Testimony by Secretary to Ministry of Public Administration, J J Rathnasiri before the Parliamentary Select Committee (PSC) probing Easter Sunday bombings today, was a shameful display of racial bias in the Sri Lanka Administrative Service.
Rathnasiri was questioned by PSC members on the circular he issued a few weeks ago that imposed regulations regarding government employees’ dress code, which discriminated against Muslim women and the Abaya.
Responding to queries he said the circular was issued following a discussion at a Secretaries’ meeting and the subject Minister Ranjith Madduma Bandara was made aware of it.
When questioned whether Cabinet approval was sought before issuing the circular he said it is not the usual practice.
Rathnasiri went on to say the circular serves as ‘a reminder’ in keeping with previous circulars issued on public sector employees’ dress code and that religious, ethnic or communal identities are not considered when making such decisions.
“No matter what religion or community, the dress code must be adhered to and that includes uniforms issued for various sectors. . . After Easter attacks it was pointed out there was a need to issue a reminder about the regulations on dress codes for government employees; previous circulars were issued but they were not adhered to,” he added.
Rathnasiri seems to take after Sirisena when it comes to being aware of repercussions of his actions. He says he has not been made aware of any cases where employees have faced inconveniences due to the regulations imposed by his circular.
“We are ready to take action upon discussing with the Minister, if we are made aware of any injustice or inconvenience…The instructions so far is to revise the circular and not suspend it,” he added.
He also went on to criticize those who sought assistance of the Human Rights Commission with regard to the matter.
“If a state sector official was subjected to injustice, they should be seeking help from the Public Service Commission – not the Human Rights Commission,” he remarked.
PSC Member M A Sumanthiran inquired him of the direct link between the dress code and security, noting since the bombers wore trousers and shirts, they should be banned from being worn as well as per the logic displayed in Rathnasiri’s circular.
To that he said his circular simply refers to ‘what is appropriate’ in terms of a dress code as employees of state sector workers.
Related posts:
Ministry Of Public Administration To Stop Female Public Servants Wearing Abaya?
max / June 14, 2019
Mr. Ratnasiri proved that he is a govt high ranker with a strong backbone. He did not bow down to the threat of the 3rd grade politicos in the PSC. By leveling fictitious accusatives to such an officer – indeed very rare at now – what do you expect CT? Is it because your a darling of atrocious Sumanthiran who could not tame Ratnasiri to the taste of him at PSC?
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Analyst / June 14, 2019
If Srilanka becomes the ISIS SYMPATHISERS the future for SL is Bleak as a Buddha land .Reason ? ISIS is hated by all forward thinking nations in the world due to their actions .
Now where would SL stand as an ISIS sympathiser or Buddha lover??
Even Buddha lovers behaves like the one, taking into account the Annihilation of Minorities in Cambodia, Mayanmar and Srilanka.
Which puts both beliefs parallel in present form??
Our leaders and spiritualists needs to give emotional thoughts on the subject.
Which way to go or where we’re heading ?? Is VVImportant.!!!
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Analyst / June 14, 2019
Our country SL is at cross roads.
Are we to receive the wraths of the friendly progressive nations? Our country is poor a third world country.
We need to be careful who our friends are.
Beggars Can’t be Choosy. The Moda Politicians don’t realise this but they go on beg and borrow with any crooked country for themselves and their own families PUTTING OUR COUNTRY AND PEOPLE AT RISK. That’s the bottom line.
We saw the Recent bombings , death and destruction due to this SELFISH NATURE of our Politicians.
Bad Company and Bad Friends from abroad giving billions of Rs to these treacherous politicians , infact we are entertaining imminent danger and destruction.
Who is suffering?? Who has got killed ?
Who in the making of our country into rotten KILLING FIELDS OF SLANKA??
No one other than PRESENT AND PAST POLITICIANS.
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Eagle Eye / June 14, 2019
Analyst,
In Sri Lanka, Buddhists did not annihilate minorities. It is Hindu and Christian Demalu and Muslims who butchered Native Sinhalayo.
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EmAG / June 14, 2019
“Sore-I”,
In Srilanka, Native Sinhala Buddhists are the holiest of holy people on earth.
EmAG
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double standards / June 16, 2019
Minorities have ruined what was Sri Lankan culture, with their backward looking laws and practises. Sinhala Buddhist culture was primarily a matrilineal culture which gave lot of freedoms to others including women and minorities (pls see Sinhale Kandyian law – Woman under Binna marriage can keep all her property in case of separation etc.). Girl child is considered lucky in a Sinhala family, even now a family without a daughter is looked at with pity. Matara Women traditionally were considered very erudite and strong ( “Matara ammandi fame” and famous independent poetess “Gajaman Nona” who stood her ground alone against british)- unpreceded in old patriarchal cultures like Muslim, Christian and Hindu( who want to keep women veiled for sexual purposes for producing babies). Minorities have invaded us and converted this old tolerant culture to what it is today – violent and intolerant. Moral of the story – should never have let them in. now too late. Sinhala today has lost all pride in there traditions and practices and have embraced violence of these foreign cultures.
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Sapumal / June 14, 2019
Look like you have no idea about what is backbone or what is SLAS is. Sorry for you my friend.
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Sapumal / June 15, 2019
This was my repluy to Max , one of the previous comment.
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Ranjith(SPRRW) / June 14, 2019
Dress code of a country depend on natural environment of the country and the effect of wears health. We do not have Desert type environment here like Saudi Arabia. Even we have very good sanitary facilities for ladies & gents. Ladies do not have to go out for that purpose like in those days in desert environment countries like Saudi and other middle east countries. As such dress code stipulated by secretory is very much justifiable. Nobody can question it unless it is religious ground. Muslims live here are not even descendants of Arabs. As such no rights to request Arabian types dress coding here even.
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Shifan / June 14, 2019
How about Osary??? I suppose it is reflective of cultural ground…How about Sari??? it is an Indian type dress. Don’t be a hypocrite.
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SJ / June 14, 2019
You have a point there.
We have forgotten the traditional reddai hattai.
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Amarasiri / June 14, 2019
Ranjit,
In the tropics, women should go topless. Better yet all should go naked .
But the Eskimos need to wear animal skins, as it is too cold.
Humans primate cousins with 48 chromosomes wear nothing, just like their cousins in the Amazon and other natural places.
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Leonard / June 14, 2019
Such rambling thoughts come from a mad, stupid, imbecile Amanaya.
Don’t take any notice please.
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Amila / June 14, 2019
Whatever it is, the way Sumanthiran n Hakeem asked him questions is not acceptable. Those two were asking questions leading it into another potential tension between communities. It should have been the others who should have asked him questions.
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Simhi / June 14, 2019
One wants to Arabise and the other wants to Christianise. Leave them alone and carry on Mr. Secretary like a Public Servant with firm roots to the cultural practices of this Country. You are not alone. Give these ‘Liberals’ a short shrift.
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Cholan / June 14, 2019
What is wrong of these questions?
Borubullah proudly stated that he himself kicked put the judge another Ganja smuggling joker Musulim threatened the judge of Manner.
Are these jokers above the law?
It is the Modayas who allowed them to behave like this for Musulim
Votes .
Now dogs bite master he he he
Cheers
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Amila / June 15, 2019
You don’t see the ugly side of it. Probably living in a dream world. Look outside n see how most local media acts. Those two were forcing answers from that secatery and they were almost fueling another potential kurunegala type incident. How if these media highligted to ahow that minority party politicians questions an educated n qualified sinhala secatery ? unnecessary tension. This shows foolishness clearly.
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Daham / June 15, 2019
It was not only Sumanthiram who asked these very relevant questions, it was Professor Ashu Marasinghe who really started asking about forcing everybody who come to the government offices to dress in Sarees. There is nothing wrong in these questions. The problem was Rathnasiri had no logical answer and acted like an idiot.
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Sisira Weragoda / June 14, 2019
The Editor
Shame Shame of your self.
You “Makes Shameful Display Of( Racial)/ petty Bias In (SLAS)/Sri Lanken Journalism”
Well said Max/June
The way Ratnasiri responded to the committee, (The committee”s ability in understanding the circular) reminds me:
There is a story in early 1960s at Ratnapura District Coordinating Committee (DCC) meeting, Danapala Weerasekara, MP Ratnapura, complained that there is a shortage of Buffaloes in the district.
The District Agri Extension Officer (DAEO) bluntly responded saying that it is because all of them had gone to Parliament.
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Piyadasa Yalagala / June 14, 2019
The Ratnasiri stand was correct,when said to PSC that all govt.officers,while regardless their ethnic race and religious back ground having common dress for every offices while on their duty in office and it desk.
That is common norms for all govt. office dress that while on duty is guided line could be appear for at Public duty Sri lanka administration since British Colonial rule of 150 years. That is bottom line code of discipline. We have to have that for maintain as civilized country inherited of 2600 years of our history.
Nothing wrong of that . It fully fit for the modern Secular system of good governances from top to bottom of which is that management and administration operation by fair noms of democratic mode of governances. .
Nation of a democratic country cannot that carried forward norms of indiscipline manner by in favour of particular …different faiths…Muslims .We cannot give upper-hand for Muslim Terrorist or other form of terrorist run their own way of dual managenact mode of operandi in State byname of Muslim Religion . .
Hence every line of faith and believe given special preference treatment which is that against common law of Land .
It is violated rule of govern our Land by mismanagement of State of affairs of by Wickramasinghe clan of UNP’s since 15/1/8 .
On that misdeeds of political corrupted by UNP of Ranil Wicks has favour of Muslim religion has give a special treatment.What is aim of that it seems to be political survival UNP leadership by hook or crook.
It has created that bystander of USA to pave way for New ISIS terrorist inside govt apparatus.
By and large which that granted special privilege status to Muslims-religion extremist; byway to undermined national security by that CIA advices to the Wickramasinghe’s regime to be Re-established Junta Rule under UNP in Island-wide.
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Sinhala_voice / June 14, 2019
When I was small in the 60’s and 70’s there was never this Arabic dress code among the Muslims. This dress code to seem to have accelerated after the September 11 2001 attacks in USA.
The extremism in Islam is due to MIXING Arab culture and the material in Koran. Islam needs to exist without Arab cultural elements in it. It has to be able accept and exist along side other world views.
If it CAN NOT then it has NO place in ANY country other than majority Arab countries. Where Islam-Religion and Arab Culture are seamless.
The Sunni – Shia division is also linked to this Arabic Islam and Non-Arabic Islam (eg: Iran is Shia and non-Arabic country . It is a Persian country….where the world Aryan comes from)
SO dress code has to reflect the Ethos of the country. People have a veil in Saudi Arabia…We don’t complain…..WHY that is a reflection of their cultural practice……
If you want Sharia then you will have to move to a majority muslim country…Respect the the values of the country you live in …quite simple really……
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JD / June 14, 2019
The weay all the donkeys in the PSC asked questioned, they never worked for the govt. they never knew about Institution Management Guildelines. They said, it would be directly going to Deepika “Udugama. It looks idiot Parliamentarians do not have even managing a private business. Almost evybody are National list MPs and Plunderers. I heard almost every one is saying “Wickramsinghe asked me to come that is why I came”.
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Nimal Tissa Wijethunga / June 14, 2019
The PSC is full of racists, bank robbers except Field Marshal Sarath Fonseka as regard to National Security as this is , corrupt politicians being appointed to find out lapses/omissions , which led to Easter Sunday carnage.
The public administration circular as regard to dress code in the public offices is perfect in respect of Sri Lankan values and Sri Lanka as the country.
If somebody do not like it on religious basis can leave the services.
In the outset, I would like to mention UNHCR, Human Rights Watch, AI, NGOs etc are the main reason for security lapses as they brought up stupid reconciliation and oliticians played for the votes at the expense of security as well. Otherwise, the information received from Moulavis itself was more than adequate to arrest those ISIS Wahabi terrorist to prevent Easter Sunday carnage.
It was indeed good to see Secretary to the Public Administration stood up to Racists, Bank Robbers, corrupt politicians etc and answered appropriately.
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roy / June 14, 2019
Srilanka has gone to dogs, ruled by morons,.Pathetic c**ts. Give the country to the veddas, they will definitely do a better job.
Remember this, Gnanasara produced Zahran and co, now there are many Gnanasaras as a result many Zaharans will be created. It is a good idea for Sarath Fonseka to take over the country with Mahesh Senanayake , and kick all these monks, monkeys and the pathetic politicians out, bring law and order as a priority and after a year,
have a proper democratic election fielding suitable qualified candidates.
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Eagle Eye / June 14, 2019
roy,
Sinhale (aka Sri Lanka) went to dogs because:
* Portuguese, Dutch and British parasites colonized the country and brought slaves from Malabar that produced racist politicians;
* King Senerath gave refuge to Muslims persecuted by Portuguese.
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Cholan / June 14, 2019
A mad guy always repeat his words
So called decesdents of criminal kallathoni vijaya…actually Malayalies from Kerala change history of this cursed land.
Look at the pathetic state of the genetically weak Modayas.
Cheers
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Vijaya Lankage / June 15, 2019
This comment was removed by a moderator because it didn’t abide by our Comment policy.For more detail see our Comment policy https://www.colombotelegraph.com/index.php/comments-policy-2
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Real Revolutionist / June 14, 2019
Banning/discouraging abaya is mainly to make the identity of a person easy @ this hr. of need.
Correct that attackers weren’t wearing them when attacks were being carried out but quoting that is a silly attempt to protect this anti-social abaya & cloak.
Dress code is to make public servants smart in appearance & convenient in performing his/her duty.
It should be introduced to private sector as well.
Cloak of any color with or without abaya is alien to our culture & should be banned in the country & Muslim people should corporate with Sinhala & Tamil people.
It’ll be a strong & friendly gesture to co-exist.
Extremist type Muslim men should settle down in a Muslim country to wrap their women.
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JD / June 14, 2019
Because of what other politicians say, PSC parliament members have become typical stupid donkeys. They were badgering the official but they did not know they were talking. Sumanthiran and Hakeem showed their Racist and Extremist attitudes towards a sinhala man. that is Srilanka. Minorities oppress and suppress sinhala people.
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Good Sense / June 15, 2019
PART I. My apologies to CT and its readers for taking the bull by its horn. It is totally incorrect to bash an official for being officious. HE HAS NO OPTION. It is perfectly OK to refer to previous circulars in issuing new circulars and for that he need not take any Cabinet Approval as there is presumed to have one for the previous one, issued during Premadasa times. The champion of the Muslims at that time was Mr. M. H. M. Ashraff. He negotiated with President Premadasa to the extent of amending the Constitution to reduce the cut off point in PR elections from 12.5% to 5%, a major achievement for SLMC. But even he did not make representations to president Premadasa about the DRESS CODE in public service. WHY? WHY? WHY? The new type of dresses donned recently, appeared long after the tragic death of Mr. Ashraff. I fail therefore to appreciate that the dresses which looks like in Saudi Arabia be the cultural cum religious dress of the Muslims of Sri Lanka. In fact, it is a kind of a terrorist type imposition committed by the minority of so called Muslims radicalized, on the majority. When a priest requested to practice as an attorney in priestly garb instead of the Attorney’s clothing, he was denied. Is that also interpreted as a violation of the religious rights of the priest? Deepika, who is an attorney herself, would see it in a different light then. If we say that for religious reasons public officers are entitled to wear dresses other than what is approved, then for the same reason a priest must be able to practice in the courts in the priestly garb. What’s sauce for the goose is sauce for the gander.
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Good Sense / June 15, 2019
PART 2: We make a big hue and cry in the name of religious rights for some ladies when in reality it is a result of male domination, influenced by fundamentalist terrorism. The real issue is not that. Why is it that some state schools do not admit Muslim students? As revealed by none other than Mr. Ali Sabry PC, (President’s Counsel and not Privy Counsellor) in a TV talk recently, his older siblings were admitted to the state school concerned but not him because he was a Muslim. Now that is something that so called champions of Human cum Fundamental Rights like Deepika Udagama (not yet a PC right?) should really take this up. In some state schools, for admissions, it practices some ethnic quota system. Is it even approved by the education Ministry, leave alone the Cabinet of Ministers? What ever be the law, just as much as MY3 was talking of the “maduwalige”, chaps like Deepika must parade that principal of the school in his/her birthday clothing in the streets for that kind of act. Parliamentary Select Committees should really inquire into this and grilling Mr. JJR (not the tricky dick JR) was an utter waste of time. It appears that this religious restriction is a comparatively a recent development that appears to be the root cause for the proliferation of “Madrasas”.
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John / June 15, 2019
Excellent, Mr. Rathnasiri. You are a role model to budding governmental officials. You stood up for rightness.
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This burqa-abaya-niqab-madness started in Sri Lanka after 9/11 WTC attacks. Sri Lanka is a hot and humid tropical country. Wearing abaya makes woman’s long hair sweaty and greasy, that also makes Muslim women’s hair stinky.
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Let’s not forget that Muslims killed more than 250 innocent people and Muslims injured more than 500 innocent people. It’s time to ban the practice of “death cult” in Sinhala-Buddhist Sri Lanka.
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Tamil from the north / June 15, 2019
Johnny boy, don’t get your knickers in a bloody knot. If robe wearing bald headed thugs and hooligans can attack the minorities, the Muslims can wear any type of head wear.
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Mallaiyuran / June 15, 2019
Minister Rangit has repeated the “Old” defense. Earlier they said that the memo is 30 years old and they were not creating a new one. That time all, Muslim, Tamil, Buddhist women were wearing sari. So they feel basically it need not be cancelled. We don’t know what will the final version of the circular. Whatever said it looked very crude the English it was drafted. Further the fact they wore something 30 years ago may not indicate what they want to wear now too. Like many other men here, I agree nothing beat the colorfulness of the sari. But Women who wear it has their wish too.
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Hela / June 15, 2019
Agree with earlier comments of Max. Sumanthiran can wear the amude if he wants but the SLAS officer showed strong back bone and independence against the 3rd grade politician’s stupid arguments that may be good in a court like the famous “goyam kole” case or the “wangediya” case where such lawyers tried to save accused murderers.
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Sara / June 15, 2019
The government circular regarding dress code is fine. Few amendments can be done. Osariya, saree Indian style & sari Gujarati style – this is the style worn by the traditional Muslims should be permitted.The sari jacket needs attention. No backless or or sleeveless. No showing the belly button or the cleavage.Modesty & decency should be the priority. In the good old days all communities were decently dressed.
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Nelum / June 15, 2019
Secretry Rathnasiri and Minister Ranjith Madduma Bandara want to see the Belly Button and the cleavage f women . That was the main reason they brought up this circular.
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ks / June 15, 2019
Easter Attacks PSC: Public Administration Secretary Makes Shameful Display Of Racial Bias In SLAS – Not the secretary, committee members were showing their racial bias. And how does a dress code connect with Easter attack? Secretary showed he has a spine which will not bend in front of these jokers. I wander why he didn’t leave the place without answering irrelevant questions.
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RuwanL / June 15, 2019
Its a shame that this has been brought up by CT! Mr. Rathnasiri is correct! Why non of the Muslim parliamentarians are dressed in the Arab attire? Its a shame that the two parliamentarians who were very vociferous and rude to Mr Rathnasiri are dressed in western attire instead of their traditional dress according to their race! Shame on all of you! The PSC was not set up for the purpose of questioning public servants on matters unrelated to the 21/4 attack! Please do not contest for the next general election! we are not voting for any of the 225 current parliamentarians! GO HOME!
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Mano / June 15, 2019
AMBUDEY FOR MEN AND BIKINIS FOR WOMEN AS DRESS CODE IS THE MOST IDEAL, HEALTHY AND ECONOMICAL SOLUTION FOR SRI LANKA’S ECONOMY TODAY.
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Suzy / June 15, 2019
I salute Mr Ratnasiri who did not bow down before the corrupt Ministers who were been arrogant because of the status given to them by the Government. A senior government servant and a highly educated person should not be allowed to be ridiculed by some parliamentarians with racial agenda. Hakeem and Sumanthiram displayed their contempt towards Sinhalese by harassing a Public Servant who carried out a Ministerial direction and embraced the accused with great welcome. Sadly this kind of attitude will not help in reconciling different races. Its time to wrap up the PSC as they do not have qualified or recognised and reputed persons to delve into the atrocities committed by the higher during the Easter day massacre.
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Prabhath / June 15, 2019
http://www.adaderana.lk/news/55770/public-admin-minister-says-he-was-aware-of-circular-on-dress-code
What is the mandate of the committee? They must not ridicule government servants. Why have the asked questions and wanted the Secretary to give answers that they had in mind? What is wrong with the saree? Even Mrs. Ashroff wore saree.
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Daham / June 15, 2019
Sri Lanka has no future at all. According to Well Versed Bhikkhu, Alkande Dhammananda Thera the Sinhalese Buddhists and the Buddhist Monks who ill-treat other communities, themselves are injured “owun kumak ho hethuwaking THUWAALA SAHITHAYI” and do not have a normal behaviour pattern. He goes on to say that the politicians benefit from this bad behaviour and not the ordinary Sinhalese Buddhists in the villages.
The Rajapaksas, Wickramasinghes and Sirisenas have created a racist Sinhalese society for their benefit and the ordinary folks are suffering in this Hell Hole. Just now got to know that the Public administration minister Ranjith Madduma Bandara has had given approval to his secretary Ratnasiri(Racist who appeared at PSC) to issue the Circular forcing all women coming to government offices to wear Sarees. It seems this UNP minister is also vying for the votes of Sinhalese Buddhists in the next election. .
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ajith / June 15, 2019
When he gave statements, he seemed to be the Sinhalese Version of the Thalaibans. These type of donkeys are the animals who create more and more problems for humanity. Get rid of this bugger from this post sooner the better.
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Prabhath / June 15, 2019
Why should a Secretary of a Ministry know, what the Suicide bombers were wearing? What relevance does it have for this investigation? Is it crime committed by a government servant, not to know an answer for an irrelevant question? Isn’t there members in the Committee who said “they did not know” when they were questioned in Commisions? Shame on Sarath Fonseka, Jayampathy Wickramaratne & Aaashu Marasinghe to keep quiet, when a government servant is questioned in such manner.
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Prabhath / June 15, 2019
This is a hilarious Committee who does no the complaint procedure. First to your immediate superior, then to Head of Department. Next to Labour Department. Then to Human Rights Commission. Thereafter to MC, DC or SC. If there argument is right, we as citizens must flock around these Ministers houses and thrash out our grievances, rather going to Police Station.
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Prabhath / June 15, 2019
Every Committee member is trying to fix this Government servant, when he repeatedly says, he acted with the consent of the Minister. They are even trying to suggest to him that he needs to change the circular. Why don’t these Committee members, meet the Minister and sought out their problems and allow the public to sought their security concerns with regards to dress code in public places. Naturally Hakeem is interested in Muslim women. We who patronize Churches and Hotels are concerned about our safety. (around 300 died) Even the President banned covering the full face.
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Prabhath / June 15, 2019
Saaree was the dress of all communities. (Mrs. Ashraff wore saaree) There is no necessacity to force that on anybody. Who changed the dress recently? Why become Arabian Muslims?
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Prabhath / June 15, 2019
There are so called professors in the Committee, who does not know the difference between Government Boards and Departments?????
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Prabhath / June 15, 2019
The Committee thinks that the Chairman and the Commission members of the Human Rights Commission is GODS. They too interpret the Constitution without thinking of the concerns, beliefs and practices of the common people, especially after the 21st April incident and the changing behavioral patterns of the Muslim community in Sri Lanka and worldwide.
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