MR rejects call for banning groups over Alutgama mayhem -Bathiudeen, Weerawansa agree extremists on both sides
Posted on June 20th, 2014
By Shamindra Ferdinando–Courtesy Island
June 20, 2014, 9:44 pm
President Mahinda Rajapaksa has said that proscription of extremist organisations isn’t a problem, but such action does not guarantee that there won’t be further religious strife.
The President said so in response to leader of the All Ceylon Makkal Congress (ACMC) and Industry and Commerce Minister Rishad Bathiudeen, MP, (Vanni District) at last Thursday’s UPFA party leaders’ meeting at Temple Trees.
Among those present at the party leaders’ meeting were Ministers, Basil Rajapaksa, Nimal Siripala de Silva, Dinesh Gunawardena, Rauff Hakeem, Wimal Weerawansa, Champika Ranawaka, Dallas Alahapperuma, Susil Premjayantha, Dew Gunasekera, Tissa Vitharana and Prabha Ganeshan.
Minister Weerawansa participated in a Cabinet meeting after having skipped five in a bid to pressure the government to accept the NFF’s 12-point plan to change the direction of the ruling coalition.
Referring to a statement made by National Freedom Front (NFF) leader Wimal Weerawansa, MP, at the weekly cabinet meeting earlier in the day, Minister Bathiudeen urged the president to proscribe all extremist groups regardless of their ethnicity. Minister Bathiudeen said that extremist organisations should be banned as all agreed to the need for drastic action.
Minister Weerawansa told the Cabinet that Sinhala and Muslim extremists were responsible for the Alutgama violence. The NFF leader said that the problem could be solved only if both parties took remedial measures in the wake of the latest bout of violence.
President Rajapaksa pointed out that extremist actions couldn’t be tackled by arresting those violating laws.
The president alleged that there had been some serious violations of the Constitution by some members of the Tamil National Alliance (TNA). Although they could be arrested, such activities couldn’t be stopped, the president said, adding that those undermining the constitution would seek political gains in case the government arrested them.
When the cabinet took up Alutgama issue, SLMC leader Hakeem directly accused the Bodu Bala Sena (BBS) of carrying out last Sunday’s attack. The president pointed out that there were several other matters which contributed to this situation and all parties should act responsibly to defuse the crisis.
Minister Bathiudeen who had been at logger heads with the BBS leadership for some time alleged that members of the BBS weren’t behaving like monks. Their actions were an embarrassment to the Buddhist clergy, the minister said. The president stressed the need to settle the issue, while recalling the circumstances under which a certain Muslim religious leader made a disparaging remark about Lord Buddha. Such a statement could hurt feelings, the president said.
Minister Bathiudeen said that Muslim religious leader had been punished by the judiciary and the sect he belonged to too advised him against such talk.
The president said that the government wasn’t responsible for Alutgama mayhem promoting Minister Hakeem to say the Muslims held the police accountable for the situation.
Amidst fiery words Minister Weerawansa proposed a religious conference to iron out differences.
However, Minister Bathiudeen asserted that trouble erupted because the BBS launched a demonstration in Alutgama.
Responding to Bathiudeen, JHU heavyweight Minister Patali Champika Ranawaka said that they heard of an attack on a Buddhist monk. Speculation was rife that the monk was in a critical condition and that he could even die. “Therefore, I visited the monk and realized that there was no basis for this claim.”
Minister Hakeem blamed the police for failing to take remedial action though posters appeared three days before last Sunday’s protest urging people to join the campaign.
Minister Ranawaka reacted angrily when Minister Vasudeva Nanayakkara alleged that the JHU was shielding the BBS.
Minister Bathiudeen reiterated that the BBS demonstration caused mayhem.
Minister Weerawansa pointed out that trouble started after missiles were thrown from nearby mosque at BBS members as they were leaving after the meeting.
The president said that action would be taken against all those responsible for violence irrespective of ethnicity.
June 20th, 2014 at 5:00 pm
Good to see the president can SEE THE BIG PICTURE.
But I disagree with him on NOT banning and arresting extremists.
Govt. should ban ALL racist, ethnicity and religion based political groups NOW. And WIPE OUT Taliban, Jihad and AQ groups.
June 21st, 2014 at 1:44 am
Well done MR !
Minister Bathiudeen is the head of Muslim Brotherhood extremist group in Sri Lanka. It is the Sri lanka branch of Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt who orchestrated regime change there.
June 21st, 2014 at 5:03 am
Nanda,
That is CORRECT. Minister Bathiudeen is the head of Muslim Brotherhood in SL. Hackhim is mentioned in JIHAD WATCH website.
Patriotic people should save SL from these dangerous racist terrorists.
FOOLISH MR blasted Sinhala people in Vanni before the 2010 general election for hooting when MR started to speak in Tamil. That is why this Bathiudeen junk was elected instead of the normal Sinhalese MP from Vanni. Now MR is paying the price!!
Know your enemies and know your friends MR.
How can SL be wonder of Asia when justice minister and trade and commerce minister are terrorists?
June 22nd, 2014 at 12:56 pm
The mere spread of Islam that now proudly claims a 10% hold on the population of Buddhist Sri Lanka IS EXTREME. That is the very definition of a religious invasion condoned by the government and supported by the UN.
Take the reverse would the UN stand by the rights of Buddhist Monks from Sri Lanka to demand Muslim nations to open their lands to Buddhism? the answer would be a loud and insulting laugh in the face of those Buddhist monks. NO nation be they Muslim or the UN would support the propagation of other faiths in Muslim lands and why? because the Muslims say so. That is why.
The expansion of Christianity, Islam and Hinduism in Sri Lanka facilitated by Secularists has ripped the very fabric of Buddhist Sri Lanka in the same manner of an invasion except done with the blessing of the world and by that more insidious.
June 24th, 2014 at 12:26 pm
We have to rein in the extremists on both sides.