President Mahinda Rajapaksa today heavily criticized the protests and hartal campaigns that were carried out in the country.
Speaking at the opening of the fuel storage facility and a re-fuelling terminal at the Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport and the Magampura Harbour yesterday, the President was extremely critical particularly of hartal campaigns.
“During the conflict period, the LTTE killed people irrelevant of their ethnicity. Certain groups that didn’t dare stage a single hartal campaign during the LTTE period have now started them. Large scale (maha-loku) hartal campaigns are organized for even the most minor incidents,” he said.
He was careful not to mention which hartal campaign or protest he was referring to. However, the most recently held hartal was organized by the Muslim Rights Organization last week in the wake of anti-Muslim violence that erupted in Aluthgama and Beruwela. It was carried out in several Muslim dominated areas in the country including parts of Colombo, calling for the immediate arrest of culprits responsible for the clashes.
The President also said he would not allow any one community to betray, down-trod or suppress another. “The fate of this nation should not fall into the hands of any of these minor factions of this country – we cannot stand by and let it happen,” he added.
Furthermore, he promised the law will be promptly enforced on ‘certain’ incidents that have occurred.
“Extremists on both sides have carried out actions that has incited racism; it is time both sides stopped it,” the President said.
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JHU Wants Govt To Take Immediate Legal Action Against Muslim Hartal
Rajash / June 23, 2014
The President and his brother killed in excess of 40,000 Tamils, raped and killed Tamil women and girls who took refuge, killed innocent children, destroyed entire towns and villages , used chemical bombs on innocent Tamil civilians, bombed UN food convey to deny food for starving refugees, denied medicine for dying and injured Tamil. Aluthgama is indeed a minor incident for them. His message to the Muslims is “you don’t know what we have in store for you.”
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Bandara / June 24, 2014
A Democratic Govt. should allow Hartels in their country.
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S.B.Modaya / June 24, 2014
Mahinda Rajapaksa is a Maha Loku Hora!
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Spring Koha / June 24, 2014
Ban Hartal, Promote Suratal.
Happiness assured!
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saman / June 26, 2014
Rajesh , why dont you talk of the killings of LTTE ? Why dont you comment on the provoking acts by muslim youths in Dharga Town by throwing stones at buddhist monk who was travelling in a car ? I dont endorse killing of any humna or an animal in that matter , Neither I endorse what BBS doing is correct. But when a minority provoked majority , these things can happen. So what we need to do is push this government to take immediate corrective action rather than blaming our own actions.
So lets get together , irrespective of the religin or race to do this.
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Sengodan. M / June 23, 2014
Hartals will continue if warranted. There could only be one replacement for Hartals and that will be violence! That is now history!
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lion / June 23, 2014
Please continue your hartal people can buy what they wanted from other shops.
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roy / June 24, 2014
you can go with a begging bowl ,Gnanasera has a fat bank account in Norway.
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Kabi / June 23, 2014
As per Mr president, killings in 1000s and burning houses in 1000s are considered to be incidents. The incidents like killing 4 and burning houses in 10s are not!!!
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Hambantotaya / June 23, 2014
Yes for Mahinda and Bros Aluthgama small incident. They want whole muslim population wiped out so 3000 refugee 4 kill and 200 house and shop destroy too small.
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lion / June 23, 2014
Don’t worry wiping out of Muslim population has been undertaken by Muslims alone. It is being done in large scale in Pakistan,Iraq,Libya,Kenya,Nigeria to name a few.
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R.Dias / June 23, 2014
hik…hik…hik….
Wow….wow…
What a statement by an EXECUTIVE PRESIDENT…of Sri Lanka…that represent all communities…!!!
killing of innocent people…looting….arson are minor things….
Lord Buddha preached about cause and effect…buddhism is based on this principle…
To remove the effect it is imperative to remove the cause…..
Now we have a President who falls flat at Buddhist Shrines…Sri Maha Bodhiya…
blame the effect…he cannot remove the cause
BECAUSE HE IS THE CAUSE….
” ABA SARANAYI…”
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Alan / June 23, 2014
R.Dias,
he is not a Buddhist. He has no religion-only drama, no qualities, no proper education, etc etc….but he is a President of Socialist Democratic Sri Lanka and elected by majority Sinhala Buddhists.
And he has done many genocides and keep on looting the wealth of the country but still he is a president elected by us. He is freely looting and we are paying for that, the poors are suffering to live and children are dying of malnutrition. But he will be the president for another 10-15 years. NO WORRIES…….
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Suni Mohan / June 24, 2014
I like your full comment but the last line
Is it 1.0 – 1.5 years – Correct ?
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layer / June 23, 2014
MR Prseident , you statement of this nature shows you are still not matured in politics.
drawing parallel with the incident of Aluthgama and Baatticaloa is no relevance at all.
I was meted out by a terrorist gruop and the incident at Aluthgama happened with Govt patronage. Yo are responsible for the security of every citizen of this country.
you loose talks will encourage stooges of this nature to take law into their hands.
I doubt one other thing , if that is so you are correct in one way.
you assume BBS and LTTE are of same lenghth. if you had made statement on that perspective you are correct
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Lion / June 23, 2014
Layer look at Hakim,Pawsi,Mawulana,Aswar and all the other muslim leaders are behind Mahinda R, simply to enjoy the perks and privilages.They dont want to loose the luxries in life.Hakeem talks big and if he is realy caring for Muslims he should have left Mara long ago.Remember they are all for personal gains all these boru show is to disceve the masses.This is the true story however much its bitter.
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layer / June 23, 2014
Mr. President Pls dont make childish statement like this. One day you may have to lick your own Vommit
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alex f / June 23, 2014
Just add Aluthgama to the Rajapakse charge sheet – they will be in jail within 5 years, and the JHU and BBS have figured out that they don’t need the Rajapakse’s and if they win the election they will hand them over to the IC in exchange for letting Sri Lanka remain a Buddhist country.
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far / June 23, 2014
MR You have failed as leader to implement policies, your office is compromised. You are scared of your confi seat. You are giving in to the extremist of all sides. Man, grow you backbone be a leader for nation for millions of voters voted for you. Take a look at what is happening around you,
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mike / June 23, 2014
His Hex-a-Lunacy, “Hang down your head and cry, Hex-a-Lunacy, hang down your head and cry”!!
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Concerned / June 23, 2014
It is quite clear, from his speech the crafty Rajapakshe will not cage his attack dogs ,he has merely whistled them back only to be unleashed on another day.Divide and rule is his ‘mantra’.
Furthermore emotional issues like these are deliberately kept alive to distract the masses from the real pressing issues like cost of living etc.etc.,
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Rohan / June 23, 2014
Let’s have a Maha Loku hartal to remove Maha Lokka from Maha Gedera
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jayanantha / June 23, 2014
Islam by nature is backwards and barbaric and will never find itself in the 21st century. It will strive with it’s ignorant peoples under barbaric laws and systems to fight a long and global jihad until they subdue the world, or the world smartens up and defeats Islam. Islam has the highest birthrate in the world and Islam leaders have declared that they will win the war with their women and their babies. Basically saying, just by numbers alone, we will outgrow you and get into the political system and the numbers will democratically put us there so that we may bring Islam and sharia to all you conquered countries and people. Islam says there will never be peace until all this is done and their global fight we see in every part of the world, proves it.
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sameer / June 23, 2014
Please learn about Islam and talk. This comment of u shows how backward u are.
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roy / June 24, 2014
This has nothing to do with Islam, protect your country!
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Lankan / June 23, 2014
I think we all should consider appointing Mervyn Silva as the President as the present President cannot take any action. Mervyn will take some action as we have seen in the past when he was attacked by the BBS.
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whywhy / June 23, 2014
Gem & Jewellery authority was established under
Sirimavo to punish Muslims domination in the
Gem trade.Under JRJ,Ronnie de Mel who served
for Sirimavo,allowed foreigners(Thais)to run
mines with heavy machinery at the cost of
environmental destruction.Premadsa built flats
in Colombo to settle Sinhala crowd from outside.
Ranjan Wijeratne blamed Muslims for not joining
the army and only interested in Gem business.
N M Perera blasted in election platforms that he
will make Naleem Hajiar’s house a dry fish hut.
The point I try to make here is,the journey of
jealousy and hatred by leaders of this country
against Muslim’s livelihood is quite long and non
stop and there are daily major and minor events
in some or other corner of the country.Successive
chauvinist govts under all leaderships of all
colours pursued the policy of harassing Muslim’s
business growth at all levels.Muslims had never
been pushed to this level of unprovoked open
hatred by any other leadership.This is the real
crime tolerance in the history of the country
and the leaders still have long tongues!
what a shameless lot
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Aman Faris / June 24, 2014
Dear Jayanantha,
If you wish to be taken seriously you must quote your sources and stay on the topic that is under discussion without straying off the subject.
Where did you get the info that ‘Islam'(you should have said ‘Muslims’) has (have) the highest birth rate? And can you please name the ‘Islam leaders’ who have declared that they will win the war with their women and babies as you say?
Apparently, your knowledge is confined (or should I say restricted) to the media and bigoted Islamophobe websites.
Kind regards
Aman
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charley / June 24, 2014
This reminds me of a joke….
A father and son went to see Perehera and saw an elephant with 5 legs ,the son yelled and said anna anna thathy sulu deyak , the father questioned who said so and the son said amma said the leg in the middle is a sulu deyak.
The father angrily said umba ammata eka sulu deyak.
Like wise Mahinda must be thinking I have a maha loku hilak.
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mike / June 24, 2014
I hope our First Lady won’t get offended!
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Liyanage / June 24, 2014
Sir, I wished that the fate of this nation should not have fallen into the hands of one authoritarian leader and his extremely large family.
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Suhail Mowlana / June 24, 2014
This is a totally disgraceful statement by the President who openly refuses to safeguard and protect his subjects. It does not matter which denomination you are but it’s his solemn duty to protect the Sri Lankans wherever they are.
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Shehana / June 24, 2014
Minor incidents eh? Yeah cos death and destruction is as minor as it gets in President MR’s world.. Hope he would feel the same if one of his own beloved family members are included as fatalities in of these “minor incidents”
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Human / June 25, 2014
It’s Minor Incident for Mahinda and co but it’s a major incident for Muslims and any Humanitarians
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diaspoda / June 25, 2014
Bring back the LTTE!!!!
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jega / June 25, 2014
the statement of MR predicts lots more to come … (not like these small incidence )
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sama / June 28, 2014
Now we are too late, we are all boarded on Meeharaka#s flight. Now we just need to wait to tank more energies how we could find the way out to overcome the situation.
Rodias and social scum have raised their heads thanks go to Meeharaka and Rajapakshe cooperation.
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KUMA / June 28, 2014
Of all the theological beliefs around the world , Islam poses as the greatest threat to civilized global society. Whatever nation that Muslims flood into,— death, destruction, mayhem , and horror follows. Muslims do not go into another nation with the intent of trying to assimilate into the already established culture and sovereign national state , but rather they go into the various nations with the goal and intent to change or convert the society to Islamic culture and sharia law. Muslims are the only group of people who cannot get along with their neighbors. Muslims want respect for their beliefs unquestionably , yet they have absolutely no respect whatsoever for the beliefs of others. This is how radical theology destroys any form of rational thought , compassion for others , and sensible fairness and equality. People around the world do not fear in any sense on a general basis being terrorized by Christians, Jews, Buddhists, Scientologists, etc ., but are justifiably horrified of a society run by Muslims and sharia law. If world society does not stand up to the encroaching sharia crusaders that are marching globally, then the world will be cast back into thousands of years of ancient “darkness” and barbarity. Our civil societies, freedoms, high standards of living, technology , medicine, industry, justice, equality, fairness, love , compassion, mutual respect , entertainment, and overall general happiness and contentment will all be gone completely and replaced with barbarism and savagery.
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Abid Ali / July 1, 2014
ALL THE ACTIONS BY THE MAJORITY COMMUNITY (BUDDHISTS) IN SRI LANKA SHOWS THE END OF BUDDHISM IN SRI LANKA.
ANOTHER 50 YEARS ONLY. NEXT WILL BE OUR TURN ( TAMIL SPEAKING PEOPLE)
A LANKAN
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