Colombo HC Lawyers condemn Kiriella’s remarks

Wasantha Ramanayake

COLOMBO:The statement made by Parliamentarian Lakshman Kiriella to a Daily Newspaper was demeaning the profession of lawyers, Colombo High Court Lawyers Association President Udaya Rohan de Silva said. De Silva at a press briefing in Colombo yesterday said the Lawyers were committed to render their service to any one seeking their assistance.

“The country at cross roads fighting terrorists. We should be responsible in making such statements which would affect the country as a whole,” he said.

“We should serve our clients. The statement that the ‘lawyers were sleeping,’was really disgraceful” he said.

He questioned as to why Kiriella himself being a lawyer failed to file any lawsuit in any court, had he been so concerned about the so called abductions.

“He had neither informed the Magistrate Lawyers Association, the High Court Lawyers Association nor the Bar Association in this regard.

Had he been really worried he could have at least written to these Associations,” he charged.

De Silva said Kiriella being himself a member of the Bar Association it was not fitting for him to charge that lawyers were sleeping,”why did not he quit the Bar Association and make such allegations,” he questioned.

“It was the members of our Magistrate Court Lawyers Association who had appeared on behalf of Journalist Parameshwari to free her, not Kiriella,” he claimed.

It could not be the opinion of his party where the leader was also a lawyer and had it been the case it could have been discussed there.

He stressed that any lawyer specially the members of his association would appear for any body who were seeking Assistance irrespective of their social standings.

Sanjaya Gamage, a member of Magistrate Court Lawyers Association, Colombo said Parliamentarian Lakshman Kiriella had not really grasped the situation in Bangladesh and Pakistan where the lawyers were fighting for their common interest but not for the rights of the masses.

Anton Senanayake, another member of the Colombo Magistrate Lawyers Association said that the Government could not be held responsible for the abductions as they were carried out by terrorist groups to tarnish the Government’s image.

“Media could report any number of abductions, but do they have evidence to support that the abductions are done by the government?,” he quarried.

“Who knows these persons were gone hiding or gone to uncleared areas,” he added.

Colombo High Court Lawyers Association Secretary Senarath Jayasundara also participated.