Dear friends,
The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) writes to inform you that the Sri Lankan Cabinet has decided to appoint a working committee of judicial officials and lawyers to consider solutions to the problem of court delays in Sri Lanka. A memorandum in this regard was submitted by Justice and Law Reforms Minister, Amarasiri Dodangoda. This Committee will be comprised of officials from the Secretariat of the Judicial Service Commission and the officials from the Justice and Law Reforms Ministry. The Minister pointed out that valuable suggestions contained in the report could be transformed into practical solutions meant for reducing the intensity of the problem posed by delays in courts in concluding cases.
The advent of this committee is very much welcomed and the AHRC hopes that its final report will arrive at answers to the ever increasing problem of court delays in Sri Lanka. We do, however, point to the many problems that do exist in regards to court delays, and therefore we call on the Minister of Justice and Law Reforms to ensure that the committee is established immediately and its findings reached without interruption or delay.
The AHRC has previously issued many appeals (please see UA-26-2005, UP-50-2005, UP-23-2005, UP-82-2004 and UG-02-2004) and statements (please see AS-058-2006, AS-034-2006, AS-033-2005, AS-002-2006, and AS-86-2005) regarding court delays in Sri Lanka.
SUGGESTED ACTION:
Please write to the Minister of Justice and Law Reforms, Hon. Amarasiri Dodangoda requesting that he ensure that the committee proceeds immediately with its work on court delays.
Suggested letter:
Hon. Amarasiri Dodangoda
Minister of Justice and Law Reforms
Superior Courts Complex
Colombo 12
Sri Lanka
Tel: +94 11 2323022
Fax: +94 11 2320785
Email: justices@sri.lanka.net
Dear Hon. Amarasiri Dodangoda,
SRI LANKA: Working committee to consider the problem of court delays in Sri Lanka
I welcome the news that the Sri Lankan Cabinet has decided to appoint a working committee of judicial officials and lawyers to consider solutions to the problem of court delays in Sri Lanka. The Committee, as I am aware, will be comprised of officials from the Secretariat of the Judicial Service Commission and officials from your own ministry. I am also aware that you have stated yourself that the committees findings could be transformed into practical solutions meant for reducing the intensity of the problem posed by court delays.
Owing to the overwhelming backlog of cases pending before Sri Lankan courts, which will not be completed for the next eight to ten years, the advent of this committee is timely and a necessary measure if the problem of court delays in the country is to be given the attention that it deserves. I therefore congratulate the Sri Lankan Cabinet for taking this step and for realising the urgent need to address the increasing problem in Sri Lankas delays in justice.
I do, however, wish to stress the seriousness of the delays in the country, which have virtually negated the very purpose for which the adjudication process exists: to maintain the rule of law. With this in mind, I ask that you ensure that the committee is established immediately and its findings reached without interruption or delay.
Yours sincerely,
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Thank you.
Urgent Appeals Programme
Asian Human Rights Commission (ahrchk@ahrchk.org)
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