{"id":48651,"date":"2015-10-12T14:53:07","date_gmt":"2015-10-12T21:53:07","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/?p=48651"},"modified":"2015-10-12T14:53:07","modified_gmt":"2015-10-12T21:53:07","slug":"now-71-university-dons-come-out-openly-against-unhrc-resolution","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/2015\/10\/12\/now-71-university-dons-come-out-openly-against-unhrc-resolution\/","title":{"rendered":"Now, 71 university dons come out openly against UNHRC resolution"},"content":{"rendered":"

Courtesy Island<\/em><\/span><\/h2>\n

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.<\/p>\n

The dons describing themselves as \u2018Responsible and concerned group of senior academics in the Sri Lankan University System\u2019 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.<\/p>\n

Following is the full text of their letter:<\/p>\n

“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\u2019 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.<\/p>\n

Some of the main grounds for our grave concern are as follows:<\/p>\n

    \n
  1. The Resolution “notes with appreciation” the Report of the Council and \u2018encourages” 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.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
      \n
    1. 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.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

      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.<\/p>\n

      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.<\/p>\n

        \n
      1. 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.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

        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.<\/p>\n

        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.<\/p>\n

        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.<\/p>\n

        Thank you,<\/p>\n

        Yours sincerely,<\/p>\n

        Dr Channa Jayasumana<\/p>\n

        Secretary,<\/p>\n

        National University Teachers Association Sri Lanka<\/p>\n

        The signatories to the letter are:<\/p>\n

        Name University<\/p>\n

        1 Prof. Iduragare Dharmarathana Thero Kelaniya<\/p>\n

        2 Prof. Wawwe Dhammarakkhitha Thero Buddhist and Pali University<\/p>\n

        3 Prof. Therele Dhammarathana Thero Kelaniya<\/p>\n

        4 Dr. Bamunugama Shanthawimala Thero Peradeniya<\/p>\n

        5 Dr. Maduruoye Dhammissara Thero Kelaniya<\/p>\n

        6 Dr. Medagoda Abhayatissa Thero Sri Jayewardenepura<\/p>\n

        7 Dr. Moragollagama Uparathana Thero Buddhist and Pali University<\/p>\n

        8 Dr. Kapugollawe Anandakiththi Thero Kelaniya<\/p>\n

        9 Ven. Walapane Gnanasena Thero Kelaniya<\/p>\n

        10 Prof. Ranjith Senaratne Ruhuna<\/p>\n

        11 Prof. Upali Amarasinghe Kelaniya<\/p>\n

        12 Prof. Sisira Siribaddana Rajarata<\/p>\n

        13 Prof. Krishantha Abeysena Kelaniya<\/p>\n

        14 Prof. M.D.Lamawansa Peradeniya<\/p>\n

        15 Prof. Vijitha Nanayakkara Peradeniya<\/p>\n

        16 Prof. Ranjith Premalal de Silva Peradeniya<\/p>\n

        17 Prof. Sarath Lekamwasam Ruhuna<\/p>\n

        18 Prof. S. Subasinghe Ruhuna<\/p>\n

        19 Prof. Gamini Fonseka Ruhuna<\/p>\n

        20 Prof. Rohan Rajapakse\u00a0 Ruhuna<\/p>\n

        21 Prof. L.P. Jayatissa\u00a0 Ruhuna<\/p>\n

        22 Prof. P. Hewage\u00a0 Ruhuna<\/p>\n

        23 Prof. Swarna Piyasiri Ruhuna<\/p>\n

        24 Prof. Sudantha Liyanage Sri Jayewardenepura<\/p>\n

        25 Prof. Mala Amarasinghe Kelaniya<\/p>\n

        26 Prof. Priyani Paranagama Kelaniya<\/p>\n

        27 Prof. Deepika Amarasinghe Kelaniya<\/p>\n

        28 Prof. Wimaladharma Abeyewickreme Kelaniya<\/p>\n

        29 Prof. Kshanika Hirimburegama Colombo<\/p>\n

        30 Prof. Janitha Liyanage Kelaniya<\/p>\n

        31 Prof. Thilak Attanayake Wayamba<\/p>\n

        32 Prof. Yasanjalee Jayathilake Sri Jayewardenepura<\/p>\n

        33 Dr. Ravindra Lokupitiya Sri Jayewardenepura<\/p>\n

        34 Dr. Prasad Jayaweera Sri Jayewardenepura<\/p>\n

        35 Dr. Wasantha Devasiri Ruhuna<\/p>\n

        36 Dr. Suneth Agampodi Rajarata<\/p>\n

        37 Dr. Lakshman Jayaratne Colombo<\/p>\n

        38 Dr. Achala Jayathilake Colombo<\/p>\n

        39 Dr. C. Pushpakumara Moratuwa<\/p>\n

        40 Dr. Ajith Dissanayaka Kelaniya<\/p>\n

        41 Dr. KM Chandimal Kelaniya<\/p>\n

        42 Dr. Udaya Samarathunga Kelaniya<\/p>\n

        43 Dr. W.P. Wijewardhana Rajarata<\/p>\n

        44 Dr. J.M.S.B. Jayasundara Rajarata<\/p>\n

        45 Dr. Channa Jayasumana Rajarata<\/p>\n

        46 Dr. Buddhika Abeyrathna Rajarata<\/p>\n

        47 Dr. H.M.W.A. Herath Peradeniya<\/p>\n

        48 Dr. Bharatha Dodankotuwa Peradeniya<\/p>\n

        49 Dr. Nayana Liyanaarachchi Ruhuna<\/p>\n

        50 Dr. Pushpika Jayawardena Ruhuna<\/p>\n

        51 Dr. Chandana Wickremarathna Ruhuna<\/p>\n

        52 Dr. Champa Wijewickrema Ruhuna<\/p>\n

        53 Dr. Eisha Waidyarathne Ruhuna<\/p>\n

        54 Dr. Dimuthu Piyaratne Ruhuna<\/p>\n

        55 Dr. Saman Ediriweera Ruhuna<\/p>\n

        56 Dr. Jeewanie Jayasinghe Arachchige Ruhuna<\/p>\n

        57 Dr. Abhaya Balasuriya Rajarata<\/p>\n

        58 Senior lecturer Puspika Masakorala Peradeniya<\/p>\n

        59 Senior lecturer Mahendra\u00a0 Gunawardane Kelaniya<\/p>\n

        60 Senior lecturer Nemsiri Jayathilake Open University<\/p>\n

        61 Senior lecturer Raja Gunaratne Open University<\/p>\n

        62 Senior lecturer Sumedha Weerawardhana Peradeniya<\/p>\n

        63 Senior lecturer Mahinda Pathirana Sabaragamuwa<\/p>\n

        64 Senior lecturer Jayaprasad Welgama Sabaragamuwa<\/p>\n

        65 Senior Lecturer R.K.D. Randeni Rajarata<\/p>\n

        66 Senior Lecturer M.H.J.P.Gunaratne Rajarata<\/p>\n

        67 Senior Lecturer Sudath Senarath Kelaniya<\/p>\n

        68 Senior Lecture Harsha Darmapriya Kelaniya<\/p>\n

        69 Senior Lecturer Gunapala Ratnesekara Sri Jayewardenepura<\/p>\n

        70 Lecturer Nilantha Dissanayaka Buddhist and Pali<\/p>\n

        71 Lecturer Vindhya Weerawardana Kelaniya<\/p>\n

        http:\/\/www.island.lk\/index.php?page_cat=article-details&page=article-details&code_title=133342<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

        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 \u2018Responsible and concerned group of senior academics in the Sri Lankan University System\u2019 opposed to the resolution, […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[12],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-48651","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-forum"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/48651","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=48651"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/48651\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=48651"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=48651"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=48651"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}