Four Mahanayakes urge President to reconsider impeachment

By Dharisha Bastians

Chief Prelates of the country’s three main Buddhist Nikayas on Sunday (4) urged the Government of President Mahinda Rajapaksa to reconsider its resolution of impeachment against Chief Justice Shirani Bandaranayake and called on the Head of State to ensure the independence and impartiality of the Judiciary.

In letter to President Mahinda Rajapaksa dated 4 November 2012, charging that there was a crisis in the country, the Mahanayakes of the Siyam, Amarapura, and Ramayana Maha Nikayas called on him to “reconsider analytically” the need for an impeachment motion against Chief Justice Shirani Bandaranayake.



The letter has been signed by the Chief Incumbent of the Malwatte Chapter Thibbotuwawe Sumangala Thero, Chief Incumbent of the Asgiri Chapter Sri Rathanapala Buddharakkhithabidana Thero, Chief Prelate of the Amarapura Maha Nikaya Davuldena Sri Gnanissarabhidhana Thero, and Chief Prelate of the Ramayana Maha Nikaya Napana Pemasri Thero.

The Mahanayakes said that the Government’s decision to move an impeachment motion against the Chief Justice harmed public trust and placed suspicion in the minds of the public about the Judiciary. In dealings with the Judiciary, which protects the rights of all citizens, “action must be taken patiently without harming the trust placed by the public in the Judiciary,” the Prelates said.

“It appears that there is an atmosphere of crisis with the country and amongst the international community, centred around the impeachment motion against Shirani Bandaranayake, the Chief Justice,” the letter from the four Mahanayakes said.

Making a reference to the separation of powers doctrine, the Prelates said that when it comes to safeguarding law and order, the Executive, Legislature and the Judiciary “are not second to each other in supremacy”. This is clear to anyone who respects democratic principles, the letter to the President said.

“Law is bonded with human civilisation and is for the welfare of human beings. Therefore we consider it the supreme duty of all those who expect the wellbeing of humanity to create an environment where the law can be implemented independently and impartially,” the Prelates said, explaining their position.