Saturday, May 25, 2013

2013-05-25

A vehicle belonging to Anuradhapura Acting Magistrate M.M.N.W. Kumarasinghe was destroyed by fire on 24 May at his empty residence.

The vehicle has been valued at approximately Rs.9 million. Following a complaint filed by Kumarasinghe, Anuradhapura Police have begun investigations to determine if the fire had been started deliberately.

Controversial Sri Lanka Buddhist organization to hold a conference to challenge Mannar Bishop

[ Saturday, 25 May 2013, 10:49.48 AM GMT +05:30 ]

Leader of Bodu Bala Sena(BBS), the Buddhist extremist organization in Sri Lanka, Ven. Galagodaaththe Gnanasara Thero vowed to hold a conference in Mannar to challenge Mannar Bishop Rayappu Joseph.

The Buddhist monk said the aim of the conference is to safeguard the people of Mannar from the Christian invasion.

He further said that the Tamils and Muslims who are with the BBS will provide a good answer to the allegations the Mannar Bishop has made.
In response to a statement of the BBS opposing the Northern Provincial Council election, the Bishop said that the BBS has to learn the history of the country and it should refrain from breaking the solidarity that is being built between the communities.
In a controversial statement, the Thero accused that the Mannar Bishop was trying to act like Prabhakaran, the leader of the Tamil Tiger terrorist outfit Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE).
The Bishop vehemently denied the allegation and said he was a religious man who never advocated separatism.

Full Court Report: BBS Leader Gnanasara Pleaded Guilty To Hit-And-Run And Drunk Driving

By Colombo Telegraph -April 11, 2013

Court documents obtained by the Colombo Telegraph show that Bodu Bala Sena General Secretary and vociferous hardline monk, Galabodaaththe Gnanasara pleaded guilty to hit-and-run charges filed against him by Grandpass police in 2000.

On September 20, 2000, the monk was fined Rs. 12,000 by Traffic Courts, Colombo 12. The accident occurred on April 14, the same year, causing injuries to two others named Mohamed Rifai and Ravindra Kumar. Gnanasara Thera was driving lorry number 6 Shri 5444. Among the charges against him were drunk driving, speeding, driving without a valid licence and failing to report the accident.

The monk pleaded guilty to all 9 charges.

We publish below the report in full;