To build a nation that upholds justice:
Independence of Judiciary essential - President Mahinda Rajapaksa
*If the public were to respect the
law and lawyers the law should be equal for everyone
*Today the rule of law was effective
in all parts of the country
It is necessary to protect the independence of the judiciary, to
build a nation that upholds justice. In our country we had experienced
the rule of law for a considerable time but during the past three
decades terrorism prevented carrying out the decisions made by Courts,
President Mahinda Rajapaksa said yesterday.
The President was speaking after laying the foundation stone for a
new lawyers office complex at Hulftsdorp, Colombo.
Continuing the President said while the law and judiciary were
functioning on this side of the country a group of terrorists were
setting up their own courts in defiance of the judiciary and certain
decisions made by our Courts of law could not be carried out and became
a meaningless exercise due to the threat of terrorism. But today the
rule of law was effective in all parts of the country and no one could
challenge the judiciary and laws.
If the public were to respect the law and lawyers the law should be
equal for everyone.
Laws were enacted or amended by the legislature and we have over a
very long period of time established our judicial institutions and our
laws were time tested. The government was not prepared to interfere into
the judiciary for any reasons whatsoever as the government respected the
independence of the judiciary and all of us should unite to protect the
judiciary, the President said.
He said the time has come now for all of us to work hard and maximum
efficiency was demanded by the country and efficiency and speed of
resolving problems was also called for in the Courts of law and all
other institutions connected to the judicial system.
Chief Justice Asoka de Silva, Ministers Prof G.L.Peiris,. Milinda
Moragoda, Attorney General Mohan Peiris and the Bar Association
President W.Dayaratna were also present. |