Strengthening the Rule of Law

The news that the 16-member International Independent Group of Eminent Persons, headed by a former Chief Justice of India, Justice Baghawathie, has launched probes on three cases involving killings which come within their terms of reference, is bound to be welcomed by the civic-conscious sections of the public.

The cases to be probed are the assassination of former Foreign Minister Lakshman Kadirgamar, the killing of 17 aid workers in Mutur and the killing of some Muslims in Pottuvil. What is important to recollect is that the international panel is here at the request of the Government.

It is the State’s interest in bringing to bear the highest standards in the administration of justice which has enabled the eminent panel to preside over the probes, thereby imparting to the investigations a great deal of credibility.

Accordingly, there is absolute concern on the part of the State for the truth behind these killings. By leaving no stone unturned in its search for the truth the State is proving that it is adhering to the highest standards of justice.

The advisability of this approach could in no way be questioned. The killings concerned attracted a considerable amount of speculation and loose talk and the State could not have done better than to have the incidents probed by an international panel of eminent persons.

An end result of this process could be the strengthening of the Rule of Law - an essential pillar of the democratic system of government. Needless to say, all right thinking persons would applaud the State for this achievement because there is no better way to make the democratic ethos flourish in the country than through the enthroning of the Rule of Law.

From now on, however, the due process of law would need to be perpetuated. Once the truth behind the crimes is revealed, those against whom charges could be framed, would need to be brought to justice. This would be the culmination and flowering of the due process of law.

Therefore, we urge the swift implementation of the law of the land. There should not be any doubt in any quarter that justice is not being quickly administered.

Considering that the State is battling Tiger terror tooth and nail, it is very creditable of the Government to be sensitive to the need to follow the due process of law. This approach would help greatly in instilling in the minds of the people the supremacy of the Rule of Law. This in turn would help greatly in stabilising law and order.

The State is compelled to fight Tiger terror while ensuring the stability of the norms and principles of justice and this is an exacting task.

However, the State needs to be commended for fighting terror while keeping the institutions of justice and democracy intact.

We hope these trials of the Lankan State which is a leading democracy in South Asia, would enthuse the international community into continuously cooperating with the Lankan State in battling and putting an end to LTTE terror.

LTTE terror is a cancer which must be ended forthwith and the world would do well to keep the Lankan State informed about the numerous ways and means of eliminating the terror scourge.

Some very eminent Sri Lankans have been barbarously assassinated by the Tigers and the late Lakshman Kadirgamar is one of them. This is the price the world pays for having the Tigers around.

We hope the findings of the eminent panel would instill in the world the urgency of ending Tiger terror.

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