The tense situation occurred in Gintota last night has completely been brought under control, with law and order being established in the area, Law and Order Minister Sagala Ratnayaka said.
Sagala Ratnayaka – Minister of Law & Order
The Minister, issuing a special statement, extended his gratitude to all parties that acted responsibly to avoid a bloodbath.
The Minister said additional Police battalions, the Police Special Task Force, the Anti-riot Squad and the military were called in last night to bring the situation under control.
“Under the instructions of the President and the Prime Minister, police curfew was imposed on the area until 9 am this morning (18).
I am aware that some political groups are now on a desperate mission to turn this minor brawl into a Sinhala-Muslim clash. I urge the public not to be misled by their false propaganda.
The same elements are now in the process of disseminating false videos and news on social media platform to stir up communal sentiments. I reiterate that stern action will be taken against everyone, irrespective of their positions and political affiliations, attempting to resort to racist propaganda. The same will apply to the rumour-mongers trying to capitalise on this opportunity to achieve petty political gains,” the Minister asserted. (Issued to media by Minister Sagala Ratnayaka’s Media Unit)
Related posts:
Anti-Muslim Assaults In Gintota
ekelbroom / November 18, 2017
As long as two communities harbour apprehensions, concerns and fears about each other based on perceived dangers, real or imagined, the space for exploitation by or by using communal-minded bigots will exist and continue to expand.
Unless and until the more level-headed, sober, responsible members of civil society from both communities make a genuine effort to reach out to each other, to understand such apprehensions through empathy and compassion and to demonstrate readiness and willingness to take the necessary steps to neutralize such concerns, there will never ever be a peaceful relationship between the two communities.
With each outbreak of violence, the fissures between the two communities widen and deepen, thereby making the resolution of such problems increasingly difficult. The politicians exploit such situations to score points against each other, while the clergy and the scholars use such incidences to strengthen their hold over the respective communities.
Using the law to prevent further violence is only a transitory solution at best. It merely provides a solution for the immediate effects of the ‘problem’, not it’s cause.
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Analyst / November 18, 2017
Ugly Sinhala Buddhist Racists are at it again.
They are the worst enemies of the Buddhism and the so called Buddha Land Srilanka.
Non Racist Buddhist should be ashamed of these Racist group who continues to destroy the Lord Buddhas virtue living among them.
British Tourist a Buddhist herself won compensation recently from the Srilankan government for the illegal arrest and deportation for sporting Buddha statue on her arm.
She said she had received threatening messages on her Facebook ,fearing for her life , she had closed her account.
The impression on Srilanka is she will never return to Srilanka and the BUDDHISM SHE FOLLOWS IS NOT THE SAME AS VIOLENT AND HATEFUL RELIGION CALLED BUDDHISM FOLLOWED IN SRILANKA BY THE BUDDHISTS OF SRILANKA.
Ah!! What a shame !! The Sacred Religion has reached to this petty minded Religion.
Who is the cause for this?? Who instigates it?? Are they the POLITICIANS or the PRELATES
continue to instigate to cause violence??
Will this country ever move forward from this violent mentality???
.
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Analyst / November 18, 2017
Continuation of above::
British tourist Received Threatening messages from Srilankan Racist Buddhists who lives in Srilanka and the Srilankan Racists living abroad as well.
Low lying Sinhala Racist thugs wherever they live they remain Racist whether they’re Educated or Uneducated Mugs.
It’s in their Animal blood.!! Oh !! The Animal Blood ??
Hah !! Hah!! Fiction or Mystery??? Take it with a ” PINCH OF SALT”
Ooh !! Aah!! The Joke of the Country.
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Shrikharan / November 18, 2017
Analyst
All this is because Buddhism is given the foremost place in the constitution. This is where the fault is. In practice doing so makes Buddhists above the law and does nothing good to the religion and makes the religion corrupt. It ‘murdering’ Buddha! Nothing short of it.
Repeal religion from its foremost place and everything will become fine and Lord Buddha can sleep peacefully!
The almighty God protects all of us and we do not protect God. and we do not have to protect him. Do not change roles and if so we become God and God becomes a lower being!
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Bodin / November 18, 2017
This is nonsense. Some stupid thug in Gintota does not read the constitutional proposals and get inflamed to attack a muslim group.
IT Is SIMPLY because the LAW HAS NOT BEEN APPLIED and uphold, almost since 1957 from Bandas time. The Marxists slso undermined law and order and created an atmosphere of lawnesness. Todah we have a government of crooks with eventhe top most ministers, the ex governor of the central bank advised by Paskaralingam of Singapore all alledgedly implicated in the biggest heist of money from the people of the country.
As a muslim, I think what we need is the correct and unwavering application of the law, irrespective of the religion of those accussed.
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K.Anaga / November 20, 2017
If there is a dispute between a Buddhist and another belonging to some other religion over a matter, the Buddhist person will have priority on the basis” Buddhism being given the foremost Place”. Buddhism does not exist by itself it has to be personified for its existence. Hence all Buddhist have priority over the others.Ha! Ha! Ha!
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Ben Hurling / November 18, 2017
Excellent comment Ekelbroom. There are no short-cuts to resolution of Islamphobia or Islamist quest for world domination. This is not merely a Sri Lankan issue either. It is not limited to racist Sinhalese or racist Tamils. This is not a problem limited only to extremist “monks” and thugs. Situation is awfully similar to attitudes prevailed against Jews in Germany & elsewhere in the world in 1937. It is truly global. Similar skirmishes now take place against European Muslims all over Europe, on a daily basis. Blaming it all on vocal, highly visible racists among Sinhalese is a way too simple analysis that is bound to fail. We need a no stones un-turned, open, holsitic approach underpinned by equal, swift application of HR, Justice, Transparency, Modernity & Law.
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Sinhala_Man / November 19, 2017
Yes, Ben:
The comment by ekelbroom is excellent because he doesn’t take the easy way out of blaming just one or two groups. From previous comments I know that he is a very understanding Muslim. Yet, he doesn’t take the easy way out of blaming some other group for all that happens.
*
The culprits are many. To blame it ALL on SWRD Banda, as Nic does is too easy – although his irresponsible exploitation of perceived neglect by rural Sinhala-Buddhists for HIM to ride to power was greatly responsible. Fathima has my sympathy, considering all that Muslims have recently suffered, but that again is a simplistic response, especially given that in the debates on Reform of MMDA she has shown that she will not budge from her positions.
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Every one of us must show a willingness to move away from positions of confrontation, and be ready to accommodate the positions of others.
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Thanks “ekelbroom”for showing us the way.
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Amarasiri / November 19, 2017
Dear Sinhala_Man,
Are you still suffering from the CT “New Website” blues of writing comments, making spelling checks and copying URL’s? Just curious as to how your are managing between the various Para distractions and insults, in the Land of Native Veddah Aethho.
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Native Vedda / November 18, 2017
ekelbroom
–
I agree using the law is only transient, the only action that is necessary, possible and durable is to kick all those descendants of kallathonies back to their motherland Tamil Nadu. Think about it.
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Ben Hurling / November 19, 2017
Native,
Does that include Sri Lankan Muslims too? You might have to kick them out to zillion different places. Not just South India. My best Muslim friends in Colombo told me the other day their ancestors were actually from Yemen. Believe it or not. Settled in SL centuries ago. Will you deport them to inhuman Saudi bombardment in Yemen?
Cheers!
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Nic / November 18, 2017
“ekelbroom” – Well articulated! So long as politicians and especially the ill-literate hard lined clergy from all sects or brands of religion continue to operate without consequence to their propaganda of communal hatred and discord, Sri Lanka will never be one nation of Sri Lankans,
SWRD started it – he sowed the seed of communal hatred for his ill gotten gains. Today his progeny is no more – he also became the victim of the very group he chose to champion as “superior”. While SWRD’s children and those of the political elite studies in English overseas, the common man mesmerized by the divisive propaganda for SWRD’s selfish political mileage are anguishing and tormented by the seed of hatred he sowed.
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Fathima / November 18, 2017
This is not an isolated incident. This is the same thing happening in southern Thailand, southern Burma and now southern Srilanka.
Same victims. Same culprits.
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Ash / November 19, 2017
Excellent comment
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Rose Emerson / November 18, 2017
Yes fully under control after the carnage. Outrageous, disgusting . A failed state with a spineless head of state who protects ranaviruos and cheevaradarios.
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Rohan Gunaratne / November 18, 2017
Aluthgama and dharga town part 1. Gintota part 2. Where is the presidential commission on aluthgama massacre????. Without appointing comic commissions get to the bottom and arrest the mad dogs.
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SourGala / November 18, 2017
Comrade Rohan,
Add Mawenalla, Nawalapitiya, Immagamuwa – Kurunegala, Eravur, Akkaraipatthu, Mannar, Puttuvil, Ampara and Maligawatta-Grand pass area riots.
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Coolio / November 18, 2017
Sagala’s lip service is too little too late. You don’t have the spine to implement the law against these so called rumour mongers aka Facebook heroes. If you did Amith Weerasinghe, Saliya Ranawaka and Dan Priyasad would have been in jail when you idiots came to power back in 2015. If you even have an atom of a spine let alone a spine, i dare you to arrest Amith weerasinghe who has been calling for the Sinhalese youth to join the Gintota saga on Facebook. Of course Mr. Spineless Minister we don’t expect you to do anything simply because our expectations of you is very low. You are a man of words, not action. This is the same man that let Gnanasara walk free getting him 3 counts of bail under an hour! It’s funny how Facebook heroes appear to have a spine and an entire government appears to be scared of them. LOL.
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shankar / November 18, 2017
by the time sagala woke up several shops and houses have been attacked.Any arrests sagala?
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Chitra / November 18, 2017
Good question. Have their been any arrests? It is the lack of swift justice, the phone calls from politicians and influential idiots to release these scoundrels, and the releasing of these criminals, that encourage others to keep doing the same. In Sri Lanka criminals are never prosecuted, they come in and go out of a revolving door, because politicos order them released.
From the President’s son, to these racist scumbags, everyone seems to have connections to politicians, who do not want law and order in this country, and prevent accused criminals from facing a court of law.
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Native Vedda / November 19, 2017
shankar
–
Where is your poster boy who was willing to kill the Tamils and save the Muslims. Or has he joined the thugs?
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Say hello to him.
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Retarded Reverse Admiral Sarath W. / November 18, 2017
From Myanmar to Cambodia, Thailand, Srilanka, Pancha Maha Bala Vegaya in action in Gintota.
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sach / November 18, 2017
yes every good Tamil speaker should leave the Sinhalese to rot where they are…………
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Spring Koha / November 18, 2017
Hate raises its ugly head again. Good that you have it ‘under control’ but make sure that the perpetrators are identified and subject to the full extent of the law.
Hate is a cancer that spreads. Cut it out!
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wasantha / November 18, 2017
Sorry to say . Spineless leaders. We thought at least a riot like Dharga Town will never happen during the regime of Yahapalanaya.
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Analyst / November 18, 2017
Wasantha
People like you are the cause of this kind of violence and the curse of this nation for the Past , Present and the Future.
This is the pattern we’re seeing.
In the name of that poor man called Lord Buddha all the atrocities against non Buddhists are provoked and meted out.??
What kind of morons are Born in this country as Sinhala Buddhists??
Nowhere else in the WORLD this kind of Sinhala BUDDHISTS EVER EXISTED.
This violent Clan of Buddhists WERE ONLY CREATED IN SRI-LANKA WHO CALL THEMSELVES OF SINHALA BUDDHIST RELIGION , NO WHERE ELSE .
They also get preferential treatment under this noble name Buddhism and call themselves Buddhists.
Their mind is filled with vile against any other Religion.
So where does the TOLERANCE falls into this Religion??
Don’t forget what happened during the last Regime ?
If you continue to white wash and sweep under the carpet the last Muslim and Tamil Massacre , I certainly feel sorry for your ignorance and Amnesia WASANTHA!!
The last Racist Regime is Finito for sure.
Some like Wasantha still thinks the Murderers will return to rule.
Only a pipe dream for sure.
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Jehan / November 18, 2017
Gnansaraya was not arrested for aluthgama murders. Now we have other Chandiyas trying to make a name for themselves by destroying property and livelihood of innocent people. Every action has a reaction, all these Gons and mad monks should be arrested, and didrobed.
If not expect another war with world wide consequences.
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Sherantha / November 18, 2017
And the Rainbow (brothers) comes out after all the RAIN…Damn Spineless bunch!!! so what now?? Who’s responsible has any one/ group identified yet…? ? ?
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Mallaiyuran / November 18, 2017
Sagala the Pogroms Slayer”
Bravo!
Now Sagala might be with Jehan PhD on the phone to consult how to use this to spin off the Yahapalanaya’ stern actions, which is the natural character of Yahapalanaya & had promised in the election campaign too while continuing to implement it from the start, on this vast Communal Pogrom. Jehan PhD, on his next essay, will connect this with similarity example of how Yahapalanaya turned around UNHRC situation after taking off from Chitanata. Even Harsha did not fail on the advice Jehan PhD gave here a month ago not to miss to use Lord Neatby’s speech to use against Britain & UNHRC. To make sure he to survive in future if come Joint Comedies to power in 2019, he will make that of Sagala’s action pretty on the same plane similar to how Brother Prince, who resurrected the country from Tamils’ terrorism existed from 1948. Jehan PhD will be use this opportunity camouflage Sagala on his conversation on the phone with open microphone on a public stage as that is how the Law and Order minister on the phone with the force always to ensure stern action.
There is nothing sort in Sagala’s stern action in the North, where Sagala’s police force (which is police force in the daytime, underground force in the night time in North) operated Aava Kuzhu carried out eight sword attacks last week alone.
As usual, one has to wonder why Sagala is releasing this if any Middle East remittances is taking too long to reach him.
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K.Anaga / November 18, 2017
Is Sagala under Control after bond scam Calls?
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Aluthgama / November 18, 2017
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K.Pillai / November 18, 2017
Looks as if the police waited for instructions to bring the riot under control. Should they have?
Instructions from GoSL or……….??
Under control for how long?
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Mallaiyuran / November 18, 2017
“Politicians waited Muslims come under control.” It is said Muslims complained to Hakeem that STF broke their homes. Unlike how he behaved in Aluthgama, if Hakeem to talk meida, one can come to know the truth and the flash of it.
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Pygmalion / November 18, 2017
In July 1983 when the worst ever Anti Tamil pogrom took place, Muslims ,in Colombo Central took the lead. M.H. Mohammed who had his origins in South India,and who was Cabinet Minister at the time unleashed his Thugs against the Tamils!
In fact properties belonging to the Tamils were bought over by the Muslims subsequently for a song.
The Sinhala people to their credit did not capitalise on this crisis!
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Real Siva Sankaran Sharma / November 19, 2017
You are correct and later at the request of then President J R Jayawardene this Mohammed , whose family like more than 95% of the Sri Lankan Muslims , originating from Tamil Nadu , sent Muslim thugs and criminals from Colombo and other parts of the south to Kalmunai in the east , to join local Muslim extremists and started problems between the eastern Tamils and the Tamil Muslims in the area. This was the beginning of the large scale rift between the eastern Tamils and Tamil Muslim in the east, that was deliberately created by J R Jayawardene and then Minister Mohammed originating from Tamil Nadu. This happened in 1985. After the 1983 riots many Tamil refugees from south, had fled to their ancestral villages in the north and east , after loosing their homes and all their possessions. Within a month Muslim pavement hawkers had flooded all the big towns in the north and east selling clothes, electrical goods and other wares very cheaply. Trying to sell the very same looted goods from the Tamils down south back to them. Many Tamils were very angry about this and did not purchase anything from them. At least you did not find Sinhalese vendors doing the same
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Lanki / November 18, 2017
Some times I wonder if its the type of Buddhism and type of Islam we are following in SL the base cause for this trouble. Take Islam, today the Islamic Leaders and Priests do not want to bring marriage laws where children are married off which results in rape (under age rape legally speaking). They are also insisting the women should have the right to cover their faces. Well in that case when they go to pray in Mecca why are the women not allowed to cover their faces and why they do not demand this there? If the holiest place in Islam does not permit it why should any other place permit it (I always feel uncomfortable when face is covered and I do mind body covering). Further take Rohingya for instance, why none of the Arab countries, especially Gulf and Saudi Arabia have not given asylum to them?
Coming to Buddhism, the monks who are supposed to give up every thing are today sitting on elaborate thrones, becoming violent on the streets, becoming political organizations etc. They spread more hatred than any one else. Going further I also note in the countries where Theravada Buddhism is being followed there are increasing number of violence against other religions. I do not see this phenomenon in Mahayana Buddhist countries.
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Global Citizen / November 18, 2017
Our main tourist go to Gale, any violence will distroy our forign. Currency income.
Most of our Sri Lankans are not rasist or violent, we Shall not allow the small community of violent menn and culprits organising violence.
We are one nation part of global socity. A single person making violence in South Can distroy our country so it is important we dont accept communal mindset.
We dont use this incident to our advantage.
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Ahmad Nadvi / November 18, 2017
People say that they witnessed police officers set fire a Sinhale’s shop to intensify the problem and make it a Island wide riot against Muslims like the 1983 riot against the Tamils. Nor politicians or Sinhales tugs have learned anything from the past.
If a Muslims group that attacked the young Sinhales driver after him knocking down a Muslim woman with an infant , was the reason for the small scale riot then don’t the Muslim youths have no right to attack the Sinhales mob, who are attacking and burning down Muslims’ properties, as the Muslim group’s alleged behavior at the first place?
Listen carefully the more you attack minority the soon the country will be separated. It may be a small price for the minority to pay and go separate. SRI LANKA IS A SPECIAL CASE FOR INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY. Thus choice is yours, politicians and mad people who look for opportunity DO NOT BEHAVE FOOLISHLY.
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Bodin / November 18, 2017
The muslim youth, or anyone else SHOULD NOT take the law into their hands even if some thugs, be they buddhist or muslim, took the law into their hands
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Mama Sinhalam / November 18, 2017
In a book, Holt, Buddhist Extremists..in Sri Lanka, there appears a comment: “Buddhist nationalism requires the perception of threat and whether or not such a threat is imminent, one must be produced”. Everything must be kept on the boil for Sinhala Buddhism to be kept intact. So, you have pogroms against the Tamils, the Christians and the Muslims. In the case of the Muslims, their economic ouster to advance Sinhala business is a cause. But, it is fed, on the Muslim side by their taking to outlandish forms of Islam, like Wahabism. Given these trends, this hostility is not destined to end soon.
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Park / November 19, 2017
Sri Lankan Police is good in catching scapegoats and not the real person or persons who create chaos. In this racial riot every SL knows that its politically motivated and there are strong politicians behind it but the Police will never catch them. Police will catch some drunken poor guys. Same way there is so much of drugs coming into the country not a single Drug Barron has been arrested. Police is the most inefficient body in Sri Lanka. We need a full review of the police.
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