Yesterday (September 30, 2008) at 1:30 pm an unknown person tried to enter the premises of Transparency International (TI) Sri Lanka at the address 28/1 Bullers Lane, Colombo. The TI officers obstructed him and closed the gates, preventing the person from entering the premises. Then, a person on a motorcycle arrived and whisked away this person from the premises. At this time Mr. Weliamuna was not in the office. Following this incident, on the advice received for his security, Mr. Weliamuna has vacated his residence and is being forced to take alternative shelter. Complaints have been made to the police about this incident.
The office of TI at Bullers Lane is situated in a zone of high security in Sri Lanka. Many embassies are located in the vicinity. Some high state officers who are provided with heavy security also reside in the area. There are traffic barriers in close vicinity. Despite of all this, this person was able to arrive at the TI office and to be whisked away by a motorcycle rider.
On the 27th of September, at 11:40 pm there was a grenade attack on his house at Kohuwela. Mr. Weliamuna and his family live in this house and his personal office premises are also in the same house. Despite of investigations being launched on this incident, no one has yet been arrested or taken to questioning.
The Bar Association of Sri Lanka condemned the attack and called on the Inspector General of Police to conduct inquiries and provide protection to Mr. Weliamuna. The Bar Association also resolved to meet the authorities and the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court to discuss this issue and to urge actions in order to protect Mr. Weliamuna as well as other lawyers who may face similar threats.
Yesterday a large number of lawyers and civil society organisations gathered near the supreme court of Sri Lanka and held a demonstration condemning the grenade attack and calling for steps to defeat the climate of fear that is being spread throughout the country. Several President’s Counsels, Bar Association officers including the president, and representatives from the Colombo Law Society attended this demonstration and the meeting.
350 lawyers have signed a petition calling for the Bar Association to hold a general meeting to discuss this issue and to adopt appropriate measures for the protection of lawyers. The Bar Association has fixed the general meeting for the 11th of October.
The EU and the US Embassy in Sri Lanka have issued statements calling on the Sri Lankan government to conduct inquiries into the grenade attack on the premises of Mr. Weliamuna and also expressed concern about continuous threat to journalists, civil society organisations and lawyers. Transparency International, International Commission of Jurists and the Asian Human Rights Commission have also drawn attention to the situation of increased threats to human rights activists in the country.
Meanwhile this second attempt to harm Mr. Weliamuna clearly demonstrates that there is an organised attempt to silence him and perhaps to communicate a message against all those who are vocal on human rights abuses. This second incident has taken place despite of heavy publicity received in response to the grenade attack and the promise of inquiries to be conducted by the Inspector General of Police.
Under these circumstances, it is essential to keep up the vigil on this issue and to exert pressure on the Sri Lankan government to investigate the matter and being the perpetrators to justice.
Further, under these circumstances the Bar Association of Sri Lanka need to intervene forcefully and go before the Supreme Court of Sri Lanka by way of a fundamental rights application on imminent threat to life and violations of right to practice one’s profession as a lawyer, and thereby make a concerted attempt to ensure the involvement of the judiciary in the protection of the rights of lawyers to practice their profession without fear.
For earlier statement see http://www.ahrchk.net/statements/mainfile.php/2008statements/
