Under pressure internationally to address the country’s human rights situation four years after the defeat of the LTTE Secretary to the ministry of Defence Gotabaya Rajapaksa today warned of new terror threats, the rise of Muslim extremism and said minority insularity was resulting in the emergence of hardline Sinhala groups in Sri Lanka.
Gota with BBS monk Gnanasara
Addressing the Defence Seminar 2013 in Colombo, the Secretary MOD said Muslim Fundamentalism was spreading all over the world and in this region. “This is a situation that our Law Enforcement agencies and Security Forces are concerned about, particularly as there have been instances where extremist elements were found in transit in Sri Lanka and were arrested and handed over to appropriate authorities. The possibility that such extremist elements may try to promote Muslim extremism in Sri Lanka is a cause for concern,” Rajapaksa said.
The Secretary MOD said that Tamil and Muslim minority communities were growing increasingly insular, choosing to identify themselves more with Tamils in Tamil Nadu or the global Muslim community, resulting in a lack of integration with the rest of the population in Sri Lanka.
“One of the consequences of the increasing insularity amongst minority ethnic groups is the emergence of hard line groups within the majority community,” Rajapaksa said, referring to several Sinhala hardline groups that have mushroomed in the recent past that have been implicated in rising intolerance and violence against the Muslim population.
lankan / September 3, 2013
see he is mentioning muslim extremism and emergence of hardline groups within the majority community and not ‘Buddhist extremism’
why doesn’t he say Muslim extremism and Buddhist Extremism or else emergence of hardline groups within the majority community and emergence of hardline groups within the minority community.
We can easily conclude that this guy is against minority for sure
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Amarasiri / September 4, 2013
Gotabaya Rajapaksa,
You are a liar. Did the Enlightened Buddha teach you to lie? Was it the lying Monks. Who are you trying to fool.
“Under pressure internationally to address the country’s human rights situation four years after the defeat of the LTTE Secretary to the ministry of Defence Gotabaya Rajapaksa today warned of new terror threats, the rise of Muslim extremism and said minority insularity was resulting in the emergence of hardline Sinhala groups in Sri Lanka.”
This is really Bull Shit.
1. The Sinhala Buddhist Racism goes back to 5th Century AD, to Monk Mahanama, even before there was Islam.
2. It was Sinhala Buddhist Racism that was thevcause of Riots in 1958, 1977, 1883 and so on against the Tamils.
3. It was the Sinhala Buddhist Racism that killed Prime Minister SWRD Bandaranaike.
4. It was the Buddhism that killed Jainism in Sri Lanka, so that the Monks can maintain their Hegemony.
4. You are a disgrace to the Enlightened Buddhas teachings.
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I am no muslim / September 5, 2013
To say it all in short, Amarasiri is a Jihadi.
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Suresh / September 4, 2013
Sinhala-Buddhist Racism, Extremism (Hardline Movements), Hegemonism, and Violence (against the minorities) started from the time of Anagarika Dharmapala and continue till today.
The rise of Tamil Racism, Extremism, and Terrorism is the direct consequence of Sinhala-Buddhist Racism, Extremism, Hegemonism, and Violence. The Tamils were forced to take up arms and engage in terrorism due to the above acts of the Sinhala-Buddhists.
Now, the same thing is happening to the Muslims. If the Muslim Racism, Extremism, and Terrorism raise its head in Sri Lanka, Only and Only the Sinhala-Buddhists are to be blamed.
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Patriot / September 5, 2013
Jihadi Amarasiri says “Sinhala Buddhist Racism goes back to 5th Century AD” and this idiot says ‘Hegemonism, and Violence (against the minorities) started from the time of Anagarika Dharmapala.’
You guys have forgotten that it was GG Ponnanbalam who tarted the first racist cry in the 1930s.
Dr. Jane Russell’s ‘Communal Politics under the Donoughmore Constitution’ by Tissara Publishers, 1982 (page 131) says: “The Ceylon Tamils had no written document on the lines of the Mahavamsa to authenticate their singular and separate historical authority in Sri Lanka, a fact which Ceylon Tamil communalists found very irksome”. Russell writes, Hansard reports in 1935 (column 3045) shows Ponnambalam claiming that he is a PROUD DRAVIDIAN, and rejecting the ceylonese concept that embraced all the ethnic groups. It is in response to such action by GGP made ‘the Sinhala Maha Sabha’ to be founded in 1936. Book also says “Bandaranaike had meanwhile begun to reply G. G. Ponanmbalam.”
So, Ponnambalam The book also says GGP went to political meeting and began to attack the Mahavamsa claiming that the Tamils have always ruled the Sinhalese, and that the Sinhalese were “a race of hybrids” and an offshoot of the Tamils.
At a meeting in Navalapitiya in 1939, Ponnambalam attacked the Mahavamsa and the Sinhalese in such extreme terms that the people attacked him, and the first Sinhala-Tamil riots began, with clashes in Navalapitiya, Passara, Maskeliya and even in Jaffna. The anti-sinhala movement of G. G. Ponnambalam made him popular among the Jaffna people. GG’s ‘Tamil Congress’ captured power from the moderate Tamil parties like ‘Jaffna youth congress’.
Get it right Suresh, no speech by Anagarika Dharmapala started a single Tamil-Sinhala or any riot.
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Thiru / September 4, 2013
He will do anything to hide his involvement in Matale mass grave of Sinhala youth under his command, and Mullivaaikkaal massacre of Tamils!
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selvam kumar / September 3, 2013
GOTABAYA RAJAPAKSE IS A MUSLIM AND TAMIL ENEMY, HE IS USING THE BUDDIHIST MONKS TO CREATE PROBLEM FOR THE TAMILS AND MUSLIMS. THIS MAN IS A WAR CRIMINAL MUST BE CHARGED IN THE INTERNATIONAL COURT OF LAW, AND MUST BE HANGED
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googel / September 3, 2013
Got it. So it is a preventing measure. Muslims have an inclination to become Terrorists one day so they should rightly fully harassed now. I think GOTA should be spelled as G O N A
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Percy Jilmart / September 3, 2013
There will never be peace in this country as long as the Rajapassas have dynastic dreams because they will continue to cultivate extremist Buddhist groups like BBS, Sinhala Ravaya and Ravana Balaya to attack minority religious groups like the Hindus, Muslims and Christians and in doing so, keep the country in perpetual unrest. When the majority and minorities keep fighting with other, they wont have the time to find fault with the family regime and the Rajapassas could continue to rule without any hindrances for ever and ever, Amen.
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Dhaksha / September 3, 2013
What a load of BS. This disgraceful man is making excuses for Buddhist extremism, by blaming the victims.
Whatever the reasons are, this man has let the minority Sri Lankans down, by not giving them the security and protection, whenever his saffron robed thugs go around attacking Mosques and Churches. Instead of justifying racist attacks, he should be condemning such acts and warning these ignorant bigots to stop acts of violence, and follow the teachings of their own religion. Secretary of Defense? More like Secretary of Violence.
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Thiru / September 4, 2013
Blaming the minority was practiced by Sri Lankan regimes after anti-Tamil pogroms, and they put Tamil MPs under house arrest!
Does anybody remember that?
In Myanmar too they blame the minority Muslims for all the trouble.
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Leelage Amma / September 3, 2013
Gotabaya is a threat to peace and harmony of our nation.
If dittadammawedaneeya would not work on him sooner than later, we are all in danger. That is for sure the prediction of many.
He is given enormous power, while opposition is being fully neglected by President. New law and order ministry before being implemented, MR could discuss its essentiality in the parliament. But opposition was not even informed about that. That is the real dictatorship – governed the country today.
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I am no muslim / September 5, 2013
hey Amma,
‘dittadammawedaneeya’ is already working hard on you traitorous lot. And that’s why, in the mindset on patriots, traitorous and evangelical seal is embedded on UNP. Hence UNP is loosing elections after election. The way to go.
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Goraka / September 4, 2013
Gota is the most dangerous cashier from 7-Eleven store in California.
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I am no muslim / September 5, 2013
Hey Gorakaya,
Which is right; cashier at 7-Eleven as you idiots say or gasoline pump attendant like evangelist Jayanthaya says? Read Gota’s CV get it right you dumps.
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Fonseka / September 4, 2013
Gonababa Rajapukka was a 7 11 store cashier until his brother Mahinda Rajapukka became the SL president.
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KK / September 4, 2013
Gonababa Rajapukka was a 7 11 store cashier until his brother Mahinda Rajapukka became the SL president.
After his brother became president Gota became Defence Secretary and eradicate terrorist from SL
Feel sad!!!!
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Fonseka / September 4, 2013
Gonababa Rajapukka was a 7 11 store cashier in California, until his brother Mahinda Rajapukka became the president of Srilanka. I cannot believe this uneducated Moron is the Defence secretary and tarnishing the image of the island. Gotabaya applied for a green card in the US after committing mass Murders in Matale. God must punish him for his war crimes, along with his Rajapukka brothers and their clan.
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DeSelva / September 4, 2013
..adn David Cameron & William Hague wants to shake his hands
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Mahela / September 5, 2013
They will not shake hands….but will shake Rajapakse Dictator and his clan.
Navi Pillai is chicken compared to these big guns when they come.
Start looking for Rat holes to hide as there’s no more Belarus left to hide.
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kalu kumaraya / September 4, 2013
What a bloody joker.This man and the yellow robed clan are a big disgrace for Sri Lanka,Sinhalese and Budddists altogether.Rising extremism in muslim community may be true.After all unlike us(Sinhalese) every second they are trying to propagate their numbers and religion little by little.One day I have a feeling that they will out number us and we will loose our status as the majority of our own counrty.This is a realistic risk.But what Gota does is extremely stupid and his and his clan’s action project us as a barbaric race and that will accelarate our demise rather than safegaurding that.More and more professionals will leave the country and it will be left with idiotic lot and it will create an ideal situation to these minorities to overrule us.We should be more orgaised as a race and should take active measures to keep our numbers and percentage intact for the future generations.However we should not do things to tarnish our thousand sof years of image as a peace loving nation as these short sighted childish acts are not accepted in civilized world any more.
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Kapuwata Dummala / September 4, 2013
If you want to reduce the population of Tamils & Muslims the best way is to give them good education and good opportunities. The next generation will refuse to have more kids. It will be like Singapore. Even if the government beg the people to have kids still they will refuse and worst still finally they will migrate to more developed countries for better life where there is real freedom and more civilized societies. The developed countries will welcome them with open arms as they are highly qualified professionals who will contribute to further development of the new country.
Sinhala barbarian racist like you can live in the dump and holler at last we got rid of the Tamils & Muslims. When you have a reduced population, reduced business and professionals who will pay taxes.
You must be very proud when Central Bank just announced the reason Rupees holding on to downward pressure from devaluation is due remittance from Middle East sent by all the house Maids.
Great Achievements from Miracle of Asia. Barbarians !
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I am no muslim / September 5, 2013
The way we are progressing in education, tourism, hospitality and other service sectors, there won’t be any Sinhalese going to Middle East as housemaids in a few years time.
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Rivazii / September 4, 2013
Gota is a sofisticated racist ; he nurishes those fellow Balu sena racist.
This idiot should be deported back to his former labour camp in US.
let patriot Sri Lankan no matter any race or religion to do the politics.
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G S R Perera / September 4, 2013
kari [Edited out]
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Rohan / September 4, 2013
Sophisticated? Huh!!!
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sebastian / September 4, 2013
They should never have allowed monks to be in the parliament.
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Thrishantha / September 4, 2013
Here, it is important to highlight Buddha’s teachings on dependent co-origination. Buddha said in Maha-Nidhana Sutta, Diga Nikaya, that things co-arise and co-exist in addition to arising as a result of other things. Often we try to put all what we experience to the latter chronological category of dependent origination, which is not always true. Simply put, the first category is like, “that exists because something else also exists at the same time”. For instance, when we listen to music, we think there is an absolute thing called music. But music exists because it is contained in silence. Without silence, there is nothing called music, and without music we don’t notice silence. So the are concepts that co-exist. A concept of a building exists because there is a concept called space. Similarly, insularity of minority ethnic groups co-arises with hardline groups in the majority. What maybe binding is misunderstanding or ignorance. It maybe not entirely accurate to identify a chronological sequence, that blames extremism in minority groups for coming first.
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Dr.Rajasingham Narendran / September 4, 2013
Tamil and Muslim communities growing increasingly insular! What a misreading of the current situation in the country. A large number of Tamils speak flawless Sinhalese now in proportion to their population numbers than it is among the Sinhalese. It is surprising to see how many Tamils in Jaffna speak Sinhala now. Many start talking to me in Sinhala first, mistaking me for a Sinhalese for whatever reason. I have to reply in chaste Tamil to make them realise their mistake. The Muslims have always been very adaptable, except on the question of practicing their religion. Most Muslims are bilingual in Tamil and Sinhalese. The Tamils are also living their culture and language to the extent possible in the areas they choose to live. This is not insularity. It is the so-called Sinhala, but in reality Sinhala political intolerance of cultural, linguistic and religious diversity that portrays communal diversity in terms of the national minorities as insularity.
However, there is a wall of separation between all communities in Sri Lanka, when it comes to social interactions. They are uncomfortable in the presence of each other in inter-family social gatherings and rarely try to make friendships that extent to the family level.
The stupid politics practiced in this country over six decades has brought about this situation. The aggressive and absorptive nature of Sinhala communal politics that has pervaded all aspects of life in this country, which is perceived as Sinhala politics by the minorities, have resulted in this. It has been a cascading phenomenon to eventually obliterate the minority identities. The minorities react to so-called Sinhala parochial politics of a very virulent nature by withdrawing into their own protective shells like toroises. This type of Sinhala politics has been steam roller that levelled everything before it and has been perceived as a majoritarian dictatorship. It absorbed or destroyed. It was incapable of accommodating.
It is the Sinhala exclusivity, superiority and, absorptive and aggressive politics that have made the minorities to become more concerned about preserving their identities. This is not exclusivity or insularity. It is a defensive reaction that is natural.
Once again, Gotabaya Rajapakse is interpreting the history, events and attitudes in Sri Lanka from a blinkered perspective and is making a bad situation worse. Unfortunately, the minority communities have also in the past mistaken grotesque and malformed Sinhala politics as that of all the Sinhala people. Fortunately, as peoples the communities are increasingly learning to make this distinction, despite the perversity of their politicians. The mature manner in which the Muslim community has responded to recent dastardly provocations by Sinhala-Buddhist extremist organisations molly coddled by the government is to be admired.
Dr.Rajasingham Narendran
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Marwan / September 4, 2013
Thanks Dr. for the compliment paid to Muslims at the very end. We Muslims owe it to our learned Moulavis’ (religious scholars) who at all our Friday sermons, consistently and repeatedly chided us towards non-violence and over-reacting, patience as a great virtue in times of adversity, and also encouraged all to become more spiritually inclined thru trust in God and His mercy, ask repentance for all worldly sins, and sincerely turn towards our Creator for divine intervention to find a solution to the ongoing crisis thru charity, fasting and special prayers. Thus averting a major clash.
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Peter Casie Chetty / September 6, 2013
yes “doctor”. You never minded speaking English when they took over. Now don’t go about whipping up this rubbish about Jaffna Tamils speaking fluent Sinhalese because to be able to speak a language fluently is evidence of the fact that these people from Jaffna have lived among the Sinhalese and practiced the language often on a daily basis. When it comes to speaking a white man’s language the Jaffna Tamils will even get tution. However how would you expect Sinhalese to speak fluent Tamil if they have never been and are not allowed to live in the Tamil areas without clowns of your type making protests that you are being invaded? The Colombo people have to bear-up and shut up. As a child I remember a Tamil boutique keeper speaking to me in Tamil although I did not understand a word and I had no need to because I spoke the language of the people of Kotahena – Sinhalese.
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Sengodan. M / September 4, 2013
The question is whether one is a consequence of the other or result of the other? Will Gota call for a soul searching amongst the majority to examine whether they had shown large hearted ness and magnanimity in view of their steam roller majoritian position?
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duck / September 4, 2013
Its the religious bigots that would bring this country down eventually…. And it would be the far right nationalistic groups created recently that would head this ruinous campaign. Eventally history would know how the defence secretary manouvered the elements in sri lanka like a game of chess to his own personal politically advantages destiny… At a cost to the “family” and the country. The so called ‘muslim extremism’ he talks of are merely his pawns sent to their death in aiming for a grander play of great power and strength over all peoples of this land. Sooner the people understand this better the chances of hope at least for our children.
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lame / September 4, 2013
“Indian intelligence division has confirmed that the armed terrorists who are being trained in Pakistan are being provided with facilities by the Rajapakse regime. The Times of India news service had reported that the Maharashtra police had been warned by the intelligence division that 8 members of the Lashkar e Taiba terrorist group who received training in Pakistan had arrived in India from Sri Lanka targeting Mumbai for attack. The Indian intelligence division states that these terrorists have arrived in India from a camp situated 28 kilometers away from Jaffna.”
Is gota trying to blame srilankan muslims for his international ‘terrorism for money’ programme?
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essie / September 4, 2013
The Defence Secretary speaks at a ‘defence seminar’. He says the Muslims and Tamils are now threats to stability. Can he point out a single instance in the last 4 years where the Muslims have been involved in any act of violence against the country? Can he do the same re the Tamils who are struggling to come to terms with postwar conditions in the north and east? Where’s the threat?-except of course for statements like his which aim at instigating violence against the minorities. An extremely short-sighted statement.
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Never4getyrpast / September 4, 2013
Would the kind honourable gentleman name the “extremist elements who were in transit, arrested and handed over to the appropriate authorities”. Why feel shy of naming them. Further, they were in transit not spreading extremism in our soil; what connection does it have to the subject matter! This is just a case of “shooting off the mouth” trying to justify their own actions!
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Palayang yako! / September 4, 2013
I am so glad to see our Saviour – and I don’t mean Jesus Christ, I mean Goata-bhaya Rajapaksa – identifying the extremist Buddhists who creating mayhem in Sri Lanka. I am also soooooo glad that he is consorting so closely with them because I KNOW that he is doing so only to convince them to join him in the pursuit of goodwill to all mankind, particularly towards the survivors of the occupants of the mass grave in Matale.
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Abu Mukarram / September 4, 2013
having eaten the humble pie from the Un, he is trying to become an ostrich which covers its face in the sand while exposing the buttocks
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chamara / September 4, 2013
Lost all respect I had about him with this statement. Utterly disappointed.
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Wickramasiri / September 4, 2013
Extremism from any quarter, whether Buddhist, Islamic, or Christian, is not conducive to peace, but each will have it’s own agenda whether expressed violently or subtly. And it does exist. All that the government needs to do is allow the rule of law to be exercised impartially. When the government takes sides, and protects violent groups, the extremism becomes worse. Gotabhaya Rajapaksa must let go. Command and control does not work.
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sach / September 4, 2013
lame lame lame Gota………gota got to go!
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Pandukabaya / September 4, 2013
I am not gonna say anything about this impotent Gotabaya.
Need of the hour is that Gota must go. He should be gone for good along with his siblings.
Such a dangerous criminal family is ruling the country.
People, Wake up irrepective of your religion,race or your party.
This family has been I suppose brain washed beautifully by mossad. One can easily see that from Champika Ranawaka’s speeches (actually the way he lies). and, calling one group ‘extremists or fundermentalists & the other hardliners’. These tactics had been used by only one country and former leader Bush and his cronies Cheney, Rumsfeld, Rice so on.
Perci Mahendra is well aware that his regime is no more popular. They are becoming desperate and vulnerable. The only remedy and the one way is to be in power is creating a communal violence. They cannot start ‘this’ with Tamils for obvious reasons, so they targeted the Muslims.
What I reckon is BBS lead rowdies might attack the few Buddhist interests and leave some evidence to believe that it was Muslims.
People must be vigilant.
-Pandu.
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Rod Atkinds / September 4, 2013
Gota started allowing ARMY to do corprate business, wait and see when Sri Lanka turn to another Egypt, then Sinhla will start killing Sinhala, then Muslim/Tamil can stay a side and watch they die :) ARMY means Monsters, look what they done in Weliweriya, if they can shoot the own sinhlese, what they could have done in Tamils? However, now Army is raising their head, they are in competition with Business, and when the rivalirity start between, they will shoot at them.. i mean Majority ( sinhalse Budhist) then Gota will realiz Wow what a crime is committed by Army…with my approval i want to save my Sinhlese and then the BBS will come front, and then Army will shoot the BBS, it means Sinhala Budhist will kill the Budhist monks… ahahah then Muslims/Tamil watch and laugh… GOTA dont think you are smart.. you are killing the budhism.
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I am no muslim / September 8, 2013
Idiot Roda, Why should Gota turns Sri Lanka a Egypt when everything is going very well for Rajapakses? You can continue to daydream and be happy. When you get sick of it just go for a piss and do the same again.
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manisekaran / September 4, 2013
The article intended to mean only one sentence from Goat Bhaiyya..
“Non sinhalese have no place in Srilanka , better seek asylum else you will see another black july , black august”
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Sumith / September 4, 2013
These statements prove that he and brothers are behind the creation of all these senas.
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Jim softy / September 4, 2013
Read newspapers and see how muslims, when and where there are the majority population, behave in other parts of the worlds. See how Muslims treated Bangladeshi buddhists. See how maldive island destroyed buddhist statues in their museum, see how all over the world, muslims attack other religions, particularly christianity.
LAst time, Amirthalingam was the opposition leader and LTTE war began. Now, they are thinking of about NPC and already looking for weapons.
Finally, they say every thing is Sinhala Fault.
Most of the People who made comments this articles are Tamils and christians. christians are another group who want upper hand to convert Sri Lanka to their faith.
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