Ada Derana

Permanent Mission of Sri Lanka to UN Geneva

The Sri Lanka delegation, presenting the country’s first report under the Optional Protocol on the sale of children, child prostitution and child pornography, briefed the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child on the panoply of laws and executive and policy measures adopted by Sri Lanka to safeguard the rights of children and to ensure the wellbeing of children. 

Emphasizing that most of such measures even preceded Sri Lanka’s ratification of the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child, Mrs. Dharshana Senanayake, Secretary to the Ministry of Women and Child Affairs, at the head of Sri Lanka’s delegation, clarified With the ratification of the Optional Protocol, the national laws have been further strengthened in such a manner as to cover all elements of the offences stipulated in the Optional Protocol.”

The delegation elaborated on legal and regulatory reforms such as the formulation of a Child Protection and Justice Bill on par with international standards, intended to better address the concerns related to children in conflict with law or in need of care, and the establishment of guidelines for the operation of day-care centers. Outlining the promotional and preventive activities undertaken by Ministries and other agencies in Sri Lanka to advance the best interest of the child, the delegation drew attention to the role of National Monitoring Committee (NMC) as an inclusive and robust monitoring mechanism.

Responding to questions raised by the Committee, Sri Lanka’s Permanent Representative in Geneva, Ambassador A.L.A Azeez apprised the Committee on the progress made in the implementation of national action plans. specially with regard to the rights of children as well as on the multi-stakeholder approaches adopted for their development and follow up. 

The Sri Lanka delegation comprising representatives of the Attorney General’s Department, the National Child Protection Authority (NCPA), the Department of Probation and Child Care, Ministry of Justice and the Permanent Mission of Sri Lanka in Geneva highlighted the best practices adopted by the Government through its various agencies to effectively enforce the rights and obligations under the Convention and its Optional Protocols, particularly in the areas of prevention, prosecution, promotion and protection. 

Enhancing training and capacity building for officers including on gender sensitive approaches, and awareness raising and partnership with all stakeholders to prevent abuses of children remained among national priorities aimed to advance the objectives of the Optional Protocol, the delegation recalled. A strong emphasis was made on Sri Lanka’s continuing commitment to improve the quality of data management related to issues covered by the CRC and its Optional Protocol and integration of gender in Sri Lanka’s SDG vision and programmes.

Commenting on the implementation of the Optional Protocol, the Committee’s Rapporteurs for Sri Lanka Review, Mr. Assane Thiam and Ms. Mikiko Otani appreciated Sri Lanka for the constructive spirit in which it engaged with the Committee, and for the positive measures taken to advance the objectives of the Optional Protocol. They, along with other members, expressed hope that Sri Lanka would do more in areas such as developing disaggregated data, necessary for targeted socio-economic measures and interventions. Members of the Committee expressed sympathies for the loss of innocent lives and injuries caused by terrorist attacks on Easter Sunday, which included the killing of around 50 children, and wished the country and people speedy recovery. 

Permanent Mission of Sri Lanka to UN Geneva

24th May 2019

By Prof. Rajiva Wijesinha Courtesy Ceylon Today

The first commitment in the President’s 100-Day Manifesto with regard to February, within a month of his election, was that on Monday, 2 February An Ethical Code of Conduct will be introduced legally for all representatives of the people.” Nothing however was heard about this and I thought that it too had been forgotten. But when I inquired a month or so afterwards, I was told that the task of drafting this had been entrusted to Anura Kumara Dissanayake, the leader of the JVP.

 This has been done by the National Advisory Council set up soon after the election though it did not consist, as had been pledged, of representatives of parties represented in Parliament as well as Civil Society organisations.” One of just two mentions of the Council that I found through Google declared that it was renamed the National Executive Council to ensure the implementation of the programme within the stipulated 100 days of time.” As we know now, nothing of that programme was implemented in the 100 days save for the 19th Amendment, which was a chaotic compromise between reducing the power of the executive branch and transferring it to the Prime Minister.

There were no members of Civil Society at the first meeting of the Council which took place on 15 January, only 3 days later than scheduled. That there was just a slight delay must be considered an achievement by the President, which had no subsequent parallel. Far from ensuring that there were representatives of parties represented in Parliament, he had only the UNP and JHU and JVP leaders plus Rishad Bathiudeen from Parliament, along with Chandrika Kumaratunga and Sarath Fonseka.

 Typical of what might be termed the revenge agenda of these last two was the fact that the Council paid attention to bring those who were accused of fraud, mismanagement and corruption to justice swiftly…..It also discussed on establishing an institution to prevent such malpractices from taking place in the future, especially through an empowered Commission of Auditing.” Of course, we know now that Ranil was at the same time putting Arjuna Mahendran in place to oversee a malpractice that put anything that had happened previously in the shade.

Anura Kumara Dissanayake

The spokesman for the Council seems to have been Anura Kumara Dissanayake, which was designed doubtless to get him on board – and it was duly noted that The JVP and the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) has said they will not accept portfolios and join the Government, but will participate in the National Executive Council to implement the 100-Day Programme and bring about the promised change by President Sirisena.” But there is a stunning silence after that about the Council. In fact, Anura Kumara told me, when I upbraided him for not having moved on the Code of Conduct, that he had submitted a draft within a couple of weeks, but had since heard nothing. The Council had not met, and it seemed he was not inclined to agitate for another meeting to pursue the matter.

I wrote to him when I found out what was happening, or rather what was not happening, to say that Since the process of consultation that was promised has been forgotten, I am sending you some suggestions with regard to the Code….The Code of Conduct should aim at three objectives. The first, and the most obvious to pursue, is eliminating corruption. This requires transparency and accountability with regard to both appointments and expenditure.” I reiterated then what I had written to the Prime Minister with regard to the draft Freedom of Information Act that we should ensure access to the Declarations of Assets of Ministers, Deputy Ministers, Secretaries of Ministries, Chairs of Public Authorities and all officials responsible for contracts or expenditure over the value of Rs 1 million. 

Such Declarations should be posted electronically.”

But there was no reply and the Code of Conduct, like other regulatory measures pledged, was put on the back burner. This was finally introduced well over three years after it had been promised, and has now been in operation for just over a year. But that is only in theory, for there is no sign of the practical measures required to ensure compliance. Thus, I was glad to see a requirement that:

16.The members shall disclose information relating to their business relationships and financial interests including information of close family members in order to increase the public trust in Members.

17.Every Member shall fulfil conscientiously the requirements of the Parliament in respect of registration of any interest in the Register. For the purpose of this section every Member shall immediately after a General Election, disclose to the Parliament all relevant interests that a reasonable person might think could give rise to the perception of influencing behaviour between duties and responsibilities and the personal interests of such Member such as assets relating to land and property, shareholdings and gifts. The provisions of this section shall apply to any items received or donated by such Member.

But there is no sign of activation of what would give teeth to this requirement, the provision that:

21.The Parliament shall publish the information so disclosed by any Member under Section 17 and the amounts of expenditure of public funds used by each Member and the purposes for which such funds have been utilised as soon as practicable. These shall be published by Parliament in the most accessible means available such as Parliamentary website.

Speaker

Obviously, much more must be done by the Speaker and the administration of Parliament to ensure compliance with the requirements of the Code. But meanwhile it will be useful if the Opposition, if not, the Civil Society activists who were so critical of the last government, but have kept quiet about many of the lapses of this government, look into the Register and see to what extent the more dubious Members of Parliament and the executive have faithfully recorded their interests.

Perhaps the most dubious, in terms of the shady university he owns, is Mr. Hizbullah, who is no longer a Member of Parliament. But one would assume his assets are not to be forgotten now that he has been elevated to higher things. If he is found to have not come clean, that is yet another reason for his removal, if indeed the case needs to be strengthened.

Incidentally, I suspect it is not Mr. Hizbullah alone who has not fulfilled the requirement that:

5.Every Member in the exercise, performance and discharge of his powers, functions and duties shall act in the interest of the Nation as a whole and specially towards his constituents.

But we should also note that this clause is difficult of fulfilment given our current electoral system, which is still district-based proportional representation. Obviously members do not see themselves as representing the whole district, but rather those elements within the district they count on for votes which will suffice for election. And these generally are based on racial or religious distinctions or specific party affiliations.

An additional point I should note is that, while the Code of Conduct is most obviously necessary to deal with corruption, there are other aspects too which need to be considered. In my letter to Anura Kumara, I noted too, the need for responsiveness to the public, and also respect. For this purpose, I felt that Parliament needed to put in place Regulations to provide that minutes of all meetings where the public are involved should be systematically maintained, and shared with the next level up of government. Responses must be conveyed to participants.”  A corollary of this was that All government officials must understand the need to respond promptly to requests from the people. They must also ensure that records are kept.”

Executive

I realise that this element applies more to the executive than ordinary members, but inasmuch as the executive is constitutionally tied to Parliament, there seemed no harm in setting out these guidelines too in the Code for those with executive responsibilities. And another point I mentioned, with regard to appointments in the gift of politicians, applies to ordinary members as well as Ministers.

This was the need for transparency with regard to the qualifications and job descriptions of employees above a certain level.” I have felt very strongly about this with regard to the many appointments made to both boards and administrative positions by Ministers, but the principle should also apply to staff whom Members of Parliament can hire. I was for instance horrified when I was told, when I got into Parliament, that I could choose to have the allowances paid direct to me, and then I could pay staff I took on as I wished – and I found indeed that colleagues employed relatives and sometimes poor ones, so, they could pocket part of the allowance.

Far from the Code of Conduct changing that, it seems to have got entrenched, according to the Parliament website Members are now paid Rs 100,000 a month to maintain an office.” This will allow for a free for all, whereas it is clear that the Code envisages appointments based on capacity. 7 © of the Code states that The Members shall in carrying out their duties relating to any public business, public appointments, awarding of contracts, recommending persons for any rewards or any other benefit ensure that such things are made purely on merit.”

 But this could be better observed if there were clear job descriptions and a schedule of qualifications that could be assessed.

Courtesy Ceylon Today

Foreign companies are not satisfied with the security provided by the Government and have resorted to bringing down security personnel from their own countries, claimed Chairman of the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP), Professor G.L. Peiris.

Speaking at a Media briefing, held at Party Headquarters, today (27), he said, Some foreign companies are now saying that they do not find the security measures taken by the Sri Lankan Government satisfactory. For instance, Chinese companies have many assets within Sri Lanka, however they are reluctant to give the responsibility of protecting these assets to Sri Lankan security. They are now resorting to bringing their own security personnel from their own countries. The Shangri-La Hotel, the Colombo Port City, and the Indian Oil Company are examples,” he alleged.

Prof. Peiris added that this culmination of dissatisfaction and mistrust amongst foreign companies in Sri Lanka, on the country’s security, will affect the economy and investment opportunities.

Commenting on reports that a group of Islamic State suspects were fleeing the country to India, he added that this would not have taken place if these suspects were taken into custody under the Prevention of Terrorism Act, under which the suspects cannot be given bail easily.

By Nirmala Kannangara/Courtesy Daily Mirror

US Ambassador to Sri Lanka Alaina Teplitz in her first interview with the print media after the Easter Sunday attack exclusively told theDaily Mirror how the United States is committed to aid Sri Lanka to combat and defeat terrorism on the request of the Sri Lankan Government and how President Donald Trump offered the necessary resources in the aftermath of the Easter Sunday attacks to conduct the investigation.

Our thoughts and prayers are with the families of the victims of the attacks. These attacks were senseless, vicious and unprecedented. It was a heartbreaking moment for the whole world. I hope the investigation is going to reveal in due time the extent and nature of the relationships that this attack group may have had abroad, but it is going to be important to understand that this was a home-grown group. We are very pleased to be able to provide this assistance to a friend and partner in need through the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI),” she said. She further said how information-sharing is key in the face of these threats. That is a critical element of our ongoing safety and security, not just for Sri Lanka and the United States, but for our friends and partners in other nations,” she claimed.

Meanwhile, denying the allegations levelled by the media concerning a permanent US base in Sri Lanka, the US envoy said the ‘Visiting Forces Agreement’ that the US have been negotiating with the Sri Lankan Government updates an existing agreement that dates way back to 1995.

I know there has been talk in the press around concern of a permanent US base in Sri Lanka. This agreement would provide for nothing of that sort. It is about visiting forces here temporarily at the request and invitation of the Sri Lankan government for the conduct of exercises,” she added.

When asked on the process of relinquishing US citizenship which has recently seen wide discussion in Sri Lanka, she said that renunciation of US citizenship is an ‘administrative’ not ‘political’ process and is straightforward.

As long as you have paid your taxes and have no criminal cases, the renunciation of American citizenship moves along. But for privacy reasons I cannot comment on any specific case,” she said.

When asked whether the reinstatement of an alleged ‘white van squad leader’ would complicate the ability of the US government to provide counter-terrorism assistance to Sri Lanka, envoy Alaina Teplitz said that such appointments were ‘deeply disturbing’.

If true, this appointment is deeply disappointing in the sense that there are credible, proven allegations against this individual and this is a country and a government that has committed to addressing gross violations of human rights in the past. That means it’s not just about reconciliation, but accountability as well, which has to be respected,” she said.

Excerpts:

QTo what extent does the US believe that the Islamic State was involved in the Easter attacks in Sri Lanka and why might Sri Lanka have become a target?

First let me say that these attacks were senseless. They were vicious. They were unprecedented and our thoughts and prayers have been with the families of the victims of the attacks, ever since they occurred. It was a heartbreaking moment for the whole world. In the wake of the attacks, an investigation had to be undertaken and one is underway in Sri Lanka. We are really pleased to be providing support to the government of Sri Lanka at their request to help them conduct this investigation.

The Islamic State did make public claims about having been behind this. I think, however, you have to look at the global nature of this terror threat where groups have been radicalizing, whether inspired by the Islamic State or whether they get their inspiration from somewhere else, and the fact that the perpetrators of these attacks were all Sri Lankan.

I hope the investigation is going to reveal in due time the extent and nature of the relationships that this attack group may have had abroad, but it is going to be important to understand that this was a home-grown group. As such, the government, people and communities are going to need to think differently on how to confront this threat going forward.

Q What is the role that the US played in Sri Lanka since April 21?

At the request of the government of Sri Lanka, the United States has been providing support through the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) to Sri Lanka’s investigation. We are very pleased to be able to provide this assistance to a friend and partner in need. We plan to be supportive for as long as our assistance is required, doing things in the investigation like helping to process evidence. I hope there will be no need for such partnerships in the future but there can be threats out there. We look forward to maintaining a partnership in the years to come so that both of our countries can feel more secure knowing that we can work together to face those threats.

We have long been a friend and partner and we had a security partnership even before these attacks. We have been working to support Sri Lanka’s ability, for example, to better secure its maritime space, the seas around the island.

In fact, just this past weekend, in an example of that partnership, a former US coastguard cutter, now part of the Sri Lankan Navy, arrived, after sailing from Hawaii with its Sri Lankan naval crew. We are proud to have made this contribution but also prouder still that the Sri Lankan navy is going to be putting this resource to such good use in the future in ensuring the sovereignty and integrity of this country.

Q Did the US government send assistance unilaterally after the Easter attacks, or did the Sri Lankan government request assistance?

We came in response to the Sri Lankan government’s request. President Donald Trump offered all necessary resources or assistance to Sri Lanka. The Sri Lankan government requested, and we delivered.

QWhat is the role that countries like Sri Lanka, who have been victims of such terrorist attacks, can play in the global effort to defeat terrorism?

The global terror threat is different to some of the threats of the past. We must all collectively think a little differently about how we are going to counter the threat. Information sharing is key in the face of this threat. All nations may have a little of the threat picture, a piece of that puzzle, if you will. We have to share those pieces in order to understand that landscape or understand that picture. That is a critical element of our ongoing safety and security, not just for Sri Lanka and the United States, but for our friends and partners in other nations.
I know that democracies can be successful in combatting terrorism. We can work together. Our open societies are a great defence against the kind of terror and discord and disunity that terrorists seek to create. Going forward, in Sri Lanka, we want to be supportive of the government’s efforts to respond to the terror threat, and to do so in ways that respect democratic values here and respect civil liberties. I think that is entirely possible to do.

Q After the recent incidents, and during communal violence that took place last year, the government suspended access to American social media and messaging platforms like Facebook, WhatsApp and YouTube in order to halt the spread of fake news and prevent communal violence. How can these companies be held accountable for preventing such abuse of their platforms so that such blocking is not necessary in the future?

The government’s response in the wake of the terror threats has been prompt and effective. It was solid. That is something to acknowledge. The emergency services and then this investigation and the bringing in of the correct people into custody so that people can be safer here. With regards to the shutdown of social media, I know efforts have been underway to improve security on those platforms. Violence can go viral on these platforms. I suspect that is always going to be a challenge and I know all these companies have been working hard on that.

There is always a fine line with allowing free speech, and the calming of speech and the rejection of extremism that could take place on these platforms were they still operable. The other communication and even basic messaging that needs to happen even from just to say to your friends and family that I’m OK”, is going to be a challenge if these platforms are not functional. This is going to be an ongoing issue to discuss and work on, and I hope all the companies will remain as engaged and cooperative as they have been up to this point. It’s a key issue, and a challenging issue.

QSeveral Americans were killed in the Easter attacks. What is the position of your government on prosecuting those murders in US jurisdiction? How will such investigations and criminal proceedings work in parallel with similar proceedings in Sri Lanka’s jurisdiction?

There were five Americans who lost their lives in these attacks and three were wounded. As a result, we are investigating for potentially bringing charges against any of the terror group that remain alive in US courts. However, Sri Lanka has the lead on this, and we are supporting their investigation and I am sure that the Sri Lankan government will be bringing charges against some of these people now in custody. Those cases will move forward. Our indictments in the US will be secondary to those.

The benefit to this two-track investigation, our support of the Sri Lankan investigation and a parallel effort to bring charges in the United States, is that we can bring even more resources to bear to help with that primary investigation that the government of Sri Lanka is undertaking. It must be made known to anybody who seeks to perpetrate attacks like this that they will be held accountable and that they are going to be held accountable the world over, really. We may not be the only other country that brings charges, because there were people of many nationalities who were killed and injured in these attacks.

Q How soon will this process be complete?

I couldn’t speculate. The investigation is ongoing, so it is difficult to say.

Q The US government has spoken strongly about supporting Sri Lanka and preserving normalcy. But the embassy has asked non-essential personnel to leave the country. Why?

In the wake of the terror attacks, we did take the step of ordering school-age children to depart the country. Adult employees and family members were given the choice of whether they were going to depart or not. From our perspective, we wanted to ensure that our children are not placed at risk at a volatile time when much was still unknown about the scope of the attack plot and the vulnerability of institutions in Sri Lanka. We do this as a precautionary measure. It is a mechanism we have used in many other countries in times of crisis. I hope that in the near future we will be able to welcome our children back to our embassy.

Q The process of relinquishing American citizenship has recently seen wide discussion in Sri Lanka. Under American law, at what stage does the US government consider a US citizen who has sworn an oath of renunciation as no longer being a US citizen? Is it as soon as the oath is sworn or is there any other procedure that needs to be followed before a US citizen is released from citizenship by your government?

There is an administrative process you go through. Once that process is complete, the person is no longer a US citizen. There is a long process to make sure the person is of sound mind and wants to make that decision. They file paperwork and work with the consular office at the embassy, where they go through many steps. Then the persons present themselves to the embassy and they sign legal paperwork. They read the oath of renunciation aloud to the consular officer. The embassy takes that packet and sends it to Washington DC just for final review. Then they confirm that the renunciation has taken place. If it is confirmed, it will be effective on the day the person actually swore the oath to renounce US citizenship.
(See box for the US Citizenship renunciation process)

QA US citizen was recently sued in a California court over the murder of Lasantha Wickrematunge, editor of ‘The Sunday Leader’ Newspaper. Is the US embassy and government aware of and monitoring this case?

We are aware of the case because there has been a public filing. We are not closely monitoring the case. It will follow its due course in the court system in the US. It is a civil suit brought by a private litigant.

QIf there is a civil case pending against a US citizen, does that prevent the US government from allowing such a citizen to renounce his American citizenship?

There are two issues there to address. We have a difference between civil and criminal cases that can be brought. A civil case has no bearing on a renunciation process. Separately, Renunciation of (US) Citizenship is an administration process. It is straightforward. As long as you have paid your taxes and have no criminal cases, then it moves along. For privacy reasons I cannot comment on any specific case, but it is pretty straightforward.

Q A Sri Lankan military intelligence officer, Maj. Bulathwatte, who was in charge of a team with allegations of abductions and murders of several journalists has recently been reinstated and given a special team responsible for counter-terrorism, frightening many police officers and witnesses who testified against him. Do appointments of this nature complicate the ability of the US government to provide counter-terrorism assistance to Sri Lanka?

If true, this appointment is deeply disappointing in the sense that there are credible, proven allegations against this individual and this is a country and a government that has committed to addressing gross violations of human rights in the past. That means that its not just about reconciliation, but accountability as well, which has to be respected.

I can appreciate that some people may have responded out of fear in the wake of these terror attacks and there has been some discussion in the public media about how safe people might have been in the past. That is a false confidence. This is a new threat. It requires people of integrity and it requires people with experience and a future looking focus to counter this threat. It also requires people who will respect the values of Sri Lanka, and international norms that do not support gross violations of human rights like those you have described.

Q A Member of Parliament recently made a very serious allegation in Parliament about a US official having attempted to influence the Sri Lankan judiciary for political reasons. What is the US Government’s position? What can you say about the history and practice of judicial study tours?

I would point you to the refutation of this allegation made by the Ministry of Justice and the judges who participated in the study tour. The person who made these allegations has made baseless allegations. More broadly speaking, for the last seventy years, the US has supported professional and study exchanges between the US and Sri Lanka, and they have covered an array of subject matter including investigative journalism and looking at emergency preparation. They have covered judges and judicial issues. The list is so long I don’t know where to begin. This is just part of what we have done as friends and partners over many years. When you understand that we are doing professional exchanges of this nature, and have been for years, on a huge array of topics, that allegation begins to look rather baseless.

Q What are the geopolitical interests of the USA in Asia?

I would look at it from a slightly different perspective. Not so much what the US’ specific geopolitical interests are but as a community of nations, our more global interests regarding a free and open Indo-Pacific space, the free transit of goods both by sea and air, and making sure there are laws and norms that allow nations to trade together peaceably and to get along, and that preserves these spaces for the transit of goods, and the transit of services. Our interest is in preserving that rules-based order, ensuring we have a chance to interact with other countries to our mutual benefit. Peace and prosperity are what we are all jointly working towards as beneficial outcomes for our countries. That’s how I see our interests. It’s around what is in the mutual interests of all nations.

Q Specifically, what is the interest of the USA in Sri Lanka’s strategic geographical position along a major sea lane?

There is no denying that Sri Lanka is in a very strategic location for exactly the reason you suggest, because the sea lanes pass by here. For hundreds of years it has become a path of trade and commerce heading between other parts of the world and the far east. So, it is very important in that regard and a lot of the economy here is linked.

Our interest in Sri Lanka as a friend and partner of this country, however, is not entirely around those sets of issues. Sri Lanka is a democracy. The US is a democracy. We partner with democracies worldwide. We have common interests around maintaining that rules-based order that can benefit all of our nations globally with free and fair playing fields. We also have interests around other issues of global stability and security, such as peacekeeping. Sri Lanka has been a troop contributing country. We have also wanted to support that effort to maintain stability in other parts of the world.

We also look at other security interests in the sense of ensuring the sovereignty of nations and making sure they can patrol and maintain not only the economic space around their countries but end transnational crime like global narcotics trafficking and human trafficking. We have common interests there. The bottom line is we have many, many more interests than Sri Lanka’s physical geographic locations. We have another common interest around human rights and dignity for all and we want to make sure that globally these values are respected.

Q Many political and military figures have spoken to the media about the proposed status of forces agreement between the Sri Lankan and US military. What is the truth about this proposed agreement? What are the benefits and drawbacks for both countries in entering into such an agreement?

The Visiting Forces Agreement that we have been negotiating with the government of Sri Lanka updates an existing agreement that dates all the way back to 1995. It will help to make it current. It is largely an administrative and logistical agreement that will iron out details relating to visiting forces engaged in exercises, for example, with the Sri Lankan military. Things like mutual recognition of professional licences, fees for professional support rendered, regulations for hiring foreign and local contractors, how US military personnel and civilian personnel can enter and exit Sri Lanka, the mutually agreeing what specific methods will be used.
Given that we conduct many joint exercises throughout any given calendar year as a part of our military-to-military relationship, it would certainly help both sides avoid a lot of case-by-case negotiations as we go from one exercise to another. I know there has been talk in the press around concern of a permanent US base in Sri Lanka. This agreement would provide for nothing of that sort. It is about visiting forces here temporarily at the request and invitation of the Sri Lankan government for the conduct of exercises.

Q Is it true that the US is concerned about China’s growing influence and presence in Sri Lanka? If so, why?

The US looks at partnerships in the region including with Sri Lanka with the idea that countries need to have many options, many friends and many partners. We ourselves have a relationship with China and we would expect that other countries in the region are also going to maintain relationships. The question for me is always what is the quality of those relationships? Are they ones where there is mutual respect for sovereignty? Are the relationships mutually beneficial in the sense that countries can work together for prosperity in the future? Are they transparent relationships? Are they equal relationships? These are the questions that any country should be asking about its partnerships.

Q Do you have any other comments you would like to share with our readers?

The US remains committed to the government and people of Sri Lanka as a friend and a partner. We certainly responded in the wake of the terror attacks, but we have been a steadfast friend and partner for many years. In that sense, our relationship has not changed. These recent events give us even more reason to want to deepen that partnership to ensure our mutual security, and to look at that prosperous future that we are both hoping for. There are economic challenges the country will be facing but we want to work with Sri Lanka to overcome those. Hopefully in the future we will be courting US investment and looking at ways that we can prosper together.

In response to questions relating to the procedure for a US citizen to voluntarily renounce his/her US citizenship, and at what stage citizenship is deemed to have been lost by the US government, the US Embassy in Colombo provided Daily Mirror with references to the laws and regulations of the United States pertaining to this subject.

According to these excerpts of US laws, regulations and administrative guidelines, a person loses US nationality upon an application receiving ‘approval by the Secretary of State’ after a long administrative process. Upon approval of the application, the relevant US embassy will provide the former citizen with a certificate of loss of nationality, as proof of no longer having US citizenship.

Section 349 (a)(5) of the Immigration and Nationality Act, codified at Title 8 of the United States Code, Chapter 12, Section 1481.

A person who is a national of the United States whether by birth or naturalization, shall lose his nationality by voluntarily making a formal renunciation of nationality before a diplomatic or consular officer of the United States in a foreign state, in such form as may be prescribed by the Secretary of State, with the intention of relinquishing United States nationality.

Section 358 of the Immigration and Nationality Act, codified at Title 8 of the United States Code, Chapter 12, Section 1501.

Whenever a diplomatic or consular officer of the United States has reason to believe that a person while in a foreign state has lost his United States nationality under any provision of part III of this sub chapter, or under any provision of chapter IV of the Nationality Act of 1940, as amended, he shall certify the facts upon which such belief is based to the Department of State, in writing, under regulations prescribed by the Secretary of State. If the report of the diplomatic or consular officer is approved by the Secretary of State, a copy of the certificate shall be forwarded to the Attorney General, for his information, and the diplomatic or consular office in which the report was made shall be directed to forward a copy of the certificate to the person to whom it relates. Approval by the Secretary of State of a certificate under this section shall constitute a final administrative determination of loss of United States nationality under this chapter, subject to such procedures for administrative appeal as the Secretary may prescribe by regulation, and also shall constitute a denial of a right or privilege of United States nationality for purposes of section 1503 of this title.

Title 22, Section 50.50 of the United States Code of Federal Regulations – Renunciation of Nationality

(a) A person desiring to renounce U.S. nationality under section 349(a)(5) of the Immigration and Nationality Act shall appear before a diplomatic or consular officer of the United States in the manner and form prescribed by the Department. The renunciant must include on the form he signs a statement that he absolutely and entirely renounces his U.S. nationality together with all rights and privileges and all duties of allegiance and fidelity thereunto pertaining.

(b) The diplomatic or consular officer shall forward to the Department for approval the oath of renunciation together with a certificate of loss of nationality as provided by section 358 of the Immigration and Nationality Act. If the officer’s report is approved by the Department, copies of the certificate shall be forwarded to the Immigration and Naturalization Service, Department of Justice, and to the person to whom it relates or his representative.

Courtesy The Daily News

The Court of Appeal (CA) yesterday issued notice with summons on National Movement for Social Justice (NMSJ) Convener Prof. Sarath Wijesuriya to appear in Court on June 21 to show cause as to why he should not be punished by court for committing the offence of Contempt of Court. The Court of Appeal two-judge-bench comprising Justice Deepali Wijesundara and Justice Achala Wengappuli made this order pursuant to a Contempt of Court action filed by Attorney-at-Law Sampath Vijitha Kumara and retired Army Officer Anil Wasantha Alwis.

The petitioners are concerned with the statements made by the Prof. Wijesuriya, at public gathering and via public media on the judges, scandalizing the judiciary and the entire system of administration of justice in order to advance the calculated motive of diminishing public confidence in the judiciary. Through this petition, the petitioners are urging that steps be taken against Prof. Wijesuriya as per Article 105(3) of the Constitution on the offences of Contempt of Court by several speeches made by him on several occasions. The petitioners are urging to punish the respondent for the offence of Contempt of Court under Article 105 (3) of the Constitution.

The petitioners stated that on or around October 15, 2016 the Independent Cinema Movement of Sri Lanka has uploaded a voice cut of the respondent on Youtube, expressing his views on the court order for halt the screening of Prasanna Vithanage’s film ‘Usaviya Nihadai’ (Silence in Court). The petitioners further stated that Prof. Sarath Wijesuriya delivered another speech on or around September 13, 2016 at the book launch of ‘Jana Aragalayaka Diya Salakuna’ at the Public Library Auditorium where he uttered the contemptuous statement.

The petitioners further stated that at a press conference organized by National Movement for Social Justice on August 21, 2018, the respondent had made another contemptuous statement. The petitioners further said the statements made by the respondent amount to undermining the independence of the judiciary and eroding the integrity of the judiciary.

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CA issues summons on Prof. Sarath Wijesuriya – (15:04)

The Court of Appeal  issued notice with summons on Convener of National Movement for Social Justice (NMSJ) Prof.Sarath Wijesuriya to appear in Court on June 21 to show cause as to why he should not be punished by court for committing the offence of contempt of court.

Court of Appeal two-judge-bench comprising Justice Deepali Wijesundara and Justice Achala Wengappuli made this order pursuant to a contempt of court action filed by Attorney-at-law Sampath Vijitha Kumara and retired Army Officer Anil Wasantha Alwis.

Sudath Gunasekara

No Sharia Universities and Madrasa schools of any kind should be allowed to be started in any part of this Country of the land of the Sinhala Buddhist. Those who want them should go back to Iraq, Syria or any other Arab country from where they have come.

Precisely because their main aim is to destroy the Sinhala Buddhist civilization in this country and convert it to another Muslim country  like Iraq, Syria., Indonesia, Maldives or Malaysia. Extremist Muslim terrorist movements like ISIS and NTJ are dreaming to make this Island their latest Islamic State. The establishment of Madrasa schools and Sharia educational institutes and their Mosques at every nook and corner all over the country is the starting point of this disaster. It is reported that 1683 Madrasa schools have been already established and 2161 foreign Muslim preachers have already been imported with the approval of the Ministry of Muslim Affairs (P18 Irida Divaian 26. 5. 2019) to deploy this programme. Therefore if we allow the establishment and continuation of these institutes and carry on their vicious programmes, this country will definitely end up as another Indonesia, Malaysia, Maldives or Afghanistan in no time and that will definitely mark the end of the 2500 year old Sinhala Buddhist civilization on earth. Therefore the first thing the Government must do immediately is to demolish these Madrasa schools and deport the 2161 Ulamas before they make the death- knell call for our bellowed motherland and the Sinhala Buddhist civilization in this country and punish all those who are responsible for this dastardly and treacherous act.

Furthermore we should realize that the establishment of Muslim Madrasa schools is the first step in a long journey. It is only the embryonic stage of a massive Muslim campaign deployed to capture this country.  The recently reported case of a Medical doctor involved in large scale sterilization of Sinhala women from Kurunegala Hospital, the story of running baby farms in certain other parts of the country like Wellawatta with massive foreign aid flowing in where Sinhala women are kept to produce babies for Muslims, invasion of the entire trade and commerce sector, both imports, exports and shipping sectors covering food, clothing, gem and jewelry industry, construction material, vehicles both whole sale and retail within the country in all items, the monopoly in  spice trade through which the Muslims exploits and impoverish the cultivators, land grabbing at exorbitant prices all over the country in major towns and along the main roads as Mohomad Gadapi advised them in  1976 when he came to attend the Non Aligned Summit and now even in the villages and the plantation sector, marrying Sinahala  and Tamil women and above all the tyranny of  minority politics exercised through the Parliament and even local government institutions with bribes and votes  are all a part of an interlocking network of a massive operation of political, economic and cultural invasion of this country.

Coming back to Madrasa, and Sharia Universities, all those who want them in place of Government schools and Universities should be ordered to pack up immediately and get back to their mother lands from where they have come and send them to Sharia Universities and Madrasa schools there without committing mass murder here to go to heaven as their Ulamas preach them.

We totally reject the Prime ministers political proposal to bring Madrasas or the Muslim religious schools under the purview of the Education Ministry. Instead they should be closed down forthwith. Any attempt to retain them in this country should be thwarted immediately.

It is a foregone conclusion that both history and tradition have firmly established that this country had been a Sinhala Buddhist country for 2326 years at least from 307 BC, if not before. Ever since the introduction of Buddhism in 307 BC the Sinhale Kingdom had been ruled by Sinhala Buddhist Monarchs, uninterrupted for 2122 years until it was ceded to the British Empire by an agreement called the Kandyan Convention in 1815. The fact that under sec 5 of that Convention, even the all- powerful Great Briton agreed to make special provisions for the protection of Buddhism clearly proves the inviolable status Buddhism enjoyed in this country for millennia. Therefore the fact that this country is a Sinhala Buddhist country remains unquestionable, inviolable and non–negotiable. Even the Christians and Catholics in this country are Sinhalese and Buddhists first before they became Christians.

In spite of the well- designed Colonial depredations, conspiracies and open support extended to Tamils and Muslims and importing millions of South Indians over a long period to reduce the power of the native Sinhalese, this country still remains predominantly a Sinhala (75%) and Buddhist (70%) country.

The story of Sinhala Buddhists discriminating Tamil and Muslims is a first class myth invented by the colonial west and their local agents and a diabolical lie by the extremist Tamils and Muslims that can never be proved as authentic with facts and figures

On the other hand throughout their long history the Sinhala people have accommodated both Tamils and Muslims traders who wanted to stay behind. The problem with the Sinhalese is that they are overzealous to accommodate others and help them so much they have gone down in history as the most hospitable nation in the world. Most of the Muslims and Tamils learnt the native language Sinhala, married Sinhala women and got even Sinhala ge names and got integrated with the natives. The King gave them land and allowed employment. For example in 1565 when Portuguese massacred the Muslims in the Aluthgama Beruwala belt those survived and escaped to the King of Kandy and begged for protection, he settled them in the Panampattu Korale in the East and thereby not only saved their lives but also gave them a permanent home to live in peace in his Kingdom.

It is an ironical and sad tragedy that today the descendants of those refugees, like Hisbulla and the dead Saharan (suicide bomber) are now conspiring have taken to arms to create an Arab land on that Sinhala land gifted to their ancestors by the Sinhala Monarch through sympathy and on humanitarian grounds for survival. Isn’t it a disgrace for these ungrateful and inhuman Arab intruders to resort to such savage and uncivilized actions shamelessly disregarding the sympathy and hospitality of the Sinhala people? In spite of Hisbulla’s deep involvements in these conspiracies, treacheries and murders, President Sirisena has appointed him as the Governor of the Eastern Province  thereby making him the King on the land he has robbed from the natives of the land that was given to escape death from Portuguese. Furthermore in spite of his converting the entire eastern province in to a pure Arabia by installing buildings with Arabian style and Arabian landscaping, naming public institutions like Government schools in his, his wife’s, his fathers, mother’s an and his sons name as reported and planting even date trees all over to give a typical Arabian touch to his Arabian dreamland, he is still kept as the Governor of the Eastern Province providing fabulous facilities out of public funds to carry on his diabolical conspiracies against the Sinhala Buddhists.

No matter what religion one follows, they must act according to the culture of this country where they decided to settle down. The old adage says ‘when you are in Rome you must acts as a Roman do” If we apply that adage to ours it would sound like  when you are in Sri Lanka, the land of the Sinhala Buddhist you must act as a Sri Lankan do”  and definitely not as an Arbian. To do that you must get back to Arabia.  If they refuse to do so then they should be packed up immediately to their respective motherlands. Not only Muslims but everybody else in the world should admit and accept without any reservation that this is a Sinhala Buddhist country as it had been from the dawn of history and they are the architects of the rich Sinhala Buddhist imprint of this land and they were the people who have fought against all invaders throughout history to protect this beloved land for their future generations.

Anyone who poses a threat to that age old heritage should be defeated and deported forthwith.

Coming on to the Sharia university whether you call it a public-private institution with the University management as the so-called Sectorial Committee appointed by the Government calls it, or a University jointly managed, as the Government as the President calls it, means the same thing as long as this terrorist

Governor of the President (not of the people) is there, it will ever   remain a Sharia University. Hisbulla in fact has already said that it cannot be taken over by the Government.  I have no doubt that Hisbulla’s bold statement must be based on an assurance by the President.  Isn’t it a treacherous crime for our politicians to betray the motherland for few votes like this?

Whatever it is there should never be a Shariya University or any Institution of that short in any place in this country. No permission should be given for such University or any institution anywhere in the island given the complexities and destructions this Muslim ideology has already brought about in recent times highlighted by Muslim terrorism blasted on the 21st last month.

Therefore if the government still wants to have a University in the EP then this building g complex,should be taken over by the Government and run as a government University under the full control of UGC as national University where student from all over the country could study, unlike the University of Jaffna where Sinhala students are not allowed.  Neither Hisbulla, nor his son or any other Muslim element should have any hand thereafter. I do not know whether he is planning to blast it off in case the Government takes it over. One thing I must clearly state is that whether it is Hisbulla or any other Bulla or Billa  they all should  remember they live on somebody else’s land generously given to their ancestors by the Sinhala King over which none of them has any historical, legal or moral right plunder.

I do not know as to who did the architecture of the buildings and landscaping of this University premises and who approved it. It is surprising that even the shade trees planted on the roadways are decorated with date trees giving the whole campus a unique Arabian look. Why was the government of the day sleeping while Hisbulla did all this damage.                                                                                         This perhaps is the womb of the Mini Arab of the ideological threshold Hisbulla was having in his head to overrun this whole Island one day. Obviously this is blatant and naked cultural invasion that is going to erase and destroy the Sinhala Buddhist civilization in this country. Therefore in my opinion no buildings with such Arabian architecture or landscaping or lettering should have been allowed. A full inquiry has to be made to find out as to what they were doing and where they were sleeping all the time and punish them. It should be taken over as a Government-run institution only after removing all Hisbulla elements are removed. I strongly insist that all Arabian features including names should be removed and replace with native names and other features that go with the local traditions and culture before such acceptance is done. Furthermore no Madrasa program or any special Arabian programmes that are going to be detrimental to our culture should be allowed within this site. If that is not possible this Government can use it to store paddy in the Amapre district as they have done in Hambantota Airport.

Meanwhile I would also like to draw the attention of the President as the Head of the State on another very important issue.

That is instead of mollycoddling these proven extremist Muslim communal terrorist politicians, I strongly suggest the President sack Hisbulla along with Asad Sali before they create further problems for the general public and also personally to the President by fully eroding his vote base already dwindled to almost zero.

In Addition I would also like to suggest that the President takes steps to order that,

1 There shall be no Muslim Mosque anywhere in the country for less than 100 Muslim families and all Mosques contravening this rule shall be demolished immediately as it has already become a serious threat not only to the Sinhala people and Buddhists but also to everybody in the country, as these Mosques will be converted to arsenals very soon that will be used to kill Sinhalese, Tamils and all those who are not Muslims of that particular faith.

2 Also you need to ban communal segregation all over the country either as Muslims or Tamils for the same reason.

3 Abolish the Ministry of Muslim Affairs for getting involved in Madrasa propagation and other crimes connected with Muslim terrorism and expansion.

4 He should also order the Muslims who have encroached on and vandalized ancient Buddhist sites all over the country including places like Kuragala, Devanagala Digamdulla and all other places in the Eastern and North Western Provinces and Mannar District, particularly in the North and Eastern Provinces in consultation with the Buddhist clergy.

5 Arabic names of settlements, sign boards, roads in the Eastern province and sporadic settlements like Akbar Pura in Polonnaruwa bordering Somawathi National Reserve, Dharga Town  in the WP and sign boards should also be removed all over the country.  Only names of Muslims who have contributed to Sri Lanka culture, for example Mohideen Beg and Kreem should be allowed to be displayed

6 Have one law for all citizens. Abolish the Muslim law and the Thesavalamei Laws given to Muslims and Tamils as special privileges by the British to get their support against the native Sinhalese.

7 Also instruct the Commissioner of Buddhist Affairs to explore the possibilities of taking back all Temple and Devala gam given to Non-Buddhists

The Government and the general public should realize that the devil is much darker than most of us imagine. Its tentacles spread all over the country in all spears like trade, demography, legal sphere, land ownership and security of the country has got a strong grip of the xcountry. They have tightened their strong and poisonous tentacles in all spheres such as economic, social, political and what not.

Therefore the Government must give the top priority to eradicate this menace before this country is made another Afghanistan, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Malaysia or Indonesia remembering that protection of the country is its most basic and fundamental duty.

Furthermore all Tamils and Muslims or any other should understand that his was the Land of the Sinhala Buddhists for millennia and they are only intruders and visitors in somebody else’s land. If they desires to be citizens of this country then they must assimilate with local culture and begin to behave as Sri Lankans at least, and certainly not as Arabians in their traditional Homelands. Otherwise they will be considered as invaders like Magha, Chola Portuguese, Dutch and British. If they cannot accept the inalienable birth rights of the native Bhoomoputras and claim parity with them then they should be ordered to vanish from this Sinhala Land. No Muslim or Tamil in this country can have any special grievance that are not there for native Sinhalese as people like S MP Sumanthiran  claimed last week at the BMICH. They also should accept that there are no minorities in this country as long as all fall in line with one language .and one national identity. Those who refuse to do so should leave to their motherlands of origin as we have never invited them to come here as Russian President has once said with regard to Muslims living there. Or in the alternative go anywhere in the world where they are treated as equals. None can claim equal rights on this land with the native Sinhalese simply because they are not Sinhalese.

 The elected government must stand and up and say this otherwise they have no right   to remain in the seats of power any more dabbling in jokes like democracy, reconciliation and bloody human rights introduced by the colonial West, just to collect the votes of the minority communities. These power hungry treacherous politicians who do not know what this country is and to whom it belongs should go home without destroying our mother any more like what they have done for the past 71 years ever since 1948.

Dilrook Kannangara

What happens in Sri Lanka is a story straight from hell. Indian and Arabic minorities are holding the nation hostage. To an outside onlooker it is strange and comical but this is serious. It marks the end of the nation. Tamil and Muslim terrorists have been released under various pretexts. Some were not even taken into custody. Those few arrested but not yet released were arrested under petty crimes and not under the Prevention of Terrorism Act. Over 150 ethnic Sinhalese have been slaughtered more than a month ago but no concrete action has been taken to punish the terrorists. The army has been cowed down to a group of ragtag weapons carriers providing regular updates on the situation to Islamic leaders! When did the army’s reporting line change? Instead of punishing terrorists, the security establishment shuts down freedom of expression. Sri Lanka has become an apartheid dictatorship.

Sinhalese are extremely vulnerable, defenceless and hopeless. This must change and change quickly.

In wide contrast India for the second time elected a BJP led government without a single elected Muslim MP from the coalition. World’s largest democracy upholds true democracy while Sri Lanka’s twisted form of democracy is plagued by the PR system of parliamentary elections and an executive president who is just a puppet in the hands of minority political parties ever since it was introduced.

The PR system was worsened just two days before the 1988 presidential election where the SLMC forced the UNP to bring down the cut-off of parliamentary election minimum votes requirement from 12.5% to just 5%. Any party that wins over 5% of the vote in a district will be considered for seat allocation. Desperate Premadasa had no choice than to agree. However, in 1994 SLMC joined Chandrika’s PA and managed to keep the privileges as it is. This is used as a threat by SLMC, ACMC and CWC in key election districts.

Executive presidents have been the weakest Lankan leaders. When a weak leader has executive power, it is total disaster. All executive presidents were held hostage by minority political parties.

If Sri Lanka were to be saved from this Satanic hostage situation, both the PR system and the executive presidency must be abolished. The old First-Past-The-Post system must be introduced.

To make matters worse, the island has become a battlefield of superpowers. USA, Saudi Arabia, China and India are after their own military bases in the island. They want secure and friendly chunks of the island where their military can be based and their backs are covered. It is a matter of time a major regional war will split the island nation. Minorities will take the side of their respective external motherlands.

Sinhala voters must realise their potential. At the 2019 and 2020 elections Sinhalese must use bloc voting – a tactic used by minority voters. However, the biggest responsibility is with Sinhala candidates. If they remain minority-venerating mollusks, then Sinhala voters will be rightfully divided. They must grow a backbone for a change and stand their ground. The 2019 presidential election is a referendum for independence from a hostage situation.

Issued by the Sri Lankan Brampton Peel Region Community

On May the 21^st evening, about 1,0000 people gathered in front of the Brampton City Hall in Ontario, Canada to express their disappointment and frustration towards Mr. Patrick Brown, the city mayor through a massivedemonstration and a peaceful rally. The mayor has already passed a proclamation (April 24^th, 2019) OF GENOCIDE OF TAMIL PEOPLE that never occurred in Sri Lanka.

genocide is defined as systematic measures for the extermination of a national cultural, religious or racial group”. The United Nations or any other country has not declared that Sri Lanka committed Genocide” in 2009. 

The attendees of the public rally believed and expressed their concerns through slogans and speeches that this proclamation creates an unnecessary tension between the Sinhalese and the Tamils in Canada. There are 14,225 Sri Lankans of all ethnic types currently living in Brampton. Mayor has seemingly forgotten that these numbers indicate votes.

The attendees from Brampton municipal area asked how the mayor could use Brampton taxpayer’s money to tackle a foreign political issue. They all strongly felt that this council had no authority to declare a war as a genocide in another commonwealth country.

They also pointed out that the Liberation of Tamil Tigers (LTTE) which has been designated by the FBI as the most heinous of all terrorist groups, systematically killed both Tamil and Sinhala intellectuals and leaders in Sri Lanka. According to Mayor’s communications, he had received support from four members of the Transnational Government of Tamil Eelam (TGTE) which represent the LTTE (a Banned terrorist organization) in Canada now.

According to the attendees, this proclamation is a political trick towards getting Tamil Canadian votes, and at the same time, an act over which a city council or mayor has no legal authority.

They specifically asked the mayor: Do you wish to encourage one ethnic community in Canada to break up the existing peace and harmony supported by the act of Multiculturalism?

They demanded that this proclamation be withdrawn. A responsible political leader like Patrick Brown should never ever use their tax dollars for their political advantage and purposes. 

Issued by the Sri Lankan Brampton Peel Region Community

SriLankansBramptonPeel@gmail.com

Courtesy The Daily Mirror

UNP MP Harshana Rajakaruna said yesterday the investigations into the Easter Sunday bomb explosions should be handed over to the police and the army saying it was a joke to probe the incident through a Parliament Select Committee (PSC).

He told parliament the Police and the Army had expert knowledge to probe such incidents and that neither the government nor the opposition were able to do so.

“Parliament has a responsibility over the incident and no-confidence motions can be submitted. But this incident should be probed by the police and the army. We do not have knowledge for such work,” the MP said.

He proposed that if someone was charged, it was better to hand over the investigations to the police and the army without passing the buck.

“If someone was suspected of having links to extremists and terrorism, let us hand him or her over to police and the army without pointing fingers. The government and the opposition have no knowledge to identify a terrorist,” the MP said.  (Ajith Siriwardana and Yohan Perera)

Courtesy The Daily Mirror

The police today urged the public to inform the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) If they have any complaints against Dr. Seiugu Siyabdeen Mohamed Shafi for having carried out any illegal sterilisation. The 42-year-old doctor attached to the Kurunegala Teaching Hospital was arrested by the police on charges of earning money in a suspicious manner.

By Sugeeswara Senadhira Courtesy Ceylon Today

Sri Lanka, struggling back to its feet following one of Asia’s deadliest terrorist attacks in years, is still wondering why this serene Island-Nation became the target of Islamic terrorists. The country did not get any breathing space after the Easter Sunday terrorist attack that claimed over 250 lives, including nearly 40 foreign nationals, and Colombo became the most sought after place for international intelligence agencies from every part of the globe.

It has already been established that a local Islamist extremist group called the National Thowheed Jama’ath (NTJ) was behind the deadly suicide bomb attacks. It has also been verified that the NTJ was linked to international Islamist terrorists.

The terrorist group, Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) has claimed responsibility for the bomb attacks on churches and hotels in Sri Lanka on Easter Sunday. This was claimed by Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, the self-proclaimed Caliph of Islamic State. In a bulletin posted by its Amaq News Agency, ISIS said: The perpetrators of the attack that targeted nationals of the countries of the coalitions and Christians in Sri Lanka before yesterday are fighters from the Islamic State.”

There are strong indicators that the perpetrators of Islamist terrorism carefully selected anti-Western targets for the Easter Sunday attacks. In the recent past, there was a marked increase in anti-Western attacks in the West as well as the non-Western Nations. In recent years, Middle Eastern jihadis have been too preoccupied with local conflicts in Iraq, Syria, and Yemen to head elsewhere. The pull of the Islamic State, meanwhile, has faded after its almost total defeat in Iraq and Syria. Losing of the ISIS territory, including the strongholds in Syria, was a deadly blow to ISIS. 

Hence, there was an urgent requirement for ISIS to show the world, especially to its widespread support base of militant cadres that the organisation is still a force to reckon with. Experts on Islam terrorism were of the unanimous opinion that targets such as Indonesia, Turkey, Egypt, and Sri Lanka were selected purely for that purpose.

Middle East wars

Experts on Islamic terrorism say the wars in the Middle East have transformed militants from Russian-speaking areas, who previously focused on fighting repressive governments at home, into global terrorist movement. By 2017, at least 8,500 fighters from former Soviet republics had flocked to Syria and Iraq to join the Islamic State. That experience gave many of these jihadis their first taste battling US and NATO troops, and it left them looking for vengeance, convinced that future operations should be aimed at the West.

Anthony Cordesman of Center for Strategic and International Studies said it is far too easy to focus on individual acts of terrorism and extremism, and ignore the global patterns in such violence. He has listed a wide range of indicators that help quantify and explain the patterns of these attacks. They include the fact that relationships between extremist and terrorist movements and the reasons for the rejection of such movements by the vast majority of Muslims, and the critical role that Muslim States play as strategic partners in the fight against such movements.

For decades, officials have focused on attacks launched by Middle Easterners. Today, however, the real threat increasingly comes from further East. The threat posed by Middle Eastern terrorists has been shrinking for some time.

One expert opined that it is easy to avoid analysing the links between extremist violence and Islam in order to be politically correct or to avoid provoking Muslims and the governments of largely Muslim States. The end result is to ignore the reality that most extremist and terrorist violence does occur in largely Muslim States, although it overwhelmingly consists of attacks by Muslim extremists on fellow Muslims, and not some clash between civilisations.

Some analysts are of the view that as the persecution of Muslims in Asia grows, so do opportunities for grievances to turn international. Such persecutions and episodes of defeat of Muslim groups by Israelis help the extremist groups to recruit young and vulnerable Muslim youth. One analyst who was in Bangladesh said there were at least two separate groups providing religious aid in Muslim Rohingya refugee camps. Such contact could boost the capabilities of local jihadis already conducting anti-Western operations in the area, including those who stormed a bakery in Dhaka that was popular with expatriates. And it may win more Rohingya over to the idea that they’re involved in a global struggle for Islam, not just a local fight for their own survival.

Eric Rosand

The well-known expert on Islamist terrorism, Eric Rosand said that the West and its allies need to recognise that future attacks are more likely to come from the East than the Middle East and that there is no other option than to cooperate with other countries to stop them. If the United States fails to do so, it could soon see the effects in either a surge of attacks on the United States or the rise of a new post-Soviet-dominated terrorist group in one of the world’s many war zones, he warned.

The post-Easter days show many intelligence experts from the West as well as other parts of the world embarking to assist Sri Lanka to fight Islamist terrorism.” The members of intelligence services of many countries are involved in the investigations. Whole lot of others from India, Saudi Arabia, Morocco, Egypt, Turkey, and China are in the new game of intelligence exchanges to assist investigations.

While, Sri Lanka, as a developing Nation with limited resources, should welcome the support extended by friendly countries to combat this horrifying threat of international Islamist terrorism, one has to be extremely cautious of hidden agendas of some countries. It is a well-known fact that there are serious differences of Shia Muslim Nations and Sunni Muslim countries. 

Furthermore, some countries are in alliance with Western Powers to crush Islamist militants in some of the Muslim-majority countries. Sri Lanka should take every possible precaution not to become a cat’s paw in this power struggle among Islamic countries themselves, with overt or covert support from superpowers.

By P.K. Balachandran Courtesy Ceylon Today

Soon after multiple suicide bomb attacks took place in Sri Lanka on 21 April, Lankan Army Commander Lieutenant General Mahesh Senanayake told the BBC, that Zahran, the man who led the bomber brigade, had visited Bengaluru, Kerala, and Kashmir for some sort of training or to establish more links with other organisations outside the country.”

Though Lieutenant General Senanayake did not mention Tamil Nadu, it is in Tamil Nadu and not Kerala and Bengaluru that the Islamic State (IS) and extremist Wahhabism have been trying to establish themselves and have met with a modicum of success. While an overwhelming majority of Tamil Nadu Muslims are very moderate in their beliefs and practices, a few youth from the educated classes have been radicalised by IS and al-Qaeda.  

According to one source, the prior information about the Lankan blasts which the Indian Government gave to the Sri Lankan Police, had come from the Tamil Nadu Police.

Small wonder then, that India’s National Investigation Agency (NIA) carried out on 21 May, ten raids in Tamil Nadu and Kerala to unearth Indian links with the Sri Lanka blasts that killed more than 253 persons.

Indian Media reported that a number of digital devices were recovered. The NIA also recovered three laptops, three hard discs, 16 mobile phones, eight SIM cards, two pen drives, five memory cards, a card reader, and two knives, apart from a large number of incriminating documents.

A group of ten persons who had formed a WhatsApp group were conspiring to procure arms and funds to wage an armed struggle and facilitate the escape of terrorists from jail.

It is reasonable to assume that Lankan terrorist Zahran would have had contact with like-minded persons in Tamil Nadu not only because the South Indian State had been having a Wahhabi-extremist fringe, but also because of the linguistic bond. Zahran’s mother tongue is Tamil and Sri Lankan moulvis and preachers have had historical links with their counterparts in Tamil Nadu.

Galle mosques’ plea

Confirming the South Indian (Tamil Nadu) link, the Galle District Muslim Mosques Trustees and their Committee Members met Lankan Parliament Speaker Karu Jayasuriya last week and handed over a letter demanding, among other things, a ban on religious teachers from South India,” by which they meant Tamil Nadu. Wahhabism is an extreme ideology that has caused many problems across the world. Wahhabism arrived in Sri Lanka in the mid-20th century and attempted to spread with the help of petrodollars, which flowed from the Middle East. The spread of Wahhabism caused unrest not only among the Sinhalese, but also among traditional Muslims, who even attempted to chase away Wahhabists. Sometimes, this led to clashes between traditional Muslims and Wahhabists. Wahhabism has one goal and which is to the spread of extremism, we need to stop extremist preachers who come from South India,” the petition said.

Extremism in Tamil Nadu

According to Media reports, the role of IS in Tamil Nadu was unravelled in a big way in 2014. In August 2014, Police arrested Abdul Rahman and Mohammad Rizwan from Ramanathapuram District on the charge that they were distributing t-shirts with the ISIS emblem.

A photo showing 26 youth posing with the t-shirt in front of a Mosque in Thondi had surfaced on social media. While the Police were not able to find any direct link with the outfit, it however, showed that ISIS was gradually being received in the State’s Muslim youth.

The NIA found speeches of the radical Islamist thinker Abul Ala Maududi in the possession of several arrested youth. The Police had also seized compact discs which had the speeches of radical Islamists such as Anwar Al Awlaki and Abdul Raheem Green,” one report said.

In early 2014, a Muslim from Cuddalore in Tamil Nadu, Mohammad Haja Fakkruddin Usman Ali, had left for Syria through Singapore, to be part of the Islamic State. Fakkruddin’s group had posted images on social media, in which several youth were seen posing with ISIS merchandise. It was a Tamil Nadu Muslim computer engineer working in Singapore, Gul Mohamed Maracachi Maraicar, who radicalised Haja Fakurudeen Usmal Ali. Maraicar was deported to India.

Prior to leaving Singapore with his wife to join ISIS in Syria, Fakkruddin was in constant contact with members of the community in Tamil Nadu.
In November 2014, Arif Majeed of Kalyan in Maharashtra, who was deported from Turkey, revealed that there were between 50 and 80 Tamil Muslims who had made their way to Syria and Iraq and were living and fighting alongside IS.

In its 2016 charges-sheet, the NIA mentioned the role of Mohammad Naseer, a young computer engineer, who was going to Libya, but was apprehended en-route and deported to India. Naseer had done his computer engineering from the MNM College in Chennai. He was a follower of the Tamil Nadu Thowheed Jamath founded by P. Jainulabideen (better known as PJ). PJ had visited Sri Lanka, but his visits were thwarted twice by the Lankan Government.

However, the Tamil Nadu Thowheed Jamath is not a radical organisation these days. It issued a statement dissociating itself from Zahran and the Sri Lankan blasts. Since 2014, it is engaged in propagating the view that Islam abhors violence.  

In April this year, after the Easter Sunday Sri Lanka bombings, the NIA arrested Riyaz Aboobacker, a Kerala Muslim. Interrogation of Aboobacker revealed the existence of IS sleeper cells in Tamil Nadu. He confessed that he was inspired by Zahran and had planned to replicate the Lanka bombings in India.

Intelligence Bureau officials told Oneindia that the threat in Tamil Nadu comes from al-Qaeda also, through various shadow outfits in the State. One such outfit being the Base Movement.”

Terror groups in Tamil Nadu could be either underground or overground. Groups like Al-Ummah operate openly and focus largely on political hits. The blast at Coimbatore or the one outside the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) office in Karnataka in 2013 bore the signature of Al-Ummah.

IS takes to Tamil

According to Vikram Rajkumar, an analyst at the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies in Singapore, IS has been communicating over social media in Tamil, besides Hindi and Urdu.

Through its Media wing, Al Isabah, IS had released content in the Tamil language. A video entitled, Al Gurabha: The Chosen Few of Different Lands” released in July 2014 featured Tamil subtitles, Rajkumar notes.
In one of his speeches, IS Supremo, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, had called for Tamil Muslims to join ISIS. His speech was later translated into Tamil, the researcher adds.

Role of Indian Tamil Diaspora

The Indian Tamil Diaspora has had a role in spreading extremism, says Rajkumar.

Due to a history of trade and migration by native Tamils into Southeast Asia, the local population in Tamil Nadu have built strong transnational networks with the Tamil communities concentrated in Southeast Asia.

Therefore, the potential for radical jihadist influences to spread through such networks and impact Southeast Asia’s Tamil communities, and to alter the internal stability and security of the countries there, warrants particular attention for governments,” he says.

According to The Hindu report in 2014, investigations revealed that there were ongoing efforts by Jihadis to recruit college students in Tamil Nadu’s capital, Chennai.

The ISIS’ appeal in Tamil Nadu can be attributed to its well-orchestrated social media presence and elaborate propaganda, employing technology and the use of Islamic symbols to lure its target audience.

Krishnadas Calamur, writing in The Atlantic, says that IS greatly values recruits well-versed in design and computer skills, and therefore looks for recruits from States like Tamil Nadu and Kerala, where literacy rates and educational levels are comparatively high.

SULOCHANA RAMIAH MOHAN Courtesy Ceylon Today

The Terrorist Investigation Division (TID) and the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) have arrested 89 persons who have had direct contacts with the suicide bombers involved in a multiple attack carried out by the Islamic extremists on Easter Sunday that killed over 300 people and injured over 500.

By the one-month anniversary of the blasts, there are 89 taken into custody noted police spokesperson Ruwan Gunasekara.

He said the other suspects who had been arrested in various parts of the country have been released; we cannot maintain an accurate record because they are only suspects, so after questioning they may have been released.

In the meantime, the intelligence has revealed that out of the eight (8) suicide bombers four of them have had their training in Syria and Zahran Hashim is one of them.

The others are the Kingsbury hotel bomber Mohamed Assam Mohamed Mubarak of Colombo 12, Dehiwela bomber, Abdul Lathif Jameer Mohamed of Welamboda, and Zion church bomber Mohamed Nazar Mohamed Azath of New Kathankudy.

However, SP Gunasekara said he has not got confirmation on that information and still the Government is ascertaining their links with Syria and as the ongoing probe, he is unable to reveal any of that information to the media.

The news about four bombers being trained in Syria has been already published in Asaahi Shimbun, the Japanese newspaper who obtained the information from the intelligence, according to sources.

Courtesy Adaderana

Two complaints against the Eastern Province Governor A.L.A.M. Hizbullah and Minister Rishad Bathiudeen have been forwarded to the Criminal Investigation Department (CID), stated the Police Media Spokesperson.

The two complaints have been lodged at the Police Headquarters the ‘Ravana Balaya’ organization and the Buddhist Information Center.

The ‘Ravana Balaya’ organization has lodged a complaint calling for law enforcement against the Easter Province Governor M. L. A. M. Hizbullah and Minister Rishad Bathiudeen on the 15th May, charging that they abetted terrorism.

On 24th May, the Executive Director of the Buddhist Information Center Ven. Agulugalle Siri Jinananda Thero filed a complaint against Hizbullah over allegations of contempt of court and influencing the court. They have called for an investigation against the governor on these charges.

Accordingly, the Police Head Quarters have directed the CID to launch investigations on these complaints.

Courtesy Adaderana

On a joint search operation by the Sri Lanka Army and the Police, several suspicious items were discovered at a house in Narahenpita.

Accordingly, 04 headwear items of the Sri Lanka Army, 10 knives that are not permitted to be used at homes, and many communication and technical equipment were found at the house.

The Sri Lanka Army stated that search operations were carried out today (25) in areas under 6 districts.

Four persons were arrested in a search operation conducted in Naththandiya. The officers had seized 04 motor bicycles, 2 swords, 28 CDs, 48 suspicious books, and 7 magazines with the suspects.

Pair of binoculars, several bullets, and a large number of passports were discovered in a house in Kurunegala.

Meanwhile, an underground bunker was discovered at the house of a person who is currently under bail after arrest in Welipenna over several crimes.

Two fake number plates and 2 daggers were also found at a house in Welipenna area, stated Sri Lanka Army.

Courtesy Adaderana

The public is urged to come forward with any complaints of Dr. Seigu Siyabdeen Mohamed Shafi having carried out illegal sterilization, stated the Police.

Accordingly, if there are complaints against the relevant doctor performing illegal sterilization the public can submit them to the Criminal Investigation Department (CID).

Seigu Siyabdeen Mohamed Shafi, 42, a resident of Weerasinghe Mawatha in Kurunegala, was arrested by police at his home on May 25 based on information received by Kurunegala Police regarding the suspicious nature in which he had amassed wealth.

He is currently under the custody of the CID and it was also revealed that he had performed nearly 8000 Caesarian surgeries.

Courtesy AFP

AFP / LAKRUWAN WANNIARACHCHISome 3,000 military personnel were deployed in and around the capital as well as other key towns for cordon-and-search activities

Sri Lanka’s military has detained nearly 100 suspects during four days of search operations against remnants of an Islamist group blamed for the Easter attacks that killed 258, officials said Sunday.

Some 3,000 military personnel were deployed in and around the capital as well as other key towns for cordon-and-search activities that began on Thursday, a military official said.

In the first three days, security forces took 87 suspects into custody and they were handed over to police for further investigations, he added.

“The number of people detained could be around 100 by now,” a security official said adding that almost all were taken in for possessing drugs and in some cases illegal weapons.

A few were also detained along with video and other propaganda material of the local jihadi group, the National Thowheeth Jama’ath (NTJ) which has been blamed for the April 21 bombings.

The Islamic State group has also claimed a role in the attacks.

Several parts of the capital were also targeted in search operations by troops on Sunday.

Similar raids were carried out in North Western Province, north of Colombo, where anti-Muslim riots this month left one man dead and left hundreds of Muslim-owned shops, homes and mosques destroyed.

Security forces have arrested scores of suspects in connection with the April 21 bombings of three hotels and three churches, as well as over what appeared to be organised violence against the island’s Muslim minority.

While authorities say the immediate jihadist threat has been blunted, President Maithripala Sirisena on Wednesday extended for one month the 30-day state of emergency imposed after the suicide bombings.

Sirisena said the move was to maintain “public security”, with the country still on edge after the Easter attacks.

Christians make up 7.6 percent and Muslims 10 percent of mainly Buddhist Sri Lanka.

The Indian Coast Guard deployed its ships and maritime surveillance aircraft around the Lakshadweep and Minicoy Islands territory and borders with Sri Lanka after an intelligence report said 15 Islamic State terrorists had set off from Sri Lanka for the Lakshadweep islands on boats.

Authorities in coastal areas of Kerala have been put on high alert following the report, police sources said. Coastal police stations and police chiefs have been alerted about suspicious vessels.

Representational image. Reuters

The sources said, though, such alerts are “usual practice”, this time they have a specific information about the number of terrorists.

The coastal police department said it has been on alert since 23 May after the intelligence input came from Sri Lanka.

“We have been on alert since the Sri Lankan attack. We have alerted fishing vessel owners and others venturing into the sea to be cautious,” a coastal police department official told PTI.

After the serial bomb blasts in Sri Lanka, Kerala was put on alert, especially after NIA investigations revealed that IS operatives had planned attacks in the state. Intelligence agencies believe that a considerable number of Keralities still have ties with the IS.

Sri Lanka witnessed a deadly terror attack on 21 April when eight blasts rocked the island-nation, killing over 250 people. The Islamic State group claimed responsibility for the attack.

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Courtesy NewsIn.Asia

Colombo, May 26 (newsin.asia): The suspected involvement of the Jamaat- ul-Mujahideen India (JMI) in the April 21 multiple suicide bombings in Sri Lanka may have made India ban the outfit last Thursday.

As reported in the India Today website on April 23, the Sri Lankan State Minister of Defense, Ruwan Wijewardene, had said that the Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen India (JMI), a unit of the Jamaat- ul-Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB), might have had a role in the Eastern Sunday bombings which claimed over 500 lives.

It may also be recalled that the Sri Lankan Army Commander, Lt.Gen.Mahesh Senanayake, had said that the leader of the Lankan suicide bombing squad, Mohammad Zahran, had visited Bengaluru and Kerala besides Kashmir  either for training or to link up with other groups.”

On May 26, the Press Trust of India reported from Thiruvananthapuram in Kerala, quoting the police, that the Kerala coast has been put on high alert following intelligence reports that boats allegedly carrying 15 Islamic State terrorists had set off from Sri Lanka to the Lakshadweep islands.

After the serial bomb blasts in Sri Lanka, Kerala was on alert, especially after the National Intelligence Agency (NIA) revealed that IS operatives had planned attacks in the State. Intelligence agencies believe that a considerable number of Keralites are still with the ISIS

Bengaluru and Kerala in South India had become JMI hubs after the Indian agencies and the police started getting the upper hand in West Bengal and Bihar where the JMB/JMI was entrenched earlier.

The JMI/JMB’s ace bomb maker Boma Mizan” was living in Bengaluru incognito, and was arrested in Ramanagara in Bengaluru in August 2018. Mizan had also been a regular visitor to Malappuram district in Kerala which is Muslim-dominated. He was hoping to recruit youngsters from there.

Ban Announced

On Thursday, the government of India banned the Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB) and its offshoots like Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen India or Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen Hindustan.

A gazette notification dated May 23 said that these organizations have committed acts of terrorism, promoted acts of terrorism and have been engaged in radicalization and recruitment of youths for terrorist activities in India.”

Although the activities of the JMB and JMI had been under the scanner in India, especially since 2014, the April 21 Lankan bombings brought the focus back on to these outfits.

Activities of JMB/JMI

In 2018, Hindustan Times reported that Bangladesh’s most wanted terror duo, Salahuddin Ahmad alias Salehin and Jahidul Islam alias Boma Mizan had set up the JMI, the India chapter” of the JMB, after the latter came under tremendous pressure from the Bangladesh government headed by Sheikh Hasina.

In an article in Terrorism Monitor Volume” date June 29, 2018, Animesh Roul (www.refworld.org) says that on January 19, 2018, a low intensity blast on the grounds of the Tibetan Buddhist monastery in Bodh Gaya in Bihar, caused panic among devotees of the Dalai Lama who had just left after a visit to the holiest of Buddhist shrines. To everybody’s horror, two improvised explosive devices were subsequently found near the monastery’s Kaalachakra (Wheel of Time) prayer ground.

Investigations revealed the stamp of JMB and JMI. The National Investigation Agency (NIA) of India and the Kolkata Police Special Task Force (STF) believed that the JMB-JMI group was planning to avenge the atrocities against Rohingya Muslims in neighbouring Myanmar, by targeting Buddhist pilgrims in India.

Bodh Gaya and the Dalai Lama were to be the high profile targets which would give these groups and their cause, worldwide attention.

In February 2018, the Special Task Force (STF) of the West Bengal police arrested six persons from the Murshidabad and Darjeeling districts with suspected JMB links. Two of them, Azhar Hossain and Shish Mohammad, had allegedly planted the explosives in Bodh Gaya. The arrest of the duo led to the seizure of 200 kilograms of ammonium nitrate, 50 detonators, timers and tiffin boxes (metal lunchboxes) that were to be used to make IEDs.

The arrest of Paigambar Shaikh and Jamirul Shaikh confirmed that Salahuddin Ahmed alias Salehin and Jahidul Islam, known as Boma Mizan” for his expertise in bomb making, had set up the Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen India (JMI). They also said that the Bangladeshi Salahuddin, alias Salehin, is the chief of JMI.

While Salahudeen alias Salehin is still absconding, Boma Mizan was arrested in August 2018 in Bengaluru.He was trying to recruit Muslim youth from the Malappuram district of Kerala which has a large Muslim population.

JMB Active In India Since 2014

However the JMB as such had been active in India since 2014. According to the NIA, it was responsible for the blast in Khagragarh in West Bengal’s Burdwan district in December 2014.

According to Animesh Roul, Salehin had been a senior JMB leader since 2001. He was in charge of the Sylhet-Mymensingh region in Bangladesh, but had fled to India after escaping from a prison van with Boma Mizan in 2014.

Salehin had been sentenced to death for his role in the Mymensingh court bombing in 2007; the targeting several Christian youths in Jamalpur and the killings of Hridoy Roy, a Christian evangelist, in April 2003, and Joseph Gani Gomez Mandal in September 2004.

Salehin had started his radical career with Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami’s student wing, Islami Chhatra Shibir (ICS). He joined JMB while studying in Tejgaon Polytechnic Institute in Dhaka, radicalized by JMB’s military chief Ataur Rahman Sunny.

Salehin was arrested by the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) of Bangladesh in April 2006 in Pahartoli in Chittagong. Boma Mizan, who was arrested by the Bangladesh police in May 2009, came to be noticed after the all-Bangladesh serial bombings carried out by the JMB on August 17, 2005. He had played a major role in making more than 500 bomb attacks across Bangladesh that killed and injured more than a hundred people.

Link With Rohingyas

Dhaka’s The Daily Star reported in 2009 that Boma Mizan had received explosives training from the Rohingya Solidarity Organization (RSO), an insurgent group that is fighting the cause of Rohingya Muslims against atrocities by Buddhists in Myanmar.

The long-standing operational links with the Rohingya group might be the reason for the JMB’ s targeting Buddhist places of pilgrimage like Bodh Gaya,” Animesh Roul opines.

Why JMB Shifted to India and Founded JMI

According to Roul, the JMB’s shifting to India could be due to factors: The first of course, was the relentless anti-terror campaign of the Hasina regime in Bangladesh and the second was a split in the organization in Bangladesh.

Some JMB members were pro-al Qaeda while others were pro-Islamic State. The JMI, founded by Salehin, has been pro-al-Qaeda.

Salehin had attempted to reinvigorate the old JMB by using popular online publishing platforms like WordPress and Justpaste as well as social media channels such as YouTube, to post their propaganda. In mid-July 2017, the Bengali-language JMB organ Sahm al-Hind published an interview with Salehin that gave details about future activities and the objectives of his new group JMI.

However, the remnants of the JMB left behind in Bangladesh re-named themselves as New JMB” and carried out stunning attacks like the one on the plush restaurant Holey Artisan Bakery in Gulshan, Dhaka on July 1, 2016 in which 20 patrons including 18 foreigners were killed by machete-wielding educated young Islamic radicals.

Animesh Roul points out that Salahin had outlined the JMI’s three main objectives, which are: proselytization, training and armed combat with a view to establishing Islamic rule across the Indian subcontinent.”

The JMI’s goal is to oust unbelievers” in the land of Allah” by force of arms.

He urged Muslims of the region to wage the mythicalGhazwa tul Hind(battle between infidels and believers in India) to establish a caliphate in the Indian subcontinent,” Roul points out.

How JMB Infiltrated Into India

The JMB was able to infiltrate into India because of the porous India-Banladesh border in West Bengal and Assam and the presence of fellow Bengali speaking Muslims in the border areas.

West Bengal and Assam have substantial Muslim populations, with mosques and madrassah networks that have allowed Bangladesh-based militant groups like JMB and Harkat ul-Jihad Islami (HuJI) to raise money, material and manpower,” Roul says.

West Bengal’s North 24-Parganas, Murshidabad, Malda and Nadia disricts and Assam’s Nalbari district remain major hotspots for Bangladeshi militants and have become a stronghold of JMB over the years,” he adds.

(The featured image at the top shows JMB/JMI bomb-making expert Boma Mizan held by NIA in Ramanagara Bengaluru in August 2018)

Attack on Buddhism/Buddhists & Buddha is nothing new. The Buddhists are easy prey because both Christianity & Islam are institutionalized faiths with powerful funding, powerful countries & powerful organizations to back them. From ‘Age of Discovery’ the Papal Bulls, Christianization of lands to Islamization of lands, every Buddhist occupied land from Persia to Indonesia was stolen from them by the sword. A stark contrast to the spread of Buddhism without a sword or forced conversion. The philosophy that spread is killing institutionalized religions that thrive on rules, regulations and monthly tithe. The dana or giving is all that the Buddhist philosophy promotes. If you cannot destroy the enemy externally attempt to do so within is the latest strategy to co-opt born Buddhists wearing Buddhist robes & employed to distort Buddha’s teaching & take people along a wrong path. Their karma will haunt them. Buddhists are referred to as ‘racists’ ‘extremists’ ‘fundamentalists’ ‘militants’ ‘terrorists’ & even ‘clowns’. Obviously, some people are very annoyed with the teachings of Buddha. Fundamentalism is described as A person who takes their religion so literally and to such extremes that they contradict the very basis of their faith. They typically believe in a literal, verbatim interpretation of their scripture”. The last part is interesting. This means people are complaining about Buddhist fundamentalists or extremists taking their scripture to the extremes… in other words they are against the Buddhists reaching nirvana – the ultimate extreme! That is rather odd isn’t it!

In short, those that refer to people following the extremist side of their religion are called fundamentalists or extremists. Those that are claiming Buddhists please answer how Christianity or Islam spread across the world, how they took over entire lands & how they forcibly converted, how iconoclasm a foundation of their religion resulted in destruction of non-Christian/non-Islamic ancient artefacts and marvels? Are these not the same vandalisms we see taking place in 21^st century? While over 600 years separates Buddhism from Christianity & close to 1000 years separates Buddhism from Islam there is no shred of evidence to prove Buddhism spread by force or with sword. The extremisms of Christianity & Islam is nowhere found in Buddhism though the paid press and propagandists make every effort to show otherwise.

Religious extremism derives from what cults or groups take out from the very books of their faiths. Whether it is in context or out of context there is not a single word found in Buddhas teachings to attack or kill another but there are plenty of verses that can be taken from Islam & Christianity which is what is being used for political Islam and militant Islam today and Christians are doing same. While both Islam & Christianity EXTREMISM is taking whatever ‘out of context’ verses for their extremism – if Buddhists are described as extremists based on their faith it only means Buddhists give up all materialism to attain nirvana. It is quite laughable when people describe Buddhists as ‘extremists’ because extremism of Buddhism is quite the opposite of extremisms of Islam & Christianity.

Not a single word in the Dhammapada tells any Buddhist to kill. Not a single word in Buddhas teachings have separated or categorized people or told Buddhists how to treat non-Buddhists. Buddhism spread by word of compassion and not by any weapon or force. This is what makes Buddhism stand out from how Christianity & Islam spread. This is why there are well-funded efforts to present notion that Buddhism is violent though nothing in Buddhist texts speak of violence whereas enough of clauses and statements can be taken out from Christianity & Islam to show violence.

CHRISTIANITY

What are the quotes from the Bible that speak of extremity which encourages people to follow extremes! Just imagine Christian fundamentalists following these commandments to the word!

Do not think that I have come to bring peace on earth; I have not come to bring peace, but with a sword. For I have come to set a man against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law; and a man’s foes will be those of his own household. He who loves father or mother more than me is not worthy.”

(Matthew 10:34-37 from Prince of Peace)

I do not permit a woman to teach or to have authority over a man, she must be silent.”

(St Paul’s advice in 1 Timothy 2:12 and used to argue against women priests)

This is what the Lord Almighty says … ‘Now go and strike Amalek and devote to destruction all that they have. Do not spare them, but kill both man and woman, child and infant, ox and sheep, camel and donkey.’

(endorsing genocide, from 1 Samuel 15:3)

Do not allow a sorceress to live.”

(Moses’s call to kill witches, in Exodus 22:18)

And every one who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or lands, for my name’s sake, will receive a hundred-fold, and inherit eternal life.”

(Matthew 19:29 a lot of inducement)

Happy is he who repays you for what you have done to us / He who seizes your infants and dashes them against the rocks.”

(Psalm 137 on revenge)

You can kill a woman if she seizes a man’s private parts without his permission: Deuteronomy 25:11-1: If two men are fighting and the wife of one of them comes to rescue her husband from his assailant, and she reaches out and seizes him by his private parts, you shall cut off her hand. Show her no pity.

Wives, submit to you husbands as to the Lord”

(God’s test of Abraham in Genesis 22, in which Abraham is made to offer his son Isaac as a sacrifice; endorsement of female subservience in Ephesians 5:22)

Slaves, submit yourselves to your masters with all respect, not only to the good and gentle but also to the cruel.”

(1 Peter 2:18)

I do not permit a woman to teach or to have authority over a man; she must be silent.”

(1 Timothy 2:12 St. Paul’s advice)

For nation will rise up against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and there will be famines and earthquakes in various places: all this is but the beginning of the sufferings.”

(Matthew 24:7-8)

Render unto Caesar what is Caesar’s.”

(Matthew 22:21)

…the women should keep silence in the churches. For they are not permitted to speak, but should be subordinate, as even the law says. If there is anything they desire to know, let them ask their husbands at home. For it is shameful for a woman to speak in church”.

(1 Corinthians 14:34-35) – shameful for a women to be in Church

Let a woman learn in silence with all submissiveness. I permit no woman to teach or have authority over men; she is to keep silent. For Adam was formed first, then Eve; and Adam was not deceived, but the woman was deceived and became a transgressor. Yet woman will be saved through bearing children, if she continues in faith and love and holiness, with modesty.”

(1 Timothy 11:15) – so women are good to only give birth to children!

I tell you, on the day of judgment men will render account for every careless word they utter; for by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.”

(Matthew 12:36-37) – when killing is justified

ISLAM

Now let’s imagine Islamic fundamentalists/extremists following their commandments to the word! No wonder that Islamic terrorists are screaming ‘Allahu Akbar” and terrorizing the world.

The Quran contains at least 109 verses that call Muslims to war with nonbelievers for the sake of Islamic rule.

“The notion of jihad martyrdom is extolled in the Quran, Quran verse 9:1-11. And then in the Hadith, it’s even more explicit. This is the highest form of jihad — to kill and to be killed in acts of jihad.”

Quran (2:191-193)

And slay them wherever ye find them, and drive them out of the places whence they drove you out, for persecution [of Muslims] is worse than slaughter [of non-believers]… but if desist, then lo! Allah is forgiving and merciful. And fight them until persecution is no more, and religion is for Allah.”

(authorizes killing of others and encourages fighting until religion of Allah prevails)

Quran (2:216)

Fighting is prescribed for you, and ye dislike it. But it is possible that ye dislike a thing which is good for you, and that ye love a thing which is bad for you. But Allah knoweth, and ye know not.”

(showcases violence as virtuous while contradicting fighting is for self-defense)

Quran (8:12)

I will cast terror into the hearts of those who disbelieve. Therefore, strike off their heads and strike off every fingertip of them” 

Hadith 1:13

I have been ordered by Allah to fight with people till they bear testimony to the fact that there is no God but Allah.”

Hadith 1:35

The person who participates in Allah’s cause (namely, in battle). . will be recompensed by Allah either with reward or booty or will be admitted to Paradise.”

Hadith 9:4

Wherever you find infidels kill them; for whoever kills them shall have reward on the Day of Resurrection.”

Quran (5:33)

The punishment of those who wage war against Allah and His messenger and strive to make mischief in the land is only this, that they should be murdered or crucified or their hands and their feet should be cut off on opposite sides or they should be imprisoned; this shall be as a disgrace for them in this world, and in the hereafter they shall have a grievous chastisement”

Ibn Ishaq/Hisham 484:

Allah said, ‘A prophet must slaughter before collecting captives. A slaughtered enemy is driven from the land. Muhammad, you craved the desires of this world, its goods and the ransom captives would bring. But Allah desires killing them to manifest the religion.’”

BUDDHISM

Buddhism does not have ‘commandments’/orders. His Teachings were not revealed by coercion or ordering. His Ten Precepts are to be taken voluntarily for one’s own benefit and for that of others. A Buddhist goes to the Buddha, Dharma and Sangha for guidance (sarana) not refuge.

The course Buddha has advised Buddhists to follow are

Thou art well advised not to take the lives of living beings.

Thou art well advised not to take what is not given.

Thou art well advised not to engage in sexual misconduct.

Thou art well advised not to commit perjury (speak falsely when questioned as a witness).

Thou art well advised not to speak divisively (separating those who are united).

Thou art well advised not to speak harshly (offensively).

Thou art well advised not to speak frivolously.

Thou art well advised not to covet.

Thou art well advised not to harbor ill-will.

Thou art well advised not to hold wrong-views

The other 5 Precepts preached by Buddha are

Abstain from taking life unnecessarily

Abstain from taking things not given

Abstain from immoral actions

Abstain from false speech

Abstain from intoxicating liquors and drugs

Abstaining is not an order. Karma awaits that chooses not to. It is however, their choice. The decision to do good or bad is a person & the good & bad karma will follow as a result.

Non-violence is at the heart of Buddhist thinking and behaviour. There is not a single line in 423 verses (Dhammapada) on the Buddha’s doctrine that refer to fighting, violence or killing. Never has Buddhism waged wars or killed in the name of Buddhism. The Buddha denounced all forms of violence.

In times when priests told people that God can be approached through them only and priests were dominating and applying rules upon people, and the Truth was to be found only through them, Buddha showed how people could find the Truth on their own.

The Buddha asked loving-kindness to be extended not only to men, but even to all animals. His doctrine was that we suffer misery because we are self. Our unlimited desires lead to misery. The way out is to give up the self. Just as the body changes our mind, consciousness changes. Selfishness comes from holding on to self. If we know that there is no self we will be happy. He spoke against animal sacrifice. He said that God is a superstition invented by priests.

Conquer the angry one by not getting angry; conquer the wicked by goodness; conquer the stingy by generosity, and the liar by speaking the truth”

[Verse 223]

The one who has conquered himself is a far greater hero than he who has defeated a thousand times a thousand men.”

Do not believe in anything simply because you have heard it.

Do not believe in anything simply because it is spoken and rumored by many.

Do not believe in anything simply because it is found written in your religious books.

Do not believe in anything merely on the authority of your teachers and elders.

Do not believe in traditions because they have been handed down for many generations. But after observation and analysis, when you find that anything agrees with reason and is conducive to the good and benefit of one and all, then accept it and live up to it.”

All that we are is the result of what we have thought: it is founded on our thoughts and made up of our thoughts. If a man speak or act with an evil thought, suffering follows him as the wheel follows the hoof of the beast that draws the wagon…. If a man speak or act with a good thought, happiness follows him like a shadow that never leaves him.”

To enjoy good health, to bring true happiness to one’s family, to bring peace to all, one must first discipline and control one’s own mind. If a man can control his mind he can find the way to Enlightenment, and all wisdom and virtue will naturally come to him.”

It is better to conquer yourself than to win a thousand battles. Then the victory is yours. It cannot be taken from you, not by angels or by demons, heaven or hell.”

An insincere and evil friend is more to be feared than a wild beast; a wild beast may wound your body, but an evil friend will wound your mind.”

In the sky, there is no distinction of east and west; people create distinctions out of their own minds and then believe them to be true.”

If Buddhists were to take compassion to the extremes as advocated in the teachings of the Buddha the world would indeed be a beautiful place and nature, flora and fauna would be protected.

There are no lines in Buddha’s teaching calling Buddhists to take up arms, to indulge in violence, to kill (except in self-defence).

So who are the extremists/fundamentalists and how dangerous are those that take to the extremes of their scriptures?

Both Christianity and Islam divided the world between believers and nonbelievers, who is to be saved and who is to be damned. Both have declared wars in the name of their religion.

Both continue to uphold the sanctity of the Church and State (though they claim contrary). Those that recall the Dark Ages, Reformation would realize that 2.3 Christian population of Europe was murdered. The Napoleonic Wars, African slave trade which claimed 10million, the colonial conquests saw the murder of 20m in the Americas alone. It is estimated that the 20th century alone killed 250million people of which Muslims are said to be responsible for less than 10million. Christians have much to account for. World War 1 claimed 20m, 90% inflicted by Christians. World War 2 claimed 90m 50% inflicted by Christians. The 6m Jews were killed by Christians and not Muslims! There is no end still. America is the only country ever to have used nuclear weapons twice upon one country. Today, many Christians are realizing the truth and are taking a more practical view to life which cannot be said of the increasing militant/political Islam now being aggravated by West using as a geopolitical intervention tool.

Buddhists must refuse to be shouted down by well-funded propaganda. Buddhists have not caused historical or contemporary deaths using religion that run into millions by both Christianity & Islam. Isolated cases promoted via media denouncing Buddhism and Buddhists should not be accepted because none of their actions quote Buddhist texts unlike Christianity/Islam.

There have been no bloody wars to spread Buddhism. Therefore, those that ridicule Buddhists as fundamentalists/extremist are essentially laughing at Buddhists taking the teachings of Buddha and the Dhammapada to extremes and in reality it is something to be proud of because what is wrong in treating all equally, in finding the Truth, to love nature and not indulge in animal sacrifice and find oneself. Perhaps the clowns that ridicule Buddhists need to read about Buddhism first!

The world would be dangerously compassionate if Buddhist extremism prevailed!

All tremble at violence; all fear death.

Putting oneself in the place of another, one should not kill nor cause another to kill.”

Shenali D Waduge

by Tassie Seneviratne Courtesy The Island

Army Commander, Mahesh Senanayake

I could not believe my eyes when I read in the Sunday Island of 19th May 2019, statements attributed to the Army Commander, Mahesh Senanayake. He is reported to have stated, inter alia, that, “If a soldier has done something wrong, it is the people who have given the orders, who should be held responsible. So I request kindly, all of you to go and find out who gave the order to him.” – Most astonishing!

If the Army Commander has in fact made this statement, (which he has not denied) he is referred to the Army Act, wherein it is clearly stated that soldiers should carry out only lawful and legal orders.

The Army Commander has made this utterance to cover up the controversial re-instatement of an army officer accused of several crimes including the murder of one journalist and torture of two others.

There is a landmark case in this very regard, which the Army Commander, if he is worth his salt, should be acquainted with. The case in point is the case against Lieutenant Volunteer Officer Alfi Wijesuriya, in the Kataragama Beauty Queen murder case. When he realized that the prosecution had made a watertight case against him, Lieutenant Alfi Wijesuriya stated in evidence that he carried out orders of the Co-ordinating Officer, Col. Nugawela, to “bump off” the prisoners – under Emergency Regulations. The prosecuting Senior State Counsel asked only two questions. First Q. was, whether an order to shoot a prisoner in custody, was a lawful order. His answer was “No.” Second Q: – Having referred him to the Army Act, he was asked if he was bound to carry out unlawful orders. His obvious answer was also, “No.” That sealed his fate. There was no chance in the appeal either, because he was convicted on his own admission.

In the case of Major Bulathwatte, if what the Army Commander says is Major Bulathwatte’s position too, he will have to face the same fate as Lieutenant Alfi Wijesuriya.

The Army Commander should not mislead the people with this type of skullduggery.

Complicity of Commanding Officers: The fact, that an unlawful order from a Commanding Officer is no defence to a soldier committing a crime, does not mean that the Commanding Officer who gave the unlawful order is absolved of the offence. He is culpable of aiding and abetting the offence. A delayed statement of an accused, implicating the Commanding Officer in his defence, however, is not reliable evidence. If there be corroborating evidence to prove his allegation, then the courts will pass judgement accordingly.

(The writer is a Retired Senior Superintendent of Police – in support of the fourth estate)

The people are living in fear of being blown to smithereens following the Easter terror attacks though it is being claimed in some quarters that the country is now safe. Nothing is of graver concern to the public, at this juncture, than national security, which is in peril. The situation is so bad that the government has had to extend Emergency. But the members of parliament don’t seem to give a tinker’s cuss about national security.

We reported, yesterday, that as many as 194 out of 225 MPs had been absent when the TNA called for a division on the extension of democracy, on Friday. Where had all those MPs gone?

The parliament website mentions only the number of days of absence under each MP’s name. This, we believe, is not enough. The number of hours he or she spends in the chamber should also be mentioned, for most MPs leave Parliament immediately after entering the Chamber and bowing to the chair, or waste time in restaurants or elsewhere to the neglect of their legislative duties. This, they do despite enjoying all perks such as duty free vehicle permits with massive soft loans to go with them and receiving attractive salaries and allowances which would make even their counterparts in the developed countries turn green with envy.

Some ministries have flying squads to nab errant public officers in institutions under them, and those who leave their workplaces without permission have to face disciplinary inquiries. But the MPs enjoy the freedom of the wild ass.

The MPs are in a mighty hurry, especially on the days when Parliament meets. Other road users have to make room for those worthies, whose motorcades zing. Where they go so fast is an enormous question in that Parliament is often virtually empty.

All these years, MPs, under successive governments, have made a strong case for a smaller Parliament, albeit unwittingly. If a half-empty House can manage the legislative affairs of the country, why should the public be made to cough up so much money to maintain as many as 225 MPs?

The House, more often than not, lacks a quorum, even when matters of national importances are taken up, and sittings have to be adjourned as a result. Public funds to the tune of billions of rupees spent on maintaining Parliament go down the gurgler every year owing to MPs’ absenteeism. The Speaker often expresses his concern and urges the MPs to mend their ways, but the situation remains the same

Perhaps, there is no other country in the world with so many elected representatives sponging off the public. It is jokingly said that if one kicks a wayside bush in this country at least a dozen people’s representatives jump out. Many a true word is said to be spoken in jest. (There are about 9,000 representatives in Parliament, Provincial Councils and local government institutions!) India has a 543-member Parliament for a population of about 1.3 billion and Sri Lanka with a population of about 21.6 million has 225 MPs!

The country is burdened with nine provincial councils which has about 450 councillors including 45 ministers. All of them, save one, stand dissolved and their Governors have been running them for a long time. The government, which is campaigning for devolving more power to the provinces, has proved that the country can do without province-based devolution, by postponing the provincial council polls indefinitely, on some pretext or the other, for fear of losing them. It is only natural that there have been calls for scrapping the provincial council system and saving colossal amounts of public funds spent thereon. Either these calls should be heeded or the provincial councils have to be revitalised to be of some use to the pubic while the number of MPs is reduced drastically.

The blame for MPs’ absenteeism should be apportioned to all party leaders, who have failed to corral the members of their parliamentary groups.

We often hear MPs thunder in Parliament, tearing into public officials for inefficiency and irresponsibility. These grandees should be urged to put their own house in order before flaying others. A fish is said to rot from the head down.

Courtesy The Island

Dappula de Livera

As the Attorney General’s Department of Sri Lanka marks its 135 illustrious years, Dappula de Livera, PC takes over its reins as the 30th Attorney General of Sri Lanka.

In an exclusive interview with The Sunday Island, the legal bigwig who calls himself a ‘self-made man, priding himself on hard work’ explains how he plans to enable his institution to cater to the evolving legal needs of the time.

by Randima Attygalle

Q: Today, you occupy the hot seat of the Attorney General’s (AG’s) Department. How would you recap your eventful journey to date?

A: I feel a great sense of achievement. It has been a long journey of hard work and maintaining high standards in terms of integrity, honesty and independence. I attribute these tenets to my father, who thrived in them as a public servant of the old school. He had a long career in the government service and I closely followed his profession and always admired him as a man of integrity. He was my idol and my values are built on his conduct and behaviour as a public servant. I have a very strong uncompromising attitude and I have done my job according to the law and intend to maintain the same in the future.

Q: What about your school days and your formative years as a State Counsel?

A: I had my primary education at St. Joseph’s College, Colombo and my secondary education at St. Anthony’s College, Kandy. Both these institutions championed a strict regime of discipline which stood in good stead I should say.

I was admitted to the Bar in 1984 and joined the AG’s Department in mid-1985; I came under the wings of Shivakumaran Pasupati, PC, one-time Attorney General. I have served under several AGs and it had been a tremendous experience. Added to it was my exposure to several high courts across the country, which helped develop not only my advocacy skills but also my language skills. As an appellate counsel, I enjoyed what I did and I believe I made a mark in the appellate forum.

I had very tough judges before whom I appeared. Their sense of high discipline and attention to detail brought the best out of me. I take pride in the fact that I am a self-made man. I learnt through hard work and also by being conscious of the fact that I had to develop myself and build a reputation unique to me and my own style of advocacy. I believe it has paid its dividends.

Q: The recent Bond Scam case placed you in the media spotlight. How challenging was your engagement?

A: In terms of my engagement, I think the work I did with the Bond Commission really stands out. There was a mandate in terms of reference and getting through to the bottom of it was very complex, thus we had to strategize and plan for certain goals and objectives. We were faced with a lot of unwilling parties and had to work through different strategies and the interviews we had were very challenging because witnesses were very unwilling to divulge the details for different reasons.

We were also chartering the unknown waters. In terms of leading mobile phone evidence, it was a crucial breakthrough and that revealed a different dimension to the whole scam.

The outcome was very satisfying because we achieved quite a lot in terms of revealing the fraud and we were able to get to the bottom of it with a lot of effort, but I would have certainly preferred a little more time because we came to a point where we were moving into a different arena. I had a relentless attitude and we were interested in revealing the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth and in achieving it, I don’t think we left any stone unturned. I had a fully committed team of ten counsel of varied seniority and different expertise. They assisted me fully to achieve what we achieved.

Q: Apart from the Bond scam any other notable engagements you would like to recollect?

A: Another outstanding experience was my involvement in a Commission on Law and Order in early 2000, chaired by the former Supreme Court Judge, Justice Wadugodapitiya. I was the lead counsel and I led evidence to unearth the issues which were impacting adversely on law and order situation of the country at the time.

Q: How do you perceive the ‘generation gap’ at the time you joined the profession and that at present?

A: I think the present generation has issues with language, knowledge and ethics. There is a lot of learning to be done and they need to be more patient and cannot be over ambitious. It is disheartening that the profession lacks fully fledged young lawyers. Most of the young attorneys do not read legal literature and other material to upgrade their knowledge.

In my capacity as the Solicitor General and now as the Attorney General, I have been striving to inculcate in our young State Counsel the necessity to build an identity for themselves in the profession. They need to be mindful of the fact that they are in the public eye and building up an identity as a counsel is imperative.

A sense of competence and capacity has to be demonstrated because the public should have confidence in us when they see us in open courts. If we as officers of the AG’s Department cannot command that respect and match up to the expectations of the public and deliver, then we are a failure. I always encourage the officers to develop their language, communication and advocacy skills.

Moreover, they need to have a vision and a mission. They need to be mindful that while being eager to achieve quantity, they need to ensure quality which cannot be compromised. Quality can be achieved only through professionalism coupled with a zest to learn and develop and achieve competency.

Q: How do you think our legal education can be revamped to bridge this gap?

A: Sri Lanka Law College has a pivotal role to play and as a member of the Council for Legal Education, I am aware that a lot of work is being done to improve the standards of legal education. We have taken stock of the deficiencies in the system and address them so that the young lawyer is able to stand up on his/her feet and face the challenges of the new global order.

Q: As the Attorney General, how challenging it is to uphold the autonomy of the AG’s Department, given the political culture of the country?

A: As officers of the state, we have to apply the law of the country in whatever we do and as long as we act according to the law, we have nothing to fear. Your independence would come by acting according to law and the procedure established by the law based on the evidence. This is the direction I give all my officers. So it is a very simple formula – as long as you apply the law equally, there is nothing to fear.

The due process is what we are all looking for from the courts and from institutions which are mandated to administer the law. Procedure established by law should be strictly followed and if you cannot enforce due process then you cannot uphold the rule of law – this applies to our Department as well.

At the moment, public confidence in the rule of law is lost and a fear psychosis is now prevalent among the public. Law and order is in crisis and public security and national security have become issues. Hence, it is important that all institutions involved in the administration of justice strictly uphold the rule of law and thereby ensure equality.

Q: What would be the mandate of the AG’s Department in this crisis situation following the recent episodes of violence in ensuring that justice is delivered to aggrieved parties?

A: The violence the country experienced on Easter Sunday is unprecedented. The ripples of horror are still very much alive in the hearts and minds of people. We have to send a strong message to criminals as these crimes were so outrageous and put the country in a situation of unprecedented shock and dismay.

We have to deal with the responsible parties expeditiously and in the most stringent manner for multiple reasons: firstly to serve as a warning and deterrent to any potential offender and deter society and secondly to punish the guilty and most importantly to deliver justice to those who were wronged.

A dedicated team of our officers has already been appointed to advise the law enforcement authorities in the investigative stage. Once investigations are completed, we need to look at evidence and press charges to bring the cases to trial as expeditiously as possible.

Q: Can you throw light on any new measures that you intend to take to clear the backlog of cases?

A: In terms of criminal cases, we have introduced file disposal workshops running practically every week where all our officers and supervising officers get together and deal with old files and clear them on a systematic basis having regard to the geographical area and the subject area. Our officers come on Saturdays and devote their time to this exercise and we have reduced the backlog to a large extent.

Another step is the time frame placed on the new files. In the past, we concentrated on old files and the new files kept on building up. From this month onwards, every new file has to be concluded within three months so that they don’t add on to the existing file backlog. This is a two-pronged course of action for clearing both the old and new files.

In terms of new recruitments, 50 new officers are already on board and before December this year, another 70 state counsel will be recruited. With the new manpower will expedite the clearing of the backlog.

Q: What other measures are in the pipeline to give more muscle to the various Units of the AG’s Department?

A: While revamping certain existing Units such as the Child Protection Unit for example, several Units which are to fill long-felt needs are being formed and launched. The Child Protection Unit is being revamped and it will come under the direct supervision of the Solicitor General.

In addition, with the assistance from the UNICEF and the Asia Foundation, several new recruitments have been made to this child protection unit and a rapid file disposal programme is about to be launched.

The International Legal Affairs Division, which was set up last week, is another long-felt need. This Unit will be mandated to deal with all international legal affairs such as international agreements, treaties, reciprocity requests, foreign loans, international arbitration, mutual legal assistance, extradition and all matters pertaining to UN agencies and requests from foreign missions. This Unit will have a direct link to the Foreign Ministry and The External Resources Department and all other government institutions which have international legal work.

A Bills Division is also set up where all draft legislation will be dealt with. This will help counter the delay in issuing certification on the constitutionality of drafted legislation by the AG’s Department. The Corporation Division is being streamlined under a new Head to enable a better service to government corporations and other institutions.

With the assistance of the US Government, a Training and Development Centre will also be established in a few months. This will facilitate in-house training and capacity building of our cadres as well as officers from other government institutions.

We are developing an electronic diary for the department which can be accessed by all officers from anywhere in the country. This mechanism will provide easy access to day-to-day legal affairs from wherever the officers are stationed. All these are initiatives answer the call of the public who are waiting for justice to be dispensed and done.

Q: As an officer who has been very vocal on the issue of money-laundering, how do you propose that more teeth is given to fight this?

A: Our legislative framework on money laundering is quite sound. What is important to realize is that money laundering and drug trafficking go hand-in-hand. The Police Narcotics Bureau (PNB) while investigating narcotics crimes should simultaneously investigate money laundering because all over the world it is proven that money laundering and drug trafficking are interlinked.

Right now the drug offenders are not investigated for money laundering which is a lapse on the part of our investigative mechanism. The law enforcement agencies should also have more dedicated manpower to deal with these areas. The Financial Intelligent Unit of the Central Bank should also provide necessary required.

We cannot be satisfied with the quantum of support rendered here by this Unit. Hence, money laundering is an area that should be taken stock of holistically.

Q: The proposed Counter Terrorism Act has led to a lot of controversy. What are your views on this proposed legislation?

A: At this juncture I prefer not to comment on it in detail, but I have voiced certain reservations about it.

Q: Finally what are your thoughts on the level of legal literacy among Sri Lankans?

A: Our people are more conscious of their legal rights now as they are very media-savvy, today. However, more can be done in this area which however is a policy matter the government needs to address and initiate. In this process, if the AG’s Department is called upon to assist, we are ready to provide the required assistance without hesitation, but I must reiterate that it is a call of the government.

The media has also played a very decisive role in generating public interest in the citizens legal rights which is a very positive stride and it should continue to do so.

by Zacki Jabbar Courtesy The Island

Ven. Galagodaaththe Gnanasara Thera, who was released last week on a presidential pardon, pledged to reveal the names with evidence of some others linked to National Thowheed Jamath (NTJ) suicide bombers responsible for the Easter Sunday carnage.

“I will not only just name them, but petition the United Nations against the growing threat of extremism”, the Thera noted, adding “we will eradicate these elements.”

Responding to questions from the media in Colombo, the prelate said the Sinhalese need not get the permission of Muslims to ban the female attire ‘Purda’ and ‘Burqa’.

“Sinhalese don’t have to consult Muslim women to ban Islamic dresses worn by them. This is our country and we don’t have to be guided by what they believe is the proper dress code”, Ven. Gnanasara Thera said.

Courtesy The Island

Maithripala

The military launched a major hunt, on Saturday, for the remnants of the National Thowheed Jamaath, which carried out the Easter suicide bombings, killing 258 people.

Several Colombo suburbs were targeted by troops using emergency powers on arrests and detentions adopted after the April 21 attacks.

“Special cordon-and-search operations are under way in three areas just outside Colombo,” a military official told reporters.

Similar operations were also carried out in North Western Province, near Colombo, where anti-Muslim riots this month left one man dead and hundreds of Muslim-owned shops, homes and mosques destroyed.

Security forces have arrested scores of suspects in connection with the bombings of three hotels and three churches and over what appeared to be organised violence against the island’s Muslim minority.

While authorities say the immediate jihadist threat has been blunted, President Maithripala Sirisena on Wednesday extended for one month the 30-day state of emergency imposed after the suicide bombings.

Sirisena said the move was to maintain “public security”, with the country still on edge after the attacks on three hotels and three churches that were blamed on a local jihadi group, the National Thowheeth Jama’ath (NTJ).

The Islamic State group has also claimed a role in the attacks.

Christians make up 7.6 percent and Muslims 10 percent of mainly Buddhist Sri Lanka.

Meanwhile, the independent Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka accused police of failing to prevent the anti-Muslim riots after the bombings.

“There appeared to be no preventive measures taken although retaliatory violence against the Muslim communities was a distinct possibility after the terror attacks of April 21,” the HRCSL said in a letter to acting police chief Chandana Wickramaratne.

The commission faulted the police for releasing suspects who were later seen taking part in attacks on Muslim targets. It said there was political interference to free some suspects.

“As soon as they (the suspects) were released, the mob attacked all Muslim owned shops in Kuliyapitiya town during the curfew and went on to attack shops all the way to Rambawewa,” the commission said.

It acknowledged that police could not have controlled the mobs on their own, but they had failed to arrange reinforcements from security forces.

“Ensure that no undue political or other external interventions are tolerated, and that strict legal action be taken against those who obstruct police officers from performing their duties,” the commission said. (AFP)

Sandeep Unnithan Courtesy India Today

In March 2013, an India Today team was allowed access to the secretive underground bunker used by LTTE chief Velupillai Prabhakaran. Here is what they saw.

The two-room house in a jungle in northern Sri Lanka which covered the entrance to Prabhakaran’s bunker. (Photo: India Today)

On May 21, 1991, Velupillai Prabhakaran, chief of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, made what was arguably the biggest blunder of his life. An LTTE hit squad assassinated Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi. The intensely paranoid and ruthless Prabhakaran feared a return of the Indian Peace Keeping Force (IPKF) if Rajiv returned to power and so, he struck when the former PM was at his most vulnerable-during his campaign for the general election. Rajiv Gandhi’s assassination in Sriperumbudur, a town near Chennai, was the first time the Tigers had used a human bomb in a targeted killing.

K. Ragothaman, the chief investigator of the CBI’s Special Investigation Team, later told me Rajiv’s killing was meant to be an operation the LTTE could deny, something it would never own up to.

Prabhakaran’s hand was exposed when a lensman LTTE had hired to photograph the assassination for their chief was himself killed in the blast. The camera recovered intact, revealed photographs of the entire hit squad, including the suicide bomber, Dhanu. from then on, The plot unravelled rapidly.

The LTTE had already fought the IPKF for three years between 1987 and 1990, but Prabhakaran’s dastardly action ended what remained of India’s support for the LTTE. Indian Navy patrols in the Palk Straits severed links to the guerrillas’ rearward base, Tamil Nadu, and Marine Commandos hunted Tiger cadres on the high seas. The LTTE chief, meanwhile, masterminded the 1993 killing of Sri Lankan President Ranasinghe Premadasa-making his group the world’s only terrorist organisation to have killed two heads of government, one a former prime minister, the other a serving president.

On May 19, 2009, just two days before Rajiv Gandhi’s 28th death anniversary and when another Indian general election was underway, Prabhakaran was surrounded and killed by the Sri Lankan army. History had come full circle.

In March 2013, I travelled to northern Sri Lanka with my photographer colleague Reuben Singh. We were among the first Indian journalists to be given unhindered access to the Northern Areas which had been freed of LTTE control after 25 years. Our first stop was Mullaitivu district, adjacent to the erstwhile Tiger capital, Kilinochchi.

We were hosted by the gregarious Mullaitivu Security Force Commander, Major General L.B.R. ‘Marky’ Mark, an officer who had been trained in Indian military institutions. The burly, affable general met us at his sprawling mansion near the Nanthikadal lagoon and unabashedly took credit for what he believed was a hard-fought victory over the LTTE.

“Every morning, I sit on the roof of my house and sip tea looking over the spot where we found Prabhakaran’s body,” he told us. The site where his body had been found was now flooded, I was told. Deliberately, perhaps? The last thing Sri Lanka wanted was for the Tamils to build a shrine to the LTTE leader.

Our next stop was former LTTE chief’s bunker complex in Puthukkudiyiruppu in Mullaitivu district. It was the star attraction among a series of former LTTE installations now being run as a tourist circuit by the Lankan army. They called it the ‘Tiger Trail, the touch of irony perhaps unintended.

We drove into the thick Vanni forest of Puthukudiyiruppu, in the middle of A35, the highway between Mullaitivu and Kilinochchi. Halfway into the densely forested area, our vehicle veered on to a small dirt track around six foot wide. The trail ended at a nondescript pink-coloured, two-roomed house. It had an unusually wide porch framed by two slim pillars. It was a place vehicles could drive up to without being seen from the air.

Multi-tiered defensive layers covered the house, much like the mythical Chakravyuh of the Mahabharata. Five rows of barbed wire fencing, minefields, armour-plated soil-covered guard bunkers that rose out of the ground, cages for guard dogs and barracks for hundreds of bodyguards. This 60-acre complex was where Velupillai Prabhakaran lived for several years before he was killed.

Tour buses and cars ferried in a mix of Buddhist monks, schoolchildren and wide-eyed tourists, nearly all of them Sinhala and all eager to see the dreaded LTTE chief’s lair. A skinny Sri Lankan soldier in battle fatigues deftly flicked a thin pointer stick over a large layout of the bunker complex, speaking in rapid Sinhalese. “We won a great victory against terrorists.” He paused, as an explosion interrupted his spiel: demining teams destroying landmines around the complex.

The house was actually only a façade for what lay beneath. A heavy blast-proof door in the living room shielded a sloping passage leading to a bunker 40 feet underground.

READ | Rahul Gandhi: Priyanka and I weren’t happy after LTTE chief Prabhakaran was killed

The bunker was a four-storey structure with three-feet-thick concrete walls telescoping into the earth. Each floor was around 500 square feet and smaller than the next one. The entire structure was built to withstand air and artillery attack.

If architecture is a personification of its occupants, then the structure pretty much represented what Prabhakaran was throughout his life: underground, secretive and acutely conscious of his personal safety. The bunker was both his residence and a command post. It was here that Prabhakaran conducted briefings, met key aides and discussed strategy even as he hid from Sri Lankan Kfir fighter aircraft and covert units of the Lankan army’s Long Range Reconnaissance Units that had begun penetrating deep inside LTTE-controlled territory to assassinate Tiger leaders.

No one knew when the structure had been built, but we were told it had been in use for over a decade. In its heyday, the complex was air-conditioned and supplied uninterrupted electricity via a noise-dampened captive power plant housed above the ground. The power plant was no longer working when we reached there. The bunker’s interiors were dank, dimly lit and smelled of urine.

The first level had Prabhakaran’s operations room where floor-to-ceiling frames on the wall were used to pin maps and charts. The second and third level were large dwelling spaces of some sort with attached bathrooms. This is possibly where the Tiger chief lived a middle-class existence with his family.

Lankan troops that captured the bunker found beds, framed photographs of Prabhakaran on the walls, a stuffed tiger, bottles of cognac and Prabhakaran’s letters and photo albums. There were also LTTE uniforms, a Chinese QBZ-95 assault rifle and a container believed to have held the acutely diabetic Tiger chief’s insulin injections. When we arrived, however, the bunker was bare, stripped of everything, the walls painted in Sinhala signage to direct visitors inside.

Access to all rooms was through sloping staircases, the doors to the rooms all armour-plated for protection. At the bottom of the bunker was the fourth and last level, a circular chamber not more than 10 feet wide. It was the antechamber to a steep vertical escape tunnel that opened up some distance away from the house.

Also in the distance was a separate underground car park. Entrance to this vehicle park was shielded by torn strips of hessian cloth in the LTTE’s distinctive tiger pattern camouflage.

One frequent visitor to the complex, who might even have had a hand in its construction, clearly might have been Shanmughalingam Shivashankar alias ‘Pottu Amman’, the head of the Tiger Organisation Security Intelligence Service (TOSIS). This shadowy intelligence service of the LTTE controlled the Black Tiger suicide assassins and reported only to Prabhakaran. As Kumaran Pathmanathan, the LTTE’s former overseas arms procurer and seniormost living leader stated in several media interviews since his 2009 capture, Rajiv’s killing was the work of two individuals, Prabhakaran and Pottu Amman.

From archives | Rajiv Gandhi assassination: How plot was hatched and executed by LTTE

None of the ingenuity I witnessed at the bunker complex surprised me. The LTTE was the world’s first guerrilla organisation to field a navy and a rudimentary air force. Finally, it had even perfected the macabre art of converting a human being into a precision strike weapon.

Adele Balasingham, the wife of the late LTTE ideologue, recounted her 1989 visit to Prabhakaran’s underground ‘One Four’ lair. In her 2001 book, A Will to Freedom, she wrote of ‘a subterranean haven of tunnels and rooms chiselled out of the underground rocks’ some 30-40 feet underground where the rooms were ‘absolutely freezing at night’ because sunlight did not penetrate.

The bunker the LTTE chief moved into to escape the IPKF and where he lived in his final years was not designed to protect him from a full-scale ground invasion. So, in January 2009, when five Sri Lankan army divisions poured in from three directions into Tiger-controlled territory, Prabhakaran and his cadre fled towards the sea, taking with them nearly 100,000 civilian human shields towards the Nanthikadal lagoon where they made their last stand amid some of the most savage fightings in the 26-year-long civil war.

Even as the Sri Lankan army closed in, Prabhakaran’s overseas aides, including KP, made frantic escape plans to fly their beleaguered chief and his family out of Sri Lanka. The boldest one was to evacuate him using a helicopter flying off a merchant’s vessel. KP planned for the ship to take him to an African country, possibly Eritrea, and not to India, just 20 kilometres across the Palk Straits. Prabhakaran finally met his end on May 19, 2009, around 30 kilometres east of his underground refuge.

Our story made it to a Headlines Today (now India Today) prime time show on Friday, March 29, 2013, and an India Today magazine cover story (dated April 8, 2013), much to the displeasure of the Sri Lankan government. The island-nation was then under intense global scrutiny for atrocities committed by its soldiers in the closing stages of the war. ‘Terror tourism’, as we called it, was not the best news then.

Six months after our visit, on the evening of October 1, 2013, the Sri Lankan army asked people living near the bunker complex to evacuate their homes. BBC’s Sri Lankan correspondent, Charles Haviland, reported people ‘hearing an explosion and saw ash rising from the former Tamil Tiger facility’. It was the Sri Lankan army burying a key chapter in its bloody past.READ | Remembering Rajiv Gandhi: What exactly happened on that fateful night of May 21 in Madras and New Delhi

READ | Congress, Nehru-Gandhi family not on same page over Rajiv’s killers

WATCH | How Prabhakaran was killed

Michael Safi Courtesy  Guardian (UK)

The Guardian’s South Asia correspondent describes the challenges of reporting the recent atrocities in Sri Lanka and finding the words to justify intrusion into the lives of grieving families

In the immediate moments after the explosion, on a crowded street in Colombo, there was silence; the sound of thousands of people sharply inhaling. Then the screaming started, and people began to run.

It was about five hours after I had landed in Sri Lanka, a day after nine suicide bombers had detonated themselves in churches and hotels across the country. I was outside the blown-out remains of St Anthony’s church, where a few minutes earlier, survivors of the blast had quietly been recounting Sunday morning’s horror.

Suddenly, the fear was back, and columns of families streamed from the densely populated neighbourhood and up the street, unaware at that stage that it was a deliberate detonation by police of a suspicious vehicle believed to be booby-trapped with bombs.

I did not know either, and sought refuge inside an empty car park behind a chain-link fence – squeezing past a reluctant security guard – where I started sending paragraphs of what I was seeing to London.

After a few minutes, a young man also sheltering in the car park approached me. It is better if you go,” he said.

My backpack and laptop were apparently making people nervous – an impression my Middle Eastern appearance probably wasn’t helping to ease. People know these things can carry bombs,” the young man said of my computer.

I wanted to argue, but noticed that a small group was loitering outside the gate, shooting me glances as they talked. I left.

Journalists are never just flies on the wall of a story. In Sri Lanka, when we were not actively scaring people by our presence, we were attending the wakes of children, sitting in the city morgue with families as they identified the remains of their relatives, and surrounding the bereaved as their loved ones were buried in mass funerals.

Whether because of Sri Lankans’ welcoming nature, a different expectation of privacy or journalists’ sheer persistence, the media was granted extraordinary access to the families of victims as they navigated the worst days of their lives.

Afterwards, some of my conversations with other journalists were haunted by questions about our presence in these moments.

To approach a person holding a vigil outside a church where their whole family had been killed, and ask for an interview, I needed more reason than just: this is today’s news

Malcolm Perera, a labourer who said he helped carry people’s remains from St Anthony’s, including 50 bags of body parts, fumbled for words to recount his experience. Occasionally he lapsed into silence and just pointed at the sky and to his head. But he still talked to me and other reporters eager for vivid eyewitness accounts of the event.

Lakshan Anthony’s son was killed and his wife paralysed in the blast at St Sebastian’s. I met him the following Sunday outside the church, where he had come in defiance of security warnings to mark the occasion. At the stroke of 8.45am – the moment the first bombs had exploded – St Sebastian’s bells began to ring. Anthony stood outside the church fence, clenching his fists.

Both men needed emotional support. What they got was a journalist. I listened to them patiently, giving my time and attention. But I was also gathering material. Weighing the quality of the information I was getting. Empathising with the families of the dead – on a deadline.

Perhaps the only people with the right to look at images of suffering of this extreme order are those who could do something to alleviate it,” mused the American essayist Susan Sontag about popular representations of war and violence.

Say, the surgeons at the military hospital where the photograph was taken – or those who could learn from it. The rest of us are voyeurs, whether or not we mean to be.”

Another journalist I discussed this with shared her own discomfort at the sight of a group of photographers, walking backwards in front of families at a mass funeral, and accidentally treading on freshly dug graves. It was natural to feel appalled.

But then she saw photos of the scene on the front page of a newspaper the next day: a close-up of a mourner’s face wrenched in anguish and grief; a moving and powerful testament.

A few weeks after leaving Sri Lanka, I have gone back over mine and other people’s stories and read them differently. I can see the value. Respectful and sensitive reporting can give voices and faces to those who might otherwise have been abstract victims of some far-off tragedy. It bears witness, making apparent a shared moral responsibility. It asserts, against the fogging effect of time or deliberate denial, that in the words of the Italian writer Primo Levi: These things happened: This is true. This is my word for it.”

I assure you, these are not issues that arise in the day-to-day routine of reporting from south Asia. Bearing witness was far from my mind when I wrote about Indian movie buffs stealing milk to pour on posters of their film idols, Kerala’s burgeoning jackfruit industry, or the app that blocks access to porn sites and replaces them with Hindu devotional music.

But to approach a person holding vigil outside the church where their entire family has been killed, and ask for an interview, I found I needed more reason than merely: this is today’s news.

The world being what it is, Sri Lanka’s tragedy is unlikely to be the last I see up close. If and when that happens, I will go and cover it. And maybe later I will see it was worthwhile. But I don’t think it will ever get more comfortable. It shouldn’t.

Courtesy Mail Online

Sri Lankan security forces have arrested scores of suspects in connection with the bombings and over what appeared to be organised violence against the island’s Muslim minority

Sri Lanka’s military launched a major hunt Saturday for remnants of an Islamist group which carried out the Easter suicide bombings that killed 258 people, officials said.

Several Colombo suburbs were targeted by troops using emergency powers on arrests and detentions adopted after the April 21 attacks.

“Special cordon-and-search operations are under way in three areas just outside Colombo,” a military official told reporters.

Similar operations were also carried out in North Western Province, near Colombo, where anti-Muslim riots this month left one man dead and hundreds of Muslim-owned shops, homes and mosques destroyed.

Security forces have arrested scores of suspects in connection with the bombings of three hotels and three churches and over what appeared to be organised violence against the island’s Muslim minority.

While authorities say the immediate jihadist threat has been blunted, President Maithripala Sirisena on Wednesday extended for one month the 30-day state of emergency imposed after the suicide bombings.

Sirisena said the move was to maintain “public security”, with the country still on edge after the attacks on three hotels and three churches that were blamed on a local jihadi group, the National Thowheeth Jama’ath (NTJ).

The Islamic State group has also claimed a role in the attacks.

Christians make up 7.6 percent and Muslims 10 percent of mainly Buddhist Sri Lanka.

Meanwhile, the independent Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka accused police of failing to prevent the anti-Muslim riots after the bombings.

“There appeared to be no preventive measures taken although retaliatory violence against the Muslim communities was a distinct possibility after the terror attacks of April 21,” the HRCSL said in a letter to acting police chief Chandana Wickramaratne.

The commission faulted the police for releasing suspects who were later seen taking part in attacks on Muslim targets. It said there was political interference to free some suspects.

“As soon as they (the suspects) were released, the mob attacked all Muslim owned shops in Kuliyapitiya town during the curfew and went on to attack shops all the way to Rambawewa,” the commission said.

It acknowledged that police could not have controlled the mobs on their own, but they had failed to arrange reinforcements from security forces.

“Ensure that no undue political or other external interventions are tolerated, and that strict legal action be taken against those who obstruct police officers from performing their duties,” the commission said.

Courtesy The Indian Express

In 2013, monk Galagodaatte Gnanasara was blamed for leading a major anti-Muslim riot in the Muslim-dominated town of Aluthgama in the Western Province.

By PTI

COLOMBO: A Sri Lankan Buddhist monk, who was controversially released from jail, has claimed that a Tamil Nadu-based Islamic organisation had inspired the local Islamist extremist group NTJ for carrying out the country’s worst terror attack on Easter Sunday.

Earlier this month, the Sri Lankan Army chief said that some of the suicide bombers visited Kashmir and Kerala for “some sorts of training” or to “make some more links” with other foreign outfits.

Nine suicide bombers carried out a series of devastating blasts that tore through three churches and as many luxury hotels on April 21, killing nearly 260 people and injuring 500 others.

READ | India offers Sri Lanka full support to fight ‘Jihadi terrorism’

Hardline Buddhist monk Galagodaatte Gnanasara, speaking to reporters on Friday, said that two Tamil Nadu Thowheeth Jamaath (TNTJ) men — Ayub and Abdeen — visited Sri Lanka.

“They met one Abdul Razik here. The idea was to provoke Buddhists to attack Muslims. They spread stories derogatory of the Buddha,” Gnanasara said.

The hardline Buddhist monk was addressing the media for the first time since President Maithripala Sirisena ordered his release using a presidential pardon.

He was sentenced to six-year imprisonment for contempt of court in August last year. Due to Sirisena’s pardon, he was released from the jail after spending nine months behind bars.

“The TNTJ created Sri Lanka Thowheed Jamath (SLTJ) and later All Ceylon Thowheeth Jama’ath. The SLTJ was later split under nine separate leaders,” Gnanasara said.

He said that despite the arrest of almost everyone connected to the NTJ, another key figure Abdul Razik is still at large.

“This Razik is misleading the security forces. We will locate him soon,” he said.

READ | Sri Lanka suicide bomber radicalised by Pak-origin British preacher: Report 

The TNTJ, in a statement issued last month, denied any links with the NTJ and said that both the TNTJ and the SLTJ have been involved in social service and have been campaigning against terrorist organisations.

Gnanasara became notorious for his anti-Muslim stance.

In 2013, he was blamed for leading a major anti-Muslim riot in the Muslim-dominated town of Aluthgama in the Western Province.

Since the Easter Sunday attacks, Gnanasara’s prophecy on rising Muslim militancy gained credibility. He had publicly claimed many years ago that the NTJ was grouping for terror attacks.

He was sent to jail for the contempt of court. His 19-year term was commuted to a 6-year concurrent sentence. Sirisena’s decision to release him has triggered widespread criticism by religious minority and rights groups.

Sri Lanka has banned the NTJ and arrested over 100 people in connection with the blasts.