Indicating the rising threats against civil society activities in Sri Lanka that is egged on by the Rajapaksa-regime, families whose loved ones had disappeared during the war in 2009 were intimidated in Colombo today by a mob led by Buddhist extremist monks and supporters of the Rajapaksa-regime that stormed into a meeting they attended.
The meeting was held this afternoon at the Center for Society and Religion in Maradana that is located within the premises of a Catholic church. It was disrupted by the mob that suddenly stormed into the meeting that was attended by families of disappeared including children, civil society activists and US and European diplomats.
The mob had demanded the organizers to stop the meeting, claiming it is illegal and had held the crowd inside the CSR hall for over two hours. The families had been intimidated by the angry protesters who had been threatening and photographing them and shouting slogans against NGOs that are funded by Washington.
Police arrived at the scene following a complaint lodged by the organizers of the meeting at the Maradana Police station.
According to an article published in the New York Times on the incident, Acting Deputy Head of the Mission at the US Embassy, Micheal Honigstein had been present at the event.
“I have seen firsthand the intimidation you face as families of the disappeared,. . .I honor your courage to come forward and share your stories with us,” Honigstein has been quoted telling the families.
Meanwhile, the US embassy in Sri Lanka releasing a statement on the incident today has charged that the initial reaction of the Police to the incident appeared to be in support of the mob efforts to shut down the meeting.
“The strong impression was that the protesters were seeking to intimidate and silence those in attendance,” the statement read.
Furthermore it has strongly called upon the Government of Sri Lanka to strengthen the rule of law and ensure the most basic human rights including freedom of speech and freedom of assembly are upheld. The US Embassy in Sri Lanka had also urged the government to ensure all possible steps are taken to guarantee the safety of families who had traveled from the North to attend this meeting.
Amarasiri / August 5, 2014
Expose, expose and expose
Expose the criminals. whether they be Sinhala Buddhists, Tamil Hindus or Christians, Sinhala Christians or Muslims. Criminals should not be allowed to hide under ethnicity or under para-religions, in the land of native Veddah. There are too many Murderers and killers lurking around.
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ela kolla / August 5, 2014
amASSiri the altar boy,
Families Of The Disappeared in north represent tamil terrorists. they should be jailed
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mike / August 5, 2014
@ elu kolla
Our elu kolla has spoken. “DONG” !
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burt / August 6, 2014
Whose kola could he be? MR’s or Mervyn’s?
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Amarasiri / August 6, 2014
burt
“Whose kola could he be? MR’s or Mervyn’s?”
Need to be kind to victims. He has been a victim from Magama Hemasiri of Habaraduwa.
ella-kolla Child Abuse by a Monk in Habaraduwa
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yNSC93mPs4I
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ela kolla / August 6, 2014
buru mike, get a life
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Saman / August 6, 2014
ela Kolla should talk to his master Gota on the disappearance in both North and South.
His master Gota has the file.
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ela kolla / August 6, 2014
saman, you’re a NGO puppet being manipulated by a colonial masters
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balawathie / August 12, 2014
Did you get your paternity tests made ?
At least now are u aware of your origin /genesis ?
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Bagalawathie Jayathilaka / August 13, 2014
Rajapakshes vision is to see the things very same manner you do. Anyone who would criticise their all level administration visionless wisdomless decisions but have a greater impact on the nation – are always been attacked. Be them within that UPFA poisonous coalition or UNP or other oppo parties they are all being attacked by them using all kind of thuggery.
A) UNP MPs that risked their lives in Hambantota and Sapugaskanda lately are the good examples. NoJUSTICE is against these issues but they guy sounds to be enjoying with his self made Kingdom
B) What happened to the masses of kgs of heroine sofar is not clear to anyone to this day – any civilized state would even go much harder against Heroine impoteurs but Rajapakshes have not. You guys may know Malaysian govt is vehemently against drug imports – life imprisonment or death penalty is their punishments
C) These brutal men to leave the nation to guide in this way should be rethinkable by the folks whose voting power – UNIVERSAL franchise allowed all the misery that we entire folks face today.
Deyyoma balanda ona ape jathiye winsaya – May all god pay their all attention the way the nation is being eroded by Rajapakshes.
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BBS Rep / August 5, 2014
Ah well, this is Sri Lanka. This sort of thuggery and intimidation is now normal and common occurrence. The GOSL have been very effective in unleashing their ‘protesters for hire’. Once again the saffron robed thugs lead the mobs.
I am glad that foreign diplomats were present to see the depth of depravity of the government of Mahinda Rajapaksa. To attack people who are simply there to find out the fate of those that were taken away by the white vans as well as the armed forces and not heard of since.
It is beyond any reasonable doubt that most were tortured, raped and murdered. At least to know where their bodies were disposed of will be a great relief for those who are left behind. At least allow them to dig up the remains and rebury according to their religious faiths. This will give closure to most of the suffering thousands.
Continuing to harass, intimidate and belittle these suffering people is the height of depravity in land or language.
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Thiru / August 6, 2014
BBS Rep,
This story is really amusing, isn’t it?
Acting Deputy Head of the Mission at the US Embassy was not allowed to leave the place for 2 hours by the fat brigade of Buddhist Bhikku Sena (BBS) groomed and incited by the notorious American citizen and strongman, Gota.
Here we have the representative of the most powerful nation on Earth with CIA and FBI to track down the criminals is detained and helpless.
Even Saddam Husein wouldn’t have dared to do such a thing!
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Rationalist / August 12, 2014
Thiru, you are playing right into the BBS Hands!
They will feel that they have achieved the Impossible, and pat themselves on the Back.
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Amarasiri / August 5, 2014
meeting?
If they are going to disrupt physical meeting and police will not stop them, hold Virtual meeting using skype and other video services.
Expose, Expose ans Expose.
http://srilanka.usembassy.gov/pr-4aug14.html
UNHRC News
PRESS RELEASES
4
U.S. Embassy Concerned by Meeting Disruption, Calls for Government to Enforce Rule of Law
August 4, 2014
Read in Sinhala
Read in Tamil
On August 4 a meeting that included U.S. Embassy officials was interrupted by angry protesters, including a group of monks. The mob forced its way into the meeting on the grounds of a Colombo Catholic church, where families of disappeared persons from the civil conflict were sharing their stories with civil society groups and members of the diplomatic community. The U.S. Embassy is concerned that the initial reaction of the local police to this disruption appeared to be in support of the mob’s efforts to shut down the meeting, though after discussions with diplomatic officials the police did effectively calm the situation.
The mob shouted hateful slogans, made unfounded accusations, and behaved threateningly towards the families of the disappeared. These protesters were not exercising their right to peaceful protest, but rather were disrupting a peaceful gathering of conflict survivors, including children. The strong impression was that the protesters were seeking to intimidate and silence those in attendance.
The United States strongly urges the Government of Sri Lanka to enforce the rule of law and permit all citizens to exercise their most basic human rights, including freedom of speech and freedom of assembly. We also call on the Government of Sri Lanka take all possible steps to ensure the safety of families who had traveled from the North to attend this meeting, both in Colombo and upon their return home.
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Peace Lover / August 5, 2014
A religious leader is someone who should radiate peace and calmness and uphold justice at all times
but alas the Buddhist monks of Sri Lanka do just the opposite and mar all Buddhists as racist bigots due to their action
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Amarasiri / August 5, 2014
Peace Lover
“but alas the Buddhist monks of Sri Lanka do just the opposite and mar all Buddhists as racist bigots due to their action”
Now, you are beginning to understand the difference between Buddhism and Sinhala “Buddhism”.
Sinhala Buddhism is Sinhala Maraism or Sinhala
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aratai / August 5, 2014
.
No wonder, Ceylon’s first terrorist, a monk who shot SWRD.
:-)
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Flycatcher / August 5, 2014
Ceylon’s 1st terrorist was Mahanama.
And then Anagarika Darmapala/Olcott.
JRJ & Banda were part time terrorists.
Later it was Velupillai Prabakaran.
Now its Gota and his BBS with their partner JHU.
In future a possible Jihad? – Makeshift or genuine I don’t know but somehow they want a Jihad with support of the failed nation Pakistan.
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wathie / August 5, 2014
Remember! the Wall Street protesters. Unlike the US, Sri Lanka treat protesters fairly. Right to protest is an essential feature of a democratic country.
Who do you mean by civil society? Here, it looks as if Neo-Con backed mobs are the civil society.
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Native Vedda / August 5, 2014
wathie
“Unlike the US, Sri Lanka treat protesters fairly.”
Where is this country Sri Lanka that treats protesters fairly? Lot of us want to visit this country. Have you been there yourself?
“Right to protest is an essential feature of a democratic country.”
Good this is the first time you have said something useful, I believe you have discovered it recently. This is what we have been demanding for too long.
Well come to democracy. By the way could you let the clan know about the right of the people to protest.
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Lapatiya / August 5, 2014
Native,
“Unlike the US, Sri Lanka treat protesters fairly”
Wathie is right Native. Don’t you remember how fairly Sri Lanka treated it’s own University Students Protests? One Student’s eye was out of the socket. Just Imagine how fair was the treatment.
Believe me Native no Country is treating Protesters like in Sri Lanka as Govt. Peace keeping forces use 2 x 2 wooden poles, iron rods and other harmless weapons such as knives, swords to treat peaceful protesters.
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Native Vedda / August 5, 2014
Lapatiya
Don’t forget the state’s incredible tolerance when the workers of Katunayake FTZ revolted and bent on over throwing the democratically elected government. And the Chillaw protest by fishermen. And the protest against water pollution in Weliweriya.
Those who died there were killed by LTTE or JVP, may be they committed suicide.
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kp / August 5, 2014
fairly? tell that to the people who got shot for asking for clean water.
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LMAO / August 5, 2014
Dear US embassy, releasing statement regarding the atrocities of this genocidal regime will not help. So stop releasing vague statements and start something useful, such as persecuting the perpetrates. It has been more than 5 years since tens of thousands of Tamils brutally slaughtered by this regime and hundreds of others disappeared. Still all the international community doing is releasing vague statements and being silent. Please do something useful for the affected. You all have responsibility because you all helped this regime to beat LTTE. If you cant do it then tell us, the Tamils, that you don’t have the power to control this megalomaniac regime and racist Buddhist monks.
Thank you
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Backlash / August 5, 2014
Even at his own celebrated low level of IQ, President Rajapakse should understand each and every one of these incidents – suspected to receiving tacit approval of the Rajapakse Brothers and their immediate circles – will come to haunt them later in one way or the other. The much expected Chinese Insurance, like in the case of Sudan’s Al Bashir, might not be there when the crunch comes. For the moment, it may look to them as though they are winning. With gory incidents like this, fooling the world, but these events have a strange way to react. Remember, the venue was the venerated hall
where the late and revered Fr. Tissa Balasuriya functioned and carried out many socially-oriented protests. I cannot recall any earlier incident there of such appalling and rowdy behaviour
by undisciplined elements – and in this case those in the clothes of Buddhhist monks.
Backlash
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Park / August 5, 2014
It appears some of the Monks who were in this protest are the same monks that the Police said they could not find for braking into the Minister’s office. If this is true, then why didn’t the police arrest these monks?
Further the protesters should have been sent away and not the participants of the organized meeting. Its time all the opposition parties unite together and demand the resignation of the IGP.
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gamini / August 5, 2014
This is not the first time and certainly will not be the last either, where peaceful meetings have been disrupted in the presence of the Police. If the meetings are illegal then the Polioce should have taken action against those who convened the meeting. If not the Police should have arrested whomever who disrupted the meeting. Clear case of, lack of Law and Order and the Police just watching. What a Disgrace this Police Force is? Why this selective Justice?
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Flycatcher / August 5, 2014
Here the Key point. ‘The MOB had demanded the organizers to stop the meeting’
So how powerful is this MOB? HOW?? What right they have to make such a demand.
‘The families had been intimidated by the angry protesters who had been threatening and photographing them and shouting slogans against NGOs that are funded by Washington’
-This is so interesting. So what Washington DC would do about this? Is this the first such incident? Acting Deputy Head of the Mission at the US Embassy, Micheal Honigstein was there too.
Looks like this MOP is so powerful to challenge in such a manner.
Isn’t it fishy U.S?
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aratai / August 5, 2014
.
What is MOB? Is it Ministry of Buddhism?
:-)
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Flycatcher / August 6, 2014
How precise you are.
This is not the Buddhism. I doubt we ever had Siddhartha Gautama Buddha’s Buddhism. My Hunch is that Teachings of Buddha died with Dutugamunu. From that era onwards until the beginning of 20th century we had a diluted a Buddhism. Buddhists followed half of that and half Hinduism so they adopted Devalayas and other Malayalee myths into their faith with some modification as a result of colonization. In between you know well those so called Buddhist ‘protectors’ came and spoilt it further, thus introduced violence to this faith slowly but steadily. Sinhalaism (like Maraism) over took Buddhism in people’s mind and grew rapidly. Today we are in a mess. Maraism over taking Sinhalaism in return. In shot, this is what I see. When I see a Monk (any monk including Asgiriya, Malwathu nayaka himis)I see a terrorist. I don’t have an ounce of respect for them.
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Javi / August 8, 2014
Mortality Ooh Banana= MOB
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Javi / August 8, 2014
“Acting Deputy Head of the Mission at the US Embassy, Micheal Honigstein was there too. Looks like this MOP is so powerful to challenge in such a manner. Isn’t it fishy U.S?”
Not at all but highly experienced.
In my Blood
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The Manchineel trees and its fruits / August 5, 2014
Sadly Sri Lanka’s majority race have regretfully evolved into a human species of The Manchineel trees and their future generations will no doubt be extremely poisonous fruits .
I leave it up to the readers to sum up what the future is going to be like.
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Native Vedda / August 5, 2014
The Manchineel trees
“Sadly Sri Lanka’s majority race have regretfully evolved into a human species of The Manchineel trees”
You didn’t mean sach, wathie, Nuisansae, Banda, Navin, Mechanic, OTC, Ravi Perera, Thondamanaru, Noel Jones, Ramu, ………….. did you?
The rest of the Sinhala/Buddhists are so stupid that they find it difficult to distinguish right from wrong.
Simply they join the mob.
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Namal Perera / August 5, 2014
State sponsored TERRORISM in action, only way out is to rediscover our lost Democratic Sri Lanka and chase away the crazy lunatics who turned it into a corrupt lawless Banana Republic that serve and protect only the CRIMINALS.
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justice / August 5, 2014
This incident makes it all the more important to establish a Witness Protection mechanism – if the recently appointed ‘commission’,reportedly to be enlarged to six members,can serve any useful purpose.
It is also proof of the absence of any “law and order” – though a new ministry has been established to enforce same.
The ‘puppet’ Minister of Justice has no power to phone the IGP and order him to uphold the law.
Why are Buddhist monks in ‘panic mode’ when relatives of tamil victims who ‘disappeared’ at the end of the war wish to relate their stories.
This is not the first time such thuggery has prevented meetings.
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Navin / August 5, 2014
I read elsewhere that these so called “families of the disappeared” had been testifying before the UN panel on war crimes over Skype at the time the meeting was disrupted. No mention of that here in this news item.
No wonder it attracted BBS and other like minded groups! Besides why else would all the good ambassadors would want to meet with the families of the disappeared now?
Any how TNA parliamentarian Suresh Premachandaran has said TNA has lots of evidence to provide the panel “against the government” — seems TNA has no evidence to provide against LTTE! Well what else can we expect, LTTE had many faces then and it continues to exist under many disguises even now…
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Citizen / August 5, 2014
The Monks are creating problem because they are not living normal live, They need sex, lack of sex they get frustration.So the Buddhism should allow Monks to Marry. even Lord Buddha married and got children
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Lasantha / August 6, 2014
After getting endless free Dana and free Kasippu, these yellow robe “bebadu” drunkard over weight and oversized “Pinguttarayas” are looking for ways to spend their extra testosterone.
They are neither Buddhist monks nor vegetarians, but meat eating, kasippu drinking studs.Their sizes say it all.
They should be sent to Afganistan to fight Talibans there.
I suggest Government could earn valuable foreign currency by exporting these stud bulls to Afganistan to fight Taliban and also to spend their extra energy.
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truth / August 6, 2014
why this monks don’t go to ask hike of price in everything,the debt of the country ,the families that suffer,the corruption ,the drugs traffic etc,
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