Sickos runing unity
Posted on June 17th, 2014
The Island Editorial
Life is limping back to normal in Aluthgama and Beruwala following communal clashes which left two persons dead, many injured and dozens of houses and shops destroyed.
The situation had remained volatile in Aluthgama, where violence erupted on Sunday, for several weeks following a child abuse case which resulted in an arson attack on a shop in the area. The trigger for Sunday’s communal disturbances was an attack on a monk on Poson Poya Day. Had precautions been taken, disaster could have been averted.
The police are known for their high octane performance when they deal with protests by the Opposition, undergraduates and workers. They go hell for leather to obtain court orders to ban anti-government demonstrations or use maximum force to scuttle such events. It was only a few weeks ago that they cracked down on a university students’ protest march, injuring some undergrads, on the grounds that protesters had defied a court order. Their brutality was such that the Fort Magistrate asked them not to seek court orders to prevent student protests ever again. But, that kind of urgency was sadly lacking on their part in Aluthgama and Beruwala. They should have realised that they were sitting on a powder keg of ethnic tensions and refused permission for a Bodu Bala Sena (BBS) rally. They could have easily obtained a court order for that purpose. (Yesterday, they moved courts against an alleged move by the BBS to hold a meeting in Mawanella!)
What was the much-publicised special police unit recently set up to deal with religious violence doing? Sunday’s disaster came within weeks of its grand opening. It should have swung into action when the first incident occurred on the Poson Poya Day in Aluthgama. True, the suspected assailants were arrested, produced before courts and remanded. But, it was obvious that some troublemakers were all out to set Aluthgama ablaze, so to speak, and the police should have taken precautions to keep them at bay. The Police Spokesman, in a recent television discussion, waxed eloquent on ‘proactive policing’. But, it was conspicuous by its absence in Aluthgama and Beruwala.
Sinister elements abused the social media to disseminate false rumours and stoke the flames of racial hatred. Government efforts to suppress the truth worsened the situation. An unsubstantiated claim that a Buddhist monk had been killed went viral on the Internet. A rumour monger with a smart phone could be as dangerous as a mad monkey wielding a sharp knife.
Each and every community has its share of extremists. What they are capable of we have just seen in Aluthgama and Beruwala. Now that legal action has been instituted against the youths who allegedly assaulted the monk those who masterminded Sunday’s violence must be dealt with in a similar manner. Let the government be urged to launch a thorough probe into the incident and get to the bottom of it.
President Mahinda Rajapaksa has, in a statement from Bolivia, where he is attending an international summit, promised stern action against those who took the law into their own hands. We hope he will get cracking. His government has incurred much international opprobrium for the recent incidents which have also tarnished the image of the country. It is a grave danger to one and all to allow bloodthirsty lunatics to rise above the law and indulge in mindless violence on the pretext of defending their race and faith. Deterrent punishment is called for.
The success of the government’s efforts to bring about national reconciliation hinges on its ability to keep extremists on a tight leash or preferably behind bars. Some of them, in our book, are sickos needing institutional care.
June 17th, 2014 at 3:54 pm
For more news on sickos visit the religion of peace website.
June 17th, 2014 at 4:50 pm
Excellent editorial! It is unbelievable that this Bodu Bala Sena fools to rise to this level of power. Why aren’t they arrested? What is the Defence Department doing? Is it true that they are supporting these idiots?
We who are trying to salvage the name of the country after all these fools have trashed it in the international arena, are incensed with the kind of behavior. Where are Asgiriya, Malwatte guys doing? sleeping?What is the Government doing? All these fools who wear robes and commit crimes should be in jails and NOT in temples.
June 17th, 2014 at 7:36 pm
I was sanded and surprised that BBS Buddhist monk using extremely derogatory language against muslim people… How did we get here ? Don’t they know how many muslim soldiers gave their lives to save the country?
We need to get this sorted out asap before whole country goes into a another war… Sinhalese Buddhist are not racists.
June 17th, 2014 at 7:57 pm
Sirih,
Don’t they know how many muslim soldiers gave their lives to save the country?
Do you know ?
Less than 100 out of 26000 total.
June 17th, 2014 at 8:01 pm
Biggest Sicko is Nondi Pillai. She with the orders from US and others are responsible partly for ruining peace in Sri Lanka.
Why did not government gave this answer in the first instant ? Government has many Sikos, lead by HackHim. Expel the Sikos and problems will be partly solved.
June 18th, 2014 at 1:10 pm
Excellent Editorial.
Although i disagree that the President issued a statement from Bolivia which he never did unless the 6 tweets he sent from Bolivia is considered a “statement”
June 18th, 2014 at 2:03 pm
Here is the real Sicko demanding a “UN Probe” into violence instigated by Muslims.
“AFP 6 hours ago
Muslims demand UN probe into Sri Lanka religious riots
The main Muslim party in Sri Lanka’s ruling coalition Wednesday demanded a UN probe into one of the country’s worst-ever religious riots, as President Mahinda Rajapakse toured the violence-hit resort region.
The Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC) said it was also boycotting parliament Wednesday as a protest against Colombo’s failure to rein in a hardline Buddhist group widely accused of sparking the clashes.
Justice Minister and SLMC leader Rauf Hakeem told reporters Rajapakse’s administration was at fault for letting the bloodshed escalate.
“We are convinced that the government did not do anything to prevent the violence against the Muslims,” said Hakeem, who is the most senior Muslim in Rajapakse’s cabinet.
Rajapakse, who was visiting Bolivia when the violence broke out, travelled to the resort region of Beruwala shortly after his return to the island and met local community leaders from both sides.”
June 18th, 2014 at 2:17 pm
Parliamentary resolution against UNHRC investigation DEFEATED 144 to 10.
Excellent!
Only 10 out of 12 Tamil TNA MPs voted for the damn thing.
But 18 UPFA coalition partner MPs did NOT vote again. These clowns must be investigated. UNP abstained from voting. The LEAST UNP could do.
So now SL should NOT cooperate with any UNHRC Pee-Illey inestigation.