A letter written to the Pope alleging to be by Minister Mangala Samaraweera criticising and complaining about the Cardinal, bearing the Parliament letterhead, was circulating on social media platforms today.
Mangala Samaraweera
The letter includes five points and are various allegations made against Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith, including his visit to Kandy this week to visit Rathana thera during the protest fast.
Acting promptly against the misinformation campaign, Mangala debunked the document and dismissed any association with it.
The fake letter accuses the Cardinal of holding anti-Muslim sentiments and for holding anti-American sentiments. It also notes, the Cardinal, by stating Sri Lanka is a Sinhala Buddhist country without any evidence or facts, “challenges the belief of the Catholic church that the whole world belongs to God.”
The fake letter written to the Pope comes just days after Mangala openly criticised the Cardinal for visiting Rathana thera who launched a protest fast demanding, the President fire three Muslim politicians due to their alleged implication in Easter bombings.
Criticising the visit, Mangala published the following tweet:
#Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith fanning the flames of hatred and communalism by visiting fasting robed MP Rathana. #Vatican TAKE NOTE! @Pontifex @VaticanNews #lka
This contentious statement comes a few weeks after he made a speech, which the maistream media misconstrued as claiming Sri Lanka is not a Sinhala Buddhist country, when his statement in entirety stated Sri Lanka offers equal status to all religions and communities.
umberto / June 7, 2019
The big question is who has access to parliament letter head ( that is if this is a genuine ).
But I must admit the content of the letter is completely applicable to our cardinal and the pope must be informed of this miscreant , who is not fit to hold the reverend position in the catholic church.
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Old codger / June 7, 2019
If Mangala did write the letter, so what? Every point in it is true.
In my opinion, Mangala would make s better Cardinal than this MR.
Malcolm Ranjith’s writings are mind-blowingly boring . At least Mangala writes sense.
I believe the majority of Catholics at fed up with MR’s antics .
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Bull / June 8, 2019
This comment was removed by a moderator because it didn’t abide by our Comment policy.For more detail see our Comment policy https://www.colombotelegraph.com/index.php/comments-policy-2
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Steve / June 7, 2019
CID should investigate, find the culprit and expose the person to the entire country. With photoshop it is quite easy to fake a letterhead.
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Mallaiyuran / June 7, 2019
That is not news for Lanakwe Aanduwa. 2013 Goverment printed even a second “Uthayan” to defeat Ananthi.
Our UNP secretary (Athanayake) signing and sending a letter on Sampanthar and Ranil’s name is still to be settled.
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Manel Fonseka / June 7, 2019
Ada Derana had an article headed: “Mangala writes to the Pope criticising…”. When I googled that today the article had been removed. AD didnt bother to give a reason or apologise to MS or for misleading the public.
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Ethel Nanayakkara / June 7, 2019
My take on this whole episode is that it is driven by a political agenda to antagonise the catholic voters, against the government, specifically the UNP.
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D.P. / June 7, 2019
That is the way Derana is. I also noticed that Derana blog never publish or delay the appearance of comments that don’t fit with their political stand. It is clear that Derana has become a cheap tabloid type media outlet dedicated to support the politics of Ra..kse clan.
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Gentleman anyways / June 7, 2019
Mangala Samaraweera just one of the few Sinhalese charismatic Gentleman left in our Isle of tears .
In next 10 years , We wont have any left .
Gone will be Mangalas ,Ranils,Navins, Erans,Harshas,Sajiths to mention a few among the few gentlemen left .
We willl not have this cream of Sinhala Politicians in the future ,but we will have plenty of Wimalayas,Bibikams &Sokadaya baibadas
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hariharan wicks / June 8, 2019
You must be dreaming in technicolor too. This is one person who should leave politics and Sri Lanka too. He is a traitor and has done enough damage to SL within the past four years. Do not forget the fact that MR defeated RW for presidency because Mangala and Sooriyarachchi got the Jaffna voters to boycott the election through Thamilchelvam!
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Ethel Nanayakkara / June 7, 2019
My take on this whole episode is that it is driven by a political agenda to antagonise the catholic voters, against the government, specifically the UNP.
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Dirty politics / June 7, 2019
Huna became mora & now huna again and the suit is too baggy .
Huna has files in some foreign missions,, readers you guess why?
Dinny boy is waiting for his share mussamil the poodle is also waiting tongue hanging & tail wagging & The foul mouth has yet to pay back the poor Australian bizman his share.
Stooopid mooosamil put his foot in his mouth, in his speach, mentioned MR as the current President instead of MS and said sorry, what a joker.
.Intetesting ball game .
Only sad thing -heart aching, is the continued political gains over the victims with no respect to the dead or their grieving family .
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SJ / June 7, 2019
I remember Dennis Thatcher getting roasted in the Private Eye for using Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher’s letterhead. The Private Eye never let him forget the incident, and had a satirical column titled “Dear Dennis”. That was no major offence, but a breach of protocol.
In this case, it is a criminal offence, and should be punished accordingly.
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Sujeee / June 7, 2019
‘King of Fake News’ gotten his own medicine back!
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Ad / June 7, 2019
Appoint Sarath Fonseka, he knows how to handle it.
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K.Pillai / June 7, 2019
Elections were, and still is, the remnant of ‘Democracy’, albeit flawed, left.
‘Fake News’ will bugger the political power left to layLankans.
Unfortunately ‘Fake News’ cannot be curbed.
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Halgolle Paraya / June 7, 2019
Judging by the events going on in the church, no wonder Mangala is attracted to be around the church,. Probably he might prefer the jail even more!
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Sdes / June 7, 2019
Mangala samaraweera tweeted and published this letter. There even is his signature. This is sheer bluff to save himself.
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Anil / June 7, 2019
If this is a fake letter the culprits should be brought to book without delay. But, who ever it did it exactly matches to the way of thinking of Mangala, who does not represent a son of this country. Ones he was exceeded his limits by saying Dhammapada is equal to Quran which is completely wrong and shows his stupidity enough. He is so disgraceful.
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JD / June 7, 2019
Media is not publishing and never published the truth about Mangala. How he did as a Foreign minister and how he did as the Finance minister. HE is simply destroyed and is destroying Sri lanka for his personal satisfaction. That is why Srilanka is very unlucky to have this parliament.
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Real Revolutionist / June 7, 2019
Guess; a work of Mangala himself.
In order to indirectly assail & invite international concern against the cardinal & in the meantime to make silly charge to the opposition for stealing parliament documents.
1 shot 2 birds.
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nimal fernando / June 7, 2019
To hell with all these Lankan underhand devious scumbags ………. Fake or no fake Mangala should not take a single step back.
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Full steam ahead ……….. He has struck a chord with the decent silent majority of the country.
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Maharage / June 7, 2019
This forgery of the letter and spreading of the fake news are both coming from MaRa, GoTa, Wimal Buruwansa camp.
These well known notorious dirty scoundrels of Sri Lanka must be exposed.
Over to you Sakkili “Derana” if you have any balls
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whywhy / June 7, 2019
Mangala has a responsibility as one of the leaders of U N P to speak the
Truth about the country and its people that is written in the constitution .
And it is nothing else but the truth that Muslims and Tamils are hugely
responsible for bringing in this government and the president to power
that the opposition is hell bent to send home . For this , Extremist
Buddhists have shed blood of Muslims in many areas ! Decent Buddhists
must be happy that at least a few of their leaders are trying to protect
them and all other communities as well from the menace of Extremism.
The criminals are trying to rob the voice of Decent Buddhists to become
the sole voice of the Sinhalese and it is truly a dangerous situation that
these Decent Sinhalese are numbed at the call of criminals , giving a
silent consent ! If anyone is not part of it then there’s only one other
option ” REJECT THEM LOUDLY”. Like Muslims did !
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clean slate / June 7, 2019
Mangala Samaraweera has been an astute foreign minister enough to be able to know that Vatican City is in Rome, Italy, and to state so. The conclusion will also not be a friendly Yours sincerely but as protocol demands something like Yours most respectfuĺly. These lapses make the letter a fake. Whether he respects the pope or not he will not show ignorance of diplomacy.
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Buddhist / June 7, 2019
All TV and media organizations that telecasted the news that Mangala has written this letter should lose their licence immediately. “Fake News” telecast has become common with Hiru, Derana and some other TV stations. All the heads of these TV stations should be arrested immediately.
An Ombudsman should be appointed immediately with the powers to cancel broadcasting and telecasting licenses when they find “Fake News”in the media.
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Analyst / June 7, 2019
Remember the fake letters circulated during 2015 Presidential election by the so called Rajapakshe Ministers ? Few were chosen through the back door and given positions by Silly after the elections !
This is not new , they’re the Sinhala Huddhists who are dogs that eats dogs.
Shame on them. Those who takes seriously these kindergarten pranks or state saboteurs should be ignored or found and punished.
Shame on them.
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Chethiyasena / June 8, 2019
The maestro of the art of fake news and slander is a victim of it himself!
Paawamdaa!
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Tara / June 8, 2019
We should have a special intelligence unit, where the experts are able to track down the source of these fake documents, false rumors about the minority (like the goolies and sweets), and those being deliberately spread on social media. When these culprits are found, they should be given severe sentences. There has been enough of violence by idiots reacting to the false rumors.
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Nathan / June 8, 2019
It does not matter who wrote. But the point is that the entire contents are precise. So why worry.
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Vis8 / June 8, 2019
Sorry, colombo telegraph, your bluff will be accepted only by those blind yahapalanaya worshippers. People will not be fooled by these fake articles no more. Just see the facebook posts on this. LMAO.
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Leonard / June 8, 2019
I wouldn’t worry too much Vatican is far too busy with Cardinal Pell and other gropers plus changing words to Lords prayer so the some dimwit Catholics recite the Lords prayer and get in to temptation thinking it is the open season now because Lord wanted them to be tempted be naughty.
Question for me is “Is this why Christians been told of free will”
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Sirisena Yatawara / June 8, 2019
Of cause Smaraweera of M….has been a victims of mass media was a distortion of facts; by Minister telling all political gossipers and slandering against Buddhist religion and right thinking of citizens of Island is that well founded .
The Minister of Samraweera of pseudo-right-win politician of UNP’s, are trying to dodge responsibility. By dodging he is trying that political power of UNP are filling countless newspaper columns are sweating and straining which that his politics of democracy not sparing right way of govern .
To be calm by Samaraweera printer’s ink to represent the breathing-space ,that theory of victims of Minister as an unfounded and unsounded blam of by that “theory”.!@ $$$.
The writer efforts are not that Man of powerless to refute the truth of facts. What is the English proverb says that FACTS are Stubborn things. Minister Samaraweera is guy in- charge of Mass media over all Island,while he is helm of govt. back by top of UNP and as well as USA embassy in Colombo?
It is a fact from 21/4/19 April when 8.55 am, attack by Local Muslim terrorist killed 400 citizens that including foreigners ! By that attack came from mode of suicide bombing squad. Over 800 casualties are also that victims of innocent citizens of Island – But Wickramasinghe of Primer of UNP said which that called of “Global Terrorist” of ISIS unfounded this juncture.
There was three Roman Catholic Church attack in simultaneously in same time attack 21/4//19 that including Two five star hotels in heart of Colombo City center .
Our facts 21/4 massacre by Muslim local terrorist which will become more evidences to people every day.
It is a facts that at a moment is fleeing of panic of majority citizens of Island by fear of ISIS incoming attack by Muslim of Sri lanka.
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K A Sumanasekera / June 8, 2019
That dude in the base ball Cap who said this Country does not belong to the Sinhala Buddhists must also be a fake….HeHeHeHeeeee
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Mangy got into Parliament on the back of Muslims in Matara .and the Catholics in Devundara.
So Mangy couldn’t careless about the Sinhala Buddhists ..
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After the Muslims demolished the Catholic Church , Devotees in Devundara I don’t think will make the same mistake again.
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Mangy is not stupid ,
He has nothing to lose now.
But he has a lot to gain .
That is the Gig at the UN,
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So Mangy has to show his grit to impress the UN Chief and the West.
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But the problem is UN Boss is a Catholic .
So are a few of the Western Countries . which back Mangy because of his dedication to anti Buddhists and his love for the Diaspora and its Idol Mr Pirahaparan. .
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Bashing the Buddhists will be Ok,
But bashing the Cardinal specially in this hour of their greatest sorrow is different …
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I don’t think it will go down well with any Catholic …..
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Muslim.name does not make a muslim / June 9, 2019
Important information,
Please do your own search to confirm
Lot of Sinhalalese& Tamils believe
Someone with a Muslim background and a Mohamed name is Muslim or a Tuan Is a Malay (Muslim) dead.
Wrong.
There are pleanty of muslim(Moors) &Malyas with Muslims&Malay names who are Atheist ,buddist ,Hindus & Christians and some with their own kind of a mix polythiest religion with Islam , like the loku Siya and podi Siya and others , whom like the group in indonesia they pray like muslims but also practice hinduism.rituals
(Podi siya I think Ragama or Hunupitiya .)
Tuan Muhammed Dishan (Cricketer )converted (to secure his Cricket future ) to buddism at the age of 16. Muhammed Marzuk (another Cricketer) Geofry Bawa and Politician Muhammad Mussamil to name a few.
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