A
resolution on Sri Lanka has been ratified at the 18th Commonwealth Law
Conference in Cape Town, South Africa Wednesday. The Law Society of
England and Wales Wednesday
called for the suspension of Sri Lanka from the Commonwealth. It has
announced its support for the high-level international resolution which
was ratified at the conference calling for resolute action against Sri
Lanka following 'repressive actions'.
The
resolution was ratified at the conference by the Commonwealth Lawyers
Association (CLA), the Commonwealth Legal Education Association (CLEA),
and the Commonwealth Magistrates' and Judges' Association (CMJA).
According to the Law Society of England and Wales, the resolution
includes, "a call upon the Members of the Commonwealth to place Sri
Lanka on the agenda of the Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group meeting
on 26 April 2013 and suspend it from the Councils of the Commonwealth;
and a plea for the Members of the Commonwealth to reconsider the holding
of the next Heads of Government Meeting in Sri Lanka."
The
resolution follows reports of serious breaches of the rule of law and
judicial independence in Sri Lanka, including the controversial
impeachment of Chief Justice Dr. Shirani Bandaranayake in January 2013,
the Law Society of England and Wales said in a press release .
Lucy
Scott-Moncrieff, president of the Law Society of England and Wales has
said, the Law Society adds its voice to those calling for the suspension
of Sri Lanka from the Councils of the Commonwealth.
"When
our shared values, including those respecting human rights and the rule
of law, are under threat, we must act resolutely and hold firm," she
said.
"We
cannot sit back and watch as the independence of the Sri Lankan
judiciary continues to be eroded. We cannot remain inactive as
politicians fail to abide by court orders. We cannot look away as
members of the legal profession face gross and persistent harassment. We
remain committed to supporting those who do uphold the rule of law in
Sri Lanka."
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