All Ceylon Jamiyyathul Ulama on Sec Defense statement
- Tuesday, 10 September 2013
All Ceylon Jamiyyathul Ulama write a letter to the Secretary of Ministry of Defence and Urban Development Mr. Gotabhaya Rajapakse. See full leter below.
07th September 2013
Secretary
Ministry of Defence and Urban Development
15/5 Baladaksha Mawatha
Colombo 3
Keynote address at Defence seminar 2013
Dear Mr. Secretary,
We note with great dismay, media reports of the references to the Muslim Community in Sri Lanka and to Muslims elsewhere made by you in your address at the Defense Seminar held recently.
As you aware, we the All Ceylon Jamiyyathul Ulama, which is the apex body of Muslim theologians in Sri Lanka, have made representations to you and to those placed at the highest levels in Government in regard to the hate campaign against the Muslim community carried on by certain extremist elements. Being patriotic Sri Lankans, in making such representations, we have acted responsibly and with great restraint, being conscious of the fact that there are forces still operating which are hostile to Sri Lanka and that these misguided actions of a few, could be unfairly utilized, to vilify Sri Lanka by such groups. We are grateful that you and the Government have taken action consequent to such representations.
However, we apprehend that the references to Muslims made in your address, could be misinterpreted to suggest that Sri Lankan Muslims pose a threat to national security and thereby advance the hate campaign against Muslims. This apprehension is well founded as those vocal but small group of hard liners have interpreted your references as a vindication of their ongoing anti-Muslim sentiments and actions, as evidenced by their laudatory response. You would no doubt appreciate that this is disruptive of national unity and would tend to further polarize the communities.
We wish to strongly emphasize that the Muslims in Sri Lanka are a peaceful and patriotic community and have lived in amity with the other communities. Hence, whilst sharing the sentiment expressed by you that there should be national integration and pledging our support for fashioning an inclusive Sri Lankan identity, we write to convey our concern the references to Muslims in your address could be utilized by those seeking to marginalize and vilify the Muslim community.
This is no way an endorsement of extremism or of any unlawful activity, both of which we unreservedly condemn. In this context, we reiterate the position consistently articulated by us that the interests of national security and the restoration of communal amity would best be advanced by the evenhanded condemnation of extremism, whatever may be its source and the uniform application of the law in respect of all offenders irrespective of their race or religion.
Yours Sincerely,
Ash-Shaikh Fazil Farook
Secretary - Media
Courtesy - http://www.acju.lk/
- Tuesday, 10 September 2013
All Ceylon Jamiyyathul Ulama write a letter to the Secretary of Ministry of Defence and Urban Development Mr. Gotabhaya Rajapakse. See full leter below.Ministry of Defence and Urban Development
15/5 Baladaksha Mawatha
Colombo 3
Dear Mr. Secretary,
As you aware, we the All Ceylon Jamiyyathul Ulama, which is the apex body of Muslim theologians in Sri Lanka, have made representations to you and to those placed at the highest levels in Government in regard to the hate campaign against the Muslim community carried on by certain extremist elements. Being patriotic Sri Lankans, in making such representations, we have acted responsibly and with great restraint, being conscious of the fact that there are forces still operating which are hostile to Sri Lanka and that these misguided actions of a few, could be unfairly utilized, to vilify Sri Lanka by such groups. We are grateful that you and the Government have taken action consequent to such representations.
However, we apprehend that the references to Muslims made in your address, could be misinterpreted to suggest that Sri Lankan Muslims pose a threat to national security and thereby advance the hate campaign against Muslims. This apprehension is well founded as those vocal but small group of hard liners have interpreted your references as a vindication of their ongoing anti-Muslim sentiments and actions, as evidenced by their laudatory response. You would no doubt appreciate that this is disruptive of national unity and would tend to further polarize the communities.
We wish to strongly emphasize that the Muslims in Sri Lanka are a peaceful and patriotic community and have lived in amity with the other communities. Hence, whilst sharing the sentiment expressed by you that there should be national integration and pledging our support for fashioning an inclusive Sri Lankan identity, we write to convey our concern the references to Muslims in your address could be utilized by those seeking to marginalize and vilify the Muslim community.
This is no way an endorsement of extremism or of any unlawful activity, both of which we unreservedly condemn. In this context, we reiterate the position consistently articulated by us that the interests of national security and the restoration of communal amity would best be advanced by the evenhanded condemnation of extremism, whatever may be its source and the uniform application of the law in respect of all offenders irrespective of their race or religion.
Yours Sincerely,
Secretary - Media
Col. Solangarachchi asked to take responsibility for Rathupaswala incident
- Tuesday, 10 September 2013
Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa has forced the Commanding Officer of the 8th Infantry Regiment, Colonel Solangarachchi to take responsibility for the incident in Rathupaswala last month and to admit that he was the person who had entered the church, sources from the army said.
Colonel Solangarachchi had gone to Rathupaswala on the day of the incident with 24 army soldiers. However, sources from the army confirm that he had not entered the church. The operation was carried out by one of the Defence Secretary’s confidante’s Brigadier Shantha. There are no photographic or video evidence for his presence at the scene since he had issued the directives from inside a vehicle.
Brigadier Shantha is in-charge of the Colombo division and carried out most of the Defence Secretary’s secret operations. Therefore, Colonel Solangarachchi is being pressured to take the fall in order to protect Brigadier Shantha.
