The Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa criticised recent protests, stating that "large scale operations are organised for even the most minor incidents" , reports Colombo Telegraph . “During the conflict period, the LTTE killed people irrelevant of their ethnicity. Certain groups that didn’t dare stage a single hartal campaign during the LTTE period have now started them. Large scale hartal campaigns are organised for even the most minor incidents," he said, s peaking yesterday after Muslim protests against the BBS across the island, whilst not stating which pro tests he was referring to.
Sri Lanka risked joining a the likes of North Korea, Iran and Syria by refusing to cooperate with international probes, said the US Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for South Asia, Atul Keshap, on a three day visit to Sri Lanka, in an interview with the DailyFT . “It is concerning to me that a country with a long democratic tradition is currently in very select company with North Korea and Iran and Syria and other notorious human rights violators in categorically refusing to work with the OHCHR investigation,” Mr Keshap said, reportedly expressing dismay at the Sri Lankan parliament's vote...
Sri Lanka’s Defence Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa attended a Buddhist religious ceremony to invoke blessings upon Sri Lanka’s armed forces this week, reported the Ministry of Defence. His visit comes amid increased tension across the island, following attacks on Muslims by Sinhala Buddhist mobs. Gotabaya Rajapaksa, who is also the brother of Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa, has been closely linked to the Buddhist group Bodu Bala Sena, an influential group accused of masterminding much of the violence.
Sri Lanka’s Education Minister SB Dissanayake said that former US presidents should be “dragged on the road and killed” for committing atrocities in countries such as Iraq and Libya, reported the Colombo Gazette . The minister, who was speaking at an event in Kandy, said that although Saddam Hussain had some shortcomings, he changed Iraq for the better, and former Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi’s death had ruined the country. “Saddam may have had some flaws but then American leaders had worse flaws. They should be beaten and hanged, be it junior Bush or senior Bush. For the atrocities they committed they must be beaten and dragged on the road and killed,” he said at the event.
Sri Lankan Muslims called off a protest planned for today (Monday) to denounce a series of attacks by Buddhist extremists - after police warned their action could further inflame religious tensions. See NDTV’s report here . On Sunday the police announced a ban on public meetings and rallies which ‘promote hatred among religions, AFP reported. Police spokesman Ajith Rohana also said Sunday that security would be stepped in Colombo in light of the impending Muslim protest against last week’s mob violence against Muslims in Aluthgama, which residents said were abetted by the security forces. However on Monday, the Sri Lanka Thawheed Jamaath (SLTJ) said they were calling off their demonstration in the capital as well as a work stoppage (‘hartal’) after talks with a senior police officer in charge of security in Colombo.
Sri Lanka’s External Affairs Minister GL Peiris told diplomats from Muslim countries in Colombo on Monday that an ongoing “vicious campaign” was designed to drive a wedge between Muslim states and Sri Lanka, The Island reported. The minister said the international campaign was carried out in two ways. "In its internal dimension, it is a direct attempt to alienate the Muslim community from the government. The external expression of this campaign has as its objective the purpose of driving a wedge between Sri Lanka and Muslim countries with a view to weakening Sri Lanka at international fora. The skillfully conceived and co-ordinated character of the campaign is apparent and substantial funding as well as other forms of material support from foreign sources is also in evidence," Peiris said.
Tamils and Muslims living in Toronto protested together on Monday against anti-Muslim violence in Sri Lanka. The demonstration against attacks on Muslims by Sinhala Buddhist mobs was held in Scarborough and organised jointly by Tamil and Muslim Tamil community organisations. Photograph ekuruvi.com
Sri Lanka’s police allowed an event by the Bodu Bala Sena to go ahead earlier today (Monday), reports The Island , whilst a protest by Muslims against the violence, also scheduled for today, was called off after police warned that this could further inflame religious tension. Police spokesman SSP Ajith Rohana said on Sunday that the BBS event would not be stopped as it was a "religious event", but that action would be taken if racism was incited.
The Secretary of the Buddhist monk group, Bodu Bala Sena (BBS), denied that BBS was responsible for the recent anti-Muslim violence in Aluthgama, reports Colombo Page . In a press conference held on Saturday, Galadodaaththe Gnanasero, warned Sinhala Buddhist "not to be misled by rumours since the clashes only benefited the elements that are against the nation." Denying any association with the Defence Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa, Gnanasero reportedly said, "the BBS had not carried out anybody's contracts" and claimed that the controversial rally that preceded the violence was not organised by BBS, but the Sasanarakshaka Balamandala.
The UK "had no right to force its will upon Sri Lanka" said the Western Provincial Council Minister Udaya Gammanpila, s lamming a statement made by the British High Commissioner John Rankin urging Sri Lanka to cooperate with the international inquiry. His comments were reproduced in an article published by the state newspaper DailyNews.lk, entitled - " Has H.C no respect? ". "The true war criminals are in the United Kingdom and not in Sri Lanka. That is why the British Government under pressure appointed the Commission to investigate into the war crimes committed by the British in Afghanistan...