The Vavuniya High Court has given permission for lawyers to appear on behalf of the victims of the Mannar human burial case and also ordered the media to cover the incident.
A review petition was filed in the Vavuniya High Court by Senior Attorney KS Ratnavel regarding the Mannar human burial case. Its verdict was handed down today. Following the verdict, Attorney K.S. When Ratnavel commented to the media,
The case related to the Mannar burial ground has been pending in the Mannar Magistrate’s Court since 2018. The Mannar court supervised all the activities related to it. The samples obtained from there were then sent to a laboratory in the United States. There is currently no report on that.
The state’s attorney involved in the case argued that no attorney should appear in court on behalf of the victims. Mannar Magistrate accepted it. Issued an order that the lawyers could not be present.
We filed a review case in the Vavuniya High Court against this. The trial of that case ended today. Accordingly, the victim has the right to appear on behalf of the plaintiff in any court of law. This is a constitutionally recognized right.
We have therefore put forward the argument that this is an illegal act. State attorneys, however, argued that it would disrupt the proceedings. The apex court judge dismissed the Mannar magistrate’s order, saying that lawyers had the right to appear on behalf of the victims in any case.
This judgment is a milestone in the rule of law and in bringing justice to the affected people. The Office of the Missing Persons has also been directed to intervene in the case and all proceedings related to the burial will be conducted under the supervision of a Mannar Magistrate.
As well as on behalf of the missing persons, 10 persons representing the office and the victims have been ordered to be present at any time and to observe the related activities from a distance of 30 meters.
As well as essentially allowing journalists to go to the venue every hour for 10 minutes to observe the activities and gather news related to it.
This is an important point because the issue of this pit should be transparent. The medical officer who carried out the operation forcibly removed the public and journalists, forcing them not to be seen by the media and the public.
The ruling therefore gives journalists the freedom to publish their news through such a case. It has also been ordered that any applications in this regard should be submitted directly to the Mannar Magistrate. The order of the Mannar Magistrate regarding the excavation is final.
As well as people affected under the direct supervision of a judge. The decision to consult with their attorneys, the Attorney General’s Department, medical experts, and the Department of Archeology should be approved by the judge and placed under his direct supervision.
We had filed this review petition with only one issue in mind. However, this ruling has clearly stated many things in favor of democracy and people’s rule. So today the Supreme Court of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka has given a better solution.
I am happy to say that this will re-establish the rights of the people. Meanwhile, the people affected by the Mannar magistrate’s verdict are playing tricks on the order, which is a fantasy. The apex court judge who saw it criticized it as a word or language that should not be used by any court. I am happy to say that.
Meanwhile, Vavuniya High Court Judge Manikkavasagar Ilancheliyan has issued orders.