India fears growth of fundamentalism in Sri Lanka after riots

(Newsweek cover photo)

Dipanjan Roy Chaudhury,

NEW DELHI: Security experts have expressed serious concerns over the recent riots in Sri Lanka, and have stressed the need for Colombo to take steps to control the situation, fearing that riots may be exploited by 'foreign elements' wanting to carry out a terror strikes in southern states of India.  Delhi is equally apprehensive the riots may have been encouraged by elements wanting to create a situation whereby the affected Muslims in Sri Lanka get marginalised and thereby offer a breeding ground for recruiting terror operatives. 

Britain’s House of Lords told Lanka’s local probe failed

Victims of war ( JDS)

Britain’s House of Lords was informed by the British Government that Sri Lanka’s domestic mechanism to address issues related to the war, had failed to meet expectations. Senior Minister of State at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office in UK, Baroness Warsi, during a debate on Sri Lanka at the House of Lords yesterday (Wednesday) said that UK remains concerned that the Sri Lankan Government’s national plan of action to implement the LLRC recommendations only partially covered the full range of recommendations and that, in turn, action taken by the Sri Lankan Government only partially corresponds to some of those recommendations.

Sri Lanka: Court summons JMO on Aluthgama postmortem reports

(Photo: Shehan Gunasekara)

 The Judicial Medical Officer (JMO) who submitted the postmortem report on one of the victims killed during the Aluthgama violence has been summoned to court after his report was disputed.

Lawyers had informed the Kalutara Magistrate’s Court today that the report by the JMO noted that the victim had died of cut injuries but there were indications he died of gun-shot wounds. President of the Bar Association of Sri Lanka (BASL) attorney-at-law Upul Jayasuriya said an order was also sought from the court to exhume the body.

UNHCR concerned over Sri Lankan boat people

The United Nations (UN) refugee agency today raised concerns over reports that a group of Sri Lankan asylum seekers heading to Australia were detained at sea and were most likely to have been sent back to Sri Lanka.

“Stop the promotion of hatred and faith-based violence” – UN rights experts urge Sri Lanka

Heiner Bielefeldt

GENEVA (2 July 2014) – Three United Nations experts on freedom of religion, minority issues, and summary executions today called on Sri Lanka to adopt urgent measures to stop the promotion of racial and faith-based hatred, and violence against Muslim and Christian communities by Buddhist groups with extremist views, and bring perpetrators of this violence to justice. More than 350 violent attacks against Muslims and over 150 attacks against Christians have been reported in Sri Lanka in the last two years. Muslim and Christian communities are reportedly subjected to hate speech, discrimination, attacks and acts of violence throughout Sri Lanka frequently.

Historic Fort Jumma Mosque on Chatham Street in Colombo High Security Zone Receives Parcel of Pork Pieces and Warning Letter.

Jumma Mosque

In a fresh instance of vicious religious hatred unknown anti-Muslim elements have sent a warning letter and pieces of pork to a famous long standing Mosque in the heart of Colombo city. The historic Fort Jumma Mosque on Chatham Street was the latest target in the anti-Muslim wave currently engulfing the country.

It is learnt that some unknown person or persons left a parcel and letter addressed to the Mosque authorities on the premises early this week.

Govt. ‘blatantly misinformed’ UNHRC about Aluthgama clashes: Muslim Council

Manisha Gunasekera lied to UN

◾Council fires letter to External Affairs Minister

◾Alleges Govt. informed Council in Geneva that violence was instigated by Muslims

◾Govt. statement in Geneva similar to versions propagated by ‘anti Muslim interests’

◾Geneva statement missed golden opportunity to stand against hate speech, violence: Council

Dharisha Bastians

Sri Lanka: EU calls for LLRC full implementation; Welcomes appoinment of experts to UN probe

The European Union (EU) today called for the full implementation of the Lessons Learned and Reconciliation Commission (LLRC) and advancing a sustainable political solution saying they are essential for peaceful growth and stability in Sri Lanka.

Sri Lanka: Do not touch us; BBS throw down the gauntlet!

Gnanasara

"UNP, Foreign Diplomatic missions and Muslim extremists behind Aluthgama incident"

The Bodu Bala Sena (BBS) yesterday admonished the government, the Opposition and the police, to not touch them, as it would be a move tantamount to digging their own grave. The United National Party (UNP), certain powerful foreign diplomatic missions and Muslim extremist organizations were behind the clear international conspiracy that orchestrated the recent communal clashes and religious riots in Aluthgama and Beruwala, the BBS intoned.

Sri Lanka: Victor Ivan reveals Gota's relations to Bodu Bala Sena

Ivan

With the defence secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa being blamed following the calamity in Aluthgama and Beruwala, it seems that he had informed Gnanasara Thera of the Bodu Bala Sena (BBS) to call a media briefing and distance him from the organisation, advisor of the Ravaya newspaper - senior journalist Victor Ivan  says.

Sri Lanka: Attack on Battaramulla inocent Muslim woman

A Muslim Lady was attack last sunday(29) 10.00pm at Battarmulla Junction Her Name Ms. Pathima has a small shop at Battramulla some elements thrown a stone she said she has narrowely escaped her face and eyesided affected this lady very innocent very poor. She every day selling Bettel (Buleth) this laday staying here last 65 years.

“Armed mobs attacked opposition M.P.'s vehicle with 16 Muslims while police simply looked on”-

''Mobs armed with swords and sand bottles, and so forth were on road sides about a kilometre from the Aluthgama fair while police was looking on. I drove the vehicle. There were five small kids, two pregnant women, three mothers, a girl, a boy and altogether there were 16. A police mobile was driven ahead of my van. Police was looking on as mobs armed with swords and clubs and so forth, attacked. The police mobile stopped at the place where the attack was taking place. The mobs also attacked my vehicle.'' -
Member of Parliament, Palitha Thevarapperuma

Army spokesman's attack on opposition MP Mangala Samaraweera: The Army getting involved in politics

Harim Peiris

Late last week we witnessed the scenario where the Army spokesman, a brigadier in rank, made the unusual claim that current UNP spokesman and former Rajapakse Administration Foreign Minister, MP Mangala Samaraweera had compromised national security by alleging at a press conference, that state intelligence agencies or at least some intelligence chiefs, were supporting the Bodu Bala Sena (BBS) and that the Aluthgama and Beruwela anti Muslim violence was in fact an organized operation with state intelligence backing.

Sri Lanka Govt imposed ‘unofficial censorship’ to cover-up its sins – Opposition leader l

Aluthgama  burned garage

The United National Party (UNP) today accused the government of imposing “unofficial censorship” on media to espouse racism at it pleases and to recreate its image after pushing the country towards destruction.
“The Rajapaksa regime is looking to completely destroy media freedom today,” Opposition Leader Ranil Wickramasinghe said, speaking to reporters after meeting with representatives from several media rights groups in Colombo. 

Sri Lanka: Fort Mosque Receives Threatening Letter With Raw Pieces Of Pork

A mosque in Colombo Fort received a threatening letter on Saturday with raw pieces of pork ordering the Mosque authorities to halt the reconstruction of the mosque.
A priest attached to the  Mosque who was present at the time had opened the threatening letter. Eye witnesses said he was disturbed after seeing the letter and the raw pieces of pork which were sent to him by an unidentified person.

Sri Lanka: How long Muslim leaders can control the passions of their youth and whether external Islamic forces will seek to intervene remains to be seen

An extremist Buddhist group has taken steps to expel Muslims from the island kingdom, silencing dissent through propaganda and intimidation.

After three Sri Lankan Muslims were killed and thousands more were forced to shelter in mosques and schools, many having lost everything in the worst communal violence in decades, the minister of Public Relations, Mervyn Silva, went on TV and offered to marry a Muslim woman to make up for it.

Sri Lanka under-investing in education: World Bank

(Photo:Tableaux of Aufidius)

"In several World Bank reports we have pointed out that Sri Lanka under invests in education. Sri Lanka's investment in education as percentage of GDP is one of the lowest in the region and in the world in terms of middle income countries." "Each country has to decide what percentage of the government budget should be invested in education and what percentage of national income would be invested in education; so we don't have an idea about what proportion of GDP should be invested in education."

Three letter from Sri Lanka Muslim Council to IGP, to FM and to JHU

''The report presented by Ms. Manisha Gunasekera, Deputy Permanent Representative gives figures of casualties that are ridiculous to say the least. She, like the Inspector General of Police is implying that the Muslims were the cause of the violence as they have cast the first stone when the procession was allowed to go through a Muslim village. We have video evidence to the contrary, which we could present to you if you wish.''

Sri Lanka’s national interests lie in cooperation not confrontation with UNHRC probe

Cyril Ramaphosa

Jehan Perera

It cannot be coincidental that hardly two weeks after the UN Human Rights Commissioner named the team that would investigate past human rights violations in Sri Lanka, the South African reconciliation initiative is also moving forward again.  There was a pause for a while, but once again there is an appearance of movement.  A high powered South African delegation headed by its Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa is expected to be in the country in the next few days. 

Sri Lanka: Rathmalana Mosque attacked .

A mosque at Rathmalana was attacked and set fire to on  last Sunday  morning around 1 30 am. At that moment the caretaker of the mosque was awakened, and he manage to mobilize neighbours to help him out. As  they managed to quell the fire immediately, it did not cause big damage. Police investigations began with  deploying dogs, but as yet no criminals have been detected.

LV

Sri Lanka: Aluthgama post mortems, suspicious - SLMC

Blood in the mosque, Aluthgama

The Sri Lanka Muslim Congress says that the post mortem reports of those killed in the Beruwala and Aluthgama clashes are highly suspicious. Speaking to the BBC yesterday, SLMC General Secretary M.T. Hasan Ali has said that post mortem reports of victims shot dead, cite the reason for death as being stabbed by a knife. Ali has added that he had no faith in police investigations. Ali said that upon visiting the Balapitiya hospital, he saw that all persons admitted had faced gunshots. The SLMC urges President Mahinda Rajapaksa to appoint a presidential commission to probe into the clash

SLM

"The Nation" Newspaper Levels Bribery Charges Against Pillay's Panel Member Martti Ahtisaari

Martti Athissaari

The Nation newspaper today alleges that Martti Ahtisaari, former Finnish President and now a member of UNHRC Chief Navi Pillay’s Experts Panel on Sri Lanka, is a “bribe-taker”. The newspaper, quoting certain international media reports, says that Martti Ahtisaari has allegedly accepted a 40million euro bribe to deliver Kosovo independence. Ahtisaari was the tenth President of Finland (1994–2000), Nobel Peace Prize laureate and United Nations diplomat and mediator, noted for his international peace work.

Sri Lanka: Gnanasara Thera Banned From Entering US!

The Bodu Bala Sena alleges that the US State Department has taken measures to cancel its General Secretary Galagodaaththe Gnanasara Thera’s visa to the United States.

Speaking to Asian Mirror, BBS Chief Executive Officer Dilantha Vithanage said an official of the US Embassy had contacted Gnanasara Thera and informed him of the decision made by the US State Department. The United States had granted Visa to Galagodaaththe Gnanasara Thera before he formed the Bodu Bala Sena Organization in 2012.

Sri Lanka: Aluthgama Violence Scares Schoolchildren

(File photo)

The incidents that took place recently in Aluthgama and Beruwela have definitely had an adverse psychological impact on youth who were affected and displaced due to the violence. The clear drop in student attendance in Muslim schools in the affected area is a sign of fear among the community even though the government claims that the situation in the area has been brought back to normalcy.

Zonal Education Director of the Kalutara Zonal Education Office Priyani Mudalige added that they declared the reopening of the schools in the affected area, last Monday.

New UN rights probe intensifies pressure on Sri Lanka

Asma Jahangir

MATTHEW PENNINGTON

WASHINGTON (AP) — A new U.N. investigation into allegations of war crimes in Sri Lanka will intensify international pressure on its government and could probe the purported responsibility of senior Sri Lankan officials with U.S. ties. As many as 40,000 civilians may have died amid government shelling in the final five months of the conflict in 2009, according to a previous U.N. report. Government forces have also been accused of executing ethnic Tamil rebel leaders who tried to surrender.