Tamil groups condemn attacks against Muslims, call for justice

Tamil organisations across the world condemned the attacks against Muslims over recent days by Sinhala Buddhist mobs in Aluthgama.

Drawing on Tamil experiences of pogroms at the hands of the Sinhala Buddhist state, organisations including TNA, TNPF, GTF, BTF, USTPAC and TIC expressed solidarity with Muslims and called on the international community to ensure accountability and justice.

Recalling the Sri Lankan state's violence against Tamils over decades, the leader of the Tamil National Alliance (TNA), R Sampanthan, in an address to parliament on Tuesday, warned "now racist forces are only beginning a pogrom of violence against the Muslim community".

Who planted the bombs in Chennai train ? The Colombo Connection

A victim of the blast (Kollytalk.com)

Col R. Hariharan

Two low-intensity improvised explosive devices (IED) exploded in two adjacent sleeper coaches of the Bangalore – Guwahati tri-weekly super fast express just as the train streamed into the Chennai Central station around 7.15 AM on May 1.

One young woman was killed and 14 others were wounded in the explosions. The city waking up to May Day holiday was stunned. And national media fed on increasingly stale diet of election news went hammer and tongs to dissect it.

But the question, who planted the bombs in the train, still remains unanswered.

Sri Lanka: Govt., Opposition Muslim MPs urge President to rein in BBS

Rauf, Fawzie and Kabir

Govt. MPs have finally realised the lurking danger – Kabir HashimMuslim government and Opposition MPs have joined forces with the exception of two to petition President Mahinda Rajapaksa requesting him to rein in the Bodu Bala Sena (BBS) and restore law and order.

Sixteen of the eighteen Muslim MPs with the exception of A.R.M. Cader and A.H.M. Azwer   have in a letter to the President sought his immediate intervention to stop the BBS from harassing the internally displaced Northern Muslims who were driven out of the North by the LTTE in 1990 and forced to live in different parts of the country as refugees and "Forgotten People" over the last 23 years.

Sri Lanka ranked 26th in 2014′s Peoples under Threat index and fell five places from 2013′s ranking

The overall measure for each country is based on a basket of 10 indicators. The number in each row is drawn from the source for that particular indicator. The sources of data and calculations used are detailed on   Sri Lanka ranked 26th in 2014′s Peoples under Threat index and fell five places from 2013′s ranking.Visit the interactive map here

Mannar Divisional Secretary debunks Bodu Bala Sena allegations on Muslim IDPs

Muslim IDPs in Manner

Wilpattu dispute: Presidential Task Force allocated lands for Muslims - Mannar DS

* Sinhalese (2.6 percent) given 378 acres after clearing scrub jungle

Mannar Divisional Secretary S. Keetheswaran, refuting allegations by the Bodu Bala Sena (BBS) that Muslim families driven out of the Musali Pradeshiya Sabha Division by the LTTE in 1990, had recently encroached on the Wilpattu National Park, said that it was a Presidential Task Force (PTF) Committee established in terms of the Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission (LLRC) that had identified the location for their resettlement.

BBS insulting the Holy Quran could lead to worldwide response detrimental to the country

 National Shoora Council Press Release - on contempt of Quraan by BBS

The National Shoora Council (NSC) urges the government and its principal law enforcement agency, the police, to ensure prompt prosecution of the Bodu Bala Sena (BBS) led mob which forcibly disrupted under threat of death the 9th April press conference of the respected Buddhist monk Rev. Watareka Wijitha Thera, and thereafter followed up by outraging, maliciously and deliberately, the religious feelings of the Muslims by insulting Islam and the Holy Quran outside the Slave Island Police on 12th April. Both unlawful incidents occurred in the presence of the police, the media and the public.

Mulslims IDPs in Mannar: Bodu Bala Sena allegations unfounded

Muslim IDPs: Not within the WNP

Wilpattu Park crisis: Borders identified, solution in sight?60 journalists, photographers shown ‘illegal’ settlements outside Willpattu Park
 

Zacki Jabbar reporting from Wilpattu National Park border

Amidst allegations levelled by the Bodu Bala Sena (BBS) and Industry and Commerce Minister Rishad Bathiudeen over illegal settlements within the Wilpattu National Park (WNP) 60 journalists including foreign correspondents on a fact finding mission on Tuesday were shown the ground situation by the authorities in the area .

Bodu Bala Sena mob storms Minister Rishad’s Ministry

Minister speaking to press after the raid

A mob led by the Bodu Bala Sena (BBS) stormed Minister Rishad Bathiudeen’s Ministry of Industry and Commerce saying they were looking for the venerable Watarekke Vijitha thero.

Ministry officials said that after staging a protest outside the building some of the protesters led by a monk went inside and searched the rooms.

Muslims have become hurt by the Bodu Bala Sena : horrendous remarks against the Holy Qur’an

BBS monksstormed Minister Rishad Bathiudeen's offcie

A statement issued by General Secretary, All Ceylon Jamiyathul Ulama, Ash Sheikh M. M. A. Mubarak

All Ceylon Jamiyathul Ulama conveys its sincere thanks to the Sri Lankan Muslim community for abiding by the guidance provided by our organizing in the past period when various adversities were lobbed at them. We also congratulate the Lankan Muslims for acting in the most pleasant and judicious manner with forbearance thus contributing to preserve peace and harmony in our Motherland.

ACJU once again reminds our people that we should always turn towards the teachings of the Holy Qur’an and exemplary ways of our beloved Prophet (Sal) and his Companions for solutions for any and every crisis that come our way.

Why Sri Lanka President Rajapaksa is tweaking the Muslim community

photo - AFP/GETTY

Sri Lanka: Tweaking the Muslims By Col R. Hariharan

Why Sri Lanka President Rajapaksa is tweaking the Muslim community, which by and large had been his loyal political partner?

Since 2012 the Buddhist fringe organization Bodu Bala Sena (BBS) has continued its attacks with impunity on individuals, institutions and businesses connected with Muslim cultural and religious practices and identity like places of worship, religious education, wearing of burkha, and Halal meat. Churches have also had their share of such hate campaigns.

Govt. should prosecute Minister Badurdeen - JHU,

Rishad Badurdeen

Government affiliate JHU says the government should take immediate legal action against the clearing of jungles and the setting up of illegal settlements by industries minister Rishad Badurdeen.

JHU’s western provincial councillor Nishantha Sri Warnasinghe queries from the government as to why the law is not enforced against the minister who is violating the fauna and flora act and settling Muslims, which is not part of his ministerial responsibilities.

Sri Lanka: Defeat extremism, SLMC tells govt

General Secretary of the Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC) M. T. Hassan Ali said that the minority communities were demanding that the government act fast to put an end to all illegal acts by the Bodhu Bala Sena (BBS) and all other extremists groups that had got out of hand.

 He told The Island yesterday (16) that unless the government acted immediately there would be chaos as the BBS was trying to engineer communal violence.

Bodu Bala Sena is not a foreign conspiracy; govt. sponsors BBS, says UNP

Gotabhaya is close to BBS

The UNP yesterday rejected claims by some sections of the government that the Bodu Bala Sena (BBS) was being used by international conspirators to tarnish the image of Buddhism.

It was elements within the ruling alliance that were instigating the BBS to act in the manner it did so that the resulting confusion could be used to cloud burning issues such as the rising cost of living, rampant corruption and the unprecedented crime wave, which had gripped the entire country, senior UNP MP, Ravi Karunanayake told The Island.

Minister Hakeem stands by report to Navi Pillay on anti-minority violence

Navi Pillay  with Rauf Hakeem

Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC) leader and Justice Minister Rauff Hakem says he stands by his decision to submit a report to the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay related to reconciliation issues.

Speaking to reporters after meeting the Chief Prelate (Mahanayake) of the Malwathu Chapter in Kandy today, Hakeem said that the report to Pillay focused purely on shortcomings in implementing the recommendations of the Lessons Learned and Reconciliation Commission (LLRC).

Sri Lanka: Minister Rishad condemns unruly disruption by BBS, wants Commission of Inquiry

BBS leader: You  Shut Up

Condemning the unruly disruption on Wednesday (9), Minister of Industry and Commerce Rishad Bathiudeen and Leader of the All Ceylon Makkal Congress (ACMC), called for a Commission of Inquiry to look into the incidents against minorities in the country. “The ACMC calls upon the authorities to enforce the law to everyone alike and appoint a commission of inquiry into the post war incidents against the minorities in general and the Muslim community in particular,” said Minister Bathiudeen in his ACMC statement of 11 April in Colombo.

ACMC concerned about BBS ‘atrocities’ ; Powerful hands behind Gnanasara- Hakeem

BBS thugs

Meanwhile, issuing a media statement on Friday, the All Ceylon Makkal Congress (ACMC) claimed the apparent impunity with which the Bodu Bala Sena (BBS) was acting raises questions whether the BBS was running ‘a parallel government’ like the LTTE during its existence.

“At least the so called government of the LTTE was challenged by the law enforcement authorities but the government of the BBS appears to be above the law,” the statement said. The ACMC further called for a ‘Commission of Inquiry’ to look into post-war incidents against minorities in general and Muslims in particular.

BBS menace: UNP calls on Muslim ministers to sit independently in Parliament;boycotting legislature cannot force Govt. to act

The only way the Bodu Bala Sena (BBS) menace could be controlled was for all the Muslim Ministers to sit independently in Parliament, the UNP said yesterday.

UNP Chairman Kabir Hashim MP told  the "Sunday Island" that some Muslim ministers had threatened to boycott the legislature in protest against  the latest campaign by the BBS over  the resettlement of Northern  Muslims who had been driven out of the North by the LTTE in 1990, the majority of whom continued to live in camps.

Muslim MPs consider boycotting parliament over Bodu Bala Sena violence

BBS violence

Several Muslim Parliamentarians are considering boycotting Parliament sessions if action is not taken to control the “terror” activities of the Bodu Bala Sena. Minister of Industry and Commerce Rishad Bathiudeen said that the proposal to boycott Parliament is still being discussed and a final decision has not been reached.

The police have already summoned Bodu Bala Sena General Secretary, the Venerable Galaboda Aththe Gnanasara thero, to give a statement over his verbal threats on a monk and a Muslim cleric earlier this week.

Sri Lanka: Opposition JVP slams BBS behaviour

Shut up - BBS to Muslim Cleric

The opposition Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) today slammed the behaviour of the Bodu Bala Sena (BBS) after BBS members had stormed the venue of a press conference yesterday and verbally abused a monk and a Muslim cleric.

A JVP statement said that the BBS had no right to disrupt a press conference as in a democracy anyone has a right to hold press briefing to express their views.

The Muslim community writes to President: Ensure that the rule of law prevails and extremist groups are prevented from taking the law into their hands

Muslim girls take the learning at a war-torn
classroom in Mutur ( Photo: www.qsakamaki.com)

'' The Muslim Civil Society feels that these charges are levelled with racial intentions. We feel that this rhetoric will lead to the derailing of what little assistance is being delivered to Northern Muslims. We would therefore be most grateful if Your Excellency would set up a mechanism to inquire into the resettlement process of the Northern Muslim community and ensure that all Muslim IDPs expelled by the LTTE who have been languishing in camps for over 23 years are resettled immediately.
The Muslim community also requests your Excellency to ensure that the rule of law prevails and extremist groups are prevented from taking the law into their hands and intimidating innocent citizens of this country.''