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

Aluthgama Violence: Ministers Hakeem and Bathiudeen wanted the entire country to burn - Minister Ranawaka

Ranawaka

Minister of Technology and Research Patali Champika Ranawaka slams English language media and ‘citizen’ journalists on social media for fabricating stories about the incidents in Aluthgama. Those who are eagerly bashing Sinhala Buddhists as ‘racist terrorists’ are conveniently ignoring the rise of Muslim fundamentalism within the country, Minister of Technology and Research Patali Champika Ranawaka said.

Muslims will lose trust in Govt , Rauff Hakeem tels US

Leader of the Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC), Justice Minister Rauff Hakeem yesterday told US Ambassador Michele J. Sison that Muslims in the country will lose faith in the government if it fails to take immediate legal action, against Ven. Galagodaaththe Gnanasara Thera.

SLMC endorses Pillay’s stand on religious extremism in Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka Muslim Congress leader and Justice Minister Rauff Hakeem yesterday demanded that the government take punitive action against those who had been inciting violence against the Muslim community.
An irate Hakeem accused certain members of Buddhist extremist groups of causing chaos in the country. The Minister was participating in the debate on a motion submitted by nine government MPs against a UNHRC investigation into alleged human rights violations in Sri Lanka.

Sri Lanka commmunal violence: Hakeem demands immediate action

Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC) yesterday demanded the government take immediate action to resolve the tense situation in Aluthgama, warning that the party will take stern political decisions if the government failed to ensure the security of the people.

Minister Hakeem slams ex-military Governors

Hakeem

Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC) leader and Justice Minister Rauff Hakeem today slammed the appointment of military Governors to the Northern and Eastern provinces. Speaking at an event in Yatinuwara in the Kandy District today, Hakeem said he fails to understand why retired military officers have been appointed as Governors to the North and East while in the South the Governors are civil officials.

Sri Lanka : TNA, SLMC to jointly work on N&E issues

The Tamil National Alliance (TNA) and the Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC) have decided to join hands and work towards finding a solution to the problems faced by the people of the North and East. Parliamentarians of the two Parties met at the Kalmunai Municipal Council on Friday (30) to discuss the possibility of working together.

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.

Report presented by SLMC to HC Navi Pillay: Religious Violence in Sri Lanka Jan 2013 – Dec 2013

SLMC leader Hakeem with HC Navi Pillay

An update of “Muslims’ Concerns” presented by the Sri Lanka Muslim Congress to the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, August 2013

Key Information

1.    Over the 12 month period between January and December 2013 there were at least 241 anti-Muslim attacks andat least 69 anti-Christian attacks in Sri Lanka. 51 of the anti-Muslim incidents were violent, involving either physical violence against individuals or destruction of property. 15attacks against Christians were violent. There were no significant attacks against Buddhists and Hindus. 

Read the Annex 01 of incidents  as a PDF here

Eastern Province Wants Full Implementation of 13A and SLMC threatens to withdraw support

 

 

      The Eastern Provincial Council yesterday passed a  resolution during its sessions last afternoon, calling for the full implementation of the 13th amendment.

The resolution wants all powers entitled to the Councils by the 13th Amendment to be granted and rejected proposals to dilute the 13A as attempted by the Government a few months ago.

SLMC says Govt. could not take the Tamils for a ride

General Secretary of the Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC), M.T. Hassan Ali, requested the government to respect the outcome of the Northern Province polls, and expedite the process to find a political solution to the Tamil question.

Gotabhaya Speech: Sri Lanka Muslim leader warns against extremism claims

(AFP) Sri Lanka's main Muslim political leader, who is also the justice minister, criticised his own government Friday for blaming religious tensions in the mainly Buddhist nation on Islamic fundamentalism.
Rauf Hakeem said he had been "disturbed" by recent comments from the country's defence minister, Gotabhaya Rajapakse which warned of efforts to "promote Muslim extremism" in Sri Lanka.
"We are extremely disturbed by the specific reference to the Muslim community of Sri Lanka as possible breeding grounds of extremism within the country," Hakeem said in a statement.

Muslim Congress to quit Government

There is a strong possibility of the Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC) leaving the government before the Provincial Council elections are held, political sources revealed.
This situation has risen due to the growing disenchantment of Muslim voters with the SLMC, which they charge is drifting away from the people and becoming a sycophant partner of the government.

SriLanka: Ensure Rule of Law and Religious Freedom - 8 Muslim ministers tell Rajapaksha

Police guard destroyed Mosque: closing the stable door after the horse has bolted ( BBC Sandeshaya photo)

State should ensure religious freedom: Muslim Ministers
Muslim ministers, representing the government, yesterday said that the State should ensure religious freedom in a multi-ethnic and multi-religious society. The minister said that they couldn’t understand how inflicting violence on a religious minority could be construed as promoting or protecting another faith.

TNA, SLMC map counter measures, as govt moves to curtail powers of PCs

UPFA constituent, the Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC) and the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) are in the process of building a common front to thwart government move to curtail the powers of the provincial councils ahead of the first northern provincial council election scheduled for September.
SLMC General Secretary Hassen Ali (National List MP) and TNA National List MP M. A. Sumanthiran said that their objective was to build a coalition against those bent on diluting the 13th Amendment. They were speaking to The Island after having bilateral talks at SLMC headquarters, ‘Darussalam’ on Thursday night to decide on counter-measures.

SLMC chellenges President to remove them form the Govt over 13 A

Up to President to remove us – Hasan Ali 
The Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC), one of the constituent parties of the United People's Freedom Alliance (UPFA), will not pull out from the Alliance or the government, despite it not being appointed to the Parliamentary Select Committee (PSC) to make amendments to the 13th Amendment.
"We will not be leaving the Alliance or the government, despite not being appointed to the PSC; it is up to President Mahinda Rajapaksa and the government to sack us," SLMC General Secretary, M.T. Hasan Ali, told Ceylon Today yesterday.

SLMC peeved at being excluded from PSC

The Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC) is infuriated over the government's failure to appoint one of its nominees to the Parliamentary Select Committee (PSC), despite the Party being one of the constituent partners of the ruling United People's Freedom Alliance ( UPFA), with a Cabinet Minister, a Deputy and eight MPs.
The PSC appointed by Speaker Chamal Rajapaksa is led by Minister Nimal Siripala de Silva and includes ruling party members Ministers Prof. G. L. Peiris, Maithripala Sirisena,

13 A: Right to merge provinces to be repealed; SLMC to handover objections

The Cabinet today approved to do away with the powers enabling provincial councils to merge. Minister of Mass Media and Information, Keheliya Rambukwella stated that a special bill in this regard will be introduced soon.

The Cabinet on June 06 proposed to repeal the President’s right to proclaim the merger of provinces under the 13th amendment. 

Muslim Congress Parliamentary Group Unanimously Resolves to Oppose Govt Moves to Amend 13th Constitutional Amendment

Hakeem cornered

D.B.S.JEYARAJ
President Rajapaksa’s proposed move to bring about urgent legislation to amend the Thirteenth Constitutional Amendment and circumscribe devolution suffered a major setback as the Government’s chief Muslim constituent party has resolved to oppose such arbitrary and ad hoc attempts to make Constitutional changes.

13 A amendment: EPDP, SLMC strike discordant note with Vasu, Rajitha,Tissa, DEW agreeing

UPFA constituents, the EPDP and the SLMC have strongly opposed far reaching proposal to do away with the right of two provinces or more to merge in accordance with the 13th Amendment to the Constitution.
External Affairs Minister Prof. G. L. Peiris has made the proposal at a meeting attended by members of the Cabinet on Thursday. However, EPDP leader, Douglas Devananda and SLMC leader, Rauff Hakeem had joined forces to thwart the move, political sources told The Island.
Minister Hakeem cut short a visit to Palestine to attend the meeting in view of a campaign by a section of the government to dilute the 13th Amendment ahead of the proposed first Northern Provincial Council election.