18 April, 2025

Blog

National Shoora Council Urges Govt To Protect Watareka Vijitha Thero And Stop BBS’ Unlawful Acts

The National Shoora Council (NSC) urges the government and its principal law enforcement agency, the police, to ensure prompt prosecution of the Bodu Bala Sena (BBS) led mob which forcibly disrupted under threat of death the 9th April press conference of the respected Buddhist monk Rev. Watareka Vijitha Thera, and thereafter followed up by outraging, maliciously and deliberately, the religious feelings of the Muslims by insulting Islam and the Holy Quran outside the Slave Island Police on 12th April. Both unlawful incidents occurred in the presence of the police, the media and the public.

Watareka Vijitha Thero

Watareka Vijitha Thero

A BBS mob had thereafter on 23rd April, raided without any legal authority, a government office close to ‘Temple Trees’, in search of Watareka Vijitha Thera possibly to harm the monk for ignoring the death threat and complaining to the Slave Island Police.

Issuing a statement today the NSC General Secretary,Ismail A Azeez said; “the NSC considers these despicable and unlawful acts as violating the fundamental rights of the monk as well as the Muslims as provided for in the country’s Constitution.

“The BBS mob led by Galagoda Aththe Gnanasara Thero had violated several provisions of the Penal Code such as threat of murder, unlawful assembly, criminal trespass, criminal intimidation, extortion or robbery, wrongful restraint, wrongful confinement etc. by forcibly preventing the press conference of Vijitha Thera.

“Thereafter, following his statement to the Slave Island Police, Gnanasara Thera had insulted the Holy Quran and Islam and had committed offences relating to religion as laid down in the Penal Code. In addition, Gnanasara Thera’s conduct is in violation of Sec. 2(1)(h) of the Prevention of Terrorism (Temporary Provisions) Act which requires the offenders to be kept in remand custody until the conclusion of trial.

“With such stringent laws in place, the police have in a shocking manner released the offenders at the police station itself without reporting facts to and producing the suspects before the Magistrate.

“Sequences of what happened and did not happen were seen by the entire country. Evidences of violations of laws are readily available in several video clippings recorded by the media.

“We wish to state that the activities of the BBS during the past one and half years, have brought tremendous disrepute to the country and to the universally respected principles of Buddhism. These activities appear to be aimed at polarizing the communities and thereby creating greater ethnic consciousness and conflict among the people.

“There is widespread suspicion, requiring investigation that the BBS is acting on behalf of foreign countries wanting to ensure fewer and fewer support for the government in world bodies. The silence of the missions of otherwise vociferous countries known for issuing statements on the internal affairs of this country must alert to the possible collusion of anti- Sri Lankan forces.

“All those interested in seeing Sri Lanka as a united prosperous country should come forward to press for an end to impunity.

“In an earlier appeal to President Mahinda Rajapaksa the NSC had also urged the President  to intervene and safeguard the religious freedoms and minority rights. On 06th November 2013, an NSC team had handed over an appeal to the President, with 196,000 signatures from the general public to ensure security for minority religions and the religious places and stop all hate campaigns against Islam and Muslims. However the BBS continues to act with impunity threatening Buddhist monks who speak for the beseiged Muslims with abusive language and demonizing the Muslim community. There are more than 300 hate related incidents during the past one and half years most of which were committed under the watchful eyes of the police.

“Today this hate campaign has reached the stage where these extremist elements insult the Holy Quran which could lead to worldwide response detrimental to the country.

“For example on 17th March 2013 a BBS spokesperson, Mawathagama Pemananda Thero, in a public meeting held in Kandy slandered Al-Quran saying “Muslims spit three times on meals offered to non-Muslims…” There is absolutely no such verse or statement anywhere in the Holy Quran. This is a deliberate lie to mislead the Sinhalese against the Muslims.

“On 12th April, 2014, Gnananasara Thero, the General Secretary of the BBS falsely attributed to the Holy Quran that the concept of ‘Thaqiya’  in the Holy Quran allows Muslims to defraud people of other faiths  and acquire properties and wealth of non-Muslims by cheating them. This is another blatant lie.

“In fact the Holy Quran mandates just the opposite! The Holy Quran in Sura Al-Baqarah (2:188) very clearly says “And eat up not one another’s property unjustly (in any illegal way, e.g. stealing, robbing, deceiving), nor give bribery to the rulers (judges before presenting your cases) that you may knowingly eat up a part of the property of others sinfully”.

“Already considerable damage has been done to poison the minds of the majority community against the island’s Muslims. This destructive campaign striking at the very root of the Muslim community’s religious, cultural, economic and political life needs to be stopped forthwith in the larger interest of the country. These are dangerous developments that this country can ill afford.”

Latest comments

  • 5
    2

    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/

    • 6
      1

      Ela Thana,

      Ela Ela Ela !

      I commend u for your perseverance and salute CT for their consistency.

    • 3
      0

      Thana Kolla, please read CT’s comment policy so that saner counsel will prevail in these columns.

      • 3
        0

        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/

      • 1
        0

        Mike you are addressing him as the Tit Boy !

  • 9
    2

    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/

    • 5
      1

      ayyo ayyo ayyo….this bugger is shameless or doesn’t appear to understand any damn thing. typical gandasara gota supporter. don’t know of he is a offspring of nandasena gota and gandasara hik hik hik.

  • 9
    2

    These criminals in robes need to be dealt with under the laws of the land. It is rather strange that these “holy” persons are allowed to get away with any crime whilst ordinary people are subject to the law.

    It is well established fact that many criminals justify their crimes. Perhaps Gandasara feels that he is doing a great service to Buddhism by indulging in such criminal activity.

    THE NATURE OF CRIME: The Cakkavatti Sihanada Suttanta we have mentioned above is very clear and definite on this point. This discourse gives several factors which lead to the degeneration and decay of a society. Some of these factors are those deliberate acts of offence against an individual or a community such as theft, murder and violence, lying, evil-speaking and abusive speech. Others are individual failings which, though not directly harmful to others, indirectly eat into the fabric of a society and its well-being, finally bringing about its ruin. Such are idle talk, false opinions, wanton greed, sexual perversions like homosexuality, lack of filial or religious piety, absence of respect for authority.

    It will be seen that of these factors, the first mentioned group would fall into the category of crime in our sense of the word, while the latter would not. But it is clear that Buddhism was interested in the first group in so far as they fall into the category of acts of commission or commission which spell the decline and ruin of a community and obstruct its well-being. In the Buddhist analysis, there are acts which lead to that unfortunate end, which are not crimes in our sense of the word as direct offences against the community, but crimes too, Buddhism says, are among those acts which lead to a society’s decay. In short, it maintains that all crimes are papa but not all papa are crimes. It admits or acts of individuals which are not direct offences, and are in practice impossible to punish, which nevertheless are offensive in a community, corruptive and destructive of it and, therefore, deserving of extirpation.

    http://infolanka.com/org/srilanka/religion/16.htm

  • 12
    0

    Just for the sake of argument lets change the tables and assume this sort of actions were carried out by either a Muslim or Tamil group.

    1st of all they would not have lasted so far in to their innings. Leader and subordinates would have been imprisoned and they would have been killed while going to show where the weapons are hidden or drowned while trying to escape. Majority in the country would supported such action including the 3rd minority (Muslims or Tamils)

    We all would have said we cannot allow one community to hold the rest for ransom after all what we have gone through for past 30 years.

    Few shops belonging to that community would have been burned or worst.

    In reality, It’s pretty clear these actions are tolerated with very clear set of rules. BBS is free to do anything within that set of rules.
    (By the way the rest of the monkey sena are on the standby mode awaiting orders)

    The action in the Nipon Hotel is one of the dark and ugly chapter in our modern post war history.
    Policeman (can’t call them officers) are really bunch of shameless shit heads, they should at least try to hide their faces from the camera. They are proving to be the worst off lot in the show with full face exposure in these instances and when UNP visited south.
    Wonder how they face their family, neighbors and friends when they go back home after such heroics on national TV.

    Can any one remember that their was Lady journalist called Mel Gunasekara who was killed allegedly by a laborer ? and the speed of which that case was solved ? what happened after that ? no one knows I did not see much about it on the news after that. Maybe the case is closed!

    That’s how things work in our blessed land like no other !

    • 3
      0

      Afzal, [Edited out]

      • 2
        0

        Moda Kolla, are you out of your mind?

        • 0
          2

          buru mike, have you forgotten to take your daily pill?

    • 2
      8

      simple answer to you
      Not all Muslims are terrorists, but nearly all terrorists are Muslims

      you all so silent b’cos your population still very limited , but
      compare to demands (religious demands, Shariaya ) your community trying to impose on Buddhists that it is very clear that Buddhists will have problems withing next decade. What BBS is trying to do tackle exterminate
      before Islamic Jihad starts

      • 8
        1

        Bebon,

        Simple answer is Buddhist are not living as Buddhist. your fear is due to your own actions. Seriously how many of the Singhala Buddhist follow Lord Buddha’s teaching forget that how many of the 72% go to a pansala at least once a year? how many observe sill once a month ? I would say less than 5% I guess as if not all the pansal we have in Sri Lanka will not be enough to accommodate the crowds.

        When you see scores of Muslims with their caps, abayas and on Fridays going to mosques you all feel threatened.
        If 1/4 of the Buddhist live as proper Buddhist then you will not have any cause to feel what you say.

        The problem is with your community not with us. Alcoholism, prostitution, gambling and murder are the common issues of the majority community, rather than trying to point fingers at others try a way to get your community out of these social ills.

        When you all vote for just ruler ills of this society will be ridden, we the minority cant do that alone!

        Think rationally we can achieve something if not we will be rotting like this.

  • 5
    0

    Where are those who defend with the argument that SRi Lanka is capable of investigating the war crimes. The President silently approves BBS violence. The Secretary of Defence guide & protect BBS. Police spokesman says he is frustrated because they are just there to observe and protect criminals.

  • 1
    2

    “Today this hate campaign has reached the stage where these extremist elements insult the Holy Quran which could lead to worldwide response detrimental to the country.”

    What the National Shoora Council saying is that they have connection to counter the BBS terrorism with worldwide religious extremist terrorism.

    Well; it is between the Lions and the Hyenas. But, what can I think of is when the Tamils sought the legal channels to complain to UNHRC against a lawful government’s terrorism, the Muslim leaders went there to do damage to Tamils. Now they are seeking religious terrorist’s help to deal with rowdy BBS. These are the people filling up the Justice Ministry. These are peoples getting qualified through the Ceylon Law College. Then they are writing article after article as they are pious, gentle government supporters (meaning they spied against LTTE-these leaders are reminding that they helped the government to commit genocide crime). The rogue Royal Government who opposed western governments should start to face Al Qaeda and others like Pakistan’s Lashkar-e-Taiba terrorist. Then will get its lesson too.

    • 1
      0

      Mallaiyuran , Which ward are you in at Angoda ? I think you lost the entire brain if you really had one .

  • 4
    1

    M.R. and brothers and the clan will always support thugs because they are thugs and will do things as long as they are in power.

  • 1
    0

    —————————————————–
    One of three Casino regulations passed with majority of 71 votes
    68 govt, Opp. MPs shun vote, Ven. Ratana votes against it

    Parliament yesterday passed one of the three controversial regulations gazetted under the Strategic Development Projects Act and criticized by the Opposition as an open licence for casinos in the country.

    After the debate, Chief Opposition whip John Amaratunga asked for a division by name. The regulation received 113 votes in favour and 42 votes against. The regulation was passed with a majority of 71 votes. The UNP, DNA, TNA voted against the regulation. The JHU member Ven. Aturaliye Ratana thera, too, voted against the regulation.
    —————————————————-

    MR used all these BBS drama to divert the attention for the casino bill.

    MR can fool all the people all the time…

  • 2
    0

    THE THUG ATHE G BALUSARA SHOULD TRIED, CRIMINALISED AND THROWN IN JAIL FOR EVER SO HE WONT WALK THE SOIL OF SRI LANKA.
    PEOPLE LIKE THESE XENOPHOBICS SHOULD NOT BREATHE THE SAME AIR THAT GOOD LAW ABIDING GOOD PEOPLE BREATHE.

  • 1
    6

    Please be informed that Watarake Wijitha has become Watarake Muhammad. And Watarake Muhammad is taking Koran lessons from Mullahs in a well known madrassa. I am ready to explain Sinhala Buddhist exactly what Watarake Muhammad is learning quoting directly from the Koran.

  • 0
    6

    wateraka [Edited out] vijitha is a disgrace to buddhism

    • 3
      0

      ela kolla

      “wateraka [Edited out] vijitha is a disgrace to buddhism”

      If he is a disgrace to Sinhala/Buddhism we need more of them.

      Is there anyone who can and willing to liberate Buddha’s teaching from Sinhala/Buddhism? Please let me know.

      • 0
        4

        vedda, you ask tisa hami’s bappa

  • 0
    0

    Mahind Rajapakse toform religious police commander in chief Galagoda Aththe Gnanasara

  • 1
    7

    Muslims
    Who destroy Kuragala, Who destroy Muhudumaha viharaya??

    Who captured those locations, were there court orders to destroy ancient Buddhist temple.

    Why you need law to follow now, when you clan get attacked ,, Shame basters

    Why dont you talk to Muslims in pakistan Stop Heroin…

    you cant your brotherhood and you parrrking believe

  • 4
    6

    SL is going to be a Jihadistan.

    Monks are like Muslims!!

  • 2
    0

    THESE ROBED THUGS NEED TO BE PUT IN PLACE…. The BBS is wanting to start a war with the Muslims… YES we can give you war.. trust me… the TAMILS also would join in and ll u would see is corpses in and around Colombo in robes and fire all over the country.. moreover there will be INTERNATIONAL participation.. IF Pakistani Pilots could have been used to bomb the North.. the same pilots could be used to bomb the deep south … there is a limit to tolerence and the limit is being pushed.. trust me, he next Black July where MONKS were seen aiding rioters in and around Colombo with addresses of Tamils would be doing so as well…. but this time the results would CERTAINLY be different and SL can ill afford… already there is a decrease in the Sinhala Population and if would decrease further… GOTA may have his machinery and fire power, but when shove comes to PUSH… part of SL might be wiped off the map… wont be a pretty sight… YOU REAP WHAT YOU SO…. goes an old saying…. the coundown has begun for a 1915 like scenario to start in 2015…. or before…

    • 0
      0

      Snowden,
      Well said man. why don’t any of the other thinkers,professors, even saatharakaraya’s see the eminent danger? All massive empires fell down due to excessive atrocities in biblical/Koranic history an even in the recent past. You have indicated a true logical scenario. There is a lot more to think in that line. These 3 stooge rs MR Gota Gnana shuold stop and think. They think the power they posses (EMP, and other arsenal)can controle any situation. If so, might even trigger a world WAR !

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.