Muslim Hating Ven. Gnanasara Thero
By Hilmy Ahamed –July 24, 2015
Hilmy Ahamed
The death of a Sri Lankan in Syria, fighting with the IS (Islamic State or Caliphate) also known as ISIS has opened up a new front for extremist elements to target the Muslim community as terrorists or sympathizers of terrorism. Islam forbids taking of innocent lives, and the violence perpetrated by terrorists in the name of Islam is neither Islamic nor humane. Thus the irresponsible action of an individual should not be a reflection of a whole community, as Muslims have been a peaceful and patriotic community in Sri Lanka during their 1200-year history in the country.
Ven. Galagoda Aththe Gnanasara Thero, the General Secretary of the Bodu Bala Sena, the Bodu Janatha Peramuna (BJP) and candidate for the Kalutara District, has launched his political campaign by once again attacking and branding every Muslim as a terrorist. His clarion call for the Sinhalese to “wake up”, his ominous augury “Abasaranai” to the Muslims in Aluthgama and the hate speech on 15th of June 2014 that led to the riots against the Aluthgama Muslims destroyed the peace that existed between the two communities. Now, his verbal diatribe and racism meant to help him to step in to Parliament, seem to get more vicious and venomous as the symbol for his new party, the cobra. He has now condemned every Muslim Civil, Religious and Political organisation as sponsors of terrorism in Sri Lanka. The media reports of the death of a Sri Lankan following a twisted ideology while fighting with IS (ISIS) has given him the ammunition to call every Muslim a terrorist or sponsor of terrorism. Little does he realize that he is the one who has been unleashing terror against the Muslims and other minorities in Sri Lanka, making him a terrorist as per the definition provided in Wikipedia –Terrorism is commonly defined as violent acts (or the threat of violent acts) intended to create fear (terror), perpetrated for an economic,religious, political, or ideological goal, and which deliberately target or disregard the safety of non-combatants (e.g., neutral military personnel or civilians).
His attempts to lay blame on IS or other Muslim extremist groups for the Aluthgama riots clearly exposes his complicity in the Aluthgama violence on June 15th 2014. His detestable oration was a provocative speech full of racist venom in which he asserted that the Police and military were Sinhala and that no Muslim or Tamil or anyone else could harm a Sinhalese and get away with it. “This country still has a Sinhalese Police, this country still has a Sinhalese Army. It will be the end of all if someone at least lays a finger on a Sinhalese”. And now he claims that extremist terrorists from abroad, including IS were behind the destruction of lives and livelihood in Aluthgama and Beruwela.Read More
