June 22, 2014
By Sulochana Ramiah Mohan-June 22, 2014
Minister of Justice, Rauff Hakeem, warned the government he would approach Human Rights Commissioner, Navi Pillay, again over the Aluthgama incident and would continue to supplement those complaints by further cataloguing all what is happening in Sri Lanka.
In an exclusive interview with Ceylon Today, the minister said at last Thursday's Cabinet meetinghe was blamed and accused of having said that if he cannot find a solution through a domestic process from which the Muslims expect relief and redress, he will not hesitate to go before the international forum/community and place the case before them.
"I am determined now. We are answerable to the international community. We are at the threshold of an international inquiry. We will say intrusive, informal inquiries must be held."
"The BBS has the patronage of some quarters of the government in taking forward their religious campaign against the Muslims, which is commonly believed to have originated from the halal certification issue. That was clearly meant to be the pretext to create a popular platform for the falsified arguments from the outset."
He added: "We submitted a detailed dossier last August to the United Nations (UN), and we have complained to the United Nations Human Rights Commissioner, Navi Pillay, which was considered as controversial."
"Yes. We will continue to supplement those complaints by further cataloguing all what is happening in Sri Lanka" the minister said.
Hakeem said, some of the government ministers were suffering from xenophobia, and the President should divorce himself from such xenophobic forces.
"What we fear is if the government doesn't act with some urgency, or at least take proactive action, we will become a 'Banana Republic' soon, and this will seriously damage our reputation.
He added, the President's dilemma is whether to deal with the situation with a firm hand or to pacify everybody involved. If he takes the pacifists' course, he will be a 'loser.'
"This xenophobia existence among persons in the government is certainly not helpful in protecting the President's image," he said.
He urged the President to see that justice prevails at all cost. "Don't cover-up what has happened. We know of much bigger secrets behind these perpetrators and we will not hesitate to expose them, but I am not an irresponsible person to do that. I want reconciliation between all communities," the minister added.
When asked if Al Qaeda is infiltrating Sri Lanka, the minister said "I heard so, and if it is a fact, the question I would like to ask, what is the intelligence service doing? Are they fast asleep? If there are radical elements and Al Qaeda members in Sri Lanka, bring them before the Courts and punish them."
Minister of Justice, Rauff Hakeem, warned the government he would approach Human Rights Commissioner, Navi Pillay, again over the Aluthgama incident and would continue to supplement those complaints by further cataloguing all what is happening in Sri Lanka.
In an exclusive interview with Ceylon Today, the minister said at last Thursday's Cabinet meetinghe was blamed and accused of having said that if he cannot find a solution through a domestic process from which the Muslims expect relief and redress, he will not hesitate to go before the international forum/community and place the case before them.
"I am determined now. We are answerable to the international community. We are at the threshold of an international inquiry. We will say intrusive, informal inquiries must be held."
"The BBS has the patronage of some quarters of the government in taking forward their religious campaign against the Muslims, which is commonly believed to have originated from the halal certification issue. That was clearly meant to be the pretext to create a popular platform for the falsified arguments from the outset."
He added: "We submitted a detailed dossier last August to the United Nations (UN), and we have complained to the United Nations Human Rights Commissioner, Navi Pillay, which was considered as controversial."
"Yes. We will continue to supplement those complaints by further cataloguing all what is happening in Sri Lanka" the minister said.
Hakeem said, some of the government ministers were suffering from xenophobia, and the President should divorce himself from such xenophobic forces.
"What we fear is if the government doesn't act with some urgency, or at least take proactive action, we will become a 'Banana Republic' soon, and this will seriously damage our reputation.
He added, the President's dilemma is whether to deal with the situation with a firm hand or to pacify everybody involved. If he takes the pacifists' course, he will be a 'loser.'
"This xenophobia existence among persons in the government is certainly not helpful in protecting the President's image," he said.
He urged the President to see that justice prevails at all cost. "Don't cover-up what has happened. We know of much bigger secrets behind these perpetrators and we will not hesitate to expose them, but I am not an irresponsible person to do that. I want reconciliation between all communities," the minister added.
When asked if Al Qaeda is infiltrating Sri Lanka, the minister said "I heard so, and if it is a fact, the question I would like to ask, what is the intelligence service doing? Are they fast asleep? If there are radical elements and Al Qaeda members in Sri Lanka, bring them before the Courts and punish them."
