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| Beruwala |
While Mahinda Rajapakse is out of the country , the criminal defense secretary Gotabaya Rajapakse via the terrorist organization , Bodhu Bala Sena (BBS) his paramilitary group has taken upon himself the task of creating mayhem and committing murder in Dharga town , Alutgama while the security divisions are made silent ,by wantonly stoking communal riots , with the result , 7 Muslims have been killed and about 91 others are injured. The number of victims who have gone missing are yet not known. Among the dead is weeks old infant , according to reports.
When Gnanassara the demonic terrorist monk of the BBS was attacking a Muslim house the window pane of the house had fallen on an infant claiming his life. The funerals of the infant and two others who died owing to the murderous violence unleashed are to take place this evening at Alutgama. Though it is rumored that a monk also is among the dead ( this rumor is being circulated in order to provoke the Sinhalese ) , this as been proved untrue. The IGP and the BBS have refuted this story.
Based on reports reaching Lanka e news , two monks who tried to attack a mosque in Dharga town were injured , and are hospitalized. Later that mosque was set on fire and destroyed.
After the BBS concluded the awakening conference at 5.00 in the evening , the group had straight gone to the front side of the mosque . At that time about 2000 Muslims had congregated in the mosque for their prayers as well as for protection. The riots had begun only then. Azath Salley the leader of the National United Alliance who convened a media briefing this noon questioned why the police sought this direction for the BBS where the situation was volatile when there were so many alternative routes for them to travel.
Salley pointed out if the letters addressed by him to the IGP and the headquarters in the morning had been paid attention , this violence could have been averted.
The IGP should hold himself fully responsible for this wanton violence , and within two weeks a commission shall be appointed to inquire into this , Salley emphasized.
Though police and STF soldiers were deployed yesterday around Dharga town and a security ring was provided , the first individual to break that security ring and go in was the BBS main terrorist leader , Gnanassara. Initially when he was obstructed he had spoken to the criminal defense secretary Gotabaya via his mobile phone and made Gota to speak to the police security officers . Gota had told the police officers not to hinder the activities of the monk. At that moment , Kalutara SSP Roshan Silva who was present had helped Gnanassara.
Thereafter the BBS terrorists had got on to vehicles and gone on a rampage of destruction damaging property and attacking persons on the roads with complete impunity using clubs and rods. Following the clamping of curfew the situation has turned for the worse. Not a single business place of a Muslim in Dharga town and Beruwala was spared. Even the houses and the vehicles in garages were set on fire. They had also broken into a gem center at Alutgama and looted gems worth many millions of rupees . The gem cutting center had been burnt down subsequently.
A car and motor cycle sales center had also been reduced to ashes causing losses to the tune of billions of rupees , while the whole of Kalutara was subject to violence at various areas.
The BBS terrorists who went from Colombo, while returning had attacked a Muslim shop at Kalutara and set fire to a Muslim pharmacy at Dehiwala , reports say.
Low rung police officers point out, if the police had real need to avert this conflict , that could have been done. In any event , it was possible to bring this under control at least now even after this amount of damage and destruction , because there were a number of police officers among them who were not racial , they added.
In Beruwala a number of shops were put to torch at dawn today. In Badulla , Yatiyantota , and Mawanella too there are reports of several attacks on Muslims. In those areas feelings are running high between the two groups of people , according to our correspondent .
It is sad to note that despite 24 hours having elapsed since this conflict sparked , and it has deepened with so many deaths and casualties , no one has been arrested. This is clearly emboldening and encouraging the terrorist monks and the goons indulging in violence to carry on regardless. It is the view of the people that Gnanassara ought to be taken into custody first , and next the criminal defense secretary of SL.
The government has still not expressed its concern or its regret over this violence targeting its own citizens for which the BBS terrorists are responsible . Neither has it condemned the terrorism of the BBS.
The President who is abroad also has sent only a twitter message in this connection .
In President’s message he had stated, an investigation shall be conducted with a view to arrest those responsible for the devastation wrought in Alutgama. Room should not be allowed for nobody to take the law into their hands, and has urged all to act together.
Rauf Hakeem , leader of Muslim Congress a constituent party of the government had stated , he is ashamed that such violence and destruction are being inflicted while he is a Minister of the government . A decision will be made today at party leaders’ meeting to decide whether they are to continue with the government or not. In any case when Hakeem visited Alutgama to assess the situation he became the object of bitter criticism and condemnation of the people. Hakeem had no option but remain crestfallen and listen when one youth took him to task and berated him furiously ,‘ nothing of yours was lost. It was everything of ours that were destroyed and deprived’, the youth said.
At a press briefing held today with the participation of Azath Salley , UNP provincial council member Mujibur Rahman and Mano Ganeshan , they said , the government did this to bring self destruction upon itself. This racial riots were initiated by the government and it is the main cause .Therefore they are not fools to ask the government to hold an investigation. They will seek international assistance , they added.
Meanwhile Prime Minister D.M. Jayaratne and a group of senior Ministers held special discussions at Kalutara in regard to this volatile situation . At this discussion , one Minister had condemned the BBS as a terrorist organization that has exceeded the LTTE in its terror activities going by yesterday’s violence and wanton destruction they inflicted .
Even Prabhakaran had not spoken this amount of brutal and criminal racism as Gnanassara , he added.
The curfew that is now in force in Alutgama and Beruwala have been extended until dawn of the following day .Residents of Alutgama told Lanka e news , since the Muslim women and children are in fear that in the night they may fall victims to attacks , the Muslims living along the borders of Alutgama are moving towards the center where the security positions are.
LeN