Legal Signal

Oct 11, 2008 (LBO) – Sri Lanka top grouping of legal professionals had unanimously condemned an attack on anti-corruption activist and lawyer J C Weliamuna, sending a powerful message against the culture of impunity in the country, lawyers said. Weliamuna had appeared in human rights cases relating to police brutality. He also appeared in a recent case where state land and tax concessions were illegally given to a golf course project in which a former president was involved.

The Bar Association of Sri Lanka, met in a special general meeting Saturday - the first such meeting in 19 years - to condemn a grenade attack on the residence of Weliamuna who heads the Sri Lanka unit of Transparency International an anti-corruption watchdog.

"The fact of unanimity shows the overcoming of political affiliations on a principle," a top lawyer present at the meeting told LBO.

Lawyers affiliated with all political parties had voted for the resolution which called for action on the attack against Weliamuna.

The Bar Association is also expected to appoint a committee of senior lawyers to pursue the matter.