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Army
gets new Chief of Staff President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kum-aratunga, who is also Commander-in-Chief of the armed forces, gave approval for the appointment last week. The post of Chief of Staff has remained vacant for over two months since its last incumbent Maj. Gen. Neil Dias retired on April 12. Maj. Gen. Anton Wijendra has succeeded Maj. Gen. Gunawardena as Deputy Chief of Staff. His appointment is also with retrospective effect from April 13, this year. Due to be appointed Deputy Chief of Staff shortly is Maj. Gen. Shantha Kottegoda. Maj. Gen. A.K. Sooriyabandara, who reached his mandatory maximum in the rank of three years on February 24 has had his request to serve until August 28, his 55th birthday, turned down by President Kumaratunga. He has been asked to go on retirement. The retirement earlier of Maj. Gen. M.A. Muthalib and Maj. Gen. ooriyabandara had created vacancies for two Majors General. There are three Brigadiers who are next on line. All three are also due to reach their mandatory maximum in the rank on July 1. They are Brig. H.M.N. Krishanaratne (Director, Supply and Transport), Brig. L.L.A. Fernando (Director, Ordnance) Brig. C.D.D. Gunasinghe, Commander, Area Headquarters, Diyatalawa. Whether the two of them will be promoted to the rank of Major General thus obviating the need to retire or officers from a teeth arm will be named to succeed has not been made. Meanwhile Maj. Gen. Parami Kulatunga, who was head of Operations Combine, Colombo, has been attached to Army Headquarters with effect from June 10. He is due to leave for US on June 22 to attend a course at the War College. Maj. Gen. K.B. Egodawala has been appointed to overlook duties as GOC of Op Combine, Colombo. The
Sunday Times editor's Special Leave to Appeal on July 4 Senior Counsel for the Editor, Mr. S. L. Gunasekera told court, that Mr. Sinha Ratnatunga had opted to argue his appeal because the settlement offered by the Chief Justice contained a reference in the Section under which the conviction was to be set aside i.e. Section 306 of the Criminal Procedure Code, to the charges being proved. Mr. Gunasekera while thanking the Chief Justice for offering the settlement stated that his client was not in a position to accept it as Section 306 of the Criminal Procedure Code under which the Chief Justice was to discharge him went against some fundamental issues including those of intention and the defamatory nature of the article, which had been strenuously denied at the trial. The Bench comprised the Chief Justice and Justices Ameer Ismail and P. Edussuriya. Acknowledging the Editor's right to proceed to argument, the Chief Justice fixed the case for July 4, before a Bench of which he is not a member. This follows four other Supreme Court judges declining to hear the case Viz., Justices S.W.B. Wadugodapitiya, Ameer Ismail and D.P.S. Gunasekera declining on a previous occasion on the basis that they had gone into the matter at an earlier stage and retired Justice A.R.B. Amerasinghe citing personal reasons. On a previous occasion the settlement advocated by the Chief Justice was that appellant Sinha Ratnatunga tenders a general statement to court and not to any person in particular, taking into consideration that the article was not written by him, that it was factually incorrect and un-intentional. Provided the settlement is agreed upon the Chief Justice stated he will set aside the conviction and the fine which was imposed on the Editor by the Colombo High Court. The Editor is seeking the granting of Special Leave to appeal against the December 5, 2000 order of the Court of Appeal which upheld the conviction delivered in the High Court. He prays court to set aside the Court of Appeal order, quash the findings of the High Court and acquit him of the charges contained in the indictment filed in the High Court. The Editor was indicted before the High Court on two counts. First count was that he did by publication in The Sunday Times of February 19, 1995 of words that were intended to read "Anura: sootin says courting days are here". Meanwhile, two Bills for the repeal of Criminal defamation laws have been tabled in Parliament by the Minister of Justice V.J.M. Lokubandara in the form of amendments to the penal Code and the Sri Lanka Press Council law.
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