Dr. Daya Hewapathirane. 

All ethnic and cultural groups within society are not equal and therefore need not be treated in the same way. All people do not hold the same values. All those who are privileged to have  Sri Lanka was their home, should be aware of the fact that the foundation of our nation, its societal norms and values originate from the Sinhala Buddhist heritage, which has a history of over 2200 years in this island. Whether we choose to live as Sinhala, Tamil, Muslim, Malay or Burger, or as Buddhists, Hindus, Muslims, Christians or atheists, our right to do so is derived from this heritage and associated way of life. It should be well remembered that in spite of attempts by European colonial powers for over four hundred years, to undermine our nation’s indigenous culture, and also, in spite of serious challenges faced by our country during the decades of Tamil terrorism, the fundamental elements of our Sinhala Buddhist national culture prevailed. That gave our nation its distinct identity and character. It is a well evident fact that our nation was able to confront these vicious forces and subdue them, owing to the courage, dedication and sacrifices made patriotic Sinhala Buddhists.  

          Islamic community in Sri Lanka is a small non-indigenous minority amounting to about 9% of the total population. Despite their small numbers they enjoy many special privileges. In recent years, with their new found petro dollars, it is noticeable from their attitude and actions, that some extremist Muslims in our country are posing a threat to the norms and values of our national culture and way of life. 

          It was an admirable characteristic of the Sinhala Buddhists, from historic times, to have accommodated without prejudice, in their country various non-indigenous ethnic and religious groups of people such as Muslims, Malays and Tamils, who settled down in our country at different times in the past, for various purposes.           Non-indigenous minority communities such as the Muslims should feel morally obliged to reciprocate the generosity and cordiality accorded to them by the dominant mainstream Sinhala Buddhist community, and adapt themselves to the norms and values of this mainstream of the country where they have chosen to live.

         Whatever discord and conflicts between the mainstream and the minorities in recent decades, can be largely attributed to extremist and parochial attitudes of ethnic and religious minorities. These undesirable developments were the outcome of extremist views of these minorities with short-sighted and misguided leaders having their own hidden agendas for their own benefit.

          There is clear evidence of disregard and disrespect on the part of most Muslims, for the Buddhist cultural heritage of our country.  Muslims have been responsible for the destruction of archeological remains and historic cultural monuments in areas inhabited by them, especially in the Eastern region of the country. The fundamentals of ‘Islam’ that are widely propagated by Muslims especially those pertaining to attitude towards non-Muslims, have serious negative implications as far as the national culture is concerned. Peaceful coexistence of different communities and the democratic principles and rule of law that form the basis of social organization in our country appear to be threatened by the divisive attitudes and covert actions of Muslim extremists.  

         The younger generation of Muslims are being brainwashed with extremist Islamic fundamentalism, in ‘Madrasas or exclusively Muslim schools that have sprung up in the country in recent years. The fundamentals of ‘Islam’ that are widely propagated in these Madrasas  have serious negative implications as far as the national culture is concerned. The younger generation of Muslims are being brainwashed with these extremist Islamic beliefs and practices in their exclusively Muslim schools.

Their new male and female attire displays their desire to look different and to be exclusive and separate from the nation’s mainstream. This polarization tendency of the Islamic community is self-imposed. It is definitely not because they feel marginalized.

This divisive spirit of Muslims is owing to the influence of Islamic teachings to keep away from non-Muslims who are considered as inferior to Muslims. The Koran forbids Muslims to closely associate non-Muslims. Islam has dualistic ethics with one rule for Muslims and one rule for non-believers and there is no exception to this rule. Why these extremist Muslims want members of their community to have a common attire and to look different from others is a big question. However, this has a divisive effect on society.  

          Islam’s teachings say that non-Muslims are inferior to Muslims. To closely associate non-Muslims is forbidden or ‘haram’ according to the Koran. Islam has dualistic ethics with one rule for Muslims and one rule for non-believers who form the majority of Sri Lankans. There is no exception to this rule. Most Muslims do not appear to be interested in integrating with other communities, perhaps because assimilation is not permitted under Islamic Shariah law.

         The rules of Islam govern politics, marriage and the day-to-day lives of its followers. In fact, Islam is a political ideology where the church and state are not separate. Under the circumstances, one cannot expect Muslims to develop a sense of patriotism and national pride in a predominantly non-Muslim country such as ours. Our people are well aware of Muslims of Sri Lanka cheering Pakistan at cricket matches played between Pakistan and Sri Lanka.

How many of us, especially those living in Sri Lanka are aware of the fact that Halal is a most repulsive and horrendous practice that involves extreme form of abuse and cruelty towards animals?  Halal is a gruesome method where the animals are tied down and their throats slashed, letting their blood ooze out slowly from the animal’s body and making animals die on their blood, a slow, lingering and agonizing death.  What is most horrendous is that this torturous practice takes place while the animals are desperately struggling for their lives. It is a well evident fact that these animals are conscious of what is happening to them. This is a most sickening and inhuman way of killing animals. It is a practice that should not be tolerated in any civilized society.

In a society such as ours where Buddhists predominate, and where non-violence towards all living beings is a fundamental tenet, practices of this nature cannot and should not be tolerated under any circumstances.  Animal welfare has been a tenet of the rulers of our nation from very early times, from the 3^rd century BCE, when King Devanampiyatissa ruled the country. This was in-keeping with the declaration of the Buddha in the Cakkavatti Sihanada Sutta (Digha Nikaya of the Sutta Pitaka) that an ideal or virtuous ruler of a nation or ‘Cakkavatti King” will give protection and shelter not only to human beings, but also to birds and beasts. It was this king, over 2200 years ago, who established the world’s first Bird and animal sanctuary in Sri Lanka. Since this time, the principle of animal welfare prevailed in our country until the arrival of European colonial powers, starting with the ruthless Catholic Portuguese invaders, about at the beginning of the 16trh century. Besides hunting animals as a sport, the slaughtering of animals as a vocation started with the entry of Christianity and Islam to Sri Lanka.

The resurgence of Buddhism is a well evident development in the country in recent years. It is an opportune time to take action, on the part of the nation’s Buddhist leadership – lay and ordained, to develop a well-conceived policy against cruelty to animals, to save our animals from   ‘terrorism’ meted out to them by some quarters of people in our country.

Muslims are well known to be running successful businesses in predominantly Sinhala majority areas with the Sinhala people as their customers. They are involved in wealth generating employment connected with tourism and travel.  The household income of Muslims far exceeds those of ordinary Sinhala people. The per capita income of the Muslim community is far higher than that of the Sinhala majority community.

It is a pity that the Muslim leaders and successful individual in general, have shown greater interest in furthering the interests of the Muslim community and not the general public as a whole. It is time that Muslims invested more on hospitals, schools and other national social welfare activities and contributed tangibly for infrastructure development activities that benefit everyone and not necessarily the Muslim community.

It is time that Muslim establishments refrain from exclusively hiring Muslims, especially for responsible positions in their establishments.  There have been many instances of Muslim encroachment of places that are of Buddhist historic value, and the destruction of Buddhist monuments and items of archeological value in the Eastern Province in particular.  This definitely has to stop. If Muslims are involved in the illicit drug trade as often reported in the media, this is a national crime and has to stop. There has been much discussion in recent times about the deceitful and exploitative nature of the halal’ business venture of Muslims. Also, the allegation of various covert practices to increase the Muslim population at the expense of the Sinhala population has received much publicity in recent times.

Muslims should consider it their duty to participate more actively in national events such as the National day festivities and other important national events and international events as Sri Lankans and cheer Sri Lanka and rejoice in their international attainments in all fields including cricket and sports in general.  The indigenous cultural norms and values upon which this nation is founded should be well understood and respected by all citizens of this country, irrespective of their religious or other affiliations.

Most importantly, there are no restrictions in Sri Lanka for the construction of mosques in predominantly Sinhala areas.  It is a well known fact that Muslim countries do not permit even the display of a Buddha image, let along building Vihares. In activities connected with Muslim mosques, especially in early morning prayers using load speakers, the Muslims should pay more attention to the comforts and conveniences of the non-Muslim neighbors.   

It was not long ago that the exclusively Muslim, religion-based political party – the Sri Lanka Muslim Congress and several Muslim civil society groups opposed the construction of Buddha’s statues on the southeast coastal areas. These were   predominantly Buddhist areas in the recent past, where Buddhist historic monuments and important archeological remains abound and these are some of  the cultural wealth of the nation

Dr. Daya Hewapathirane. 

ALI SUKHANVER

Prime Minister Imran Khan’s two-day official visit to Iran is certainly going to bring the two neighbouring countries more close to each other. Pakistan and Iran have a very long history of cordial relationship. Iran was the ever first country to recognize Pakistan’s sovereign status after its independence in 1947. Moreover the Shah of Iran was the first head of state that paid an official visit to Pakistan. According to a survey conducted by the PEW Research Center, Pakistan is a country where Iran is viewed positively. The conclusion report of that survey says, Polls have consistently shown that a very high proportion of Pakistanis view their western neighbor Iran positively.” But in spite of all this cordiality, things have not always been very good between these two countries and ‘credit’ of creating rather ‘encouraging’ misunderstandings between Iran and Pakistan certainly goes to the Indian agents of R&AW who have ever been very active in the bordering area of the two countries. On both sides this area is known as Baluchistan; on Iranian side this area comprises of 180,726 km² and a population of 2,775,014, whereas on Pakistani side the total area of Baluchistan is 347,190 km2 and population is 12,344,408. Baluchistan is a treasure land on both sides having immeasurable mineral deposits of Chromite, Copper, Lead, Iron, Zinc, Titanium, Manganese and Gold. On Pakistan’s side reserves of Copper and Gold were discovered in district Chaghai at Saindak and Rekodiq. Experts say that the deposits of Gold at Saindak and Rekodiq are of finest quality.  In short the mountains of Baluchistan are simply heaps of gold and other precious minerals and these minerals are making every one’s mouth water. By killing innocent people in Baluchistan sometimes in the name of sectarianism and sometimes in the name of racial identities, the agents of R&AW are trying to give the world an impression that there is no writ of the government of Pakistan in that region. When the security agencies start taking seriously strict action against such culprits, the agents of R&AW sitting in different western and Indian media houses start a blame game against the security agencies of Pakistan.

A few days back on 18^th of April, more than fifteen terrorists camouflaged in Frontier Corps uniform barricaded the road and stopped four buses traveling to Gwadar from Ormara on the Makran Coastal Highway, Baluchistan. They checked the identity cards of all the passengers and off loaded fourteen of them who in fact belonged to the security forces of Pakistan. They were made to stand in a queue and then all shot dead. It was reported that the terrorists had come there from the Iranian side of Baluchistan and after ‘performing’ this massacre they ran back to the area they belonged to. As the terrorists had camouflaged themselves in the uniform of the Frontier Corps, it is very much obvious that they simply wanted to give an impression that this cowardly act was done by the security personnel of Pakistan. Though BRAS, an alliance of three terrorist organizations has claimed responsibility for this terrorist act but still things are not very much clear. But one thing is very much clear that the terrorists had come from the Iranian area and returned there after completion of the task assigned. The foreign office of Pakistan has written a letter to the Iranian Embassy which says, The information about the hubs of these Baloch terrorist organizations in Iran, having training camps and logistics bases across the border, was shared with Iranian intelligence in the recent past, and on a number of occasions earlier. Unfortunately, no action has been taken by Iran in this regard, to date.” The letter further says, Killing of 14 innocent Pakistanis by terrorists groups based in Iran is a very serious incident that Pakistan protests strongly. Pakistan awaits Iran’s response to its request for action against these groups based in Iran, whose locations have been identified by Pakistan a number of times.”

Whatever is happening there in Baluchistan has a direct link with the CPEC, with Gwadar Deep Sea Port Project and the recently discovered huge oil reserves close to the Iran border located 230km of Karachi’s offshore. Hu Weijia said reporting in the Global Times, Pakistan may soon hit the oil jackpot, and that will be good news for not only the country itself but all of South Asia as well as China and Gulf nations.” According to different media reports, US oil giant Exxon Mobil and Italy’s ENI have been involved in drilling process since January 2019. Experts say that on one hand these oil reserves would prove another CPEC like game changer for Pakistan and on the other hand these reserves would play a very important role in bringing the South Asian countries closer. This closeness would certainly bring a new spring of peace and prosperity in the region. Other than Mobil and ENI, there are so many other international companies which are willing to be a partner in different projects related to digging of the ‘oil-wells’. Experts are of the opinion that if Pakistan succeeds in attracting more companies to the project, it would certainly help Pakistan in fighting its present financial crisis. In short, it is being predicted that in near future Pakistan is going to gain a new identity; the identity of a leading oil producing country. It seems that some of the neighbouring countries are taking this new expected identity of Pakistan as a threat and a challenge to their own existence.

Dr. Daya Hewapathirane

Historically, Muslims have gone to great lengths, even waging wars, to impose Islam, their version of what they deem to be the one and true way. The attitude and position of ‘exclusivism’ adopted by Muslims, that Islam is the only true religion and rejecting the legitimacy of other faith traditions, does not help in developing a spirit of religious pluralism in society. The principle of ‘one truth, one religion’ or Exclusivism” lies at the heart of Islam. For the Muslims, the teaching in Islam represent the ‘best path’ and their egocentric attachment to their religion obstructs them from seeing the value of other religious traditions. They will not accept the pluralistic perspective of ‘many truths, many religions’.

It is time that Muslims of Sri Lanka, especially their leaders realize that without developing a genuine spirit of inter-religious understanding or a spirit of religious pluralism, there is no hope for the development of harmony based on true interreligious understanding. From the Buddhist point of view, there is tremendous diversity among sentient beings and individuals and groups find different ways of approaching and seeking spiritual development. This standpoint allows one to develop a sense of appreciation of all faith traditions.

From the Buddhist point of view, the belief in Allah with its emphasis on the idea of a ‘first cause’ that in itself is uncaused, amounts to falling into extreme absolutism, a view that obstructs the attainment of enlightenment.  If one believes that the entire cosmos, including the sentient beings within it, is the creation of one all-powerful and compassionate Allah, then, the inescapable consequence is that other faith traditions are also Allah’s or God’s creation. If this is not the case, then Allah is not omnipotent or the implication being that although these other faiths are ‘false ways’, Allah was  incapable of stopping their emergence.  If one maintains that although Allah or God is perfectly capable of preventing the emergence of these ‘false ways’ but he chooses not to do so, then one rejects Allah’s or God’s all-embracing compassion. This is because,  if Allah is all-powerful and compassionate, why did he choose to exclude millions of His own children, from following the so-called ‘false ways’ that would lead to their damnation? So the logic of monotheism in Islam, the standard version that attributes omnipotence, omniscience, and all-embracing compassion to Allah, inevitably entails recognition that the world’s many religious traditions are in one way or another related to Allah’s or God’s divine intentions for the ultimate well-being of His children. This means that, as a devout follower of Allah, one must accord respect, and if possible, reverence to all religions.   

The highly tolerant nature of the large majority of Buddhists of Sri Lanka should not be taken for granted.They are becoming increasingly aware of the various forms of threats to which they are subject without good reason, and as proven repeatedly in their nation’s long history of foreign aggression and misdemeanors, they will rise to the occasion when necessary, to save their Buddhist norms and principles forming the foundation of the national culture of their nation, their only motherland.   

Dr. Daya Hewapathirane

Society for Peace, Unity and Human Rights in Sri Lanka (SPUR) NSW Inc Australia

Our Society expresses its profound and heartfelt sorrow on the senseless killing of innocents in Sri Lanka. Our thoughts are with the families and persons affected by the deaths, grievous injury and destruction of property by terrorists who have caused fear and terror in the people of Sri Lanka and to the visitors to the island.

We give our condolences to the Christians who had been targetted on their Holiest Day of Easter Sunday whilst at prayer with sacred thoughts and goodwill at heart. This is a heinous crime our Society condemns unreservedly.

Our Society has been in the forefront of anti-terrorism in the 30 years of terrorism, conflict and the carnage in Sri Lanka which ended in 2009. Such an ending was possible due to the selfless life sacrifices made by members of our valiant defence forces. We will continue to assist in Sri Lankans to overcome the scourge of terrorism foisted on them once again this Easter Sunday.

Our Society also condemns multiple policy weaknesses of the present government in Sri Lanka that has contributed to the carnage. The government has deliberately let the guard down from 2015 in Sri Lanka even when surrounded by a world of enhanced extremist ideology, expansionist ethnic and religious greed, indoctrination through re-constructed histories, fake news, malicious propaganda, uncontrolled undisciplined social media and by open terrorism.

The government of Sri Lanka has again started bending backwards to please terrorist fronts who manipulate and operate through national and international agencies both government and non-government. Our security forces had been belittled, then witch-hunted time and again, and its moral broken and almost equated to terrorists themselves. Our intelligence agencies treated step-motherly, politicised, disbanded or their funding cut.

In this time of great sorrow let us pray and wish for the speedy recovery of all injured, the recovery from physical, mental and emotional damage caused to themselves and to those near and dear. Our respect and thoughts lie with the three members of the security forces and their families for the selfless sacrifice made in apprehending the suspects to this crime. It is once again time for those who deliberately forgot the security forces to reflect their undeniable worth and valour. Our thoughts are also with all Sri Lankans and others affected by these barbaric acts.

Let us also urge the persons in power or had been in power in Sri Lanka, not to find escape routes and hide behind flimsy excuses being made to the citizens, but to reflect upon their own deliberate actions in the past few years that contributed to this debacle, and take responsibility like leaders.

They will need to work for the good of the people, and to immediately stop working for their own selves and for their own political survival only.

Nimal Liyanage  
President                                                                                               
Nihal Jayasinghe
Secretary

                                                                                                  

Dr. Daya Hewapathirane

The Muslims of Sri Lanka should be aware of some important historic facts about Sri Lanka, if they are serious on becoming a legitimate part of this great nation. First, they should realize that, they are a small settler community in this country amounting to about 9% of its total population. Prior to the 15^th century, the sole interest of the few male Arab merchants who visited the country was trade and they were basically visitors to the country. Gradually with passage of time, they married local woman and began settling down in some coastal regions. It was only by the 15^th century that the Muslims became an established small minority community of the country. Therefore, it is incorrect to claim that Muslims have been an established community in Sri Lanka for over 1000 years. There is reference to Muslims and their settlements in Sri Lanka only during the period immediately prior to the arrival of the Portuguese in 1505 or the early 16^th century.  For all purposes, the history of Muslims in Sri Lanka as an established community extends to about 600 years and definitely not 1000 years as claimed. The on and off, arrival and departure of sea-faring male Arab merchants exclusively for trade purposes in earlier centuries cannot be regarded as the beginnings of the establishment of the Muslim community in Sri Lanka.    

The country was referred to early times as Heladiva or Helabima which means the land or island of the Hela or Sinhala people. It was also referred to as Thunsinhalay (Ruhunu-Pihiti-Maya) or Sinhalay as it was called during the European colonial times (The Udarata Giwisuma or the Kandyan Convention of 1815 refers to the island as Sinhalay).

Muslims should be aware of the fact that this country has an unbroken written or recorded history that extends to a period exceeding 2500 years. According to this history, this country has been a Sinhala Buddhist nation since the introduction of Buddhism in the 3^rd century BCE, in an unbroken manner for over 2200 years. The cultural norms and way of life of this country are an outcome of or are based on Buddhist principles.

The Muslims of Sri Lanka should be aware of the historic fact that Buddhism was brought to Sri Lanka about 1000 years before the origin of Islam, in the year 247 BCE.  That is about three hundred years before the origin of Christianity.  It is noteworthy that at the time of origin of the Islam religion in the early 7^th century (622 CE?). the Sinhala were a highly advanced community. Up to the 7^th century, our country has had 97 Sinhela Buddhist kings ruling the island. 

The 1600 year long period from 3^rd century BCE to the 13^th century CE, is referred to as the Golden era of our motherland, because of the vast overall development seen in the country, economically, socially and spiritually. Evidence of this prosperity is seen even today in the spectacular network of irrigation tanks and canals considered in modern times as engineering marvels, extensive farmland, and numerous Buddhist historic sites some of which have been designated by the UNESCO as World Heritage Sites. All these developments were the work of Sinhala Buddhists and took place in this country, way before Islam was ever known to the world. Besides, this development and prosperity was not attained through plunder, ruthless invasions and atrocities like in the case of communities that professed theistic religions such as Islam and Christianity. It is also noteworthy that this country had some of the greatest of literary works, paintings, sculpture and architecture, and historical chronicles written way before the Quoran and the Bible. The world renowned historic chronicle, laying out the written history fo this nation and of Buddhism in this country – the Mahawamsa was a product of this period.  

All these developments occurred way before the origin or Islam and some of it before the origin of Christianity. Our country was built on the Buddhist foundation for over two thousand years and the national character and identity of our motherland is Sinhela Buddhist. We were hospitable to permit non-indigenous settlers such as Tamils, Muslims and Moors in our motherland, with the expectation that they will integrate with our nation. They have no right whatsoever to seek autonomy or to claim territorial rights. They have no right to impose their religious or cultural norms and laws in our country which has its own characteristic national cultural norms and a well established rule of law. Muslims who live in Sri Lanka have no right to claim religious enclaves or regional autonomy in Sri Lanka. It is highly treacherous and ungrateful of settler communities to undermine the national culture, especially to destroy Sinhala Buddhist cultural sites, monuments and other historic and archeological treasures, and to impose Islamic norms such as the halal-halal stuff on the non-Muslims of Sri Lanka, and to propagate visible Islamic cultural norms in the open, that are damaging to the established visible cultural norms that characterize the of the vast mass of people of this country.       

Dr. Daya Hewapathirane

EDWARD GUNAWARDENA Former Director of Intelligence

Going by the media, both print and electronic, there had been overwhelming intelligence on the impending disaster that took away over 300 lives and injured over 500. Perhaps for the first time even intelligence agencies of friendly nations such as MI6, Mossad, FBI and RAW have fed the local counterparts with ‘red hot stuff’ in intelligence parlance. Understandable indeed, with the IS and its affiliated cells becoming a clear and present danger to peaceful democracies.

How is it that intelligence on this calamity that was to cruelly affect the nation as never before in its recent history, was not conveyed to the President and the country?

Intelligence that portends severe damage to the country must necessarily come to the notice of the Secretary/Defence of the President. I say this with authority.

In the late seventies of the last century when I was the Director of Intelligence, it was my report that was discussed by the National Security Council, presided over by the President. In exceptional situations I was able to bypass the Secretary/Defence, meet the President direct and personally brief him.

The failure on the part of the President and the National Security Council to initiate the necessary precautions, and also to alert the nation, is an unpardonable blunder.

Even if intelligence alerts had been ignored, proper police action on the Wanathavilla detection would have prevented the carnage.

The bombshell exposure by Minister Kabir Hashim that the suspects had been released on the request of a ‘Top’ politician is shocking, to say the least.

The ‘Top’ politician, the police that investigated the case, and even Minister Kabir have a lot to answer. The Minister responsible for the release of the suspects is a traitor who has to be taken in to custody and subjected to due process.

Mr. President, even if you get rid of the IGP, please give his successor the liberty to carry out his duties according to the law without political interference.

By Saman Indrajith Courtesy The Island

The entire government would have resigned if a disaster like the Easter Sunday carnage had happened in any other country, but such things would never happen in Sri Lanka, Field Marshal Sarath Fonseka told Parliament, yesterday.

Participating in the debate on gazette declaring a state of emergency, Field Marshal Fonseka severely criticised both the government and the Opposition for allowing the deterioration of intelligence services.

He said that soon after the end of the war in 2009, he had proposed to build a national intelligence agency combining all intelligence units and divisions and to make it the best in South Asia. But no such thing had happened. Instead, the intelligence operatives had been used to stalk and surveillance of political enemies and their children, the former Army Commander said.

Fonseka said: “Governments that have been in power during the past 10 years need to take responsibility for this failure. Immediately after the war, the then government used intelligence services as instruments of political revenge. They used them to spy on us and our children. Even the new government did not do what should have been done.

“For example, I still depend on the security vehicle provided to me by the previous government. This government has done nothing to enhance my security though I am critical of terrorists and their activities. It is clear now that the National Security Council and Defence Secretary have neglected their responsibilities.

“As such, no one could escape responsibility for what happened.”

MP Fonsea pointed out that it had taken the LTTE years to mount large scale attacks like those carried out on Easter Sunday. “The LTTE’s terrorism was markedly different as it was an organisation fighting to divide the country. Its motives were political, whereas this group is pursuing a religious agenda.

“Whatever said and done, we are now back in an era where people’s lives are uncertain. We will see security barriers coming up again. Even those with beards will be subjected to more stringent checks. Tourists will stop coming and our economy will suffer. Even if a new government comes to power, it will face the same challenges.”

Fonseka questioned why some Opposition MPs were reportedly sitting in the National Security Council while both the PM and State Defence Minister were excluded. “There are some politicians who knew more about gambling and horses sitting at the National Security Council meetings while those who had the mandate to sit there are not invited. This is the sorry state prevailing with regard to national security today,” the Field Marshal said.

He also criticized the PM and State Defence Minister for not publicly raising the matter of their exclusion prior to the Easter Sunday atrocities. Even they could not escape responsibility for what happened, he added.

“I have nothing personal against the President, but he only returned to the country from Singapore at midnight on the day following Easter Sunday attacks. There were flights from Singapore which landed in Sri Lanka at 3.00pm and 9.00pm that day. Yet, he did not choose to take an earlier flight even after such an incident.”

Fonseka said he regretted that the intelligence reports on the impending attacks were seemingly not given even a fraction of the consideration given to information provided by Namal Kumara.

DOUG MATACONIS ·Courtesy Outside the Beltway

Further evidence that Sri Lankan authorities failed to act on warnings of rising Jihadism in their country.

Officials at a mosque in Sri Lanka where several of the attackers responsible for Sunday’s massacre that resulted in the deaths of more than 300 people say that they warned law enforcement and government officials about some of the attackers involved in Sunday’s attack:

Reyyaz Salley, chairman of the Shaikh Usman Waliyullah mosque, told CNN that he had repeatedly attempted to warn the government about radical preachers in Sri Lanka, including Zahran Hashim, the alleged mastermind of the attacks. 

They started to attack Sufi mosques and shrines (in 2010),” he said. 

In February 2019, Salley sent police and intelligence officials videos that Hashim made, which Salley considered promoting jihad. He urged them to act upon it.

People have been brainwashed. He was talking about jihad. These are all very dangerous messages for the country,” he says.

If the authorities had taken our advice this could have been prevented.”

This news comes in the wake of the reports earlier this week that government officials had at least some warning of the attacks prior to Sunday but failed to act on them. At this time it’s still unclear what level of detail those warnings included so it’s not at all clear if the information the government did have would have been anywhere near sufficient to stop the attacks even if it had been acted upon. Additionally, it’s unclear if the sources of the information that the government had were sufficiently reliable to justify acting on them.

Notwithstanding this, though, the fact that the Sri Lankan government had those warnings in hand prior to the attacks and that it failed to act on that information, combined with the fact that it apparently failed to heed the warnings of Sri Lankan Muslims about the rise of Jihadist rhetoric from members of their own community is likely to lead to many questions about exactly how the government handled the situation and whether they are prepared to deal with what appears to be a growing Jihadist threat in the country.

This news comes at the same time that it is being reported that the group responsible for Sunday’s attacks was apparently planning a second wave of attacks:

A high-level intelligence official in Sri Lanka tells CNN that National Tawheed Jamath (NTJ) was planning a second wave of attacks across Sri Lanka.

NTJ has been named as the perpetrators by the Sri Lankan government, but it has not claimed the attacks.

In a statement published by the ISIS-affiliated news agency Amaq, the terror group said Sunday’s attackers were fighters of the Islamic State,” but its involvement in the attacks has not been proven.

The information was discovered in intelligence operations since Sunday’s explosions, according to the official.

If nothing else, this seems to be an indication that Islamic Jihadism is attempting to make inroads in parts of the Muslim world where, until now, it has not had any serious impact. That poses serious problems not just for Sri Lanka but also for nations such as India and Indonesia which, until now, have largely managed to avoid the rise of Jihadism among their Muslim population.

By Jeffrey Gettleman and Dharisha Bastians Courtesy The New York Times

Muslims seeking safety in a mosque in Negombo after the Easter bombings.

NEGOMBO, Sri Lanka — Auranzeb Zabi was cooking rice at a friend’s house on Wednesday when he heard angry shouting outside, looked out the window and saw a mob of Sri Lankan men carrying iron bars.

A day after the Islamic State claimed responsibility for suicide bombings that killed more than 350 people, Muslims in some areas of Sri Lanka were facing a rising backlash.

The mob surrounded the house. Mr. Zabi, a Pakistani refugee who has lived in Sri Lanka for two years, said he grabbed his two children, dashed into the yard and scampered over two walls before reaching an army checkpoint.

There the mob caught up with him, he said, and delivered a harsh beating, begging the soldiers to let them kill him. Hours later, Mr. Zabi still looked terrified.

When you face 100 people,” he said, and then his voice slipped and he couldn’t finish the sentence. His eyes hardened.Muslims from Negombo being relocated to another town.CreditAdam Dean for The New York Times

They even beat my kids,” he said.

In the town of Negombo, where an attack on a church during Easter services killed more than 100 people, gangs of Christian men moved from house to house, smashing windows, breaking down doors, dragging people into the streets, punching them in the face and then threatening to kill them, dozens of residents said. No deaths were reported, but many Muslims fear it is only a matter of time.

If one of the bombers’ goals in slaughtering hundreds of innocent men, women and children at hotels and churches on Easter Sunday was to stir new religious hatred in Sri Lanka, that may now be happening in some areas.

Despite pleas for calm from religious leaders of all faiths, tensions are rising and fear is traveling across this island nation like a fast-moving shadow. Many Muslims in different parts of the country say they are lying low and avoiding public places.

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Until this week, Sri Lanka didn’t have much history of Christian-Muslim violence. The two faiths are small minorities: The country is about 7 percent Christian, 10 percent Muslim, 13 percent Hindu and 70 percent Buddhist.

Religion was not a driving factor in Sri Lanka’s decades-long civil war, in which ethnic tensions between the majority Sinhalese and minority Tamils nearly tore the country apart.Until this week, Sri Lanka didn’t have much history of Christian-Muslim violence.CreditAdam Dean for The New York Times

During the war years, many Muslim men rose up the ranks of the government’s intelligence services because they were known for their fluency in Sri Lanka’s three major languages — Sinhala, Tamil and English.

But after the civil war ended in 2009, militant Buddhism began to surge. Some observers have said it was as if powerful forces in Sri Lankan politics were looking for a new enemy to fight. Hard-line Buddhist monks targeted churches and mosques, priests and imams, often with the tacit support of the security services.

While Muslims bore the brunt of these attacks, Christians suffered, too, and the two communities were essentially on the same side. But that informal alliance was seriously challenged by Sunday’s attacks, which the authorities say were carried out by Muslim extremists, primarily against Christians.

Many Muslims have tried to help grieving Christians, offering food and friendship, but the outreach has been complicated. Feelings are so raw that one priest told members of a mosque to stay away from the funerals.St. Anthony’s Shrine in Colombo, where terrorists attacked on Easter Sunday.CreditAdam Dean for The New York Times

On Wednesday, as Christian gangs roved their neighborhood, hundreds of Pakistani Muslims including Mr. Farhan and Mr. Zabi, rushed for protection first to a police station and then to a mosque. Soldiers and police officers guarded the mosque gates and checked the identification of any visitors. Still, elders felt uneasy about the location.

By late afternoon a string of buses chugged out of the mosque with every seat filled and people packed in the aisles, instantly relocating an entire community of Muslims to a small town miles away where none had ever lived.

The Pakistani refugees are easy targets. They look different, speak a different language and were already on unsure footing, living in Sri Lanka as guests of the government while refugee agencies sorted out longer-term resettlement plans.

But they are hardly the only Muslims who are frightened.

About two hours away, in the town of Bandaragama, Mohamed Iqbal, a Muslim man as Sri Lankan as anyone else, winced as he looked at his shoe shop.

He had run Shoe Fashion for 15 years and the few hundred dollars it generated each month supported his wife, his three adult sons and two grandchildren. But Shoe Fashion is no more.Easter Sunday Attacks Add a New Dimension to Sri Lanka’s Sectarian TensionsThe deadly attacks on Easter Sunday marked a departure from the country’s sectarian tensions, with a radical Islamist group targeting Christian minorities.

It was gutted by fire the night of the suicide bombings — obviously revenge,” a neighboring shopkeeper said. A rock lay on the ground that had been used to smash the lock and open the roll-top shutter. Inside, it still smelled like char.

Our religious beliefs could not be more different from the Islamic State’s,” said Mr. Iqbal’s son Ifaz. But now everyone is looking at us as if we were the ones who bombed the churches.”

Sri Lanka is a complicated tapestry of ethnicities and religions. Many Muslims said they have gotten used to discrimination operating in the background, even during the peaceful times.

Say you walk into a bank and someone sees your beard,’’ Mr. Ifaz said. They might make you wait, even when they don’t have to.’’

In June 2014, after years of dehumanizing speech by hard-line Buddhist monks, religious bigotry exploded. Mobs of young Buddhist men attacked a Muslim neighborhood in a southern town, burning down houses, killing at least three Muslims and sending fear into just about every Muslim household in Sri Lanka.

Police officers were accused of standing by and sometimes even helping the Buddhist mobs. The Iqbal family wonders if the same is happening again.

On Wednesday, officials played down reports of violence, saying no one had been seriously hurt. The police said they were beefing up security around mosques and in Muslim neighborhoods, and trying to tamp down tensions.

But you know,” Mr. Ifaz said, there was a curfew the night our shop was burned. Maybe the police were there.”

La nueva Televisión del Sur C.A.

The history of Sri Lanka is marred with bloodshed and a 26-year-old civil war caused by British colonial rulers pitting Sinhalese and Tamil against each other. 

Located in the Indian Ocean south of India, the small island country of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka witnessed one of its deadliest attacks in recent history.

On Easter Sunday a series of suicide bombingsclaimed 359 lives. However, the bloodbath is not uncommon in the island which was ravaged by a civil war spanning over two decades and ending in 2009.

The civil war in a country of 21.2 million population, was between majority Sinhalese and minority Tamilians. It was a war for recognition, respect, and basic rights.

To understand the aspects of the civil war, one needs to take a brief look at the country’s history.

HISTORY

Sri Lanka, called Ceylon until 1972, had its own Indigenous population but later people from India started settling in the country.
In 1505 the Portuguese colonized Ceylon when seven warring kingdoms were trying to increase their territory. The Buddhists disliked the Portuguese occupation and welcomed Dutch intervention just to oust the former colonizers.

The Dutch started colonizing in 1638 and by 1660, they controlled the whole island.

During the Napoleonic wars, Britain started colonizing Sri Lanka and in 1815, they were successful in occupying the whole island. In 1833, the island was united under one British administration.

In 1948 Sri Lanka gained its independence and took a path which would later start a civil war.

GENESIS OF CONFLICT

After gaining its independence, the Sinhalese started disenfranchising Tamil migrants who were preferred by the British during colonialism.

The British, during its ruling, used only English for official purposes and education which was not widely accessible. A few English language schools were in the north of the country where the majority of inhabitants were Tamilians. Hence they started getting civil service jobs and the Sinhalas were left behind.

After independence, the ruling power was transferred to Sinhalese elites by the UK outgoing power. They started making policies that would marginalize the Tamilians like passing the Sinhala Only Act” in 1956 that would make Sinhala the official language. In 1972  Buddhism was made the official religion. The Tamils are mainly Hindus and Christians.

The repression spread to many sectors including education. It was harder for Tamilians to get a place in university because of the Sinhala Only Act.

Initially, the Tamilians started non-violent protests demanding an independent state for Tamilians. But it soon turned violent after facing brutal repression from the government.

EMERGENCE OF LTTE AND CIVIL WAR

Amid growing tensions, in 1976 Liberation Tigers of Tamil Elam (LTTE) was formed under the leadership of Velupillai Prabhakaran. It started campaigning for Tamil homeland mainly in northern and eastern Sri Lanka.

It was an armed movement which had a well-trained army of fighters. They partook in many suicide bombings in the country.

In 1987, India, which has a large number of the Tamil population in the south, sent a peacekeeping force for three years which caused mayhem in the country. The troops were sent to enforce the Indo-Sri Lanka Accord according to which Tamilians were supposed to have some degree of regional autonomy in Tamil areas.

However, India did not take into account LTTE’s demands which led to a full-fledged war between the two.

Soon after the battle, the LTTE assassinated then Indian Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi in 1991 and the Sri Lankan President Ranasinghe Premadasa in 1993.

Since then peace talks started being regularly held, ceasefires announced and subsequently breaking of ceasefires.

RELATED:

Sri Lanka Gov’t Says Unknown Islamist Group Behind Attacks, Imposes Curfew

In 2008, the ceasefire was broken for the last time when the government withdrew from the truce and started full-fledged repression of LTTE which also included a witchhunt of Tamilians. Around 40,000 Tamil civilians were killed in the final few weeks of the war.

Finally in 2009, under the administration of the then President Mahinda Rajapaksa, the army killed Prabhakaran and a few days after that declared victory over LTTE.

As many surviving LTTE cadres surrendered, many more fled to India.

POST CIVIL WAR

The human cost of the 26 years civil war was the death of more than 100,000 civilians, 65,000 missing people, almost 800,000 internally displaced.

In August 2011, the Rajapaksha government allowed the expiry of state emergency laws which had been in place for almost 40 years with small interruptions in between.

Efforts were made to integrate Tamilians in the society but war crimes against Tamilians were never investigated despite outcry by international communities.

The country did not see any bloody violence since the end of civil war even though analyses said many top cadres of LTTE are still alive in self-imposed exiles who might try to regroup and return.

But the country did witness political upheavals recently. Current President Maithripala Sirisena suspended the parliament in 2018 replacing Prime Minister Ranil Wickramasinghe with former President Mahinda Rajapaksa whose increasing hard-line attitude after the war, waned his fame. A ruling by the Constitutional Court re-instated Wickramasinghe as the prime minister.

The island has also been witnessing sweeping anti-Muslim bigotry mainly fed by majority Buddhist nationalists but the country never had a history of Mulsim militants.

On April 21, rupturing 10 years of relative peace on April 21, seven suicide bombers from a militant Islamist organization killed 359 people bringing forth emergency laws and fear psychosis among a population which was still trying to heal from a bloody past.

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Courtesy The Straits Times

Country with already precarious external position may be forced to seek more IMF aid

HONG KONG • Sri Lanka faces a likely collapse of tourism following the Easter Sunday bomb attacks on churches and hotels, which would deal a severe blow to the island’s economy and financial markets, and potentially force it to seek further IMF assistance.

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) extended last month a US$1.5 billion (S$2.04 billion) loan for an extra year into 2020, a key step in keeping foreign investors involved in a top-performing frontier debt market this year.

But with growth, and therefore state revenues, now likely to slow significantly, the budget targets agreed with the IMF may have to be reviewed, and the government is expected to resist pressure for any spending cuts before elections expected later this year.

There is even a possibility that more IMF money may be needed if foreign investment falls, adding to the hard currency gap left by plunging tourism receipts.

IMF’s Sri Lanka mission chief Manuela Goretti said on Tuesday that initial financial market pressures on Sri Lanka appeared contained after the horrific attacks.

“Decisive policy and security measures by the authorities will be important, in particular for tourism, which accounts for 5 per cent of GDP, to build on the strong performance of recent years,” she said.

The Sri Lankan stock index dived 2.6 per cent on Tuesday in its first day of trading after the attacks that left more than 300 people dead, while the heavily managed rupee held steady. Tourism is Sri Lanka’s third-largest and fastest-growing source of foreign currency, after remittances and garment exports, accounting for almost US$4.4 billion of gross domestic product last year.

A fall in tourism receipts is bound to weaken the rupee over time.

The central bank, whose coffers are too light to defend the currency through interventions, is likely to have to raise interest rates.

This would choke lending, hurting consumers and the investment plans of local businesses, while also making it more costly for the government to seek funding from foreign investors via bond markets.

Sri Lanka’s external position was already precarious. To help fund a record US$5.9 billion in foreign loans this year, the country successfully sold US$2.4 billion in five-year and 10-year US dollar bonds last month, but that was right after the IMF extension and amid bets of looser monetary policy.

In January, Sri Lanka used its reserves to repay debt worth US$1 billion. It had about US$5 billion left in February, the least since April 2017, and only enough to cover two months of imports and about two-thirds of its short-term external debt. Colombo also needs to finance a current account deficit of about 3 per cent of GDP.

Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe is already facing heavy criticism domestically for higher taxes, and tight monetary and fiscal policies that have crimped growth to a 17-year low.

He has set an ambitious fiscal deficit goal of 4.4 per cent of GDP, compared with 5.3 per cent last year. But he also boosted spending on state employees, pensioners and the armed forces, and promised more funds for rural infrastructure, leading economists to doubt the targets.

A presidential vote is expected later this year, followed by a general election next year.

COLOMBO (Reuters) – Sri Lankan housewife Fathima Fazla thought of her neighbors in the grand three-storey home across the street as the wealthy celebrities of her humble Colombo suburb. She had no idea how infamous they would become.Security personnel stand guard near St Anthony’s Shrine in Colombo, three days after a string of suicide bomb attacks on churches and luxury hotels across the island on Easter Sunday, in Sri Lanka April 24, 2019. REUTERS/Dinuka Liyanawatte

Two brothers who lived at the white house on Mahawela Gardens have emerged as key players in suicide attacks on Easter Sunday that killed more than 350 people and stunned an island state that had enjoyed a decade of relative peace.

The Islamic State militant group claimed responsibility for the coordinated attacks on three churches and four hotels.

Inshaf Ibrahim, a 33-year-old copper factory owner, detonated his explosive device at the busy breakfast buffet of the luxury Shangri-La hotel, a source close to the family said.

When police went later that day to raid the family home, his younger brother Ilham Ibrahim detonated a bomb that killed him, his wife and the couple’s three children, the source told Reuters, requesting anonymity for fear of reprisals.

They seemed like good people,” Fazla told Reuters from her rundown home opposite the Ibrahim family residence, now cordoned off with crime-scene tape and marshaled by police.

The brothers’ names were also reported in local media. Sri Lankan authorities have not released the identities of any of the bombers, and police did not respond to request for comment.

The brother’s father, Mohamed Ibrahim, was arrested as police investigate those behind the attacks, police said. Ibrahim, a wealthy spice trader and pillar of the business community, had six sons and three daughters. He was admired by many who knew him.

He was famous in the area for helping the poor with food and money. It’s unthinkable his children could have done that,” Fazla said, glancing affectionately at her two young daughters. Because of what they have done, all Muslims are treated as suspects.”

Ilham Ibrahim, 31, openly expressed extremist ideologies and had been involved in meetings of National Thowheed Jamath, a local Islamist group suspected of involvement in planning the attacks, according to the source close to the family.

His entrepreneur brother, Inshaf, was outwardly more moderate in his views, and was known to be generous with donations to his staff and struggling local households, the source said. Inshaf was married to a daughter of a wealthy jewelry manufacturer and he faced no problems with money.

I was shocked. We never thought they were these kind of people,” said Sanjeewa Jayasinghe, a 38-year-old network cabling engineer who works next door to the Ibrahim family home.

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-sri-lanka-blasts-bombers/blood-brothers-the-wealthy-family-behind-sri-lankas-suicide-attacks-idUSKCN1S0202?feedType=RSS&feedName=worldNews&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+Reuters%2FworldNews+%28Reuters+World+News%29&&rpc=401

By South Asia correspondent Siobhan Heanue, Middle East correspondent Eric Tlozek and wires Courtesy ABC News

PHOTO: A policeman stands outside the family home raided by police after the Sri Lanka terror bombings on Easter Sunday.(ABC News)

The pregnant wife of a Sri Lanka bomber detonated a suicide vest when police raided the affluent family’s home in the wake of the terror attacks, killing her own children.

Key points:

• Death toll from Sri Lanka suicide bombings stands at 359 killed, 500 injured
• Two brothers at the centre of the plot were the sons of a wealthy spice merchant
• Many hotel staff are not turning up to work, scared that their workplaces will be targeted

Another of the suicide bombers behind the deadly string of attacks that killed 359 people and injured 500 on Easter Sunday studied in Australia before returning to settle in Sri Lanka.

Abdul Lathief Jameel Mohamed studied in the UK before doing postgraduate study in Melbourne.

Sri Lanka’s deputy defence minister Ruwan Wijewardene told a press conference most of the suicide bombers were well educated and from affluent families.

Some had law degrees, and all were Sri Lankan, he added.

PHOTO: A bomb squad vehicle on the street in Sri Lanka following the Easter Sunday terror bombings that claimed more than 300 lives. (ABC News)

‘Blood brothers’

Two brothers at the centre of the plot were the sons of a wealthy spice merchant, and their sprawling white house is one of the most ostentatious in the suburb where they lived.

PHOTO: When police raided the home of a family believed to be involved in the Sri Lanka terror attacks, a bomb was detonated, killing those inside and shattering windows. (ABC News)

One of them, Inshaf Ibrahim, a copper factory owner in his 30s, is believed to have been the mastermind of the bomb plot.

He detonated his explosive device at the busy breakfast buffet of the luxury Shangri-La hotel, a source close to the family said.

The family’s Colombo home was raided by police shortly afterwards.

Mr Wijewardene said that as police arrived, the pregnant wife of one of the brothers detonated a suicide jacket, killing herself and her two children as well as three police officers.

PHOTO: Police outside the Ibrahim house, where a pregnant woman detonated a suicide vest, killing herself, her two children, and three police officers. (ABC News: Eric Tlozek)

Ilham Ibrahim openly expressed extremist ideologies and had been involved in meetings of National Thowheed Jamath, a local Islamist group suspected of involvement in planning the attacks, according to the source close to the family.

Who are the National Tawheed Jamaath?

Questions are being raised regarding an alleged warning by the Sri Lankan Foreign Intelligence services prior to the attack, and whether enough was done to prevent it.

His entrepreneur brother, Inshaf, was outwardly more moderate in his views, and was known to be generous with donations to his staff and struggling local households, the source said.

He was married to the daughter of a wealthy jewellery manufacturer.

The brothers’ father, Mohamed Ibrahim, was arrested as police investigate those behind the attacks, police said.

Mr Ibrahim, a wealthy spice trader and pillar of the business community, had six sons and three daughters. He was admired by many who knew him.

“He was famous in the area for helping the poor with food and money. It’s unthinkable his children could have done that,” neighbour Fathima Fazla said.

“Because of what they have done, all Muslims are treated as suspects.”

PHOTO: The garage door was badly damaged after a bomb detonation at the Ibrahim house in Dematagoda, Colombo, Sri Lanka. (ABC News)

Muslim community instilled with fear

Sri Lanka’s Muslim community is on edge, with Pakistani Muslim refugees near Negombo — where a church was blown up — boarding buses to escape the threat of retaliation.

Muslims living nearby the family of the two sibling suicide bombers expressed their sorrow that their neighbours were involved in the terror plot.

PHOTO: A Christian shrine opposite the Dematagoda mosque in Colombo, Sri Lanka. (ABC News: Eric Tlozek)

“Not only for Muslims, the whole community, the whole of Sri Lanka, everybody is our brothers and sisters, everybody who has passed away are our brothers and sisters,” said a woman who identified herself by her first name Taybeh, a Muslim neighbour of the Ibrahim brothers.

“Everybody was worried; we didn’t have proper sleep for three days.

“I have a small brother, he was very afraid, all the kids in the lane, they were very afraid, my small brother — he is not even going to the bathroom by himself.

PHOTO: A banner condemning extremism outside a mosque in Sri Lanka following the terror suicide bombings that claimed hundreds of lives. (ABC News: Brant Cumming)

“Everyone is thinking, what will happen the next moment?” she said.

“Even when I sleep I don’t know whether I’ll get up the next morning.”

Intelligence failure heightens political tensions

The failure to act on detailed intelligence pointing to the planned attacks has led to feuds at the highest levels of government, with Sri Lankan President Maithrapala Sirisena asking for the country’s defence secretary and police chiefto step down.

PHOTO: A special task force officer speaks with an official outside the Ibrahim home, where the Sri Lanka terror bombings were allegedly masterminded. (ABC News: Eric Tlozek)

Mr Wijewardene, the deputy defence minister, said authorities had been investigating Islamic State group infiltration in Sri Lanka for years, keeping a close eye on returned foreign fighters and their families.

“I didn’t know it was going to be scaled up to this,” he said.

Arrests, interrogations and controlled detonations are still continuing around Sri Lanka, with authorities saying they also plan to beef up security around airports and for airlines.

‘She was already dead’

Australian man Sudesh Kolonne describes the harrowing moment his wife and 10-year-old daughter were killed in the Sri Lanka terrorism attacks. 

Australian, UK, US and UAE agencies are helping with investigations.

“Within a couple of days, we will have total control,” Mr Wijewardene said.

The attacks have already had a devastating effect on Sri Lanka’s economy, with mass cancellations of bookings at hotels.

The Colombo Shangri-La hotel, which was bombed, has shut until further notice.

Many hotel staff are not turning up to work, scared that their workplaces will be targeted.

The increased security presence around major centres and night time curfews are continuing.

But there is concern whether the funding, as well as the manpower and training to sustain this degree of security, will be available.

But for now, sweeping emergency powers for the military is the new normal.

Courtesy The Economic Times

If the Islamic State is active in south Asia, India would definitely be a prime candidate for terror strikes. Indian intelligence agencies have to be on high alert and policing, rigorous. Most importantly, the citizenry must be vigilant, ready to notice suspicious activity, investigate it discreetly and report what does not pass the test of innocence to the authorities. At a broader and generalised level, religious and quasi-religious activity across all faiths must be monitored for signs of radicalisation and voices raised from within communities against radicalism that could lead to violence. Political parties must appreciate their special responsibility in curbing the radical impulse, even when the temptation is strong to feed it for short-term political gain.

The Islamic State has claimed responsibility for the bomb blasts in Sri Lanka on Easter that killed more than 350 people. While it is unclear if this is mere glory-seeking by the outfit after it has been stripped of territory or a substantive claim, prudence calls for taking the claim seriously, and being on guard. India is said to have supplied intelligence to Sri Lanka about the bombing being planned by an outfit called the National Thowheeth Jama-’ath. Sri Lankan officials have brought into the discussion a splinter group as well. Whatever the precise name of the organisation that planned and executed this horrific massacre, what is striking is the fanaticism of the suicide bombers, who blew themselves up without any personal grievance or direct animosity towards their victims, except for their adherence to a faith other than their own. Such religion-based animosity towards fellow human beings is not the monopoly of the Islamic State, nor new to India — Mohandas Gandhi fell victim to precisely such religion-based hatred.

Community elders, religious heads and political leaders of all hues must wake up to the dangers of breeding religion-based hatred. It can blow up not just some people and buildings but the foundations of our nation itself. Politics must build and protect, not just jostle for power.

Courtesy Mail OnLine

• Wealthy brothers Inshaf and Ilham Ibrahim bombed the luxury Shangri-La and Cinnamon Grand hotels in Sri Lanka’s Easter Sunday terror attack
• Suicide bomber brothers were the sons of a millionaire spice trader and were privately educated in Colombo
• Their attacks claimed the lives of at least 41 foreigners, including eight British holidaymakers – three of whom were children
• As police raided their £1m mansion in an exclusive neighbourhood of Colombo, Ilham’s pregnant wife Fatima blew herself up, killing her three children and three officers
• Inshaf, a successful businessman, owned a copper factory thought to be where the suicide bombs were made 
• At least 321 people were murdered in the massacre, 45 of them children, while more than 500 were injured
• Chilling footage shows Ilham and an accomplice bomber attack the Shangri-La while guests had breakfast 
• Second clip earlier showed different bomber patting a girl on the head before launching attack on a church 
• ISIS has claimed responsibility and released footage of the fighters swearing allegiance to the jihadist group

These are the first pictures of the suicide bomber brothers who butchered eight Britons when they blew themselves up in Sri Lanka on Easter Sunday.

Wealthy brothers Inshaf and Ilham Ibrahim calmly walked into the luxury Shangri-La and Cinnamon Grand hotels and detonated their vests as guests were eating breakfast.

Their attacks claimed the lives of at least 41 foreigners, including eight British holidaymakers – three of whom were children.

Hours later, as police raided their mansion in an exclusive neighbourhood of Colombo, Ilham’s pregnant wife Fatima blew herself up, killing her three children and three officers.   

Suicide bomber brothers Inshaf Ibrahim (left) and Ilham Ibrahim (right) calmly walked into the luxury Shangri-La and Cinnamon Grand hotels on Easter Sunday morning and detonated their vests, killing guests having their breakfast

Inshaf (pictured far right at a business awards), 38, lived with his wife and their four children – an eight-year-old daughter and three boys aged six, four and two – in a £1.5million six-bed mansion on one of the most exclusive streets in Colombo

The wealthy brothers – sons of a millionaire spice trader – are two of nine jihadis who carried out the devastating bomb attacks in Sri Lanka. They are believed to be pictured here alongside National Thawheed Jamaath leader Moulvi Zahran Hashim

Ilham, whose wife Fatima blew herself up when police raided their mansion in an exclusive part of Colombo, is pictured alongside an accomplice bomber entering the second-floor restaurant at the Shangri-La hotel before the deadly attack

It comes as CCTV footage has revealed the moment one of the bomber brothers, Inshaf,  nervously shuffling back and forth before deciding to blow himself up at the Cinnamon Grand hotel.

The footage from a camera in the hotel’s packed Taprobane restaurant shows the bomber hovering just inches away from diners. 

Wearing a light shirt, dark baseball cap and a large backpack, the attacker hesitates – shuffling from foot to foot before detonating his suicide vest at 9.12am. 

Inshaf had reportedly checked into the hotel the previous night using a fake name and claiming to be on a business trip.

Earlier, footage revealed that his brother Ilham and an accomplice bomber took a lift to the restaurant of the five-star Shangri-La hotel before blowing themselves up. 

Wearing backpacks, the two men appear to discuss their plans in the elevator on the second floor in the final moments before the Easter Sunday massacre. 

The bombers then enter the Table One eatery almost unnoticed while hotel guests are having breakfast before he detonates his deadly weapon. 

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-6955605/First-pictures-Sri-Lankas-middle-class-suicide-bomber-brothers-murdered-innocents.html

Courtesy The Daily Mirror

One of the nine bombers that detonated explosives on Easter Sunday was a woman, State Minister of Defence Ruwan Wijewardene has said on Wednesday.

Straits Times said the state minister’s comment came after police confirmed that nine suicide bombers were involved in the blasts and eight have been identified.

It has been revealed that one of the suicide bombers had studied in Britain and Australia, it said.

ANANTH PALAKIDNAR & METHMALIE DISSANAYAKE Courtesy Ceylon Today

Tamil National Alliance (TNA) Parliamentarian, President’s Counsel M.A. Sumanthiran said today (24) that Eastern Province Governor M.L.A.M. Hizbullah’s alleged connections to the National Thowheed Jamaath (NTJ) must be investigated along with all connections this group has had with various other politicians and previous defence officials.

Sumanthiran was addressing the Parliament on the Easter Sunday carnage.

He said: The Muslim people, to their credit, have repeatedly complained about these miscreants. Years ago, Muslim groups raised the issue of radicalisation with Government Intelligence officials, and appealed that steps be taken to halt this process. Further, in 2017 itself, they even held a demonstration in Kattankudy and asked that Zahran (suspected Leader of the NTJ) be arrested. I must, in this respect, commend the brave conduct of Minister Kabir Hashim, who has set a great example for all of us. There are many serious questions that are being asked about Hizbullah and his connections to the NTJ. This must be investigated along with all connections this group has had with various other politicians and previous defence officials.”

Meanwhile, TNA Leader R. Sampanthan, speaking in Parliament on the same day, said that there should be an investigation to determine whether there was a foreign link in the recent terror attacks.

He also said that an independent investigation should be carried out to find out why the authorities failed to act to prevent the tragedy when they had all the intelligence information.

Findings of this investigation should be made public because people deserve the truth,” he said.

Another important question is why the terrorists chose Sri Lanka for this attack. Is it that we are divided politically? Is it that we are weak in the economic perspective? We should find out that as well. We should turn this situation around. This Parliament unanimously agreed to pass a new Constitution. We should go forward with that for the sake of our country. We shouldn’t be a divided country. We should be united. For that a new Constitution should be implemented. Then everyone will feel that Sri Lanka is going on a new path. So everyone should commit to achieve that. Otherwise we won’t be able to survive. We should keep to our commitment without any interruption,” he said.

RANMINI GUNASEKARA Courtesy Ceylon Today

The Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) today (24) claimed that the Inspector General of Police, Pujith Jayasundara, had on 18 April, authorized the transfer of 12 officials attached to the State Intelligence Service (SIS), just days prior to the Easter Sunday attacks which took place on 21 April.

Parliamentarian Rohitha Abeygunawardena revealed this at a press conference held at the Party headquarters.

He also produced supporting documents, on these transfers, purportedly signed by the IGP, containing the names, current status and the transferred divisions of the said SIS officers.

Abeygunawardena further claimed that those Intelligence officers, who were transferred, were those who tipped off the authorities regarding the impending attacks that were set to take place on Easter Sunday.

Vehemently criticizing both, the Government and the Opposition equally, over the recent terror attacks carried out by Islamic fundamentalists; United National Party (UNP) Parliamentarian, Field Marshal Sarath Fonseka today (24) said that Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe and State Minister of Defence Ruwan Wijewardena cannot escape the responsibility for the tragedy by simply saying that they were not summoned for the meetings of the National Security Council (NSC).

Participating in the special Parliamentary debate on the prevailing terror situation in the country, Fonseka said, I respect the Prime Minister. Nevertheless, if you were not summoned for the NSC meetings, you could have raised that issue in this House. You had six full months and you never said anything about it. Now you cannot escape saying that you were not summoned or informed about this. As the State Minister of Defence, Wijewardena must be at the NSC meetings. What is the point of a State Minister of Defence if he cannot attend such crucial meetings? If he could not do anything about it, he should have resigned from the post.”

Fonseka added, I was given a chance to meet the Prime Minister 48 hours after the terror attack. I did not earn the title Field Marshal for selling snacks in Galle Face. There is no member in this Government who has more knowledge than I have with regard to national security related matters. If there is any such person, I will give this title to him. This Government never uses our knowledge. I do not need any positions. Just utilize the knowledge of people like me to ensure national security.

“Also, I have nothing personal against the President. However, he only returned to the country from Singapore, at midnight on the day following the tragic incidents. There were flights from Singapore which landed in Sri Lanka at 3:00 p.m. and 9:00 p.m. that day. Yet, he did not choose to take an earlier flight even after such an incident. Is that suitable for a Leader?

All the Governments after 2010 should take responsibility for this terror attack. I think Opposition Leader Mahinda Rajapaksa can remember that I proposed to build a national intelligence agency combining all intelligence units and divisions and to make it the best in South Asia soon after the war. But unfortunately, that did not happen. Instead, the intelligence operatives had been used to stalk political enemies and their children and conduct surveillance. Even the new Government did not do what should have been done. Both these Governments allowed intelligence services to deteriorate,” he added.

Furthermore, he noted that the Easter Sunday’s attack was a long planned one.

It took 12 years for the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) to carry out a suicide attack on the then Defence Minister Ranjan Wijeyaratne. Therefore, these people must have planned the recent attack at least seven to eight years ago. The LTTE’s terrorism was markedly different as it was an organisation fighting to divide the country. Its motives were political, whereas this group is pushing a religious agenda. I regret that the intelligence reports on the recent attack were ignored. It seems that the authorities did not give a fraction of the consideration given to information provided by Operations Director of the Anti Corruption Force, Namal Kumara for them,” he added.

Courtesy Adaderana

The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) said Tuesday it is deeply shocked and saddened” by the terrible violence against families including children in churches and hotels on Easter Sunday across Sri Lanka.

The total now is 45 children who died (in the series of blasts in Sri Lanka),” said UNICEF spokesman Christophe Boulierac at a briefing here.

Many are wounded and are now fighting for their lives in intensive care units across the country,” said Boulierac.

UNICEF condemns this violence in the strongest possible terms. No child should experience such a heart-breaking situation, and no parents should lose their child forever under such horrible circumstances,” he said.

According to him, 27 children died and 10 children were injured as a result of the blast that occurred in St Sebastian’s Church in Katuwapitiya, Negombo.

In Batticaloa, 13 children lost their lives, with the youngest victim just 18 months old and five children aged between 7 years and 16 years are receiving treatment in hospital.

Five children of foreign nationality are confirmed to have died, and 20 children have been admitted to hospital in Colombo, four of them in intensive care as a result of the blasts in Colombo.

Many children have lost one or both parents and countless children have witnessed shocking and senseless violence,” said Boulierac.

Some hospitals where children were admitted need essential medical supplies and UNICEF is procuring and providing needed supplies.

UNICEF said children separated from parents need support to identify relatives and connect with their families.

Psycho-social support and counseling are also identified as a significant need, and UNICEF said this week it would provide psycho-social first aid” to children and their families impacted.

UNICEF expressed its deepest sympathy to the victims, families, and communities impacted by the brutal attacks” on the day of one of the biggest celebrations for Christian believers worldwide, in which 310 people have died so far, and more than 500 others injured.

-Agencies

Courtesy Adaderana

Archbishop of Sri Lanka Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith has urged not to hold services at Catholic churches until further notice.

The Cardinal stated this during a press conference held today (24) following a discussion with the ambassadors of Muslim-majority countries in Sri Lanka.

He has also urged to work with peace considering the situation prevailing in the country.

Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith said that all parties should ensure that the Muslim community is not being harassed at this moment.

Courtesy Adaderana

Pivithuru Hela Urumaya (PHU) has filed a complaint against Minister Harin Fernando and his father over not disclosing information on the Easter Day attacks despite receiving information prior to the attacks.

General Secretary of PHU Upul Wijesekara has lodged this complaint at the Police Headquarters, this morning (24).

He was joined by PHU Propaganda Secretary Attorney at Law Thushara Dissanayake and Public Relations Secretary Upul Konara as well.

By ASOKA BANDARAGE

More than 300 people have died and many more were injured by the barbaric attacks against Christian churches and five-star hotels in Sri Lanka on Easter Sunday. The government has warned that there are more explosives and militants still out there.”

In the immediate aftermath of the coordinated attacks, local, Indian and Western media raised familiar aspersions against Sinhalese Buddhist extremists for the violence. However, the Sri Lankan government has now confirmed that the attacks were carried out by a local Islamic extremist group, National Thowheeth Jama’ath. While that outfit has denied a role, the international Islamic terrorist group ISIS has claimed responsibility for the horrific suicide bombings.

Earlier this month, Indian intelligence passed on information to Sri Lankan authorities of an imminent terrorist attack. Based on that, Sri Lanka’s police chief sent out a nationwide alert on April 11 warning of attacks on the Indian High Commission and churches. But as Sri Lankan Prime Minister Ranil Wickramasinghe admitted after the Sunday attacks, the government failed to take action.

Government and international inaction

Buddhist extremism has been subjected to severe global and local condemnation in recent years. The leader of the Buddhist Bodu Bala Sena, Galboda Ganasara Thero, is now serving a jail sentence. In contrast, despite mounting evidence, little action has been taken against the spread of extremist Wahhabi Islam ideology and violence. The reliance of successive Sri Lankan governments on Muslim votes and Muslim politicians and the economic and political power wielded by Saudi Arabia and other external forces have been major factors in the Sri Lankan government’s failure to curb the spread of radical Islam.

An example is the largest Islamic university in South Asia being built in Batticaloa in the Eastern Province with financial assistance from Saudi Arabia. This project is co-sponsored by the Sri Lanka government and is being built on land taken over by the government under the leadership of a Muslim cabinet minister. Graduating 1,500 students a year who can promote Islamic religious ideology is the objective of this joint project. Many of the militants belonging to groups like the Taliban in Afghanistan too have been educated in Islamic institutions.

Indian intelligence reports confirm that ISIS is using Sri Lanka as an international migration hub. The open-door policy and lax visa regulation in Sri Lanka have permitted the situation. The Eastern Province has become a battleground for extremist gangs and a paradise for Islamic extremism.” One of the churches attacked on Easter Sunday is in Batticaloa. The import of young Muslims from Bangladesh, India and elsewhere to study at the Sharia University in that city could aggravate radicalization and violence.

In a rare act of courage by a Sri Lankan politician, a cabinet minister, Kabir Hashim, revealed after the Easter attacks that he had brought to the president’s attention the existence of the extremist Islamic group quite some time ago. The group allegedly shot Hashim’s secretary in retaliation for his action. Subsequently, in conjunction with their desecration of two Buddha statutes, the police raided a hideout run by the group and arrested two suspects. But according to Hashim, they were released because of the intervention of a powerful politician.” Hashim also claimed that one of the suspects had carried out an attack on the fateful Easter Sunday.

Protecting innocent people is the primary responsibility of the government. Security measures have to be tightened and the spread of radical Islam halted. A functional and effective government that can protect its people has to be elected and dangerous projects like the Sharia University stopped. Peace-loving moderate Muslims in Sri Lanka need to be supported in eschewing extremism and in protecting their historically tolerant and gentle forms of Islam.

In November 2014, in a letter addressed to the United Nations chief, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (UNHCHR), the Sri Lankan president and many others, an organization called Peace Loving Moderate Muslims in Sri Lanka (PLMMSL) called on the government to ban without delay” the Thowheeth Jama’ath because it was fast becoming a cancer within Sri Lanka’s Muslim community … preaching and practicing religious intolerance, exerting pressure on other Islamic movements … making the implementation of sharia law above the civil laws of Sri Lanka, forcing females to wear the burka and the construction of many mosques and madrassas in many parts of the country.…”

The PLMMSL letter warned:

It is tragic that the majority of the Muslims who are essentially peace-loving are to pay for the actions of this minority. We fear that these activities of the Thowheeth Jama’ath, if left unchecked by the authorities, would create a situation in which the majority of the Muslims in Sri Lanka, already under threat and harassment from the extremist minority, may have to face the wrath of other religions.”

The concerns and demands of PLMMSL were not heeded. Western countries, the United Nations and the UNHCHR, international non-government organizations, and the international media were all preoccupied with accusations of human-rights violations against Sri Lanka in its armed conflict with the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) that ended in 2009, constitutional reform and devolution. Regional and global powers have also been preoccupied with acquiring ports and resources and developing their businesses on the island rather than paying adequate attention to the realities and threats facing the local people.  As such, both the Sri Lankan government and the international community” stand implicated in the Easter Sunday tragedy.

A global threat

The world is exploding with violence that is seemingly religiously based: Baghdad, Amman, Paris, Pittsburgh, Jakarta, Mumbai, Manila, Christchurch, Colombo, Negombo, Batticaloa, and the list goes on. The international community has to take much more principled stances against all forms of ethno-religious extremism and violence without succumbing to political and economic pressures and fears of political incorrectness.” In March, Facebook blocked white nationalist and extremist groups from its platform after the attacks against mosques in New Zealand. It needs also to block the sites of extremist Islamic and other groups. The Facebook page of National Thowheeth Jama’ath is still active.

In order to avoid further religiously based violence, it is necessary to address how an intolerant and aggressive form of Islam is aggravating tensions between religious communities in Sri Lanka and around the world. It is also necessary to understand contemporary political and economic circumstances that provide fertile ground for mobilizing resentment along ethno-religious and other cultural differences.

The success of fundamentalist movements including radical Islam and evangelical Christianity lies not so much in the strength of traditional loyalties as in desperate contemporary social conditions. The simple message of a charismatic leader, the discipline of an authoritarian political movement directed against a cultural other” become attractive to youth whose lives have been thrown into disarray by political and economic forces beyond their control.

What is being called Islamic jihad today is not just the traditional ideology of a triumphant Muslim empire. It is a modern ideology fashioned in reaction to globalization and Western imperialism. The leaders of religious extremism may be fanatical men seeking their own glory and the young zealots awaiting martyrdom may be thoroughly brainwashed. Yet some of the underlying grievances go beyond mere civilizational”differences between the West and Islam.

In the case of militant Islam, the major grievances include Western – specifically US – control of oil, militarization of the Middle East and support for Israel. Indeed, while much of contemporary ethno-religious violence may seem to come from the impoverished global South, the roots of many problems, including the emergence of groups like the Taliban and ISIS, lies in policies of the US and the industrialized North.

The Sri Lankan tragedy is not an isolated one. It is a global human tragedy. To achieve global peace and security, it is necessary to go beyond stereotyping Buddhists, Muslims, Christians, Jews or other groups as simply extremists, terrorists or victims. It is necessary to see the interconnections between the extremist forces of both religious fundamentalism and economic globalization: Jihad vs McWorld.” Ultimately, peace and security come from moving toward a more balanced middle path of human development, in Sri Lanka and the world.

Dr. Sudath Gunasekara

All those who were in charge of the security of the country at the top in between 11^th April up to yesterday should take full responsibility, for this carnage. Therefore they should unconditionally apologies to the nation and resign immediately from their positions without putting the nation in to greater difficulties.

Dr. Sudath Gunasekara 24.4.2019.

Dear all please read the following two news items carefully and tell the country what you feel about it.

Sources confirmed that a letter signed by Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Priyalal Dasanayake dated April 11 which was widely circulated through social media pertaining to an impending attack, was authentic.

The Secretary of Defense and the Establishment did not deny knowledge of the warnings of an attack.

The letter specifies the suspected perpetrators too.

Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe also confirmed that information was there”. (news item)

The above news item confirms the following things

1 The letter was signed by the DIG on 11^th April. This means the warning letter must have reached the IGP’s office on or before the 11^th. Therefore the IGP himself must have seen this and probably he may have instructed the DIG to issue the said letter to the parties concerned. Neither the IGP nor the DIG has taken any follow up action until the yesterday’s carnage took its toll.

2 The Secretary of Defense and his office also knew about the pending attack.

3 They also knew the details perpetrators too

4 Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe also knew about it.

5 There was enough time to arrest the leader and prevent this disaster

6 No steps have been taken by all these people until the carnage took place killing 2 over 200s and nearly killing another 400 innocent men, women and children and causing billions of loss to the nation

7 They all were sleeping as none of them was concerned about the lives of people or the country at large.

In this backdrop I pose the following questions to the IGP.DIG. Secretary of Defense and the Prime Minister

Why didn’t the IGP request the Secretary to immediately inform the Head of the State about this impending serious disaster and advised him to summon the Security Council immediately to take necessary steps to prevent this disaster?.

Why didn’t the Secretary Defense inform the President as his Minister and ask him to summon a meeting of the National Security Council and take necessary steps to arrest Thowfeed Jamath leader Mohammed Zahran immediately and take all precautions to prevent this colossal disaster.

Why didn’t the Prime Minister inform the President, if he also knew about it, and ask to summon a meeting of the National Security Council and take necessary steps to arrest Thowfeed Jamath leader Mohammed Zahran and prevent the impending disaster.

The 21^st incident clearly shows that all these people are together responsible for the carnage and all the damages caused to the nation and none of them is fit to hold their positions any longer as none could be exonerated from this crime. Nor can they plead not guilty either

If the President was kept in the dark why doesn’t the President sack the Secretary Defense, the IGP and the PM and all others responsible for this incident for gross negligence and failing their duties by the people and the country. In the alternative he can get sacked himself by resigning for failing in his prime duty of providing security to the people of the country he is supposed to govern as the Head of the State.

The best thing for others is therefore to resign from their positions before the President is compelled to sack them.

News item two

2 Minister Harin Fernando today tweeted the image of an internal memo and report by the police intelligence of a terror attack to be carried out by an organization called National Thawheed Jamath.

Some intelligence officers were aware of this incidence. Therefore there was a delay in action. What my father heard was also from an intelligence officer. Serious action need to be taken as to why this warning was ignored. I was in Badulla last night,” the minister tweeted..

The letter signed by the DIG and dated on April 11 was addressed to a number of key officials in the security services including the Directors of the Ministerial Security Division (MSD), Former Presidents’ Security Division and the Ambassadors Security Division.

The letter titled Information of an alleged plan attack” said the state intelligence services had received information from a foreign intelligence service to the effect that National Thowheed Jamath Leader Mohammed Zahran was about to launch a suicide bomb attack in Sri Lanka targeting famous catholic churches and the Indian High Commission.

In the letter, the DIG requested the concerned authorities to pay attention to the information and to beef up the security provided to VIP personnel and to the locations.”

If he knew all this including the name of the terrorist organization including the leaders name as well and has tweeted after the event why didn’t he at least tell his Prime Minister and requests him to take necessary steps to prevent this disaster, if he did not want to speak to the President. He too could have prevented this disaster had he divulged the name of the intelligence officer who told his father about it to the authorities.

What a selfish man he is. No wonder the country is gone to such pathetic situation when it is run by useless politicians like this.

All these events show that all these fellows are utterly unconcerned about the lives of people and the country as they are only concerned about their power, positions, perks and their own wellbeing.

This entire pack of unpatriotic self-seeking traitors should be sent home  ASAP before they put the country to an irreversible state.

The whole nation’s curse will be upon them.

Ps

Meanwhile I noticed last evening that Minister Rishard Bdurdheen and Hakeem walked away from a “UNP Cabinet meeting” held at Temple trees presided over by another noted traitor Minister Rajitha Senaratna.

Rishard Badurdeen and Hakeem walked away from the meeting when questioned by the press as to the involvement of Badurdeen’s sister at whose place the Dematagoda incident took place.

Now that a person living in that house has been arrested at Dambulla.  I suspect Badurdeen the never changing Minister of Trade and Commerce in Sri Lanka and Hakeem are also involved in this carnage. Otherwise why did they evade answering the press and left in ahurry?

Also Rajitha Senaratna said that they knew about it 19 days before.

The big question that arises is, if so, why didn’t they take immediate action by informing the Head of the State, unless he had the ulterior motive of putting the blame on President Sirisena. This proposition is confirmed when you look at Senaratna accusing the President for not inviting the PM for Security Council meetings since Oct 26 last year. 

In this backdrop I suspect he also, like Minister Haren Fernando, is trying to put the blame on the President and wash off his hands.

Revelations made by Mawanella MP and Minister Kabir Hasim and Wijedasa Rajapaksa on Asad Sali also have to be taken very seriously. They also should be sacked immediately and handed over to the CID for further action

As such there appears to be much greater ramifications in this canard where even some Cabinet Ministers are directly and indirectly responsible for the 22^nd disaster. It appears to be a much wider conspiracy to destabilize the country even with wider international connections.

Therefore I would like to suggest that the President should sack all these Ministers as well and instruct the CID to arrest and question them for sabotage and hatching a conspiracy against the State in the interest of the Security of the nation.

If he is unable to take this course of action, then he should find a way to dissolve the present government which has brought the security of the country to a standstill and allow the people to elect a new patriotic and competent government to replace it in the interest of the Nation and the country.

That Mr. President is the only thing  the whole country expects from you at this moment as they know very well they cannot expect anything more from you on earth, going by the way you have governed or rather miss-governed this country for the past four and half years.

Courtesy Adaderana

Parliamentarian Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe has sent a letter to President Maithripala Sirisena calling for immediate arrests of Defence Secretary Hemasiri Fernando and Inspector General of Police Pujith Jayasundara.

MP Rajapakshe says that, on 18th November 2016, he had revealed information on these attacks and the extremist Islamic terrorist organizations in connection with it. However, several ministers and parliamentarians had slandered him, considering him a ‘tribal’.

In his letter, the parliamentarian says the IGP and the Defence Secretary have concealed the intelligence information received on this brutal attack from the Head of the state and the Prime Minister.

He has hence urged the President to immediately arrest Defence Secretary Hemasiri Fernando and IGP Pujith Jayasundara under Section 21 of the Code of Criminal Procedure for committing an offence punishable under Article 296 and Article 297 of the Penal Code.

by A. Abdul Aziz.

In a letter to His Eminence Dr. Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith, Archbishop of Colombo, the National President of the Sri Lanka Ahmadiyya Muslim Community A,H. Nasir Ahmad states:

On behalf of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community Sri Lanka, I express my deepest sympathies and condolences to all those affected by the multiple attacks on churches and hotels in the country on Sunday – 21st April 2019.

Such heinous and utterly inhumane attacks must be condemned in the strongest possible terms. It is a grave tragedy that scores dead and hundredsinjuredwhilst joining together for worship. All people, no matter their faith or belief, have the right to worship peacefully.

Our heartfelt prayers are with the victims of these attacks and all those who have been affected. May the perpetrators of this evil act be promptly brought to justice”.

Prof. Hudson McLean

Both the Prime Minister and the Minister of Defence – FAILED!

The Tragedy, the Unbelievable Loss of Human Life, due to Failure in Communications, now must be given to the Public, the citizens to Judge.

The Sri Lanka Easter Massacre is described as a second 9/11!

The President must immediately Dissolve Parliament to allow the Public to elect a New Government.

Immediately after the destruction of the LTTE by ex-President  H.E. Mahinda Rajapaksa and the Minister of Defence Gothabaya Rajapaksa, Sri Lanka started a period of Peace, alas sans Prosperity.

The culprit was the fool of a General Sarath Fonseka, who tried to bite more tan he could chew.

The current Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe aptly demonstrated beyond any doubt, that he is No Leader, but a Serial Political Failure, as his late father Esmond Wickremesinghe, predicted one night over a Scotch.  Ranil has failed as a Leader. Throw him out!

Sri Lanka now needs a strong Prime Minister to lead the Island.

The country needs resurrection.  

The main revenue generation Tourism has collapsed.  

There will be no revival of tourism with security as a big question.

In order to get the Tourism moving, the Island needs to convince the Tourists, the Human Safety.

Without turning pages, there are two persons who can bring about the safety of Sri Lanka.

Mahinda Rajapaksa as the Prime Minister.

Gothabhaya Rajapaksa as the President with the Defence Portfolio.

It is the Duty of the Readers of Lanka Web to Express their Opinion, hopefully supporting the two above mentioned candidates.

Express Your Opinion – Read What Others Say!
The Independent Interactive Voice of Sri Lanka on the Internet.

Please visit -: http://www.lankaweb.com/

Courtesy NewsIn.Asia

Colombo, April 24 (newsin.asia) – Sri Lanka’s President Maithripala Sirisena has asked the country’s police chief, Pujith Jayasundara and Defense Secretary Hemasiri Fernando to resign following severe security lapses over Sunday’s explosions which killed 359 people, sources said.

BY EDWARD THEOPHILUS

National security is the priority in any country and Sri Lanka has been facing for this issue clearly since 1983 and even before it was, but after 1983 security forces identified the significance of national security than any other activity of the country.  Before Mr. Mahinda Rajapaksa elected as president of the country, the national security was negotiated with foreigners without knowing importance of national security and no country negotiate with overseas people on national security.  Many people supported to such negotiation due to ignorance and members of the current government supported to such an attempt to neglecting of national security for greedy and selfish motives of money offered by foreign organizations.

After the election of Mr. Mahinda Rajapaksa as the president of the country in 2005, the scenario has been entirely changed and he determined to eliminate terrorism in the country and governed the country with a successful plan to overcome security threats. The result of Mr. Mahinda Rajapaksa’s strict and authoritative administration was successfully controlled LTTE terrorism and so-called yahapalana advocates, NGOs and failed Marxist political parties united against the Rajapaksa regime in 2015 as they were provided with foreign assistance to defeat the administration of Mr. Mahinda Rajapaksa and to establish an environment where it is a fertile ground to grow terrorism in the country. After the yahapala victory in 2015, good intelligence officers and successful leaders of armed forces were prosecuted and put to jail based on fabrication of yahapalana advocates. These examples clearly indicate that neither Mr. Maithripala Sirisena nor yahapalana advocates had good understanding of the national security and politics involved in it.

The environment created under the yahapalana administration was a free ground for growing other potential terrorist groups and many abeyance personnel who secretly associated with international or domestic terrorist movements gained opportunities to enter administrative positions, diplomatic and armed forces in Sri Lanka. Recently experienced that certain foreign diplomats appointed by the government of Sri Lanka were making decisions without listening to the government of Sri Lanka.  These yahapalana advocates attempted to make decisions disregarding the national security of the country. There were several racist conflicts after 2009 and in such conflicts, several members of the current government attempted to blame Sinhala Buddhists without properly investigating the problems and attempted to gain political advantages.   

The nature of all countries in the world is that national security is a not negotiable task and it is free from the politics and nobody can gain political advantages out of national security.  People have seen that after the terrorist crimes in the Easter Sunday in Catholic Churches, Hotels and other places, Mr Mangala Samaraweera attempted to push the responsibility of terrorism to the Rajapaksa family and when the culprit was disclosed to the world, Mr Samaraweera is hiding and looking for safe places to stay. Another minister of the government issued public statements that his father knew about the terrorist activities and he did not attend the church service in the Easter Sunday.  These two misters must resign and beg the pardon of people.  They could have avoided the killing of local and overseas people.

 The most of people suffered from the terrorist attack was poor people, who have no opportunity to go overseas or to have breakfast from the Shangri-La hotel.  One foreign national stated that his family contributed a large sum of money to build a hospital in Rathnapura and his family arrived to see the good work.  Unfortunately, his wife was killed by the bomb blast and a child was injured.

Now, ninety per cent of people in Sri Lanka clearly believe that the current government has no ability to govern the country, where needs an authoritative leader who can give priority for national security and make decisions to secure people.

As a responsible person, the president of Sri Lanka needs resigning from his position and allow to elect suitable person who respect national security and protect people.   

Dr. Daya Hewapathirane

Sufism or the Sufi Muslim Ideology

Traditionally, Sufism or the Sufi Muslim ideology had been the predominant Islamic spiritual tradition observed throughout Southern Asia, including Sri Lanka. Sufism is   considered to be the mystical, ascetic branch of Islam which emphasizes personal experience with Allah. Sufis can be members of either the Sunni or Shia divisions of Islam who share most of the basic principles of Islam. These two divisions stemmed from ancient political strife among Muslims.  Of the total global Muslim population,  87-90% are Sunni Muslims and 10-13% are Shia Muslims. Most Shias live in just four countries – Iran, Pakistan, India and Iraq.

Threats to the Dominance of Sufism

Sri Lanka has a long history of Sufism dating back several centuries, although some modern elements have been imported in recent years. During the past five decades the dominance of Sufism has been undermined by the increased presence of other Islam sects. Among them is Tabligh Jamaat, which has been active since the 1950s and has developed a mass following in the last two decades. Initially it avoided explicit political activity and concentrated on encouraging Muslims to engage more actively in religious rituals. It particularly focused on encouraging performance of daily prayers and religious rituals, and also promoted rigid dress codes for its members. It promoted and encouraged a more conservative view of Islam.  

                                                                                                                         Tabligh Jamaat was initially a religious movement founded in India in 1926 as a response to the deteriorating values and negligence of fundamental aspects of Islam which was becoming a threat to Muslims. Subsequently it became a transnational movement with followers in many countries. This ultraorthodox Islamic sect preaches that Muslims should replicate the life of Muhammad and tells them it is their duty to travel across the country converting non-believers to the Islamic faith. It has become common practice for Tabligh members to make regular journeys around the country to propagate the virtues of Islam. Young members are particularly encouraged to do so. This is said to be giving the younger generation of Muslims a chance to mix with other ethnic groups. Although Tabligh was of appeal to different classes of Muslims, its rather simplistic approach to religious belief and antipathy towards political and social action made it less popular among the educated, middle-class Muslims.

Jamaat-i-Islamiya (JI)   

Jamaat-i-Islamiya (JI) became active in Sri Lanka since the 1950s, and gained many adherents during the past fifteen to twenty years. The JI was founded in Pakistan in 1941, starting as an Islamic political party with the objective of establishing an Islamic state, governed by Sharia law. The JI opposes Ideologies such as capitalism, socialism and secularism, and practices such as bank interest and liberalist social mores. In its operations in Sri Lanka, the more intellectual approach of Jamaat-i-Islamiya (JI) generated greater appeal among the more educated middle class Muslims. It largely concentrated on religious orthodoxy and did not openly advocate radical political ideas.

Emerging Trends of Ultraorthodox Islam

According to reports, in Sri Lanka, since the late 1980s there has been a strong growth in ultra-orthodox interpretations of Islam that have provoked conflicts with Muslims who traditionally profess Sufism. There are several emerging trends, with issues of identity and Muslim separatism also coinciding with the influx of some religious ideas from the Middle East, particularly Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and elsewhere. These new trends appear to presage more difficult developments in the future.

Arrival and Expansion of Wahhabism 

Wahhabism as opposed to Sufism, is an ultra conservative branch of Sunni Islam which is dominant in Saudi Arabia. It is a movement that started in the 18^th century, in Saudi Arabia, among fundamentalist Islam believers who were promoting a return to the earliest fundamental Islamic teachings of the Quran and Hadith or religious law and moral guidance enunciated by Prophet Mohamed. 

                                                                                                                         After 1973, with the Arab oil embargo resulting in the enrichment of Saudi Arabia, the ultra-fundamentalist Wahhabi sect, dominant in oil-rich Saudi Arabia, began to have impact on Muslims living in other countries. Soon, it began encroaching Sri Lanka and having impact on adherents of the traditional form of Sufi Islam prevalent in Sri Lanka. Wahhabis began establishing itself in Sri Lanka despise the Sufis. They started operating through a movement called Thawheed funded by Saudi Arabian sources. They were instrumental in the establishment of numerous madrasas in Sri Lanka where young Muslims are being subject to various forms of indoctrination and brainwashing in Wahhabism including the jihad approach and Sharia law. During the last few decades, many Sri Lankan Muslims found employment in Saudi Arabia. Also, many young Sri Lankan Muslims were awarded scholarships by Saudi Arabia to study Wahhabism in Saudi universities. Upon their return to Sri Lanka they undertook in an organized manner the propagation of the ideology of Wahhabism. They were instrumental in the establishment of numerous madrasas where young Muslims were subject to various forms of brainwashing in Wahhabism including the jihad approach.  

                                                                                                                         In Arabic, the word jihad translates to mean “struggle”. Persons engaged in jihad are called mujahideen. Jihad is an important religious duty for Muslims. There are two meanings of jihad: an inner spiritual struggle and an outer physical struggle. The “greater jihad” is the inner struggle by a believer to fulfill his religious duties. The ‘halal’-haram- practices are related to this type of struggle. This is a non-violent struggle. The other meaning of Jihad is the physical struggle against the enemies of Islam. This physical struggle can take a violent form or a non-violent form. The proponents of the violent form translate jihad as “holy war”.

Increased Propagation of Wahhabism

With increased funding by the Saudi Arabia with their petro dollars, and other forms of penetration, the Wahhabi followers have increased in Sri Lanka during recent decades. This was clearly evident in the Eastern province. Wahhabis claim that the Sufis or the moderate Sri Lankan Muslims are ignorant of the basic teachings and practices in Islam. They claim to be the real scholars of Islam.

This has led to sectarian clashes among peace loving Sri Lankan Muslims. There appears to be an increasing trend in this unruly behaviour pattern of some sections of the Muslim community, in the East and elsewhere where they predominate. It is a fact that there is a rising trend of Wahhabi Jihadism in Sri Lanka. Wahhabi fundamentalism has advanced so quickly in Sri Lanka partly because the House of Saud has financed the building of many madrasas and Mosques.

                                                                                                                         Scholarships are offered to Muslim youths to go to Wahhabi institutions in Saudi Arabia and Egypt with the condition that those who complete their Wahhabi studies should return to Sri Lanka and propagate Wahhabism. This is happening extensively. Saudi Arabia remains a critical financial support base for al-Qaida, Taliban, Lashkar-e-Taiba and other Wahhabi terrorist groups. Saudi Arabia spends 87 billion US dollar per year to spread Wahhabism world-wide.

Wahhabis are trying to take the peaceful Islamic community in Sri Lanka down the path of extremism and violence. The Wahhabis have already created deep divisions in among Sri Lankan Muslims and have formed gangs that intimidate moderate Muslims who speak out against Wahhabi fanatics. Like the Christian fundamentalist groups using NGOs to convert innocent poor families to Christianity, Wahhabis help poor Muslim families by providing cash and other material benefits to convert them to their cult. Wahhabis appear to be using Sri Lankan Government agencies to propagate Wahhabi  activities.

Clashes between Sufis and Wahhabi Muslims

Wahhabism in Sri Lanka is headquartered in Kattankudi is a new politico-religious movement that is sweeping the Eastern province of Sri Lanka with more than sixty Muslim Wahhabi organizations helping in propagating the movement throughout Sri Lanka and has raced ahead and taken control of the Jihadist and Al Fatah groups in Sri Lanka under their wings. Wahhabism is imported and planted in the midst of peace-loving Muslims in Sri Lanka, mostly through the lavish inflow of Saudi money pumped into Sri Lanka has overtaken other Islamic organizations by threats, intimidation and coercion.

Clashes between Sufis and Wahhabi Muslims in Kattankudi and Oddamavadi are regular occurrence. More than 200 homes of Sufi followers were burnt down by Wahhabi Jihadists in Kattankudi during similar clashes occurred in October 2004. One of the Sufi leaders Abdul Payilvan died in Colombo was buried at in Kattankudi the next day. Wahhabi Muslims observed a hartal and demanded the removal of the body from the burial grounds. Wahhabi Muslims claim Kattankudy soil is sacred and bodies belonging to those who preach views contradictory to Wahhabism should not be buried there. Wahhabis demanded that the body of Abdul Payilvan, who is from Maruthamunai in the Ampara district, should be exhumed and buried elsewhere.

Wahhabis had dug up the buried body of another Sufi Muslim from Mosque burial grounds and dumped the body on a local road as an act of protest. Kattankudi Police recovered the body, re-buried it in the original burial ground and guarded burial ground for few days.

                                                                                                                         In Kattankudi, the hatred between Wahhabis and Sufis has widened in the last few years and has grown in intensity, left many injured, and caused damage to several houses and vehicles. Though residing in Sri Lanka illegally, P Jainul Abedin – a powerful Wahhabi preacher from Tamil Nadu – is now leading the Wahhabi Jihadism in Kattankudi. A more recent 2009 clash in the south-western Muslim coastal town of Beruwala reflects similar religious tensions between a popular Sufi sheikh and a nearby Wahhabi congregation.

                                                                                                                         Saudi agents have successfully penetrated Sri Lankan Muslims social fabric and have managed to defeat the Sufism in their game. Due to the training afforded by the House of Saud now the Wahhabis have prevailed over the Sufis. The Muslims in Sri Lanka have been subdued due to the Wahhabi influence.

The House of Saud pretending to be the leaders of the Islam promote their Wahhabi ideology world-wide. The result has been the birth of al-Qaida, Taliban, Lashkar-e-Taiba and other Wahhabi terrorist groups which are killing Sunni and Shia Muslims alike in Iraq, Afghanistan and Pakistan.  All the ‘Islamist’ terror attacks in South Asia including in Mumbai, Afghanistan and Pakistan had the hallmarks of Wahhabism. Wahhabi Jihadists are blinded by faith to believe that they have the mandate of Allah to rid the world of ‘infidels’ and ‘heretics’. Until this Wahhabism is thoroughly discredited, combating Wahhabi terrorism is impossible. Since the Western countries subterfuge to destabilise Sri Lanka, by surreptitiously supporting the LTTE failed, now the Western countries will promote Wahhabi Jihadism to cause strife and trouble to destabilize Sri Lanka. Wahhabi followers – al-Qaida, Taliban, Lashkar-e-Taiba and other Wahhabi terrorist groups – have caused untold misery in several countries including Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan and India. Sri Lanka appears to be their next target. Wahhabis have already built several illegal Mosques in Sri Lanka using Saudi Arabia’s petro dollar.

Indoctrination of Younger Generation in Madrasas

Zachary Abuza, in his book titled  Militant Islam in Southeast Asia (Crusible of Terror), highlights the role of Madrasas or exclusively Islamic schools established by Muslim extremists in indoctrinating the younger generation. The author comments that “In their pursuit of the creation of Islamic states, many Southeast Asian jihadis established Islamic schools to indoctrinate, propagate, and recruit. The leaders of many militant groups in Southeast Asia, returned from training in Mid Eastern countries and established madrasas as the base of their operations and recruitment.” These radical Islamic madrasas, with unrestricted material support from foreign Muslim countries, especially Saudi Arabia,  have begun to recruit and brainwash many Muslim children and youth in Islamic Jihadist movement and Islamic fundamentalism. 

Trend of Intolerance and Extreme Forms of Violence

Newspapers have reported a significant influx of Wahhabi preachers and activists from Saudi Arabia and South India during the past three decades in particular. The Saudi Embassy in Sri Lanka, has admitted that certain wealthy Saudi persons are helping various Muslim religious groups in Sri Lanka to put up mosques. The Wahhabi jihad trends have revealed their ambition to control South Asian Islam communities even by means of using violent methods. The traditionalists such as the Sufis of Sri Lanka, appear to be resisting this Saudi initiated Wahhabi- jihad aggression, hostility and violence.                                                                                                                  

It is evident that the traditional practices of Islam of the island’s Sufi Muslim community, are under threat by the Wahhabi group. Sufis are under attack not by adherents of other religions but by their own Muslims brothers. Worship of saints practiced by the Sufi Muslims of Sri Lanka is frowned upon by the Wahhabi group. Owing to increasing threats, many Sufi Muslims appear to be distancing themselves from their traditional practices such as mosque feasts and the worship of saints. Wahhabi groups are violently opposed to these  traditional practices. They are in actual fact promoting the theology endorsed by senior scholars in Saudi Arabia. They claim that  the religious practices of Sufi Muslims are impure, tinged with superstition and mystical rituals and they are determined to make Śrī Lanka’s Muslim community conform to more orthodox strictures and they are will use violence if necessary to achieve their ends.                                                                                                      

The Sufis in the meanwhile has begun a campaign against the Wahhabis appealing to Sri Lanka authorities for an impartial inquiry into Wahhabi activities in the country, to disarm the Wahhabis and to enable the reconstruction of its headquarters in Kattankudy which was destroyed by the Wahhabis and the Sufis affected and displaced to be compensated by the Wahhabis so that they can rebuild their ruined homes and businesses.

Thareekathul Mufliheen Organization of Sufi Muslims

Wahhabi

In late 1980s, the Sufi Muslims formed an organization known as All Ceylon Thareekathul Mufliheen organization defining itself as a peace loving and non-violent Religious Society, where  members are expected to be patient and tolerant even in times of grave injustice and calamity brought about by the Wahhabis. This organization was founded by Sheihul Mufliheen M.S.M. Abdullah, known as Rah,” in the southeastern Sri Lanka village of Maruthamunai.  It was registered as a cultural society with the civil authorities in 1989. The headquarters of Thareekathul Mufliheen is now located in the small eastern coast village of Kattankudy.

This organization maintained that each human being is free to choose a path of faith and that there should not be any compulsion to embrace the views of the organization. This was published in a book in Tamil, in 1980, by the founder of this organization titled  Imanin Unmaiyai Nee Arivaya, or Do You Know the Truth of Iman? – iman referring to Islamic belief. This led to serious problems. A book was translated into English as The Court of Reason, and was published in 2010. The country’s official Council of Islamic Scholars, the All Ceylon Jamiathul Ulama, purportedly without reading the book or holding a hearing to examine it, published a fatwa or religious opinion on September 10, 1989, declaring Abdullah (Rah) and his followers as murtadd or apostates, who renounced Islam, in the judgment of the clerics.

 Abdullah (Rah) the founder of Thareekathul Mufliheen organzation filed a defamation suit against the All Ceylon Jamiathul Ulama in 1990 in Colombo which led the All Ceylon Jamiathul Ulama (ACJU) revoked the fatwa in 1996, and settle the complaint. Besides the fatva, the AUJU also took action to deny the Thareekathul Mufliheen to register marriages and the burial of the dead in conformity with Islamic practice.  However, through legal action these rights were restored.

Thareekathul Mufliheen organzation of the Sufis opened a Meditation” Centre at Kattankudy in 1996.  Wahhabi extremists struck the building setting fire to it. Abdullah (Rah) and the members of the order were targets of shooting and grenade attacks, and other physical aggression, as well as threats. In 2004, many Wahhabis organized under the title Jihad” again set the Meditation” Centre ablaze, destroying its library, along with homes and businesses owned by Sufis. Financial loss to the injured parties was considerable, and one Sufi was shot and killed while another was wounded by gunfire.

In 2005, a protest was filed by the organization, with the Sri Lanka Human Rights Commission (HRC) in 2005. The HRC found in favor of the Sufis, stating that their constitutional right to adhere to the belief of their will and choice had been violated. The Meditation Centre and headquarters were rebuilt in 2006. Sheihul Mufliheen M.S.M. Abdullah (Rah)  the founder of the Thareekathul Mufliheen organzation died in December  2006. Wahhabi preachers and the armed Jihad” incited the local clerics and politicians (Jamiathul Ulama Kattankudy, the Muslim Federation of Mosques, and the Urban Council of Kattankudy) to oppose his burial according to Islamic rites, in the Meditation Centre, as he was a supposed apostate.” According to the Wahhabis and their accomplices, apostates” could not be buried in Kattankudy.

The Jihadis, armed with lethal weapons, rioted after the death of Abdullah (Rah), causing widespread social disruption in Kattankudy resulting in a general work stoppage, shutting down of schools, government and private offices, banks and businesses. Some banks and shops were looted and burned in the process. The official clerics of All Ceylon Jamiathul Ulama, Jamiathul Ulama Kattankudy, the Muslim Federation of Mosques, other Islamic organizations, and the Kattankudy Urban Council initiated a judicial argument on December 11, 2006. They denounced Abdullah (Rah) as defying Muslim norms and traditions and charged that Thareekathul Mufliheen organization had failed to seek permission from the authorities for the burial. The petition by the official clerics and Wahhabis was dismissed in 2007. The Sri Lanka Human Rights Commission declared in 2007 that it could not interfere in the disputes between various sects of a religion” and recommended the conflict be referred to the Council of Ulemas – All Ceylon Jamiathul Ulama, or to the Ministry of Religious Affairs.

In December 2006, in a separate controversy, the Urban Council in Kattankudy had ordered the dismantling of the minaret at the Meditation” Centre, as an unauthorized structure.  Although the Police tried to prevent the commencement of the demolition, Wahhabi extremists interfered with the police resulting in shootings and the death of three rioters. A police post and police vehicle were assaulted.  However, subsequently members of the Urban Council joined a Wahhabi mob and invaded the Meditation” Centre and knocked down the minaret, removing the body of Abdullah (Rah), either burning or reburying it in a location yet unknown. The houses of 117 Sufis were leveled by fire. Many were threatened and fled the district.

                                                                                                                              Since then, however, abuses against the Sufis of Kattankudy have continued, with the Wahhabi Thawheed faction in the forefront of violence. Official ulema and the village authorities attempted unsuccessfully to prevent celebration of a Sufi festival in 2008. That year, a Sri Lanka Supreme Court order, providing that 200 members of Thareekathul Mufliheen be allowed to return to their homes in Kattankudy and practice their beliefs in freedom, was obstructed by armed Jihad members. In response to the campaign against it, Thareekathul Mufliheen has appealed to the Sri Lanka authorities for an impartial inquiry into Wahhabi activities in the country; to disarm the Wahhabis; to provide for reconstruction of the headquarters of Thareekathul Mufliheen in Kattankudy; to enforce the revocation of the fatwa issued by the All Ceylon Jamiathul Ulama against Abdullah (Rah) and his disciples, as ordered by the Colombo District Court, and to compensate the displaced Sufis, facilitating restoration of their lost heritage, ruined homes, and businesses. The Sufis of Kattankudy seek peaceful resettlement with honor.”

There is clear evidence of increasing tension and extreme forms of violence between traditional and more fundamentalist Islamic groups in Muslim communities across Sri Lanka. During the latter period of the war with Tamil LTTE terrorists, Muslim Home Guards were recruited by the Sri Lankan government to fight the terrorists. In the East some of these Home Guards deserted with their weapons and joined the Wahhabis rebels to fulfill its demand for Jihad” against traditional Sufi Muslims.

The Beruwala Violence

The most cruel and crude nature of violence   was well evident in the 2009 attack and devastation of the Beruwala Rahuman Masjid Mosque during its annual Buhari feast, which has been a practice in this mosque for over 130 years. A fundamentalist group of Muslim extremists armed with knives, swords and axes stormed the mosque, yelling that all those participating in the feast were infidels who had deviated from the path of Islam. The attackers set fire to the mosque and caused millions of rupees of damage. Two men were brutally hacked to death in the violence. They damaged cars, motor cycles and bicycles, and a special Police team had to be deployed in control the situation. A curfew was imposed in the area and some of the perpetrators were arrested but some had escaped.

In 2009 the Wahhabis vandalized and destroyed a 150-year old shrine located in Ukuwela near Matale. This was associated with violent clashes between Muslim groups.  According to Muslim community leaders and groups this violence contradicts the fundamental teachings of Islam.

Saudi Arabian funding for fundamentalist groups

Sri Lankan Muslims, especially young males found easy employment in Saudi Arabia during the past few decades.  Some were awarded scholarships by Saudi universities. Those who completed their studies returned to Sri Lanka and started to propagate the ideology of Wahhabism. In pursuit of their mission to expand their sphere of influence among Sufi Muslims and others, these Wahhabis resorted to violence and intimidation culminating in death and destruction.

Most Muslim problems in the country at present appear to stem from foreign, particularly Saudi Arabian funding for fundamentalist groups. Also, the young Muslims who have been exposed to Saudi Islamic religious norms and who are being indoctrinated in madrasas and universities in Muslim countries such as Saudi Arabia and Pakistan and reading Wahhabi texts which are opposed to  traditional practices such as those of Sufi Muslims. What is wrong with this trend is the approach adopted by these extremist groups to propagate and promote their ideology, thinking and practices among the traditional Sufi Muslims of Sri Lanka.

Their approach is unacceptable because it is causing disharmony and violence within the Muslim community. They should be aware of the fact that they are living in a non-Muslim country where Sinhala Buddhists form the mainstream dominant community. The approach to change by the extremist Muslim groups are not compatible with the  social values of the country. 

Harmonious Community Relationships threatened

The traditional Sufi Islam practiced by Muslims in Sri Lanka for centuries, and related lifestyle of Muslims facilitated harmonious relationships with other religions and communities in the country. Maintaining such relationships was necessary for most Muslims who were businessmen dealing with a market consisting mostly of non-Muslims. Owing to their living among Buddhists most Muslims were inevitably influenced by, and learnt to respect the social values of Sinhala Buddhists marked by tolerance and non-violence in particular.  

 It is unlikely that the more fundamentalist Muslim groups and related extremist attitudes and practices that appear to be emerging will help Sri Lankan Muslims to coexist successfully with the island’s other religions, as before. In fact the Wahhabis  do not seem to be able to coexist peacefully with their own Muslim brothers. 

As a nation with a historic cultural tradition that extends to over 2200 years, where freedom, compassion, tolerance and accommodation of people of all faiths and ethnicities have been the founding principles, it is necessary that we as a nation take necessary steps to protect and preserve these noble and wholesome cultural traditions. We cannot allow them to be undermined under any circumstances. It is necessary that all communities living in this country develop respect towards the social values and norms of other communities inhabiting this land and not pursue policies and activities that would jeopardize the quality of life and stability of our nation.

 Dr. Daya Hewapathirane