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SC allows Niriellage fundamental
by Chitra Weerarathne
The Supreme Court yesterday granted
leave to proceed with the fundamental rights
violation application filed by Professor
Niriellage Chandrasiri, Professor of Forensic
Medicine of the University of Ruhuna. The
court granted him interim relief, by suspending the operation of the warning letter sent to
him by the members of the Council of the
University of Ruhuna.
The warning letter was in respect of a letter the Professor had written to the DIG of
the Southern Range, on February 14, 2002,
stating that only the Judicial Medical
Officers should submit medical legal examination reports in respect of alleged child
abuse cases, and the police should not refer
such victims to be examined by any paedia-
trician of the Faculty of Medicine of the
University.
The Supreme Court directed the first
respondent the Ruhuna University to submit
to court a report of the inquiry the Council of
the University it said to have held in respect
of this action taken by Professor Niriellage.
The petitioner, Professor Niriellage, had
complained that the Council of the
University of Ruhuna did not charge-sheet
him or hear him on the allegation that he
wrote to the DIG against his fellow academicians in breach of ethics. The petition
said that he was served a warning letter
without being heard.
The petition alleged arbitrary treatment
and a violation of the right to expression by
the Ruhuna University and the member of
its council.
J. C. Weliamuna counsel for Professor
Niriellage told the court that medical-legal
reports should be attended to by the Judicial
Medical Officer only according to Section
122 of the Criminal Precedure Court. It is a
wrongful practice for the paediatrician to
examine and report on child abuse victims.
J. C. Weliamuna appeared with Shantha
Jayewardene instructed by Charuka
Samarasekera for Professor Niriellage.
Wijeyadasa Rajapakse with Kapila
Liyanagamage, appeared for the Ruhuna
University.
Kishali Pinto Jayewardene appeared for
the Dean of the Faculty of Medicine,
Ruhuna University.
The Bench comprised Justice Mark
Fernando, Justice C. V. Wigneswaran and
Justice T. B. Weerasuriya.
The case will be argued on November
28.
UDA to upgrade and maintain
The Urban Development Authority has
made moves to improve infrastructure facilities at the Tewatta Basilica, one of the major
shrines of religious worship of Catholics in Sri
Lanka’ and also detail a permanent staff to be
stationed at the shrine to ensure maintenance
and improvement of facilities to the pilgrims
who visit the shrine during festivals and other
times.
Minister of Interior and Christian Affairs
John Amaratunge has made this possible following a request made by the Minister of
Western Region Development M. H.
Mohamed under whom the UDA functions.
Ministers Amaratunga and Mohamed
along with UDA officials recently visited the
Tewatta Basilica and discussed matters regarding the requirements for development with the
Archbishop of Colombo Most Rev. Dr. Oswald
Gomis and the Parish Priest of the Tewatte
Basilica Rev. Fr. Mearle Shantha.
One of the major needs that require immediate attention were the repairs to the concrete
dome-shaped roof of the Basilica which had
been leaking at certain places. Another being
water supply facilities for the pilgrims. An irrigation tank close to the Church is to be dredged
as source of water supplies. Construction of
toilets and development of the road network
and landscaping so as to provide adequate
accommodation to pilgrims at the site during
major festivals were also discussed. The UDA
officials in co-ordination with the Church
authorities will draw up the plans for these
works.
Archbishop Dr. Oswald Gomis thanked
Ministers Amaratunga and Mohamed for the
keen interest shown towards development of
the shrine which now needs improvement to
cater to the larger turnout of pilgrims.
Minister Mohamed said that he was pleased
to be of assistance to develop the shrine as the
Urban Development Authority by its statue is
empowered to assist in the development of
major places of religious worship where people of the country gather in large numbers. He
thanked Minister Amaratunga for drawing
their attention to the needs of this hallowed
place of worship of Catholics.
Early this year Minister of Power and
Energy Karu Jayasuriya, on a request made by
Minister Amaratunga installed and switched on
an electricity supply
scheme by the Ceylon
Electricity Board providing electricity from
the national grid to the
shrine including street
lighting.
The Archbishop of Colombo Most Rev. Dr. Oswald Gomis discusses
the infrastructure development needs of the Tewatte Basilica with
Minister of Interior and Christian Affairs John Amaratunga and
Minister of Western Region. Development M. H. Mohamed at the
Mission House at Tewatte. Also in the picture are Rev. Fr. Mearle
Joint Chief of Staff of the Pakistani Army General Muhammed Aseesh Khan called on Prime
Sweep
Dr. Asoka S. Karunananda former Head of the
Department of Mathematics and Computer Science
in the Open University has complained to the
Supreme Court against his non-appointment as
Professor or Associate Professor of Computer
Science, of the same university.
He has alleged that the University Selection
Committee has appointed another academic who
had scored less than
the minimum marks
prescribed
under
Section 2 of the
marking scheme to
be selected to the
rank of professor.
Govi Setha
Draw No. 412
Draw Date: 15-092003
Winning Nos.