Tuesday, 08 July 2014 14:38
By Dr Jehan Perera
Government members and President Mahinda Rajapaksa no less, have seen a conspiracy in the anti Muslim riots that took place last month in Aluthgama. The damaging view has gone abroad that Sinhalese have rioted against Muslims. The short reports in the international media do not convey the full picture of what happened.
This has created an incorrect impression abroad of a Sinhalese-Muslim polarisation. Aluthgama was the exception, not the norm. Outside of Aluthgama, relations between Sinhalese and Muslims are largely amicable and peaceful coexistence is the norm. It is not just these two communities, but also Tamils, Christians, Buddhists and Hindus who are all eager to be friends, and not permit communalism to enter between them.
Some months ago, I was passing through Darga Town, which borders Aluthgama, and where there has been a history of Sinhalese-Muslim tension. There have been communal clashes there in the past. We stopped at a grocery store to buy some bottles of water. The Muslim shop owner was serving a Muslim customer. But when he saw us, a Sinhalese family, enter his shop, he excused himself and served us first. This action struck us then, but now in retrospect, I can surmise that he did this because he was conscious of the need to have good relations with the Sinhalese. I see this same sentiment in the inter-religious groups I work with. Those belonging to one religious persuasion go out of their way to please the other. Their desire is for amity, not for confrontation.
After the Aluthgama riots, I was at a meeting where a Buddhist monk exclaimed in anguish, that an entirely wrong picture of the Buddhists has been given to the world.
He was not denying that the Aluthgama riots had taken place and that innocent Muslims had even been killed and their properties burnt. He was merely trying to say that those who attacked the Muslims were not doing this with the consent of the Sinhalese masses. These were small groups acting without the blessings of the larger society, although perhaps with the blessings of powerful elements in society, which is what has given them their vast power and immunity to attack as they will. This is all the more tragic because the message that goes to the Muslims in Sri Lanka, and to the larger international community, is that the Sinhalese are attacking Muslims.
Violence of a few
Those who live outside of Sri Lanka, and those who are victims, are not so interested in the nuances of the situation. Nor is the international media for the most part when they report what is happening. They tend to give only the broadest of outlines. But in reality this is the violence of a few, to which the law enforcement authorities were being deferential. It is the availability of impunity that drives the violent elements to more violence.
It is therefore surmised that the imperatives of electoral politics are what lie at the root of the failure of the government to check the violence. The BBS is part of the government’s electoral alliance. If the Sinhalese voters feel insecure for any reason they will tend to vote for the present government which is seen as strong and pro-Sinhalese.
But the international costs are going to be high. It is evident that the government is feeling the pressure on itself from both the affected Muslims and the larger international community.
The 57 members of the Organisation for Islamic Cooperation based in Saudi Arabia has expressed their serious concern and said that “the recent attacks appear to follow a rising trend of violence instigated by extremists which is spreading fear and mistrust among the population.” There has been widespread condemnation of the police for failing to nip the riot in the bud, and for having permitted a public rally to be held by the BBS despite appeals by local community leaders not to permit it.
It is in this context of accusations directed against the government and the police that the Ministry of Defence has issued an unprecedented denial about having links with the BBS which stands accused of fomenting the riots. This denial of any connection or involvement with the BBS is a welcome disassociation even if it comes late. In particular the Defence spokesperson has refuted the allegation that the Defense Secretary, who is counted as among the most powerful in the country, has any special relationship with the BBS. He has also clarified that the Defense Secretary’s attendance at a public ceremony at which the BBS was also present, and which has generated much controversy, had nothing to do with any association with it.
Two requirements
The government’s affirmation of its commitment to peaceful relations between the communities and to ensure justice for all will be confirmed if two matters are addressed speedily. The first is that an independent inquiry be held into what transpired in Aluthgama. Such an inquiry panel may be selected with the participation of the Minister of Justice who is himself a Muslim and who has complained of misrepresentation of the causes of death of some of the victims of the riots. The Judicial Medical Officer (JMO) who submitted the postmortem report on one of the victims killed during the Aluthgama violence has been summoned to court after his report was disputed. In these circumstances a credible fact finding body will be able to dispel the doubts as to what really happened at Aluthgama, and who paid the price.
The second requirement is that punitive action be taken against the instigators of the violence. The police have now questioned the BBS leaders with regard to the speeches made prior to the riots. They have also taken 117 persons into custody, with 85 of them being produced before courts and 25 being released on bail. But these steps are unlikely to reassure the Muslims and other potential targets, so long as extremist groups are given a free hand to mobilise their members for action, at the time and place they choose. The violence in Aluthgama followed a sustained hate campaign against the Muslim community in the Aluthgama area and elsewhere in the country which has still to be countered by either legal or political means.
Small groups of extremists can create disturbances even though the ethos of the larger majority is to live in peace and harmony. In these circumstances the fullest application of the law must be employed to quell any disturbance. It is the non-application of the law due to political interference that has made inter-ethnic and inter-religious relations within the country a potential point of conflict. Inter community relations between Sinhalese and Muslims are currently not based on fear of each other, but this can change as it once did between the Tamils and others during the war. The danger in permitting the situation to drift is that it can lead to radicalisation from which there will be no return.
http://www.thesundayleader.lk/2014/07/06/majority-must-not-be-blamed-for-aluthgama-violence/
Tuesday, 08 July 2014 14:36
Minister Senaratne was a critique of the Bodu Bala Sena since its inception. The Minister once termed the organization as the armed wing of the ‘Buddha Sasana’. He was never hesitant to dub the organization as a ‘terrorist movement’ which had little or no regard for the core values of Buddhism
Fisheries Minister Rajitha Harischandra Senaratne is a tough politician in every sense of the word. When most of the government members were afraid to raise their voices over the conduct of the Bodu Bala Sena, Minister Senaratne took up the challenge to openly claim that the conduct of the BBS was suggestive of a terrorist group! He also said he was not afraid of any group and he had faced various political opponents throughout his long political career who were much stronger and more powerful than the BBS.
Senaratne’s history speaks volumes for his ‘metal’ and the manner in which he dealt with his political opponents.
Rajitha’s political opponents
Having graduated from the Faculty of Dental Science at the University of Peradeniya, Senaratne soon became the Secretary of the Government Dental Surgeons Association (GDSA), a union that was outspoken and powerful during the late 70s and early 80s. Senaratne, as a trade union activist who strongly supported leftist politics, was harshly critical of the J.R. Jayewardene government and its policies.
Rajitha Senaratne became a newsmaker when he joined Vijaya Kumaratunga to form the Sri Lanka Mahajana Party which emerged strongly in the early 80s as an alternative of some sort to the ‘traditional left’. However, when the JVP launched its armed struggle in 1987, the SLMP was one of its prime targets due to its opposing views when it came to the ‘national question’ and the setting up of Provincial Councils under the 13th Amendment.
When the JVP resorted to violence, Senaratne was a strong critique of its ‘eye for an eye, tooth for a tooth’ policy. As a result, armed JVP members were on a feverish mission to gun down the leftist dental surgeon. His colleagues Vijaya Kumaratunga and Dewabandara Senaratne were brutally killed by JVP gunmen in broad daylight.
During the Presidential election campaign in 1988, Senaratne was critically injured in a bomb blast at an election rally in Grandpass that was conducted to support Ossie Abeygunasekera’s election campaign. Although he underwent surgery following the attack, two pieces of shrapnel still remain in his skull. However, that never deterred Senaratne’s political career.
He contested the Western Provincial Council election in 1988 from the United Socialist Alliance of which the Sri Lanka Mahajana Party was a constituent partner. Having won the Provincial Council election he also contested the General Election in 1989 from the same Alliance, defying threats and ‘death warrants’ from the JVP. However, after the assassination of SLMP Founder Vijaya Kumaratunga, differences of opinion emerged between Kumaratunga’s successor Ossie Abeygunasekera and Senaratne. As a result of this internal dispute, Senaratne formed the ‘Bahujana Nidahas Peramuna’, the party which sheltered Chandrika Kumaratunga upon her return to Sri Lanka a few years after the death of her husband Vijaya Kumaratunga.
Subsequently, Senaratne joined the United National Party and the late D.B. Wijetunga appointed him as a national list Parliamentarian. During the General Election in 1994, Senaratne contested from the United National Party for the Kalutara District and secured a Parliamentary seat. He was a firebrand MP in the opposition from 1994 to 1999 and played a pivotal role in the debate over the Channel-9 scandal which was a major setback for the Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga government. He was also the first opposition Parliamentarian who openly questioned the ‘educational qualifications’ of the former President.
He was also the first politician in Sri Lanka who was unseated from Parliament by a court order. In 1999 the court disqualified him from doing business with the state and he was unseated from Parliament. Although he had to sacrifice his Parliamentary seat, the UNP reappointed him to the vacancy created by his own unseating. Senaratne has not lost his Parliamentary seat since 1994 and has been a member of the House for more than 20 years.
In 2007, he crossed over to the UPFA along with Karu Jayasuriya and 16 other Parliamentarians of the UNP. Ever since then he has been an influential minister in the ruling camp and headed important ministries such as the Land Ministry and the Fisheries Ministry. President Mahinda Rajapaksa has entrusted Senaratne with the task of handling the problem pertaining to Tamil Nadu and Sri Lankan fishermen which has become a major problem between Sri Lanka and India.
First salvo at BBS
Minister Senaratne was a critique of the Bodu Bala Sena since its inception. The Minister once termed the organization as the armed wing of the ‘Buddha Sasana’. He was never hesitant to dub the organization as a ‘terrorist movement’ which had little or no regard for the core values of Buddhism.
In response, General Secretary of the Bodu Bala Sena movement Galagodaaththe Gnanasara Thera ridiculed Minister Rajitha Senaratne while addressing a public meeting several months ago. Gnanasara Thera said he was a ‘Dentist’ who had no understanding of what he was talking about. He also urged the people of Kalutara to defeat the likes of Senaratne – who are not supportive of Sinhala-Buddhist organizations – in future elections
When the violence broke out in Beruwela and Aluthgama, Minister Senaratne was in the US, participating in a study tour at the invitation of the Harvard University to study international politics and leadership. Although he received reports on the violent clashes in his own constituency, he was not in a position to cut short his tour and return to the country. However, on his return he visited Beruwela, Aluthgama and Dharga Town, and was shocked when he saw the level of destruction caused by the anti-Muslim clashes.
Soon after his visit, he convened a press conference and lashed out at the perpetrators who were behind this violence.
“If I have committed a mistake, the law should be implemented against me too. It takes so many years to construct a city. But it would take only a few hours to destroy it. That is exactly what the goons have done. The hearts of the Muslims in the area have been shattered now. The only way we can heal the hearts of the Muslims is by implementing the law. The government should understand that. Police and security forces should be allowed to take action against the culprits,” he said.
Making another important revelation at the press conference, Minister Senaratne said a senior Police officer had informed him that the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) had launched an investigation into the speech made by the BBS General Secretary. It is widely alleged that it was this ‘infamous’ speech that incited violence in Beruwela, Aluthgama and Dharga Town.
However, it should also be noted that it took two weeks for the CID to initiate an inquiry into the Aluthgama violence which claimed at least six lives and injured scores.
Rajitha accuses the BBS of LTTE links
A few days after the statement made by Minister Senaratne, the CID contacted BBS General Secretary Gnanasara Thera and informed him that they wanted to record a statement from him over the clashes in Aluthgama. On July 2, Gnanasara Thera visited the headquarters of the Criminal Investigation Department at 1.30 p.m. and gave a four hour long statement to the Police of his version of the story.
In his statement, Gnanasara Thera completely distanced himself from the incident and said the BBS had no hand in the violence. He accused what he termed as Muslim extremist elements of inciting violence and said they wanted to trigger a clash between the Sinhalese and the Muslims.
However, another interesting development took place just a day after Gnanasara Thera gave his statement to the CID. Minister Rajitha Senaratne, in a radio interview, fired another cannon ball at the BBS saying its leaders had secret discussions with Tamil Diaspora members who were supportive of the LTTE.
He also said that UNP Parliamentarian Ravi Karunanayake ‘facilitated’ the meetings between the BBS and LTTE supporters. The Minister said he even had photographs to prove that the BBS stalwarts had met LTTE supporters of the Tamil Diaspora. He said that the BBS and its conduct was part of a larger international conspiracy to tarnish the image of Sri Lanka and further trap the country in allegations of human rights violations.
However, speaking to The Sunday Leader, UNP MP Ravi Karunanayake flatly denied the allegation that he facilitated a meeting between the BBS leaders and Tamil Diaspora members. He said he was not aware of any such meeting and had no connection whatsoever with either of the parties.
Gotabaya distances himself from BBS
While this controversy gained ground in the Sri Lankan media, Defence Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa categorically stated that he had no association with the Bodu Bala Sena.
Speaking to Sri Lankan website Ada Derana, the Defence Secretary said, “I have no affiliation with the Bodu Bala Sena (BBS) and I have never assisted them. Those with narrow political motives try to insinuate that I am behind every problem that surfaces between groups,” the Defence Secretary said.
“There are certain groups which are trying to create chaos in Sri Lanka at a time when the country is facing questions about human rights at the UNHRC. I have worked tirelessly towards bringing peace to Sri Lanka and will not stand idly by as people try to disrupt that peace,” he said. The same views were expressed by Army Spokesman Brigadier Ruwan Wanigasooriya who addressed a press conference in Colombo that same day.
President visits Beruwela again
Meanwhile, President Mahinda Rajapaksa too visited Aluthgama again to observe the progress of the work carried out by the Army to repair and restore the properties damaged during the anti-Muslim clashes on June 15 and 16. Most of the rebuilding work is presently being done under the guidance of the Sri Lanka Army. The President also spoke to people who were affected by the violence and they repeatedly told the President that the culprits came from ‘outside’!
During the inspection tour which took place on the sidelines of the workshop for ruling party MPs, the President met Sinhala and Muslim communities in Pathirajawela, Dharga Town, Warapitiya, Seenawatta, Aluthgama and several other areas. Rajitha Senaratne, Rohitha Abeygunawardena and Major General Ubaya Madawela accompanied the President on the tour.
The President also visited the Kande Viharaya in Aluthgama and had a discussion with the Chief Incumbent Venerable Batuwanhene Buddharakkitha Thero.
At the same time, the workshop organized in Beruwela gave a strong message to the country that the government was serious about its damage-control measures in the aftermath of the Aluthgama violence. The President, who had just returned from a four-day official visit to the Maldives and Seychelles, chaired the special workshop for all Ministers, MPs and Provincial Council members representing the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP).
The day-long workshop was held to discuss the new development projects launched by the government and the way forward. Treasury Secretary Dr P.B. Jayasundera, Central Bank Governor Ajith Nivard Cabraal and Professor Dhamma Dissanayake also spoke at the workshop and responded to questions posed by Ministers and MPs.
Addressing the workshop, President Mahinda Rajapaksa said the main opposition United National Party was gaining an advantage from the present controversy. “The UNP’s involvement in the plot to distance the Muslims from the government is clearly visible,” the President said.
“The Opposition Leader is famous for uttering a lie every week. At one point he said that a student is charged Rs 50,000 to be admitted to Mahindodaya laboratories by the government. He also launched a massive media campaign saying the International Monetary Fund has advised the government to slash the education budget. There was no element of truth in such allegations and all those attempts were directed at deceiving the people,” the President said.
“The UNP has grouped at village level to propagate lies against the government and was plotting to distance the Muslim community from the government. The opposition has set up a number of groups to create various opinions that are hostile to the government,” the President added.
However, anti-Muslim clashes and the emergence of extremist elements was a hot topic between ruling party representatives who took part in the workshop. Although some remained tight-lipped about the people who were instrumental in creating this situation, some vociferously stated that stringent action should be taken against those who were behind violence, overtly and covertly, regardless of their status.
http://www.thesundayleader.lk/2014/07/06/rajithas-lone-battle-against-bbs/