Status Report of the Lawyers Collective

ISSUED ON 15^th January 2013: 9.00 p.m.

1. On 14^th January, around 7.00 pm the Secretary to the President and DIG Anura Senanyaka  required the Registrar of the Supreme Court to pack all belongings of the Chief Justice (Dr. Bandarayaka)  and send the same to her official residence. The Registrar had also been told that a new Chief Justice would  arrive on the following day and everything must be cleared for him. In the night, on 14^th January, a large number of  Defence personnel had occupied the Superior Court Complex.
2. On 15^th January, early hours the Supreme Court Complex was cordoned off and was fortified with riot squads, barricades and water cannons. All the vehicles including that of the lawyers were checked to see whether Chief Justice Bandaranayaka was entering the Court premises. Police officers openly said  that they received orders  not to permit the Chief Justice Bandaranayaka to enter Courts Complex. Around 9.45 am the road leading to Supreme Court Judges’ Entrance  (Adhikarana Mawatha ) was sealed off. Armed police and STF personnel prevented people entering the Courts complex or its  vicinity.
3. Around 10.30 am, approximately 200 people (including some goons) accompanied by Government politicians entered the cordoned off area, with active protection from the police. They stayed in one group opposite the main entrance to the Supreme Court Complex, shouting slogans (cheering the President, new Chief Justice, Wijedasa Rajapaksa-President BASL and BASL).
4. The Media was not permitted within the Courts premises. However, a large number of  media personnel were present outside the main entrance to the Courts Complex. When two lawyers walked out of the Courts premises to talk to the media and to invite the media inside the Court Premises, the armed police and senior police officers prevented the two lawyers re-entering into the Courts premises. Several lawyers gathered and protested to the police for barricading the Courts and blocking the entrance.  However, with the intervention of the lawyers,  the two lawyers managed to re-enter. Around 12.00 noon, a large number of lawyers held a day light vigil (holding candles in broad day light)  symbolizing  the onset of darkness in the days to come.
5. Mr. Mohan Peiris PC was sworn in as a Chief Justice and arrived in the Courts complex around 1.30pm.
6. Lady Chief Justice’s residence was cordoned off and senior Police Officers were seen even within the premises. The Chief Justice was told by Police Officers that she cannot speak to the media in the official residence, as she is no longer the Chief Justice. The media gathered outside the residence was asked to leave by the police. They resisted and remained.
7. The journalists reminded the Police of Golden Key depositors protests, who camped outside the official residence with the blessings of the Government and who had full media coverage, with police protection. When the Lady Chief Justice came out of the residence,  she was prevented from speaking to the media freely but managed she managed to  speak few words from the vehicle, stating that she and her family need protection. She thereafter  issued a written statement in all three languages.