Regime’s intelligence division of the Forces throw Weliveriya victims from frying pan to fire
(Lanka-e-News-15.Aug.2013, 11.30PM) The MaRa regime had sent its intelligence division of the forces to the households of the people of Weliveriya and threatened those who have lost their dear ones, got attacked and sustained injuries following the brutal shooting and assault launched by Murderous regime’s forces .

These groups that had gone to these households have intimidated and threatened that they should not take legal or any other action . They have tried to point out to the people who suffered that these atrocities were a result of a conspiracy of the Tamil Diaspora , and therefore if they are pursuing any action against the attackers , it will be tantamount to treason. 

These days Weliveriya is replete with Forces’ intelligence division spies of the regime so much so that one cannot walk without avoiding brushing against a regime’s spy . According to the residents , this is like the people who were forced to drink acid water by the brutal regime, being forced from the frying pan to the fire by the same ruthless regime. No matter what threats are posed they would be rising against the injustice and cruelties that are perpetrated on them , the residents vehemently stated.

Global repercussions for businesses too

Weliweirya killings:

– Eran

by Zacki Jabbar-August 15, 2013,

 Social unrest seen in different parts of the country can only be tackled by an inclusive approach, whether in business or politics, UNP MP Eran Wickremeratne said yesterday.

Wickremeratne told The Island that high-handed approaches were bound to fail even though there could be a perception of success, after the army had used excessive force to disperse a protest by Weliweriya villagers, who were asking for clean water.

While responsibility for the killing of three young persons including two schoolboys and injuries to 60 persons as a result of indiscriminate firing by the army lay with the government and the Ministry of Defence, inevitably there would be repercussions for businesses in general and the company accused of contaminating ground water in particular, he said.

The MP said that a commercial venture had many stakeholders, customers, shareholders, lenders, suppliers, government and society. He observed that by society it did not mean only those living in the immediate vicinity of a business but could refer to the global community too, depending on the impact a business has on people and the environment.

A business could not be managed only for private gain or shareholder returns. The social cost and social benefit had to be assessed. Well managed companies continuously monitored the environmental and social impacts. Those who provided capital globally were generally concerned about ethical investments and protection of the environment for future generations, Wickremeratne said.

SRI LANKA: The military should make inquiries from soldiers and not from the people

August 16, 2013

On August 15 (yesterday) people from Rathupaswela, Weliweriya, were asked to go to the army camps in order to record evidence from them. The people did not want to go to the camps for obvious reasons. Previous reports revealed that the people are afraid that those who are witnesses to the events which led to the killing of three persons and assaults on many others would become targets of reprisals. Some people sought the help of the Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka which, it has been reported, has intervened and made arrangements for the statements to be recorded at police stations.

The military is supposed to be conducting an investigation into the events at Rathupaswela, Weliweriya. The military should first collect evidence from the soldiers and the officers who participated in these raids. They are the ones who best know what they themselves did. It is to be assumed that the officers will reveal the actual facts to the military inquiry. Even under normal circumstances it is the duty of the commanding officer and all others who participated in the raids to report on every matter accurately. It is on that basis only that the military can function as an organised force working within the framework of the law of the country.

Every gun that was signed out, every bullet issued is supposed to be taken only after the making of proper records in the prescribed registers. It is every soldier's duty to report on the use of their weapons if they are, in fact, used. If the injuries were caused in the course of the use of their weapons it is the duty of the officers to report this to their lawful authorities. Therefore there should be no secret to the military about how any injuries that were caused by the use of their weapons came about and who was responsible. This is information that the military should gather from their own sources. If the military is unable to get this information from their own soldiers then there is a severe breakdown of military discipline. By now the military should have a clear record of the commands that were given and how they were carried out.

As for the assaults on the people, again the officers who carried out the assaults should have by now revealed the details of their actions to their authorities. If whatever they did was on the basis of orders given then there should be no difficulty for the soldiers to report on how they carried out their orders. There should be no difficulty for the commanding officers to report by now as to whether whatever orders that were given were properly carried out or whether there were excesses. If there were excesses what those excesses were and who was responsible.

There were at least three deaths. The military authorities by now should know who fired the guns which caused these deaths. Have the soldiers kept to their military regulations, particularly in terms of the use of minimum force in the use of their weapons? If they have, in fact, violated the rules what was the manner of such violations and who are the responsible officers that did such violations?

All these are matters that the military should resolve on their own. This is not a situation like catching thieves or challenging the people to say that if you have evidence show what wrong we have done. This is not a relationship between criminals and those are victims of crimes. This is a situation of the country's armed forces and the nation's citizens. Whatever function that the military has performed had to be on the basis of their official position. Whatever has been done in an official position should also be revealed as the official regulations require.

Trying to go behind the people to collect information about what the military has done is a farce. The military should find out from the military itself what they have done. If the military is incapable of doing that then the people have a right to ask what kind of military they have.

The Asian Human Rights Commission is aware that the witnesses are living in fear of reprisals. Their fear is well-founded on the basis of common experiences. If the military is trying to pursue them to find out who the witnesses are with a view to dealing with them in the future then that will only worsen the wounds of people who are already shocked by what took place and the deaths and injuries they have suffered.

It is also shocking if the military is trying to take over the functions of the police. Inquiries into complaints of civilians are a matter for the police. If the police functions are to be usurped by the army it is again a clear indication of the militarisation that is taking place in the country.

It is for the high command of the military to inquire into the reasons for the military to ask people to go to their camps. It is up to them to stop such acts which cause further fear and disturbance among the people.

Blackmailing The Tamils: Rejoinder To Jayantha Gunasekara, PC

By Dayan Jayatilleka -August 16, 2013 

Dr. Dayan Jayatilleka

Mr Jayantha Gunasekara PC has sought to refute my criticism of his recent piece which appeared in the Features page of the Daily News, of Tuesday, August 13^th, 2013 under the caption ‘TNA! POLICE POWERS A WAY TO HURT WESTERN PROVINCE TAMILS’ and bore the subheading ‘Catering to LTTE Diaspora’. In his reply, Mr Gunasekara PC has helpfully provided his bio-data too.

Having read his original article I had raised two questions. They were and are:

• Are the Tamils of the Western Province regarded as potential hostages in the event of a TNA victory in the Northern Provincial Council and a legitimate assertion of Constitutional rights by that Council?
• Is a veiled threat being issued through the state media that Tamils in the Western Province will be targeted if the TNA and the Northern Provincial Council do not behave with due obsequiousness?

In that article Mr Gunasekara PC, wrote: “…Tamils who live in the Western province will have to exert pressure on the TNA, not to endanger their businesses, their properties and their liberty by the TNA catering to the LTTE diaspora agenda, for a mess of pottage.

It is common knowledge that the TNA do not represent the Sri Lanka Tamils…

…They are instructed as to the manner in which they should act, to achieve a SEPARATE STATE OF TAMIL EELAM, through Police and Land Powers. This is High Treason.”              Read More

Reply To “Red Alert: Is A Black July Being Threatened Through The State Media”?

A Tamil boy stripped naked and later beaten to death by Sinhala youth in Boralla bustation |pic by Chandraguptha Amarasingha

By Jayantha Gunasekera -August 16, 2013 

My attention has been drawn to a convoluted analysis of my article which appeared in the Daily News of  13.8.2013..  This analysis has been placed on the website by one Dayan Jayatillake.

Jayantha is no pseudonym.  I am available in flesh and blood if Dayan wants to meet me.  To introduce myself, I am a President’s Counsel appointed by the J R Jayawardene Govt, 25 years ago (in 1988), and a former elected Secretary of the Bar Association of Sri Lanka.  I received my primary and secondary education at Royal College, Colombo and have as my classmates many  Sinhalese, Tamils, Muslims and Burghers.  Two of my Tamils classmates are Chelvanayagam Vasiharan a maths prodigy ( son of S J V Chelvanayagam the TULF leader) and Kumar Ponnambalam (son of G G Ponnambalam QC the Leader of the Tamil Congress). We are a very close knit group of friends.

No right thinking Sri Lankan will sympathise with the LTTE  Diaspora who have done  and continue to do much harm to our country.  They extracted money from innocent Tamils and supplied weapons to Prabha’s “boys”, to kill innocent Tamils, Sinhalese and Muslims.  They set the economy back by at least 25 years and all Sri Lankans are suffering the consequences.  They continue to extract money  from the Tamils.I have not entertained communal feelings nor do I expect others to act on communal lines.  I am only against the LTTE and the LTTE Diaspora who have made our lives a misery for 30 years. 

   Read More

VIDEO: ACTIONS OF A FEW DISCREDITING THE ENTIRE ARMY – MANGALA

The United National Party today charged that the ruling government is launching its acts of “terrorism” across the nation not only through politicians affiliated to them, but also though a selected group of police and army personnel. 

UNP MP Mangala Samaraweera claims that the government has selected certain groups from the country’s military and police force to carry out what he called as “Rajapakshika” terrorism.

He stated that the entire country witnessed the terrorism unleashed by a selected group of army personnel during the recent Weliweriya incident.

He alleged that it was these “Rajapakshika terrorists” who fired shots and attacked residents of Rathupaswala who demanded clean drinking water.

Stating that another issue has now surfaced in Weliweriya, the parliamentarian claimed certain military officers are arresting residents in the area who had witnessed certain acts of violence. 

The “hunt” for innocent people in Weliweriya has still not finished, Samaraweera said.

The MP said he is not blaming the entire police or the entire army but only the few who cannot safeguard the respect of the uniform they wear.

He said that country is cursing the entire army due to the actions of a few. 

Police inaction: Rishad sends IGP CCTV footage

Grandpass mayhem:

* Demands impartial investigation -August 15, 2013

Industry and Commerce Minister Rishad Bathiudeen has demanded a high level investigation into the alleged failure on the part of the police to disperse mobs responsible for causing damage to a mosque and several houses at Grandpass recently.

 Minister Bathiudeen has also forwarded a DVD containing CCTV footage depicting what he called police inaction, while reminding IGP N. K. Illangakoon that the latter assured an impartial investigation if evidence was produced to substantiate the allegation.

The following is Minister Bathiudeen’s letter to the IGP: "This is further to the meeting at the Ministry of Buddha Sasana and Religious Affairs, held on August 11, 2013, chaired by Ministers Dinesh Gunawardena and A. H. M. Fowzie. I wish to thank you for assuring a prompt and impartial investigation on Police inaction at Grandpass if evidence is placed at your disposal.

"I enclose herewith a DVD containing CCTV footage where police inaction is clearly evident. Given your verbal assurance, at the said meeting, to look into allegations of police inaction, I forward the enclosed DVD for your attention and necessary action.In addition to this, there are several residents in the area who are themselves eye witnesses to police inaction. Muslims view the inaction on the part of the police as co-operation in the attacks on the Mosque.

As an elected representative in this government, I find these allegations disturbing and a matter of serious concern. I also find the evidence against the police overwhelming and warranting a high level investigation/inquiry.

"There are also a number of eye witnesses who had seen armed hoodlums attack the Mosque, enter the sacred precincts of the place of worship, attack the worshippers and thereafter getting away under the watchful eye of a number of police personnel on duty around the Mosque.

"This is not the first tame that Muslim and non-Muslims have made allegations that the Sri Lanka Police has failed to perform its duties impartially when it comes to disadvantaged groups. Failing to address this issue and continuing this trend of attacks will not only be an encouragement to those who wish to create conflict within Sri Lanka but will be a permanent blemish on the country and its people. It would also be an indelible blot in the history of the Sri Lanka Police. These are consequence that I as a member of the Cabinet of Ministers would like to avoid.

"Therefore, I am confident that you will honour your assurance and commitment and immediately launch an investigation/inquiry into the failure of the Sri Lanka Police and its officer present at the scene, to prevent the attack on the Mosque and residences in Grandpass, Colombo 14 on August 10, 2013, and to take appropriate action to apprehend the offenders who led the attack on the Mosque.

"If you need any further assistance in this regard please do not hesitate to contact me personally.

"The citizens of this country look forward to an early and decisive action on your part."

Namal takes charge of the local milk mafia

Details

 

Created On Friday, 16 August 2013 06:41

Category: Exclusive

The President’s son Namal Rajapaksa and a group of racketeers are behind the massive media campaign being carried out against milk powders containing whey protein and DCD, it is reliably learnt.

While calling on the authorities to ban any milk powder carrying such harmful substances, we would like to reveal the truth behind the campaign. It is the Mawbima Lanka movement which promotes local products that is behind the campaign against milk powder carrying chemical substances. Theoreticians of the movement, racketeer in the Colombo Stock market, Dilith Jayaweera, Leader of the National Freedom Front, Minister Wimal Weerawansa and Editor of The Nation newspaper, Malinda Seneviratne have a few weeks back handed a special project report to Namal Rajapaksa.

The report had shown the outflow of the country’s foreign exchange through the purchase of foreign milk powder and the benefits of promoting local fresh milk, which in turn would help the local farmers and the Sinhala Buddhist community. Following this move, it was Malinda Seneviratne’s The Nation newspaper that published the first report on chemical substances in milk powder. Minister Wimal Weerawansa’s Lankacnews website also commenced the campaign.

Using the pressure caused by Mawbima Lanka’s media campaign, Namal had asked Minister Johnston Fernando to conduct tests on milk powder through the Consumer Affairs Authority. The group had also convinced Namal to direct the Health Ministry through Health Minister Maithripala Sirisena to carry out a separate investigation into milk powder.

It was the head of Triad advertising and stock market racketeer, Dilith Jayaweera who had set up a local milk powder mafia headed by Namal Rajapaksa. He had also managed to get on board the owner of Cargills Group and Kotmale Milk Products, Ranjith Paige and the owner of Pelawatte Milk Products, Ariyaseela Wickremanayake, owner of Laugf gas W.K.H Wagapitiya,Owner of Nature’s Secret, Samantha Kumarasinghe and owner of Raigam Products, Ravi Liyanage were also introduced to this new group as future investors.

The brain behind this entire programme is Dilith Jayaweera. His sole intention is to get the advertising accounts of the above mentioned companies to Triad under the guise of promoting local fresh milk. Dilith Jayaweera had recently met with the marketing heads of the local fresh milk companies and explained his advertising campaign to them. Advertisements promoting local milk for the print and electronic media are currently being produced by the advertising company.

We also admit that local fresh milk is better than powdered milk. Unfortunately, even something good in the country happens according to the agenda of some person. It is true that 90% of the world consume fresh milk in liquid form. However, the concept is given to Sri Lanka by a local fresh milk mafia.

After getting rid of Fonterra’s Anchor milk, the plan is to get rid of billionaire Catholic businessman Harry Jayawardena’s Lakspray milk. Plans are already underway to take over Jayawardena’s Ambewela Milk Company in the same manner UNP National Organizer Daya Gamage’s Sevanagala Sugar Company was acquired by the government.

Allegations are to be made against Jayawardena that he was packing imported powder milk instead of using Ambewela fresh milk. The main reason is that Jayawardena is a Catholic and a Chandrika Kumaratunge supporter. Owner of Cargills, Ranjith Paige has not faced any issues in this manner since he is friends with Namal Rajapaksa.

It is in this backdrop that Paige had purchased a large stock of cheese from Ariyaseela Wickremanayake’s Pelawatte Milk Products that was unsellable.

We will expose more details about the local milk mafia in the next few days.

Namal is not only a synthetic lawyer , but even a human smuggling black coated shark
(Lanka-e-News-16.Aug.2013, 4.00PM) A Sri Lankan who is now in the custody of the Australian government for attempting to immigrate into Australia illegally by boat made a confession to Lanka e news that he paid Rs. One million to Namal Rajapakse, the notorious synthetic lawyer towards this illicit human smuggling. 

When the Australian government tried to deport the illicit immigrants to SL , one of them , Vitharan has cut his hand with a sharp instrument , and protested against his being sent back. He was immediately hospitalized . While in hospital a Lanka e news correspondent was allowed to speak to him . 

Vitharan had then made a confession that he got in the boat at Tangalle . As he entered the boat he had given Rs. One million to another individual, and that night Medamulana Namal Rajapakse M.P. had arrived there to collect the monies. Namal after speaking with those in the boat for a while had assured them that they will be secured.A Navy boat had provided security to the boat and its passengers until it passed the SL territorial waters .

May we recall that Lanka e news on the 8 th reported that Namal with his brother Yoshitha Rajapakse a Naval officer , and an opposition M.P. are engaging in this illicit human smuggling business. Moreover , towards this the Naval Commander is aiding and abetting.

In order to suppress this scandal , and to rescue the true culprits from implication in these charges, four members of the Naval force were arrested yesterday citing the ground that they were involved in these illicit immigration operations . Among those arrested are three naval officers of the signal division while the other belongs to naval civil division.. The Matara division crime unit has taken them into custody. The police claim that these arrests are a camouflage drama to protect the real culprits.

Clash of civilization in Cairo and Grandpass

Friday, 16 Aug 2013

Twenty years have passed since Samuel Huntington wrote his 1993 seminal essay, Clash of Civilization, which he later expanded into a ground breaking book, Clash of Civilization and the Remaking of World Order.

Clash of Civilization in Cairo and Grandpass by nelvely

Court orders removal of sign board

FRIDAY, 16 AUGUST 2013 

Pelassa Magistrate Namal Perera ordered the Moulavi of the Paragahadeniya Grand Mosque in Mawathagama and the Road Development Authority yesterday, to remove the sign board erected in front of the Mawathagama Paragahadeniya Mosque, which reads, ‘Mosque ahead- keep silence’, within 14 days.

The magistrate also ordered that, after removal of the notice, the matter be reported to the magistrates’ court. His order follows a complaint made to court by the Mawathagama Police.

The OIC of the Mawathagama Police Station, Inspector Deshabandu Senaratne pleaded from court that the notice be removed on an order under number 98 of police regulations, in order to avoid an uprising of the Sinhala Buddhists of the area.

Meanwhile, a suspect named Mohamed Hassim Samsudeen, described as a teacher attached to Theliyagonna Hisbullah Central College, Kurunegala who had been arrested for allegedly damaging the notice board was ordered by the magistrate to be remanded until August 21.(Pushpakumara Jayaratne)

Related Link:

• Teacher damages mosque board

New law to prohibit publications defamatory of the major religions

FRIDAY, 16 AUGUST 2013 

The Buddha Sasana and Religious Affairs Ministry is to introduce a new law seeking action against publications, either in print or online, that defames the original teachings and traditions of the major religions, officials said yesterday.
 
As a first step in this effort, the Ministry has drafted a bill that provides for the establishment of a Buddhist Publications Regulatory Board with authority to regulate any publication that is in violation of Buddhism, its philosophy or traditions.

The Board, if established under the proposed bill, will have two ex-officio members — the Ministry’s secretary and the Commissioner General of Buddha Sasana. Besides these, there will be other members: one member will be nominated by each of the Mahanayakes of the four chapters (Malwatta, Asgiri, Amarapura and Ramagna), each of the heads of the departments of Pali and Buddhist Studies of four major universities will also nominate one member, and the subject minister will nominate another two.

Ministry secretary M.K.B. Dissanayake said that this bill was now with the Attorney General pending approval.

“After approval by him it will be sent to the Cabinet of Ministers for approval,” he said.

Mr. Dissanayake said the Board would have the authority to specify standards, norms and criteria that should be adhered to in written and oral Buddhist publications. It would also have the power to examine any Buddhist text to see whether it conforms to the Buddhist teachings and traditions practiced in Sri Lanka.

Once the new bill is enacted to deal with publications regarding Buddhism, another law is to be introduced to deal with publications that are contrary to the original teachings of other religions. (Kelum Bandara)

Before The Spectre Of Idiocy Takes Over Sri Lanka

By Kamaya Jayatissa -August 16, 2013 

Kamaya Jayatissa

“You only lose what you cling to.” -  Lord Buddha

This piece is a response to Ms. Shenali D. Waduge’s recent article “The Existential Fears of Buddhists in Sri Lanka must be given high priority and addressed without delay” published on August 13^th, in Lankaweb. Having read the article and the even more dangerous comments it gathered, I could not help myself but feel outrage at each line, or should I say each word, I had the misfortune to read.

The one and only sentence on which I agree with in Ms. Waduge’s article is when she says that “A spectre is haunting Sri Lanka”. As for the rest of the article, I could only feel disgusted at each argumentative point that was developed in it. According to the author, Sri Lanka is on the verge of getting overrun by Muslims. Sri Lanka is indeed on the verge of getting overrun but not by Muslims. The island is actually about to get overrun by ethno-religious detractors who, instead of talking in their own name, are talking in the name of both the Sinhalese and the Buddhist communities. Unfortunately, one cannot label the author, her article and its like-minded readers as ultra-nationalists or racists anymore because their so-called “existential fears” go beyond any possible form of extremism. In fact, it goes to the extent of becoming pure idiocy; a desperate behaviour that will end up labelling Sri Lanka in the worse possible manner in the eyes of the international community, with repercussions that might last for quite some time –especially among its allies in the Middle East. And, in this sensitive post-war transition, this is the last thing Sri Lanka needs right now. Not to mention that the UN HRCis to meet in Geneva next month; shifting the international focus on Sri Lanka once more before the CHOGMSummit this November.

To Ms. Waduge and her followers, I wish to say that, being a Sinhalese and a Buddhist myself, the only time I feared for survival in my beloved country was when it went through a three decade long protracted civil war. A war which tore apart communities that once used to live together, in peace and harmony. A war in which every Sri Lankan lost one of their own –irrespective of their religion or ethnicity. A war that I never want to see happen again because of the narrow-mindedness of a few. And yet, given the recent incidents and hate speeches displayed on the public sphere (especially through the media), I now fear that the peace we have all been longing for will never see the light due to idiotic and disrespectful behaviours such as the recent Grandpass incident; behaviours which I must confess are quite “brilliantly” illustrated in the irrational figures laid out throughout the said article.

Harmonizing Coexistence And Sustaining Development

By Arjuna Seneviratne -August 16, 2013 

Arjuna Seneviratne

All human activity on earth attempts to find safer, more stable and more comfortable environments to exist in and can be broadly lumped under the heading “human development”. The trouble is that every group has its own sweet idea of what comprises  “a better way to live” and thus, clashes will naturally occur and equally naturally, the more powerful minorities trundle over everyone else,  monopolizing what flies and what dies, what becomes policy and what does not. Mostly, that which flies and that which becomes policy, secures for them the lion’s share of human and natural resources required to um… “live better”.  This, despite the obvious fact that it goes against the very grain of natural justice. This, despite the fact that due to brutal exploitation of earth recourses over the last few centuries we are now on the brink of destruction. In order to turn it around, we need to understand what “environment” is, what “development” is and what the current human bias is when it couples these two words together.

This post is rather drawn out, definitely rambling in content and perhaps muddling in meaning but do bear with me. The “things of nature” explained in the previous post requires a bit of meandering and quite a few stops to smell the humus for it to make any sense at all 

As we all know, the “environment” is a combination of three intrinsically bound components, namely, social, cultural and natural environments and “development” is a combination of three more such – environmental, community and economic development.

.Read More

Egypt and Thailand: How is the ‘good coup’ going?

By Bangkok Pundit Aug 16, 2013 

After the coup in Thailand in September 2006, there was frequent mention that it was a “good” coup  – see here, here, here, and here, and we saw similar mention by a number of people after the coup in Egypt last month as blogged about here. Yes, there are differences as noted in that post:

A supporter of ousted Islamist President Mohammed Morsi shoots a slingshot against Egyptian security forces during clashes in Rabaah Al-Adawiya in Cairo's Nasr City district, Egypt, Wednesday. Pic: AP.

Egypt and Thailand How is the ‘good coup’ going by nelvely

Boys and Girls

Andrew O’Hagan-8 August 2013

At the juvenile detention centre in Kandahar there are two sets of children. The first are riotous and loud, arrested for theft and other crimes of that sort. When you give them a piece of paper and ask them to write down the reason they are in prison they simply scratch lines into the paper or scrunch it up. They can’t write. The second group are silent. But when they take the sheet of paper they begin to write the most beautiful script, their sentences full of fire and argument. These are the child jihadis and their mothers tell them they will succeed next time.

The prison isn’t big on vocational training but they had some sewing machines before the man who operated them disappeared. Some of the boys are as young as ten and there is no education and too little water. But ‘the political boys’, as the guards call them, are keen to point out the legality of their activities from their point of view. The Afghan government, for reasons nobody understands, aims to move the children to a new site near Sarposa prison, a Taliban-rich area where adult inmates once sewed up their mouths in protest at what they believed was their unlawful detention. Evidence suggests that detained children are physically abused in these prisons. A boy who steals a pomegranate may steal another one and end up next to a kid who knows the quick way to another world.

One boy, Beltoon, came from the province of Paktia. The families in his village competed over whose sons would be sent to the madrassah. ‘You do not love your son, you do not teach him in the ways of Islam,’ the elders would say to parents who kept their sons at home. A counsellor I spoke to, Dr Shah Mohammad Abed, told me there has been a change in the villages: many elders now believe that the world has come to destroy Islam and they must fight back. Beltoon is 15: he was herding goats before his father decided he should go to the regional madrassah, where he spent nine months. The dean then asked for volunteers. Which of them wished to have ‘advanced’ education in Islam in Pakistan? Beltoon’s father and his uncles told him that this meant a better education.

‘Would he understand,’ I asked, ‘that going over the border would mean military training?’

                                                                                                                    More

PAKISTAN: Serial rapist and stalker assisted by Sindh government; a Christian nurse living in fear as influential person tries to force her to marry and convert to Islam

August 16, 2013

PAKISTAN: Serial rapist and stalker assisted by Sindh government; a Christian nurse living in fear as influential person tries to force her to marry and convert to Islam

ISSUES: Violence against women; religious minority groups; intimidation; forced marriage; death threats; impunity

Dear friends,

The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information that a young Christian nurse and her family members are facing threats and harassment from a former assistant to a minister of Sindh province, an influential landlord, who is trying to convert her to Islam and marry him. The nurse has been threatened with a disfiguring acid attack, among other things, if she does not marry him. They have also attempted to abduct her from her workplace. She has had to keep moving from hospital to hospital. The Catholic community in Sanghar district is in fear and expecting an attack from Muslim mob as the provincial government and police are providing full protection to the perpetrator. The man has already kidnapped and raped several Hindu girls from nearby villages but, because of his influence on local police and magistrates, he has never been caught. The Karachi police have also filed a case against the nurse and her parents for stealing cash and gold from the house of perpetrator.

CASE NARRATIVE:

Ms. Nazia Masih, 27, a Catholic Christian by faith and a nurse by profession, is hiding from an influential landlord and the police from the Sanghar district. The landlord and perpetrator, Ghulam Mohammad Korai (alias Ghulam Mohammad Bhatti), claims himself to be the assistant to Sharjeel Memon, Provincial Minister for Information, and uses district administration and the police for his own, sometimes criminal purposes. He felt insulted when the nurse refused to marry him and convert to Islam.

He was an assistant to the Minister for four years but last year he was removed from the post. He still introduces himself as an assistant to the Minister and even the provincial administration and police treat him as a high government officer.

Hindu and Christian community members claim that Ghulam is known in the district as someone who has already abducted, raped and forcibly converted local Hindu women to Islam. Those who dared to report him for rape were unable to obtain justice.

Nazia was a resident of Padri jo Goth, Sanghir district, a village for Catholic Christians. She completed her nursing course and joined Chiniot Hospital, Karachi. Ghulam was stalking her during her studies. After completing her studies, she wanted to take a job in Karachi, as her family had always felt insecure in Sanghar. However, Ghulam, while still assistant to the information minister, followed and attacked her at the Chiniot hospital. He was drunk and with his goons. He demanded that she should be handed over to him, claiming that she was his wife, and that he wanted to take her home. The hospital authorities refused to hand her over after seeing the condition of perpetrator. Then he started threatening hospital authorities and Nazia through telephone calls.

Nazia left the job and joined another hospital, National Hospital, at Kalapul in Karachi. Ghulam carried out the same attacks there, and whenever the hospital authorities complained to the police, they were told that he is an influential man. Nazia also had to leave that job. She joined an official government hospital, Liaquat National Hospital, Karachi. On at least one occasion he tried to abduct her from there through his goons. In the meantime, some landlords of the area approached her parents, asking them to marry her to Ghulam, saying that he will convert her to Islam and give her superiority over his first wife. When her parents and siblings rejected the offer, the landlords threatened to abduct her.

Nazia’s parents decided to marry her with a Christian and on the day of engagement, May 27 2013, Ghulam attacked the ceremony with a big contingent of police and claimed that she was his wife. Police wanted to arrest her and her fiancé but the elder Christians and church people intervened and it was decided that her father and brother be arrested until the time Ghulam brought his marriage documents. Ghulam failed to bring papers, saying that all were burned and that there was no evidence, not even a photograph. Nazia also filed a First Information Report (FIR) against Ghulam Mohammad for harassment and death threats but the Sanghar city police station refused to file the FIR against him as he was an assistant to the Minister.

Nazia filed an application in the Sanghar session court and on July 21 the judge favoured her position when, again, Ghulam could not prove his marriage with her. The judge asked the police to provide protection to her and her family, and held that they should not be arrested. But the Frere police, Karachi, issued a warrant of arrest against Nazia on the complaint of perpetrator, who claimed that she was his wife and that she and her sister had stolen money (Pk Rs. seven hundred thousand), along with gold jewelry. She and her lawyer contacted senior police officers and informed them about the case in detail, including the orders of the session court. She also filed an application in the provincial High Court of Sindh for her protection. In the meantime, her lawyer, Dliawar G Bhatti, was also attacked by unknown persons as he was coming out from the High Court building.

The victim, Nazia, and her family is terrified and in hiding, moving from place to place. Ghulam is continuously chasing Nazia with the help of the local administration and police. He remained special assistant to two different ministers in the province.

SUGGESTED ACTION:
Please write letters to the following authorities calling them to provide protection to Nazia Masih, a Christian nurse, and her family from the former assistant to the Minister of Information and Minister for Minorities, who is harassing, intimidating and trying to threaten the young Christian into marriage. Please also urge them to take stern action against Ghulam Mohammad and also conduct inquiries into the provincial Minister of Information for patronizing the perpetrator, who harasses girls from religious minority groups.

The AHRC writes a separate letter to the UN Special Rapporteur on the Question of Religious Minorities groups calling for his intervention into this matter.

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