Unapproved visit by BBS to US temple opposed
MONDAY, 15 APRIL 2013 09:11
The Management Committee of the Anaheim temple in the USA has issued a statement opposing the visit of Bodu Bala Sena to the temple. It states the stay of BBS Bhikkus and the ‘Buddhanussathi Pooja’ held was not approved by the management committee of the temple and had been arranged by two individuals without the knowledge of the Management Committee.
The statement also states the Sri Ratana Viharaya should not support “Bodu Bala Sena” which advocates against the rights of minorities in Sri Lanka and resorts to violence, mob action and intimidation to advance their cause. The statement emphasizes that "The temple premises should not be used as a platform to promote hatred and/or to promote an extremist group like “Bodu Bala Sena”.
The Management Committee has requested devotees 'not to participate in any of the activities organized by BBS and not to support the extremist group now or in the future.'
No suspects arrested regarding torching of 'Uthayan' – Police
MONDAY, 15 APRIL 2013
Police Spokesperson SP Buddhika Siriwardhana states that no suspects have been arrested as yet with regard to the recent attack on the Uthayan news paper office in Jaffna. He said that police investigations had revealed that at the time of the incident CCTV cameras at the Uthayan office had not been operational. Three Police teams have been deployed to carryout investigations states the police.
Since the year 1987 over 25 attacks have been carried out on the Uthayan newspaper offices.
Meanwhile, the Tamil National Alliance has accused the government of attacking 'Uthayan' newspaper stating is an attempt to silence governmetn's political rivals ahead of key local council elections.The TNA said Saturday’s torching of the Uthayan newspaper presses added to a “fear psychosis” among the population in the northern district of Jaffna.
TNA MP Suresh Premachandran has told media that Oone of the main objectives of the attack was to silence the opposition ahead of provincial council elections.
Meanwhile, United America has urged Sri Lanka to conduct a credible investigation concerning the "Udayan" office attack.
It denounced the attack against the main office of "Udayan" press located at Jaffna, Kasthuriyar Road and demanded the government to conduct a credible investigation concerning to the incident.
However Director General of the Media Centre for National Security Lakshman Hulugalle has said that the attack may be the work of an insider group. He is clever at coming to conclusions even before police investigations start on an incident. When two JVP members were shot dead by Joolampitiye Amare, who has been remanded on charges of murder, Hulugalle said the shooting was the result of an internal fued in eh JVP. When a forensic expert and an Archeology professor found that skeletal remains found at Matale mass grave belong to the 88 – 89 period Mr. Hulugalle quoting a Municipal worker involved in maintaining the drainage pipes of the area from 1962 - 1985 states "no conclusive evidence has yet surfaced to determine the exact age of the Matale mass grave".
