28 March, 2024

Blog

Gota Presidency, Democracy & Minorities

By Ameer Ali

Dr. Ameer Ali

Soon after his victory at the election, President Gotabaya Rajapaksa publicly acknowledged that he was elected overwhelmingly by the Sinhalese, but promised to be a president for all communities.  This is democracy at its best. However, words alone are not sufficient. They have to be translated into action. The new president has already earned a reputation for being a disciplinarian and task master. His simplicity in persona, decision to downsize presidential security apparatus and pomp, strict timelines and guidelines to measure ministerial performance, and measures to introduce meritocracy in public sector appointments etc., vouch for that reputation.  

Although a presidency is what its occupant makes of it, in the ultimate analysis, it is a political office subject to numerous pulls and pushes, and the president should master the art of politicking in the interest of promoting greater good.  The forty-eight percent that did not vote for the president exercised their legitimate democratic right, and bulk of that forty-eight percent happened to be the two minorities, Tamils and Muslims. This presidential election once again bisected the nation ethno-religiously. It happened so because the forces that worked for GR’s victory wanted it to be so.  They wanted to show the world that the Sinhalese, particularly Sinhalese Buddhists, on their own strength can rule Sri Lanka without any support from minorities. Therefore, GR’s supporters would certainly expect from him a regime that overwhelmingly satisfies the wishes of the Sinhalese majority at the expense of minorities. Will the president therefore work to deny the minorities their legitimate share of democratic governance? The future of democracy in Sri Lanka and history’s verdict on this presidency would depend very much on how quickly GR learns the art of saying No to his supporters when their demands clash with demands of greater good.    

The most important issue that faces the new presidency is that of post-war reconciliation with the Tamil community. President GR has repeatedly expressed the view, and sated very recently in an interview with an Indian journalist from the Hindu newspaper that, what the Tamils need is not devolution of political power, but economic development. You are wrong Mr. President. Historically, Sri Lanka’s economic prosperity in pre-colonial era was largely the result of how magnificently the enlightened rulers of that time managed the country’s ethnic and cultural pluralism. Even when young Dutugemunu defeated an elderly Elara in the battlefield the victor did not seek revenge on the Tamil community. Instead he went on to construct the controversial Dhakkina Thupa, a memorial Dagoba, to honour his adversary. It is a pity that children in our schools are not being taught of such beautiful episodes in the nation’s history.  Sri Lanka is a beautiful kaleidoscope of different cultures, languages, nationalities and settlements, and in that diversity lies the strength of this nation.  

Politicians should understand that economic development is not simply a matter of capital investment, technology and efficient utilisation of natural resources.  There is something more fundamental than all this: participation of people. Population is the most precious of a nation’s assets. It is the people who make production possible ultimately, and it is they who benefit from that production. But, for them to participate and contribute they should live in a friendly environment and be free of fears and dangers arising from Machiavellian measures. Unfortunately, even after a decade since the end of the civil war the Tamil community has not enjoyed the much promised peace dividend. It is the primary duty of President GR to provide that environment as a prerequisite before embarking on his development project. How best to provide that environment as part of the peace dividend without endangering the nation’s unity and democratic polity is the compelling issue confronting him. World is watching.   

Like the Tamils, Muslims are also living in a state of fear. True, their own leadership let them down, and it should bear most of the responsibility and blame for the community’s tragic plight. However, there are sinister elements operating outside the community that are hell bent in preventing Muslims from re-emerging as a critical cog in the nation’s wheel of development and progress. Some of those elements were openly working to garner support among Sinhalese Buddhists to enable the GR’s victory. These elements are still continuing to advocate an anti-Muslim phobia. 

There are, no doubt, some serious problems within the Muslim community that need be addressed with urgency. Reforms are needed in several fronts, such as secular and religious education, marriage and divorce, culture and aesthetics and so on. Undertaking that reformation demands a new and visionary but patriotic leadership, which has to come from within and not pushed from without. The Muslim community has changed a lot over the last few decades, thanks to the work of an earlier generation of dedicated leaders. On the positive side, there is a new class of young professionals, and rational intelligentsia, consisting of both men and women, who have the potential to join hands with similar groups from other communities and lead Muslims in a new direction.  In the meantime, it is the task of the new president to do everything within his power to eliminate the menacing anti-Muslim phobia. Will he have the fortitude to resist pressures from this mafia? 

In this regard, there is one lesson that the president GR may learn from Lee Kwan Yew, an authoritarian Prime Minister. Following Sri Lanka and Malaysia in the sixties, linguistic nationalism began to show its ugly head in Singapore where the majority Chinese agitated for Mandarin to be made the official language. Lee had the guts to say NO to this demand in the interest of a united and democratic but plural Singapore. Rest is history. 

Sri Lankans must accept GR’s victory and should lend support to his policies as long as those policies do not impinge upon peoples’ democratic rights and freedom, and do not push ethnic minorities to become second class citizens. The only way to guarantee that is to work for a strong parliamentary opposition in the forthcoming General Election.   

Print Friendly, PDF & Email

Latest comments

  • 5
    3

    Dr Ali,
    This Presidential elected ended the thinking that the ‘power’ that rested with the minorities will decide the outcome. The Sinhala-Buddhist bloc did not fracture this time. GR now has the challenge not just to satisfy them, but also bring together the minorities. He has to reconcile not just the Tamils, but also the Muslims, to his ‘We are all SriLankan’ agenda. Not something he (or anyone else) can manage on a December weekend! The true test for GR will come when the now resting forces of the BBS, Sihala Urumaya et al gird their yellow robes and come-a-calling sometime in the near future. Will it be tea with Prez or tantrums! I will be watching from behind the Presidential sofa.

    • 7
      1

      Spring Koha

      Good to hear from you old chap.
      This is December aren’t you visiting your favourite holiday destination, CUBA?

      “GR now has the challenge not just to satisfy them,”

      Behind the scene the saffron brigade worked hard to bring Gota to power along with his family. My grandma used to say if you employ devil/Satan you need to keep it engaged and feed it constantly.

      How is Gota going to keep the 20,000 member of saffron brigade + hundreds of single handed generals engaged and feed them what they want, when they want, how often they want? The danger is that they may move the goal post as and when they want.

      Any known or unknown Talduwe Somarama or Mapitigama Buddharakkitha lurking in the wings in case business deals going wrong?

      • 2
        0

        Native Vedda

        On the subject of My grandma used to say . . .
        My Grandma said “be careful, if you lie down with dogs you will surely get up with fleas”. (I see our Grandma’s seem to have so much in common dear boy!)

        Talking Saffron, Banda and Gota have a lot in common, and a few of Gota’s backers will surely look for a dividend in time to come. Some of them hate to be disappointed, and that is why I shudder to think of the consequences. As Somarama proved (seems like yesterday, no?) a saffron robe is no barrier to a bit of mischief.

        NV; No Havana for me this year, instead I am in the old Mother Country, shivering away, and trying to enjoy/understand? democracy, British style. With luck I will be back to celebrate Christmas in our warm and sunny mawbima.

        • 2
          0

          Spring Koha

          How is electioneering in your old motherland going on?
          Take care, knife wielding religious nutters are active.
          I hear there have been a few debates among the leaders. Did you enjoy any of them?
          According to my Elders Jeremy seems a honest candidate, that will not help him win elections.

          • 0
            0

            Elections in the old, cold country is hectic but the debates lack the finesse of previous times. The saddest thing is that the people are fed up of their politicians who are seen as lying and unreliable. That is the worst indictment possible. The outcome looks uncertain at this moment, meaning that the Old Colonial Master will go into 2020 still looking for its rightful place in our big wide world.

      • 2
        0

        Spring Koha and Native Vedda,
        Good to see you talking to yourself.
        Hope my beloved is doing well too. Give my regards pls.

      • 0
        0

        It may be advisable for GOTA to throw out the elected representatives and appoint the Hamudurus as minsters. Not only the Sinhala Buddhists but even lord Buddha may be happy to grant what we want.

    • 2
      1

      The wound healing is not even thinkable in today s context. We could have saved the Nation from this Clutch, if JVP and other Forces worked together. They took the Revenge on UNPrs but let betraying it to the Hand of high criminals. In the end, now the Situation will turn out to be even worst, with the abduction of the swiss embassy employee Drama – Derana and other SOCIAL media men make every effort to bury the Story, as Nothing like that occured, ballige putha PATTA PAL HORA weerawanse seems to have the Audacity to call it as such – Nothing like occured…. I am so Angry when thinking why the former govt failed in getting this ballige putha WEERAWANSE finally by Horns. They failed to do the Job, ended up us being caught by criminals again.

      • 1
        1

        The Swiss embassy has not released a statement after the Foreign ministry’s media statement. We can now conclude, Swiss has nothing left to say and they have been either playing a drama or were deceived by one of its staffer.

    • 4
      0

      Spingkoha,
      the biggest failure was made by that ballige putha just ended his term. None other than SIRISENA, should be made accountable for all the mess. Even today, the bugger uttered that he will never stop, and will try to do the best soon on. He has ruined this Nation. What he achieved was Nothing. He just stopped Rajakashes in 2015 and brought them back in 2019. Can he wear his Sarong further ? Ballige putha should be passed to butchery for all the catastrophes made to this Nation:

      • 2
        0

        LEELAGE MALLI

        Don’t forget once upon a time we greeted Sirisena as our great white hope. On reflection, Sirisena only got in because the other big beast did not step up to the plate and do the needful (was he scared? of just happy to play pm where he could – and did – get up to some serious mischief with his FRCS pals. Now the eternal non-playing captain is on the verge of getting kicked out. Maybe the grand old party has got well and truly fed-up with his nonsence.

    • 3
      0

      Dr. Ameer Ali,

      RE: Gota Presidency, Democracy & Minorities

      “Soon after his victory at the election, President Gotabaya Rajapaksa publicly acknowledged that he was elected overwhelmingly by the Sinhalese, but promised to be a president for all communities”

      President elect Gotabaya has multiple constituencies to satisfy. His primary allegiance is to those who voted for him, mainly due to the disgust with Yahapalanaya, aka Sirisena and Ranil W. , and allowing for the Easter Sunday Terrorism by the Wahhabi–Salafi-ISIS Axis clones. The economy took a deep tumble, especially tourism. It was the Sinhala Buddhists who highlighted this despite criminal and corruption record of Gotabaya and the Rajajaksa Mafia.

      The Sri Lankan Muslims have been a very sorry lot, with a mean IQ of 79. They allowed themselves to be manipulated by the Satan following Wahhabi Salafis and the recent clones ISIS, per the prescient Hadith of Najd.

      https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hadith_of_Najd

      While all the populace are Paras in the Land of Native Veddah Aethho, the Muslims by discarding the age-old local culture and traditions, and embracing the Wahhabi-Salafi attire for women and some men, alienated themselves as Paras ( Aliens) from the other Paras in the Land.

      To make matters worse, they even formed a Muslim Party, SL Muslim Congress. Nobody else did that. Before that they gave support to the UNP, LSSP, SLFP , keeping religion out, while respecting other religions.

      It is the Wahhabi-Salafi cancer that triggered immune responses wholesale against the Muslims from the Sinhala Buddhists and others
      The SL Muslims need to look into the mirror and ask , did Wahhabisam -Salafisam get them to Satan per the Hadith of Najd? Did SLMC deliver? Did the Ulama, ACJU deliver? Was the MMDA reformed? Are the Muslim girls and women chattel? Muslims need liberation from the Ulama.

  • 8
    0

    Oh dear!
    ]
    Common candidate trick wore off. Anura Kumara went down like a bag of ‘kalugal’.
    ]
    What now, but complaint!

    • 8
      0

      Reading the Tamil and Muslim authored essays it. It Becomes clear that the minoritries have understood the implications of this election. The sluggish sinhalese finally made a quantum leap. The Tamils and Muslims are no longer needed. From now on 75 precent sinhalese majorority are going vote for one sinhalese guy. They’re cut the Tamils and Muslims from the loop. From now on candidates have only to win about 65 of sinhalese vote. They dont have offer anything to the Tamils and Muslims anymore. Game over. This what Donald Trump did. Blacks and Latinos play the same role as Tamils and Muslims. His advisor’s told him that he didn’t have the time, money or the will to win the black and Latino vote. Trump forcused on whites votes just as gotabaya did with sinhalese.

      • 3
        1

        Good have your racist Sinhalese leader in your Sinhalese land . The north and east voted differently and also sent a clear message , stating they do not want to be under racist Sinhalese yoke . This is a clear message that many foreigners also received. Did you look at the map of the two areas . It is the map of Eelam. You may have killed Prabaharan , defeated the LTTE but due to Sinhalee racism , his idea and dream is now winning. You don’t want the Tamils and Muslims ( the Tamil speakers) then let us go and we will have our freedom or soon get it.

      • 1
        0

        A business gets five-star reviews that only help boast its name. But negative reviews are ugly, sometimes boring and anger the business owner. A clever business owner gives importance to negative reviews because that help him & his business improve as they keep on pinching him there is still room for improvement. Once addressed right, those reviews become positive gradually.

        Hopefully, Prez. Rajapakse would take those 48% didn’t vote for him like negative reviews?

        • 2
          2

          What about racist drivel by Tamils and Muslims?

          The ONLY reason SLMC forced Muslims to vote as a blok to Sajith was they feared their tribal marriage laws will be abolished under a Gotabaya presidency. Hakeem himself made that statement. It is in news papers.

          • 0
            1

            One side frightened one set of gullible with Islamic expansion, the other side frightened another set of gullible with Islam’s extinction – All for votes..LOL

            • 2
              0

              errr….The whole world is concerned about expansion of Islam. The whole world is gripped by Islamophobia and yet you seem to think that applies only to SL. And no answer on what I said!

              • 3
                0

                It’s not a phobia if the threat is real

                • 2
                  0

                  It’s a rational fear.

                • 2
                  2

                  VADC – Your situation is not phobia, it’s called Panic Disorder

              • 3
                1

                “The whole world is concerned about expansion of Islam…The whole world is gripped by Islamophobia…you seem to think that applies only to SL” – That’s very funny. Then, ‘Phobia’ means irrational or illogical fear. What you more you expect me to say?

      • 1
        0

        Niro,

        So, the next conflict with the Para-Sinhala Para-“Buddhists” will be with the Tamils, the Muslims and the Indians from Tamil Nadu, supported by India in one side, and overrun the land, and carve out a Sinhala State out of Southern and Eastern India , and the Sinhala Buddhist monks can meditate in the land the enlightened Buddha was born, and make Sri Lanka an Indian State, a part of Tamil Nadu.

        This also solves the China and USA problems, just the same way the Bangladesh “Problem “was solved..

        Remember, this is the Land of Native Veddah Aethho. Everybody else are Paradeshis, Paras, Foreigners, Aliens.

  • 0
    6

    Muslims should be demonstrataby pro Pohottua in the coming elections.

    Soma

  • 4
    1

    “They wanted to show the world that the Sinhalese, particularly Sinhalese Buddhists, on their own strength can rule Sri Lanka without any support from minorities.”

    True!
    Native Sinhalayo who are the majority in this country were fed-up with the way minorities who are the descendants of ‘Para’ people behaving as if they are the ‘King Makers’ in this country. That does not mean Sinhalayo expect the President to satisfy the wishes of the Sinhala majority at the expense of minorities.

    The President will dump racist Wellala elite politicians and extremist Muslim politicians in the gutter and improve the living conditions of ordinary Demala and Muslim folks. That is something Wellala Demala and Muslim politicians do not like to see happening. Once ordinary folks are emancipated, the political crooks will not be able to control them.

    • 1
      2

      Is this Eagle Eye or an impostor?

    • 1
      0

      Eagle Eye, Eage Confused Eye, Eagle Enlightened Eye, on the Road to Damascus?

      “The President will dump racist Wellala elite politicians and extremist Muslim politicians in the gutter and improve the living conditions of ordinary Demala and Muslim folks. That is something Wellala Demala and Muslim politicians do not like to see happening. Once ordinary folks are emancipated, the political crooks will not be able to control them.”

      Eagle Enlightened Eye, on the Road to Damascus?

      Will the Wahhabi-Salafi menace be solved once and for all?

      That was the expectations of all the people on Independence Day , Feb 4, 1948.

      However, the politicians , the monks, the Ulama, the Priests and Racists had their own agenda. Will Gotabaya be able to fix it? He may have to ramp up the Gotabaya Rakapaksa Waffen SS Division and the fleet of white vans.

      A new Gulag to accommodate the inmates?

  • 7
    2

    Ameer Ali

    “The forty-eight percent that did not vote for the president exercised their legitimate democratic right, and bulk of that forty-eight percent happened to be the two minorities, Tamils and Muslims. “

    “bulk of that forty-eight percent” means anything over 24%.

    The total voting strength of the Tamils and Muslims is about 20%. Taking the polling percentage of 80%, the total votes cast by them would be 16% which will include votes cast for ALL candidates.

    Can you Explain your mathematics as to how you arrived at 24% plus voting by the Tamils and Muslims to Sajith when they form a MAXIMUM of ONLY 16% of the total votes cast?????

    • 1
      7

      Tamils and Muslims make up 25% of the population , so their total voting strength will also be 25% . Simple got it

      • 4
        0

        Even if the Tamils and Muslims make up 25% of the population and have a voting strength of 25%, the actual voting being 80%, the total votes cast by them will ONLY be 20%.

        So, there is ABSOLUTELY NO Possibility of 24% plus voting for Sajith as claimed by Ameer Ali, even if ALL the Tamils and Muslims voted for him. Is it difficult to understand?

        Dr. Ameer Ali, why are keeping silent? Obviously, you realise that you have BLUNDERED right royally and you are NOT the type that has the courage to admit faults

        • 0
          3

          Your calculation is wrong. The actual voting percentage doesn’t matter as out of that 80%, 25 % are Tamils and Muslims. so the percentage of Tamil and Muslim voters still be 25%

  • 4
    1

    Ameer Ali: Sri lankan govt has to reach both Tamils and muslims but not thorough their politicians. Muslims politicians did so many things during Horapalanaya. they did not become different from TNA. Your Writings should be for Muslim politicians or some one else but not for Muslim public.

  • 3
    0

    The ‘leftist’ columnists on CT, the likes of Kumar David and Ameer Ali, who went behind the Anura bandwagon, have now come to accept Gota and give him clean certificates. Shows the bankruptcy of this kind.

  • 1
    1

    We are living in a country you send those who beg for detention camps & people who steal for the parliament. Most of all for some reason we say; we feel proud about it.

    • 1
      0

      Bookie,

      Good one.

      When the new parliament election is over, all 8th graders will be exchanged for 3rd grade buggers. 2/3 will be sitting with King. The rest will be shared equally within rest of the teams.
      Long Live the Wildlife Sanctuary SinhaLE, Lankawe!

  • 4
    0

    Mr. Ameer Ali

    Time to get out of the “minority” mindset and start thinking and acting like Sri Lankan’s where all citizens are equal under one law .

  • 1
    0

    it’s time for unp to sack ranil and ensure his total retirement. he should not even be a government minister. make him ambassador to some other country if need to get rid of him. after that sajith takes over and make eran wickramaratne the deputy leader along with harsha de silva and arjuna ranatunga finance and ports spokesman respectively. then run a strong campaign. the ranil removal will boost the party from it’s current estimated 30 percent primary to 35 automatically. from then onwards run a strong campaign and try to get to 40. there you have a strong opposition and gota doesn’t have two thirds parliament to remove 19th amendment which needs to be removed for gota to get what he wants. from then onwards prepare for next election. the unp needs an estimate 4 percent of public to switch from slpp in order to defeat gota as preferences will heavily flow towards unp. I.e if unp can manage 46 percent primary vote and force second prefernce count they will win. this is not impossible and achievable with right strategy and determination. but in order for this to occur ranil needs to go along with hoppers like wijedayasa rajapaksa and wasantha senanayake. then they will have a solid foundation.

  • 0
    1

    soma

    Both are buddhist even Pro elephant or Pro Phohottu If the Past president Maithri can shift parties why cant others. Choice of people

  • 0
    2

    soma
    Muslims should be demonstrataby pro Pohottua in the coming elections.

    Both are buddhist even Pro elephant or Pro Phohottu If the Past president Maithri can shift parties why cant others. Choice of people

  • 1
    0

    Even those who did not vote for Gota will have welcomed his statement that he would be a president for all communities – albeit, with some reservations. They have heard similar sentiments expressed before by others only to find that in the event they failed to deliver on their promises. But whether Gota likes it or not, he will realise that if he genuinely wants to take the country forward, the co-operation and participation of ALL the communities is vial. He cannot afford to ignore the minorities who did not support him. He must reassure them in word and deed. What the country needs is a situation where the minorities do not go around consciously feeling they are minorities and therefore at some disadvantage. A good start would be a revamp of the school system which now produces a polarised society. Gota has a point when he says that what the Tamils need is not devolution but development. It is not uncommon for people to ask for something in so many words when what they really need is something else. The same slogans have been around for a long time but times have changed and you need to adjust to changed circumstances. BTW, I am tired of references to the great things LKY did in Singapore. The two countries are very different and the social/political make up just as different.

  • 0
    0

    All Tamils and Muslims should work with the newly elected president giving their full support.

  • 2
    2

    It is time for Muslim community and Muslims politicians, particularly muslims in the North east region think about their future. Mahinda Family and associated Sinhala Fundamentalists wanted to destroy the Muslim identity from this island. The formation of government ministries highlights that there is no space for Muslims as Ministers or deputy ministers or state ministers. Even the Hisbullah who campaigned for Gota excluded. At the same time Karuna Amman is talking about victory over muslims because Mahinda promised to offer Chief Minister to Chandrakanthan (Pillaiyar). Viyalenthiran as coordinating development officer. All this highlights that it is a revenge taking for not supporting Mahinda family dictatorship. Unless Muslim community unite with Tamils of the North East, future is dangerous for Muslims and Tamils.

  • 2
    0

    In future, we dont want Mahinda or Gotabaya to entertain racist Muslim politicians like Hakeem, Rishard, etc………

  • 2
    1

    They wanted to show the world that the Sinhalese, particularly Sinhalese Buddhists, on their own strength can rule Sri Lanka without any support from minorities. //////////

    Did Gotabaya ask the Muslims or Tamils not to vote for him? Did Gotabaya force them to vote for Sajith as a block? NO!
    It was you people who decided to back Sajith as a block, because it is easy to control UNP and win tribal demands. If you did deliberately voted as a block, you cant blame the Sinhalese for having secured victory for Gotabaya by their strength! It is not as if Sinhalese voted one candidate as a single block, many Sinhalese had voted for Sajith. It is racists like you who did that!

  • 2
    0

    Historically, Sri Lanka’s economic prosperity in pre-colonial era was largely the result of how magnificently the enlightened rulers of that time managed the country’s ethnic and cultural pluralism.
    // Are you for real? During british period, SL had prosperity? May be few Muslim businessmen who pandered to the British. The general public specially the Sinhalese suffered under colonial rule.

  • 3
    0

    And Lee Kuan Yew who publicly stated that Islam is a cancer cell is not the ideal person you should ask Gota to look as an example.

  • 2
    1

    There is no more REAL DEMOCRACY in lots of countries .
    Buying the votes with money that’s ill gotten should be banned
    Getting votes by inciting racial/religious hatred needs to checked by the Election Commission
    The present system of Democratic practice needs to be changed. Contestants with criminal cases pending should be banned from the parliament

  • 1
    1

    Muslims should not be punished for the terrorist attacks carried out by a few jihadis among them. To the credit of the Muslims, they have complained about their concerns about Zaharan to the Police, Ministers and others concerned. Many seem to forget the fact Zaharan Hashim who planned and executed the mayhem on April 21, was on the payroll of the army intelligence! It was none other than the present President who authorized payment of Rs.35,000 per person to over 30 of Muslim extremists including Zaharan! In fact, there were over a thousand Muslims working for the army as intelligent officers during and after the war.

    There was a cordial relationship between National Thawheed Jama’ath leader Zaharan and the Defence Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa. Zahran’s activities got worse by 2016 when he openly stated that he was loyal to ISIS during a meeting held in Hezbollah Cultural hall.

    MLMA Hizbullah was the chairman of the federation of Kattankudy mosques, madrassas and institutions. He was the architect of the Arabization of the eastern province and radicalization of Muslims. He was boasting that although the Muslims are a minority in Sri Lanka they are a majority outside.

    At a meeting held at Ooddamavadi some years back, Hizbullah bragged that he has taken over the land belonging to the Hindu Tamils who fled the area following an attack by the Muslims. He also claimed credit for transferring a judge whom he did not like.

    The Police in Kantankudi was asked to keep away from Zaharan and his jihadists. As a matter of fact, the Police station is outside Katankudy town.

    Rajapaksa government gave 36 acres of land under Mahaveli Development Board to Hizbullah to construct the Batticaloa campus. It was revealed that Hizbullah received millions of dollars for the project from Sheikh Ali Abdullah Al Juffali Foundation Charity. The Charity wired some $24.5 million to Batticaloa Campus between 2016 and 2017.

  • 3
    0

    Dr Ali – Without talking of external factors Muslims in Sri Lanka should first out their own house in order. Lee Kwan Yew also talked of muslim extremism and how queen bees should be targeted. “He noted terrorists are only the worker bees, and the queen bees are the preachers that radicalize young minds. As such he said moderate Muslims must enter the mosques and madrassas to counter these extremists’ teachings.” https://www.files.ethz.ch/isn/184834/298_Lin.pdf

    What has the Muslim intelligent done to make your Sri Lanka safe?

  • 0
    0

    GOTA got the presidency completely from Sinhalese votes. He said he will be the president for all communities. But it is up to the tamils and muslims to convince him that they are happy work him. If they try give a hard time to him then tamils and muslims will end up getting nothing.

Leave A Comment

Comments should not exceed 200 words. Embedding external links and writing in capital letters are discouraged. Commenting is automatically disabled after 5 days and approval may take up to 24 hours. Please read our Comments Policy for further details. Your email address will not be published.