Impeachment process: embassies briefed

Chamikara WEERASINGHE

Certain foreign embassies in Sri Lanka, which had expressed their concern about the ongoing impeachment process against Chief Justice Dr Shirani Bandaranayaka, had been apprised of the background of the impeachment and the history of impeachment trials in Sri Lanka against Chief Justices, Supreme Court judges and Court of Appeal judges, External Affairs Ministry Secretary Karunathilaka Amunugama said yesterday.

External Affairs Minister Prof G L Peiris briefed the foreign ambassadors who raised concern about the ongoing impeachment process , and stated that it is a process carried out according to the Constitution, Amunugama said.

Prof Peiris explained to them that the impeachment clause in Sri Lanka’s Constitution is a powerful tool to keep the conduct of elected officials above board, and many countries include impeachment in their Constitutions for the same purpose to be used in cases of misbehaviour or misconduct on the part of Chief Justices, judges and Presidents, he said.

The minister explained the circumstances to US ambassador to Sri Lanka Michele J Sison after the US embassy issued a statement expressing its concern about the impeachment of Dr Bandaranayaka, stating that the process was similar to impeachment trials held in the US against some of their federal judges and former Presidents.

Amunugama said it has been explained that the Sri Lankan President can be impeached under the provisions of the Constitution, and the ongoing impeachment process of the incumbent Chief Justice is a domestic process, being carried out according to the Constitution.

The External Affairs Ministry has taken steps to inform Capitals of those countries that have raised concerns about the impeachment motion, that it had been moved by Parliament with 117 legislators signing the motion with 14 charges leveled against the Chief Justice.

The ministry on the advice of Prof Peiris sent communiques to Capitals of foreign countries about the situation of the ongoing impeachment process, said Amunugama.

This step was taken because of the need to inform these countries on the true position surrounding the impeachment of the Chief Justice.

The LTTE diaspora and anti-government elements have started propaganda campaigns to discredit the government and the country over the ongoing impeachment process, he said. There were some news items to the effect that some Commonwealth countries decided not to participate in the forthcoming Commonwealth Heads Of Government Meeting )(CHOGM) to be held in Sri Lanka.

“Not a single Commonwealth country communicated to us that they they will not participate in the CHOGM so far. We have informed the diplomatic community about the real situation of the impeachment. The External Affairs Ministry informed all its embassies in foreign lands to take action against disinformation campaigns that have been launched in those countries to discredit the government over this issue,” he said.