Bring no-confidence motion against Minister of Justice Rauff Hakeem
Posted on March 15th, 2013
Ashoo Amarasinghe
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ As an expat I wish to make reference to an article titled ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-Halal issue can pave the way to better understandingƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ by Ms. Sagarica Rajakarunanayake appearing in the ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”Daily MirrorƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢ of 14 March 2013.
My attention was drawn to the following lines in her article primarily because I have lived in Colarado Springs which is one of AmericaƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s most pet-friendly cities:
ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…- It is urgently required that the government should reform the meat trade, riddled with corruption and cruelty to animals. Pressure must be brought on the government and meat traders as well to address this issue, not only by BuddhistsƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ as it happens up to now, but by all communities, and Muslims in particular, because the meatƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ trade is largely controlled by them. As things stand, successive governments have fought shy of interfering in the meat trade fearing slaughter of animals to be a sensitive issue among the Muslim community.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Also Muslim meat traders, a powerful lobby, will heed Muslim religious and intellectual bodies rather than non-Muslims.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Muslim leaders must understand that by condoning the brutality that is practiced by Muslim butchers and sanctioning it as halal, they are preventing animal welfare laws being brought in by the state protecting animals from barbaric cruelty. In fact this appears to be the reason for the Animal Welfare Bill, prepared by the Law Commission, not being enacted for the past several years.ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚
I was really alarmed by what she had written because I have always been close to pets. I know too that Sri Lanka had an unique place for animals in its cultural traditions. I was shocked to realize the horrible situation now and the abusive slaughter in the abattoirs.
I am totally against the halal slaughter of animals and think it cruel and barbaric whatever the reasons Muslims give. From what I have heard the Muslims have become quite an influential religious minority. I guess no one is surprised that the politicians are to blame. However, I am baffled that with such a Buddhist population the country has failed to pass the Animal Welfare Bill which I believe was compiled by the Law Commission. This is a real shame and embarrassing too.
If the Law Commission has recommended the Bill why is it not being enacted is what I would like to ask of the Justice Minister whose duty is to initiate law reform. The prevailing law governing welfare of animals is the ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…” Prevention of Cruelty to Animals OrdinanceƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢ of 1907 ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢¢”š¬…” an antiquated and obsolete piece of legislation where the maximum punishment for an heinous crime against an animal is Rs. 100 ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢¢”š¬…” less than one US Dollar.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚
I then came to know that the Minister of JusticeƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ is none other than Rauff Hakeem, a leader of a radical muslim political party ideologically close to Wahabism that is now sweeping the muslim world and responsible for much of the strife in many parts of the world.
But, I would like to know if in giving Hakeem the justice ministry portfolio whether the President is aware he is running this important ministry according to the dictates of his religion? I canƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢t understand why he should delay in getting this important Bill enacted in Parliament.
As an animal rights activist I feel that Hakeem is not performing his duty by the country and the public needs to bring this to the attention of the President and parliament because a radical politician biased towards his faith will bring worse scenarios in the future.
I have also noticed that it is the public who are coming to the forefront these days in Sri Lanka raising issues that politicians have neglected to do. As Hakeem is unlikely to give his consent to the enactment of the Animal Welfare Bill and least interested in reform of laws governing animal welfare, I think that the time has come for the public to protest at this dereliction of duty by a Cabinet Minister.
It is an opportune time bring a no – confidence motion against Hakeem in Parliament. Hakeem is too dangerous to serve as Justice Minister. The Government should not trust him.
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚
March 15th, 2013 at 4:08 pm
ABSOLUTELY!
But then govt. MPs and UNP MPs will SAVE him. They appointed him in the first place.
March 15th, 2013 at 4:20 pm
Muslims quadrupled their numbers while Sinhalese sacrificing their lives to safeguard terriorial integrity of our motherland. With the increased numbers they got in to the government and secured various ministerial, deputy ministerial posts etc etc. Very important positions in the government at that. They realised UnP (unpatrotic party) will never strengthen the President’s hand and started controlling the Government. Now they control the Government and the country. UnP (unpatriotic party) still dreaming about winning power and making enough money for them and their kith and kin. They have done so much damage to the country and should realise they never going to win another election.Giving in to every LTTE demands, not hesitating to kill Sinhalese youth at will, introducing 13, 13A amendments to the Constitution to divide country. You’ve done so much damage to the majority Sinhalese, to their country. At least give up this unpatriotic party and join the Government. Thanks to you, traitors like hakeem, ashroffs, fowzie etc, etc have been given a free reign to ruin our motherland. You will never win another election. Give up now. Join the Government, so the President can throw this treacherous wahabis out before they do more and more damage to the country and the Sinhalese. We all seen how they flex muscles and trying to islamise Sri Lanka by introducing halal. When they were 2% they all ate what we all ate. No muslim died as a result. Now they have multiplied to 10%, suddenly they can’t eat what we all eat. We all have to eat halal. Imagine when the numbers increase more and more. More and more traitors like hakeem will be rubbing their hands with glee. Stop giving free education, stop giving free medicine after 2 children. Don’t help breed more traitors!
March 16th, 2013 at 4:15 am
where was Halal when we were young.. even till few years ago no one was asking for halal. i know many Muslim friends who have meals with us yet never asked is it halal. why all these development now ? sri lanka is a country where people with very sensitive minds except few exceptional. we do not like to see the cruelty to any living ting. if the death is permitted it should be painless much as possible. these new developments just to satisfy few in their own belief should not be implemented in our country. they can do so in countries where the majority are from such religious representation. similarly if you are a Buddhist you are not allowed to practice in public in a some of the muslim countries in Middle east. i am a catholic but i respect all the regions in its territorial boundaries.
March 16th, 2013 at 9:35 am
If there are pure vegans even in western countries and if there was a royal decree called”” MAGHATHA”” in sinhale why cant the govt pass the animal welfare bill.
The reason is our leaders do not represent sinhala buddhists but just show they do to get their votes. It began from
D.S Senanayake cheating Ven.. Henpitagedara Gnanasiha thero.
before the election he promised this thero that he will do everything possible fo the uplftment of buddha sasana but after he became the priminister he said “”HAMUDURUWANE AANDUWA SARANAM GACHCHAMI KIYANNA EPA””.
D S took refugee on IVOR JENINGS not the tripple gem and followed his advices But he ignored the fact that Jenings country follows christian rules.
“” ONNA MAHATHUNE JAATHIYE PIYA GE HETI”””
any way i cant understand why this MAHINDA gave hakim such an important ministry. Mahinda carry on his work without these trouble some minority..
March 16th, 2013 at 12:56 pm
I have said this before.The meat trade have been in the hands of Muslims for along time because Buddhist wERTE not engaged in slaughter. The animals were killed by Muslims according to Islamic rites and were always Halal and there was no problem. Every one ate without actually knowing and there was no label.It is not the meat we should worry about but other food that ACJU want to certify, label and market to every one else.
This the only the start. What is next? Barbaric Sharia law for Sri Lanka!
Because of BBS, those Muslims hVE seen that the Buddhists are not going to take their nonsense lying down. So many people including the Mahanayakes and some Buddhists criticize BBS. What they should do is to join with them and peacefully work together to prevent the attempts to gradually Islamise our country by the radical Muslims who act in a subtle and cunning way. When one thing fails they will try some thing else.
While the Buddhists are criticizing each other, do you see or hear any Muslim saying anything against the actions of their own. The radical Salafis are murdering the moderates in Mali, the Sunnis are murdering the Shiites and Christians in Pakistan, the Sunnis are bombing the Shiites in Iraq. The Talban is murdering and maiming women and the moderates in Afghanistan.The Taliban destroyed the historical Bamian statues. In 2012, some radical Muslims destroyed the few remaining Buddhist relics in the Male museum.But one did not hear any Muslim criticize these actions.What we Buddhists and all the other Sinhalese need to do is unite against the common foe in a peaceful way because while we still are in the majority. I do not have to mention that Islam radicals are attempting to achieve their goal of creating the Islam Caliphate. THE BUDDHISTS NEED TO STOP EATING BEEF.
March 17th, 2013 at 1:20 pm
I think most people are mistaken and I suggest they read in wikipedia what halal is, and the rest of it. The author who lives in Colarado springs (lucky you), must separate pets from farmed animals. Animals are products of dhamma as the humans are. This whole thing is another ‘spring’, like ‘university spring’, ‘Hultsdorf spring’ ‘Jaffna uni spring’, Dambulla spring’ etc. There is no need to denigrade any other religion, it is something one is born into, and one can do nothing much about.