UK's top cardinal accused of 'inappropriate acts' by priests

Cardinal Keith O'Brien, Britain's most senior Catholic clergyman. Photograph: Jeff J Mitchell/Getty Images

Catherine Deveney-23 February 2013 

Three priests and a former priest in Scotland have reported the most senior Catholic clergyman in Britain, Cardinal Keith O'Brien, to theVatican over allegations of inappropriate behaviour stretching back 30 years.

The four, from the diocese of St Andrews and Edinburgh, have complained to nuncio Antonio Mennini, the Vatican's ambassador to Britain, and demanded O'Brien's immediate resignation. A spokesman for the cardinal said that the claims were contested.

O'Brien, who is due to retire next month, has been an outspoken opponent of gay rights, condemning homosexuality as immoral, opposing gay adoption, and most recently arguing that same-sex marriages would be "harmful to the physical, mental and spiritual well-being of those involved". Last year he was named "bigot of the year" by the gay rights charity Stonewall.

One of the complainants, it is understood, alleges that the cardinal developed an inappropriate relationship with him, resulting in a need for long-term psychological counselling.

The four submitted statements containing their claims to the nuncio's office the week before Pope Benedict's resignation on 11 February. They fear that, if O'Brien travels to the forthcoming papal conclave to elect a new pope, the church will not fully address their complaints.

"It tends to cover up and protect the system at all costs," said one of the complainants. "The church is beautiful, but it has a dark side and that has to do with accountability. If the system is to be improved, maybe it needs to be dismantled a bit."

The revelation of the priests' complaints will be met with consternation in the Vatican. Allegations of sexual abuse by members of the church have dogged the papacy of Benedict XVI, who is to step down as pope at the end of this month. Following the announcement, rumours have swirled in Rome that Benedict's shock move may be connected to further scandals to come.

The four priests asked a senior figure in the diocese to act as their representative to the nuncio's office. Through this representative, the nuncio replied, in emails seen by the Observer, that he appreciated their courage.

It is understood that the first allegation against the cardinal dates back to 1980. The complainant, who is now married, was then a 20-year-old seminarian at St Andrew's College, Drygrange, where O'Brien was his "spiritual director". The Observer understands that the statement claims O'Brien made an inappropriate approach after night prayers.

The seminarian says he was too frightened to report the incident, but says his personality changed afterwards, and his teachers regularly noted that he seemed depressed. He was ordained, but he told the nuncio in his statement that he resigned when O'Brien was promoted to bishop. "I knew then he would always have power over me. It was assumed I left the priesthood to get married. I did not. I left to preserve my integrity."

In a second statement, "Priest A" describes being happily settled in a parish when he claims he was visited by O'Brien and inappropriate contact between the two took place.

In a third statement, "Priest B" claims that he was starting his ministry in the 1980s when he was invited to spend a week "getting to know" O'Brien at the archbishop's residence. His statement alleges that he found himself dealing with what he describes as unwanted behaviour by the cardinal after a late-night drinking session.

"Priest C" was a young priest the cardinal was counselling over personal problems. Priest C's statement claims that O'Brien used night prayers as an excuse for inappropriate contact.

The cardinal maintained contact with Priest C over a period of time, and the statement to the nuncio's office alleges that he engineered at least one other intimate situation. O'Brien is, says Priest C, very charismatic, and being sought out by the superior who was supposed to be guiding him was both troubling and flattering.

Those involved believe the cardinal abused his position. "You have to understand," explains the ex-priest, "the relationship between a bishop and a priest. At your ordination, you take a vow to be obedient to him.

"He's more than your boss, more than the CEO of your company. He has immense power over you. He can move you, freeze you out, bring you into the fold … he controls every aspect of your life. You can't just kick him in the balls."

All four have been reluctant to raise their concerns. They are, though, concerned that the church will ignore their complaints, and want the conclave electing the new pope to be "clean". According to canon law, no cardinal who is eligible to vote can be prevented from doing so.

Sinhalabuddhism In Sri Lanka

By Sharmini Serasinghe -February 23, 2013 

Sharmini Serasinghe

“A tyrant must put on the appearance of uncommon devotion to religion. Subjects are less apprehensive of illegal treatment from a ruler whom they consider god-fearing and pious. On the other hand, they do less easily move against him, believing that he has the gods on his side” Aristotle

If Lord Buddha were here now there is one thing he would do- banSinhalabuddhism in Sri Lanka! – With apologies to Mark Twain.

As a Sri Lankan and a Buddhist by faith I take it upon myself, as others have not the right, to define the significant differences between the philosophy of Buddhism as per the teachings of Lord Buddha and what is practiced by the majority in this country under the umbrella of Buddhism. This I do, not to wear my religion on my sleeve but to explain to my fellow multi religious Sri Lankans and others who may be in a confused state regarding the current goings-on in this country by the name of Buddhism.

To start with the majority of Buddhists in this country who label themselves ‘Buddhists’ are those who were born to Buddhist families. Therefore they did not become Buddhists through an understanding and conviction of the Buddhist doctrine but were simply born Buddhists.

Buddhism in its pure form is too deep and complex a philosophy to be understood by the average and undisciplined mind; its teachings, therefore, are greatly misunderstood and misinterpreted by ‘born Buddhists’. Hence a majority of those Sri Lankans who label themselves ‘Buddhists’ and practice it as a religion do so with their own perception of the doctrine.

Therefore what is practiced by most Sri Lankans under the Umbrella of Buddhism is a conjured up blend of ritualism and symbolism that bears no resemblance or relation whatsoever to the philosophy of the Buddha.

For instance Lord Buddha never asked his followers to go to temple on Full Moon (Poya) days or any other day for that matter and offer flowers stolen from a neighbour’s garden and deposit them in front of a clay or stone statue perceived to be his image. He never told his followers that by doing so a great load of merit would be bestowed on them.

Lord Buddha never asked his followers to pour pots of water on the ‘Bo tree’ (Bodhi Puja) thereby encouraging it to rot and die. He never told his followers that by doing so a great load of merit would be bestowed on them, deliver them from their misery of a ‘bad period’ resulting in ill health, loss of employment, wealth etc.

Also Lord Buddha never asked his followers to invite home Buddhist monks to lunch (offer alms) in order to transfer merit to dead people so that they will go straight to heaven. He never told his followers that by doing so even rapists, murderers, child molesters et al will be born as angels in heaven or attain nirvana, courtesy almsgivings.

Therefore as illustrated above, ‘Buddhism’ as practiced by most Sri Lankans is a theory that satisfies the simple minded uneducated and unenlightened majority of a ‘need’, whatever it may be.

The root cause of this phenomenon is that Buddhism has no God to appeal to in times of crisis like in other faiths. The average human being needs a supernatural power to look to when faced with a crisis, so the first instinct of a Sri Lankan ‘Buddhist’ is to run to the temple, pile flowers in front of statues, pour gallons of water on the Bodhi tree, visit the Hindu Kovil and break coconuts and even run to a Church and plead with Jesus, Virgin Mary and Saints, etc.,

All these above-mentioned and more rituals are performed in the fervent hope that one be released from suffering or to gain merit (Pin) in order to acquire more and more materially. Therefore the Buddhist theory of ‘Karma’ (cause and effect) the fundamental doctrine in Buddhism has no place in Sri Lankan ‘Buddhism’ for it offers no divine salvation in times of need.

This is not to say that there aren’t any Sri Lankans both amongst the Buddhist clergy and the laity who follow Buddhism as it should, but the majority unfortunately, politicians included, observe the other- Sri Lankan Buddhism.

According to Sri Lanka’s political history it was the late SWRD Bandaranaike who threw scruples to the wind and propagated the concept of ‘Sinhalabuddhism’ much to the detriment of Sri Lanka as we now know. Recognising the fragility and weaknesses of the Sinhalese who were mainly ‘Buddhists’ which made up the majority vote base, he himself a born and buried at death Anglican Christian, became a pro tem ‘Buddhist’ for political mileage and created a mass hysteria under the banner ‘Sinhalabuddhist’ the curse of which has today become the root of all ills plaguing this nation. As ‘Karma’ (cause and effect) would have it Bandaranaike was gunned down by none other but a pistol-toting Sinhalabuddhist in saffron robes.

This demonic concept of a ‘Sinhalabuddhist’ introduced by the late SWRD Bandaranaike was to become sine qua non for future politicians of Sri Lanka especially in his SLFP to garner votes at elections. The UNP regarded more as a bourgeoisie party practiced ‘Sinhalabuddhism’ more subtly. The late JR Jayewardeneportrayed himself as a prima facie Buddhist as per the Dhamma and therefore never openly encouraged ‘Sinhalabuddhism.’

His successor however, the late Ranasinghe Premadasa turned Sinhalabuddhism into a form of art. Not satisfied only with what ‘Sinhalabuddhism’ afforded him, Premadasa went on to embrace Hinduism as well. With this he set the trend for subsequent politicians to pray to Hindu Gods at various Hindu temples in Sri Lanka and India for more and more of whatever they desired.

So here we are today in ‘Sinhalabuddhist’ Sri Lanka reductio ad absurdum thanks to the myopic and selfish politicians of a bygone era. We are now nothing but a decadent nation of murderers, rapists, child molesters, rogues et al, with an Idiocracy for a government mostly made up of ‘Sinhalabuddhists’ and a ‘Sinhalabuddhist’ ruler who reportedly assures that “the government, while ensuring religious freedom for all communities by enhancing interreligious harmony and tolerance, is always duty bound to safeguard and foster Buddhism”.

I believe what he meant was “safeguard and foster Sinhalabuddhism”.

Today in the name of Sinhalabuddhism, the revered saffron robe donned by disciples of Lord Buddha has been turned by some into a uniform of bigots of ‘Sinhalabuddhism’ who propagate intolerance, cruelty and disrespect of other religions; the very opposite of Buddhism as per the Dhamma.

As a lay-student of the world renowned most Venerable Piyadassi Maha Thera I consider myself privileged to have had such an eminent Guru of the Buddhist order. Rev. Piyadassi as I referred to him had been a close friend of my family for generations with whom we had frequent interaction. Here was a Buddhist monk who would insist that we sit with him at table and have lunch along with him while I as a curious teenager bombarded him with questions on Buddhism which he answered patiently and clearly. This type of interaction with such teachers is what is required today.

With Rev. Piyadassi’s demise in 1998, in my eyes at the time, he left shoes too big to be filled. But now I know better. For there are many Buddhist prelates and monks of his caliber out there who are worthy of being revered and worshipped as the true messengers of Lord Buddha’s philosophy and they are those who can guide Sri Lanka’s future Buddhist generations on the correct path.

If Sri Lanka’s incumbent President sincerely wishes to safeguard and foster Buddhism in its pristine form then it is his bounden duty to disband all those ‘Sinhalabuddhist’ bigots in saffron robes and either rehabilitate them or put them away for good preferable behind bars, so as to ensure they will never sully our nation or the Dhamma again.

Furthermore, the President must also take it upon himself to bring forth a system whereby our impressionable younger and future generations of Buddhists are taught the Dhamma by intelligent and educated Buddhist prelates as opposed to those stick-in the-mud Buddhist monks who by no stretch of one’s imagination are pristine models of Buddhism to do the job.
Further it would augur well if the incumbent President was sincere when he reportedly assured “religious freedom for all communities by enhancing interreligious harmony and tolerance” to consider introducing the subject of Comparative Religion to all schools.

The primary benefit of this would be to afford our children at a very early age to acquire a deeper understanding of the fundamental philosophy of different religions practiced in Sri Lanka.

A child who has undertaken such a course of study will undoubtedly have a much deeper understanding of human beliefs and practices and therefore be more tolerant of each other and not feel threatened by the religion of the other.
This would ideally lead to a finally peaceful Sri Lanka where all ethnic groups and religions could live together in harmony as Sri Lankans under the undivided umbrella of Sri Lanka!

The question is, are our politicians selfless enough to take up such a challenge?

*Sharmini Serasinghe was Director Communications of the former Secretariat for Coordinating the Peace Process (SCOPP) under Secretary Generals Jayantha Dhanapala and Dr. John Gooneratne. She counts over thirty years in journalism in both the print and electronic media.

Muslims to acquire rights, should transform as "Independent claimant", Mawai MP appeal

Government is in the attempts of creating hatred amidst the Tamil and Muslim community. Today Muslim people’s lands are grabbed. Mosques are attacked.

 

Halal oppose protests are carried out. Speak about these issues. To achieve your rights transform as Independent claimant.

 

Tamil National Alliance Secretary Mawai Senathiraja made this statement while addressing the debate on Council adjourned motion.

 

It is much hurtful to us, Ministers who should respond with responsibility, are speaking beyond the specified issue in an irresponsible manner.

 

Government is in the attempts of causing hatred amongst the Tamil people and Muslim community.  We intend to discuss with Muslim community and to find a settlement to this crisis.

 

Today Muslim people's lands are grabbed, mosques are attacked, halal oppose protest are carried out. Speak about these issues.

 

To acquire your rights transform as Independent claimant. Do not attempt to justify the military unscrupulous activities obliterate democracy.

 

Government notifies that it has resettled all the displaced people. But many people are still living as refugees. We are not imploring from anyone, but we are requesting our native lands and our homes.

 

According to the information received today, about 118 private agriculture lands are confiscated by military in Jaffna. 

 

What happen to those ambushed and caught during military unruly activities held at Tellipalai Durakkai Amman temple to the police?

 

Concerning these photographs were published in all newspapers, but the defense sector state that these photographs are erroneous.  Video footages are available concerning the incident occurred that day.

 

Are these fake? Concerning this, Tamil National Alliance parliament member E.Saravanabawan made a complaint to the police station.

 

"Udayan" press cameraman was attacked. His camera was smashed was mentioned by him. 

Sunday , 24 February 2013

3 State Banks on the verge of collapse – DEW Gunsekera shocks nation with exposure (Lanka-e-News- 23.Feb.2013, 11.30PM) Senior Minister DEW Gunasekera warned that three State banks are on the verge of collapse . The Minister made this comment when speaking at a workshop held to enlighten the Govt. officers on Parliamentary standing orders, at Wakwella , Galle recently. The Sri Lankan airlines service has defaulted loan payments after taking loans from the State Banks. At this rate , the Banks are bound to crash. These three Banks can only resurrect our economy , but they are on the contrary crashing , he lamented. Fiscal administration and discipline are vital for a country. But in SL in most areas these have been befouled. Why is this ? When appointing heads for Institutions they should be carefully chosen. Owing to the issues revolving around the Executive everything is in a muddle. It is the Parliament that should be responsible for Fiscal control. By saying this DEW Gunasekera indirectly aimed a barb at the almighty Executive. Lanka e news revealed that an American Bank - CitiBank is ceasing operations in SL and is leaving . Some time ago , Bank of America too closed business and left these shores. It has by now been confirmed that the Rajapakse family is securing confidential information from Banks of account holders’ details without the knowledge of the account holders and even without court orders. Consequently , Sri Lankans who are abroad have suspended their Bank deposits . Incidentally , the UNP Gen, Secretary , a few months ago disclosed that the Govt. is plunged in chaos and crises economically , and will not be able to go on for more than a few months clinging on to this economic muddle.

Why do Sri Lankan ‘patriots’ love Social Polarisation?

Photo by AFP, via Sri Lanka Brief

 Riza Yehiya--23 FEBRUARY 2013

Since the end of war in 2009, Sri Lanka has become a country full of zealots and patriots singing the song of country first, religion first and race first. Imponderably, the result that reaped due to this zealotry and patriotism is a fragmenting country along religious and racial lines, religions being hijacked by extremists and rising racial discriminations destabilising a once homogenous nation built on centuries of religious, ethnic & social harmony and pluralism.

Sri Lankan society is homogenous though religious and ethnic diversities are present. This is due to the centuries of cohabitation of the Sinhalese, Tamils and Muslims contributed to by cross pollination of values and ethos that homogenised heterogeneous grouping as Sri Lankans. Ethnocentric identifications as prevalent now or identity as homogenous Sri Lankan were non-existent prior to the advent of the colonialists. In the pre-colonial Sri Lanka, identity did not matter for recognition but allegiances in the feudal setup did. Therefore racial or religious identities were not politicised then as of now. Hence we see in history a confluent society of pluralist nature.

The seeds of diversity and social polarisation were first sown by the colonialists as a strategy to divide and rule the colony. An Historical Relation of the Island Ceylon  written by Robert Knox published in 1681 is an anthropological study critically identifying cultural, social, religious traits and other dissimilarities and differences of the people of Ceylon and sensitises and highlights the differences between people as conflicting as opposed to identifying similarities and confluences amongst its citizens to engender cohabitation and social harmony.

The colonialists used the science of anthropology as a tool to elicit differences between people and cultivated such differences as elements of identity, power and recognition resulting in producing a fragmented society that competed against each other and conveniently falling prey to the ruse of the colonialists helping to effective divide and rule of Sri Lanka.

During this time patriotic Ceylonese from across the religious, social and ethnic divide spurned such divisions and fought to rid the country of the colonial yoke as a united body. Their struggle to liberate the country was not centred on racial or religious superiority but on the moral high ground of liberating the country for its citizens to live free of colonial fetters. History is replete with examples of how the Sinhalese, Tamil and Muslims fought in unison against colonialism until the colonial masters found amongst Ceylonese compatriots some who became mercenaries working for them, later  to be identified as ‘Brown Sahibs’.

During the post colonial period, the Brown Sahibs who took the rein of the country were no different from their colonial master with the exception of their skin colour. They not only inherited a polarised nation but also perpetuated the status quo for their own benefits and manipulated social divisions to keep their grip on power at the cost of society. They failed to embark on a nation building programme of bridging different communities together, instead they set one community against the other in the name of patriotism and nationalism which resulted in the dominant minority Tamil community to start a separatist war that bled the nation for more than three decades.

With the exception of the few hitherto, most of our post colonial patriots have been and remain to be scoundrels who sacrificed the youth of our nation as cannon fodder in a war that benefited the political elites and rarely its citizens. Had they not been scoundrels and true patriots, the post war administration should have done justice to the sacrifices of the armed forces and the citizens from all sides of the conflict. Instead, the victory of war was marketed as a trophy to strengthen the political elites than rebuilding a fractious nation.

Sri Lanka today is more polarised that during the war. During the war, social polarisation was less seeming and the war was often branded as a conflict between the state and non state separatist LTTE where LTTE became a common enemy to all inclusive of certain segments of the Tamil population.

Post war Sri Lanka has become directionless, socio-economic anomalies aggravating, rising unemployment, systemic failure in education, health and other sectors debilitating,  corruption and lack of good governance rampant. In this scenario of failing Key Performance Indicators in the country, the ruling elites and the government are answerable to the suffering of the people. The government and the political elites’ lack of capacity and infatuation with power has distanced the people from the centre and leading to political bankruptcy challenging the elites. The political elites, instead of coming with pragmatic solutions to the sufferings of the people are seeking devious means to prop-up their power. This phenomenon of propping-up their power without answering national imperatives was evident since Independence in 1948. One after the other,  successive governments, instead of answering the inherent structural problems that confronts the citizens, have used race, religion, language and other differences as a tool to set one against the other thereby effectively preventing the unity of the people for the common good of the nation.

Now in 2013, the state of the Sri Lankan citizens has not changed since 1948, they are yet seeking a land of plenty and freedom with peace and serenity which the political elites promised since 1948. Ups and downs of history since 1948 have come and gone, 71’s & 89’s JVP insurrections, three decades of war against Tamil separatists, the Tsunami and other pegs of history are sufficient enough for us as Sri Lankans to redefine our society, a society free of divisions, parochialism, intolerance and polarisation and a myopic world view of the islanders. Imponderably, the question lurks why has this not happened, why are we divided and why is polarisation current?

We are a sinking society in the name of great civilizations, as most often not, today those who advocate them are scoundrels and not patriots, as the cliché goes, ‘there is no better bush to hide a scoundrel than a Cossack’. Scoundrel in society in the garb of patriots sold religion and race and no doubt very soon, the powers behind the Bodu Bala Sena and Sinhala Ravaya whipping Buddhist extremism will be evident to the people that they are none other than bankrupt political elites using another devious means to extend their power.

Social polarisation advocated by the extremist forces is a threat to the nation; it damages the social ecology grown from time immemorial. Forceful redefinition of society fragments it and renders it unsustainable. Interdependency, mutual trust and free mixing of people builds a viable sustainable society. Isolation, ostracising and discrimination destroy the very foundation of our well matured pluralistic society. The conflicts that ensue as a result of these misadventures cannot be ended by a war; instead it will be mutually assured destruction to all and sundry.

This threat to the Muslim community is a challenge to this nation. This is not from the mainstream Buddhist community that has a time tested relationship with Muslims. It is from purpose made Buddhist extremist groups working as mercenaries to prop up failing political elites, consciously or unconsciously serving foreign interests than the hallowed purpose of protecting Buddhism. Muslims must take note that based on the time tested relationship with the Buddhists in the past, the future can be chalked out together to build this nation free of extremism on all sides. In this time Muslim must extend support to the mainstream society to fight extremism in all its forms and manifestations and work with the patriotic forces in society to build this nation and to get rid of the scoundrels masquerading as patriots.

Neo-fascism on the rise in Sri Lanka

If Buddhist extremism is left unchecked, the existing peaceful ties between the island’s Sinhalese and Muslims could only lead to violence and an ethnic war

Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa-February 23, 2013

Whipping the mob into frenzy during the demonstration in the capital, the mob leaders exhorted the crowds to become a vigilante Sinhalese self-appointed civilian police force against Muslim practices and businesses.“From today onwards, each of you must become an unofficial civilian police force against Muslim mannerism. These so-called democrats are destroying the Sinhala race,” Gnanasara Thero, one of the mob leaders exhorted at the frenzied crowds. He also vented anger against evangelical Christians who, he claimed, were attempting to perpetuate Christian extremism in the country.

Another leading Bodu Bala Sena monk said that pluralistic values had robbed the Sinhala people of money, jobs and enterprise. “This is a Sinhala country; there is a global principle that minorities must reside in a country in a manner that does not threaten the majority race and its identity.”

Issuing a direct challenge to the government, the Bodu Bala Sena general secretary said the organisation would give the administration until March 31 to ban the halal certification.

“Don’t make us take the law into our own hands,” the monk announced in his ultimatum, pledging to commence a relentless anti-halal campaign until the government announced the ban halal products by March 31.

The Buddhist extremist group has been leading the charge on virulent anti-Muslim sentiment spreading in Sri Lanka that has led to several incidents against members of the Muslim community in recent weeks. Last week, Muslim shop owners in Narammala in the Kurunegala district received letters threatening them with death if they fail to vacate their places of business by March 31.

In January at another rally, orchestrated demonstrations against ‘halal’ labelled foods, Muslim owned businesses and Muslim places of worship were targeted by organised groups of Buddhist militants in the northwestern province of Wayamba.

Those protesters were more ominous in their intentions. Taunting and cheering, they carried highly provocative effigies. The demonstrators who went in procession with these offensive placards and effigy attempted to taunt and provoke the Muslims of the town. The police would not take action against such highly provocative taunts, assuming that it was sanctioned by high levels of the government.

If left unchecked, the actions of such fringe group of fanatics trying to inflame the existing peaceful relations between the island’s Sinhalese and Muslim population could only lead to violence. Although the Muslims in the north watched, muted and restrained, it is only a matter of time before these fanatic radicals go berserk with their pent up resentment and hatred towards Muslims, and lead the island into an ethnic war.

While the majority of Sinhalese Buddhists is indeed peace-loving and has been living in harmony with other minorities over the centuries, the plague of militant Buddhists in recent days is gaining a strong foothold throughout the country. These are dangerous times. History so often tells us of how the good conscience of a silent majority has been swept away by the vicious rhetoric and actions of a militant minority.

In sharing a common religion with the island’s minority Muslims, Gulf Cooperation Council countries have a vested interest in ensuring their safety and security. The persecutions that have begun to form against them can in no certain terms be tolerated. The benign tolerance exhibited by the Sri Lankan government towards these militant groups must be viewed with alarm.

Sri Lanka is a recipient of a sizable mass of its national budget from the remittances of its workers in GCC countries. The GCC also provides most of the island’s energy needs. Many in the Gulf have been frequent visitors for tourism and business. So far relations have been harmonious.

But Gulf leaders must get the message across to the Sri Lankan government: The island must not embark on the perilous road of violent racial and ethnic divisions that could lead to unrestrained violence against not only the Muslims, but the other minorities on the island as well. Failure to heed that message must be compensated by strong action.

This is not an issue of sovereignty, but one of humanity.

Sri Lanka Muslims try to defuse halal meat row

M.I.M. Rizwe (R), the Sri Lankan All Ceylon Jamiyyathul Ulama (ACJU) Mufti, speaks to reporters in Colombo on February 21, 2013. AFP PHOTO

Haveeru Online 

COLOMBO, Feb 23, 2013 (AFP) - Islamic clerics in Sri Lanka tried to calm religious tensions Thursday by telling stores to sell halal meat only to Muslims, after protests by hardliners from the nation's Buddhist majority.

Food manufacturers have long labelled all their products "halal" for convenience, meaning until now non-Muslims have not had any choice in the matter.

Some Buddhists argue they should not be forced to consume food that is prepared according to Islamic religious rites. They say the halal certificate represents the "undue influence" of Muslims and is an "affront" to non-Muslims.

Muslim clerics said a boycott of halal products organised by the hardline Bodu Bala Sena, or Buddhist Force, had created tensions that could erupt into full-blown violence in a country still recovering from decades of ethnic war.

The All Ceylon Jamiyyathul Ulama, Sri Lanka's main body of Islamic clergy which issues the halal certificates, asked retailers to ensure that certified products were offered only to Muslims.

"We want to promote peaceful co-existence and harmony," ACJU president Mufti Rizwe told reporters in Colombo, as the organisation called for stores to have separate shelves offering halal and non-halal food.

The clerics' move to defuse tensions came after thousands of nationalist Buddhists staged a rally last weekend to demand that all shops in the country clear their stocks of halal food by April.

Nationalist Buddhist monks and their supporters also launched a campaign to boycott halal-slaughtered meat as well as other products that carry a halal certificate.

The halal method of killing an animal requires its throat to be slit and the blood to be drained.

President Mahinda Rajapakse, who is a Buddhist, urged monks not to incite religious hatred and violence, amid reports of a wave of attacks and intimidation targeting Muslim businesses.

The Buddhist Force has distanced itself from the violence, saying there are "duplicate groups" pretending to be itself and stirring up trouble.

Sri Lanka's ethnic civil war claimed at least 100,000 lives between 1972 and 2009, when Tamil rebels were crushed in a major military offensive.

Less than 10 percent of Sri Lanka's population of 20 million are Muslim. The majority are Sinhalese Buddhist, while most Tamils are Hindu.

Illegal hiring of SL maids continues SUNDAY, 24 FEBRUARY 2013  Brokers and labor offices in Saudi Arabia are continuing to promote recruitment services of housekeepers from Indonesia and Sri Lanka despite an announcement by the Ministry of Labor that negotiations for recruitment are still ongoing. Recruitment from these countries was suspended following a series of incidents involving housemaid abuse. “These offices are run by brokers who take advantage of the growing need of citizens for domestic help,” said Nasser Abu Serhud, head of the international company for recruiting. He called for cracking down on such offices, especially in light of the fact that their main objective is to obtain quick cash illegally. On the other hand, an official at the Labor Ministry stated that negotiations with Jakarta are still ongoing. At the same time, he stressed that the minimum wage for domestic help was fixed at $ 400 (SR 1,500) within the framework of the agreement signed by Manila, which differs from those announced by these offices and brokers. Citizens have been receiving text messages via Watsapp with names, phone numbers, and email addresses of offices that have begun recruiting business from Indonesia, claiming it is a new system instated by the Labor Ministry. In these messages, they offer contracts for a period of two or three years with a monthly salary of SR 800.(Arab News)

Dead men do tell tales

Dead men do tell tales

Photo courtesy Sri Lanka Guardian

Groundviews

Ranil Senanayake-24 Feb, 2013

Watching the current commentary on the mass grave in Matale “There are allegations that the bodies are those of victims of a small pox outbreak from a hundred years ago, while others believe they may be those killed by a flood some years ago.
” Makes one wonder if we are all suffering from a collective amnesia. The suppression of the JVP insurgency by the government was not just vicious in action, a sort of tit-for-tat killing for ‘their’ viciousness, it was a time when the sadists of our nation were given free reign to enjoy themselves before killing countless innocents. ‘Innocents’?, one may ask. Many people still consider all the dead of that time as hard core revolutionaries who were on a killing spree, but having been a witness at a dinner, to the response of a ‘brave’ leader of the time defended the criticism of ‘excessive force, with the answer “You fellows just don’t understand, if ten percent of the people taken out are hard core JVP, we will have broken the back of this revolution and you will be saved”. It was chilling, especially as I had listened the day before, to Mr. Edirimanne a manager of a warehouse, who had to spend nights separated by a wall from a police station by the river. He was shaking’ “ I know I have to stay here to do my job, but it is very difficult. Every night people are brought to a room on the other side of the wall from me. It begins with shouts and the sounds of people being hit, the screaming and begging begins, but the hitting goes on until the screams die down to a whimper that accompanies the dull thuds, when the whimpering stops something is dragged and the next thing I hear is the splash of something being thrown in the river “. Was this someone from the 10% or from the 90% who could never realize why they deserved such a fate?

Living in Mirahawatte the spectre of decapitated heads mounted on stakes, lining the Welimada road and the regular burning bodies by the Malpotha Bridge made for surreal commutes. Broken, burning bodies along roadsides were commonplace at that time. As I lived in the village, I knew well, terrified rural parents, having their children spend the nights hiding in the fields to try to save them from the killers. I wonder if anyone living in Matale (or any other town for that matter) ever remember anything similar? Have we all lost our memories?

To consider the mass graves at Matale with surprise, must mean that we have forgotten the reality that many of us experienced. It will be a tragic forensic inquiry that will tell how these people died. Were they all young?

When the killing was in full swing, one had to be deaf and blind not to see the horror. Railing over the injustice of what was being done, at whatever fora I could find, earned me, shadowy jeeps parked outside my home late at night. Then came the stories, whispered in fear, of people being doused with petrol and being handed a match to strike a light, of barbed wire and polythene tubes, of sadists taking a delight in visiting torture camps to see the ‘sport’ for themselves.

Much later, during Chandrika’s bid for presidency the posters with photographs depicting these horrors appeared throughout the nation. But true to form, the crooked politicians only used them in a cynical manner, this evidence served only their political ends to gain power, the deeds and the photos were forgotten soon after.

At that time some politicians shed tears for the violence and oppression, but looking at the delight that they display today in the oppression of all people, it is clear that these were very much tears of the Crocodile variety. Once in power they were as bad as the ones they pointed accusing fingers at.

To a nation that values giving merit to the departed, no action to remember or give merit to the dead has been encouraged, in fact such activities are violently discouraged. We have become the ghouls that we accuse everyone else of being. All of the killers, torturers and those who reveled in that horror past, still stalk the corridors of power. No amount of propaganda can ever wash this blood from our hands. Only an honest and truthful reconciliation process with full accountability can!

We are constantly in a state of denial. ‘How can we a Buddhist nation ever stoop to such inhumanity ?’ ,‘ We can never do those terrible deeds !” But now, like an accusing finger from the past, the bones of the tortured emerge at Matale. Confirming the fact that we can and that we did these terrible deeds, even at this late stage can be become honest with ourselves ? or will it take others to ignominiously drag the truth from these and other future graves, place a mirror before us and force us to face our demons?

Written Statement to UNHRC : Sri Lanka: The need for the preservation and proper inquiries into the remains of about 200 bodies found in the mass grave at Matale

Written Statement to UNHRC : Sri Lanka: The need for the preservation and proper inquiries into the remains of about 200 bodies found in the mass grave at Matale

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 23, 2013

1. The ALRC and its sister organisation, the Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC), have documented numerous cases of enforced disappearances to the state of Sri Lanka and to the UN Working Group.

2. The question of enforced disappearances in Sri Lanka has been a matter of concern for the Working Group for a long period now. The particular issue that the ALRC wishes to highlight in this submission is the finding of the remains of around 200 bodies at Matale, which is under investigation by the Sri Lankan authorities. According to forensic experts who have so far done the preliminary work, the remains of the bodies indicate injuries and therefore the experts now regard the site containing these remains as a crime scene.

3. The assumption so far is that these remains are of persons who were arrested as suspects of the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna during the period of its second uprising, known usually as the second insurrection. The period was between 1987 and 1991. According to the reports of the commissions of inquiry into involuntary disappearances there were complaints to these commissions of disappearances of persons numbering around 30,000.

4. Now that it has come to the notice of the authorities of the discovery of these remains in what may be called a mass grave it is the duty of the state to conduct thorough inquiries into the circumstances under which these persons have suffered the injuries which are evidenced by their remains and to ensure a credible course of action leading to the discovery of all the details relating to the alleged crimes.

5. An inquiry must be able to ascertain the identity of the persons whose remains have been found; where they were arrested if these persons were disposed of after arrest, what is the nature of the injuries indicated on the remains and what the historical circumstances that led to their treatment that in turn led to these injuries. Such information should finally lead to the identity of those who caused these injuries which led to the death of these persons. Once such factual details are established it would be possible to decide the course of action needed to ensure justice.

6. However, there are serious concerns about the manner in which the remains are being preserved and also the manner in which the inquiries are being conducted. There are detailed processes and techniques essential for the scientific investigation of atrocity crimes. These include methods for the location, evaluation, excavation, recovery, and recording of mass graves and the analysis of human remains and other evidence in order to establish the identity of victims and the cause and manner of their deaths.

7. The ALRC suggests that the United Nations Working Group on Enforced Disappearances should, through their experts, study the situation and the conduct of inquiries relating to the remains of the 200 or more persons found in Matale, Sri Lanka and assist the Sri Lankan government to ensure that these inquiries will meet the international standards required for such inquiries. The ALRC also suggests that the international community should assist the Sri Lankan government with expertise, equipment and the necessary financial resources for the proper conduct of investigations as well as the preservation of these remains under ideal conditions, which are required for such purposes.

8. The ALRC is concerned that if such international cooperation is not extended there is the possibility of the neglect of these remains which may lead to their destruction as a whole or in part and also that if the remains are not preserved under proper conditions their evidentiary value may progressively degenerate.
- ALRC

Sarath Fonseka Is Bluffing On War Crimes

By S. V. Kirubaharan -February 23, 2013

S. V. Kirubaharan

A reputed newspaper in the United Kingdom, “The Independent”, published a disturbing news item and an article on 18 February 2013, under the headlines, ““Handed a snack, and then executed: the last hours of the 12-year-old son of a Tamil Tiger” (Photographs show boy was held before he was killed at close range) and “This is proof, beyond reasonable doubt, of the execution of a child – not a battlefield death”. The author of this news item is Callum Macrae, director of “No Fire Zone: The Killing Fields of Sri Lanka”.

The article establishes how 12 year old Balachandran, an innocent child, son of the leader of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam – LTTE was brutally killed. The first photograph shows him sitting in a bunker, alive and unharmed, apparently in the custody of Sri Lankan troops. Another photograph, taken a few hours later with the same camera, shows the boy’s body lying on the ground, his chest pierced by bullets.

While the civilised world is ashamed and denouncing the inhumanity of this cold-blooded killing, ex-army commander of Sri Lanka Sarath Fonseka is bluffing and denying this War Crime. Sri Lankan PresidentMahinda Rajapaksa is Commander in Chief of the Sri Lankan Security Forces and one time good pal ofFonseka.

Analysing the statements of ex-army commander Fonseka, it can be easily understood that his statement on the inhumane killing of 12 years old Balachandran has no value, but is pure bluff. His present statement seems rooted in political expediency during his apprenticeship political career, and in hunger for power.

It is not surprising that this dishonest ex-army commander has joined Rajapaksa in an attempt to divert the attention of the international community. There is no other way to save the Rajapaksa brothers and other culprits from allegations of war crimes and crimes against humanity, than the ex-army commander posing as an opponent of the government, making unrealistic statements regarding this inhumane act.

In an exclusive interview to the Daily Mirror in Sri Lanka, Sarath Fonseka said on 19 December 2009:

“I was personally supervising down to a very low level. But those who did not know, how we fought the war, who were just trying to pass down irresponsible instructions and trying to deal indirectly, not indirectly, unprofessionally with the junior people, secretary of defence tried to contact the junior commanders in the field, never heard these systems in any armies. In disciplined armies, you don’t do that. So he was trying to deal with direct people, talking all nonsense, giving wrong instructions, like ’don’t disfigure the white flags and various things. He thinks that’s heroism or something. If you say, ‘go to hell, if white flag, kill every bugger… everybody.’ Something like that, is not leadership, this is you known trying to, without knowing the job, trying to behave a ‘cardboard hero’. That is the manner he has been behaving. But they were not carrying out those stupid instructions, but they were carrying out my instruction. I had tight control throughout the war and they behaved very well and I don’t think there were any abuses. I saw in an American report, I will give you the reference later on that says the secretary of defence has admitted there were abuses from the government side during the war. So to whom is he referring, when he says government? The government did not fight the war, the military fought the war. So in other words, he says there were abuses from the military, he has said that, to those US official. So we will get that report out, one of these days”.

In this interview and in many other interviews, Sarath Fonseka admitted that secretary of defence Gotabaya Rajapaksa was bypassing him and directly in touch with a few army commanders on the ground. Likewise, the secretary of defence Gotabaya Rajapaksa acknowledges the same.

Given this dual reality, how can Sarath Fonseka have the audacity to make the following categorical statement on 20 February 2013, to the Daily Mirror : “About these pictures I don’t know, we had no knowledge about this youngest sons whereabouts when I was the Army commander during my time and I can give the assurance that the Army had no information of his youngest son” he said.”

If he can speak with such certainty, why does Sarath Fonseka use terminologies such as : “I don’t know……I think……. To my knowledge,…..” ?

Can he deny that the bunker where the 12 year old Balachandran is sitting alive and unharmed, belongs to the Sri Lankan Army?

The question is, how can Sarath Fonseka give his assurances regarding this incident, whereas when he referred to the White Flag incident to the “Sunday Leader” of 13 December 2009, he stated that “Gota Ordered Them To Be Shot”. This news item again clearly indicates that, Sarath Fonseka had no clue about much that was happening during the last days of the war.

The same news item of 13 December 2009 revealed that, ‘General Fonseka said it was Basil Rajapaksa together with the Defence Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa who through foreign intermediaries conveyed a message back to the LTTE leaders who wished to surrender to walk out carrying a piece of white cloth. “It was their idea,” he said’.

Sarath Fonseka’s latest statement gives rise to serious doubts as to whether he is aiming for the impending vacant position of Prime Minister.

While the international community received confirmation from President Rajapaksa on 4 February 2013, that there will not be any political solution to the Island’s bloody conflict, many may have missed the fact that Sarath Fonseka expressed the same view in an interview on 28 December 2009.

Fonseka said that, “…thirteenth amendment is now out dated. It was dated 20 years ago, during the war. Now we have better understanding within the communities. We have better respect towards communities. There is no mistrust…all the communities to live together, like take example from America, how blacks and the white live together. They live like one country one nation…Still live together as one Nation…”

This is the man who polled more votes in the last Presidential election, from the Tamil areas, the North and East, than from the South. This is how every politician from the South cheats the Tamils.

There are only a very few honest politicians from the South who consider that Tamils have grievances and that there must be a durable solution to the long-standing political issue.

Meanwhile those who worked internationally with the Sri Lankan government on the subject of child soldiers, must be ashamed at the hypocrisy and crocodile tears of the Sri Lankan government. They wonder, if such heinous brutality can be inflicted on one child of 12 years, what else would have happened to others?