Jaffna lawyers boycott Courts

[TamilNet, Friday, 02 May 2008, 13:58 GMT]
Sittings in four divisional magistrates courts in Jaffna peninsula were affected as most of the lawyers in Jaffna peninsula did not attend the courts in Jaffna peninsula Friday as their demand to allow use of facilities allocated to them in the newly opened judicial complex had not been met officially despite their long term demand, members of Northern Bar Association of Sri Lanka (NBASL) said. The lawyers also said that their boycott will continue until their demand is officially met.

Magistrates of the courts in Point Pedro in Vadamaraadchi, Chaavakachcheari in Thenmaraadchi, Mallaakam in Valikaamam and Kayts in the islets of Jaffna had to postpone cases Friday as no lawyers were present at the four courts.

In Jaffna High Court, Jaffna District Court and Jaffna Magistrates Court, a few lawyers appeared for the sessions.

According to legal society sources, Jaffna High Court Judge, S. Suvarnarajah and Jaffna District Court Judge, R. K. Vignarajah, after holding talks with NBASL representatives Wednesday, made the use of the controversial facilities available for the lawyers.

The lawyers, however, said that they were not officially informed of the decision.

Meanwhile, some lawyers accused that a magistrate in Jaffna peninsula had prevented news of their boycott being reported in the local media, and that he intimated that his influence with the Chief Justice and Ministry of Justice may have to be used if necessary.

The use of allocated facilities the lawyers were fighting for consist of the consultation hall, rest room, library and canteen in the newly opened judicial complex in Jaffna that was built with the assistance of World Bank.