’s determination on the Divineguma Bill and any others thereafter, is favourable to the regime.  Alternatively that her position will become so untenable that she will have to resign. The point here is that if the Lady is not for turning and sticks to her position and to the constitution, stubbornly protecting her independence and their other Lordships too, the regime will surely have to go through with impeaching her or risk serious embarrassment and loss of political clout in the eyes of the public.  

Impeaching the Chief Justice on the eve of the UPR of Sri Lanka at the Human Rights Council and with impending revisiting of the Council resolution on Sri Lanka in March 2013, followed by the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in a year’s time, begs the question of a regime obsessed with control and not giving a damn as to the fall-out.  The latter is considerable, not just in international terms but in terms of the basic tenets of democratic governance, the integrity and independence of institutions in this country pivotal to its sustenance as a functioning democracy.

The personal issues aside, this is what the public needs to focus on and this is what resistance to the populist authoritarianism of the regime needs to galvanize against. The fundamental relationships between the three arms of the state - the executive, legislature and the judiciary are under grave threat. This is not the first time, yet taken in context and as integral to the regime’s systematic erosion of democratic institutions and processes, checks and balances on its exercise of executive power, this time it is especially dangerous.  There really is no effective structure of government or governance now in this country. What we have is a structure of power to consolidate dynastic rule and underpinned by militarization, populist authoritarianism and majoritarian triumphalism.  

Let us not forget too that the bona fides of the regime regarding respect of and for the constitution are manifestly suspect.  At the first UPR of Sri Lanka in 2008, the regime voluntarily pledged to implement the Thirteenth and Seventeenth Amendments!   The former has been in effect, subjected to a prolonged process of extra judicial killing and the latter gutted and consigned to history.   Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s Charge of the Hela Brigade assisted by Brevet Colonels Weerawansa and Ranawaka has only, if Keheliya Rambukwella’s statement on the regime’s position is to be believed, been halted for the time being.  Did India have to tell him and his that they were talking out of turn and way out of line?

Apart from a few, seen by the regime and its apparatchik chorus as traitors and LTTE sympathisers, the public at large were unmoved by the dismantling of the Seventeenth Amendment and its unseemly replacement by the Eighteenth.  The slow death of the Thirteenth is very much on the agenda and now the possibility if not the probability of a frontal assault on founding principles of democratic governance - the separation of power and the independence of the judiciary.
It has been argued that the public -at- large is unmoved by constitutional issues or indeed any outside the cost of living that directly impacts their daily lives.  The regime knows this and through its extensive apparatus of propaganda, coercion and intimidation it will have its way.  

L’ etat, c’est moi, - The state, it is I.

It is time to show the regime otherwise and that time is surely now!


Order Gifts and Flowers to Sri Lanka. See Kapruka's top selling online shopping categories such as Toys, Grocery, Kids Toys, Birthday Cakes, Fruits, Chocolates, Clothing and Electronics. Also see Kapruka's unique online services such as Money Remittence,Astrology, Courier/Delivery, Medicine Delivery and over 700 top brands. Also get products from Amazon & Ebay via Kapruka Gloabal Shop into Sri Lanka

  Comments - 4

Order Gifts and Flowers to Sri Lanka. See Kapruka's top selling online shopping categories such as Toys, Grocery, Kids Toys, Birthday Cakes, Fruits, Chocolates, Clothing and Electronics. Also see Kapruka's unique online services such as Money Remittence,Astrology, Courier/Delivery, Medicine Delivery and over 700 top brands. Also get products from Amazon & Ebay via Kapruka Gloabal Shop into Sri Lanka
  • Ranjit Thursday, 01 November 2012 08:38 AM

    Abuse of power is no doubt a major concern. A better Opposition should rise to remedy the situation. But the style in which this article is written shows the author's bitterness, poor sarcasm (specially the reference to certain "Brevet Colonels"), lack of sophistication, lack of common touch (trying to use French) and misguided elitism, despite what he tries to portray. The country's governance and elitist civil society are both in a sad and degenerative state.

    Robin Thursday, 01 November 2012 09:24 AM

    My friend,
    For a country to be strong you need a strong political leader. That's what happened in Malaysia and Singapore.
    And also many countries. So you can have good relationships with chandrika move around and utter these nonsense.
    Your democracy is none existent. Do you think in US, UK there is democracy? Where were you when terrorists were bombing in Colombo?

    Piranha Thursday, 01 November 2012 09:06 PM

    The drama is, as usual, very well analysed and narrated by Dr Sara. The audacity of the Rajapaksa regime to make this confrontation at a time his government is under a microscope at a world forum shows how much he is worried about world opinion. He is probably depending on the spineless moron Manmohan Singh to water down any criticism of his regime in the final report.

    R.Sunthar Friday, 02 November 2012 03:06 AM

    If the Govt rescinds it is only loss of face. If it goes the whole hog the country loses and the Govt loses more.


Add comment

Comments will be edited (grammar, spelling and slang) and authorized at the discretion of Daily Mirror online. The website also has the right not to publish selected comments.

Reply To:

Name - Reply Comment





Order Gifts and Flowers to Sri Lanka. See Kapruka's top selling online shopping categories such as Toys, Grocery, Kids Toys, Birthday Cakes, Fruits, Chocolates, Clothing and Electronics. Also see Kapruka's unique online services such as Money Remittence,Astrology, Courier/Delivery, Medicine Delivery and over 700 top brands. Also get products from Amazon & Ebay via Kapruka Gloabal Shop into Sri Lanka

VAT increase: SOUNDs death knell for publishers, readers

Though the Government imposed VAT (Value Added Tax) on vegetables and other e

How female change-makers are driving Sri Lanka’s energy saving platform

Saving energy has become more of a responsibility than a habit in today’s c

A dull Ramadan awaits Muslims amidst the Soaring Cost of Living

In the coming days, Muslims across the world will welcome the Holy Month of R

New wildlife underpass to curtail HEC

As of February 2024, Sri Lanka lost another 38 elephants as a result of the H