Ukraine launches 'anti-terror operation' in east

SUNDAY 13 APRIL 2014
One Ukrainian security officer dies and five are injured as the country's security forces attempt to take back buildings in eastern Ukraine which have been occupied by pro-Russian gunmen.

Ukraine Launches 'Anti-terror Operation' in East by nelvely

IPCC climate change report: averting catastrophe is eminently affordable

Landmark UN analysis concludes global roll-out of clean energy would shave only a tiny fraction off economic growth

The landmark UN report on climate change concludes moving to renewable energy is achievable. Photograph: AFP/Getty Images

Damian Carrington, Berlin-Sunday 13 April 2014

Catastrophic climate change can be averted without sacrificing living standards, according to a landmark UN report published on Sunday. It concludes the transformation required to a world of clean energy and the ditching of dirty fossil fuels is eminently affordable.

The authoritative report, produced by 1250 international experts and approved by 194 governments, dismisses fears that slashing carbon emissions would wreck the world economy. It is the final part of a definitive trilogy that has already shown that climate change is “unequivocally” caused by humans and that, unchecked, it poses a grave threat to people and could lead to lead to wars and mass migration.

Diverting hundred of billions of dollars from fossil fuels into renewable energy and cutting energy waste would shave just 0.06% off expected annual economic growth rates of 1.3%-3%, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) report concluded. Furthermore, the analysis did not include the benefits of cutting greenhouse gas emissions, which could outweigh the costs. The benefits include reducing air pollution, which plagues China and recently hit the UK, and improved energy security, which is currently at risk in eastern Europe after the actions of major gas-producer Russia in Ukraine.

The new IPCC report warns that carbon emissions have soared in the last decade and are now growing at almost double the previous rate. But its comprehensive analysis found rapid action can can still limit global warming to 2C, the internationally agreed safety limit, if low-carbon energy triples or quadruples by 2050.

“It is actually affordable to do it and people are not going to have to sacrifice their aspirations about improved standards of living,” said Professor Jim Skea, an energy expert at Imperial College London and co-chair of the IPCC report team. “It is not a hair-shirt change of lifestyle at all that is being envisaged and there is space for poorer countries to develop too,” Skea told the Guardian.

Nonetheless, to avoid the worst impacts of climate change at the lowest cost, the report envisages an energy revolution ending centuries of dominance by fossil fuels and which will require major political and commercial change. On Thursday, Archbishop Desmond Tutu called for an anti-apartheid style campaign against fossil fuel companies, which he blames for the “injustice” of climate change.

Along with measures that cut energy waste, renewable energy - such as wind, hydropower and solar - is viewed most favourably by the report as a result of its falling costs and large scale deployment in recent years. “Renewables are going to be ubiquitous no matter which part of the world you look at,” said Skea. “Every country is pursuing the renewable option at the moment.”

The report includes nuclear power as a mature low-carbon option but cautions that has declined globally since 1993 and faces safety, financial and waste management concerns. Carbon capture and storage (CCS) – trapping the CO2 from fossil fuel burning – and then burying it is also included, but the report notes it is an untested technology at large scale and may be expensive.

Biofuels, used in cars or power stations, could play a “critical role” in cutting emissions, the IPCC found, but it said the negative effects of some biofuels on food prices and wildlife remained “unresolved”. Emissions can be cut in the medium term by replacing coal with less-polluting gas, the IPCC states, but gas will then also have to be phased out.

The report found that current emission-cutting pledges by the world's nations make it more likely than not that the 2C limit will be broken and it warns that delaying action any further will increase the costs. Delay could also force extreme measures to be taken including sucking CO2 out of the air.

This might be done by generating energy by burning plants and trees, which had absorbed carbon from the atmosphere, and then using CCS to bury the emissions. But the IPCC warned such warned such carbon removal technologies may never be developed and could bring new risks.

The report's final 37-page summary emerged from a week of negotiations between the 194 countries, with long disputes over contentious sections running until 6am on the last night. Objections from rich nations saw the complete removal of a section stating that hundred of billions of dollars a year would have to be paid by developed countries to developing countries, to ensure they grow their cities and economies in a non-polluting way.

Other objections, from major fossil fuel producing nations including Saudi Arabia, led to the weakening of statements that ending the huge subsidies paid for oil, gas and coal would help reduce emissions. But the final document retained the conclusion that policies to cut carbon could devalue fossil fuels reserves.

"This is a very responsible report,” said Professor Andrew Watson, an atmospheric scientist at the University of Exeter who was not part of the IPCC team. He said there were economic and social risks in transforming the energy system to cut carbon. “However, there are even bigger risks if we do nothing and rely exclusively on being able to ride out climate change and adapt to it.”

Environmental campaign groups, which have previously criticised the IPCC for being too conservative, welcomed the new report. Samantha Smith, leader of WWF’s Global Climate & Energy Initiative, said: “The IPCC report makes clear that acting on emissions now is affordable, but delaying further increases the costs. The energy sector is by far the largest emitter of greenhouse gases and, therefore, is the key battleground of change. It is a super strong signal to investors: they can no longer say they did not know the risks.”

Oxfam's climate expert Jan Kowalzig said: "This report puts the fossil fuel companies and their financiers on notice: the era of fossil fuel energy is ending.”

The so called LTTE leaders killed are spies of the army itself : Raja who could expose the truth also killed

(Lanka-e-News 12.April.2014, 8.30PM) The army spokesman of the Rajapakses today announced that the new ‘LTTE’ leader, 31 years old Ponniah Selvanayagam kajeeban alias Gopi (created and identified by the Rajapakses themselves as the new ‘LTTE’ leader ), as well as two others , the so called LTTE cadres ,Appan and Thevian had been murdered by shooting. The spokesman also added that these LTTE ers were killed by laying siege to 
the Nedunkarni jungle of the Puliyankulama police division. 

According to reports reaching Lanka e news inside information division ,this is the second part of the Kanagetta fake drama (museum robbery). 

The three LTTE ers who were supposed to have been killed today were in the army camp working as spies for the army under a Tamil soldier Selvaraja Kamala Raja (S.K.Raja No. 776927) of the army intelligence unit. The three LTTE ers mentioned in the foregoing paragraphs are friends of Raja. Besides , Theviyan and Appam had been service to the army under Raja.

Harboring suspicions that the truth of this conspiratorial drama enacted about the murders may get exposed , and in order to suppress this fake scenario , the army inside sources said , these murders were committed by S.K Raja the soldier. The army which earlier stated that Raja died in a shootout , later said , he died during training. The series of contradictions in this connection are as follows :

The army had channeled large sums of funds towards this spurious drama. The army raid was conducted 09th April on the jungle in Maranthottai , Vedithaletheevukallu of Puliyankulama police division. About 2500 army soldiers , 11 armored cars and 9 Buffel vehicles were deployed in this raid. It was announced and publicized that this raid is being conducted to capture the new LTTE leader who is hiding in the jungles.

Thereafter , the army brings a body and hands over to the Padaviya hospital yesterday (11) at dawn at 1.20AM The army officers told the Padaviya police that they do not know this dead person who had died of gunshot injuries.

This morning at 6.10 , the army itself gives information to the police about the dead soldier, that the deceased is a resident of Kurunegala, a Tamil national and his name is S.K.Raja No. 776927 who died .

Meanwhile , the army had given a contradictory statement to the Puliyankulam police : there was a shootout among the LTTE terrorists at 2.40 early morning yesterday(11) , and the body of the dead army intelligence soldier S.K.Raja who died in the shootout was being taken to the Anuadhapura hospital. 

All these are on written records (if these records have not been changed after this exposure , they can be examined.) . Accordingly , while the Puliyankulam police was being informed at 2.40 a.m. that S.K.Raja had been shot down , his body had already been handed over to the hospital at 1.20 a.m. After informing the Puliyankulama police that Raja died in a shootout among the LTTE ers , the army spokesman subsequently reveals to the media that Raja died during training. ASP Senadheera in charge of Padaviya division and Puliyankulam OIC Jamal are aware of these brazen contradictions.

Lanka e news army inside information division reports that Raja officially functioned as an officer in the 7 Military Intelligence Corps (MIC) , and he along with Gopi, Theviyan and Appam who are his friends acted as spies for the army.

A frontline politico of he Rajapakse regime who is thoroughly disillusioned with the eccentric and atrocious activities of the Rajapakses speaking to Lanka e news revealed as follows : 

While at the same time as the people of the country were rejoicing and reveling in the cricket tournament world cup victory , the negative statements made by the cricketers Mahela and Sanga militated against scoring plus points for the cheap popularity seeking Rajapakses . Hence the latter are trying to enact these LTTE fake dramas to enhance their moth eaten image via the national flag . The Sinhala people are not that foolish to wave the national flag ,dance and sing just at the news that a lorry driver is killed, he added.

On Sri Lanka, UN Silent on Killings & Threats, Shavendra Silva Over Protest

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, April 11 -- After the UN Human Right Council voted for a probe of Sri Lanka, the government has threatened to prosecute those who cooperated, if they violate the Constitution. The killing has started again. 

  On April 11, Inner City Press asked UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon's spokesperson Stephane Dujarric about both, but he had no comment. He referred to previous Ban statements. Video here.

  Among Ban's previous statements was that having controversial Sri Lankan military figure Shavendra Silva as an adviser on UN Peacekeeping under Herve Ladsous was a decision entirely up to member states.

  Later on April 11, a protest by Amnesty youth chapters stood on Second Avenue in front of the building with Sri Lanka's Mission to the UN, chanting for the Trinco Five and for accountability more generally.Tweeted photo here. From the Mission's windows on the second floor, Shavendra Silva himself looked out - Inner City Press captured it on video,here.

  Later a representative of an Amnesty chapter in Massachusetts went into the mission and came out with the business card of Shavendra Silva, "he promised to look into it." Shavendra Silva knows a lot about the 2009 final stages of the conflict. But the UN seems to know less and less. Watch this site.

Discussions with South African envoy 'very fruitful' - TNA12 April 2014The Tamil National Alliance said discussions with the South African envoy, Cyril Ramaposa, this week were "very fruitful".  "We look forward to continued engagement with the Special Envoy especially during his impending visit to Sri Lanka," said the party in a statement issued today. The statement did not elaborate on the context or details of the discussion.  A delegation, led by R. Sampanthan, included Suresh Premachandran, Selvam Adaikalanathan and M.A. Sumanthiran, took part in discussions which began on April 9th and are due to end today.  Speaking to Tamil Guardian before the visit, Mr. Premachandran stressed the need for normalcy in the North-East in order for any dialogue with the government regarding a political solution to be successful.  Meanwhile, the visit has drawn criticism from the main Tamil opposition party, the Tamil National People's Front (TNPF) however, who questioned why the TNA was agreeing to such a process of dialogue, days after the government had disenfranchised one part of the Tamil nation through the proscription of leading Tamil diaspora groups.  "You can't disenfranchise a section of the people you are meant to reconcile with, the very basis for negotiations ceases to exist," the TNPF President, Gajendrakumar Ponnambalam told Tamil Guardian earlier this week.

Guilt By Ethnicity – A Liberal Sinhalese Response

By Romesh Hettiarachchi -April 12, 2014

Romesh Hettiarachchi

Dear Sinthujan,

I read with bemusement your letter to the “Sinhalese ally”. Coming after the arrest of the human rights activist Ruki Fernando, such condescension may be untimely given how devoted Ruki and other have been towards advocating for the rights of the Sri Lankan Tamil community as well as other minority groups.

Notwithstanding the emotional reaction, the allegations and insinuations in your piece deserve a response. This is mine.

The Contradictions of Being an “Anti Generalist” Generalist

The tendency in your article to rely on generalizations of the Sinhalese community to oppose generalizations of the Tamil community is fascinating. On one hand, you assert that the Tamil diaspora is not homogeneous and that there is diversity amongst the Tamil community. On the other hand, you write that the imaginary Sinhalese ally “writes, narrates and produces history as if the Tamil community should be in a museum” (really?!), feels the Diaspora “destabilizes” the country, mutes Tamil voices, has no recognition of “positive human traits” of Tamils, thinks “uniformly” that the Diaspora is bad.

This depiction hardly represents that of an ally. If as you write, the Sinhalese ally speaks, writes and thinks as if they know everything about the Tamil community but “in reality know nothing”, then by extending the same logic, you probably should reconsider how much you as a Tamil know about the Sinhalese community.

The Rise of the “Guilt by Ethnicity” Phenomenon

The concepts underlying your missive is another example of the “guilt by ethnicity” litmus test that is all too common when dealing cross culturally on matters regarding Sri Lanka and its Diaspora, Tamil or otherwise. This litmus test at times may at times be designed by those who advance ancient prejudices using the language of academia. Alternatively the litmus test is designed as a way to protect the leadership decisions made by previous generations, regardless of how terrible those decisions may have been. But in either case, the litmus test generally is that people of a certain ethnicity and those who associate with those ethnicities all think the same and act the same and as such one must always be careful when interacting with those of certain ethnicities. Read More

Colombo stages smokescreen operations to divert global focus on crimes: TNA councillor

Colombo stages smokescreen operations to divert global focus on crimes: TNA councillor

Saturday, April 12, 2014 

The so-called revival or regrouping of the LTTE and the arrests made during the sessions in Geneva, targeting of rights activists, and now claiming the episode over by killing three alleged ex LTTE members under suspicious circumstances, looks operation carefully managed by the Sri Lankan military intelligence, blames TNA councillor and former parliamentarian M.K. Shivajilingam. The reaction comes after the Sri Lankan military claimed that it had slain three LTTE members who were re-organising the movement.

The killings seem to have taken place in Nedungkea’ni in Mulaiththeevu district. But, the dead bodies were taken to Sinhala colony Padaviya division in Anuradhapura district. No independent journalists have been allowed to witness the episode or those slain at the claimed site where the cordon and search operation had taken place, he said. 

 Colombo was claiming that it was about to reduce the military presence in North and East just ahead of the UN Human Rights Council session. Then, a Terrorist Investigation Division (TID) operation was clamped down on Tamils who were active in voicing for their missing family members. Search operations, threats of abductions, forced recruitment of Tamil women to SL military training and proscription of democratic organisations and activists in the Tamil diaspora were staged in an aggressive and pre-planned order, Mr Shivajilingam said.

“Now, the SL militarisation has been stepped up all over the Northern and Eastern provinces. While we are told certain stories through media, the SL military is constructing a new camp here,” he told TamilNet from the coastal village of Valveddiththu’rai (VVT) Friday evening.

The SL military claimed it had slain three former LTTE members at a hideout in Nedungkea’ni in the early hours of Friday. The SL military spokesman in Colombo was telling media in Colombo that a Sri Lankan soldier was also killed in the clash. Later, he changed the version stating that the soldier was killed on a separate incident. In the SL Defence ministry write-up there was no mention at all of any SLA casualty, Tamil journalists in the North observed.

They also said that journalists of a popular Jaffna daily were told two days ago by the SL military that it had arrested one of the ‘wanted’ men it now claims as slain today.

Also, just one day before the alleged encounter, Colombo government claimed that 65 people detained in the past five weeks, including 10 women and children, as ‘LTTE suspects’.

The dead bodies of the former LTTE members are to be inspected by Judicial Medical Officers who are not Tamils, news sources in Vavuniyaa said alluding that the SL military was trying to cover up something.

The SL military said it had identified two of the killed as Sundaralingam Kajeepan and as Selvanayagam Kajeepan.

There was no independent verification to assert what really had transpired behind the scenes of the alleged encounter in the early hours of Friday, Tamil sources in Vavuniyaa and Mullaiththeevu told TamilNet.

Genocidal military deceives Tamil students in Jaffna, Vanni

[TamilNet, Saturday, 12 April 2014, 13:47 GMT]
The occupying Sri Lankan military is waging a targeted campaign in Jaffna and Vanni to deceive and recruit Tamil youth between 18 and 22 years to substandard assignments within the genocidal military. The SL military has been collecting the lists of students who didn’t succeed in their GCE (O/L) exams and is engaged in a targeted campaign, promising driver and data-entry jobs for 30,000 rupees a month. At some places Tamil schoolteachers are being forced to ‘encourage’ the students to enlist themselves in the military. The SL military officers coming from Palaali military base have been allowed into schools in uniform to conduct propaganda meetings. 

The Director of Jaffna Technical College situated at Kokkuvil, Mr Yogarajan, who has been a supporter of SL President Rajapaksa, has allowed the occupying SL military officers to visit the college during the classes and provide recruitment lectures to students. He is also compelling some students to join Colombo’s genocidal military. 

The students’ union representatives at the Technical College have raised their voice against Mr Yogarajan, who lost in the recent elections representing the UPFA. 

The village (GS) officers are also under pressure from the SL military to identify and enlist Tamil students. 

Earlier, the SL military targeted Tamil women twice. The few enlisted Tamil women were taken on parade, provided military training against their will, kept in closed locations and allegedly exploited by the SL military. 

The so-called Terrorist Investigation Division operatives targeted those who voiced against the ill treatment of Tamil women. 

In the last drive only 45 Tamil women were enlisted in the false ‘reconciliation’ show. 

Now, the SL military is looking for both boys and girls making them “dropouts” from the schools and colleges, a student representative from Jaffna Technical College told TamilNet Saturday.

Sri Lanka’s tilt towards religious extremism 

April 11, 2014 
On Wednesday (9), Galagoda Aththe Gnanasara Thera, the General Secretary of the hard-line Buddhist group, Bodu Bala Sena (BBS), stormed a media conference that was being addressed by a group of Muslim Maulavis and Buddhist clergy.


Flanked by two dozen young monks, the hard-line monk forced the organizers to suspend the event; the Maulavis fled the scene while the Buddhist monks were humiliated and forced to beg forgiveness for siding with 'Lebbes,' a pejorative term for the Muslims. A monk, Watareka Vijitha Thera was forced to apologize to the entire nation and the Maha Sangha for 'letting down the Maha Sanga before the Muslims and betraying Buddhism.'
Below is an English translation of what Gnanasara Thera said during the hullabaloo. He was berating the monks who had been holding the media conference.


"Don't you feel ashamed to come here in a saffron robe? Get out. I was looking for you, Watareka Vijitha Thera. Aren't you ashamed to wash dirty linen of mosques? We will remove your robe and dress you in a Burka. This man is a dog. Not worthy of the robe. You defamed the entire Maha Sangha. You shamed the nation by going after mosques. We should not let bastards like you to exist. When did we dishonour our robe?
"You call us for a debate. Let's debate now. The media is also here. We are representing an entire nation. But, we have to wait, while the Muslims are destroying the jungles in Wilpattu. Not a single Sinhalese can take firewood from Wilpattu. Muslims go and build houses and live there. You are seated at the same table, dressed in a saffron robe with those Muslims."


Anti-Semitic hate speech
Those remarks are anti-Semitic and amount to hate speech. But, the BBS monk got away scot free.
Sri Lanka has a problem with the nascent Sinhala Buddhist extremism. What the country is now witnessing is the emergence of rabid Buddhist extremism akin to Burma, where Buddhist mobs have killed hundreds of Muslims in Rakhine State, leading to a mass exodus of Muslims, unseen even during the repressive not so distant days under the military Junta.
Gnanasara Thera could well be the local parallel of Burmese rabble-rouser, Ashin Wirathu, the extremist monk who has instigated local Buddhists to take on Muslims, leading to a bitter racial conflagration.


Religious extremism is not exclusive to Wahabbism or Shiv Sena. Islam, given the allure of Salafism and the dominant role of Political Islam in the Muslim societies, could well be susceptible to illiberal and extremist intrusion. The emergence of Political Islam in the post Arab Spring societies is a case in point. But, those very weaknesses are omnipresent in other religions in varying degrees. Buddhists can well become extremists. Long standing social and cultural values, governance structure and other independent institutions could help dilute the pervasive influence of religious extremism. That is why Pakistan and Saudi Arabia, where the illiberal regimes have purposely nurtured religious extremism, are among the major breeding grounds of Islamic extremism whereas Indonesia, world's largest Islamic country, is a cosmopolitan moderate Islamic State. Sri Lanka's domineering popular narrative is anti-West, anti-minority and Sinhala Buddhist nationalist. The Bodu Bala Sena fits the bill and is covertly and overtly being backed by the incumbent regime, which uses Buddhist nationalism in order to legitimize the regime. This particular popular narrative itself is shaped by the incumbent regime, which relies on crude populism to justify the erosion of basic liberal democratic credentials of the institutions of the Sri Lankan State. The manipulation of a largely rural and conservative population has been made easier by the absence of independent national institutions, erosion of judicial independence and the suppression of media freedom.


Regressive society
Sri Lankan society today is more regressive, insular and illiberal than it had been 10 years before. Such a polity is vulnerable to manipulation by its own government and marauding religious and ethno nationalist elements. Sri Lanka has sadly reached that dangerous point. Once the wheels of ethno-religious extremism are set in motion, they take a life of their own. The State apparatus could become subordinate to the apparatus of ethno-religious extremism.
During the recently concluded Western Provincial Council election, the ruling UPFA itself fielded a candidate, a former singer Madu Madawa Aravinda, who asked that only the Sinhala people vote for him. Twenty five thousand voted for him, though he could not obtain sufficient votes to enter the Provincial Council.


In our saner, less insular days in the past, such a blatantly racist call would have shocked us.
The rising Sinhala Buddhist extremism is increasingly challenging the multi-cultural, multi-ethnic nature of the Sri Lankan State. Ethnic and religious minorities, who have been coerced into submission by the State and its increasingly majoritarian policies, are becoming despondent. The government itself has come down hard against ethnic minority parties such as the SLMC for speaking on behalf of the Muslims.


The antics of the BBS on Wednesday and the fact that those marauding monks got away scot free are proof of extensive damage sustained by our national institutions and ensuing deformity of our long- standing social and cultural values in recent times. The government should not turn a blind eye to the religious extremism at its midst. Sri Lanka does not need a Buddhist Taliban.

MPs consider boycotting parliament

By admin on April 11, 2014

Several Muslim Parliamentarians are considering boycotting Parliament sessions if action is not taken to control the “terror” activities of the Bodu Bala Sena.

Minister of Industry and Commerce Rishad Bathiudeen said that the proposal to boycott Parliament is still being discussed and a final decision has not been reached.

The police have already summoned Bodu Bala Sena General Secretary, the Venerable Galaboda Aththe Gnanasara thero, to give a statement over his verbal threats on a monk and a Muslim cleric earlier this week.

Sri Lanka Muslim Congress General Secretary Hassan Ali said that if the Government fails to take action to prevent extremist groups from having a free hand then boycotting parliament is one way to get a strong message across.

Galaboda Aththe Gnanasara thero verbally abused a Buddhist monk and a Muslim cleric after storming the venue of the press conference organised by the Jathika Bala Sena this week.

Gnanasara thero and a group of people prevented the press conference led by the Venerable Watarekke Vijitha Thero from taking place and verbally abused the Buddhist monk when he was about to brief the media at the Nippon Hotel.

The press briefing was organised by some monks and Muslims to brief the media against allegations that a new resettlement colony was being constructed with funds from a Donor Agency and named as Jassim City inside the Wilpattu National Park.

Gnanasara verbally abused the monk at the press conference venue and when the Muslim Cleric attempted to intervene he was also verbally abused.

The BBS said that a Buddhist has no right to speak on behalf of Muslims and threatened to disrobe the Venerable Watarekke Vijitha Thero in front of the media.

“Shut up,” the Venerable Galaboda Aththe Gnanasara thero kept shouting at the Muslim cleric and others when they attempted to express their views.

The incident took place in the presence of police officers who stood there but did not intervene. Once the BBS members and supporters left the venue the police escorted the Venerable Watarekke Vijitha Thero out of the venue. (Colombo Gazette)

Muslim Council of Sri Lanka seeks Gota’s intervention on BBS

April 12, 2014

Pointing out that the Bodu Bala Sena’s disruption of a press conference aimed at forging national harmony and the abuse of Ven. Vatareka Vijitha Thero were a clear breach of the country’s laws, the Muslim Council of Sri Lanka (MCSL) today sought the intervention of Defence Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa in conducting a probe into the incident. 

“We wish to bring to you kind attention the continued intimidation and hate mongering carried out by the Bodu Bala Sena led by Ven. Galaboda-Aththe Gnanasara Thero and a few other extremist groups against the minority communities and others who speak up against their hate campaigns,” it said in an open letter to the Defence Secretary. 

The BBS organization on April 09 had disrupted a media conference organized by the Jathika Bala Senava General Secretary Ven. Vatareka Vijitha Thero. 

“The Jathika Bala Sena is an interfaith group committed to fostering peaceful coexistence amongst the different ethnic communities in Sri Lanka. Members of the Muslim religious leadership too participated at this event on the invitation of the Jathika Bala Senava,” MCSL said. 

Ven. Gnanasara Thero and other prominent members of the Bodu Bala Sena raided the media conference, intimidated and abused Jathika Bala Senava General Secretary Ven. Vatareka Vijitha Thero and the Muslim religious leaders, who were present to show their solidarity with the organizers’ effort towards ethnic reconciliation and co-existence, it said.

The Muslim Council said that the Bodu Bala Sena’s disruption of the press conference to forge national harmony and intimidation of those present are a clear breach of the country’s laws. 

“Further, their total disregard for the police and the disruption of a media conference organized at a private venue is a clear breach of the law. Their ability to intimidate citizens of this country with impunity is of grave concern to all peace loving Sri Lankans,” it said in the letter. 

The Muslim Council of Sri Lanka therefore requested the Defence Secretary’s intervention in conducting an “immediate inquiry” in to the said incident and “ensure extremist groups do not take the law into their own hands and violate the rights of peaceful citizens of this country”. 

The full text of the letter has been produced below:

Mr. Gotabaya Rajapaksa,
Secretary, Ministry of Defense, 
Colombo 1.

Dear Sir,

We wish to bring to you kind attention the continued intimidation and hate mongering carried out by the Bodu Bala Sena led by Ven. Galaboda-Aththe Gnanasara Thero and a few other extremist groups against the minority communities and others who speak up against their hate campaigns. 

The most recent incident was the disruption by the Bodu Bala Sena of a media conference on the 9th of April 2014, organized by the Jathika Bala Senava General Secretary Ven. Vatareka Vijitha Thero. The Jathika Bala Sena is an interfaith group committed to fostering peaceful coexistence amongst the different ethnic communities in Sri Lanka. Members of the Muslim religious leadership too participated at this event on the invitation of the Jathika Bala Senava. 

Ven. Gnanasara Thero and other prominent members of the Bodu Bala Sena raided the media conference, intimidated and abused Jathika Bala Senava General Secretary Ven. Vatareka Vijitha Thero and the Muslim religious leaders, who were present to show their solidarity with the organizers’ effort towards ethnic reconciliation and co-existence. 

Sir, you have always maintained that you will deal with anyone who violates the law. As you would have seen from media reports on the above, the Bodu Bala Sena’s disruption of this press conference to forge national harmony and intimidation of those present are a clear breach of the country’s laws. Further, their total disregard for the police and the disruption of a media conference organized at a private venue is a clear breach of the law. Their ability to intimidate citizens of this country with impunity is of grave concern to all peace loving Sri Lankans. 

The Muslim Council of Sri Lanka requests your kind intervention in conducting an immediate inquiry in to the said incident and ensure extremist groups do not take the law into their own hands and violate the rights of peaceful citizens of this country. 

We thank you for your kind consideration and look forward to your decisive intervention. 

Yours Sincerely

N.M. Ameen
President
Muslim Council of Sri Lanka

Video: Gnanasara Slams Basil While Calling Defense Forces To ‘Defeat Muslim And Minority Extremism’

April 12, 2014

Making a statement to the Media in the premises of the Slave Island Police, a priviledge that has not been afforded to many, BBS General Secretary, Buddhist Monk Galagoda aththe Gnanasara while calling for the intervention of the Defense Forces to “defeat Muslim and minority extremism” slammed Minister of Economic Development Basil Rajapaksa for providing patronage to “Muslim colonisation’”.

“I will tell you all that it is Basil Rajapaksa who is behind this. He is the one who is permitting Bathiudeen to dance to any tune. He is the one who is giving the encouragement and support to Bathiudeen to settle these Muslims in Wilpaththu. I’m not afraid to say this” he said.

Minister Basil Rajapaksa is viewed as a Political foe of the powerful Secretary to the Ministry of Defence Gotabaya Rajapaksa.

The priviledge afford to Gnanasara was not given to any other politician in recent past. It comes as no surprise as it was the Slave Island Police personnel who were present during the abuse and disruption of the Press Conference held at the Nippon Hotel which was the subject matter of the complaint.

Making a lengthy statement to the media, Gnanasara lashed out at several other Ministers and said that he looks forward to meeting Minister Rishad Bathiudeen in court.

Earlier Bathiudeen sent a letter of demand to Gnansara alleging that the statements he had made to the press regarding the re- settlement in Wilpaththu was false and defamatory.

Speaking further Gnanasara challenged any Minister including the JVP to a debate at any public forum.

“I’m willing to debate that Napunsakaya( Neutor) Dilan Perera, Wimal,Vasudewa, Hakeem and Rishad together with the JVP at any forum they want. I will come alone and debate them to prove these facts” he said while reiterating that a stretch of land from Puththalam to Silavathura was to be colonised by Muslims.

Gnanasara also said that Sri Lanka has a ‘ Muslim nikaya’ and a Catholic ‘ Nikaya’ (* sect) which has bought over monks for propoganda.

“Mohomed Watareka is one of them. It is this man who is being used as a cats paw for these sects” he said.

Making inciting, malicious and false remarks during the said address made within the Premises of the Police station, Gnanasara said that Muslims were working according to a concept ” from the Kuran called Al- Thakkiya”.

” This is to take over land and other things by using crafty, devious and capricious methods. That is what they are doing and this is what the Kuran has instructed these extremist to do ” he said providing no substantiation to the claims.

The Monk also said that they have created over a hundred people who could take on their fight in the event they are slain.

” There are two ways to attack us, one is to defame us and damage our characters. The other is to murder us. If we are murdered we have nothing to worry because there are hundreds of people who will take our fight with more venom” he said.

Earlier Gnansara was charged with Drunk Driving and was alleged to have received foreign funding from Norway and others, claims that have not been denied yet.