State Media Says ‘Vulture Media” Provided Oxygen For The Fire

June 21, 2014-Rajpal

Sri Lanka’s state owned daily English newspaper – Daily News, has built a conspiracy theory around the violence that erupted in Southern Sri Lanka last week, blaming a ‘foreign hand’ for orchestrating the anti-Muslim violence.

Daily News Editor Rajpal Abeynayake, has drawn comparisons between the violence that erupted inAluthgama and Beruwala and the covert operations carried out by the US to create a regime change in Cuba.

“If in the US they could go to the extent of creating something that mimicked Twitter in the hope that it would reach a ‘critical mass’ from which point they could launch an Arab Spring in Cuba, who is the sleepwalking simpleton who may think it is not credible that there was a foreign hand that totally orchestrated the events of last week with the same goal they had in mind in Cuba, that of affecting regime change?” Abeynayake has questioned in the editorial.                                                                    Read More

‘அதாவுல்லா’ காக்கா மறைந்தார்…? : கவிஞர் பொத்துவில் அஸ்மின்

‘அதாவுல்லா’ காக்கா மறைந்தார்….
——————————————————-

எரியுது எங்கள் தேசம்
நாங்கள் உழைத்தது அனைத்தும் நாசம்
அரசியல் வாதிகள் கோசம் 
அரைநொடியிலே கலைந்திடும் வேசம்

மீனுக்கு தலையினை காட்டி-தினம்
பாம்புக்கு வாலினை ஆட்டி
கொடுக்கிறார் அரசுக்குக்கூட்டி
அதை சொல்லுது ‘அஸ்வரின்’ பேட்டி

‘அதாவுல்லா’ காக்கா மறைந்தார்-நாம்
அழிந்தபின் அலுத்கம விரைந்தார்
பாராளுமன்றத்தில் கொதித்தார்-பின்
பகைவனின் சேலைக்குள் ஒளித்தார்.

‘ரிஸாத்தின்று’ நடிக்கின்ற நடிப்பு-அட
சிவாஜியும் தோற்கிற நடிப்பு
‘அரசுக்கு தூக்குறார் செருப்பு’-அதை
நினைக்கையில் வருகுது சிரிப்பு…!

மாமி செருப்பால அடிச்சும்
மாமா ‘ரவுசர’ உரிஞ்சும்
மருமகன் தலைவர் ‘ஹக்கீம்’-அவ
மகள்ட மடியிலே படுக்கார்.

கழுதைகள் எம்மை நெருக்க
எம் கடைகளை அடித்து நொறுக்க
உலகமே அதனை வெறுக்க-இன்னும்
உலக்கைகள் அரசிலே இருக்க….

‘வட்டரக்க விஜித தேரர்’
‘பாலித தேவர பெரும-உங்க
சிறுநீர் கொஞ்சம் கொடுங்க-எங்க
சிரங்குகள் வாயில் பருக்க..

-கவிஞர் பொத்துவில் அஸ்மின்

Fireworks in Cabinet over Aluthgama riots

By Dharisha Bastians-Saturday 21st June 2014

• Muslim ministers want Bodu Bala Sena banned.
• Champika defends Bodu Bala Sena.
• President claims banning BBS would make hardline monks ‘heroes’.

Discussions during the weekly Cabinet meeting got heated on Thursday (19) with Muslim Ministers Rauff Hakeem and Rishard Bathiudeen engaging in fierce arguments with President Mahinda Rajapaksa and the JHU.
The Muslim ministers were demanding that the Bodu Bala Sena (BBS) be banned for inciting racial and religious hatred and violence and that the Government takes action against the group’s General Secretary, Gala-godaaththe Gnanasara Thero, the Daily FT learns.
According to highly-placed ministerial sources, Hakeem and Bathiudeen claimed that the monk’s fiery speech laced with derogatory remarks against Muslims had incited the religious riots in Aluthgama last Sunday that left four people dead, scores injured and resulted in extensive damage to property, most of it belonging to the Muslim community.
JHU Minister Cha-mpika Ranawaka argued strongly against banning the Bodu Bala Sena alone, and said Sunday’s violence could not be attributed directly to the group or its rally.
Minister Bathiudeen also told President Rajapaksa that Sri Lanka’s worst communal violence since 1983 had happened under the watch of the current Government, the sources said.

According to senior cabinet ministers, the arguments had been some of the worst experienced during the weekly meetings. President Rajapaksa, who was in Bolivia during the Aluthgama and Beruwala riots, had returned to Colombo early Wednesday and was chairing the Cabinet meet, the sources added.
Repeated calls by the two Muslim Ministers for a proscription of a ban on the BBS had been refused, with President Rajapaksa saying a proscription would turn the hardline monks into ‘heroes,’ the ministerial sources said.

Sinhala Extremists Hijack Daily Mirror Newspaper On Aluthgama Riots

Champika Liyanarachchi

June 21, 2014

The Daily Mirror newspaper edited by Champika Liyanarachchi which failed to report on the anti Muslim violence in the Aluthgama area for the past five days published a series of pictures in its newspaper today of Sinhala homes that had been damaged in the violence on Sunday.

However it published a series of photographs of Sinhala families whose homes had been damaged in the riots while JHU MinisterChampika Ranawakawas on a visit to a Sinhala settlement in the Dharga Town area in its Saturday edition.The newspaper editors had claimed the under reporting of the religious riots in the south were born of a desire to refrain from inflaming communal tensions further in the light of the incidents, sources within the Daily Mirror Editorial told Colombo Telegraph.

“It has exposed our prejudice. We are standing for aggressors of minorities we will stand up for the majority community but never ever for the minorities” a journalist at Daily Mirror told Colombo Telegraph.

The journalists said that it was a grave miscarriage of justice to fail to report on the fate of Muslims while attempting to portray the victimisation of the Sinhala community alone.

“We could have balanced it and written about it but we just stayed silent” the reporters said.

The newspaper has come into serious criticism for its failure to effectively report on the anti Muslim violence the past week. It has also condemned the social media users for updating about the violence on their private networks. The Daily Mirror position on social media has been no different to that of the state media newspaper Daily News which called Twitter users ‘vultures‘ for their reports on the issues in Aluthgama.

Saturday’s report and pictures of Sinhala settlements attacked were published under the title US creating another Taliban in Sri Lanka – words of JHU Minister Ranawaka who claimed the US was not taking a stronger stance on Muslim extremists operating in Sri Lanka.

Liyanarachi is alleged to be on intimate terms with the JHU minister Champika Ranawaka.

Is Muslim identity a liability in Sri Lanka?

Although President Rajapaksa pledged action, the affected people are not convinced and want BBS banned [AFP]

Rising attacks against Muslims by Buddhist supremacist groups raise questions about community’s safety.

21 Jun 2014

Ameen Izzadeen

Never again 1983! Sri Lankans had so resolved after the horrors of the July 1983 - the darkest and the bloodiest month in the island nation's post-independence history, the month that plunged this country into a 26-year separatist war, the month that brought an international shame on the South Asian country.

Is Muslim Identity a Liability in Sri Lanka by nelvely

Everything ready for Gnanassara’s melodramatic arrest : only Gota must give the date

(Lanka-e-News -21.June.2014, 7.30PM) The IGP, police media spokesman and Minister of media ,Keheliya Rambukwella have made all the arrangements to make a melodrama of the arrest of Gnanassara of BBS , and are awaiting the instructions of criminal defense secretary Gotabaya Rajapakse for the date to make the arrest , according to information reaching Lanka e news inside information division. 

The preliminary discussions in this regard was held at the defense Ministry last Thursday following the cabinet media briefing. Gotabaya , IGP, police media spokesman , Minister Keheliya and a senior DIG participated in this discussion.

At the discussions it had been proposed that Gnanassara of the BBS shall be arrested before a big din and function because it is being questioned by Muslim Ministers and peace loving citizens why Gnanassara is not being arrested in spite of all these criminal involvements . In order to curb and control the pressures brought to bear on the government , it was suggested that Gnanassara be arrested before a blaze of media publicity and a function. 
It was discussed that after the arrest of Gnanassara , some other BBS monks and a civilian , and wide media publicity given , the situation will return to normal. 

When the police media spokesman had stated , ‘Sir, this is an excellent opportunity to demonstrate our transparency.’ Gotabaya had replied , ‘ we cannot allow the Thambis to dance as they want. What was done at Alutgama was very good . Now we must do something in a manner that will not incommode our forces.’ (making the arrests). I shall be informing the date. In all probability it will be a Monday or a Wednesday.’ 

Keheliya undertook to make the necessary arrangements for the melodramatic display and publicity. They are to be given live coverage over the television channels. But there is an impediment to this , as the police media spokesman had been coordinating with Gnanassara when the Muslims were being attacked and their properties destroyed most ruthlessly and with impunity at Alutgama and Beruwala.

During the Cabinet media briefing that same day at noon , when the media questioned , why the BBS leaders were not arrested when they were inciting the people to racial violence and mayhem , even before at various places like how they provoked them at Alutgama , the IGP gave a most crude and rudely shocking answer : he said, they cannot take action until the damage is done . There ought to be laws to take action against the organization, but that is only after the wrong is committed. What a wonderful answer from the IGP , the highest in the hierarchy of country’s law enforcement Institution ? 

A high rung officer of the same police force on the other hand revealed , the IGP is misleading the people on purpose . Under Sri Lanka penal code , unlawful assembly , conspiring or instigating such activities are crimes under section 101 , 113 b , 138, 140, 290, 290 b, 291 b , and 332 , and those laws are already operative. Hence , if the IGP is saying there are no laws to take action against Gnanassara and others who are obviously liable under the aforementioned sections of the penal code , this IGP is not worth his salt and is not deserving of his official post, the same police officer pointed out with regret. 

The high rung police officer also pointed out that if Gnanassara is taken into custody on the above charges he cannot be enlarged on bail . 

Upon inquiries made by us from a senior attorney at law , he said with a hearty laugh ,if Gnanassara is to be truly arrested even all the criminal charges mentioned in the penal code are not enough, for he is guilty of charges singly and collectively ,even more than all those incorporated in the code.

Some Civil Society Questions for Bodu Bala Sena (BBS)

by Thrishantha Nanayakkara 

- on 06/21/2014 

The Facebook (FB) group called “Buddhists Questioning Bodu Bala Sena (BQBBS)” once compiled a list of questions for BBS through a lengthy consultation period with its online members. I volunteered to mediate between BQBBS and Dilanthe Withanage of BBS to pass these questions to him to initiate a dialog. However, due to the busy schedule of BBS, answering to these questions got delayed by months. Since I am no longer on FB, I am not sure if these questions were later answered directly on FB. In any case, I wish to post the questions again here on Groundviews, so that a fresh dialog can be started. It is pertinent than ever before, given the widespread violence in Sri Lanka at present.

Some Civil Society Questions for Bodu Bala Sena (BBS) by nelvely

Sri Lankas Failure To Respond Darusman Report

By Rajiva Wijesinha -June 21, 2014

Prof. Rajiva Wijesinha MP

The failure of government to respond sensibly to the Darusman report and the unfair attacks on the Sri Lankan and UN leadership during the conflict

Given the various responses being now made, officially and unofficially, to the appointment by Navi Pillay of a panel to look into Sri Lanka, I thought it would be useful to look at how we got ourselves into this mess. The fountainhead of the proceedings against us in the UN Human Rights Council was the Darusman Report, which we reacted to foolishly. Instead of reading it carefully, understanding what precisely was going on, rebutting the many falsities and exaggerations in it, and dealing ourselves with the few items of substance, we engaged in indiscriminate aggression combined by sanctimoniousness that never seemed sincere.

What we should have done instead was deal with the issue forthright. The President realized when Darusman came out that sensible responses were needed, and immediately put me on the team to negotiate with the TNA, as well as on the Inter-Ministerial Committee to implement the interim recommendations of the LLRC. However, as noted previously, when negotiations were proceeding more successfully than previously, it was made clear that I was not welcome on the team.                                   Read More

The Premadasa Assassination

By Rajan Hoole -June 21, 2014

Rajan Hoole

Political Murders, the Commissions and the Unfinished Task – 3

The suicide bomber who killed

 Premadasa on 1st May 1993 was said to be Kulaveerasingam Veerakumar (23) alias Babu, from Jaffna. Nearly all the details given to the Press came from Amarasena Rajapakse, DIG, CID. He had the distinction of being kept on extension 3 years past the mandatory retirement age of 60 by the Premadasa government. He disclosed in a statement to the Press on 4th June, that at 12.45 PM on 1st May while Premadasa was supervising a feeder procession for the UNP May Day rally at the Armour Street-Grand Pass Junction, Babu left his bicycle near Premadasa’s vehicle and walked towards Premadasa. Three of Premadasa’s security men tried to stop him, when his valet E.M.P. Mohideen signalled the security men to let Babu pass. Just then, Babu exploded a device strapped to him, killing besides himself, Premadasa, Mohideen, SSP Ronnie Gunasinghe and several others. Evans Cooray, a journalist who usually accompanied Premadasa, is said to have survived because he went to make a telephone call.                      Read More

Muslim Council of Sri Lanka request to ban BBS

Thursday, June 19, 2014

The Muslim Council of Sri Lanka calls to immediately investigate the actions of all extremist groups and ban those who have been carrying out a campaign of hate, intimidation and violence against Muslims, Christians and other religious minorities.In a letter to the President, the Muslim Council said that recent incidents have heightened fears that violence will spread and that Muslims will come under attack, resulting in deaths and injuries, the destruction of businesses and homes, and the mass flight of Muslims from their homes and communities.

The Muslim Council of Sri Lanka

19^th June 2014

His Excellency Mahinda Rajapaksha

President

Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka

Presidential Secretariat

Galle Face,

Colombo 1

Your Excellency,

The Muslim Council of Sri Lanka calls upon your Excellency to immediately investigate the actions of all extremist groups and ban those who have been carryout a campaign of hate, intimidation and violence against Muslims, Christians and other religious minorities. The incitement and provocations have been well documented and are available in the public realm. The consequences as witnessed in Aluthgama and Beruwela this week, but also during periodic flare-ups in several other places, have been dire.Appeals made to the police and other authorities by several Muslim groups and the Muslim politicians to stop the rally in Alutgama that preceded the attack wasnot heeded.  We feel that it is necessary and urgent that the climate of impunity with which these groups have been permitted to act thus far is challenged. We urge decisive action by your Excellency’s Government to restore and uphold the rule of law in this country. It is necessary that a culture of respect for ethnic and religious tolerance– a part of this country’s rich and ancient heritage –is endorsed and encouraged at the highest levels. Five years after the end of the war as this country attempts to strengthen peace, democracy and development under your leadership, this violence and hate threatens to undermine the stability that serves as the foundation for the progress of Sri Lanka.

The BLACK June 2014 for Muslims in Aluthgama and Beruwela reminds us of the black July of 1983, where thousands of Tamils lost lives, livelihood and their properties. The recent incidents have heightened fears that the violence will spread and that Muslims in other areas will come under attack, resulting in deaths and injuries, the destruction of businesses and homes, and the mass flight of Muslims from their homes and communities.Immediately after the pogrom in Aluthgama,extremists had organized a rally in Mawanella on the 18^th with provocativemessages on leaflets. It was with a court order that the rally was stopped. On the 17th,a rally was organized in Badulla which led to damages to two shops.Organizing these rallies during the troubled times shows the intention of the extremists. There has been a strategic build up to this violence during the last two years by the Bodu Bala Sena, the Sihala Ravaya and the Ravana Balakaya. Your Excellency, the violence in Aluthgama and Beruwela is not something that happened spontaneously, but was a well planned and coordinated assault to attack the Muslim community and their economic base.

Extremists continue to inflame and incite violence against the Muslims and other religious minorities, and this must be stopped. It is important that, under your Excellency’s able leadership, Sri Lanka will not repeat the same mistakes of July 1983. This country cannot continue to witness private feuds being turned in to racial violence. Therefore we urge you to commence an investigation into these groups’ activities, including into the hate speech, inciting violence and direct involvement in violence, and ensure that they function within the law of this country.  We also urge your Excellency to ban any group that continues with hate campaigns and inciting violence.

The Muslim community are committed citizens of this country and your Excellency’s decisive and immediate action at this juncture will reinforce their faith in your Excellency’s resolve to ensure that all communities will be treated as equal citizens of this, our blessed nation.

Thanking you for your kind consideration.

Yours sincerely

N M Ameen                                                        Asker Khan              

President                                                            Secretary

SRI LANKA: Mahanayake Theros needs to demonstrate courage & intervene to stop the violence

June 19, 2014

It is to the credit of some Buddhist monks that they have taken active role in extending support and protection to the Muslims victim to vicious attacks across Sri Lanka. The attacks began after the Secretary of BBS, Reverend Galagoda-Atte Gnanasara Thera, spoke at a recent meeting at Aluthgama.

SRI LANKA Mahanayake Theros Needs to Demonstrate Courage & Intervene to Stop the Violence by nelvely

STF Were Given Orders To “Protect Procession” On Sunday

June 21, 2014

The Colombo Telegraph now reveals that the Special Task Force who were deployed on Sunday morning in Dharga town and Aluthgama received specific instructions to “protect the procession”, resulting in them adhering to the orders and firing tear gas towards the Muslims.

Gotabaya – Secretary MOD

Only 900 STF officers were deployed to provide security.

The orders were to protect the procession from the attack of the “Muslims” instead of protecting “anyone against violence”.

The orders resulting in the Special Task Force officers giving protection to the mob and dispersing the Muslims who had gathered or were resisting and fighting the mob.

Many residents told our on the spot correspondent that the STF colluded with the mob and were attacking the Muslim youth.

However, Military sources confirmed that they had no option and were following orders that they received.

Military sources on the ground told the Colombo Telegraph that the alleged catalyst to the incident could not be “the stones pelted by the mosque”.

“if it was so then how did the mob simultaneously start torching and attacking in Aluthgama, Adikarigoda and houses inside Dharga town. If this was the catalyst then the riot should spread from the Dharga town mosque to the other places, it cant all happen at once”.

Further assertions were made as to how the mob was prepared with Petrol which was used for the arson.

“From where did the Petrol come from if this was a peaceful procession and it was the Muslims who attacked?” curfew was declared so there was no way petrol could have been brought from outside” they said.

Earlier UNP MP Palitha Thawarapperuma who was an eye witness to the scene and was assaulted according to him by ” those who follow the Drunkard Gnanasara” said that the Police and STF simply watched on as the mob ran rampage.

Palitha Thawarapperuma raising a privilege issue in parliament said that the Police and the STF simply watched while the ” thugs of the Galagodaaththes religion assaulted the Muslim”.

” I was taking 16 Muslims in my vehicle and there were mobs carrying swrods and poles while the Police and STF were around. The Police and STF simply watched them and did nothing and thereafter they attacked me. I thought one of the mothers would have died in my vehicle, a 9 month old baby was attacked by stones and I was rushing them to hospital” he said.

Detailing how he got involved at the time of the incident, he said he recieved calls from the parents of three children who were straded in a hostel.

” They had called the Police and the Police had said things I cant mention in parliament to these parents and they begged of me to help them. I am an elected representative and that why I went their. the Police knew this but they just watched on while the thugs who follow the drunkard Gnanasaras religion attacked the people” he said.

MR rejects call for banning groups over Alutgama mayhem

Bathiudeen, Weerawansa agree extremists on both sides

By Shamindra Ferdinando-

June 20, 2014

President Mahinda Rajapaksa has said that proscription of extremist organisations isn’t a problem, but such action does not guarantee that there won’t be further religious strife.

The President said so in response to leader of the All Ceylon Makkal Congress (ACMC) and Industry and Commerce Minister Rishad Bathiudeen, MP, (Vanni District) at last Thursday’s UPFA party leaders’ meeting at Temple Trees.

Among those present at the party leaders’ meeting were Ministers, Basil Rajapaksa, Nimal Siripala de Silva, Dinesh Gunawardena, Rauff Hakeem, Wimal Weerawansa, Champika Ranawaka, Dallas Alahapperuma, Susil Premjayantha, Dew Gunasekera, Tissa Vitharana and Prabha Ganeshan.

Minister Weerawansa participated in a Cabinet meeting after having skipped five in a bid to pressure the government to accept the NFF’s 12-point plan to change the direction of the ruling coalition.

Referring to a statement made by National Freedom Front (NFF) leader Wimal Weerawansa, MP, at the weekly cabinet meeting earlier in the day, Minister Bathiudeen urged the president to proscribe all extremist groups regardless of their ethnicity. Minister Bathiudeen said that extremist organisations should be banned as all agreed to the need for drastic action.

Minister Weerawansa told the Cabinet that Sinhala and Muslim extremists were responsible for the Alutgama violence. The NFF leader said that the problem could be solved only if both parties took remedial measures in the wake of the latest bout of violence.

President Rajapaksa pointed out that extremist actions couldn’t be tackled by arresting those violating laws.

The president alleged that there had been some serious violations of the Constitution by some members of the Tamil National Alliance (TNA). Although they could be arrested, such activities couldn’t be stopped, the president said, adding that those undermining the constitution would seek political gains in case the government arrested them.

When the cabinet took up Alutgama issue, SLMC leader Hakeem directly accused the Bodu Bala Sena (BBS) of carrying out last Sunday’s attack. The president pointed out that there were several other matters which contributed to this situation and all parties should act responsibly to defuse the crisis.

Minister Bathiudeen who had been at logger heads with the BBS leadership for some time alleged that members of the BBS weren’t behaving like monks. Their actions were an embarrassment to the Buddhist clergy, the minister said. The president stressed the need to settle the issue, while recalling the circumstances under which a certain Muslim religious leader made a disparaging remark about Lord Buddha. Such a statement could hurt feelings, the president said.

Minister Bathiudeen said that Muslim religious leader had been punished by the judiciary and the sect he belonged to too advised him against such talk.

The president said that the government wasn’t responsible for Alutgama mayhem promoting Minister Hakeem to say the Muslims held the police accountable for the situation.

Amidst fiery words Minister Weerawansa proposed a religious conference to iron out differences.

However, Minister Bathiudeen asserted that trouble erupted because the BBS launched a demonstration in Alutgama.

Responding to Bathiudeen, JHU heavyweight Minister Patali Champika Ranawaka said that they heard of an attack on a Buddhist monk. Speculation was rife that the monk was in a critical condition and that he could even die. "Therefore, I visited the monk and realized that there was no basis for this claim."

Minister Hakeem blamed the police for failing to take remedial action though posters appeared three days before last Sunday’s protest urging people to join the campaign.

Minister Ranawaka reacted angrily when Minister Vasudeva Nanayakkara alleged that the JHU was shielding the BBS.

Minister Bathiudeen reiterated that the BBS demonstration caused mayhem.

Minister Weerawansa pointed out that trouble started after missiles were thrown from nearby mosque at BBS members as they were leaving after the meeting.

The president said that action would be taken against all those responsible for violence irrespective of ethnicity.