Minister of Justice, Prison Reforms and Institutional Affairs, Dr. Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe said in Parliament on May 7 that the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) in 1988-89 handed over the task of administering justice to a cow.
The Minister further mentioned that JVP set the Homagama Court on fire and put the judge’s coat on a young cow and drove it around the City. People still remember that episode.
Minister Dr. Rajapakshe mentioned this while expressing his views in Parliament regarding a statement made by K.D. Lal Kantha of the JVP.
Dr. Rajapakshe, also said: “Something should be said about Dr. Harini Amarasuriya’s statement. People have certain ideas in this regard based on past experiences. In the period of 88-89, 27 Court houses were set on fire in our country. Nugegoda, Mt. Lavinia, Homagama courts were set on fire. People make decisions with those experiences. On that day, your party handed over the role of justice to a cow. This was the symbol of justice then. That is what the people are afraid of.”
The Minister said: “According to our Constitution, judicial power is vested in this Parliament. Then no one can give jurisdiction to anyone other than the properly established judicial system of this country. Let me tell you my little experience. There was a boy who studied in my class in our Walasmulla village, his name was Sumanasena as I remember. At that time it was said that during 88-89 he was the one who exercised the said jurisdiction. He came to our village and settled old land cases, partition cases, and fences that had been pending for many years. Later I saw that he had been murdered. I don’t know by whom. At that time, they exercised judicial power. This was not done under the Constitution. Minister of State for Finance Shehan Semasinghe also said: “I don’t know whether the educated group of the JVP approves of giving the power to administer the law to its village level members. In the opinion of the JVP, apart from mediation boards/courts, its members can apparently take the law into their own hands and solve problems. The JVP or the National People’s Power (NPP) cannot take the law into their own hands. Such problems can only be resolved in mediation boards or Courts. The mediation board process is being implemented in the villages today. But it seems the JVP is trying to take the law into their hands, we have heard their opinion again recently.
“We know about the 1971 uprising. We saw the same in 88-89. In 2022 we experienced it. Here, for this defiant action, the JVP is demanding State power. The people of this country should come to a decision on whether or not they will further approve the JVP’s political project. Some people are talking about this very highly on social media.
“We ask the social media activists who support the JVP, to what extent they agree to give the power of the Police and the Courts to solve problems to JVP members at the village level. Think twice about this. This is not the first time this has been said. They once said that the JVP knows how to act when it takes over state power. The JVP claimed it for four months.
They said the JVP village level members will be given the power to implement the law of the country. I know what world they are trying to take this country to. Isn’t this going to lead back to barbarism? If the economic crisis in this country is not enough, is this country trying to lead to a social crisis again? These people only know how to sit in the opposition and show their strength by talking about debates and making fun of them.
“This country is being stabilized economically. We have a question as to whether MP Dr. Amarasuriya approves of the JVP village level members taking the law into their own hands. How can a political party handle the law? I don’t think Dr. Amarasuriya agrees with that. But she also has no choice. She got on the wrong platform.
Dr. Harini Amarasuriya said: “At no time has it been said anywhere that a member of the JVP or the NPP will be empowered to implement the law. Do not misinterpret our speeches. Former Member of Parliament K.D. Lal Kantha did not say such a thing. He only spoke in terms of moving the jurisdiction to the village. He did not say anywhere that he would give judicial power to the members of the NPP or the JVP. If you can’t understand what I said, I have nothing to do with it. There are measures that can be taken for this. Tell me where it was said that that power will be given to the party members.”
Minister of State for Finance Shehan Semasinghe said in response: “I am surprised about the fact that Dr. Harini Amarasuriya, being so educated, has gone to such a political party. The fact is that some members of the JVP are not ethical. I am asking if you agree to give the power of the police and the judiciary to the JVP members in the villages?
“We do not agree with the division of judicial powers to the party members. It is not possible to make such a statement,” replied Dr. Harini Amarasuriya. Several other Members of the ruling party and the Opposition also started presenting their views, creating a heated situation in the House.
There, Member of Parliament Harshana Rajakaruna played an audio recording of a speech delivered by K.D. Lal Kantha and said: “We have a big fear and problem in this regard. This is a statement made by a leader of the JVP. So we need to know about this. As people who respect the law, when something like this is announced, we are very afraid of judicial power going to the village level members of JVP. This audio is about giving judicial power. Also, MP Harini said that he did not, but this audio tape is there. So there is a big problem. I request you to listen to this audio tape. This is a serious situation.”
MP Dayasiri Jayasekara said: “As a lawyer I know that judicial power cannot be distributed to the people of the village. God help the country if someone says that it can be done. There, MP Priyankara Jayaratne asked, “Is it possible to decentralize judicial power?”.
Shantha Bandara, Minister of State for Media, also commented. “Last May 9th, they came along the roads, broke the gates, set fire to the houses and did a lot of things. Even today there are no police investigations. If any crime is committed, police investigations should be done. Most of them have already been bailed out. The police have not investigated till today. Accordingly, what Mr. Lal Kantha says will happen.”
Member of Parliament Mahindananda Aluthgamage also commented: “MP Dr. Amarasuriya can forget the past conduct of the JVP, but who can forget the killing of 60,000 people in this country. The people of this country have not forgotten the destruction of state property.
JVP cut the fingers of the people who voted. Also, the JVP destroyed the democratic rights of the people. The first person to vote in my village was killed. Are you saying to forget the past? Also, there was a Facebook post saying that Lal Kantha would be the Minister of Justice in a future NPP Government. It is an aspiring Minister of Justice who is making this horrendous statement.”
