Bar Association to hold reconciliation themed National Law Conference

Event to be held in March 2016, titled ‘Sri Lanka, the 

Path Ahead’

President, PM, CJ, AG among 

participants

Aims to start dialogue about 

post-conflict reconciliation

The status quo of the Sri Lankan legal system, among other things, will be taken up at the National Law Conference scheduled to be held in March 2016, organised by the Bar Association of Sri Lanka.

Titled ‘Sri Lanka, the Path Ahead,’ the conference aims to start a dialogue about the history of the country’s ethnic conflict, its root causes, ethnic disharmony, culminating in a discussion of post conflict reconciliation in Sri Lanka. Among other topics that will be discussed are sustainable development, law reform and recent trends in the legal system.

According to Conference Chairman President’s Counsel M. U. M. Ali Sabri, the point of the exercise is to look at the path the country’s legal fraternity has taken over the years, asses the status quo and look toward the future. 

The event seeks to study the history of conflict, where things went wrong, what lessons could be learnt, and work out how lawyers can contribute, he said.

“We as lawyers, judges and as the public in a collective effort to better the status quo,” he added.

Sri Lanka is ranked 161 among 200 countries to enforce a contract, he said, and, instead of pointing fingers, reasons for this, among other shortcomings, ought to be examined.

BASL President President’s Counsel Geoffrey Alagaratnam said the event would be of benefit to the public at large, as it will draw not only lawyers, but professionals from various other fields, such as doctors, engineers and entrepreneurs.

The main stakeholders of the legal system including President Maithripala Sirsiena, Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe, Minister of Justice Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe, and Chief Justice K. Sripavan and the Attorney General will be among the dignitaries attending the event.

“We will engage the stakeholders,” said Alagaratnam.

Issues pertaining to the judiciary and other wide ranging topics will be taken up at the three day event that is scheduled to take place from 18 to 20 March 2016, at the Blue Water Hotel in Wadduwa.

“The objective is to gently push the Government to see that something is done,” he added.

Echoing his thoughts, Sabri said that the event will act as a vehicle for the BASL to put pressure on all stakeholders, especially the Government.

Among its objectives is to see to it that “a more honourable, more people friendly legal system is attained.”

In keeping with the event’s theme, the conference will be comprised of academic sessions, panel discussions and lectures on the main topic as well as on sustainable development, foreign direct investment, dispute resolution and commercial law, laws delays and observation on newly formed bodies to investigate grave financial frauds and theft of public funds. Special sessions aimed at the personal development of delegates focusing on aspects such as health and well-being will also be held.