Courtesy Island

Close on the heels of a statement issued by 41 university academics supporting the recent UNHRC resolution on Sri Lanka, more than 70 scholars have now come out vehemently opposing it.

The dons describing themselves as ‘Responsible and concerned group of senior academics in the Sri Lankan University System’ opposed to the resolution, including about 30 professors, have written to President Maithripala Sirisena, Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe, Opposition Leader R. Sampanthan, the UNHRC and ambassadors accredited to Sri Lanka, explaining their position.

Following is the full text of their letter:

“In respect of the Resolution of the UN Human Rights Council On Sri Lanka We, the undersigned being the responsible and concerned group of senior academics in the Sri Lankan University System wish to express our strong displeasure on the aforesaid Resolution and its suggested “foreign mechanism” and bring the same to the attention of the world community regarding the grave danger to Sri Lanka’ s national interest, arising from the Resolution co-sponsored by the government of Sri Lanka (GOSL) and adopted by the UN Human Rights Council on 1st October 2015.

Some of the main grounds for our grave concern are as follows:

1. The Resolution “notes with appreciation” the Report of the Council and ‘encourages” Sri Lanka to implement the recommendations contained in the Report. One of the main findings in the Report is that there are “reasonable” grounds for believing that the Armed Forces of Sri Lanka were responsible for widespread killings of civilians, systemic rape and gender based violence, kidnappings, disappearances and abductions, putting them into deliberate starvation and recruitment of children for deployment in war. In this context, as GOSL “co-sponsored” the said Resolution, the Member States that expressed their objective and rational views on this matter in previous occasions were deprived of the opportunity to express their objective assessments on the said Resolution and has thereby created an unprecedented situation where the world bodies deem to give way to the pressures of the Member States with vested interest.

2. It is also noted with strong displeasure that the responsibility of deciding the guilt or innocence of the legitimate National Armed Forces of Sri Lanka as per the said Resolution falls on a “judicial mechanism”, which involves “Commonwealth and other foreign judges”. Accordingly, foreign individuals will be involved as judges, prosecutors and investigators etc.

We are of the view that this is entirely unconstitutional as per the existing Articles of the Constitution wherein it expressly provides that the judicial sovereignty rests with the people and it is inalienable and indivisible.

We are convinced that this is entirely incompatible with our national sovereignty and self-respect and also grossly unfair by the Armed Forces that achieved the defeat of terrorism in our country.

3. The Resolution, echoing findings that call for the introduction of new criminal offences into our legal system giving retrospective effect. These did not exist as criminal offences at the time of the Internal armed conflict.

In the light of above mentioned facts, the suggested course of action, which is contrary to the accepted local and international legal principles and more importantly the cardinal premises of non-intervention with the domestic affairs of Member States as enshrined in the Charter of United Nations have been made utterly meaningless.

For all these reasons, we are of the view that the said Resolution causes graver harm to the already existing national conciliation, peaceful co-existence, ethnic harmony and progressing economy than creating any better conditions in our country.

For all these reasons, we believe that the resolution inflicts grave harm on our country, and we call on government not to proceed with its implementation.

Thank you,

Yours sincerely,

Dr Channa Jayasumana

Secretary,

National University Teachers Association Sri Lanka

The signatories to the letter are:

Name University

1 Prof. Iduragare Dharmarathana Thero Kelaniya

2 Prof. Wawwe Dhammarakkhitha Thero Buddhist and Pali University

3 Prof. Therele Dhammarathana Thero Kelaniya

4 Dr. Bamunugama Shanthawimala Thero Peradeniya

5 Dr. Maduruoye Dhammissara Thero Kelaniya

6 Dr. Medagoda Abhayatissa Thero Sri Jayewardenepura

7 Dr. Moragollagama Uparathana Thero Buddhist and Pali University

8 Dr. Kapugollawe Anandakiththi Thero Kelaniya

9 Ven. Walapane Gnanasena Thero Kelaniya

10 Prof. Ranjith Senaratne Ruhuna

11 Prof. Upali Amarasinghe Kelaniya

12 Prof. Sisira Siribaddana Rajarata

13 Prof. Krishantha Abeysena Kelaniya

14 Prof. M.D.Lamawansa Peradeniya

15 Prof. Vijitha Nanayakkara Peradeniya

16 Prof. Ranjith Premalal de Silva Peradeniya

17 Prof. Sarath Lekamwasam Ruhuna

18 Prof. S. Subasinghe Ruhuna

19 Prof. Gamini Fonseka Ruhuna

20 Prof. Rohan Rajapakse  Ruhuna

21 Prof. L.P. Jayatissa  Ruhuna

22 Prof. P. Hewage  Ruhuna

23 Prof. Swarna Piyasiri Ruhuna

24 Prof. Sudantha Liyanage Sri Jayewardenepura

25 Prof. Mala Amarasinghe Kelaniya

26 Prof. Priyani Paranagama Kelaniya

27 Prof. Deepika Amarasinghe Kelaniya

28 Prof. Wimaladharma Abeyewickreme Kelaniya

29 Prof. Kshanika Hirimburegama Colombo

30 Prof. Janitha Liyanage Kelaniya

31 Prof. Thilak Attanayake Wayamba

32 Prof. Yasanjalee Jayathilake Sri Jayewardenepura

33 Dr. Ravindra Lokupitiya Sri Jayewardenepura

34 Dr. Prasad Jayaweera Sri Jayewardenepura

35 Dr. Wasantha Devasiri Ruhuna

36 Dr. Suneth Agampodi Rajarata

37 Dr. Lakshman Jayaratne Colombo

38 Dr. Achala Jayathilake Colombo

39 Dr. C. Pushpakumara Moratuwa

40 Dr. Ajith Dissanayaka Kelaniya

41 Dr. KM Chandimal Kelaniya

42 Dr. Udaya Samarathunga Kelaniya

43 Dr. W.P. Wijewardhana Rajarata

44 Dr. J.M.S.B. Jayasundara Rajarata

45 Dr. Channa Jayasumana Rajarata

46 Dr. Buddhika Abeyrathna Rajarata

47 Dr. H.M.W.A. Herath Peradeniya

48 Dr. Bharatha Dodankotuwa Peradeniya

49 Dr. Nayana Liyanaarachchi Ruhuna

50 Dr. Pushpika Jayawardena Ruhuna

51 Dr. Chandana Wickremarathna Ruhuna

52 Dr. Champa Wijewickrema Ruhuna

53 Dr. Eisha Waidyarathne Ruhuna

54 Dr. Dimuthu Piyaratne Ruhuna

55 Dr. Saman Ediriweera Ruhuna

56 Dr. Jeewanie Jayasinghe Arachchige Ruhuna

57 Dr. Abhaya Balasuriya Rajarata

58 Senior lecturer Puspika Masakorala Peradeniya

59 Senior lecturer Mahendra  Gunawardane Kelaniya

60 Senior lecturer Nemsiri Jayathilake Open University

61 Senior lecturer Raja Gunaratne Open University

62 Senior lecturer Sumedha Weerawardhana Peradeniya

63 Senior lecturer Mahinda Pathirana Sabaragamuwa

64 Senior lecturer Jayaprasad Welgama Sabaragamuwa

65 Senior Lecturer R.K.D. Randeni Rajarata

66 Senior Lecturer M.H.J.P.Gunaratne Rajarata

67 Senior Lecturer Sudath Senarath Kelaniya

68 Senior Lecture Harsha Darmapriya Kelaniya

69 Senior Lecturer Gunapala Ratnesekara Sri Jayewardenepura

70 Lecturer Nilantha Dissanayaka Buddhist and Pali

71 Lecturer Vindhya Weerawardana Kelaniya

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