By P.K.Balachandran Courtesy Ceylon Today

The Sri Lankan Government has announced the proscription of three Islamic State (IS) affiliates, namely, the National Towheed Jama’ath (NTJ),the Jamaathei MillathuIbrahimee Seylani (JIMS) and the Wilayath as Seylani (WAS).

The first two were publically identified soon after the 21 April Easter Sunday suicide attacks which resulted in 253 deaths. But the Wilayath as Seylani (WAS) was named only recently, perhaps because it was discovered during the investigations into the multiple suicide bombings. The Government is yet to give details of the Wilayat as Seylani and its operations in Sri Lanka.

However, according to Dr. Rohan Gunaratna, a co-author of ‘The Three Pillars of Radicalisation’ (Oxford University Press 2019), the Islamic State’s Caliphate has not formally declared the formation of WAS, though its formation is being discussed at the highest level in the organisation and its establishment is very much on the cards.

The Islamic State’s plan may be to declare WAS’s formation if anti-Muslim violence continues in Sri Lanka and an excuse can be given for the formation of a separate ‘Wilayath’ for Sri Lanka,” he said.

The term Wilayath refers to a ‘province’. Since 2014, the IS has set up ‘Wilayaths’ or provinces in various parts of the world. These ‘Wilayaths’ are not conventional provinces but fields of IS operation. Among the IS’s ‘Wilayaths’ in South Asia are ‘Wilayath Khorasan’ (covering Afghnaistan and Pakistan) and ‘Wilayath al Hind’ (covering India with the nerve center being located in Kashmir). To this has been added ‘Wilayath as Seylani’ ( Seylan is the Arabic name for Sri Lanka).  

According to Dr. Gunaratna, Mohammad Zahran, the leader of the NTJ, who carried out the suicide bombing of Shangri- La Hotel in Colombo, had been wanting to set up an IS ‘Willayath’ in Sri Lanka.

The Lankan Government was probably aware of the discussions going on at the highest levels in the IS Caliphate about forming ‘WAS’ and had banned it in anticipation.

Communal clashes, with the majority community staging mob attacks against Muslims, would have paved the way for the realisation of terrorist Zahran’s dream.

It is therefore very important for the Government of Sri Lanka to ensure that there are no communal clashes and that Buddhists, Christians and Muslims live harmoniously and side by side in safety and security. If need be, the Government should issue shoot at sight orders to quell mobs on the rampage,” Dr. Gunaratna said.

In his paper entitled ‘Islamic State’s Financing: Sources, Methods and Utilization’ in the booklet ‘Counter terrorism- trends and analyses’, brought out in 2017 by the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies, Singapore, Patrick Blannin says that the Islamic State is a multi-million dollar organisation, which can throw money in many parts of the world to recruit, train, retain cadres and carry out its operations.

If Sri Lanka becomes a hub or a ‘Wilayath’ of the IS, it would be exposed to the dangers of other parts of the world with ‘Wilayaths’ face now.

According to Blannin, the IS is a self-sufficient organisation not depending upon any State or individual for its funds. He quotes Patrick Johnson to say that in 2008, before Abu Bakr al Baghdadi became leader of the IS, the organisation was financing itself by running smuggling rackets.

Looking at the financial muscle of the IS, it comes as no surprise that Zahran’s small group in Sri Lanka had as much as Rs 7 billion worth of assets and Rs 140 million in cash.

Baghdadi’s predecessor and IS founder, Abu Mu’sab al Zarkawi,had earned US$ 70 million to US$ 200 million annually through oil smuggling. Kidnapping for ransom got the IS another US$ 36 million. Keith Crane from RAND Corporation told a US Senate Committee that the IS made about US$ 1.2 billion in 2015 alone by various, mostly illegal, activities.

Oil smuggling

According to a 2015 study, the IS earned money from the oil business by attacking, holding, and operating oil infrastructure facilities in Iraq, Libya, Syria and Egypt. Sale of oil and petroleum products fetched it US$ 40 million per month in 2015. IS also operated refineries.

Anyone could buy oil from the IS. It sold at a competitive rate, and therefore sales were good. According to one estimate it charged US$ 20 per barrel in 2015. One report said that it made US$ 1.5 million a day on oil sales. However, US strikes against IS oil facilities in 2016 brought down revenues from oil rackets by 33%.

Interestingly, the many anti-IS groups in the Middle East were using the same methods to earn money to carry out their anti-IS operations.

Human Smuggling

Human smuggling is another racket which the IS had been running. It ran such rackets in Nigeria, Sahel, Libya, Egypt, Iraq and Syria. Prior to Libya’s action in 2016, the IS had a free run of 260 km of the Mediterranean Coast. It is said to have taxed agents involved in the smuggling 250,000 people to Europe across the Mediterranean.

It is alleged that the IS would attack refugee camps,forcing the refugees to flee and then made them pay to get across to Europe.

Though the Salafi Islam it propagates is against idols, the IS has had no compunction about stealing and trading in idols illegally. And the business was booming when it had many parts of Iraq under its control. As many as 4,500 archeological sites including some in the UNESCO World Heritage List, were under its control enabling it to vandalize the sites and sell priceless artifacts. This raised concerns in the UN and the Security Council passed a resolution in 2015 criminalizing this activity.

Taxation cum Extortion

Taxation is another method of making money. The IS reportedly collected not less than US$300 million annually by taxing business and levying religious taxes. The religious tax on business was as high as 20%. Agriculture too was a source of income because at one time the IS controlled 40% of the agricultural land in Iraq.

Cyber Crime

IS’s ‘cyberjihadis’ openly advise their online supporters how to use Dark Wallet, an anonymous bitcoin transfer application, as well as how to set up an anonymous donations system to send money, using bitcoin, to the Mujahedeen, says Patrick Blannin.

Whilst providing a communication channel with mass reach, IS online forums serve as virtual marketplaces forcybercrime tools such as malware and ransom-ware, as well as for skilled hackers, who can be hired for criminal services.”

The Internet has globalized fraudulent schemes, giving fraudsters access to millions of potential victims. British IS supporters committed a large-scale fraud by pretending to be police officers and targeting the UK pensioners for their bank details, earning more than US$1.8 million.”

Magnus Ranstorp has found that IS operatives have used fake identities and pay slips to apply for funds through online applications. They have used these identities to secure soft bank loans, quick loans (SMS loans), government and private welfare schemes as well as lease motor vehicles.”

By Shivanthi Ranasinghe Courtesy Ceylon Today

When Ranil Wickremesinghe rightly defines the Easter Sunday massacres as ‘global terrorism’ and vows to get help from the international community, Robert O Blake tells the Sri Lankan audience that Gotabaya Rajapaksa had the best model to defeat terrorism in Sri Lanka and to use it. He made these observations while making a presentation titled, ’US Foreign Policy towards China and South Asia and what it means for Sri Lanka‘, earlier this month in Colombo.

Blake would be privy to such a model for he was the Ambassador of USA to Sri Lanka from September 2006 to May 2009. He could not have served in Sri Lanka at a more decisive turn of events. The final phase of the war against terrorism began on 21 July 2006 when the LTTE closed the sluice gates of the Mavil Aru Reservoir five days earlier. Just three weeks before Blake’s arrival, the Sri Lanka Military won the first step of two-and-half year humanitarian operation.

The LTTE had been flagrantly violating the Norway-brokered Cease Fire Agreement. From the beginning, they were an impossible client who refused to corporate or adhere to the CFA conditions. Yet, it was the expert opinion of the West that the only way forward was through negotiation. They ardently believed that a military solution could never be obtained.
Despite LTTE’s brutishness, both the then Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe and Norwegian Special Envoy Erik Solheim believed that they can somehow reason out with Prabakaran. Years after the war, Solheim is on record that had he had more time with Prabakaran, the turn of events would have been quite different. Solheim should study the relationship Prabakaran had with India and how the overconfidence of Rajiv Gandhi led to his own assassination.

Mahinda Rajapaksa’s chutzpah

The CFA that was signed in 2002 was violated by the LTTE 3,830 times. This included the assassination of the then Foreign Minister Lakshman Kadirgamar. Though it shocked the world, the West was adamant that the Sri Lanka Government continues with the peace process. It was an impossible situation for it was a mere farce that the LTTE used to recover from the intense battles in 2001 and to prepare for its next phase. The then Government did not have Mahinda Rajapaksa’s chutzpah to draw the line between advice and interference.

When Ranil Wickremesinghe lost to MR at the 2005 presidential elections, the LTTE stepped up its violence. The U.S. State Department warned them against resuming violence because the Military was evolving into a much more capable and confident force under the new Defence Secretary, Gotabaya Rajapaksa.

Despite the warnings, the LTTE continued to be boorish at the negotiating table whilst attacking both civilian and military targets. Claymore mine attacks killed 150 government troops. The Kebithigollewa massacre included 64 Sinhala civilians. Then the LTTE closed the Mavil Aru Reservoir’s sluice gates. This effectively denied water to 15,000 families and ruined their crops.

After playing a decisive role in paving the path for President Rajapaksa, it is interesting that the LTTE continued in its violent path – despite the U.S. warning. Ironically, LTTE was caught in West’s own propaganda. Wickremesinghe believed in a federal solution, which served the West’s interests well. With nine very strong provincial councils, and a weakened Central Government, the outside world can easily manipulate individual Chief Ministers to their own interests.

MR’s vote bank on the other hand believed in a unitary system. Therefore, the West described him as the ‘talons of Sinhala extremism’. When Prabakaran interferes with the polls, allowing President Rajapaksa to win, he was relying on it. Hence, the repeated provocations. He thought that when the new Government reacted, the consequences can be easily portrayed as the reaction of a Sinhala extremist. Thereby, he hoped to garner international sympathy that would in turn pressurise the Rajapaksa administration to concede to the LTTE demands for a Tamil exclusive homeland.

However, by closing the sluice gates, the Rajapaksa administration got the perfect excuse to resume the military offensive as a humanitarian operation. Regaining control of Mavil Aru Reservoir became the biggest military confrontation between the Sri Lanka Military and the LTTE since signing the CFA. Throughout the offensive operations thereafter, the focus was always on the civilian factor.

Furthermore, Rajapaksa administration opened close-circuit channels with India, US and other international bodies and apprised them of all developments. When LTTE closed the A9 route, civilians caught in the war zone were denied food, medicine and other essentials. The intention was thereby create a humanitarian crisis. The Rajapaksa administration asked the assistance of the diplomatic community to ensure the essentials were sent. Blake played a prominent role in the matter.

Blake also ensured much assistance from the US Government to end terrorism in Sri Lanka. The US provided specific coordinates from  the Sri Lanka Navy to destroy LTTE ships that were carrying arms and ammunition to the terrorists. 

The FBI too tightened its surveillance
and thwarted those supplying logistics to the LTTE from within the US shores.

An ineffective government

It is most unfortunate that the Obama regime that came to power in early 2009 failed to continue this good relationship the two countries enjoyed. As a career diplomat, Blake could only adapt to his new government’s policies. The world’s biggest refugee crisis since WWII was created because of Obama regime’s ill conceived policies.

When Blake arrived in Sri Lanka in 2006, the journey from the Katunayaka International Airport to Colombo was clearly of a country that was at war. Had he returned to Sri Lanka any time after 19 May, 2010 and before 21 April, 2019, he would have seen a very different country from the time he served as an ambassador. Most unfortunately, when he returned this time to deliver his presentation, it was again a country with heightened security, deserted roads, and a palatable uncertainty among people.

Just two weeks before, the biggest civilian carnage took place in Sri Lanka in the space of couple of hours on the same day. The ISIS may have assumed responsibility for the carnage. However, the true culprits happen to be the incumbent Government and the agents that brought them to power and protected their seat in power.

John Kerry, who was the U.S. Secretary of State, admitted the U.S. role in toppling a strong, visionary, and nationalistic Government for a weak, juxtaposing, ineffective government. U.S. are also responsible for pushing through the contentious Geneva Resolution 30/1. Using this Resolution as a baton, the military intelligence networks were destroyed. The fact that the entire security base refused to act on the reliable intelligence they received of these attacks is an indictment on the security forces’ confidence of the incumbent government.

For all their trouble, U.S. did not gain much. If their contention with the Rajapaksa Administration was the much hyped Chinese factor, the government they installed did not ease their burden. Instead, China now has control over land in Sri Lanka that is bigger than some countries.
To cap it, U.S. are a suspect behind the Easter Sunday massacres. Malcolm Cardinal Ranjith himself had called the massacres part of an international conspiracy. Social unrest, lawlessness that transcends to Islamic extremist terrorism is the usual sequence that follows in the U.S. ‘Regime Change’ exercise. This gives U.S. the perfect excuse to ‘land U.S. boots’ in the country. Yet, when present powers are happy to appease the West’s every whim, the need for the whole hog is questionable. Only time will tell.

Yesterday should have been the day the whole Nation celebrates 10 years of peace. One might say the likes of Blake has much to blame for cruelly taking it away from us. In truth, it is we who took peace for granted and allowed intelligence networks to be dismantled and the victory parade to be cancelled. Main stream media refused to even mention it. Only after we lost it we speak of it.

ranasingheshivanthi@gmail.com

Courtesy Adaderana

Nearly 10 websites containing the domain names .com and .lk have come under a cyber attack, the Sri Lanka Computer Emergency Readiness Team (SLCERT) said.

The Embassy of Kuwait in Sri Lanka has also fallen victim to this cyber attacks, according to the SLCERT.

Cyber Security Engineer of SLCERT Ravindu Meegasmulla added that measures have been taken to curtail the situation.

Preliminary investigations have uncovered that the databases of the websites in question have been subject to changes owing to the attack, Mr Meegasmulla further commented.

MEDIA RELEASE by Opposition Leader Mahinda Rajapaka

(Translation of the text of a speech made by Opposition Leader Mahinda Rajapaka at his official residence on Wijerama Mawatha to mark the tenth anniversary of the defeat of the LTTE.)

Venerable members of the Maha Sangha, clergymen of all other religions, citizens of Sri Lanka and friends,

On the 19^th of May 2019, we mark the tenth anniversary of the decisive defeat of the separatist terrorism that prevailed in this country for nearly four decades. Separatist violence which began in a small and amateurish manner from 1970 onwards, gave rise to the most powerful terrorist movement the world has ever known – the LTTE. The suicide jacket, small explosives laden speedboats manned by suicide cadres, night time aerial attacks using small aircraft are just a few of the innovations that the LTTE introduced to global terrorism.  They were well ahead of all other terrorist movements in the world in collecting funds by both legal as well as illegal means. The LTTE was the only terrorist movement in the world that had its own ships deployed in international waters to transport weapons.

The Sri Lankan government bought weapons to combat the LTTE on credit. But the LTTE paid cash on the international market to buy the weapons they used against the Sri Lankan army as well as the Indian army. The LTTE was also the only terrorist organisation in the world to have assassinated two world leaders, – Rajiv Gandhi of India and President Premadasa of Sri Lanka. Those were the reasons why the FBI officially designated the LTTE as the deadliest terrorist organisation in the world in January 2008. Such was the nature of the terrorism that was conclusively brought to an end on the 19th May 2009 with the confirmation that its leader Velupillai Prabhakaran was dead.

This was not a victory that was easily obtained. The number of armed forces personnel and officers of the Police Special Task Force killed during that war was 25,367. Several hundred ordinary policemen, thousands of Sinhala, Tamil and Muslim civilians and a number of political leaders also lost their lives. Countless numbers of people were injured. The value of the property that was destroyed during that war has not yet been calculated. We succeeded in winning the war because we resisted the pressure being brought on us by certain countries to halt operations. 

The Republican administration in the USA at the time, helped Sri Lanka. It was with American help that we managed to pursuade the EU to name the LTTE as a terrorist organisation in 2006. In 2007, we were able to destroy the LTTE’s arms smuggling ships in international waters off Australia and Indonesia due to specific information provided to us by the USA. However in February 2009, a new Administration took over in the USA and attitudes changed after that. Nevertheless we managed to resist international pressure to halt operations and we won the war.

Sri Lanka is the only country in the recent history of the world to have completely defeated terrorism. After having emerged from a situation of intense conflict, a nation should be able to put all that behind us and to go forward. However though the war ended, certain local and foreign interested parties never allowed things to normalise in this country. From the day the war ended they kept raking up the past in order to keep the conflict going.  Some may have been upset that we did not heed their calls to halt  operations against the LTTE. They may also have been disturbed by the fact that we were being helped by China.

On the 9th January 2009, a government that dances to the tune of foreign powers was elected to power in this country. The agenda that they started implementing after capturing power was designed to break the back of this nation and to ensure that that we never raise our heads again. From the day the so called yahapalana government came into power, they started relentlessly persecuting the armed forces that amazed the entire world by defeating the terrorist organisation that everyone considered to be undefeatable. In 2015, the present government together with their foreign masters co-sponsored Resolution 30/1 in the UN Human Rights Council agreeing among other things to institute a special war crimes court in Sri Lanka with the participation of foreign judges, prosecutors and investigators.

They also agreed to remove from service by administrative means, all armed forces personnel suspected of having committed war crimes even if there is insufficient evidence to present in a court of law. The government has already passed several laws in fulfilment of the pledges given in Resolution 30/1. Through the Office of Missing Persons Act No: 14 of 2016, they have created an investigative body that can enter any armed forces or police installation at any time and seize any document or object and which can summon witnesses and carry out investigations even in contraventon of the Official Secrets Act.

Through Act No: 5 of 2018 which makes the provisions of the International Convention Against Enforced Disappearances applicable to Sri Lanka, the government has made it possible for foreign countries to request the arrest and extradition to their countries of persons supected of being responsible for enforced disappearances in Sri Lanka. The International Convention Against Enforced Disappearances is actually a punutive mechansim. The Mtual Assistance in Criminal Matters (Amendment) Act No: 24 of 2018 passed by this government enables Sri Lanka to provide evidence and other related matters in connection with cases being heard in foreign courts.

These three pieces of legislation are related to one another. The Office of Missing Persons conducts investigations and publishes reports from time to time. Cases can then be filed in foreign courts against members of our armed forces on the basis of those reports. Such cases can then be heard in foreign courts with the help of the Mutual Assistance in Criminal Matters Act. That was the plan. 

In the meantime, the Sri Lankan government continues with the relentless persecution of our armed forces. If there is no evidence against a targeted member of the armed forces, he is arrested and remanded on the basis of a statement obtained from somebody else through various means. All officers who gave leadership to the war against the LTTE have been at the very least, brought to a police station and questioned. Even the highest serving military officer in the country, the Chief of Defence Staff spent some time in remand while still holding that position. All this was done to establish the view both in Sri Lanka and overseas that our armed forcers personnel are not war heroes but murderers, extortionists and thieves and to justify handing them over to foreign courts for trial.

Members of the intelligence services were held in detention under the Prevention of Terrorism Act. If members of the armed forces are suspected of some crime, they should be dealt with under the ordinary law of the land. The PTA is meant to be used during a terrorist threat against suspected terrorists. This government deliberately used the PTA against armed forces personnel to bring down the morale of the entire military. What was in operation under this government is a programme for the complete destruction of Sri Lanka. 

On the one hand, members of the armed forces are relentlessly persecuted and neutralised. Then a new constitiution is introduced to weaken the central government and to divide Sri lanka into nine provincial governments. Under the new constitution, provisions were to be introduced to enable anybody to go to courts and obtain a stay order against a declaration of emergency. If by some mischance that constitution had been passed into law, the situation that would have arisen in this country after the Easter Sunday bomb attacks would have been unimaginable. 

Another part of the same programme was to replace the Prevention of Terrosim Act of 1979 with the counter terrorism law that is under discussion today. That was yet another pledge made in UNHRC Resolution number 30/1. The main purpose of any anti-terrorism law is to suppress terrorism. Punishing terrorists is a secondary matter. One of the most important aspects of all anti-terrorism laws is the extended period of detention of suspects over and above what is allowed by the ordinary law. All anti-terroist operations depend on such provisions. Under the provisions of the present Prevention of Terrosim Act, terrorist suspects can be held in detention for 18 months and then kept in remand until the end of legal proceedings.

However under the proposed counter terrorism law, a terrorist suspect can be held in detention and remand only for a maximum period of one year, even on the orders of the High Court. After that suspects have to be mandatorily released on bail. If a case filed against a suspect cannot be completed in one year, the High Court is required to release the suspect on bail. No one can prevail against terrorism with such laws. After the London bombings of 2005, the then British Prime Minister Tony Blair tried to get a law passed to enable the detention of terrorism suspects for 90 days.  

At that time, senior police offices had requested the British government to introduce laws to enable the detention of terrorist suspects for as long as it takes to complete the investigations. However, because some of Tony Blair’s MPs dependended on the votes of certain communities they did not allow that law to go through. The maximum period of detention was fixed at 28 days. Senior British police officers have consistently pointed out that this period is not adequate. 

The Americans however did things differently. In 2011, President Barrack Obama signed the National Defence Authorisation Act which in Section 1021 specifically allowed for the indefintite detention of terrorist suspects until the end of hostilities. NGOs like Amnesty International have pointed out that this law applies equally to foreigners as well as suspect US citizens.

Apart from the period of detention, enhanced punishments also play a role in deterring terrorism. By the 2015 Criminal Justice and Courts Act, the British government amended several of their laws to enhance punishments for terrorism related offences. Thus the production or possession of explosives or training to become a terrorist were made offences carrying life sentences. If any crime is committed in pursuence of a terrorism related objective, British law has enhanced punishments for terrorists which are not meted out to ordianry criminals.  

However the counter terrorism law that has been proposed by the present government actually has reduced penalties for terrorists when compared to ordinary criminals committing the same offences. Even those reduced sentences can be done away with altogether if the accused terrorist agrees to fulfil certain conditions. What we have now is a government that persecutes the armed forces while at the same time providing the maximum leeway for terrorists.

In Contrast to this the USA gives top priority to national defence. In 2002, President George Bush signed into law the American Service Members Protection Act which expressly authorised the President to use force if necessary to obatin the release of any American citizen or a friend of America arrested on the orders of the International Criminal Court. The same law also forbade all American courts and governmental bodies from maintaining any connection or communication with the International Criminal Court. That is how a self-respecting country protects its armed forces.

As we mark the tenth anniversary of the end of separatist terrorism, we are once again confronted with a different terrorist threat. What we now have are local terrorists affiliated with international terrorist groups. The 2008 Mumbai attack was not carried out by Indian terrorists. But the Easter Sunday suicide bombers were all Sri Lankans. With their very first coordinated attack, they managed to cause a much higher number of civilian deaths than what even the LTTE was able to achieve with such attacks.

On the tenth anniversary of the victory against the LTTE, I would like to state publicly that no war crimes were committed during the last phase of that war.  The law of armed conflict has been formulated in such a way, as to enable a war to be fought. It must also be said that it is the Western powers led by America which has been instrumental in keeping the law of armed conflict within those bounds. I state most emphatically that according to the law of armed conflict accepted and upheld by the Western powers, no war crimes were committed in Sri Lanka.

Some of the world’s foremost experts in the law of armed conflict and the practice of war including Professor Michael Newton, Professor David Crane, Sir Desmond de Silva, Sir Geoffery Nice, Rodney Dixon QC, and Major General John Holmes had provided written statements to the government of Sri Lanka confirming this. The war crimes allegations being made against the Sri Lankan armed forces are politically orchestrated. We will have to respond politically to such allegations.

On this occasion I would like to remember with the utmost respect all members of the armed forces who laid down their lives or were rendered disabled in the effort to win the war against terror and to restore peace to this country.

May the blessings of the Triple Gem be upon you. God bless you.

මාධ්‍ය නිවේදනය විපක්‍ෂ නායක මහින්ද රාජපක්‍ෂ

(විපක්‍ෂ නායක මහින්ද රාජපක්‍ෂ මහතා 2009 මැයි 19 වෙනිදා කොටි ත්‍රස්තවාදය පරාජය කිරීමේ දස වෙනි සංවත්සරය නිමිත්තෙන් විජේරාම නිල නිවසේදී පැවැත් වූ විශේෂ දේශනයේ පිටපත)

අතිපූජනීය මහා සංඝරත්නයෙන් අවසරයි, සියලු ආගම්වල පූජකතුමනි, ශ්‍රී ලංකාවාසී ජනතාවනි, හිතවතුනි,

මේ රටේ දශක හතරකට ආසන්න කාලයක් තිස්සේ පැවතුනු බෙදුම්වාදී ත්‍රස්තවාදය තීරණාත්මකව පරාජය කිරීමේ දසවෙනි සංවත්සරය අපි 2019 මැයි මස 19 වැනිදා සනිටුහන් කරනවා. 1970 ඉඳලා ඉතාමත්ම සුලුවෙන් ආධුනික විදියට ආරම්භ වෙච්ච ඒ බෙදුම්වාදී ප්‍රචන්ඩත්වය තුළින්  ලෝකයේ ප්‍රබලම ත්‍රස්තවාදී සංවිධානය බවට පත්වුණ කොටි සංවිධානය බිහිවුණා. මරාගෙන මැරෙන ඇඳුම් කට්ටලය, මරාගෙන මැරෙන කුඩා බෝට්ටු හා රාත්‍රී කාලයේ කුඩා ගුවන් යානා භාවිතා කරමින් ඉලක්ක වලට පහර දීම වගේ ත්‍රස්තවාදී උපක්‍රම කොටි සංවිධානය තමයි ලෝකයට හඳුන්වල දුන්නෙ. නීත්‍යානුකූල මෙන්ම නීත්‍යානුකූල නොවන ක්‍රම වලින් මුදල් එකතු කිරීම පැත්තෙනුත් කොටි සංවිධානය හිටියේ ලෝකයේ අනිත් හැම ත්‍රස්තවාදී කණ්ඩායමකටම වඩා ඉදිරියෙන්. ආයුධ ගෙන්වීමට වෙනම නැව් ජාත්‍යන්තර මුහුදේ යොදවල තිබ්බ ලෝකයේ එකම ත්‍රස්තවාදී කණ්ඩායම තමයි කොටි සංවිධානය.

ශ්‍රී ලංකාවේ ආණ්ඩුව කොටි සංවිධානයට විරුද්ධව යුද්ධ කිරීමට ආයුධ ලබා ගත්තේ ණයට. නමුත් කොටි සංවිධානය ශ්‍රී ලංකා හමුදාවටත් ඉන්දියාවේ හමුදාවටත් විරුද්ධව සටන් කරන්න ජාත්‍යන්තර වෙළඳපොලෙන් ආයුධ ලබා ගත්තේ අත්පිට මුදලට. රටවල් දෙකක නායකයන් – ඒ කියන්නේ ඉන්දියාවේ රජීව් ගාන්ධි මැතිතුමත්, ලංකාවේ ප්‍රේමදාස ජනාධිපතිතුමාත් – මරාගෙන මැරෙන ප්‍රහාර වලින් ඝාතනය කරපු ලෝකයේ එකම ත්‍රස්තවාදී සංවිධානය කොටි සංවිධානයයි. 2008 ජනවාරියේදී ඇමරිකාවේ FBI ආයතනය ලෝකයේ තිබෙන දරුණුම ත්‍රස්තවාදි සංවිධානය හැටියට ඔවුන්ව නිල වශයෙන්ම ශ්‍රේණිගත කළේ ඔය කාරණා නිසයි. 2009 මැයි 19 වන දා පෙරවරුවේ වේලුපිල්ලේ ප්‍රභාකරන් මියගොස් ඇති බවට තහවුරු වීමත් එක්කම අවසන් වුනේ ඒ වගේ ත්‍රස්තවාදයක්.

මේක පහසුවෙන් ලබාගත්ත ජයග්‍රහණයක් නොවෙයි. ශ්‍රී ලංකාවේ ත්‍රිවිධ හමුදාවේ හා පොලිස් විශේෂ කාර්ය බලකායේ සෙබලුන් 25,367 දෙනෙකු ඒ යුද්ධයේ දී ජීවිතක්ෂයට පත්වුණා. සාමාන්‍ය පොලිස් නිළධාරීන් සිය ගනනක්ද, සිංහල, දෙමළ, මුස්ලිම් සාමාන්‍ය පුරවැසියන් දහස්ගනනක්ද, දේශපාලන නායකයන් ගණනාවක්ද ඒ යුද්ධයෙන් ජීවිතක්‍ෂයට පත්වුණා. එයින් තුවාල ලැබූ ගණනත්, විනාශ වූ දේපල වල වටිනාකමත් මෙතෙකැයි කියන්න බැරි තරම්. කොටි ත්‍රස්තවාදයට විරුද්ධව අපි ගෙන ගිය ඒ සටන ජය ගත්තෙ ඇතැම්  රටවල් වලින් ඒ යුද්ධය නවත්වන්නය කියල කරපු බලපෑම් සියල්ල අපි කෙලින්ම ප්‍රතික්‍ෂේප කරපු  නිසයි.

ඇමරිකාවේ රිපබ්ලිකන් පක්‍ෂ පාලනය අපිට ගොඩක් උදව් කරා. 2006 දී යුරෝපා සංගමය ලවා කොටි සංවිධානය ත්‍රස්තවාදී සංවිධානයක් හැටියට නම් කරගන්න අපට පුලුවන් වුණේ ඇමරිකාවේ උදවු නිසා. 2007 කොටි සංවිධානයේ ආයුධ නැව් ඕස්ට්‍රේලියාවට හා ඉන්දුනීසියාවට සමීප ජාත්‍යන්තර මුහුදේදී අපට විනාශ කරන්න පුලුවන් වුණේ ඇමරිකාවෙන් දීපු නිශ්චිත තොරතුරක්  නිසා. නමුත් 2009 පෙබරවාරි මාසයේ ඉඳල ඇමරිකාවේ අලුත් ජනාධිපතිවරයෙක් පත්වුණා. එතකොට ඒගොල්ලන්ගෙ ආකල්පය වෙනස් වුණා.  නමුත් අපි ජාත්‍යන්තර බලපෑම් නොතකා යුද්ධය අවසන් කළා.

මෑත ලෝක ඉතිහාසයේ ත්‍රස්තවාදී ව්‍යාපාරයක් ඒ විදියට සහමුලින්ම විනාශ කරපු එකම රට ලංකාවයි. ඒ වගේ මහා විපතකින් ගොඩ ආවට පස්සෙ රටක් ඒ අතීතය අමතක කරල ඉදිරියට යන්න ඕන. නමුත් ලංකාවෙ යුද්ධය අවසන් වුණාට මේ රටට සාමය උදාවෙන්න සමහර ජාත්‍යන්තර මෙන්ම දේශීය බලවේග ඉඩ දුන්නෙ නැහැ. යුද්ධය අවසන් වෙච්ච දවසෙ ඉඳලම ඒ අය කළේ අතීතය කබල්ගාමින් ගැටුම කොහොම හරි පවත්වාගෙන යන එකයි. තමන්ගේ කීම අහන්නෙ නැතුව අපි යුද්ධය ඉවර කරාය කියන එක ඇතැම් අයට ප්‍රශ්නයක් වුණා. චීනය අපට උදවු කරනවාය කියන එකත් ඒ අයට ප්‍රශ්නයක් වුණා.

2015 ජනවාරි 09 වනදා මේ රටේ බලයට පත්වුණේ විදේශීය බලවතුන්ගෙ උවමනා එපාකම් ඉටුකරන ආණ්ඩුවක්. ඒ අයගේ න්‍යායපත්‍රය සකස් කරල තියෙන්නෙ මේ රටේ කොදු නාරටිය බිඳල ලංකාවට නැවත හිස ඔසවන්න බැරි විදියට කටයුතු සලස්වන්නයි. යහපාලන ආණ්ඩුව බලයට ආපු දා ඉඳලම කළේ මුලු ලෝකයම මවිත කරමින්, ඉවර කරන්න බැහැයි කියපු ඒ යුද්ධය අවසන් කරපු ශ්‍රී ලංකා ත්‍රිවිධ හමුදාවට පන්න පන්න පහර දීමයි. 2015 දී මේ ආණ්ඩුව ඔවුන්ගෙ විදේශීය හාම්පුතුන් සමඟ එක්වෙලා එක්සත් ජාතීන්ගේ මානව හිමිකම් කවුන්සිලය තුළ සම්මත කරගත්ත 30/1 යෝජනාවෙන්, ශ්‍රී ලංකාවේ යුද අපරාධ විමර්ශණය කරන්න විදේශීය විනිශ්චයකාරවරුන් හා පරිචෝදකයන්ගේ සහභාගීත්වයෙන් දෙමුහුන් යුද අපරාධ අධිකරණයක් පිහිටුවන්න එකඟවුණා.

උසාවියට ඉදිරිපත් කරන්න තරම් සාක්‍ෂි නැති වුනත් යුද අපරාධ කළාය කියල සැකයක් හරි චෝදනාවක් හරි තියෙන සියලු ත්‍රිවිධ හමුදා සාමාජිකයන්ව තනතුරු වලින් ඉවත් කරන්න ආණ්ඩුව එකඟ වුණා. 30/1 යෝජනාවේ සඳහන් පොරොන්දු ඉටු කිරීමට දැනටමත් ලංකා ආණ්ඩුව නීති ගණනාවක්ම සම්මත කරලයි තියෙන්නෙ.  2016 අංක 14 දරණ අතුරුදහන් වූවන්ගේ කාර්යාල පනත තුළින්, ඕනෑම අවස්ථාවක ත්‍රිවිධ හමුදාවේ හෝ පොලීසියේ පරිශ්‍රයකට ඇතුල් වෙලා එහි තිබෙන භාණ්ඩ හෝ ලියවිලි තමන් සන්තකයට ගන්න බලය තියෙන, අවශ්‍ය පුද්ගලයන් කැඳවා රාජ්‍ය රහස් පනතේ විධි විධානත් බල රහිත වෙන විදියට සාක්‍ෂි  විභාග කළ හැකි විමර්ශණ සභාවක් දැනටමත් ඇති කරලයි තියෙන්නෙ.

අතුරුදහන් කරවීම් වලට එරෙහි ජාත්‍යන්තර ප්‍රඥප්තිය ලංකාවේ බලාත්මක කරන 2018 අංක 5 දරණ පනතින්, ලංකාවේ අතරුදහන් කරවීමක් සිදුකලාය කියල සැකකරන පුද්ගලයකු ලංකාවේදී අත්අඩංගුවට ගෙන වෙනත් රටකට ගෙන්වාගත හැකිවන විදියට විධිවිධාන සලස්වල තියෙනවා. අතුරුදහන් කරවීම් වැළැක්වීම සඳහා ජාත්‍යන්තර ප්‍රඥප්තිය කියල ඒකට කිව්වට ඒකේ ඇත්තවශයෙන්ම  තියෙන්නෙ සැකකරුවන්ට දඩුවම් කිරීමේ යාන්ත්‍රණයක්. මේ ආණ්ඩුව ගෙනාව 2018 අංක 24 දරණ අපරාධ කටයුතු සම්බන්ධයෙන් අන්‍යෝන්‍යන්‍ය්‍ය   සහයෝගීතාවය ලබාදීමේ පනතෙන් කරන්නෙ පිටරටක උසාවියක් විභාග කරන නඩුවකට අදාලව සාක්‍ෂි හෝ වෙනත් දේවල් ලංකාවෙන් ලබාගත හැකිවන ආකාරයේ ක්‍රමවේදයක් සැකසීමයි.

මේ පනත් තුනම එකට එකක් සම්බන්ධයි. අතුරුදහන් වූවන්ගේ කාර්යාලය විසින් විභාග පවත්වල සැකකරුවන් පිළිබඳ විස්තර ප්‍රසිද්ධියට පත් කරනවා. ඒ මත පදනම් වෙලා පිටරට උසාවිවල අපේ රණවිරුවන්ට විරුද්ධව නඩු දානවා. ඊට පස්සෙ ඒ විදේශීය රටවල් අතුරුදහන් වීම් වැළැක්වීමේ ජාත්‍යන්තර ප්‍රඥප්තියේ විධිවිධාන වලට අනුව අදාල පුද්ගලයන් ලංකාවේදී අත්අඩංගුවට අරගෙන තමන්ගෙ රටවලට ගෙන්න ගන්නවා. ඊට පස්සෙ එම පුද්ගලයන්ට විරුද්ධව අපරාධ කටයුතු වලදී අන්‍යෝන්‍ය සහයෝගීතාවය දැක්වීමේ පනතේ විධි විධාන යටතේ නඩුව පවත්වාගෙන යනවා. ඒක තමයි සැලැස්ම.

ඒ අතරතුර ලංකාවේ ආණ්ඩුව ත්‍රිවිධ හමුදා සාමාජිකයන් දිගට හරහට දඩයම් කරනව. සාක්ෂියක් නැත්නම් කාගෙන් හෝ ප්‍රකාශයක් ලබාගෙන හෝ ඉලක්කගත සන්නද්ධ හමුදා සාමාජිකයන්ව හිරේ දමනවා. යුද්ධයට නායකත්වය දුන් හැම නිලධාරියෙක්ම පොලිසියට ගෙන්නල අඩුම ගානෙ ප්‍රශ්න කරල හරි තියෙනවා. අපේ රටේ ඉහලම ත්‍රිවිධ හමුදා නිලධාරියා වන ආරක්‍ෂක මාණ්ඩලික ප්‍රධානියාවත් තනතුර දරද්දිම කාලයක් රිමාන්ඩ් කරල හිටියා. මේවා සේරම කළේ අපේ සන්නද්ධ  හමුදා සාමාජිකයන් රණවිරුවන් නොව මිනීමරුවන්, කප්පන් කාරයන් සහ හොරුන් කියන අදහස මේ රට තුළත්, ලෝකය පුරාමත් සමාජගත කරලා ඔවුන්ව විදේශීය උසාවි වලට පාවාදීම සාධාරණීකරනය කරන්නයි.

බුද්ධි අංශ නිලධාරීන්ව රඳවාගෙන හිටියේ ත්‍රස්තවාදය වැලැක්වීමේ පනතේ විධිවිධාන අනුව. ත්‍රිවිධ හමුදාවේ නිලධාරීන්ගේ අතින් යම් වැරැද්දක් සිදුවෙලා තියෙනවා නම් ඒක විභාග වෙන්න ඕනෙ සාමාන්‍ය නීතිය යටතේයි. ත්‍රස්තවාදයද වැලැක්වීමේ පනත තියෙන්නෙ ත්‍රස්තවාදී උවදුරක් පවතින වෙලාවක ත්‍රස්තවාදීන්ට විරුද්ධව යොදවන්න විතරයි. මේ ආණ්ඩුව ඒ පනත සිතා මතාම සන්නද්ධ හමුදා සාමාජිකයන්ට විරුද්ධව පාවිච්චි කළේ මුලු ත්‍රිවිධ හමුදාවම මානසිකව වට්ටන්න. මෙතන ක්‍රියාත්මක වුනේ ලංකාව සම්පූර්ණයෙන්ම නැතිභංගස්තාන කිරීමේ අංගසම්පූර්ණ වැඩ පිළිවෙලක්.

එක පැත්තකින් රට ආරක්‍ෂා කරන ත්‍රිවිධ හමුදාවේ සාමාජිකයන් දඩයම් කරලා අකර්මණ්‍ය කරනවා. ඊට පස්සෙ ලංකාවට අලුත් ව්‍යවස්ථාවක් හඳුන්වල දීල මධ්‍යම ආණ්ඩුව නැත්තටම නැති කරල රට පළාත් ආණ්ඩු 09 කට බෙදල වෙන් කරනවා. අලුත් ව්‍යවස්ථා කෙටුම්පතට අනුව හදිසි නීති තත්වයක් ප්‍රකාශ කළත් ඒකට විරුද්ධව කාට හෝ උසාවි ගිහිල්ල වාරණයක් ලබා ගන්න පුලුවන් වෙන විදිහට විධිවිධාන සලස්වලයි තිබුණෙ. ඒ ව්‍යවස්ථාව බැරි වෙලාවත් සම්මත වෙලා තිබුණ නම් පාස්කු ඉරිදා බෝම්බ ප්‍රහාරයෙන් පස්සෙ වෙන්නෙ මොනවද කියල අපිට හිතාගන්නවත් බැරි වෙනවා.

මේ සැලසුමේම  තව කොටසක් තමයි 1979 ත්‍රස්තවාදය වැලැක්වීමේ  පනත අහෝසි කරල දැන් ඔය සාකච්ඡා වෙන ප්‍රති-ත්‍රස්ත පනත ගේන එක. ඒකත් 2015 ජිනීවා මානව හිමිකම් කවුන්සිලයේදී අපේ ආණ්ඩුව ඒගොල්ලන්ගෙ විදේශීය හාම්පුතුන්ට දීපු පොරොන්දු වලින් ප්‍රධානම එකක්. ත්‍රස්තවාදවාදයට විරුද්ධව නීති වල ප්‍රධානම අරමුණ වෙන්නෙ ත්‍රස්තවාදය මර්ධනය කිරීමයි. ත්‍රස්තවාදයට දඩුවම් දීම ද්විතීයික කාරණයක්. ත්‍රස්තවාදය මර්ධනය කිරීමට අත්‍යවශය කාරණය වන්නේ අත්අඩංගුවට ගන්න ත්‍රස්තවාදී සැකකරුවන් සාමාන්‍ය නීතියෙන් ඉඩ දෙනවට වඩා කාලයක් රඳවාගෙන ඉන්න ඉඩ සැලසීමයි. ඕක මත තමයි සියල්ල රඳා පවතින්නෙ. අපේ රටේ දැනට බලපවත්වන ත්‍රස්තවාදය වැලැක්වීමේ පනත යටතේ ත්‍රස්තවාදී සැකකරුවෙකු මාස 18 ක් දක්වා රැඳවුම් භාරයේ තබා ගැනීමටත් ඔහුට එරෙහිව ඇති නඩු කටයුතු අවසන් වනතුරු රිමාන්ඩ් බාරයේ තබා ගැනීමටත් පුලුවන්.

නමුත් යෝජිත ප්‍රති-ත්‍රස්ත පනතට අනුව ත්‍රස්තවාදී සැකකරුවෙකු රැඳවුම් භාරයේ හා මහාධිකරණයේ නියෝගය මත රිමාන්ඩ් බාරයේ තබා ගත හැකි උපරිම කාලය අවුරුද්දයි. ඊට පස්සෙ සැකකරුවන්ට ඇප දෙන්න වෙනවා.  ඔහුට විරුද්ධව නඩු පැවරීමෙන් පස්සෙ එක අවුරුද්දක් ඇතුළත නඩුව අවසන් කිරීමට නොහැකි වුවහොත් ඔහුව අනිවාර්යෙන්ම ඇප මත නිදහස් කරන්න වෙනවා. ඔහොම නීති වලින් ත්‍රස්තවාදයට එරෙහි සටන ජයගන්න බැහැ. 2005 දී ලන්ඩන් නුවර ප්‍රහාරයෙන් පස්සෙ ටෝනි බ්ලෙයාර් අගමැතිවරයා බ්‍රිතාන්‍ය පාර්ලිමේන්තුවේ යෝජනාවක් ගෙනාව ත්‍රස්තවාදී සැකකරුවන්ව මාස තුනක් නඩු නැතුව රැඳවුම් බාරයේ තබන්න.

ඒ වෙලාවෙ බ්‍රිතාන්‍යයේ ජ්‍යෙෂ්ඨ පොලිස් නිලධාරීන් ඒ ආණ්ඩුවෙන් ඉල්ලා හිටියේ ත්‍රස්තවාදී සැකකරුවන් විමර්ශණ වලට අවශ්‍ය වෙන ආකාරයට සීමාවක් පනවන්නෙ නැතුව රඳවා ගන්න පුලුවන් වෙන විදියට නීති හදන්න කියලයි. නමුත් ටෝනි බ්ලෙයාර්ගෙ ලේබර් පක්‍ෂයේ සමහර මන්ත්‍රීවරු ඇතැම් ජනකොටස් වල ඡන්දය මත රඳා පවතින නිසා ඒ නීති සංශෝධනයට ඉඩ දුන්නෙ නැහැ. ත්‍රස්තවාදී සැකකරුවන්ගේ  උපරිම රැඳවුම් කාලය දින 28 ක් දක්වා පහතට දැම්මා. එදා ඉඳල අද වෙනකම්ම බ්‍රිතාන්‍යයේ පොලීසිය එක දිගටම පෙන්වා දෙන්නේ ඒ කාලය  කිසිසේත්ම ප්‍රමාණවත් නැති බවයි.

ඇමරිකාව නම් ඊට වඩා වෙනස් විදියට කටයුතු කළා.  2011 දී බැරක් ඔබාමා ජනාධිපතිවරයා අලුත් නීතියක් ගෙනාවා ඇමරිකාව තුළ හෝ ඉන් පිටත ඇමරිකාවට විරුද්ධව කටයුතු කරන ත්‍රස්තවාදී සැකකරුවෙකු අත්අඩංගුවට ගත්තොත් ඔහුව දින නියමයක් නැතුව, නඩුත් නැතුව රැඳවුම් බාරයේ තබා ගන්න. ඇම්නෙස්ටි ඉන්ටර්නැෂනල්  වගේ රාජ්‍ය නොවන සංවිධාන වලින් පෙන්නල දීලා තියෙනවා මේ නීතිය විදේශිකයන්ට මෙන්ම ඇමරිකානු පුරවැසියන්ටත් එක ලෙස බලපාන බව.

රඳවා තබාගන්න එක විතරක් නොවෙයි, ත්‍රස්තවාදයට දෙන දඩුවම් තදකරන එකත් මෙහිදී වැදගත් වෙනවා. 2015 ගෙනාපු පනතකින් මහා බ්‍රිතාන්‍ය  ආණ්ඩුව ඒගොල්ලන්ගෙ අනපනත් ගණනාවක්ම සංශෝධනය කරල ත්‍රස්තවාදයට දෙන දඩුවම් තවත් තද කළා. ඒ අනුව පුපුරණ ද්‍රව්‍ය නිපදවීම හෝ ලඟතබා ගැනීම වැනි වැරදි වලටත්, ත්‍රස්තවාදියෙකු හැටියට පුහුණුව ලැබීමත්, ජීවිතාන්තය දක්වා සිර දඩුවම් නියම විය හැකි වැරදි ලෙස නම් කරනු ලැබුවා. සාමාන්‍ය නීතිය යටතේ ඇති වැරදි යම්කිසි පුද්ගලයෙකු ත්‍රස්තවාදයට හවුල් වීම නිසා සිදු කරන්නේ නම්, එයට සාමාන්‍ය අපරාධකාරයෙකුට වඩා දැඩි දඩුවම් පැමිණවීම බ්‍රිතාන්‍යයේ නීතියෙන් සිදුවෙනවා.

නමුත් අපේ ආණ්ඩුව දැන් ගේන්න හදන ප්‍රති-ත්‍රස්ත පනතින් කරන්නේ සාමාන්‍ය අපරාධකරුවන්ට ලබාදෙන දඩුවම් වලටත් වඩා බෙහෙවින්ම ලිහිල් දඩුවම් ත්‍රස්තවාදීන්ට ලබා දීමයි. ඒ ලිහිල් දඩුවම් වුනත් නොවිඳ සිටීමට ත්‍රස්තවාදී චූදිතයෙකුට නීතියෙන් ඉඩකඩ හදල දීලා තියෙන්නෙ. ත්‍රස්තවාදීන්ට උපරිම බුරුලක් ලබා දෙන අතරම රජයේ සන්නද්ධ හමුදා සාමාජිකයන් දඩයම් කරන ආණ්ඩුවක් තමයි අපිට ඉන්නෙ. 

ඊට හාත්පසින්ම වෙනස් විදියට, ඇමරිකාව තමන්ගේ ජාතික ආරක්‍ෂාව ගැන සුවිශේෂ උනන්දුවක් දක්වනවා. ජෝර්ජ් බුෂ් ජනාධිපතිවරයා 2002 දී ඇමරිකානු සන්නද්ධ හමුදා ආරක්‍ෂා කිරීමේ පනත තුළින් ඇමරිකානු පුරවැසියෙකු හෝ ඇමරිකාවේ මිත්‍රයෙකු ජාත්‍යන්තර යුද අපරාධ අධිකරණය විසින් අත්අඩංගුවට ගතහොත් එම පුද්ගලයාව බලහත්කාරය යොදවා හෝ මුදවා ගැනීමට ඇමරිකානු ජනාධිපතිවරයාට බලතල පවරා තියෙනවා. ඒ වගේම ඇමරිකාවේ උසාවි හා රජයේ ආයතන සියල්ලටම ජාත්‍යන්තර යුද අපරාධ අධිකරණය එක්ක මොනම හෝ ගනුදෙනුවක් පවත්වාගන්න එක සම්පූර්ණයෙන්ම තහනම් කරලයි තියෙන්නෙ. ආත්ම අභිමානයක් තියෙන රටක් තමන්ගේ සන්නද්ධ හමුදා රකින්නේ එහෙමයි.

එක ත්‍රස්තවාදයක් පරාජය කිරීමේ 10 වන සංවත්සරය සමරණ මේ මොහොතේ අපි දැන් තවත් ත්‍රස්තවාදයකට මුහුණ දීල තියෙනවා. මේක ගෝලීය ත්‍රස්තවාදය එක්ක කටයුතු කරන දේශීය ත්‍රස්තවාදයක්. 2008 මුම්බායි නගරයට ප්‍රහාරය එල්ල වුණේ ඉන්දියන් ජාතිකයො අතින් නෙවෙයි. නමුත් පාස්කු ඉරිදා මරාගෙන මැරෙන බෝම්බ ප්‍රහාරය එල්ල කරපු හැම ත්‍රස්තවාදියෙක්ම ශ්‍රී ලාංකිකයෙක්. ඒ ත්‍රස්තවාදීන් පළමු ප්‍රහාරයෙන්ම කොටි සංවිධානයටවත් එක් තනි ප්‍රහාරයකින් මරන්න බැරි වෙච්ච තරම් සිවිල් වැසියන් ගණනක් ඝාතනය කළා. අද මේ රට බේරගන්න ඉන්නෙ මේ ආණ්ඩුව නින්දිත විදිහට දඩයම් කරපු සන්නද්ධ හමුදාව විතරයි.

යුද ජයග්‍රහණයේ දසවෙනි සංවත්සරයේදී මම ප්‍රසිද්ධියේ ප්‍රකාශ කරන්න කැමතියි ලංකාවේ යුද්ධයේ අවසන් අදියරේදී කිසිදු යුද අපරාදයක් සිදු නොවුන බව. ලෝකයේ සන්නද්ධ ගැටුම් වලට බලපාන නීතිය සකස්කරල තියෙන්නේ යුද්ධ කරන්න බැරි විදිහට නෙවෙයි, යුද්ධ කරන්න පුලුවන් විදියට. යුද නීතිය ඒ තත්ත්වයෙන් පවත්වාගෙන යන්නේ ඇමරිකාව ප්‍රමුඛ බටහිර රටවල් කියලත් කියන්න ඕනෙ. එම බටහිර රටවල් පිළිගන්න යුද නීතියට අනුව ලංකාවේ කිසිදු යුද අපරාධයක් සිදු නොවුනු බව මම නැවතත් ප්‍රකාශ කර සිටිනවා.

ලෝකයේ යුද නීතිය හා භාවිතය පිලිබඳව ප්‍රමුඛතම විශේෂඥයන් වන මහාචාර්ය මයිකල්  නිවුටන්, මහාචාර්ය ඩේවිඩ් ක්‍රේන්, ශ්‍රීමත් ඩෙස්මන්ඩ් ද සිල්වා, ශ්‍රීමත් ජෙෆ්රි නයිස්, රැජිනගේ නීතීඥ රොඩ්නි ඩික්සන්, මේජර් ජනරාල් ජෝන් හෝම්ස් වැනි විශේෂඥයන් ඒ කාලයේදී මේ බව ලිඛිතවම ලංකා ආණ්ඩුවට දන්වල තිබුණා. ලංකාවේ සන්නද්ධ හමුදා යුද අපරාධ කළ බවට කෙරෙන මේ චෝදනාව හුදෙක්ම දේශපාලන කාරණයක්. අපිට ඒකට ප්‍රතිචාර දක්වන්න පුලුවන් වෙන්නෙත් දේශපාලනිකවයි.

ත්‍රස්තවාදයට එරෙහි යුද්ධය ජයගෙන රටට සාමය උදාකර දෙන්න දිවි පිදූ හා අබාධිත තත්වයට පත්වුණු සියලුම රණවිරුන් මේ අවස්ථාවේදී මම ගෞරවයෙන් සිහිපත් කර සිටිනවා.

ඔබ සැමට තෙරුවන් සරණයි, දෙවි පිහිටයි.

Ratanapala

17 May 19

Easter Sunday Bombings were over in a day. Mostly thanks to Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith’s foresight and in general the fortitude of the Catholics and the general populace revenge attacks on the Muslims did not take place. Thanks to the Security Forces quick arrests were made of individuals, organizations and arms caches were discovered in a variety of places and to the surprise of many but not to me, inside mosques!

I have tried my level best to inform the general public of the march of Islam in Sri Lanka but found only a few takers to advance my conversation!

What has been found by the Security Forces include knives, swords, bombs, bomb making materials, army uniforms, white garment worn mainly by Buddhist women when visiting temples. We have many excuses for possessing these but we are yet to hear any that ‘stands up to scratch’ as the saying goes!

Now after nearly 3 weeks we have attacks on Muslim business places. This was a time that we all thought that the worst was behind us and what remained was only mopping up operations hither thither.  However it seems from what we hear and see through the media that a concerted attempt has been made to divert the attention and the blame game on the all too familiar – Sinhala Buddhists.  What happened at Minuwangoda, Hettipola, Bingiriya and similar places, so far brings our memories back to some unfortunate happening that took nearly 3 decades ago. The overall effect is to take the conversation elsewhere from the dastardly crime that was perpetrated on the Catholics of Sri Lanka and on visitors to Sri Lanka and lump it all on the backs of the Sinhala Buddhists.

The infamous 24^th of July is on us again. It was for happenings of 24 July ’83 and on the few subsequent days that the Sinhala Buddhists were castigated all over the world for a dastardly crime for which they were not responsible. Given below is a narrative of what took place on that fateful week, nearly 30 years ago.

It is common knowledge that it was UNP goondas who attacked and killed Tamils in Colombo during the July ‘83 riots. It is also common knowledge that it was the then President J R Jayawardene who allowed the riots to continue unabated for a full day before a curfew was called to stop the rioting. On this day J R Jayawardene was under severe pressure from the army after the killing of the 13 soldiers in Jaffna, to take effective action against the LTTE terrorists in the North. His solution was to divert attention and use his Goon Squads to attack the Tamil residents in Colombo and other major cities and thereby avert the wrath of the army.

It is also common knowledge that after his victory at the General Elections in 1977, Jayewardene wanted to remain in power for an extended period, if necessary by terrorizing the general electorate. For this purpose, every minister in his administration was encouraged to form and develop their Goon Squads with the idea of intimidating the electorate prior to any subsequent election in Sri Lanka. In this fashion R Premadasa his Prime Minister, Gamini Dissanayake, Lalith Athulathmudali, Ranil Wickramasinghe the present Prime Minister, Ananda Tissa de Alwis, Cyril Matthew, M H Mohammed and others went on to form their own Goon Squads.

These Goon Squads were used most effectively in subsequent elections to intimidate, terrorize, maim or kill political opponents. viz; the 1980 District Development Council Elections, and the 1982 infamous” the Pot and the Lamp Referendum. They were the very ones who attacked Dr Sarathchandra and also the then Rev Maduluwawe Sobhitha Thero too. How the democracy in Sri Lanka deteriorated during this period is also common knowledge and is a subject that is well researched and documented.

These Goon Squads were equipped with electoral lists and they knew in advance where their political opponents lived.
It is now common knowledge that the mini riot that originated at the Borella Kanatta on the day of the funeral of the 13 soldiers ended at Narahenpita around mid night the same day. However the organized and systematic torching of Tamil trading establishments and residences commenced the following morning at Borella junction. The riots and the burning continued throughout the day through Punchi Borella, Maradana, Pettah and finally on to Fort, and unabated till they reached the Ambal Café in the heart of Fort at 4:00 PM – just a few meters away from where the now infamous President of Sri Lanka had his office. It took Jayewardene 10 hrs to impose a curfew and get his Goons off the streets. Goon Squads armed with electoral lists went from house to house, this time looking for Tamil residents. Goon Squads saved the day for Jayewardene by taking the army who was breathing fire on his scrawny neck to take firm action against rising terrorism in the country.

Once the curfew was in place, on four consecutive days, four very significant statements were made over the Television – Rupavahini Channel. While a shocked populace waited for the Executive President to address the nation, the UNP government and the Church plotted behind the scenes to place the blame entirely on the shoulders of Sinhalese Buddhists.

This is how it was done. While the curfew was in place the following took place.

1. Most Ven Madihe Pannaseeha Maha Nayake Thero was asked to address the Nation first. Naturally the Mahanayake Thero requested the Nation to have patience and be calm. ‘Janathava Sansun Wanna’ was his call! The nation was angry but it was in no mood to go on a killing rampage. By getting him to address the nation J R Jayewardene got the world to believe that the Mahanayake Thero was really addressing the Sinhalese Buddhists and that they were responsible for the pogrom.


2. The second was made by J R Jayewardene (the man with the professional mourner’s face) – DB Nihalsinghe had to dress him for this occasion and it is mentioned he had a task to get his face in one place for the occasion to make him look Presidential. In his address to the nation he justified the riots as the justifiable anger of the Sinhalese for the killing of the 13 soldiers in Jaffna. Here he clearly laid the blame for the pogrom on the Sinhalese. It must also be noted that UNP Goon Squads and every shade of hooligan, Sinhalese, Tamil, Muslim and other took part in the universal phenomenon of looting that followed throughout the island. In many instances old scores were settled, regardless of ethnicity, taking advantage of the deplorable and unfortunate situation.


3. The third statement was made by R Premadasa the Prime Minister. He said that behind the riots was a coup organized by a Naxalite Terror Group. This was a diversionary attempt to put the blame on the pseudo socialist group led by the Catholic – Vijaya Kumaranatunge who was masquerading as a Buddhist at that time.


4. The fourth and final statement was made by Ananda Tissa de Alwis the then Minister of Communications and Constitutional Affairs. He said the next stage of the coup would be for Sinhalese Buddhists to attack Sinhalese Christians. His was the voice of the Christian Church who would finally go to convince the world that Sinhalese Buddhists were highest common denominator of what happened and hense responsible for the carnage.

The curfew was lifted on Friday 29 July 1983. People who had to stay indoors came to the streets to buy essentials groceries with simple bags in their hands. It was on this day the second phase of the conspiracy was unleashed on the populace on this day. Calls went on all major transport arteries emanating from Colombo saying that Tigers  have landed at the Fort Railway Station and are now on the attack. Personally I witnessed the people and the Police running with dread in their eyes. What followed and the carnage that took place made 29 July 1983 to be called Black Friday.

Unfortunately, after 10 years to a month we are back at the same place we were back in July 1983. The attack on the Catholics of Sri Lanka on Easter Sunday 2019 is being diverted to an attack on ‘innocent Muslims’ by Sinhala Buddhists of Sri Lanka. This is the message that Al Jazeera and the BBC are conveying to the world!

Wittingly and some unwittingly foolish elements in our society backed by unscrupulous politicians are trying hard to walk over the dead bodies of innocents to make political capital!

Shame on them! 

By Kelum Bandara Courtesy Daily Mirror

Former Ambassador of the United Sates (US) to Sri Lanka Robert O. Blake, in an interview with Daily Mirror, shares his views on the Indo-Pacific strategy, the importance of Sri Lanka’s strategic positioning in the region and its benefits to the country as a whole. He served as the Ambassador to Sri Lanka between 2006 and 2009 when the country witnessed the height of the war. From 2009 to 2013, he served as Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asia. He currently works as Senior Director (India and South Asia) of McLarty Associates based in Washington D.C. He was here recently at the invitation of Pathfinder Foundation and Joint Apparel Association Forum of Sri Lanka and delivered a lecture titled ‘Update from Washington: US Foreign Policy towards China and South Asia and what it means for Sri Lanka’. The excerpts of the interview:   

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• You had a similar group during the war led by Gotabaya Rajapaksa of an inter-agency group of all intelligence, law enforcement and military personnel
• America should not ask the countries to choose between China and the U.S.
• The government needs to depoliticize investigations as much as possible·
• Indonesia set up a special counter-terrorism unit called Densus 88 that has been very successful

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Q How do you sum up your programme here in Sri Lanka?
I am here to do a little bit of business. Once that was scheduled, I received an invitation to speak from Milinda Moragoda of the Pathfinder Foundation. It is an important time for Sri Lanka.   

Q These days, foreigners stay away from Sri Lanka. But, you are an exception.
As I said, I had a business commitment for a client. As you know, I was the Ambassador for Sri Lanka during the civil war- from 2006 to 2009. So I am accustomed to a bit of risk. I also think that, from all I have been told, the security forces have done a good job of rounding up a lot of the suspects.   

Sri Lanka is very well positioned. The United States, China, India, Japan, Australia and others are all interested in Sri Lanka because it has an important strategic location on the major sea lanes; it has an open market economy, and a democracy.

Q Now coming to the topic, I would like to ask about the Indo-Pacific strategy of the United States. Sri Lanka is well positioned in the region. How do you view Sri Lanka’s importance?
As I said in my speech, Sri Lanka is very well positioned. The United States, China, India, Japan, Australia and others are all interested in Sri Lanka because it has an important strategic location on the major sea lanes; it has an open market economy, and a democracy. It is important for Sri Lanka to take a few steps now after these bombings. First, of course, they have to pursue investigations with vigour. They need to do it in an even handed way so they treat everybody with respect and dignity. Secondly, they need to work with the religious authorities, to promote reconciliation both within the Muslim community and also between the Muslims and Christians.   

The government needs to de-politicize investigations as much as possible. I heard from a lot of Sri Lankan friends during the last few days that they are very worried about the lack of cooperation between the Prime Minister and the President. And as you saw in my speech, we had similar problems in the United States before 9/11. Our intelligence agencies and our law enforcement authorities were not coordinating with each other. We set up a special group led by the White House. It included the senior officials of all the intelligence agencies and all the law enforcement agencies. Their task was to evaluate every piece of intelligence, and for those that were credible, they assigned somebody very specific to follow up on each threat. As a result of that, we have not had a major foreign terrorist attack on US soil since 9/11. I think Sri Lanka would benefit from forming a similar group to deal with this new threat by the ISIS and some Muslim groups.   

You had a similar group during the war. I remember Gotabaya Rajapaksa led an interagency group of all intelligence, law enforcement and military personnel. Every single week, they gathered all the intelligence together and looked at the threats. But to be clear, I am referring only to the institutional arrangements at that time. It is very important to fully respect human rights and not repeat the excesses of the past, such as the white van disappearances. I expressed the US Government’s strong concern about those and other human rights abuses while I was the Ambassador.   

Q Order in this region is important even for the countries like the United States. What kind of assistance can the US give us in combating this terrorism for overall peace in the region?
I think we are already extending assistance. As you know, our Federal Bureau of Investigations has sent people here to help with the investigations. We can work together with your intelligence agencies to share information about possible threats and to integrate Sri Lanka better into global information sharing networks.   

Q When you were the Ambassador in Sri Lanka, you witnessed LTTE terrorism. Now you see a new kind of terrorism here. How do you compare and contrast the two?
I think they have different objectives. The LTTE wanted to use terrorism as a way of promoting a separate state and also to stop the army from moving to the north. As the army moved to the north, the LTTE increased attacks in Colombo. It had a political objective. In the case of ISIS, they have two objectives. First, after they lost their so-called Caliphate in Iraq and Syria, they need to prove that they are still a relevant, strong organization. So, they are looking around for opportunities all over the world – in Afghanistan, Philippines, Sri Lanka etc- to prove that they still have the capability to mount serious attacks. Secondly, they are looking for places where they can try to sow divisions between the Muslims and Christians for them to exploit to then organize in that country.   

Traditionally, relations between Muslims and Christians have been good in Sri Lanka. May be, they calculated that people will not be paying much attention because of that. Now, it is very important for the government and the religious communities to make sure that there are no hostilities between the Christian and Muslim communities for ISIS to exploit.   

Q According to your own experience and observations, how long will it take for Sri Lanka to recover from this crisis?
As far as the law enforcement is concerned, you have to continuously work with friends like India, the United States and others to prevent these kinds of attacks in the future. The economic impact could last six to twelve months, once can reassure the international community that you have mechanisms in place to detect and prevent future attacks inside the country. Indonesia, for example, set up a special counter-terrorism unit called Densus 88 that has been very successful in apprehending terrorists and preventing attacks. As a result, tourism is booming there.   

Q Did you see signs of radicalization of Sri Lankan Muslims when you were here?
There were certainly pockets in eastern Sri Lanka where people were worried about growing Wahabi influence. But, I cannot say that people in 2009 were focused on possible Al-qaeda or ISIS threats. ISIS is a more recent phenomenon. When I was here, the focus was rightly on the LTTE.   

The economic impact could last six to twelve months. As far as the law enforcement is concerned, you have to continuously work with friends like India, the United States and others to prevent these kinds of attacks in the future

Q Again, back to the topic, Sri Lanka finds it difficult to reconcile its relations with the world powers including the United States, India, China etc because each of these countries have different interests. What is your advice to Sri Lanka?
First, my advice to America is that it should not ask the countries to choose between China and the U.S. They do not want to choose. They want to have good relations with the US, China, India and others. To develop better business opportunities with these countries, you have to improve the ease of doing business as much as possible. You have to heal divisions that have been created in your society. You also must educate your people to confront the challenges that would be posed by automation, Artificial Intelligence (AI) and new technologies that will profoundly affect all our countries.   

A good strategy is to establish educational partnerships with universities from the US and elsewhere. You should then encourage companies like Google, Apple and others to invest in these universities. This can enable cutting edge training and research that can help propel your economy.   

Your apparel companies are a model in this respect. They have been able to maintain their competitive edge for a long time. They do so by continuously upgrading their capabilities, cutting costs and using advice from companies like Accenture who advice companies how to automate, use machine learning and other tools to stay competitive.   

Q A lot of western scholars talk about growing Chinese presence. What is your comment?
China has leveraged the Belt and Road Initiative to expand its influence in the Indian Ocean region. The US is responding.   

It is establishing a new institution called the ‘International Development Finance Cooperation (IDFC). It will have US $ 60 billion of funding to help the American companies all over the Indo-Pacific region. I think we also need to do more to expand our high level diplomatic engagements. President Donald Trump needs to come to the region more. Our ministers need to come to the region more. We need to do everything possible to help our companies.   

But we have our own advantages. We have the soft power of our foundations, our non-governmental organizations, and our universities, all of whom bring the power of our ideas and substantial resources of their own. Another great US asset is the investment brought by American companies. People forget that the US is by far the largest private investor in Asia Pacific, not China.   

Q Assistance from the western countries including the US is linked to political commitments. It is not the case when it comes to China. They don’t interfere with internal politics. So, they have the advantage over other countries. How do you respond?
Most of the problems of war are now behind you. There still needs to be more efforts given to reconciliation between the Tamils and the Sinhalese, and to priorities like reparations. At the same time, the Easter Sunday attacks have opened up new divisions in Sri Lanka between Christians and Muslims. That marks an additional priority for reconciliation. But no one is suggesting our assistance be conditioned. Four days after the attack, the Millennium Challenge Cooperation (MCC) approved a new programme for Sri Lanka. That was a concrete signal of US support.   

Q But, Sri Lanka needs to do some reforms to qualify for it…
The MCC is a good governance programme. To be eligible, countries must ensure good governance, stop corruption, and maintain strong independent institutions. The purpose of the programme is to encourage good governance. It is a positive reinforcement.   

Q How do you recommend Sri Lanka as an investment destination?
I think Sri Lanka needs to do more to improve its investment climate. If you look at the World Bank’s Index of Ease of Doing Business, Sri Lanka ranks 100 out of 190. And, that is not good enough. Yours is a relatively small economy. If you want to attract the leading edge investments, you need to make sure that you are among the most open economies in the world. For example, Singapore has a tiny population. But, they have huge investments. Why? They are the number one country in Ease of Doing Business. It is easy to set up a business. They have a very good, independent judiciary. There are no excessive regulations.   

Q How do you compare Sri Lanka with other countries like India, Bangladesh, Thailand, and Vietnam in the region?
If you look at this independent index, Sri Lanka is behind all of them. Sri Lanka is 23 points behind India. Sri Lanka is well behind Vietnam. So your country has a lot to do. Now, with bombings people are going to be more cautious about investing here. Now your country has to come together not only to heal these divisions but also think how to make the economy open as much as possible. Then, you can benefit from investment from all of these countries- the United States, China, India etc. There is a huge opportunity for your country.   

Q The US is among the countries that welcomed the change in 2015. What do you feel today?
I am very happy. Relations between Sri Lanka and the United States have come an enormous distance. Our exports have increased by 40 per cent. We remain your largest market for exports. We have good military to military relations. There is a lot of positive momentum now. I am very encouraged now.   

Orange Army

Easter Sunday Massacre has almost totally destroyed the Tourism Industry and all the peripheral revenues generated by Tourism.
Crying over this horrid tragic human disaster, is natural, specially for those who lost their beloved families, and suffered grief & pain. Not only Sri Lankans, but the entire civilised world shared the Pain & Grief.
Begging foreign governments to send their nationals and support the Sri Lankan economy is not the solution.  No government will take the risk to support plane loads of their citizens to fly into a country Without a Leader to offer Credibility in Security.
Sri Lanka under President Maithri Sirisena, and the Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe, is like a couple of Headless Chicken, bouncing aimlessly.
As it stands, No Words from these two National Clowns will convince any EU Country, or China, Japan, to risk another impending attack by lifting the Travel Ban.
If the President has a “back-bone”, he should dissolve the Parliament forthwith and allow the electorate to decide on governance.
Immediately upon the General Election, The President must call for a Presidential Election.
Sri Lanka demands Tough Leadership, even moving towards a Temporary Military Leadership.
However, I doubt very much Sri Lankan electorate may accept nothing other than a Democratically elected Leadership.
Like the Tamils with the LTTE, Muslims in Sri Lanka have created doubts, if any Muslim could be trusted.  In most countries Muslim Imams have been the real culprits of creating & supporting Muslim Fundamentalists. 
As with Tamils and Tamil Nadu, Muslims in Sri Lanka are better-off moving and relocating into one of the Muslim States in the Middle East or to Malaysia / Indonesia / Brunei.  
The Violent pre-historic Culture of Islam / Muslim, to be-head, cut-off limbs, stoning to death, is not for a Peace-loving Civility of Sri Lankans.
If by any chance, and I hope not, another attack on a Buddhist Temple during Vesak, or on a Christian Church, will spell the dooms-day for all Muslims in Sri Lanka.
However, to be fair, the Buck-Stops-at the Feet of the Commander-in-Chief of the Security of Sri Lanka.
The  drastic Failure of the Security Chain of Command, due to Inept Ignorance of both the Prime Minister and the President, now must lead to Regime Change.


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සේනක වීරරත්න

ත්‍රස්තවාදය අපරට වෙලාගත් අඳුරු යුගයකදී සිය උපන් බිම වෙනුවෙන් සටන් කර දිවි පිදූ ඔව්හු සැබෑ දේශප්‍රේමින් වූහ.

ඒ මියගිය විරුවන් කෙරෙහි දක්වන ප්‍රණාමය සහ ඔවුන් වෙනුවෙන් නැගී සිටීමේ යුතුකමින් අපට කිසි ලෙසකින් වත් ඉවත්විය නොහැක. ඔවුන් පිලිබඳ මතකය අප තුල සදහටම තිබිය යුතුවා පමණක් නොව ඔවුන්ගේ ප්‍රතිරූපය විනාශ වීමටද ඉඩ තැබිය නොහැක.

නුදුරු අතීතයේ අප විඳි කටුක අත්දැකීම් නැවතත් මතුවීම වැලැක්විය හැක්කේ ඒ විරුවන් පිලිබඳ මතකය අප තුලත් අපේ දරුවන් තුලත් සැමදා රඳවා ගැනීමෙන් පමණි.

ඒ විරුවන් අවමානයට ලක් කිරීමට ඇතැමුන් ලංකාව තුලත් ඉන් පිටතදීත්, ජාත්‍යන්තර රස්වීමවලදීත් නැවත නැවත තැත් කලද උපන් දේශය වෙනුවෙන් ඔවුන්ගේ කැපවීම, ආත්ම පරිත්‍යාගය සහ ජීවිත පූජාව මිළ කල නොහැක. ඒ තාරුණ්‍යයේ ආධ්‍යාත්මයයි. එය නොමැතිව කිසිම රටකට ජාතියකට පැවතිය නොහැක.

සේනක වීරරත්න

Dr. Daya Hewapathirane

May 16^th 2009 – People’s Spontaneous Post-Terrorism Reaction                                                

The historic victory over Tamil terrorism, with the elimination of the savage terrorist leader Prabakaran on 16 May 2009, led to a spontaneous elated reaction on the part of all  patriotic citizens of Sri Lanka. There was countrywide lighting of fire-crackers and ringing of temple bells, and roadside gatherings of people serving and sharing traditional ‘kiribath’ in jubilation of the victory over terrorism and the dawn of peace in the country after nearly thirty years of terror.

It led to a striking addition to the roadside environment with the displaying of many highly conspicuous, large vibrant screen-print posters and banners on trees, buildings, fences, across roads, and posts planted even within paddy fields. It was a spontaneous expression of the overflowing thrill, ecstasy and gratitude of ordinary people who were overwhelmed by this great victory over terrorism, a menace that plagued our country for some three decades. Most banners and posters highlighted real pictures of our gallant Army, Navy, Air Force and STF personnel, especially of those heroic ones who sacrificed their lives in fighting to save our nation from terrorists so that peace and stability would be restored in the country. The background of most of these banners depicted military hardware and themes symbolic of the historic victory of our armed forces. All invariably, were reflective of the overflowing admiration people have developed towards their valiant Army, Navy, Air Force and the STF personnel. They were most effective in generating a high degree of patriotism among people.  They were expressions of the overflowing appreciation, joy and gratitude of our people towards the saviors of the nation – our heroic sons and daughters of the nation’s military and security forces. Inquiries made on site, revealed that this was an impulsive, unprompted, heartfelt and genuine reaction of ordinary people, caring individuals, families, businesses, youth organizations and non-political community groups. Most of these large size colourful screen-prints were designed free of charge by youth who also were responsible for displaying them in prominent places across the country. 

June 03, 2009 – National Celebration at the Galle Face Grounds

Two weeks after the fall of Prabakaran, on June 03 009, our Nation celebrated on a formal basis, in a glorious manner, at the Galle Face grounds, our nation’s Victory over racist Tamil Terrorism,  the grandeur of which was perhaps never witnessed in our land in its living memory.

The day started with the singing of “Sri Lanka Maathaa…” the Jaathika Geeya, and the hoisting of the Jaathika Kodiya by the President of the country. His emotionally-charged forceful speech was the highlight of the day… …Our country is home to a people with a history of bravely facing up to invaders from the time of King Dutugemunu to the last king of the Sinhala Kingdom, Sri Wickrama Rajasinghe, and fearless patriots such as Keppetipola and Puran Appu. The lessons we learnt from those great battles of the past are ingrained in our flesh, blood and bones. Our brave soldiers were not provoked, but waited with discipline till the proper time for action came. We can now see how much determination is born from the pain one suffers… What was considered the most ruthless and most powerful terrorist army for thirty years was shattered and destroyed in less than three years. Terrorists are no more invincible. It is only the valiant troops and our Motherland that are invincible. I recently went down on my knees and worshipped the glorious Motherland that obtained its freedom through the sacrifice of the lives of thousands of our heroic troops. This great and glorious victory was achieved because of the younger generation that stands before us today. Young men and women from the four corners of Sri Lanka joined the Security Forces to free their Motherland. Some mothers and fathers gave all of their children to the Armed Forces and the police. When the eldest child had already sacrificed one’s life for the country, they gave more children to the Armed Forces.

If anyone were to ask me what the secret of the victory is, I would extend my hands and show our beloved people, who include these mothers, fathers, wives who gave their closest and dearest for this battle. Our entire nation owes an immense debt of gratitude to these mothers, fathers and wives. They sacrificed their children and loved ones for the nation, to save the lives of others. In order to defeat racist terrorism the people of the country have a mature knowledge of the threat before them. The fortune of a nation lies is such knowledge and maturity…”

The fabulous military parades of the Army, Navy, Air Force, Police force, and the Civil Defense Force, including the injured and disabled military and police personnel, were followed by a most elaborate and colourful cultural parade consisting of thousands  of traditional dancers and drummers both male and female. I do not know of any event in our country where such a large number of cultural performers have been present and have performed with such magnificence. These are events that need to be experienced for their splendor can never be explained fully in words. 

There is perhaps no better place than the Galle Face grounds, the fabulous meeting place of our land, sky and ocean, to showcase our wondrous military hardware, our incredible naval fleet, and our amazing aircraft in the skies above us at the Galle Face. This was a stunning experience! 

The climax of the event was the landing of the 24 gallant paratroopers descending from some 6,000 feet (the elevation of Nuwara Eliya), to the Galle Face green to greet Sri Lanka’s  President.  

This was definitely an extraordinary day that I had the privilege of experiencing and will remember until my last breath.    

 Dr. Daya Hewapathirane

Please find the following two URLs that leads to three connected articles:  

1st  –  Hearing and Defective Hearing;”

2nd – Listening is an Art and a Skill that Should be Developed;”

3rd –  Mindful listening – A Key to Success;”

https://www.facebook.com/sunil.jayalath.9

   or via,

https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/mindful-listening-key-success-wimalawansa-md-phd-dsc-executive-mba/?published=t

Planning to upload the last one in this serious on, Structural and Functional Brain Changes Associated with Mindfulness Meditation.” 

I hope this mini-series will be useful to readers who are beginning to embark on the path of mindfulness. 

Sunil Wimalawansa
(Professor of Medicine)

To. Ms.Marama Davidson MP Leader, Green Party, NZ Parliament.

Dear Ms Davidson,
I write to respectfully request that, you withdraw your sponsorship of the above event and so prevent yourself and the New Zealand parliamentary premises being misused to disseminate misinformation that is detrimental to the interest of a fellow commonwealth country, and to many, many New Zealand residents of Sri Lankan origin, and so very hurtful as well  to them, for the reasons detailed below.:
The planned Tamil Genocide Rembrance Event” in the Parliament on Tuesday the 21st Of May is attempting to draw credibility for this labeling of by claiming that the UN has said that there is credible and compelling evidence that tens of thousands of civilian deaths occurred in May 2009”, at the end of the war between the Tamil Tigers and the Sri Lankan security forces
This premise is a diabolically misleading mis representation of the facts.
The claim referred to  was made by the UN Secretary General appointed panel of experts ,appointed against the wishes of the UN and UNSC, and so  going behind the back of these organisations, to advice the UNSG on provisions for accountability available in Sri Lanka”. It was lead by Mazuki Darusman  an Indonesian human rights lawyer and two others all of whom   were know to be adversely disposed towards SL  based  on their recent interactions with SL at that time. Going beyond their remit, they came to their conclusions without ever visiting SL and whilst located in New York and receiving representations only from Tamil Tiger Diaspora and none from any Sri Lankan government or community sources. Even further the committee specified that the sources based on which they came to their conclusions , could not be revealed for another twenty years, till 2030.
Consequently , these views have neither credibity nor represent the views of the UN.
Further, there is a catalogue of evidence , detailed itemised below, showing clearly  that there was no Genocide what ever and on the other hand , that  because of the care and concern the SL security forces exercised, as revealed among others by the Defence dispatches from the US & UK embassies in Colombo, the civilian casualties were kept to a minimum but at the cost of increased  SL security force casualties and delaying the end of the war.
This is a deliberate attempt at misusing the democratic freedoms of NZ to to deliberately misleadi the unsuspecting NZ parliamentarians, NZ media and public  re happenings in SL in 2009 and now.
The film referred to is reminiscent of the much discredited film Sri Lanka Killing Fields” that made claims to discredit the Sl security forces  based on film strips that did not reveal neither authorship, nor the location nor the timing of the claimed events.
I therefore urge you to be vary of encouraging such misuse of NZ ‘s democratic freedoms and  parliamentary premises to disseminate misinformation hurtful & detrimental to the interest of thousands of New Zealanders of Sri Lankan origin and withdraw your sponsorship of this event.
I would be very available to meet you at short notice to further clarify our objections.
Thank you very much Yours Sincerely

Dr. Chula Rajapakse MNZM Spokesperson  United Sri Lanka Association 0274768797
The Evidence That Tamil Genocide Did Not Happen At The End of The War In Sri Lanka In May 2009. 1. If there were many thousands of civilian casualties, the figure quoted by the Darusan commission report being 40,000, going by internationally accepted ratio’s of injured to killed in war situations, there should have been at least 80,000 injured . Ten years after the claimed events no where near that number of injured nor casualties or graves have been found.
2.The best UN estimate of casualties was given by UN office in Colombo the time . This  was placed at around 7,000, quite consistent with the expected collateral damage of a war of that scar.
3.The census carried out on the ground led by resident Tamil teachers of the region in 2012, also came up with the figure of around 7,000casualties.
4.There was no logic for the Sri Lankan security forces to commit genocide through directed shooting at civilians as alleged, and then rescuing 300,000 Tamil civilians hostages by the Tigers and used as human shields till the very end,  & then rehabilitating them and relocating them in their homes within two years after the rescue, having cleared the mines in these areas at great risk to the soldiers who did the demining themselves. These are the realities of what happened post war and are available for any to see and verify.
5. WikiLeakes revealed defence dispatches form both the US & UK embassies in Colombo at that time, has on numerous occasions confirmed that the SL forces were exercising extreme care to minimise civilian casualties as happened  and at the expense of increased security forces casualties and delaying the end of the war.
6. Lord Naseby, of UK after a prolonged  effort obtained many of these cables from the British authorities and table them in the House of Lords in October 2017 so confirming this further , as a fact .
7. Similarly, the defence attache in the US embassy in Colombo at the time, Laurence Smith, at a seminar in Colombo a year after the end of the war confirmed the same as regards the US embassy dispatches.  
8.The Samuel Paranagama commission appointed by the SL President , specifically to investigate human rights violations and war crimes during the end of the war concluded that there weren’t any. This report was endorsed by five well respected legal luminaries drawn from both sides of the Atlantic.
9. Many of the claims of the  security forces firing into no fire zones came about because the Tigers moved in their heavy weaponry into an area , the moment a no fire zone” was called , before civilians could move in, and this firing had to be neutralised. These zones never in reality never became no fire zones.
10. Similarly, hospitals were at times affected by security forces fire, as the tigers deliberately positioned their heavy weaponry close to the  field  hospitals to deliberately expose them to fire , and to then use such incidence as propanda weapons .

Dr. Chula Rajapakse MNZM

J M Keynes on IndiaThe available statistics appear to show that, whether the phenomena are connected or not, the rise of prices has nearly been proportional to the increase of currency”[1]Apart from the fluctuations of the seasons the Indian level of prices is most influenced at the present time by the extent to which Europe makes investments there”[2]

Why China Invests?

Keynes wrote an economic journal article studying significant price rises in India in 1909. He statistically looked to see what figures best explain the rise in prices. It puts forth the argument that the ‘rapid influx of foreign capital’ is what caused the inflation of the studied time period. In the current monetary framework, a rapid influx of foreign capital would result in exchange rate appreciation making exports uncompetitive.

China by running considerable trade surpluses has built up considerable foreign assets[3]. If China was to repatriate its foreign-held assets it would face severe inflation and make its exports uncompetitive. It is widely agreed that these trade surpluses accrue due to a large working population being subject to slave-like conditions[4]. This is a fact widely ignored by those Sri Lankans who purport to be considered with the welfare of labor but happily align themselves with China’s foreign interests.

Put in other words, China cannot bring back its considerable foreign reserves back to its mainland territory without causing large shocks to its economy. This creates a need for China to reinvest its foreign proceeds overseas.

Context

The framing of this article is based opposing the foreign policy commentary that deems that a small country must be aligned either towards the Capitalist or Communist foreign power blocs.

            The acceptance of this then would lead one to define Mahinda Rajapaksa and Ranil Wickremesinghe as aligned against and with the West respectively. This will gloss over the capacity of a nation-state or leader to be duplicitous in its dealings.

            Both Mahinda and Ranil have fond personal connections with Iran. Both have courted the IMF. Mahinda famously paid consultancy fees[5] to Dominique Strauss Kahn. Ranil proactively organized an extended fund facility with the IMF and is suggested to be using Joseph Stiglitz and his insight to undermine any influence. Both have given power to China and India. China and India are increasingly intertwined.

Shri Kanungo, Deputy Governor Reserve Bank of India

China is the world’s largest economy today on a PPP basis and India is the third largest. If you add the exports and imports, China is India’s largest trading partner (2017–18 data). Among the fastest growing economies, the engagement between the two countries can be expected to see phenomenal growth in the times to come.

Debutante Strategy

The value of placing China as being either a positive or negative influence must be questioned. Individual projects normally have on large time scales complex cost-benefit analysis attached to them. It is sheer hubris to suggest with confidence that aligning oneself to one power bloc at the cost of the other, either the leading world superpower or the fastest growing large economy, will be more beneficial.

            Sri Lanka’s foreign policy as overtly articulated now is to be friends with everyone[6]. This allows us to maintain relations with anyone who may be of use in the future. The multipolar nature of current investments is a salient point in foreign policy communications.

            A person who wields power in a society is normally considered to be autonomous in the creation of relations. There are no rules limiting Sri Lanka in this regard as we have no external military ambitions.

Those attempting to place Sri Lanka under the influence of a greater power do so to undermine its power. It is not in the national interests to be perceived to be in debt. It is not in the national interests to position all our future plans within a broader project (the Belt and Road Initiative) over which we have no say. Most of all it is not in the national interest to play into the foreign narrative of the local context.

The Notion of Debt

If history shows anything, it is that there’s no better way to justify relations founded on violence, to make such relations seem moral than by reframing them in the language of debt—above all, because it immediately makes it seem that it’s the victim who’s doing something wrong.”
― David Graeber[7]

Whether or not someone owes something to someone else is a judgment steeped in various cultural considerations. This is because debt is more than just a monetary transaction and can take forms that are non-monetary. People, for instance, can lend time or moral support to each other with an expectation that the other party returns the favor.

            It is also impacted by role. A parent, for instance, may never be indebted to their child. This is because the nature of the relationship within our culture does not allow for such accounting. Odd situations in terms of economics arise when sometimes people are offered things for free with no explicit strings attached and still refuse them. This can be explained culturally by the fact that accepting such a gift would result in changing the nature of the relationship.

            There are also implications with regards to the terms of the debt. If for instance there are stipulations attached to the debt does it still conjure up feelings of indebtedness beyond the monetary value? If China gives us money contingent on us using a Chinese contractor and paying back a rate of interest is it really favor?

The terms that can be enforced also speak a lot to the power balances within society. For instance, our incredibly unequal society manifests itself quite explicitly in the treatment of microfinance borrowers. Monetary debts historically could be passed generationally and also result in indentured servitude.

China Supporting our Military

During our civil conflict, the Chinese government provided the nation with considerable military equipment, support within international bodies, and financial support to the government[8]. This all had an undeniable impact in allowing for our military victory. The Chinese government stood with us wherein Western governments that we are currently pivoting to did not.

            This friendship was given at a time much needed. The US, on the other hand, attacked Sri Lanka on human rights and the war effort. This is a country which had previously gone as far as to give citizenship to a current presidential hopeful who was involved in the brutal UNP led crackdowns on JVP supporters. The US-UNP relationship probably helped secure citizenship.

The US globally is not a real supporter of democracy. This is true of any superpower. There is no dichotomy between China and the United States. Both nations must be balanced in their influence if Sri Lanka is to prosper.

Responding to Propaganda

Recently a very subtle PR campaign is being run pushing the idea that Sri Lankan debt to China is not significant[9]. The argument put forth hinges on the rate of interest and the total holding of debt. Both of which would not place China as a predatory lender. This is in contrast to the deafening silence and lack of gratefulness to India which recently offered Sri Lanka a much-needed line of credit[10].

            An actual think tank should look at the marginal growth in debt as there has been little historical down payment of the debt. It is likely that within the Rajapaksa administration Chinese debt and investment would show exponential growth.

Providing a Sensible View

It is difficult to place a binary distinction between Chinese debt and investment being either good or bad. It, however, is dishonest to absolve China of the negative impacts some of its projects have had on Sri Lanka. The likening of China to a bank and its impact only modulating good or bad policy is overly simplistic and morally repulsive. As put forth in the bestseller Confessions of an Economic Hitman there is a massive role the lender plays in the success or failure of a project.

            One only has to look at Norocholai Power Station or the Hambantota port to see the negative impacts of Chinese investment. More on the Belt and Road initiative can be found on the American Enterprise Institute website. Their China Investment tracker documents broad corruption[11].

There have been positives of Chinese investment and China invariably has to be a source of finance to the government. China as mentioned before played a pivotal role in the war victory[12]. Chinese labor is bringing significant efficiency to our construction sector. Every effort should be made to keep them in the country after the completion of the Shang Ri La project.

The Lie on Concessional Debt

The narrative put forth by these PR agencies is that Sri Lanka loses its concessional debt privileges around 2004. They suggest this is because Sri Lanka gains middle-income status during this period. Therefore after 2004, Sri Lanka has to go to international markets to finance its development[13].

This narrative is maliciously untrue and is rarely contested. Sri Lanka on PPP terms might be middle income but is not so in terms of actual dollar income. This is why basic electronics seem so expensive even though we are defined as middle income. Electronics are imported and priced in actual dollar terms.

            Further concessionary debt or military aid is not driven by actual need but rather by foreign policy considerations. Israel, for instance, is a major recipient of US defense aid[14]. As we near an election Sri Lanka is also receiving considerable US/NATO linked aid[15]. This aid is not tied to any specific project and can be spent in conjunction with the upcoming monetary stimulus to boost the economy.

            The North and East of the country are also the focus of many good Samaritans[16]. The international community needs to promote projects in the area to seem sincere in their views at the UN. These smaller projects, however, need to be free from corruption so as to meet the internal policy requirements of the funding agency and this was not possible in the previous regime.

The Executive Presidency in All of This

It is a poorly kept secret that the leaders of the two major political parties are going to support the abolishment of the executive presidency[17]. It is only the gullible and the news cycle hungry journalists that are pushing a narrative that sees the two gentlemen passing political power either to their former leadership rivals or their siblings. The conspiracy theories have gone so far as to involve the recent defeat of expenditure heads[18].

            The political maneuvering required to bring the constitutional amendment to pass still requires finesse but is the most likely outcome given the current balance of interests and power.

            The Executive Presidency is important in this as it is an office that can unilaterally change the foreign policy of the country. JRJ notably pivoted Sri Lanka’s foreign policy to the US[19] and placed the nation on the global map[20]. The President’s office under Rajapaksa pivoted heavily towards China. Rajapaksa also greatly diminished our global standing[21].

Sri Lanka’s small size and important maritime location will always mean that it will be of interest to global powers. The Panama of South Asia. If the acceptance of debt or international military corporation is moved closer to parliament it is more likely that these arrangements benefit the general populace.

The reason Sri Lanka as a nation does not feel indebted to China is because they feel such debt was negotiated by the former strongman in benefit of his extended family. This is why one must analyze the growth in debt and implications on the debt of Chinese projects to have a broader understanding of the large mistrust of Chinese influence amongst our people.

Conclusion

We as civil society must look at things like grace periods and benchmark costs against international standards when assessing projects. Construction companies should also be able to make a profit. The Hambantota port, for instance, put the ports authority into a significant cash flow problem. The local partnership model for construction put forth in the recent budget is an economic policy that is agreeable to the majority of the voting population.

Most Sri Lankans do not feel a major debt to China. The Chinese only help as they need to reinvest their foreign proceeds and gain regional influence in line with the interests of an emerging superpower. Sri Lanka must do what is best for itself and play foreign powers against each other. 

We, however, do have an obligation to wherever possible offer refuge to those who are politically persecuted. Sri Lanka is in a net debt position to the world who accepted its citizens when they were facing persecution domestically following two incredibly destructive changes to its constitution. We owe it to the world to give the Chinese freedom from communism. Port City can be their refuge.

---

[1] Recent Economic Events in India pg57 Author(s): J. M. Keynes Source: The Economic Journal,Vol. 19, No. 73 (Mar., 1909), pp. 51-67

[2] Recent Economic Events in India pg67 Author(s): J. M. Keynes Source: The Economic Journal,Vol. 19, No. 73 (Mar., 1909), pp. 51-67

[3] https://www.forbes.com/sites/kenrapoza/2014/04/07/chinas-foreign-assets-more-than-half-its-gdp/#6c5b34d731ea 

[4] https://thediplomat.com/2018/03/chinas-forced-labor-problem/

[5] https://economynext.com/Sri_Lanka_ex_CB_Governor_defends_deal_with_Strauss_Kahn-3-1141.html

[6] http://www.sundayobserver.lk/2018/05/20/news/continuation-policy-friendship-all

[7] Debt: The First 5,000 Years

[8] https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/asia/how-beijing-won-sri-lankas-civil-war-1980492.html

[9] https://www.veriteresearch.org/2019/01/16/chinese-debt-is-not-sri-lankas-biggest-problem-verite-research/

[10] http://www.colombopage.com/archive_19A/Jan09_1547042503CH.php

[11] http://www.aei.org/china-global-investment-tracker/

[12] https://www.japantimes.co.jp/opinion/2009/03/04/commentary/china-fuels-sri-lankan-war/#.XIZ7z9JS82w

[13] http://www.ips.lk/talkingeconomics/2019/01/22/managing-sri-lanka-china-economic-relations-bri-debt-and-diplomacy/

[14] https://www.theatlantic.com/international/archive/2016/09/united-states-israel-memorandum-of-understanding-military-aid/500192/

[15] http://www.dailynews.lk/2019/03/18/business/180538/world-bank-provide-usd-70-mn-rural-development

[16] https://reliefweb.int/report/sri-lanka/human-rights-must-be-top-priority-economic-reforms-says-un-expert

[17] http://www.dailymirror.lk/political-gossip/A-mystery-shrouded-dialogue-/261-164949

[18] https://twitter.com/sunandadesh/status/1111526682710691841

[19] http://www.sundaytimes.lk/110213/Timestwo/t2_14.html

[20] http://www.island.lk/2009/09/07/features2.html

[21] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9gL5stPqdHo

Dr Sarath OBEYSEKERA

Today I listened to TV program where Intiaz B M ,Kabir Hashim and another Muslim person explaining to all of us about the fact that all the Muslims are not terrible and the importance of living together as Sri Lankan’s.

When such a statement is made By a person like  Imtiaz ,it looks very convincing and carries truth and both Muslims and Sinhalese should listen

He was a scholar studied in Ananda which is a premium Buddhist College .He was mingling with Sinhala Buddhists and studied in few classes below my grade

I rememeber  him leading the college Sinhala debate team.He knew Buddhist culture more than a Sinhalese.
When I was chairman of a corporation he was my deputy minister.He used to ask me favours only to get some work for his electorate Beruwala. He used to send me poor youngsters for employee Ntb with a letter and follwed by a very polite telephone call .
I always obliged whenever possible.
Important thing is that all the youngsters sent by him were Sinhalese 
He is a gentleman and a honest politician side-lined by his own party which he never left . Being the son of a speaker ,he is an example to all other Muslim governors,  party speakers of a particular political party.
My opinion is that he is suitable to lead the whole country one day.
These  are the type of politicains people should believe and listen.
I am living  my last few years of this life but Intiaz B M should long live to see that this country gets back to its Serendipity and foster national conciliation 
Inshah Allah and Budu Saranai
Dr Sarath OBEYSEKERA 

by A. Patabendige Courtesy The Island

Katuwapitiya Church

by A. Patabendige

‘The Prince of Paris has lost his shirt and number two has it’. ‘No sir, not I Sir, number three has it” and so it goes on in SL.

Sri Lanka is on auto pilot. It has been so for nearly four years. The ‘good governance’ guru and captain cajoled, enticed and fooled a nonentity to join him in 2015 as co-pilot to sail not a fishing boat but the ship of state in 2015. It was a monumental blunder and a Machiavellian stroke.

Both had hidden agendas. Very soon they started steering the ship in different directions as it took their fancy. The crew after being decades in the wilderness, rejoiced in the confusion. They plundered and distorted the state with a vengeance. It began with the Central Bank. Lined pockets burst. Life for them was ‘like no other’, luxurious, duty free and dishonest if well cloaked. Budding terrorists had a field day. Minorities never had it so good to do anything bad. The leadership of the Opposition was given to a minority party that was outnumbered. It kowtowed with the government for enormous returns. SL became a dysfunctional state for 4 years. The people, considered fools were held in utter and absolute contempt.

Fed up to the gills the people gave their verdict at the local government elections. The government party was given a hiding. In October 2018 the co-pilot in desperation tried hijacking and fell flat on his face.

The world knew SL was heading for a cataclysmic crash but that did not bother this lot. In the land of the lotus eaters they dreamed only of American battleships and tourist arrivals and giving free visas to all and sundry including potential Arab terrorists. Apparently this helped increase revenue in a country shamelessly thriving on slave labour.

Come Easter Sunday, 21 April 2019. Two hundred and fifty three (253) innocents, mostly whole families praying at three churches, others breakfasting in hotels were murdered in synchronized suicide bombing attacks, all within 15 minutes. The country was bereft with grief. The world mourned. The captain’s face was expressionless. He concentrated on battening down at Temple Trees.

SL was told that prior operational intelligence giving exact details of the impending attack were known to the state beginning from 4th April. This included the names of the attackers, places targeted, date and time. Sickeningly there was absolutely no move by the state. It had been beguiled into believing security and peace which was handed over to them on a platter, was guaranteed by genuflecting to the West. Reports of brewing turbulence were humoured.

SL became a funeral house. Whole families had gone missing. The sorrow ran deep and was inconsolable. The people held their breath, fearful of a backlash. Thankfully for rudderless SL, Malcolm Cardinal Ranjith of the Catholic Church took the lead. He alone prevented bloody mayhem as in 1983 when the ‘captain’ was a Minister. The government and its satellite leaders went into hiding. Their only wish was for enhanced security for themselves!

The co-pilots were paralyzed. The depraved killers were all locals who were under surveillance since 2014 but had not been arrested. Minority votes and lucrative benefits mattered more than peace or national security or the lives of 21 million.

An emergency was declared. The Police with the Armed Forces took over and acted swiftly in trying circumstances. The tried and tested medical services, once again as in the conflict days, did yeoman work. About 500 seriously wounded were cared for and most were saved.

Anger built up. The chief pilot somewhat removed emotionally from the calamity, claimed lamely he was not in the loop. He remains so for all purposes.

He said, to the amazement of all including the Field Marshal, that he had not been allowed into the Security Council meetings. He had not objected for six months. Obviously, he had no intention of ever doing so. He cared nix for the security of SL. He was after tourists, Americans preferably with their battleships and demands for land corridors. Instead he attracted ISIS trained and brainwashed terrorists who hate the Americans.

The amendments to the constitution made the prime minister an elected dictator. This is exactly what he wanted. Why could he not attend the Security Council meetings, the most important of all meetings for a PM? He had over turned the copilot’s decisions earlier whenever it suited him. He floored the hijacker legally in October 2018. He had stood guard at Temple Trees. There were candle or fiddle stick bearers for ‘democracy in plenty for the TV cameras then. They were missing after 21/4. Had not yesterday’s heroes become lepers?

The ‘captain’ looking very much a dangerous failure, now portrayed himself as an emasculated PM while his copilot had turned into a walking, talking, restless touring doll. Between the two, 10 years of peace for which 21,000 military men and 80,000 civilians died in 30 years, was shattered in 15 minutes. The two then spent their time babbling to escape remorseless nemesis closing in.

Having tossed the IGP and the Defence Secretary overboard, the copilot dreamed that he could survive. Both then declared that the terrorists were fully neutralized and the situation was completely under control. They ordered schools to be reopened. Most schools in the Capital had less than 5% attendance even after a week. The public had indubitably shown that the government had not a semblance of credibility. Encouraged however by the Opposition the children started to get back to school in bigger numbers by mid-May.

Rioting of a serious nature then followed in the North Western province. The security forces remembering the Geneva betrayal were not in any hurry to face insidious charges of HR violations to bail out the government responsible for 253 deaths and dysfunction, 1983, 1989-90 and the rise of the LTTE. Curfews continue. Two innocents have died since. One stabbed by mobs and the other shot for ignoring an order to stop at a road check. The death toll is now 255. Damages are not only physical. They may tear communities apart as never before.

It will take SL many years to come to terms with the enormity of what happened. Punishing all those responsible must be immediate to restore the confidence of the people. Justice cannot be delayed much longer.

The ‘pilots’ may believe the people will be distracted in time and forget as before. That cannot happen this time. There has been too much tragedy and suffering due to criminal negligence. There is no escape.

Some must resign. The cabinet too must then also resign. That is collective responsibility. Command responsibility applies to all commanders, political or military, Geneva or not. Who were the political commanders?

The tragedy will not be forgotten. Those responsible for criminal negligence cannot be forgiven. SL is in despair and on the brink. It has been criminally and wickedly abused by corrupt leaders who through generations want only power and its unholy benefits.

In addition to what the law prescribes, politicians responsible should be stripped of their civic rights too. They cannot be let loose to set the stage for a holocaust. The guardians of the law must act immediately. SL will surely disintegrate if it remains on auto pilot any longer.

Some wonder what will happen to SL if both the President and the PM resign immediately and together. Since SL is not responding to them now it can’t get worse. These two and their crew are only a hindrance. In fact, the public and security services have taken almost complete control and are doing a super job.

Do not forget the dead and wounded. The bells toll for us too.

by Whitney Webb  Courtesy MPN News

New evidence suggests that the government of Saudi Arabia not only had foreknowledge of the brutal bombings (and did nothing to stop them) but may have played a more active and direct role in the bloodshed

COLOMBO, SRI LANKA — A leaked Saudi diplomatic memo obtained by Lebanese outlet Alahed News claims that the government of Saudi Arabia had foreknowledge of the Easter bombings that occurred last month in three cities on the island nationof Sri Lanka, killing nearly 300 and wounding over 500 more. The contents of the memo, which additionally suggests Saudi complicity in the attacks, are supported by the connections recently uncovered by Sri Lankan authorities, that the alleged ringleader of the bombings, Zahran Hashim, had to Saudi Arabia.

The document carries the Islamic calendar (Hijri) date of 11/8/1440, which equates to April 17, 2019 in the Gregorian calendar — just a few days before the bombings — and is addressed to the Saudi ambassador to Sri Lanka, Abdul Nasser bin Hussein al-Harethi, and authored by Saudi Foreign Minister Ibrahim bin Abdul Aziz al-Assaf. It carries the labels urgent” and top secret.”

The brief memo states the following (translated from Arabic):

His Excellency Ambassador Abdul Nasser bin Hussein al-Harethi

You should carry out the following measures immediately:

First: You should delete all documents, computer data and latest correspondence with domestic and foreign members and groups, in addition to imposing a curfew for the embassy personnel unless [travel] is necessary;

Second: You should inform all those related to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia — including counselors, security forces and intelligence during the three coming days, especially on the Christian Easter Day — to avoid presence in public and crowded places, namely churches;

Third: You should send written news about the Sri Lankan authorities and their viewpoints regularly to this ministry

Ibrahim bin Abdul Aziz al-Assaf

Foreign Minister

The memo, seen here, carries the seal of Saudi Arabia, conforms with the format of other leaked Saudi diplomatic memos, and carries two watermarks. MintPress was unable to obtain a copy for independent confirmation of its authenticity.

The memo dovetails with other new evidence

The contents of the memo from the Saudi foreign minister to the Saudi ambassador to Sri Lanka, particularly its indication of prior knowledge of danger in crowded places and churches on Easter Sunday, have taken on a new significance following the arrest last Friday of Mohamed Aliyar, a 60-year-old, Saudi-educated Wahhabi scholar who operated the Center for Islamic Guidance in Zahran Hashim’s hometown of Kattankudy. According to a plaque outside of the Wahhabi religious center operated by Aliyar, the center is funded by unnamed Saudi and Kuwaiti donors.

A statement released by Sri Lankan police stated that Information has been revealed that the suspect arrested [Mohamed Aliyar] had a close relationship with … Zahran and had been operating financial transactions” on his behalf and was also involved” in the training of the suicide bombers responsible for the massacres on Easter Sunday.

A group of board members of the center, who spoke to the South China Morning Post prior to Aliyar’s arrest, stated that the center was funded by local donations, student fees, and private donors who were classmates of Aliyar’s in Riyadh;” denounced Zahran Hashim as a troublemaker;” and could not recall having seen him at the center recently. However, the police statement that followed Aliyar’s arrest suggested that his relationship with Zahran Hashim was not a part of his public persona.

Of key interest in the police statement is the mention of Aliyar’s operating of financial transactions” on Zahran Hashim’s behalf in the lead-up to the attacks. Several reports, such as this one from the BBC, noted that the attacks required detailed planning, safe houses, an extensive network of planners and handlers, expertise on bomb-making, and significant funding.” Aliyar’s connections to wealthy Saudi donors and to Zahran suggest that he may have been a liaison for much of that funding.

In addition, the leaked memo’s instruction for the Saudi ambassador to delete all documents, computer data and latest correspondence with domestic and foreign members and groups,” suggests that the Saudi Embassy in Sri Lanka may have been aware or party to these or other transactions related to the Zahran-led attacks.

While it is possible that funding had come from elsewhere, the fact that Zahran’s sister, Mohammad Hashim Madaniya, had been sent 2 million Sri Lankan rupees (around $12,000) from Zahran just days before the blast suggests that the amount of money involved in funding this operation was significant indeed and likely of foreign origin.

Extent of Saudi role

The fact that the Islamic State quickly claimed responsibility for the bombings — and that Zahran pledged loyalty to the group just hours before the attack — further suggests a Saudi role, since the Saudi government was revealed to be funding and logistically aiding the terror group in 2014. Leaked emails from former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton revealed that the U.S. government has long known that Saudi Arabia and other Gulf states are among the main financiers of the international terror group.

The leaked memo contained in the email to Clinton states:

We need to use our diplomatic and more traditional intelligence assets to bring pressure on the governments of Qatar and Saudi Arabia, which are providing clandestine financial and logistic support to ISIS and other radical groups in the region.”

While mainstream reports have long asserted that it was private Saudi donors funding the terror group, this email revealed that U.S. intelligence had determined that the Saudi government was funding the group and also providing them it logistical assistance.

The Islamic State’s widely acknowledged role in the attacks and its known relationship to the Saudis — in combination with the recent arrest and role of Mohamed Aliyar in the attacks and the contents of the memo from the Saudi Foreign Minister — strongly suggest that the government of Saudi Arabia not only had foreknowledge of the brutal bombings (and did nothing to stop them) but may have also played a more active role in the bloodshed.

Feature photo | A screenshot from an ISIS video shows Zahran Hashim, alleged ringleader of the Sri Lanka Easter Bombings.

Whitney Webb is a MintPress News journalist based in Chile. She has contributed to several independent media outlets including Global Research, EcoWatch, the Ron Paul Institute and 21st Century Wire, among others. She has made several radio and television appearances and is the 2019 winner of the Serena Shim Award for Uncompromised Integrity in Journalism.

Courtesy Ada Derana

The United States has offered to continue to expand counter-terrorism and maritime and border security cooperation with Sri Lanka.

Issuing a joint statement with the government of Sri Lanka on the occasion of the third US-Sri Lanka Partnership Dialogue held on Thursday (16), the United States reiterated President Trump’s statement that America stands with Sri Lanka against terrorism and supports Sri Lanka’s counter-terrorism efforts following the horrific Easter Sunday terrorist attacks of April 21.

The US-Sri Lanka Partnership Dialogue was co-chaired by Minister of Foreign Affairs of Sri Lanka Tilak Marapana and U.S. Under-Secretary of State for Political Affairs David Hale.

The United States and Sri Lanka resolved to work together to foster peace and security and ensure a safe maritime domain in the Indian and Pacific Oceans through a rules-based order that ensures respect for international laws and norms,” the joint statement further said.

The United States and Sri Lanka have welcomed ongoing bilateral security sector cooperation, including U.S. support for demining, joint military engagements, Sri Lanka’s peacekeeping operations, human rights training for Sri Lankan officers, and visits by U.S. ships and military officials.

The United States government has also welcomed Sri Lanka’s renewed commitment to promoting reconciliation, accountability, justice, and human rights in pursuit of lasting peace and prosperity.

The United States and Sri Lanka had expressed support for strong economic partnership and growing bilateral trade based on the principles of fairness and reciprocity. The two governments have further welcomed the approval of a USD 480 million compact by the Millennium Challenge Corporation Board.

The statement said that the two governments emphasized the importance of their bilateral relationship and expressed commitment to further strengthen the US-Sri Lanka partnership for mutual benefit.

Courtesy Ada Derana

Former defence secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa, accused by rights groups of war crimes during the final months of Sri Lanka’s long-running civil war a decade ago, has confirmed he plans to run for the presidency in the wake of the Easter Sunday attacks that have shattered the country’s uneasy peace.

Rajapaksa, the brother of former president Mahinda Rajapaksa, told Al Jazeera that he would stand as a candidate in elections due by late 2019.

Definitely I’m contesting,” Rajapaksa said with a chuckle during an interview in the book-lined study of his home in the capital, Colombo, photos from his military career hanging from the walls.

I have decided long time. Otherwise, there’s no need for me to renounce my US citizenship.”

There has long been speculation that Rajapaksa, a Sri Lanka-US dual citizen, will campaign for the presidency. 

Rajapaksa has to renounce his US citizenship in order to run for president. His name does not appear on the most recent quarterly filing to the US registry on those who have lost their citizenship, which covers the three months until the end of March.

He insists he is not being an opportunist in revealing his plans in the wake of the attacks on churches and luxury hotels that killed more than 250 people and have fuelled a wave of mob violence against Muslim communities.

I don’t consider it as an opportunity,” he told Al Jazeera. It is not the elections, but it is our country and nation. Something I focused on is destroyed. I’m worried and saddened because of that.”

‘Strongman’s appeal’
Investigative journalist Lasantha Ruhunage said Rajapaksa would have a strongman” appeal given his role in defeating the rebel Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) in a conflict that came to a bloody end on a narrow strip of beach on the island’s northeast in 2009.

There would be an appetite for him among the masses,” Ruhunage said. But it’s not just him; it’s the ‘strongman’. People are moving towards military strongmen rather than the traditional politicians because of the record of the incumbent politicians.”

The Easter Sunday bombings exposed the depth of ill-feeling between President Maithripala Sirisena and Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe as each blamed the other for the government’s failure to act on detailed intelligence warnings that attacks were imminent.

Rajapaksa claims the government’s decision shortly after it came to power in 2015 to detain and investigate senior military officers amid allegations of wartime rights violations contributed to the failure.

But during the decade that he was defence secretary, the military was accused of a wide range of abuses – from torture to enforced disappearances and extrajudicial killings – creating a climate of fear among journalists, activists and government critics. 

A United Nations panel found breaches of international law by both the Sri Lankan government and the LTTE. It also said that some 40,000 civilians died in the army’s brutal final push against the Tamil Tigers. 

Charu Lata Hogg, a researcher at Chatham House in London who has briefed the UN on Sri Lanka, said Rajapaksa’s return would be a step backwards” for justice and accountability.

The real significance is that someone who led an army that has been accused of perpetrating war crimes will not be held to account and will be in a position of political strength,” she said. It’s also symbolic in the sense of being a slap in the face for Tamil justice and is not at all supportive of reconciliation.”

As defence secretary, Rajapaksa said he ran what he describes as a sophisticated and well-trained” network of 5,000 military intelligence agents, and dismissed accusations of human rights abuses.

Those are all baseless allegations,” he said. You talk about human rights, you talk about freedom of individuals, you talk about reconciliation, but all these depend on national security. If you don’t have national security what happens … do you have freedom? Everything depends on national security.”

His voice becomes increasingly shrill.

This is a military that defeated such a ruthless, dangerous, powerful terrorist organisation,” he said, referring to the Tamil Tigers. I’m wondering whether all this was done by rogues. Murderers … Are we saying that our military…

There can be individuals. But if you take the whole picture you are generalising. Even internationally, they are generalising this.”

Search for justice
The Sinhalese, who are Buddhist, make up around 75 percent of Sri Lanka’s 22 million people, but the island has significant numbers of mostly-Hindu ethnic Tamils, as well as Muslims and Christians and has struggled with rising communal tension since independence from the British in 1948.

After a series of measures that privileged the Sinhalese over the rest of the population, the Tamil Tigers began their violent campaign for a separate Tamil homeland in the island’s north and east in the 1970s.

Ten years after the fighting finally came to an end in 2009, there has been little attempt to address the lingering resentments that helped fuel the conflict – even though Sirisena came to power promising reconciliation and accountability. A 2015 pledge to investigate wartime atrocities is still to be met.

According to Amnesty International, Sri Lanka has one of the world’s highest number of disappearances – as many as 100,000 over the past three decades.

Analysts say Rajapaksa, who remained in his post for five years after the war ended, also bears responsibility for the instability that continues to plague the country.

Justice is an essential part of achieving a sustainable peace,” Anjali Manivannan, senior legal analyst at People for Equality and Relief in Lanka (PEARL), told Al Jazeera.

The cause of the conflict, the structural discrimination, the Sinhalese Buddhist nationalism and supremacist beliefs that place Sinhalese Buddhists at a higher level than other communities on the island … None of that has really changed. They defeated the LTTE and won an armed conflict, but there have been no steps to address why that conflict started.”

Rajapaksa himself has been accused of war crimes and extra-judicial killings. 

In April, Ahimsa Wickrematunge, the daughter of murdered journalist Lasantha Wickrematunge, filed a lawsuit accusing Rajapaksa of instigating and authorising her father’s killing in 2009. He is also facing a case filed by a Tamil man who says he was tortured in 2007 after being detained by the police’s Terrorism Investigation Division, which came under Rajapaksa’s command.

Rajapaksa has denied the allegations.

Once the election is called, and Rajapaksa formally launches his campaign, many believe that the past will probably matter little to the majority of voters, while Rajapaksa will portray himself as the man who can restore stability to a troubled island.

I don’t see him limiting his use of existing or new emergency laws just to focus on the problem of Islamist extremism,” said Darsha Jegatheeswaran, senior researcher at the Adayaalam Centre for Policy Research in Jaffna.

Over the last (few) years, there have been communities that have been critical of the government, of him, human rights people have gone public … My concern is that if he comes back to power and his focus is on a ‘threat to the nation’ in the past that has been anyone critical of the government.

I think he would be quite heavy-handed.”

Source: Al Jazeera
-Agencies

Courtesy Daily Mirror

Daylight in Wayamba gives its residents the opportunity to assess the situation of their neighbourhood, following a grim and fearful start to the holy Vesak week. The Police curfew enforced early Monday (May 13) evening in the North Western  Province however, prevents them from setting about their daily work.

Mob violence broke out in several parts of the country on Monday resulting in an islandwide curfew which was lifted  at 4 am yesterday. However the curfew in the North Western province remained, as mosques and Muslim-owned shops were vandalised or set on fire by angry mobs. Tension continued to be high on Tuesday, as the overnight curfew was lifted while roads remained relatively quiet.

Despite the curfew and heightened security, in Giriulla, an outlier town in the North Western Province, several people were out and about their daily tasks, where the Police curfew was still in force. Although shops remained closed for business, men were seen travelling on bikes, with bags of rice and other rations. Some others were seen borrowing a minute or two to converse with a neighbour along the way. In inner corners of Giriulla however, the air is eerie and tense, with security personnel posted on every street. Doors and windows are firmly shut painting an eerie and grim picture in an otherwise pleasant, active town.

https://youtu.be/9ZxAodOgQqA

In nearby Kuliyapitiya a family is gripped with fear, after mobs surrounded their residence on Monday evening.  M.T.M. Sapuwan, a resident of Karanthipola, Kuliyapitiya, was a victim of a heinous mob attack, which has left his family devastated and displaced. 

A blackened frame of a two storeyed building sits under an expansive, charred Margosa tree, on the Kuliyapitiya – Hettipola Road, where Sapuwan lived. A warped frame of what used to be the ground-floor storefront gate bends forward precariously.

My family returned home from Wariyapola after breaking fast that day. We learned from our neighbours that the situation wasn’t good. They said several roadside eateries and shops were pelted with stones, and our neighbours asked us to remove the vehicle from our house,” Sapuwan recalled. 

Together with his son, Sapuwan drove his vehicle to a friend’s place, where they parked their car, fearing the worst.  Upon their return however, Sapuwan and his young son found that their house was surrounded by an angry mob of about 150 people.

Some of them even had swords and other heavy equipment in their hands,” one of Sapuwan’s two sons, who had been observing the frightening situation from the second floor of their house said. 

The mobs broke into the store and started crashing the clay pots and other wares on the floor. My son called me from the house, saying that the mobs were about to do something terrible. My other son and I had no option, but to hide in the land opposite our house, waiting for a chance to rescue my family” he said.   We called the Police, and tried calling everyone we knew to come and help us.  By that time, the crowds began to slowly disperse. One of them called that it was enough. But another started to run across the street, calling out for someone to give him a box of matches. They returned with a petrol can,” Sapuwan recalled. One attacker was then heard saying that they’ve caused enough damage. Another was heard disagreeing, saying that Sapuwan’s home must be set on fire.

Just as they feared, the mob set fire to their store. The plastic goods immediately caught fire and soon the ground floor was engulfed in flames.  My wife, son, daughter and grandchild were trapped upstairs,” Sapuwan said, adding that his neighbour managed to distract the crowd enough for Sapuwan and his son to rescue his family.

The store, full of goods to be sold during the Eid festival, had at this point started to burst and spew ash. My son called and said that they couldn’t bear the heat anymore,” Sapuwan said. 

With the help of his neighbour, Sapuwan came out of hiding and helped his son out of the house, down the volcanic staircase. Army personnel who arrived at the scene, then helped his wife and children out of the house.

We called the Police as soon as they started attacking our house. But they only arrived at the scene when it was too late. We kept watch over our house until dawn,” the family said as they were of the view that someone would plant suspicious material inside the store,” Sapuwan said, staring at the blackened remains of his residence.

Meanwhile the Kuliyapitiya Urban Council’s pleas to provide the area with a fire brigade, have fallen on deaf ears, according to Councillors. This area has a number of coir workshops which are prone to fires. Whenever there’s an incident, we have to wait for a fire engine to be deployed from either Kurunegala or Chilaw, by which time, everything is destroyed by the fire,” one councillor said.

According to Sapuwan, Sinhalese too were shocked by this incident. With water provided by the Pradeshiya Sabha, the fire was doused with help from the neighbours. But now, Sapuwan has lost everything. It was our Sinhalese brothers and sisters who helped us, even in this situation. We don’t believe anyone from our neighbourhood in Kuliyapitiya was involved,” he added. Sapuwan’s family now resides with the neighbouring Sinhalese family, whose members have housed them since the ill-fated day.

Although many shops and buildings suffered from stone-pelting, the attack on Sapuwan’s home was the most detestable of them all.  Kuliyapitiya Mayor Lakshman Adhikari says that calm has been restored in Kuliyapitiya. We were expecting the situation in the country to return to normal this week.

Unfortunately this incident disturbed the calm, which we had maintained for years,” he said.

Only 12 per cent of the population in Kuliyapitiya is Muslim. They are a peace-loving people and they have been co-existing with the community peacefully, all these years,” Adhikari, who has been the Mayor of the city during two prior tenures, assured. Minister Akila Viraj Kariyawasam, following a visit to the area, has assured that peace will be maintained in Kuliyapitiya. The Mayor was also seen guiding relief programmes for the victims of the attacks as well as the shocked residents of the area. Police sources revealed that four suspects were arrested in connection to the attacks in Kuliyapitiya. We’re going through surveillance and CCTV footage to identify the perpetrators,” an officer attached to the Kuliyapitiya Police station said.

Close-knit Hettipola attacked by rioters 

In Hettipola, Panduwasnuwara, more than 80 shops, houses and buildings owned by Muslims have been the targets of vicious mob attacks. While Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe and Ministers Akila Viraj Kariyawasam, Rauff Hakeem and Kabir Hashim visited the affected families in the area, residents were visibly shaken by the violence that unfolded on Monday (May 13).

Along the Kuliyapitiya-Hettipola main road, vegetable stalls and roadside eateries were vandalised and attacked around 1.30 pm on Monday. Nawfer, a resident of Kotampitiya, said that the mobs started the attacks by pelting stones at their houses and shops. As soon as they started to attack, the police announced the curfew and the mobs retreated,” Nawfer recalled. According to Nawfer’s wife, about 1,000 rioters then followed the police vehicles. They were beyond the police officers’ control,” she said. We abandoned our houses, and ran towards the fields at the back of our house, to escape from the mobs, with our neighbours and their children,” she reminisced.

Dozens of families along Kotampitiya, followed suit, as the crowds began to break into Muslim houses and smash mirrors. 

They didn’t loot, but they broke-in and broke all the mirrors of our houses,” Nawfer said. His family believes that even though the majority of the mobs were outsiders, their attack couldn’t have been carried out without the help of a few villagers. How could they identify which house was owned by Muslims?” they questioned. M. Deen, the proprietor of the neighbouring eatery, said that the Police were overwhelmed by the mobs, despite their best efforts to control the situation and ensure the safety of the villagers. M.C.M Abdul Bari said his brother’s motor spare parts store was completely gutted in fire, causing them losses in millions of rupees.

Masjid Al Huda, the central mosque in Hettipola, was attacked by the same mobs on Monday evening. The caretaker of the mosque, Mohammed Saleem, believes that it was a well organised attack. Trouble started brewing in Chilaw, over a facebook post and now it has reached us. During the past 12 hours, the mobs carried out vast property damage to this area. 

I believe their only motive was this, I never felt that bloodshed was their intention,” Saleem said.

Our families have been living here for generations.  We have been educated at Sinhala schools. It’s very unlikely that the villagers orchestrated this attack. Young girls from this area, work in a nearby apparel factory, during all sorts of odd hours of the day. Their safety has been assured by the entire community, including the Muslims. This is an attack instigated by a few rebellious minds. It may have no solution, but we hope there will be an answer for this unanswerable question,” he added. 

By Piyumi Fonseka Courtesy Daily Mirror

Inside factory where terrorists plotted the Easter Sunday attacks

Wellampitiya Police OIC Gamini Senarath Hewawithana had complained to the Judicial Service Commission (JSC) early this week demanding an inquiry against Colombo Magistrate Court Judge Priyantha Liyanage over the release on bail of nine employees of the copper factory in Wellampitiya.
It was reported that the factory, which belonged to the Cinnamon Grand suicide bomber Inshaf Ahamed, has been used to manufacture the explosives which were used in the April 21st Easter Sunday terrorist attacks. Nine out of the ten suspects arrested on April 21, were remanded till May 6 and granted bail on two sureties of Rs. 500, 000 each due to insufficient evidence. However, Wellampitiya Police OIC has complained to the JSC, that despite objection from the police, the Magistrate has allegedly acted in a biased manner by taking his own decision to release the suspects.
The article is written on the complaint filed by the Wellampitiya OIC to the Judicial Services Commission (JSC).

How the search operation was launched

The OIC received a call from the Director of the Colombo Crimes Division (CCD) SP Udaya Hemantha on the night of Easter Day, ordering him to search the copper factory in Wellampitiya. After locating the factory, the OIC along with several other officers from the Wellampitiya Police visited the location and waited till CCD Director Hemantha arrived at the scene. The team of police personnel thereafter surrounded the factory following orders of the CCD Director and arrested 10 suspicious individuals among whom were 8 Muslims and a Sinhalese. Another worker identified as a suspect was also taken into the custody of the CCD and the 9 others were taken to the Wellamptiya police station for questioning. Meanwhile, another suspect arrested by the STF on April 22, for having close connections with the Cinnamon Grand bomber, was also handed over to the
Wellampitiya Police.

Charges filed Against Suspects

On the following day (April 22), the ten suspects were produced in court and the police requested the court to remand them in order to obtain telephone records for further investigations. Acceding to the request, the court ordered the suspects to be remanded till May 6.

When the case was taken up on May 6 before Magistrate Priyantha Liyanage at Colombo Magistrate’s Court, the Wellampitiya Police submitted a further report on the progress of the investigations relating to the arrested copper factory workers. Preliminary investigations caried out by the Police had found that the suspects had used 2-8 sim cards and that the suspects had an obvious connection with the Easter Sunday attacks. This was said in the court. Preliminary investigations have found that several suspects who were workers of the factory had travelled during the recent past to various places.

According to the telephone records, it was found that one of the suspects has had several telephone conversations with the factory owner and the Cinnamon Grand Hotel suicide bomber Inshaf Ahamed. It was also found that the monthly salary of the 10th suspect arrested by the Special Task Force (STF) was Rs.30, 000 and the monthly rent payment of his house is also the same amount.

The police version of what happened in court  

Nine out of the ten suspects arrested on April 21, were remanded till May 6 and granted bail on two sureties of Rs. 500, 000 each due to insufficient evidence. It was alleged that the workers were released because the Wellampitiya Police failed to mention the offences the suspects were alleged to have committed.

In the JSC complaint, the OIC alleged that even when the above mentioned charges and findings of the preliminary investigation had been presented before the court, the magistrate disregarded the facts and statements submitted by the police by releasing the suspects, who had been arrested on April 21 by the police.

Hewawitharana further alleged that the verbal and written objections of the police had also not been mentioned in the case file compiled by the magistrate. Therefore, attorney Don Wasantha who appeared on behalf of one of the suspects has submitted an affidavit to the JSC stating that the Magistrate made the decision despite objection from the police.

Filing the B Report, the Wellampitiya Police have also informed the Magistrate that releasing the suspects would create public unrest and therefore it was better to keep them detained pending investigations.

“One of the suspects has had several telephone conversations with the factory owner and the Cinnamon Grand Hotel suicide bomber Inshaf Ahamed”

Parallel to the police investigations, Terrorist Investigations Department (TID), Navy Intelligence Division and the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) had also initiated separate investigations into the alleged involvement of the suspects to the Easter Sunday terrorist attacks. Therefore, the Wellampitiya Police Officer requested the court to keep the suspects in remand owing to the fact that the Police, CID, TID and Navy Intelligence investigations into the case are still ongoing. The police referred to the Section 14 of the Bail Act (No. 30 of 1997) when requesting the court to keep the suspects in custody.

Reasons for which court may refuse bail or cancel a subsisting order for release14.

(1) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in the preceding provisions of this Act, whenever a person suspected or accused of being concerned in committing or having committed a bailable or non-bailable offence, appears, is brought before or surrenders to the court having jurisdiction, the court may refuse to release such person on bail or upon application being made in that behalf by a police officer, and after issuing notice on the person concerned and hearing him personally or through his attorney-at-law, cancel a subsisting order releasing such person on bail if the court has reason to believe:”

 (b) that the particular gravity of, and public reaction to, the alleged offence may give rise to public disquiet.

 The SIU decided on May 9 to launch an investigation into the matter where the court granted bail to the workers. It was alleged that police may have erred by not filing the case under Prevention of Terrorism Act because the investigations were yet to reach that level. He said that was why they requested more time from the magistrate to complete the inquiry.

The complainant criticized that the officers of the Wellampitiya Police even had to testify before the SIU over the bailing out incident over the investigation initiated against them. The residents in Wellampitiya were still protesting outside the police station against the court decision. Due to the current situation, the police face difficulty in maintaining law and order in the area.

Last week, police Media Spokesperson SP Ruwan Gunasekara said disciplinary action would be taken against the personnel held responsible, no sooner the report from the SIU was produced.

  Comments – 2

• Ramal Friday, 17 May 2019 01:56 PM Swift action must be taken at least now. Find out who is at fault whether the judge os the police later. But rearrest the suspects and go ahead with the investigations.

Dhammika Gunaratne Friday, 17 May 2019 07:00 PM

Suspects of Terrorist acts and aiding and abetting such acts MUST be treated as GUILTY until proven INNOCENT .

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Courtesy The Daily Mirror

A decade of peace, which was an occasion worthy of celebration, has been marred by the resurgence of terrorism in Sri Lanka which has impacted all of us once again, former defence secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa said.

In a message on the occasion of the 10th anniversary of the victory over terrorism, Mr. Rajapaksa said several events which were planned to commemorate the anniversary had been postponed due to the terror attacks.

While we had planned several events to commemorate the 10th anniversary of the ending of the war against terror, we have postponed same in light of the despicable terror attacks on April 21, so that we may devote our efforts to those affected,” he said.

Mr. Rajapaksa said the resurgence of terrorism was a direct result of the lack of vision and short-sightedness of the leaders, who carried out an unwarranted witch-hunt against the war heroes and thereby, disabled the intelligence structure.

I strongly condemn the most despicable and cowardly terrorist attacks carried out on April 21 and call upon you to act with determination to ensure such acts of terror will not be experienced in Sri Lanka again,” he said.

On the occasion of the 10th anniversary of victory over terror, he said he wished to extend his sincere gratitude to all the War Heroes and their families, for their immense sacrifice and contribution to bringing peace to our Motherland, so that we could together, stand strong in unity and dignity as one nation under the shade of our national flag.

I am pleased to share my thoughts with all patriotic citizens of Sri Lanka today, which marks the 10th anniversary of successfully eradicating terrorism, which had engulfed our nation and its people for 30 years. As an officer of a combat regiment of the Sri Lanka Army and subsequently as the Secretary of Defence, I fulfilled my duties with commitment, based on the immense love and respect I have for my country and its people.

While serving as the Secretary of Defence, I was privileged to give leadership, motivation and logistical support to the victorious armed forces of Sri Lanka, in annihilating the scourge of terrorism that had plagued our nation and to ensure terrorism will not burden our future generations and its shadows will never darken our lives again.

More than 12,000 youth who were members of the LTTE were rehabilitated through a complex program conducted by the Sri Lanka Army and were successfully reintegrated to society as responsible and productive citizens of Sri Lanka. More than 29,000 officers and soldiers from the tri-forces, police and Civil Defence Force, laid down their lives for their motherland.

Thousands more are missing in action and around 10,000 are permanently disabled and are confined to their beds or wheelchairs for the rest of their lives. I remember their sacrifices with heartfelt gratitude and honour them for their sacrifices to give us a life free of terror.

I also pay tribute to their beloved parents, wives and children who are to date, grieving for their loss. Programs such as Api Wenuwen Api” were launched to support the families of those who died or are disabled, and wellness centres such as Abhimansala” and Mihindu Seth Madura” were established for the disabled, so that they could live their lives in dignity, as respected citizens of Sri Lanka,” Mr. Rajapaksa said.

Sri Lanka’s conflict was no civil or ethnic conflict. The State must address this and make necessary corrections. Sri Lanka’s conflict was terrorist and that is why Sri Lanka’s conflict is termed a Non-International Armed Conflict. The non-state actors were defined as terrorists engaged in acts of terror against the state of Sri Lanka. LTTE killed not only the Sri Lankan military but unarmed civilians that included Sinhalese, Muslims & even Tamils, politicians, Buddhist monks, children, villagers, public servants – in short anyone going against LTTE was killed.

LTTE threw the first stone in 1983 with the killing of 13 Sri Lankan soldiers. Prior to that LTTE initially named Tamil New Tigers in May 1972 killed the Tamil Mayor of Jaffna in July 1975 and a year later in May 1976 TNT became LTTE immediately after the TULF Vaddukoddai Resolution calling for a separate Tamil state and asking youth to take up arms. Separatism camouflaged itself in various pseudonyms was led on two fronts – politically by Tamil separatist leaders and via the gun by Tamil militants. LTTE emerged one of the many Tamil militant groups that had been initially trained in India with the knowledge of the Indian Government and tacit support of the then Tamil Nadu government.

By July 2006 the LTTE maintained approximately 25,000 cadres including regular combatants and auxiliary forces. By early 2008, LTTE increased its recruitment to 30,000 combatants. This would have increased with forced recruitment till LTTE’s eventual defeat.

No terrorist group has been as organized as LTTE

1. Auxiliary force for offensive/defensive operations – Eelapadai on payroll
2. Auxiliary force for logistics – Gramapadai
3. Land fighting force (special reconnaissance group, snipers, mine laying teams, tank/anti-tank regiment) – bulk of LTTE combatants
4. Sea Tiger wing established in 1980s. Sea Tigers even developed mini submarines. 52 Sri Lanka Naval Officers and 348 Sri Lankan Sailors were killed during these sea battles.
5. Air Tiger Wing – trained in private schools in Europe and South East Asia. LTTE shot down 52 airplanes and helicopters including civilian aircraft using Surface to Air Missiles
6. Black Tigers – LTTE Suicide teams – 274 male suicide bombers and 104 female suicide bombers (Total 378) died in action between July 5, 1987 and November 20, 2008 (21 years)
7. Intelligence Wing – used for reconnaissance, handling suicide missions, used to charm security forces/police, politicians and others to get information using devious tactics
8. Supply Network – LTTE fronts operated logistics, shipping fleet, warehouses/storage for arms, fundraising, illegal & legal income sources
9. International support/propaganda mechanism – LTTE fronts, legal, procurement, shipping, Church, media/propaganda (tv channels/radio/websites etc) all this taking place under the noses of the countries that have banned them.
10. International criminal network – illegal drug smuggling, arms smuggling, human smuggling, money laundering, credit card scams, extortions, taxes,

LTTE had its international headquarters in London since 1984. The office was opened by Bishop Rayyappu Joseph. UK banned LTTE in 2001 but LTTE operates quite openly through its fronts and shows money can even influence foreign MPs. LTTE has front organizations operating in some 50 countries and inspite of Sri Lankan Government banning 16 of these fronts in April 2014 not a single country investigated the names listed under UNSC Resolution 1373. So much for wanting to clamp down on international networks. These fronts were not only involved in legal activities as a cover but engaged in many illegal activities that included money laundering, human smuggling, narcotic and arms smuggling, credit card scams and a host of other acts. Is it a surprise that foreign MPs regularly attend events of LTTE fronts in all of the countries where the same MPs are demanding the Sri Lankan Government for war crimes against Sri Lanka’s Army?

LTTE kitty must be far more than the $300m annual profit in 2004 given that it saves on arms ammunition and maintenance of combatants since 2009. Which means every demand made by these LTTE fronts operating from the very countries that they are banned in is echoed by the foreign MPs, HR groups, paid media and others obviously on their payroll. When any party demands what LTTE fronts are demanding there is definitely something fishy about it.

LTTE has itself to blame for the debacle that befell them. Swarnam is the tiger who sealed the ultimate fate of the LTTE by deciding to close the Mavil Aru sluice gates in July 2006. Exactly a year prior in 2005 LTTE assassinated Sri Lanka’s much loved Foreign Minister Lakshman Kadiragamar in his own residence flouting the ceasefire agreement signed by then PM Ranil and Prabakaran in February 2002. Months before the closure of the Mavil Aru sluice gates LTTE attempted to assassinate then Army Commander Lt. Gen. Sarath Fonseka. Everyone has forgotten LTTE committed over 5000 violations of the CFA – how many did LTTE have to commit for action to be taken by the international community?

LTTE refused to open the sluice gates that denied water to 17,000 farmers in the East of Sri Lanka. Denying water is regarded a war crime. Under much pressure the GOSL ordered its troops to force open the gates. LTTE response was to attack several towns simultaneously in the East forcing the Sri Lankan Army to retaliate.

After just 1 attack the US invaded Afghanistan in 2001 which had nothing to do with 9/11 and continues to occupy it. However, Sri Lanka’s military offensive against LTTE came after suffering 30 years of terror, failures in chit chats with LTTE, 5 peace talks, negotiations and ceasefires and even the failure of foreign mediation. Therefore, Sri Lanka was within its sovereign rights to look at the welfare of 20m people as against a movement that was threat to all citizens. Obviously the parties wanting to provide oxygen to the LTTE were indirect beneficiaries of the LTTE though none would not wish to openly admit so. However, it is timely that an inquiry is held to link every local and international individual/group that benefitted from LTTE kitty while holding a public/international portfolio and using their position and office to save the LTTE for these are all accomplice to LTTE war crimes and murders.

LTTE cowards did not meet its enemy head on as they should and instead these cowards decided to herd civilians to keep as hostages and human shields. This was why Sri Lanka had to engage in a military-cum-humanitarian rescue operation. It is poignant to note that the LTTE had its own trained & armed civilian force (engaged in combat in civilian clothing) as well as LTTE combatants who fought in uniform.

So now those legal luminaries, human rights activists sitting in Geneva and New York please tell us how a soldier can in the heat of a battle determine according to the Geneva Convention books who is a civilian (not engaged in combat) and who is a LTTE combatant who is fighting in civilian clothing BEFORE HE IS SHOT DEAD BY THEM? Or according to these legal luminaries fighting text book battles by words, the soldier is supposed to browse the page for the action he should take and get shot dead doing so! All those in UN and others throwing the law books, let us remind you people a battlefield is far different to you people quoting clauses sitting in some posh room in another country!

The reports by the 6 legal international terrorism experts clearly exonerates Sri Lankan Troops of any of the hyped war crimes charges coincidentally by factions that have some connection to the LTTE Diaspora. As such their reports should only end up in the dustbin.

LTTE refused to open Mavil Aru sluice gates in July 2006 and that led to its defeat in East Sri Lanka by 2008. Two more chances to surrender was given by the Sri Lankan President which was also rejected. LTTE declared it would fight to the end. So they got what they asked for. Let us remind all that LTTE were no angels. Tamils and soldiers captured and tortured by LTTE if alive would have told how they were treated by LTTE. The grueling stories by the child soldiers that were given a Presidential pardon after the conflict and returned to their families reveal much of the suffering and tortures they went through as children holding gun instead of books.

The defeat of the LTTE embarrassed many a human right & NGO too – they had stationed themselves virtually next door to the tigers in both North & East and had collected funds claiming to assist the people of the North but when the Army defeated LTTE and moved north none of the supposed development had taken place. Kind hearts that gave funds to various HR organizations/NGOs must demand an investigation as to what they did with the money sent. This was clearly revealed when a Canadian delegation came post 2009 and many others arrived http://www.sinhalanet.net/foreign-funded-derogatory-reports-cannot-match-what-world-leaders-saw-and-said-about-sri-lanka

When it began to look obvious that the 40,000 lie was failing the strategy changed to genocide and even that is looking silly as the census statistics reveal no reduction in Tamil population – so where the hell is genocide? Where were those now lavishly using term ‘genocide’ when Sinhalese & Muslims were chased out of the North. Isn’t the claim that the North is ONLY occupied by Tamils a result of the ethnic cleansing by LTTE?

‘If there is any genocide – it is by the LTTE’  

Lord Naseby is the Chairman of the All Party British Sri Lanka Parliamentary Group

The LTTE diaspora together with the retainer local/international NGOs, rights activists even politicians are grabbing any straw they can to create an argument. The beauty of a lie is that you have to ice it with another lie and then too many lies lead you nowhere. This is the embarrassment that came to those who tried to plug a supposed mass grave found in Mannar with claims of genocide by Sri Lankan army to discover the killings were committed during colonial rule!

To accuse Sri Lanka’s military of war crimes there has to be the dead. No dead bodies, no skeletons and not even names of the supposed dead. But they can find foreign forensic experts living in UK who can take a photo and point to a gunshot wound and say it was done by the Sri Lankan Army – wow, so impressive! The British can also find star witnesses who claim she mixed blood with water and gave innocent Tamil victims…. Doctor’s not the freak ones please explain what happens when blood and water are mixed!

So 10 years on we are still battling the fake news. Soldiers saved close to 300,000 Tamils of which many were full time LTTE combatants, part time LTTE combatants, LTTE family members but they were all taken to the refugee camps, fed three meals a day and numerous programs initiated for them. No foreign delegate landing can expect these programs to be 5star hotel treatment while completely ignoring that their troops are firing drones and killing innocent people while invading countries and plundering their resources for no valid reason.

The LTTE continues to remain banned with India recently extending the ban on LTTE by another 5 years because LTTE international still poses a risk though the ground force has been neutralized. Many LTTE combatants thanks to their friends in the NGO/diplomatic & UN circles fled overseas and are now operating from the very countries that banned them. The big talk about ‘war on terrorism’ is worth tuppence if the countries waging the war on terror do not in the least investigate the allegations most of which affect the citizens of their nations.

East Sri Lanka was liberated of LTTE on 10 July 2008 exactly 2 years after battle commenced.

North Sri Lanka liberation campaign was launched on 5 March 2007 and ended on 19 May 2009 with the complete defeat of LTTE ground force including its entire leadership.

19,282 Security Forces personnel were killed and 82,104 were maimed or wounded in battles against the LTTE (before 2006) 6261 Sri Lankan soldiers were killed and 29,551 were wounded after 2006.

Sri Lankan forces killed 25543 and wounded 111,655 with 5000 soldiers missing.

These heroes sacrificed their lives and limbs not for some corrupt politicos to be bartering the country and compromising the lives of all citizens for their luxury living.

The country has suffered much because of politicians and they should not be allowed to legislatively do what terrorists tried to do with the gun which the Armed Forces had to lay down their lives to stop.

At the 10^th anniversary the traitors and weasels who were too chicken to call LTTE as terrorists and who now sit in governance denied Victory Day celebrations but no sooner there is a change of Government we want Victory Day to be celebrated.

The irony of it all is that following the EasterSunday jihadi attack, even the TNA now wants armed forces beefed up in the North …. and these were the people who went to Geneva demanding removal of the military from the North. What damn hypocrites they are.

We want everyone & any organization linked to LTTE to be investigated & criminally charged

We want the remaining LTTE combatants to be served legal notices for the victims of LTTE terror

We want proper legislation to deny anyone separating or attempting to divide the country under any name

We want the education authorities to ensure proper history of the country is incorporated into the syllabus and every school – public, private, international etc must follow only one history syllabus that written by a patriotic academic panel

We want all school texts revised and the role of the Armed Forces & Sangha to be properly included with our national heroes to be given special place not the colonial pop stars.

Shenali D Waduge

• 

Dr.Daya Hewapathirane

Vesak has fivefold significance for the people of Sri Lanka.  It marks

(1)        the birth,

(2)        the attainment of enlightenment, and

(3)        the parinibbana or the final passing away of the Buddha,

(4)        it signifies the beginning of the Buddhist New Year and

(5)        the arrival in Sri Lanka, of Prince Vijaya, the founder of the Sinhala race which is unique to our country.

Traditionally, two major types of activities take place in Sri Lanka during Vesak – spiritual and cultural. The former largely confined to Buddhist temples in the form of prayers, rituals and meditation practices, and the observation of ‘sil’ or the eightfold Buddhist ethical principles by Buddhist devotees clad in white.

Cultural activities take place in public places and homes of Buddhists. Customarily, during Vesak, Sri Lanka is transformed into a fantastic festive world of light, sight and sound. It is Vesak that takes Buddhist paintings and other works of art to the people in the street. Vesak thorana is the fundamental method by which this is done.  Vesak ‘thoran’ or pandols form a spectacular site during Vesak where Buddhist themes are portrayed colourfully, along with narrative descriptions of what is presented in the thoran.  In actual fact, it is a temporary relocation of what is found inside Buddhist temples, on their walls, ceilings, and other surfaces. It is the depiction of the colourful paintings of the life of the Buddha, Jataka tales and episodes from the history of our nation. Evoking serene joy in people and getting them to reflect on the virtues of the Buddha appear to be the primary motives of Buddhist cultural activities during Vesak. 

It is Vesak that provides opportunities for Buddhist artists to express their creativity, their spiritual emotions, the inspiration they have drawn from the Holy Triple Gems  – Buddha, Dhamma and Sangha. In fact, it is their festival of arts, bringing together artists, poets, lyricists, musicians, singers, dancers, playwrights, actors, actresses, craftsmen, electricians, photographers, film-makers and those actively involved in or skilled in computer graphics and animation popularly used in some Buddhist cultural activities of contemporary times.  

It is most opportune for all citizens of Sri Lanka, especially all Buddhists to be fully aware of the deceitful threats and challenges of various sorts brought about by extremist Muslims living among us to undermine the Buddha Dhamma and Buddhist culture which form the foundation of our nation.  As concerned citizens of this great country, it is the duty of all to confront these threats and challenges and help the preservation and promotion of the wholesome spiritual basis of this nation.

Dr.Daya Hewapathirane

KAMALIKA PIERIS

This essay provides additional information on matters which have been discussed in the earlier essays. We start with the investigations into the Easter Sunday bombings

ITEM 1

 ‘Praying Mantis’ tells us what the government should have done immediately after the bomb blasts. The government should have immediately imposed an indefinite island-wide curfew, declared a state of emergency, brought the tri-forces and the police out of their barracks and encouraged them to use all available intelligence information . The sympathizers, henchmen, supportive politicians and all those connected even remotely with the bomb blasts should have been promptly and rapidly rounded up. What we needed was strong, vibrant and crucial leadership. What we got was the exact opposite; weak, half dead and cannot-care-less types.

Most of the armed forces are still in the barracks, only less than half of the available personnel are being used. Yet for all that, what they have achieved is mind-boggling and totally overwhelming. They have risen to the occasion like never before. They have had access to a considerable amount of intelligence information,  and they have rounded up many  criminals from right round the country. They got the lot from even unheard of locations in the wild,  said Praying Mantis’.

ITEM 2

Merril Guneratne has  looked at the  intelligence  sector. The State Intelligence Service (SIS) had a period of at least  two years to become aware of the clandestine activities of the terror groups. There was the  desecration of Buddhist temples in Kegalle and the murder of policemen in Vavunativu. These two operations should have acted as alarm signals  pointing to  an emerging terror movement.

Gunaratne places  the blame firstly on  the Head of the SIS. The SIS should have prepared and sent a report  containing the intelligence to the government and Secretary of Defense. Secretary of Defence  should thereafter have convened a security conference, to  assess the threat, consider security safeguards, and seek the approval of the President for their enforcement. After that there should have been a conference of the Chief of Defense Staff,( CDS), service commanders and the IGP, along with Chief of National Intelligence and Director of SIS, to discuss the threat.

His inability to do so has been a grave omission. This may have been due to his ignorance and inexperience in matters connected with national security. The Chief of national Intelligence, like Secretary of Defence,  did not know anything  about intelligence and national security, though  he  was at the apex of the intelligence gathering agency, a highly specialized and skilled field. Gunaratne pointed out that   Secretary  of Defence ,Chief of National intelligence and director of SIS  could meet President and the Minister of Defence    at any time,  to discuss urgent  matters regarding national security.

I think there is considerable merit in the advocacy of Wijeyadasa Rajapaksha for an investigation for criminal neglect, said Gunaratne  There would have been many telephone calls  between Secretary of Defence, IGP, Chief of national Intelligence and Director of SIS concerning  the intelligence received from India. Did Secretary of Defence and IGP consult Director, SIS and CNA as to the nature of the threat foreseen by Indian intelligence. Telephone conversations and off the record” discussions, should be included in such a probe.

ITEM 3

The speed with which the Police, STF and Armed services swung into action following the explosions, despite their initial failing, is commendable, said Gamini Gunawardene. They seemed to know where to strike no sooner than the green light was given. Within hours, the police visited the most vulnerable spot in Dematagoda, and the three police officers and also the pregnant wife and children of the prime suspect blew themselves into smithereens. Security Forces with STF then raided the right places in Sammanthurai, Kalmunai and Katthankudy with devastating results.

The Army’s Intelligence arm had collected the information, using systems that were upgraded during the near three decade long separatist war, reported the media. The  intelligence work started when five Muslim youth joined the ISIS  in July 2015 together with their immediate families, numbering 34.  This came to light after a person identified as Nilam was killed in combat in Syria. The closely knit group’s 34 members had been moving between Iraq and Syria and later operating in Syria. It transpired that an IS ‘military’ instructor came to Sri Lanka and circulated on the internet various messages to Muslim youth, indoctrinating them in ISIS ideology.

The Army began monitoring one of these  groups. The comments posted showed they endorsed IS ideology and had been  influenced by the propaganda. Views expressed were extremist. It is this group that morphed into Jamiathul Millathul Ibrahim (JMI). It was headed by Umar Mohamed who is now in custody. He is spilling the beans. Towards the end of 2017, divisions erupted in JMI. The issue was over whether they should carry out attacks in Sri Lanka or not. Leader Mohamed had objected and said they should go and fight shoulder to shoulder with brethren” in Syria. This in-fighting led to a breakup of the JMI.

A small group broke away and did not attend JMI meetings. They took up the position that they would not interfere with other groups.  Their policy  was live and let live.” Later, they joined the National Thowheed Jamaath (NTJ) which was led by Mohamed Cassim Mohamed Zahran.

The NTJ came into being in 2016.  Before that they were known in 2012 as Sri Lanka Thowheed Jamaath (SLTJ) and earlier as All Ceylon Thowheed Jamaath (ACTJ). Zahran, who was wanted by the Police went missing In March  2017. From an unknown location he kept on posting highly inflammatory and extremist IS material on the Internet. His Facebook account too contained such posts and video footage. He exhorted the killing of infidels or non-Muslims.

A leadership crisis broke out in the NTJ. A section accused Zahran of being a sex maniac, of misappropriating money and being exceedingly aggressive.  Yet, he was backed by the majority. In his absence Thowfeek Mowlavi became acting leader. Some investigators believe Zahran went to South India through illegal means and was hiding there. However, they have no evidence to confirm this. Joining them was a third person – Mohamed Nowfer from Qatar. He has been posting IS materials directed at Sri Lankan Muslim youth when he was in Qatar. Later, in Sri Lanka, Zahran and Nowfer together continued to upload IS video material on the internet. Nawfer has now been arrested  along with another key member Milshan from Saudi Arabia.

Other than the hard-core cadres taught in Iraq and Syria, the training for local recruits had been minimal and lasted only three or four days. Zahran who conducted them in areas such as Aruppola (Mawanella), Nuwara Eliya, Hambantota and Malwana focused on mental inculcation. His brother Rilwan had been well trained in bomb manufacture and died in the blasts at the safe house in Sainthamaruthu. Zaharan’s other brother, Zain was also an explosive expert. Contrary to Police claims there have been no training camps like the ones used by Tiger guerrillas.

When Zahran re-appeared, he cunningly ended the leadership crisis. He circulated among Thowfeek, Naufer and Milshan a video. It said that Thowfeek, evidently a non-Sri Lankan did not have a visa. Zahran would be the leader of the NTJ. More youth should be recruited and trained. Arguments  went back and forth. One side was in favor of training cadres and sending them to Syria. The other backed by Zahran insisted that they should go ahead with plans to take on targets in Sri Lanka. With enormous financial resources at their disposal, surveillance of targets began. Police later arrested a leading tea export firm’s employee who held Rs 89 million in a bank account for use by extremist Muslim ISIS groups.

One of the five members whom the Army identified in July 2015 as fighting with the IS was Mohamed Aroos. He has been in regular contact with Zahran by telephone and has been helping the latter. Aroos has since been taken into custody  by the US troops operating in Syria and is under interrogation.

The explosive the local bomb groups used has been confirmed as Triacetone Triperoxide or TATP, the type used by ISIS. A large stock of bomb making material and detonators, local as well as those suspected to be smuggled from India after purchase in the black market, were destroyed when a suicide bomber exploded himself in a hideout in Sainthamaruthu (Batticaloa District) when troops surrounded it.

Evidence has surfaced that Zahran had plans for a second wave of attacks. The wife of Haktun, the suicide bomber who attacked St Sebastian Church in Katuwapitiya has confirmed that large stocks of white cloth had been purchased from a shop in Giriulla. Were they for use as pilgrims at temples or during the Vesak celebrations? There was also evidence pointing to the likelihood of a long-term plan to use it as a disguise during the Esala Perahera in Kandy.

The terrorists who carried out the Easter Sunday bombings used a Swiss developed, highly encrypted mobile communication App named Threema”, The mobile phone App boasts ‘best in the class’ end-to-end encryption and allows a user to generate a random Threema ID, thereby giving anonymity to the user. The level of encryption used by the said App makes intercepting or decrypting such communications very difficult for Sri Lankan authorities with available technologies, concluded Sunday Times .  

ITEM  4

Azath Sally was interviewed by Chandraprema in 2019. He said, Zaharan was very powerful  in Kattankudy  and politicians were  scared to cross him. Kattankudy was a traditional Muslim village and the traditional Muslims were a very peaceful people. Every week there would be functions at home, there would be recitals and the entire community would share a meal. When these extremists came in, they said everything we were doing was wrong – those gatherings, what we were reciting, and even the shared meal was wrong. They had money that was coming from abroad and that gave them power, said Azath.

 The Towheed Jamath movement came into this country in the early 1980s and they splintered into several factions, said Azath. Every time money came in, distribution became a problem and they broke up into splinter groups. So you find several factions, called the SLTJ. CTJ. NTJ and so on. Altogether there are  about ten to twelve factions. The movement is limited to a small number of people. Traditional Muslims have gone to the police against Towheed Jamath on several occasions.  

Since 1994,  I have been telling the authorities about the Zaharan group and its activities, continued Azath. I  prevented their leader P. Jainulabdeen, head of Tamil Nadu Thowheed Jamath from coming here. I told the Defence Secretary that this person must not be allowed into the country. But he had already landed in Sri Lanka. This was in 1995 or 1996. The police deported him before he could speak at a meeting. After that he tried to come to Sri Lanka on three occasions. I blocked it on all three occasions. Now he says he wants to come to Sri Lanka for medical treatment. But we have told him that people were going from Sri Lanka to India for medical treatment and that he should not come here concluded Azath.

Wasn’t there an incident in Kattankudy where a mosque was demolished and the body of a Sufi leader thrown out onto the street asked Chandraprema. . That was done by Zaharan Hashim, replied Azath. There was another incident where 120 houses were burnt down by Zaharan. There is a large Sufi community in Kattankudy with a Sheik in charge. The Sheik was scared of the NTJ  and kept silent.  Sufis are  still the majority in Kattankudy But they are peaceful people and they are afraid even to go to the police because the extremists have money to throw around.

Why are the mainline Muslim leaders so scared of these groups. Why were they reluctant to even acknowledge that a problem exists asked Chandraprema. All Muslim candidates who contested the Batticaloa district signed agreements with Zaharan Hashim, replied Azath. Zaharan  imposed conditions on them saying that they could not go with the Sufis and that they had to do what he told them to do. So for election purposes, Hisbulla and even the Muslim Congress signed  up, fearing that they will lose elections otherwise. They are under the thumb of these Towheed groups. Hisbulla had been told that he can’t light crackers or play music at meetings. He violated those conditions and was defeated.

ITEM 5

UPFA MP Dr Sarath Amunugama told Parliament,  that the Easter Sunday attacks could not be taken lightly.  The whole country was gripped by fear. The schools are empty. The world regarded the Easter Sunday suicide bombings in Sri Lanka as the biggest attack, second only to the 9/11 attacks in the US.

During the previous government we had the world’s best security forces and intelligence services. Because former President Mahinda Rajapaksa, Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa and then Army Commander Sarath Fonseka worked together, they were able to defeat the world’s most ruthless terrorist group. But what has happened to the country since 2015, he asked.

Since 2015 the security establishment had been allowed to deteriorate. “In 2017 when certain Muslim factions took up arms and created trouble, the Muslim people brought up the issue and even revealed the names of these persons to the police. The government did nothing. This is not a weakness of the intelligence agencies. The government had ample information. The Muslims themselves complained,” he said, adding that the blame should first be accepted by those in charge of law and order.

“My earnest request is for this government to resign keeping. If you don’t take the blame, then the President should kick you out and appoint the people who have knowledge and form an all-party government.” Amunugama commended the earlier speech made by MP Sarath Fonseka and said it was a very comprehensive review of the situation. “This Cabinet is like a turkey waiting for an early Christmas,” he said.

ITEM  6

The last item in this essay is a set of quotations from the column Cassandra Cry”. Cassandra had  this to say about the Easter Sunday bombings :

Cass listened to Dr Rajitha Senaratna, Rauf Hakeem and Kabir Hashim speak to the media on Monday 22 at Temple Trees where, on behalf of the government they humbly apologized to all those who were affected by the bomb blasts and outlined compensation to be paid/given, said Cassandra

The apology  was tendered by the spokesman of the government, speaking more on behalf of the UNP. Dr Senaratna and others apologized humbly to the victims, their families, and to the Catholic Church and institutes the targeted sites belonged to. Among all the blame lying, I did not hear Ranil Wickremasinghe pointing a finger even once, or blame laying, trying to absolve himself and his party. He got down to business no sooner he heard about the first bomb. I heard his interview with the foreign press. He held his own and was a credit to the country..Blame laying was rampant. The Opposition Leader emerged loudest. Not only did he say the government had failed to protect the country; he went further by demanding the resignation of the entire Cabinet (UNP). It would have been complete destabilization and more room given anyone and everyone who wanted to kill, maim, rob. Instead of coming together in a time of dire need, this was his idea – to grab power, never mind what happened to dear suffering, highly damaged Sri Lanka, said Cassandra.

We closed our ears when the televised Parliamentary proceedings had Gunawardena and Weerawansa ranting. In contrast was Field Marshall Fonseka speaking calmly and thus more forcefully. He said a person like himself should be made use of. So true and correct.

Wimal Weerawansa rode the most favored of his horses of contention, ranting against foreign services arriving in Colombo to help in the investigations. He mentioned the USA’s FBI and the British Secret Service. How self-serving can you be to target the die-hard nationalist voter by making such pronouncements, to say they are infiltrating our land and will cause damage if not take over the country, asked Cassandra.

 They came because the recent bomb blasts that shattered the peace and consequent complacency of Sri Lanka is an internationalized matter now. The ISIS is said to be involved, so we need the best expertise from around the world to chase leads and crush the terrorists in Sri Lanka. The government, not being frog in the well like this politician – only for appearance and to cadge popularity though personally the US seemed to be his family’s frequented holiday resort – was willing in its dire need to accept offered foreign assistance.

The second reason why the government accepted foreign help in detection of members of the break-away Muslim group and diffusion of the situation was that foreigners were killed in the hotel blasts including British and American, so their secret services had every right to be here in Sri Lanka and be involved, concluded Cassandra.  (Continued)

Sent by Charles S.Perera

U.S. pledges support to Sri Lanka to fight terrorism

Article in Economy Next  Friday 17May,2019

We are graeful for the sympathy and concern for Sri Lanka after the ISIS terrorist attack. USA is aware that our Armed Forces have the experience  to deal with terrorism having fought a ruthless home made terrorist group and eliminate terrorism and bring back and maintain and secure our country and the people until about January,2015. ISIS is ofcourse a new experiencee but nevertheless our battle hardened  Armed  Forces are quite capable of adopt itself to the new menace  facing them . Though USA was unfortunately taking sides with the terrorist sympathic Tamil Diaspora and brought a resolution against our Armed Forces at the UN Human Rights Council accusing them for war crimes for doing their legitimate duty of protecting and securing the country and bringing peace  to the people. We are nevertheless grateful to USA for its concern about our country and its people now , but our Armed Forces can face the new challenge forced upon them without assistance from any foreign force. But some transfer of technology such as DNA test for identifying victims and arrested persons may be welcome  without personal assistance…

Dr. Daya Hewapathirane

My motherland – whatever label you may wish to ascribe to it – Sri Lanka, Ceylon, Heladiva, Helabima or Sinhalay, is one of the few countries in the world that has remained intact within the same national borders, as a single political entity or island nation for over 2500 years or a prolonged long period of time. This is not the case with most other countries in the world, where national boundaries have been subject to significant changes in the past. This unique historic island nation has existed as an independent sovereign nation as far back as the 6th century BCE. Her civilization has achieved an individuality and identity that distinguishes it from her neighbors. Cultural traits brought from India have undergone significant change and independent growth, largely influenced by Buddhism which was formally introduced to the island in the 3^rd century BCE. The Sinhala Buddhist culture, the national culture of Sri Lanka is one of the world’s oldest, continuous  and unchanged cultures in existence and a culture that is unique to Sri Lanka.

Sri Lanka is the only country in the world with an unbroken written history that goes back to more than 2500 years. This recorded history matches perfectly with archaeological evidence and foreign records on the island. What Sri Lanka, clearly projects, then and now, is its Sinhala Buddhist imprint. The strength of this cultural foundation was tested several times in the past, during periods of foreign invasion, devastation and exploitation. But the nation remained intact, withstanding threats, perils and calamities, largely owing to the power and potency of its Sinhala Buddhist cultural foundation. It is the inspiration of this strong Buddhist foundation that is reflected in the lives of the indigenous Sinhala community of the country.

NATIONAL CULTURAL HERITAGE

The unique Sinhala Buddhist identity of our country which began to take shape about 2300 years ago was reinforced with the development and widespread use of the proto-Sinhala language based on the Prakritic language used popularly in the numerous ancient lithic inscriptions found across our country. Starting in the 3rd century BCE, for as many as 15 centuries or for over 1500 years, our island was inhabited almost exclusively by Sinhala Buddhists. This period witnessed the development of a unique civilization based a hydraulic agrarian system, and a rich culture and system of administration and governance, based on Buddhist norms and principles. This period saw the rise to power of many outstanding Sinhala Buddhist kings who ruled the country for some 1200 years from the national Capitol City Anuradhapura, and subsequently for an additional 300 years until about the 13^th century, from the Capitol Polonnaruwa. This 1500 year period in the country’s history can be considered, indisputably, as its golden age.   

During this period, there were violent invasions of the country by South Indian, Tamil-speaking Dravidian mercenaries. There were times when these invaders were able to dislodge the seat of Sinhala power and rule for limited periods of time. However, they were eventually ousted and the country was unified under the rule of Sinhala Buddhist monarchy. During their invasions and rule, the country was plundered of its wealth and much destruction was caused to priceless monuments of the country. They were instrumental in setting fire and burning down the 700 year old Sinhala Royal palace in the citadel of Anuradhapura.  Buddhist stupas were destroyed and valuables enshrined within them including gold images and gems were stolen.  

In mid 10th century the South Indian Chola invaders looted Anuradhapura extensively.  The destruction of the Thuparamaya dagabo  which had been one of the oldest Buddhist monuments of South Asia was an irreparable loss. This exquisite Buddhist monument housed the Buddha’s right-collar bone and the Alms-bowl. The Relic chamber of this stupa was broke open and values plundered to make payments to South Indian Tamil mercenaries. The crowning ornament on Thuparama was robbed and the great canopy over Thuparama, that protected it from bad weather, was smashed in order to get the priceless gems and golden decorations fixed on it.

The huge dome-roofs of stupas decorated in gold and silver, and embedded with gems, built to cover large stupas and to protect them from bad weather, were destroyed. These included the golden umbrellas over Mirisavetiya and Thuparamaya stupas. The main library in the citadel, housing the sacred books, was maliciously burnt. Jethavanaramaya, the gigantic monument recorded in history as the third tallest structure of the world, was destroyed. Temple of the Tooth Relic in the citadel was destroyed. Golden doors were ripped off from buildings. The pride of the nation, skyscraper LovaMahapaya was maliciously destroyed completely.  This was the 6th time it was destroyed by these Dravidian plunderers. This was the end of the city of Anuradhapura. 

BUDDHISM

The Buddhist tradition in Sri Lanka is one of the oldest there is. The Sinhala people have been practicing Buddhism continuously, for longer than anyone else in the world. Buddhism has been and continues to be the basis or foundation of the country’s culture.  for over 2300 years. All deeper aspects of the country’s culture are reflective of Buddhist ideology, principles, ethics, virtues, values, morality, traditions, customs, thoughts, temperament, attitudes and way of life. Whatever new elements that have been absorbed into the culture at different times, were subject to appropriate modifications, adjustments and adaptations in order to make them compatible with Buddhist principles and values. Buddhist principles were intertwined in these new additions although there may be exceptions which often are those elements which are in the process of being adapted to fit into the cultural norms of the country. 

Buddhism is not a religion with a dogmatic canon. Buddhism functions not through crusades, but through tolerance, openness and the persuasive power of its philosophical foundation. Tolerance and the enormous adaptability of Buddhism are qualities that have remained unchanged throughout its remarkable history.  Buddhism upholds everything worthy and meaningful. It promotes peace, peaceful coexistence, and democratic principles in governance. It promotes human rights, development of individual and community virtues and discipline in accordance with the pancha seela”. Non-violence and compassion towards all living beings has been the cornerstone of the national culture of Sri Lanka from early times. Peaceful cohabitation was promoted by Sinhala Buddhist kings from early times.

Respect for the natural environment and sustainable and participatory development of resources and upheld in Buddhism. In addition, Buddhism strongly promotes tolerance of other faiths, religious and social harmony, and cordial relations with other nations.

OLDEST BUDDHIST COUNTRY

Ours is the oldest Buddhist country in the world with Buddhism arriving in the island and establishing itself far and wide since 237 BCE, or about 2247 years ago. Buddhists across the world respect Sri Lanka as the country where pure Buddhism or Buddhist teachings in its original form prevails – the Theravada tradition. The significance of this should be seen in the light of the following background. Sri Lanka accounts for about a mere 1% of the estimated 1472 million total Buddhists population in the world. There are about 25 countries in the world with Buddhist populations. Of them, 17 account for a substantial number of Buddhists which qualifies them to be referred to as Buddhist countries. The 150 million Theravada Buddhists of the world are found basically in six countries and Sri Lankan Buddhists account for about 10% of the total Theravada Buddhist population across the world. It is also noteworthy that the traditional Sri Lanka Buddhist flag has become the global Buddhist flag.

Despite invasions, threats, challenges, Buddhist culture did not disappear from our island, unlike in the case with several other countries. Today, over 70% of the total population of Sri Lanka is Buddhists. The simple and uncomplicated lifestyle promoted by our culture, is based on the five precepts of Buddhism. Their mind-set, temperament and attitude towards life are clearly reflective of Buddhist norms and values such as compassion, non-violence, tolerance, morality and peaceful coexistence with other living beings and with nature.

BUDDHIST SITES, MONUMENTS AND INSTITUTIONS

The outstanding imaginative and creative powers of the Sinhala people, their talents, skills, and foresight are well evident in what still remains as marvels architecture, sculpture, art, literature and other forms of visual culture, in irrigation technology displayed magnificently across the country as living evidence of an outstanding cultural heritage. The world recognition of the greatness of this unique Sinhala Buddhist culture is reflected by the UNESCO designating our ancient royal sites as World Heritage Sites – Anuradhapura, Polonnaruwa, Mahanuwara (Kandy), Sigiriya and Dambulla, all built upon and strongly reflecting inspiration drawn from Buddhism. It is a fact that, if there is anything unequivocally worthwhile that our country can offer to the world today, it is the Buddha Dhamma and its outstanding culture and attitude towards life and its natural habitat.

Ours is the only country in the world that had the privilege of having three visits of the Buddha at three different times in the past. During these times the Buddha set foot on 16 different places within our country which are still venerated as sacred sites.

Some of the most venerated relics of the Buddha are found in Sri Lanka, including the Tooth relic, the right collar bone and the Alms Bowl. Sri Lanka and Thailand are the countries with the largest collection of relics of the Buddha.

Oldest Institution in the world is Sri Lanka’s Sangha Sasana, which is still active and operational in our country.

The oldest recorded tree in the world – the Sri Maha Bodhi, is found in Sri Lanka.

Oldest Buddhist monuments, dagabos, architecture, sculpture, paintings, literature, poetry are found in our country.

There is ample evidence that our ancient builders and planners were quite familiar with the principles of building construction or structural engineering. Some of their structures have lasted for over 1600 years.

The Lovamahapaya is the world’s oldest skyscraper which is 145 feet high with 9 stories and 1000 rooms. The largest brick structures of the world are the ancient Buddhist dagabos of Sri Lanka such as the Jetavanaramaya, Abayagiriya, Ruvanweliseya, and Tissamaharamaya.  The Jetavanarama Stupa is about 400 feet high and is the largest brick structure in the world. 

The oldest religious building/structure in Sri Lanka is the Thuparamaya stupa built by King Devanampiyatissa (307-267 BCE).

CULTURAL HERITAGE

Cultural heritage encompasses material culture, in the form of objects, structures, sites, as well as living (or expressive) culture as evidenced in forms such as music, crafts, performing arts, literature, oral tradition and language. Sculpture, architecture, paintings and other forms of fine arts were used profusely in Sri Lanka from very early times to express Buddhist ideas and sentiment. The exceptionally rich heritage of visual arts of the Sinhala people of Sri Lanka extends to a period that exceeds 2300 years, from the 3rd century BCE to the 21st CE.  A spectacular collection of ancient sculpture, architecture and paintings adorns the island’s culture. They are conspicuous elements of the island’s Buddhist culture even today.

Culture is organic and evolving. There is however, cultural continuity from the past, through the present and into the future. Some cultural elements are preserved in an original or earlier state, whereas other cultural materials, elements and forms may have observed dynamic change, adaptation and development with time and with exposure to other cultures, circumstances and environments. The outcome of this dynamic change is often something unique but not necessarily completely new. However, it is peculiar to the culture concerned. It is an outcome which reflects a combination of elements of several cultures blended together but in keeping and compatible with the fundamentals of the long preserved cultural and social values of the culture. This outcome reflects a unique identity that is special to the culture. The evolution of the Buddha statue, the stupas of Sri Lanka, Buddhist paintings and the Sinhala language, are good examples.

SINHALA LANGUAGE

All salient aspects of our national culture – tangible and intangible, either grew or evolved within the borders of our country. Sinhala language and literature originated in Sri Lanka. Sinhala language in fact is the most important defining element of our nation’s culture and heritage, from historic times. The Sinhala language grew out of Indo-Aryan dialects and exists only in Sri Lanka and has its own distinguished literary tradition. Sinhala is one of the world’s oldest living languages.  There have been a wide range of languages in the world, particularly in Asia which lived and died without leaving evidence of their existence, because they were never written down. This is not the case with the Sinhala language. All other languages used in Sri Lanka originated in other countries.  It is significant to note that the overwhelming majority of people of Sri Lanka are distinguished by their language – Sinhala, which even today has a strong unifying effect in our motherland helping to reinforce the solidarity of our people as a unique cultural entity in the world. Almost all place names of the country from historic times, are in the Sinhala language – in the North, South, East, West and Central regions.

‘OLA’ MANUSCRIPTS

 It was customary in ancient times to place on record, on ‘ola’ palm leaf manuscripts, information pertaining to Buddhism, our royalty, the history of our nation, and most importantly, on many secular subjects. A greater part of these priceless manuscripts were destroyed by foreign invaders, especially by South Indian Dravidians. Some were destroyed when the Catholic Portuguese and the Christian Dutch and British destroyed our Buddhist places of learning, temples and monasteries where most ola manuscripts were stored from ancient times. However, what remained in places where these foreign plunders could not reach, such as remote temples, were later collected and stored in the National Archives, National Museums and prominent temples. A good part of these manuscripts have not been read yet. Therefore, a wealth of information on various fields lies hidden in the innumerable ‘ola’ manuscripts. There may be many old ‘ola’ manuscripts that contain past scientific and technological information.         

CITY PLANNING AND SURVEYING

Remains of the ancient cities of Anuradhapura, Sigiriya and Polonnaruwa in particular reveal the highly advanced state of ancient city planning. It was an amazing system of well laid out buildings with a road network, bridges, parks, cemeteries etc. Sigiriya had a sophisticated system of water management including underground canals.

Ancient Sri Lankans had a brilliant surveying tradition which is well reflected in the laying of the sophisticated irrigation system and related agricultural land management system. A sound understanding of the topography, geology and structure of the land was necessary to pan and implement such sustainable water conservation and transfer systems, where to locate reservoirs and associated irrigated lands etc.    

The high degree of sophistication in engineering technology and skills in surveying are well reflected in ancient Buddhist structures and monuments. These skills were transferred to Buddhist architecture, sculpture, and other works of art. Brick-making, plasters for reinforcing bricks and rocks used in buildings and making of huge statues, both indoor and outdoor, are of special significance.

Mathematics and Astronomy were highly developed. The ‘Sandesha Kavya’ written in the 15^th century refers to the teaching of Mathematics. Geometry would have been highly developed science in the past because all the massive and complex structures designed and built in the past had to utilize principles of geometry.

SUSTAINABLE FARMING

What was developed and promoted by our royalty and followed by the large preponderance of our people in ancient Sri Lanka was a highly productive form of farming/agriculture which reflected a sound knowledge of prevailing environmental conditions. The use of irrigation technology in a most prudent manner resulted in a farming system that was highly sustainable. The land and water management mechanisms that were observed were meant to have benefits in the short term and long term. Environmental conservation measures assumed importance where watershed resources management was given high priority treatment by our kings paying attention to conservation of forests, soil and water resources including wildlife and biodiversity. Respect for the environment was a part of the lifestyle of farming communities of the past. The Worlds first and oldest wildlife sanctuary was established in Mihintale in the 3rd century BCE.

IRRIGATION

Ancient irrigation system developed by our kings is still operational and is considered as – Engineering marvels.  Our earthen and stone dams and reservoirs systems the canal network and related water control and management structures and techniques show the skills of our ancient people. These works have sustained until today, still serving their purposes. Our canal system has minimum siltation. The Jayaganga is 54 miles long and its first 17 miles gradient is ONE inch per mile. Our ancient irrigation engineers, more than 2100 years ago, were the first inventors of both, the hydraulic surge chamber and the valve tower and to incorporate both principles in the same structure called the ‘bisokotuva’.

METAL WORKS

There was remarkable achievement in metal work industry.  There were iron implements even during the 4^th and 5 century BCE.  The Tara statue of Sri Lanka exhibited in the British museum is considered as one of the best metal works of the past. So is the statute of Avalokethiswara presently exhibited at the Colombo National Museum, which has been displayed in several European and American Museums?

Special types of plasters were developed and used on rock and brick wall surfaces to effect paintings, ensuring their durability. Some paintings found on such ancient plasters are 1500 to over 2000 years old – Hindagala, paintings are over 2000 years and those of Sigiriya are more than 1500 years. Pigments used in paintings are based on natural products and are used on varied surfaces – walls, ceilings, statues, wooden, cloth, and earthenware. Our own traditional Pottery, ivory works, brass works, lacquer work that developed in the past are continued today.

HEALTH SERVICES

Ayurveda health services were highly developed in the past with its integrated approach to health and wellness. It received royal patronage and one of our famous kings named Buddhadasa was a well reputed Ayurveda physicians.  There had been many books written in Sri Lanka, in Sinhala, Sanskrit and Pali on medical science. Among books compiled by King Buddhadasa on medicine is the famous Saarartha Sangrahaya”. 

Sri Lanka is the first country in the world to have established a dedicated hospital at Mihintale in the 4^th century BCE. There is archeological evidence of several other hospitals built in our ancient cities. The ruins of the hospitals in Mihintale and Polonnaruwa are still evident. A number of surgical instruments have been discovered in Polonnaruwa. There were great physicians and surgeons in the past including Veterinary surgeons and Animal Hospitals. There is reference in ancient chronicles of sick elephants being treated by our ancient veterinary practitioners. The World’s first animal hospital was built in Sri Lanka

INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS AND TRADE

International relations were cordial and useful during the times of our kings. Sri Lanka

had diplomatic relationships with places such as China and Rome from ancient times. The first envoy from Sri Lanka to China was in 428 CE.  Pliny (45 CE) chronicles an account of a Sri Lankan envoy to Rome in the reign of Emperor Claudius Caesar (10 BCE – 54 BCE). ”It had been of long time thought by men in ancient days that Taprobane (Sri Lanka) was a second world”.

Among foreign sources of information on our foreign relations with the outside world,  are written records and reports of foreigners who visited our land.  Also, there are archeological evidence that is indicative of diplomatic relations we had with foreign nations in the European and Asian continent.

The sea-faring nations knew Sri Lanka from very early times because of its position on the trade routes. The Greeks called it Taprobane. Cosmos Indecopleustes (545 CE), the Greek merchant from Alexandria gives us the fullest account of Sri Lanka. “The island being as it is, in a position, is much frequented by ships from all parts of India and from Persia and Ethiopia and it like wise sends out many of its own and those from remote countries like China and other trading places…” The Chinese, Arabian, Persian, South and North Indian, Malay were the first traders of our country, followed by Portuguese, Dutch and the British. The ancient port of Mantota is reputed to have been an important port of call between China and Rome.

Sri Lanka was the ideal stopover of the Ancient Sea farers sailing in the Indian Ocean to East Asia and Pacific. We had our own ships and were involved in the export of rice. Ancient Chinese reports refer to Sinhala ships”.  Our ships crossed the ocean to Java (as Indonesia was known at the time). The present Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines and Maldives islands, and a good part of India including Southern and Eastern India were predominantly Buddhist in ancient times. There is evidence of close interactions and travel between these countries in the past.

Contemporary Chinese records maintain that Persia bound vessels from China traded in gems, spices and ivory at the flourishing port of Mantota. The Chinese, Arabian, Persian, South and North Indian, Malay were the first traders followed by Portuguese, Dutch and British. Many Arabian traders have arrived in Beruwala Bay and made pilgrimages to ‘Adams Peak’ via Ratnapura where they have traded Gems. Beruwala was the sea port of early Arab travelers who traveled to the ‘Adam’s peak’.

James Emerson Tennent (1861) in his well known book Sketches of Natural History of Ceylon states There is no island in the world… that has attracted the attention of authors in so many distant ages and so many different countries as Ceylon. There is no nation in ancient or modern times possessed of a language and a literature… the writers of which have not at some time made it their theme.  It’s aspect, its religion, its antiquities and productions have been described as well by the classic Greeks….by the Romans, by the writers of China, Burma, India, Kashmir and the geographers of Arabia and Persia, by the medieval voyagers of Italy and France, by the analysts of Portugal and Spain, by the merchant adventurers of Holland and topographers of Great Britain.”

Pliny (45 CE) -one of the greatest Roman Historian writes about Sri Lanka in his encyclopedic work  ”It had been of long time thought by men in ancient days that Taprobane (Sri Lanka) was a-second-world”. Fa Hien (414 CE) – the famous Chinese pilgrim spent two years in Sri Lanka, mostly at Anuradhapura then a famous center of learning and writes about Sri Lanka in his works “This country is an oasis, prosperous and happy; it’s people are well-to-do…”

ACCURACY OF HISTORIC RECORD

The Mahawamsa, Culavamsa,  Dipavamsa, Rajawaliya, Pujawaliya, Attana-galu Vihara Vamsa, Dhatuvamsa, Elu-Attangaluvamsa, Elu-Bidhivamsa, Maha Bodhivamsa, Thupavamsa, Daladavamsa and Viharavamsa provide detailed information of the history of our Sinhala Buddhist Nation, its people and their way of life. They provide information on Sinhala Buddhist Kings who rescued the Sinhala race, the island and Buddhism from marauding Dravidian armies of powerful South Indian kingdoms, hell bent on plunder and pillage, murder and mayhem, sack and ruin with sword and fire. Also about our benevolent rulers who performed deeds of piety, who made the country self sufficient in rice by way of irrigation engineering, promoted Ayurveda medicine and medical practice, build Buddhist temples, stupas and reigned with efforts to follow Dasaraja Dharma – the tenfold righteous path of a king.

The accuracy of this historical record of ancient Sri Lanka is generally accepted by means of other numerous local and Indian edicts such as King rock edict of Indian Emperor Asoka and records of the Fa Hien the Chinese pilgrim monk, Roman historian Pliny and several others who have already been referred to. Also by means of inscriptions, historical works, and literary works as well as by way of ruins, renovated historical and Buddhist monuments, ancient yet sophisticated irrigation networks, which extend the lifeline to date.

NATION AND NATIONALITY

A nation is, in general terms, a human cultural community who feel a common bond. Members of a Nation share a common identity, and usually a common origin, in the sense of history, ancestry, parentage or descent. Therefore, a nation extends across generations. Almost all nations are associated with a specific territory, the national homeland. The national identity refers both to the distinguishing features of the group, and to the individual’s sense of belonging to it. Nationalism is closely associated with patriotism.

A nation is a historically constituted, stable community of people, formed on the basis of a common territory, a common culture and language, a common set of social values and psychological make-up. Traditionally a nation is monocultural. Members of a “nation” share a common identity, and usually a common origin, in the sense of ancestry, parentage or descent. The first requirement for the definition is that the characteristics should be shared – a group of people with nothing in common cannot be a nation.  Because they are shared, the national population also has a degree of uniformity and homogeneity. And finally, at least some of the characteristics must be exclusive – to distinguish the nation from neighboring nations.  

The word ‘nation’ implies ancestry and descent. Almost all nationalist movements make some claim to shared origins and descent, and it is a component of the national identity in most nations. The fact that the ancestry is shared among the members of the nation unites them, and sets them apart from other nations, which do not share that ancestry.

A shared language is often used as a defining feature of a nation. Unlike a language, a national culture is usually unique to the nation, although it may include some elements shared with other nations. Additionally, the national culture is assumed to be shared with previous generations, and includes a cultural heritage from these generations, as if it were an inheritance. In Sri Lanka, the Sinhala language is exclusive to the nation, and is or should be central to the national identity.

Indigenous national sovereignty of a country is an inalienable right based on profound justice. Sovereign national rights of Sri Lanka rests with the Sinhala people who are indigenous to this country, forming its dominant majority community for over 2500 years. Sri Lanka is the only national sovereign motherland of the Sinhala people. Their culture, way of life and their Sinhala language originated and developed in Sri Lanka.

Tamils, Muslims, and Malays are non-indigenous minority communities of Sri Lanka who settled in the island at different times in the past, coming from their own motherlands. The Tamils came from their motherland, the Tamilnadu where their culture and language originated. The Tamil nation of Tamilnadu is seven times bigger than Sri Lanka, where one must be a pure Tamil in order to hold any high official position. Wherever they live, the Tamils have their national heritage and aspirations protected within their nation – the Tamilnadu.  Any initiative that would dilute or threaten the national sovereignty of the Sinhala people is not only unjust but also illegal, and will not be acceptable to the Sinhala community.

Within any sovereign national country many non-indigenous minorities have settled down but they do merge with the host nation into a single file. It is only by upholding the right of national sovereignty throughout the land that it will function without being violated. The granting of excessive rights to minorities in the form of alien-national rights of language, cultures and religions and exclusive ethnic areas will threaten a country’s sovereignty.

Hence, strict controls of immigration to a country are paramount in protecting its national sovereignty and territorial integrity – a basic human right of a nation of people ONLY in their indigenous national motherland.  Finally, high political positions in Sri Lanka including national leadership must be kept within the genuine Sri Lankan Hela nationals. It is noteworthy that for a high position in the Tamil Federal State of Tamil Nadu, first qualification is one must be a full-blooded Tamil.  

Those settling down or have already settled down in host countries have a bounden duty to merge with the host nation into a single coherent nation of members.  It is basically, a state of mindset, not necessarily physical interaction. Within these host countries, human rights and civic rights of the host nation are what the settler minorities are entitled to and not the alien-national rights of the countries of their national origins they left behind for pastures anew. Their alien-national rights will shift to the private domain when in host countries and not to threaten the national sovereignty of the host countries either.

Sri Lanka wants all non-indigenous minorities of our nation such as the Tamils, Muslims, Moors and others of whatever label, to be a part of our Nation, to join the country’s mainstream, just the way how minority communities are expected to do in all countries of the world, especially in places like Canada, Australia, USA, UK, Norway and help to strengthen our nation founded on the noble principles of non-violence, tolerance, compassion, where peaceful co-habitation has been the cornerstone from historic times. Forgiving and forgetting” has been the attitude of our people, even to those who have harmed us repeatedly from historic times, because our people know that eventually justice and truth will prevail.

Dr. Daya Hewapathirane                                         daya.hewapathirane#gmail.com

By Stephen Long, Los Angeles, California Courtesy Asian Tribune

My relationship with the island nation of Sri Lanka began over twenty years ago. At that time, it was engaged in a bloody 30-year civil war that eventually claimed the lives of an estimated 80,000 to 100,000 people. A deadly tsunami had devastated the country on Dec. 26, 2004, and on November 19, 2005, Mahinda Rajapaksa was elected to the first term of his presidency. From his predecessor, Chandrika Kumaratunga, a lady of questionable ethics, Mr. Rajapaksa inherited a country in chaos; it was rife with political corruption, racial, cultural, and religious conflicts, as well as poverty and social turmoil. The beleaguered natives were weary of hardship and death, of the seemingly endless war, of being left behind by economic development, and of living in constant fear that a suicide bomber might suddenly appear and blow them to bits.

Upon assuming the presidency Mr. Rajapaksa made ending the conflict with the fierce rebel group (the LTTE, Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eeelam) his top priority. To do so he recruited his brother, Gotabhaya Rajapakse, a 20-year veteran of the Sri Lankan army, and at the time a citizen of the United States and an experienced computer engineer. The new president put Gotabhaya in charge of the Defense Ministry, and his mission was singular: put an end to the 30-year-horror once and for all.

With the precision of a skilled strategist, Gotabhaya decisively defeated the LTTE. With limited resources, the military intelligence network he put together to keep track of the terrorists was second to none; he literally had the country wired” for real-time information-collecting and feedback to authorities. The mental concentration he focused on completing his mission was driven by an unwavering intention to get the job done as required. At the time he cared little for sparing the feelings of his and his president brother’s legion of opponents, who were merciless in their criticisms; he was often chastised for his brusque and sometimes curt manner. His task of ending the war and rebuilding the country occupied his mind 24/7, and he had no time or inclination to indulge in the pettiness of politics. His critics were often offended, and they bided their time for revenge.

The LTTE was finally and officially crushed in May of 2009. I was in Sri Lanka during the last few weeks of the war, and had the opportunity to interact with Gotabhaya personally on at least two occasions: once in his office in the Defense Ministry, and once in his home for breakfast. I will never forget the armed guards and heavy security that surrounded his house, which had been transformed into a fortress; he was, after all, the top target for LTTE assassins who repeatedly plotted to kill him. I experienced first-hand the intensity of Gotabhaya’s unrelenting commitment to protecting his country from the terrorists, and I commended him for his public opinion-be damned” attitude, which allowed him to focus all his energy into accomplishing the goal of a complete military victory.

When the war was finally over, among other things, the president put Gotabhaya in charge of beautifying and modernizing Colombo, Sri Lanka’s decaying capital city. Thirty years of neglect had left it in near-ruin, and Gotabhaya’s often draconian methods quickly whipped it into shape. I was shocked to see landscaped roads, newly-constructed buildings, and cleaned-up canals when I returned for my next visit a couple of years later. It was obvious to me that Gotabhaya’s military and organization skills were still being put to good use.

President Rajapaksa’s Health Minister, Maitripala Sirisena, after a private dinner with the unsuspecting president the night before, suddenly declared his candidacy to unseat Rajapaksa the following day. After winning a bitter election, Sirisena put together a tenuous coalition government that included some of the most disparate political parties in the land (primarily those of ethnic Tamils and Muslims), and the UNP party, which was led by Ranil Wickramasinghe.

Mr. Wickramasinghe is historically a man of dubious character, unmitigated ambition, and a deceitful (some say traitorous) past that includes a notorious illegal bond scheme involving the Central Bank that wound up costing the country billions. Sirisena named Ranil Prime Minister, and it didn’t take long for a vicious feud between the two men to begin. This feud soon escalated into total warfare, which continues to this day to have disastrous effects on the business of governing the fragile country. The situation went from bad to worse, and in early 2019 Sirisena fired Ranil and tried to remove him from his post as Prime Minister. This confrontation precipitated a constitutional crisis, and after a season of bitter rancor Ranil was reinstated by the Supreme Court. He and Sirisena are now sworn enemies who no longer communicate with civility.

Rewind to 2015 and the Rajapaksas, including Mahinda, Gotabhaya, brother Basil, and others, were suddenly out of power, but not without influence and a considerable loyal following. The new President Sirisena and his prime minister, Ranil, immediately went to work to discredit, slander, investigate, torment, and punish them for alleged crimes.” Revenge became the name of the game, and putting the Rajapaksa brothers in jail trumped everything else – including public policy, economic reform, national security, and maintaining the fractious peace that finally prevailed in the land.

Soon after coming to power Ranil had several members of Gotabhaya’s intelligence network put in jail – thanks to pressure from the United Nations Human Rights Commission. The UN was convinced that war crimes had been committed by Gotabhaya and his soldiers at the end of the war, and a public relations campaign against the Rajapaksas was escalated to sway global opinion against them. Members of the Tamil Diaspora from around the world raised millions of dollars to defame Gotabhaya and his brothers, and they even hired a former US Attorney, Bruce Fein (for a reputed $100,000 per month), now a DC lobbyist, to be their front man. Mr. Fein falsely claimed that the Rajapaksas had carried out genocide against the Tamil population in Sri Lanka, and he called for Gotabhaya’s head. Mr. Fein and I traded barbs in a number of articles that were published in the international media during that time.

The Sri Lankan Government had virtually no defenses in the court of world opinion. Their focus during the war was ending it, and I personally told the Rajapaksas that they were getting killed in the international press and needed to take action. Unfortunately, they had little understanding of the mechanics of media spin,” and there was no one qualified in their government who could create and administer a PR campaign that countered the barrage of unfounded and libelous allegations they faced. They also had no money in their budget to hire a seasoned outside firm to manage their image, and the Rajapaksas – and the country of Sri Lanka – are still paying a steep price for the omission.

Information that flowed to the UN and governments in the West often came from biased sources, and a few of the NGO’s operating in Sri Lanka at the time were openly rooting for the LTTE and condemning the Rajapaksa regime. As an example of misinformation, the US Embassy in Colombo has traditionally been staffed by well-educated Tamil professionals; this had been the practice for many years, and jobs are often passed down from one generation to the next. These employees of the embassy seemed to slant” the information they provided our Ambassadors, and news of nefarious Rajapaksa crimes” proliferated. Our Ambassadors fed the information they received from their staff on up through the chain in the State Department, and this same information eventually made its way into the media, to the Tamil Diaspora websites, and to the UNHRC in Geneva.

In addition to putting several members of the Rajapaksa intelligence community in prison, Ranil also created a special police task force for intelligence called the Financial Crimes Investigation Department. This unit was created specifically to persecute the Rajapaksas and anyone associated with their government. Inspectors from this unit even came to the US to interrogate US dual citizens – including a former Sri Lankan Ambassador in Washington DC, and a former Sri Lankan Consul General in Los Angeles. I know both of these individuals personally, and both have shared their harrowing stories with me; in several cases, investigations are on-going, and the motivation is still nothing but blatant cold revenge.

In addition, the coalition government of Mr. Sirisena and Mr. Wickramasinghe got the Sri Lankan parliament to pass a bill that created a special court that had three judges. The court was established solely to bring Gotabhaya and other selected members of the Rajapaksa regime to trial. This court has even gone to the US where it chased Gotabhaya with subpoenas for financial crimes, and one inspired individual has launched a lawsuit for alleged acts of POW torture during the war. By the way, the guy suing Gotabhaya for torture, Roy Manojkumar Samathanan, is a naturalized Canadian Tamil. After being convicted of terrorism, procuring weapons for the LTTE, and setting up an LTTE propaganda TV station in the Jaffna peninsula, Mr. Samathanan sought refugee status in Canada where he continues to make noise about the Rajapaksas; he even has the nerve to currently be seeking monetary compensation from the Sri Lankan government for his alleged suffering.

Back to the point of this article: the tragic outcome of revenge politics in Sri Lanka. While the president, prime minister, cabinet ministers, and many members of parliament were obsessed by seeking revenge on the Rajapaksas, the government and general population was lulled into a false sense of security in regards to thinking that everything was safe and secure in the island country. After all, the war is over and the terrorists are gone. Nothing, however, could have been further from the truth.

The Rajapaksa government, at Gotabhaya’s insistence, held weekly intelligence briefings that top leaders had to attend. This practice was immediately discontinued when Sirisena and Ranil took power, and the intelligence officers were commissioned to go out and find dirt on the Rajapaksa brothers rather than to continue to gather and channel critical information regarding national security.

No one was watching as Muslim extremists and their groups – many of whom were funded by the Saudi government – began making a foothold in the island nation. (The Saudis, for example, are currently providing the funds for educational facilities and an additional 400 new mosques, fifty of which are in Kandy, the picturesque lakeside city in the hills.) Extremist Wahibist ideology, vigorously exported from Saudia Arabia, began permeating throughout the Muslim community, and ISIS itself eventually began recruiting followers and educating” new converts. Members of the government’s intelligence community took note of some of these happenings, but they were sometimes ridiculed by those in power for raising red flags; they were criticized for saying that apparent threats were growing; hence, they were less than willing to put themselves on the line with further warnings if they were only going to be ignored, disparaged, or punished for doing so.

No one listened in 2017 when the Turkish ambassador to Sri Lanka handed over a list of fifty known terrorists from the Gulenist Terror Group (FETO) who had been trained in Turkey and were sent to Sri Lanka to plan terrorist events and recruit more terrorists. This list was given to the Sri Lankan State Minister of Foreign Affairs, Wasantha Senanayake, who passed it on to high-ranking officials at both the Foreign Ministry and the Defense Ministry. Neither ministry took any action because of the interventions of two (unnamed) politicians,” and because no one wanted to make trouble with the powerful Middle East governments and get blow-back from the local Sri Lankan Muslim community.

No one was paying attention when arms and explosives were being stockpiled in the Eastern Province home town of the Easter attacks’ mastermind and leader, Zahran Hashim. On April 26th his home and others in the vicinity were raided by the police and a massive number of weapons and explosive devices were discovered; Hashim’s parents and others blew themselves up in the process.

No one paid attention to the early warnings – one of which was issued by the island’s Police Intelligence Unit that sounded the alarm about a possible terrorist attack ten days before it happened. Only a few politicians belonging to the ruling party were informed of the warning, but not even the leader of the opposition. No one did anything. Another warning was given by the Indian government’s intelligence unit – that terrorist plots were being hatched, and events were scheduled for Easter Sunday morning. Indian officers provided the Sri Lankan authorities with Zahran Hashim’s name, and even tipped off the government that a terrorist attack was imminent, and could occur within hours. No one paid attention. No action was taken. Everyone was too busy chasing down new leads on the Rajapaksa brothers’ alleged crimes. After all, political enemies must pay, right?

If any of this sounds familiar, it should. Our current administration in Washington DC has taken its eye off of terrorism, and it continues to be obsessed with, among other things, prosecuting Hillary Clinton for non-existent crimes, and rolling back Obama-era environmental and financial protection laws. Political revenge rules the day in our nation’s capital, and I’m sure I’m not the only one concerned about the possibility that our intelligence officers might be asleep at the switch – or be caught off guard while down there building The Wall.” The Trump administration doesn’t even acknowledge that white supremacists pose the biggest terrorist threat to us all; it’s much more important to chase after those horrible democrats who want so-called open borders,” socialism, and health care for everyone.

Let’s hope that Washington learns a lesson from the tragic events in Sri Lanka on Easter morning, and soon realizes that revenge politics doesn’t pay. The lives of innocent people can be lost, and the cycle of revenge will never end.

Dr. Daya Hewapathirane

The Muslim community associated with Myanmar or former Burma, known as Rohingya Muslims are not indigenous to Myanmar. They are a relatively recent migrant community of Myanmar. Most of these Muslims are illicit immigrants who migrated from Muslim neighborhood regions of Bengal India during the British colonial period and later from East Pakistan or the present Bangladesh. The Myanmar government s of the past and present  do not consider Rohingya Muslims as legitimate citizens of Myanmar. The people of Myanmar consider the Rohingya people as illegal immigrants. Myanmar’s Muslims account for an estimated 04% of the total Myanmar population of about  60 million. In 2012, there were about 800,000 Rohingya Muslims living in Rohang, the western state of Myanmar known officially as Rakhine or Arakan.

THE INDIGENOUS PEOPLE OF BURMA (MYANMAR)

The indigenous people of Myanmar are ethno-linguistically Sino-Tibetan and are predominantly Buddhists as opposed to the Rohingya Muslims  who are ethno-linguistically related to the Indo-Aryan Bengali people of India and Bangladesh and their religion is Islam.  The language spoken by the Rohingya Muslims is different from that of the indigenous people of Myanmar. It is derived from  a Indo-Aryan sub-branch of the greater Indo-European language family and is closely related to the Chittagonian language spoken in the southernmost part of the present Bangladesh bordering Myanmar.  Therefore, culturally the Rohingya  Muslims are quite different to the indigenous people of Myanmar. 

ROHANG AND THE RAKKHITA BUDDHIST COMMUNITY

It was mostly during the British colonial period that these Muslim people crossed the borders and settled in border regions of Burma, concentrating largely in Rohang which was also known as Rakhine or Arakan, located in the immediate neighborhood of Bengal. Their numbers increased substantially during the British colonial period, and thereafter. Rakhine State consists of a population of about 3,8 million, with the indigenous Rakhine people forming the overwhelming majority in the State, who live mainly in the lowland valleys.  Most of the indigenous people living in Rakhine State adhere to Theravada Buddhism. In spite of the government rule limiting Muslims to two children per family, the Muslim population in Myanmar shows an increasing trend.

According to historians of Myanmar, the name ‘Rohingya’ is of recent origin and appears to have been created in the1950’s, by the descendants of the Muslim Bengali people who settled down in the Rohang or Arakan region of Myanmar. The name Rohingya has not been used or recognized in the Burma population census conducted by the British in the year 1824.  It is also noteworthy that the name Rohingya is not found in any historical source in any language before the 1950’s. 

Rohang is an important  region of Myanmar inhabited from ancient  times by the Rakkhita, Rakkha or Rakhaing people, who belong to the indigenous Buddhist community of  Burma.  From historic times, this was a highly respected Burmese community, well known for the honourable life they led. They were well known for their contribution to the development  and preservation of the national cultural heritage and Buddhist spiritual values.  These Rakkhita people had their own language and their livelihood was strongly based on Buddhist principles. The name of the state Rakhine is derived from the Pali word Rakkhita or Rakkhapura which means “the land of the Rakhasa” or Rakkha or Rakhaing. 

There were striking differences in the customs, traditions and livelihood patterns of the two communities – the indigenous Burmese Buddhists of the Arakan region, especially the Rakkhita community and the Muslim immigrants from Bengal. These cultural incompatibilities and differences resulted in open conflicts between the two communities, which were well evident from about the mid 20^th century.  Soon violence broke out in the Arakan region and the Muslim Rohingyas became a serious threat to the people of Myanmar. Occasional isolated violence involving Myanmar’s majority Buddhist and minority Muslim communities has occurred for decades, even under the authoritarian military governments that ruled the country from 1962 to 2011.

BRITISH RESPONSIBLE FOR AGGRAVATION OF THE PROBLEM

According to Aye Chan, a historian at the Kanda University, communal violence between the Arakanese or the indigenous Myanmar (Burmese) Buddhists and the Rohingya Muslims began during World War -II in 1942.  The British were primarily responsible for the aggravation of disharmony between the Rohingya Muslims and the indigenous people of Myanmar.

During the World War, when the British were retreating, they took action to arm Muslim groups in Northern Arakan in order to create a buffer zone against the Japanese invasion.  Furthermore, the British promised the Muslims living in Burma (Myanmar) at this time, that if they supported the British during the war, the Muslims will be given their own “national area” within Burma.

Once acquiring arms, the Muslim Rohingyas became a serious threat to the people of Myanmar. They soon began a spree of violence against the Buddhists of the Arakan region. They began destroying Buddhist villages in Arakan, using the firearms given to them by the British.  In 1942, a major armed confrontation occurred between the Rohingya Muslims and indigenous Arakanese people  which led to many casualties on both sides.  Rohingya Muslims massacred about  20,000 Arakanese in Buthidaung and Maungdaw townships.  In retaliation, about  5,000 Muslims in Minbya and Mrauk-U Townships were killed by the Arakanese.

In the mid 20^th century, Rohingya Muslims living in Arakan organized into several militant groups. They formed an aggressive movement known as the Mujahideen movement which was active during the 1947 to 1961 period.  There were several Mujahideen uprisings in Arakan.  The aim behind the riots of the Rohingya militant groups was to separate the northern part of Arakan, or the Muslim populated Mayu frontier region and create an independent Muslim state for the Rohingya Muslims and annex it to the newly-formed Muslim East Pakistan as an exclusively Muslim country.  

In 1947, when a new Islamic country of Pakistan was about to be formed, Rohingya Muslims who had already possessed arms from the British, wanted to obtain a “national area” for them within Burma, in accordance to the assurance given to them by the British. They formed the North Arakan Muslim League  and  met  Mohammad Ali Jinnah, the founder of Pakistan, and requested that Mayu region of Myanmar be annexed to East Pakistan which was about to be formed. Jinnah however, was not in favour of such a move. This did not stop the Rohingya Muslims in their agitation for separation from Myanmar.  During the 1960’s and early 1970’s, there were several uprisings which were popularly known as Arakan State Riots.  A widespread armed insurgency started with the formation of a Muslim political party called Jami-a-tul Ulema-e Islam, demanding separation.  

The Burmese central government refused to grant a separate Muslim state in the Mayu region and the Muslim militants of Northern Arakan declared jihad on Burma. The Mujahid militants began their insurgent activities in the Buthidaung and Maungdaw townships within the Mayu region that lies on Burma-East Pakistan border, led by a long-term Muslim criminal named Abdul Kassem who was a leader of the Mujahid movement. There was  widespread violence in the Arakanese villagers and the Buddhist Arakanese inhabitants of Buthidaung and Maungdaw were forced to leave their homes. By June 1949, the Mujahid rebels were in possession of all of northern Arakan. In the meantime, the Mujahid extremists encouraged and supported illegal immigration into the Arakan region of thousands of Muslim Bengali people from the over-populated East Pakistan.  

 

CONTAINING MILITARY OPERATIONS OF MUJAHID MILITANTS

When the rebellion was becoming intensified the Burmese government declared martial law and took firm action to contain the militants. This led to the subjugation of the Mujahid insurgency and the Muslim insurgents fled to the jungles of northern Arakan. Between 1950 and 1954, the Burmese army launched major military operations against the Mujahid rebels in Northern Arakan. All major centres of the Mujahids were captured and several of their leaders were subdued. Towards the end of 1961, most Mujahids surrendered, but some formed small armed groups and continued to loot, harass and terrorize the Burmese Buddhists, especially in remote regions in Northern Arakan. 

                                                                                                                                                 THE RADICALIST MOVEMENTS (1971-1988)

During Bangladesh Libration War in 1971, the Rohingya Muslim who resided in the Myanmar-Bangladesh border had the opportunity to collect weapons.  In 1972,  the Rohingya Muslims formed  the Rohingya Liberation Party (RLP) with activities based in the jungles of Buthidaung.  Military Operation conducted by the Burmese Army in 1974 led to many Muslim insurgents fleeing to neighboring Bangladesh.

In March 1978, the Burmese government launched a campaign to check illegal immigrants residing in Burma. This led to many thousands of Rohingyas in the Arakan region crossing the border to Bangladesh.  Arrests of illegal migrants by the Burmese army created unrest in Arakan and as a result, there was a mass exodus of  around 252,000 refugees to Bangladesh.

In late 1982, the Burmese Citizenship Law was introduced and most of the Rohingyas were denied Burmese citizenship. Radical Rohingya militant group took this opportunity to recruit many Rohingya Muslims who were occupying the region along the Bangladesh-Burma border. In the early 1980s, radical Muslims formed the Rohingya Solidarity Organization (RSO) which soon became the most militant faction among the Rohingyas on the Burma-Bangladesh border.  Using the Islam religious card the RSO  was able to obtain various forms of assistance and  support from the Muslim world, including the JeI in Bangladesh and Pakistan, Gulbuddin Hekmatyar’s Hizb-e-Islami (HeI) in Afghanistan, Hizb-ul-Mujahideen (HM) in the Indian State of Jammu and Kashmir and the Angkatan Belia Islam sa-Malaysia (ABIM), and the Islamic Youth Organization of Malaysia. In 1991 and 1992, there was forced relocation of Muslims by the government and the creation of new Buddhist settlements in Buthidaung and Maungdaw townships. This provoked another mass exodus of Rohingya Muslims to Bangladesh.

CONNECTIONS WITH TALIBAN AND AL-QAEDA (1988-2011)

The military camps of Rohingya Solidarity Organization (RSO) were located in the Cox’s Bazaar district in southern Bangladesh. In 1991, it possessed a large number of military equipment, including light machine-guns, AK-47 assault rifles, RPG-2 rocket launchers, claymore mines and explosives. They were equipped with UK-made 9mm Sterling L2A3 sub-machine guns, M-16 assault rifles and point-303 rifles.  Afghan’s Taliban instructors were associated with RSO camps along the Bangladesh-Burma border. Many RSO rebels were undergoing training in the Afghan province of Khost with Hizb-e-Islami Mujahideen.

The expansion of the RSO in the late 1980s and early 1990s made the Burmese government  launch a massive counter-offensive to clear up the Burma-Bangladesh border. In December 1991, Burmese troops crossed the border and attacked a Bangladeshi military outpost. The incident developed into a major crisis in Bangladesh-Burma relations, and by April 1992, more than 250,000 Rohingya civilians had been forced out of Arakan, western Burma.

In late 1998, Rohingya Solidarity Organization (RSO) and Arakan Rohingya Islamic Front (ARIF) combined to form the Rohingya National Council (RNC) with its own armed wing, gathering the different Rohingya insurgents into one group. In 2001, they underwent training in Libya and Afghanistan, in guerrilla warfare and the use of a variety of explosives  and heavy-weapons. They had several meetings with Al-Qaeda representatives.

Throughout  2012 and in 2013,  there have been a series of riots and much violence in Northern Arakan in the Rakhine State, between extremist Rohingya Muslims  and the indigenous Rakhini or Arakanese  people.   Muslim fanatics are largely responsible for the outbreak of violence. The 2012 riots began after a Rakhine teenage girl was brutally raped and cut into pieces by three Muslim fanatics. This immediately led to an outrage and retaliation by the Rakhine community. This was followed by the extremist Muslims resorting to extreme forms of violence, destroying many villages in their entirety and murdering many innocent people. Those displaced by these riots exceeded 50, 000.  The situation in the Rakhine state remains tense. 

In 2013, the worst violence in Myanmar was in Meikhtila city, which resulted in widespread bloodshed  and destruction of property, and the  displacement of nearly 10,000 people who were forced out of their homes. A State of Emergency was declared and the army took control of the city.  The devastation was reminiscent of last year’s clashes between ethnic Rakhine Buddhists and Muslim Rohingya that left hundreds of people dead and more than 100,000 displaced. The struggle to contain the violence has become a major challenge to the government.  Buddhist and Muslim communities live in near-total segregation, constantly fearing more violence. The violence in Meikhtila city began once news spread that a Muslim man had killed a Buddhist monk. Soon, Buddhist mobs rampaged through a Muslim neighborhood and the situation quickly became out of control.

A CURSE TO HUMANITY

Those conversant with global affairs, are aware of the fact that, especially in recent years,  Muslims have become a curse to humanity, resorting to violent and unethical means of serving their religious ends, or to ‘resolve’ their obsessive religion-based issues and self-created problems.  Peace and harmony in many countries in the West and East,  have been impaired greatly owing to unwholesome actions of Muslim religious fanatics.  

As far as Sri Lanka is concerned, Muslim encroachment of traditional Sinhala Buddhist land and the demolition of historic sites and archeological remains of Buddhist heritage  show the sheer lack of respect for Buddhism and related and cultural heritage of the country that gave them shelter.  The situation does not seem  too different in Myanmar or Thailand.  

There is clear evidence of disregard and disrespect on the part of most Muslims, for the Buddhist cultural heritage of our country. There is evidence of destruction of archeological and historic cultural monuments and remains, especially in areas inhabited by Muslims. The fundamentals of ‘Islam’ that are being widely propagated by the Muslims have serious negative implications as far as the national culture is concerned.

ISLAM AND VIOLENCE  

Buddhists cannot consider Islam as a religion of compassion and peace. Those professing Islam have been the biggest enemies of Buddhists and Buddhism throughout history. There are ample historic records which describe vividly the atrocities committed against millions of Buddhists in several countries. Their criminality has not subsided in spite of their living among other religions in different countries.        

It is a well known fact that Buddhism disappeared from India under the sword of Islam. Dr. B.R. Ambedkar, the great Indian Buddhist leader said that there is absolutely no doubt that the fall of Buddhism in India was due to the invasions of the Musalmans or the adherents of Islam. For five centuries, from the 13^th to 17^th centuries, most parts of India were under Muslim rule. Over 50 million Buddhists and Hindus were massacred by Islamists in greater India (which in the past included   Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afganistan). 

Islam destroyed Buddhism not only in India but wherever it went. Before the onslaught of Islam, Buddhism was the religion of almost the whole of Asia – ancient countries/regions such as Bactria, Parthia, Afghanistan, Gandhar, Chinese Turkestan, along with Tibet and Inner Mongolia were Buddhist nations that formed almost the whole of the Asian continent. Buddhism was the dominant religion of the people of this vast area of the Asian continent. Islam destroyed and eliminated Buddhism from almost all these countries.

BANGLADESHI  BUDDHISTS

Buddhists of Bangladesh have been subject to untold violence by Muslims in recent years. The Chakmas form the community of Buddhists that inhabit the Chittagong Hill Tracts of Bangladesh. Chakma Buddhist monks were forced to flee their traditional lands due to Islamic persecution and violence in the early 1990s. Some obtained Indian citizenships and formed the organization called  Peace Campaign Group and are actively focusing on working against human rights violations  systematically carried out by Muslims in Bangladesh.

According to Jumma Buddhists, successive governments of Bangladesh were engaged in implementing a policy of ethnic cleansing to eradicate the indigenous Jumma Buddhists. The government has settled more than 400,000 Muslim settlers in the ancestral lands of Buddhists in the Chittagong Hill Tract region. This encroachment of land owned and occupied previously by Buddhists is said to be continuing on a rapid scale even at present. In addition, more than 100,000 military and paramilitary personnel have been stationed in the Chittagong Hill Tract making life insecure and miserable for the Jumma Buddhist community. The region today is crime prone, characterized by arson, killing, rape, land grabbing, and destruction of Buddhist temples, extra-judicial arrest and detentions. Between 1986 to1989 more than 70,000 Jumma Buddhists have fled Bangladesh and sought refuge in the Tripura state of India.

Violence centering on land issues has been going on in this region since 1978, when the government decided to settle Muslim people in the Chittagong Hill Tracts which is land traditionally owned and occupied by Buddhists.  Many Buddhists were harassed and were forced to leave their traditional land.  Owing to continued harassment the Buddhists collectively protested and launched an armed struggle during the early 1980s, demanding full autonomy for the Chittagong Hill Tracts. This continued for two decades and an Accord was signed between the Jumma People’s political party of the Buddhists and Bangladesh government in December 1997, to withdraw the new settlers and the military from Chittagong Hill Tract. Expecting a peaceful situation following the Peace Accord, many indigenous people who had fled to refugee camps in India during times of violence, started returning home, only to find their land encroached upon by Muslims. The Buddhists allege that the Accord was not respected by the government.

BUDDHIST RIGHTS VIOLATED BY MUSLIMS

Thousands of Jumma Buddhist families who were displaced owing to violence have not been resettled  as yet,  and the number of poverty-stricken Jumma refugees have increased substantially. Among them are thousands of children who are deprived of their education. Human Rights abuses  continue to occur with the military resorting to violence against Buddhists. On 20th April 1999, the military and Muslim settlers attacked the Jumma Buddhists at Babuchara bazaar killing and wounding many Jumma Buddhists. In recent years Muslim extremism and violent tendencies appear to have intensified. In the early part of 2010, the Chittagong Hill Tracts region was rocked by violence, flaring up decades old ethnic-religious tensions, as Muslim settlers set fire to hundreds of homes of indigenous Buddhists resulting in many deaths and many injuries. Thousands of Buddhists have been left homeless. These attacks were meant to forcibly grab land and properties of Buddhists. This violence was committed in the presence of law enforcement officers  including soldiers who were Muslims. According to Jumma people, Muslim military personnel have been involved in gross human rights violations with impunity, in the Chittagong Hill Tracts for many years. Many indigenous Buddhist people of affected villages continue to live in hiding, in dense forests and some have abandoned their ancestral land and had moved to other villages and are leading desperate lives. 

THAI BUDDHISTS

Muslims are a very small minority settler community in Southern Thailand, smaller than the Muslim settler community of Sri Lanka. Their objective is to have a separate country for Muslims in Sothern Thailand. Buddhist civilians and monks have been frequent targets of Muslim attacks in Southern Thailand in recent years. In late 2005, Muslims again started killing Buddhists in Southern Thailand. The bloodshed here could mark a resurgence of a long-simmering Muslim insurgency and, some officials fear, fertile ground for Islamic terrorists. More than 500 people were killed in 2006, in three southern Thai provinces, including attacks targeting Buddhists in possible bids to drive out non-Muslims. Authorities are investigating possible links between these Muslim separatist groups and Islamic terrorist organizations such as Jemaah Islamiyah, which seeks a pan-Islamic state in Southeast Asia. It is blamed for attacks including the 2002 bombing in Bali that claimed 202 lives. Thitinan Pongsudhirak, an assistant professor of international relations at Bangkok’s Chulalongkorn University says “We have not yet seen escalation, “but I still think we may be headed from bad to worse.” “The gruesome fashion of beheadings of Buddhists by Muslim assailants … is not normal violence,” said Pongsudhirak. “It is driven by deep animosity and hatred.”

RISE IN ISLAMIC FUNDAMANTALISM

In the last few decades, owing to the newfound wealth of oil rich Islamic countries and massive immigration to the West, Islamic fundamentalism has been on the rise and the dormant spirit of Jihadism has been rekindled.  This fervor has been translated into upheavals, revolutions and    terrorism , and world peace has been put in jeopardy. Millions of lives are now in danger. Islam encourages aggressive spirit explicitly.  Muslim believe that he can go to paradise if he kills non Muslims. The Quran tells Muslims to slay the unbelievers wherever they find them (2:191), do not befriend them (3:28), fight them and show them harshness (9:123), and smite their heads (47:4). It prohibits Muslims to associate with their own brothers and fathers if they are non-believers (9:23), (3:28).

Buddhists have been the most victimized and harassed religious community in the world, owing to actions of Muslims guided by their theistic traditions and beliefs. Throughout the ages the Buddhist religion experienced many calamities.  As far back as in the 10th century, as a result of the Muslim invasion of what is modern day Afghanistan, Pakistan and India, the Buddhist religion which formed the basis of life of the people of this part of the world, was viciously wiped out in an act of virtual genocide. In some Asian countries indigenous Buddhist spiritual traditions have been severely weakened by decades of persecution. Muslim terror and atrocities have inflicted severe damage to Buddhism in many Asian countries, some of which were exclusively Buddhist at one stage in their histories. The destruction of the colossal Afghan Bahmian Buddha statues is not the first destruction resulting from Muslim fundamentalism.

In the last three decades the exclusively Muslim Army of Bangladesh, motivated by religious fanaticism have caused havoc to Buddhists of Bangladesh and destroyed many Buddhist shrines and monasteries. Religious persecution and destruction of places of worship is commonplace in the Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT) even in present times. Religious persecution takes place in the form of torture, murder, intimidation of Buddhist monks and deliberate and systematic destruction of their places of worship. Fanatical Muslims destroyed and desecrated the renowned “Navajyoti Buddhist Vihara” (Navajyoti Buddhist Temple) at Lalyaghona Village in Baghaichari Upazillact)  breaking down many Buddha images. Muslim religious fundamentalism and intolerance of Buddhists and other religious minorities are on the rise in Bangladesh. The country’s military has become ruthless in this regard. In 2006, a group of illicit Muslim settlers led by Rafique Uddin destroyed the Buddhist temple of Challyatali village under Longadu, Rangamati and occupied the temple land.

The biggest problem with Muslims is their belief that Islam is one and only ‘chosen religion’ and  Muslims are the one and only ‘chosen people’. In an Islamic state people of other faiths are not tolerated. Non-Muslims cannot establish their shrines or  monasteries in any of the Middle Eastern Muslim countries. They cannot hold their religious functions or prayers in public in these countries. In Sri Lanka, Muslims insist on living an alienated and un-integrated life and are agitating for concessions specified by their Islamic religion and Muslim Shariah law. The interests of the country as a whole is not their concern, because Sri Lanka is not an Islamic country. They are least interested in joining the national mainstream” and work towards national unity and well-being. No meaningful dialogue on Islam or on the divisive attitudes and activities of Muslims is possible because they unnecessarily feel intimidated whenever  legitimate questions on Islam or the Quran are posed. Those who question are immediately branded as racists or anti Muslim. Most Muslims lack the courage to respond to even the most abject injustices evident in Islamic beliefs and practices. No Muslim gives any other religion a status of equality with Islam. They fail to realize that true open-mindedness consists of contemplating all premises and weighing the evidence. Reasoning involves deduction and induction. Why do Muslims cause disharmony and bring about conflicts and confrontational situations in all societies they infiltrate? Why?   Buddhists need to be vigilant and need to initiate actions against the abuse of privileges, aggression and misdemeanor by Muslims.

Dr. Daya Hewapathirane     Daya.hewapathirane@gmail.com