BASL drafting proposals to find solutions to prevailing crisis

Group within pushes for sweeping political reforms

The Executive Committee of the Bar Association of Sri Lanka (BASL) has appointed a sub-committee to formulate proposals regarding ways to resolve the country’s prevailing crisis.

Headed by BASL President Saliya Pieris, PC, the sub-committee is drafting its proposals and these will be placed before the Bar in the next few days and submitted to the Government, Mr Pieris told the Sunday Times.

Meanwhile, a group of BASL members have separately called on Mr. Peiris to summon a General Meeting of the BASL to pass a resolution calling for the abolition of the 20th Amendment to the Constitution and several other immediate measures to resolve the prevailing crisis.

The resolution will call on the Government to withdraw the 20th Amendment and re-establish the Constitutional Council and the independent commissions with a view to strengthening the rule of law, accountability, and better financial management. It also called for the reconstitution of the Monetary Board of Sri Lanka “with men and women of proven ability, integrity, and independence after subjecting them to a due and transparent process of selection conducted by specially constituted body of financial, management and legal experts.”

Another request is to call for a caretaker and representative National Government to forge a common strategy to address the current situation. The members are also calling on the Government to immediately take steps to rebuild national and international confidence with the consensus of Parliament and take meaningful steps transcending politics and promoting the well being of the people.

The request to call for the general meeting was handed over to the BASL by Srinath Perera, PC, on Friday.

The members note that Sri Lanka is experiencing an “unprecedented crisis” and underlying it is the “callous disregard to the law and weakening of institutions created for the protection of the people.”

“The current situation is the culmination of destruction of our constitutional order, series of violations of our rights and squandering of our national resources,” the members have written in their request submitted to the BASL President.

The BASL’s Constitution provides for the “consideration of matters of National Importance relating to the rule of law and administration of justice and if need be making of representation to the government and or any other relevant authority and taking any further steps in respect of including filing of action or intervening in actions in court of justice,” they note.

Mr Pieris said the members’ request was being processed and would thereafter be put to the BASL’s Executive Committee for consideration.