The Muslim Council of Sri Lanka has today urged the President Mahinda Rajapaksa to implement the recommendations of the Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission.
Sending a letter to Rajapaksa, the Muslim Council said; “Religious intolerance and racial hatred needs to be dealt with immediately and effective mechanisms should be established so that grievances of all communities could be addressed. Towards this end, we, the Muslim Council of Sri Lanka request your kind intervention in implementing the clauses 9.218, 219 of the recommendations of the Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission.”
We publish below the letter in full;
His Excellency Mahinda Rajapaksa
Hilmy Ahamed
President,
Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka
Presidential Secretariat
Colombo 1
Your Excellency,
VIOLENCE AGAINST MINORITY COMMUNTIES
As you are aware, the progress made in all spheres since the end of the war by Sri Lanka under your leadership was seriously undermined in the two days of violence in Aluthgama, Beruwela and surrounding villages. This has cast a dark shadow on Sri Lanka’s image with almost the entire international community condemning it. The Organization of Islamic Cooperation and other countries who have been great friends and supported Sri Lanka against the resolutions brought at the United Nations Human Rights Council too have condemned this racial riots that was set in motion by the Bodu Bala Sena with their two year long hate campaign against Muslims and other minority groups as its backdrop.
The international condemnation and the negative publicity that has destroyed the country’s image should be addressed as a priority. Towards this end, all Sri Lankans belonging to all communities need to stand together and find ways to rebuild the confidence lost in Sri Lanka by investors, tourists and nations. At the same time we need to restore Sri Lankan citizens’ own confidence in the future of the country.
Religious intolerance and racial hatred needs to be dealt with immediately and effective mechanisms should be established so that grievances of all communities could be addressed. Towards this end, we, the Muslim Council of Sri Lanka request your kind intervention in implementing the clauses 9.218, 219 of the recommendations of the Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission. Such a measure if done immediately will lead to the re-establishing of confidence amongst all Sri Lankans to work towards the progress and prosperity of the country.
I have attached below the clauses 9.218, 219 of LLRC recommendations for your easy reference.
We thank you, Your Excellency for your kind consideration and look forward to the implementation of clause 9.218, 219 of LLRC recommendations.
Yours sincerely
Vice President
The Muslim Council of Sri Lanka
Ranjith / July 2, 2014
What about the other clauses Hilmy ? You are happy with rest of them ? Do you believe that MR and Gotta have carried out rest of them already ? Moron, where were you been all these days? Didn’t you support the genocide war on Tamils all these days? Didn’t you celebrate the massacre of innocents with war mongers on the streets of Colombo and elsewhere by giving Kiri bath ? What changed now ? You only learn when it happens to you isn’t it ?
You are paying the price for supporting a Genocide Government when it was killing Tamils in thousands. Now it is your turn. The monster you supported wants your blood too. Keep feeding it with your blood.
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Thiru / July 2, 2014
Yes Ranjith,
They all enjoyed kiri bath and fired crackers to celebrate that Praba is dead, now the Muslims ask: Where is Praba, when he was there we were left alone!
Sinhala Christians will be next, including those Cristian soldiers who committed massacre of Tamils.
Okkoma sudhak karadoona.
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Amarasiri / July 3, 2014
Hilmy Ahamed,,
RE: Muslim Council Wants Rajapaksa To Implement LLRC Recommendations
NO DOUBLE STANDARDS when it comes to criminal monks.
Want law and order implemented.
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Amarasiri / July 4, 2014
Dear Hilmy Ahamed,
“The Muslim Council of Sri Lanka has today urged the President Mahinda Rajapaksa to implement the recommendations of the Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission.:
This is good, bit one of many things Muslims can do to protect Muslims, and Sri Lankans can do to protect themselves.
Remember that NOT all Sinhala Buddhists are BBS or Terrorists, but all BBS and Terrorists are Sinhalese Buddhists. So DO NOT USE a WIDE BRUSH.
1. Write to everybody. Locally and internationally. Counteract the lies with facts.
2. Please remember only a small fraction of the Sinhalese Buddhists are Terrorists. They are being exploited by Mara to stay in power.
3. Identify and expose those who are part of it.
4. When BBS and Sinhala Ravya Rallies occur, tale as many pictures as possible of the attendees , and put their pictures on the Web site as to their identities etc. Let the Village leaders and nob-BBS monks know that they are the Buddhist Terrorists who are bringing a bad name for Buddha and Buddhism.
Their Names, where they work, where they live, what kind of vehicles they drive, etc.
Use an international Web site.
Call it Sinhala Buddhist Racists in Sri Lanka Data base.
5.. The leaders: Gotabaya, BBS, Etc.
Have a Full Details and Reports.
You can Start with BBS and
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Saman Wijesiri / July 2, 2014
It is quite obvious that the Muslim leaders and clerics are more interested in self-aggrandizement than the well being of the ordinary Muslims. Lokka knows that the Muslim leaders will not get off the gravy train come hell or high water!
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Fouzul Hamid / July 2, 2014
I agree with Saman Wijesiri. Where were these so
called protectors of Muslims all these days. Hilmy
Ahamed became fat on the riches of Worldview
International. Foreign donations and foreign trips
were then the order of the day. Now that it is over,
this nobody wants to become somebody in the Muslim
world.
I don’t say Muslims have no problems. I condmn what the
BBS did in Dharga Nagar and other places.
But Muslims (and even Sinhalese) should be wary of the types
like Hilmy Ahmed.
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Bandula / July 3, 2014
I disagree, Hilmy was always [Edited out]
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M.H.M.Salman / July 3, 2014
May I know where were you all these days.
Fouzul Hamid please do not cast aspersions on fellow Muslims who try to raise voice for concerns of Muslims.
With respect I would say Muslims (and even Sinhalese) should be wary of the types like you who I assume, enjoy the luxury of being critical of others.
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Ramasamy / July 2, 2014
The LLRC Report contains dozens of excellent recommendations which if implemented with sincerity would transform Sri Lanka from an uncivilized country into a civilized country, to some extent at least. But this chap Hilmy Ahamed who is apparently afflicted with myopia, astigmatism and tunnel vision is only interested in getting the GoSL to implement clauses 9.218,219 contained in the report. He is a really sick bugger I must say!
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justice / July 2, 2014
That will be the day !!!- when independent law enforcement institutions are established in sri lanka.
These exist only in truly democratic countries – demise of policemen at the hands of criminals is mourned by all citizens, with public show of grief.
The motto of Police is to “Serve and Protect” – to serve and protect citizens – NOT politicians.
Politicians travel even by public transport, WITHOUT “security”.
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Upul / July 2, 2014
Who on earth is the Muslim Council? I know there is a Muslim Council in the UK that is almost the only representative of the Muslims in UK, in the political arena. Have a bunch of racketeers got the idea to try a new trick in Sri Lanka? Previously, Jamiathul Ulema spoke on religious issues and politics were left in the hands of the few slimy politicians the community put out. There is’nt a single politician one can call honest in this lot, really!
If you will look closely this was engineered to look like the Rajapakses were looking for ways to cooperate with the Muslims and the Muslim Council was more than happy to oblige with an innocuous letter that no one believes will be implemented. But, it gives everyone involved something to hold on to. Classic slime-ball politics!
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Marwan / July 2, 2014
All I can presume is that a new front has been opened with Hilmy Ahamed as VP Muslim Council of SL to put pressure on government to act on the upsurge of violence and hatred towards Muslims living in SL. Whilst Rauf Hakeem is unable to say or do much whilst being part of the government, an outside force may be able to fill in the shortcomings to force the government to act. These matters must be handled diplomatically and pressure applied in a subtle way, by reminding them often and repeatedly to grant us our minority rights to live as equal citizens of one country, one nation. One such effort is the LLRC recommendations. It is useless trying to find fault with him by questioning his loyalties during the time of LTTE crisis, since everyone knew them to be a terrorist outfit which was subject to international condemnation. They even killed their own people. The ordinary Tamil people should have raised their voices and protested against their LTTE leader’s carnage, not to expect Muslims to pitch in, as some claim now with statements such as:
‘Moron, where were you been all these days? Didn’t you support the genocide war on Tamils all these days? Didn’t you celebrate the massacre of innocents with war mongers on the streets of Colombo and elsewhere by giving Kiri bath ? What changed now ? You only learn when it happens to you isn’t it ?
This sounds more like blaming everyone else for their own hapless situation. Self sympathy, hatred towards others, are all symptoms of a sense of hopelessness and insecurity. You must realize that Muslims are minority within a minority and cannot do much on their own, so it is worthless blaming them for not doing enough to stop the madness. If they did raise their voice then, what is going on now with BBS mad dogs set on them, would have started much sooner.
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BBS Rep / July 3, 2014
Sending a letter to Mahinda Rajapaksa is indeed an act in futility.
Mahinda Rajapaksa and his brothers who rule Sri Lanka on the style of the Cosa Nostra do not listen to the likes of Himly Ahamad, whoever he is or whatever the Muslims Council of Sri Lanka is.
Hilmy’s efforts will be better spent if appeals were made direct to OIC or the Muslim countries directly. It is the pathetic Middle East housemaid money that buys the rice for the equally pathetic villagers around Aluthgama. Grown strong eating rice with Arab money the wretched, uneducated, jobless aimless youth are easy game for BBS to recruit to its cause of hatred. The irony of it all is that the thugs who are fed with Arab money then turn ballistic against the descendants of the same Arabs in Sri Lanka.
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Hameed / July 3, 2014
Fouzul Hameed,
You shouldn’t be insulting in your comments. These type of comments are more like shooting the messenger and ignoring the message.
Different people come to the fore to meet different challenges. Hilmy is one of them. Have you heard the saying ‘cometh the hour cometh the man’?
I know Hilmy and I can assure he’s a decent sort.
Hameed
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S. Makenthiran / July 4, 2014
Singhalese Buddhist fanatics terrorize Muslims
First it was the Tamils; now it is the Muslims. Singhalese thugs organized by the Sri Lankan government, successfully carried out island-wide violent ethnic cleansing of Tamils from 1956 to 1983 in a series of genocidal attacks. In 1958 and 1983 the damage to Tamil life and property was extensive. Police and armed forces either looked the other way or gave the Singhalese mobs, help to destroy Tamil property all over the Singhalese provinces. During that period from 1956 to 1958, Singhalese carried out incessant attacks on Tamils, killing, raping torturing and destroying land and property with impunity. Thousands of Tamils were killed. Not one criminal was arrested and prosecuted. Many thousands of Tamils fled to North and East which is the Tamil homeland, some by ships. After 1983 genocide Tamil fled to other countries and, it is estimated that there are about 800,000 Tamil refugees all over the world. In the sixties, the Sri Lankan government,
in agreement with the Indian government, forcibly expatriated half million Upcountry Tamils to Tamil Nadu..
After the anti Tamil riots in July 1983, which was the worst of all the rioting, Tamil youth took up arms to protect their homes and loved ones. Up to that time Tamils were on the defensive and made no attempt to retaliate. Singhalese thugs had their own way as Tamils are known to be hardworking and passive people. At last the worm turned. Many freedom fighters under different organizations took to arms. To make the long story short, the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) under Prabaharan became the dominant organization, and they chose the Tiger flag against the Singhalese lion flag. The guerilla attacks dragged on and developed into a fully blown civil war. It is now history.
The LTTE was defeated completely by the Singhalese army, after Prabaharan made a last
stand in Mullivaikal. Nearly 140,000 Tamils are reported to have died, and in the last four months ending May 19, 2009, when LTTE was defeated, 40,000 Tamils mostly civilians died from artillery fire and indiscriminate bombing of schools, hospitals, places of worship and people gathering in no fire zone declared by the government. Many LTTE fighters were killed in cold blood after surrender. The Singhalese army herded 300,000 Tamil civilians into detention camps in gross violation of human rights with little food, water sanitation etc.
Once the Singhalese mobs and government had finished with the Tamils, they turned their attention to the other Minority, Muslims who constitute 10 % of the Sri Lankan population of 20 millions. They speak Tamil at home, as that is their mother tongue, and are spread all over the country, The are concentrated in South-East Sri Lanka, where Tamils live side by side with Muslims. As is well known, the Sri Lankan government, has after independence, colonized the Tamil homeland with Singhalese colonists from the South. Due to the genocidal attacks on Tamils, their number which was 25 % has reduced to about 18 %., as many have been forced out of the country, and many Tamils had been brutally slaughtered. The Sri Lankan government following the divide and rule policy, had pampered the Muslims and used them against the Tamils, particularly in the East, during their war with the LTTE. They formed Muslim Home-guards and unleashed them against the innocent
Tamil civilians, inflicting terrible cruelties. This lead to the LTTE retaliating against Muslims.
After the defeat of LTTE in May 2009, Singhalese were enjoying the victory in a sprit of triumphalism, and made no effort to bring about reconciliation with the Tamils. The Singhalese Budhist fanatics got busy against the Muslim minority who are really Tamil speaking Muslims. Sporadic attacks were being carried out on mosques and some Muslim owned shops. Singhalese extremists formed racist organizations like Jathika Hela Urumaya (JHU), Budhu Bala Sena (BBS), Ravana Balaya etc. Ironicaly Ravana was a Tamil Hindu king, who ruled Sri Lanka many centuries before the time of Buddha. BBS (Budhist Power Force) was patronized by President Mahinda Rajapakse and his all powerful brother Gothabaya Rajapakse, who is the Secretary for defence and virtual minister. Budhist hardliners carried out agitation against the sale of Halal meat.
In the middle of June 2014, there was an altercation between some Mulim youth and the driver of a car in which a Budhist priest was travelling in Aluthgama in the South West coast. It is a place dominated by the Muslims. The rumor spread that a Budhist priest had been attacked and that he was serious in hospital. This was false and was later confirmed by the JHU leader Champika Ranawake, who visited him. BBS held a meeting in Aluthgama, in which the BBS leader and Budhist Priest Gnanasara Thero, made a highly inflammatory speech addressing a crowd of thousands. He made derogatory remarks about Muslims and thundered “ if any Muslim lays hands on a Singhalese , and God forbid, a monk, that would be the end of the Muslims”. The Budhist crowd roared in approval.
After the meeting the Budhist mob marched through Aluthgama town burning and destroying Mulim houses and shops. During the civil war between the government and LTTE, the Muslims had prospered while the Tamils became poorer. They had many shops and businesses which were the envy of Budhist hardliners. The rioting spread to other towns like Beruwala and Dharga nerby, where there are large concentration of Muslims. Thousands of Muslims have sought refuge in schools and mosques. Three Muslims and one Tamil have been killed and 80 are reported injured, some seriously. This is a repetition of cruelties inflicted on Tamils but on a smaller scale. The suffering of the Tamils was thousand times more serious, as thousands of Tamils were killed.
Muslim youth gathered to defend their homes and loved ones, but it is reported that the armed forced used tear gas on them, while protecting the Budhist mobs. This is not surprising in a land where law and order had long failed. Over 2,400 Muslims are homeless refugees. This was followed by sporadic attacks on Muslim owned shops and mosques in different parts of the country. A big shop named NO LIMIT in Panadurai, was completely burnt down, and elsewhere another big shop FASHION BUG was torched. In these Muslim establishment there were hundreds of Singhalese employees, who have been thrown out of their jobs.
Budhist Priest Gnanarasa Thero, the leader of BBS and the main culprit remains at large, while some smaller individuals have been arrested. Sporadic attacks on Muslims are being reported in different parts of the country and is continuing.
Mak S. Makenthiran, B.A, FCCA (UK)
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Native Vedda / July 4, 2014
S. Makenthiran
Do you think the extra alphabets {B.A, FCCA (UK)}behind your name above are necessary to effectively put across your points in this forum?
You are rest assured you don’t need those alphabets nor your brain to write here in this forum.
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Fowzul Hameed / July 7, 2014
M.H.M. Salman who has responded to my criticism about
Hilmy Ahamed wants to know where I was.
Here is the answer – I was collecting debris from my
damaged house and loading them to a lorry. If you want
to know where, right here in Dharga Town.
Having got battered, don’t I feel strongly that the
types of Ahamed and even you are more comfortable making
statements and snide remarks at our expense. If you are
a true Muslim, come here and help us out. If you and Hilmy
want to publicise yourself, get paid advertisments and
promote yourself you shameless ghouls!!! I am flabbergasted
you do this in the name of religion.
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