Protection money paid for chanting pirith – monk

 

By Norman Palihawadane-December 8, 2013, 10:30 pm

With extortion rampant in the Pettah area, all traders are forced to pay protection money to groups operating there, Chairman of the Deshamamaka Three wheel Operators’ Association, Ven. Uvathenne Sumana Thera says.

Addressing a press conference at the Sri Bodhirajarama Maha Vihara in Maligawatte, Colombo, on the recent fire in the Pettah, which destroyed over one hundred shops belonging to small traders, Sumana Thera said that not even a pirith chanting vehicle was spared by the extortion gangs. "The extortionists even obtain Rs. 4,000 per day from the vehicle bearing the Ransivigeya used for chanting pirith."

The Thera said that everyone who used a vehicle for business purposes in the Pettah area was forced to pay protection money to extortionists. Those who refused to pay up were threatened with death, he said.

All pavement hawkers and shops in the Pettah area paid protection money to the gang, the Thera said.Sumana Thera said that he had documentary evidence to expose the mastermind of the gang. "I will bring this menace and threats against the lives of traders in the Pettah area to the notice of the President, Defence Secretary and Economic Development Minister."

The Thera said that some pointed fingers at his organisation over the recent fire in Pettah. He added it was an unjust accusation by some people who didn’t know what had really taken place.