President Maithripala Sirisena has ordered the suspension of the removal of illegal dwellings on the Mirissa beach, despite court orders being granted for the removal.
Sources said that three ministers led by Faizer Mustapha had called on the President to halt the removals, after the Coast Conservation Department (CCD) said they were to go ahead despite Mustapha’s attempts to influence.
Earlier in the month a group of Dutch tourists were sexually harassed and assaulted thereafter by waiters of an illegal restaurant in the area.
Following the reports many tourists and locals continued to detail incidents of harassment, sexual abuse and physical assault in Mirissa, on Social media.
The BBC SInhala in an investigative story on Mirissa dated 28th April 2018 detailed an experience of a British woman who was attempted to be raped after the Beach boys had drugged her boyfriend in 2018.
Many others said that the sexual and physical assaults were a common occurrence in the area.
However, following the revelations Mustapha had throughout objected to any moves to regulate Mirissa.
The CCD had identified 17 illegal structures operating in the area and had obtained court orders for demolition. However, Musthapaha issuing a press statement objected to it.
The tourism ministry does not fall under the purview of Mustapha nor is he a member representing the area.
Questions have been raised by many regarding Mustapha’s involvement. Police sources told the Colombo Telegraph that Mustapha is a frequent visitor of the area and that he was present on the night the most recent sexual and physical assault incidents had occured. CCTV footage viewed by Colombo Telegraph shows the minister and members of his entourage present at the party on April 8, 2018.
Sources from the CCD said that Mustapha had exerted enormous pressure on them to halt the removals. “He kept calling the Director and we said there is no provision to stop it”.
As soon as his influence was not yielding results he had reportedly sought the intervention of President Sirisena.
The Supreme Robin Hood / April 30, 2018
None of the leaders has a backbone to act out of righteousness since everyone is corrupted.
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wannihami / April 30, 2018
Where is native, why is he silent, is Musthapa and Native under one God?
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K.Pillai / April 30, 2018
This “Mirissa Illegal Structure Demolition” was suggested to combat unruly behaviour. Will this action succeed? Not in the long term because the trouble makers do not live there but have strong political connections. If all the Mirissas are shut down what happens to Tourism Industry?
Lankan Police have yet again shown incompetence. They are a law unto themselves.
MS has acted wisely in halting this ‘demolition’. He must exert his authority on the police.
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Justice and Fairplay / May 1, 2018
Mr. 9K.Pillai your post defies logic, common sense and civic minded thinking. No wonder we are in this mess.
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Zeena / April 30, 2018
Faiszer you have let down the Muslim community like the rest of the Kafir Muslim ministers . Show by example not these cheap gimmiks
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samunagolla / May 1, 2018
“KAFIR” That is an insult that Muslims use towards Non-Muslims… incase anyone is wondering what that means… it is a slur, just like the ‘paraya’, ‘thumbiya’, etc…
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Muhandiram / May 1, 2018
NO. Kafir is NOT an insult Nor is it a slur.. It is an Arabic word which means ‘non-believer.
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Muhandiram / May 1, 2018
Zeena
It is wrong to say “Kafir Muslim ministers”. It is really a contradiction as a person can either be a Muslim or a Kafir – not both. Also, it is not for you to call a Muslim or Kafir.
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Isharath / April 30, 2018
In a recent article, “An Open Letter To Muslim Parliamentarians” I read “all-powerful Executive Presidency under which you are been pushed into a situation where you either put up or shut up” – Quite opposite here.
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Mallaiyuran / April 30, 2018
Be responsible before castigating Faiszer. I heard recently a woman was sent only with Abaya back to home, Lankawe. If Faiszer is teased, 1 Million cases will come back like that. That is the only income Lankawe has now. Tourists will not run away anywhere; they will come back. They came Khuram Shaikh was killed and then his girlfriend was raped by LG chairman. They all are coming back even after Naomi Coleman deported back to Britain. A British court recently refused to get any compensation for a woman from her Travel agency for the crimes committed against her because they all are enjoying Lankawe, so they should not complain about Lankawe. There are many cases like that. No point in bringing them here. Just for that small matter don’t meddle with Faiszer and be the cause to all the Biryani and arrack shops in Lankawe have be closed for lack Patrons.
“People who live in glass houses shouldn’t throw stones at other people’s glass houses”
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Flanker / May 1, 2018
What is he trying to say, just cannot understand a thing, sorry!!!
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fatma / May 1, 2018
Flanker: don’t worry, he is a Tamil guy from the North.
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Justice and Fairplay / May 1, 2018
Neither can I figure what Mr. Mallaiyuran is trying to say……
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Buddhist / May 1, 2018
All the Pinata Seat guys have to be kicked out they are the trouble makers and taking the President on a wild goose rate. Especially Faizer should resign only based on his screwing up the local government election system.
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K A Sumanasekera / May 1, 2018
Dr Ranil’s mate and UNP strongman Dr Rajitha is in the Whabi Party boss Hakkem’s pocket.
Now Don’t tell me Mustafa is Sira’s mate and chief Advisor.
Where is this Yahapalana heading.
Yahapalanaya was delivered to give Mr Sampathar the Homeland and please the Gods in the West so that our poor Lankans will be spared to live in peace.
And Dr Ranil got in to action from day one. with so many committees to re write his Constitution and getting paid handsomely with even LKR 34 Mil car permits.
Learned Professors came with so many plans to solve our problems and take us to Singapore in living standards.
But here we are now with Mustafa getting Sira to protect the Beach Boys in Mirissa ,who allegedly raped a British Woman and gave her STD as well.
While Dr Ranil is fighting for his Life and protect himself fro his own Boys like Ajith, Sujeeva and Harin.
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Native Vedda / May 2, 2018
KASmaalam K A Sumanasekera
–
According to your immense stupidity
“Dr Ranil’s mate and UNP strongman Dr Rajitha is in the Whabi Party boss Hakkem’s pocket.”
Dr Ranil and Mangalan are inside Trinco Sam’s amude.
Dr Ranil is in Vellala Abraham’s pocket
Dr Ranil was in Hinduttva Chief Minister C V Wigneshwaran’s amude
…………
………
Where does Dr Ranil actually reside?
By the way is it appropriate to say you are not only carrying Dr Mahinda’s clanking b***s but also live in his amude?
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Jim softy / May 1, 2018
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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Good Sense / May 1, 2018
If this story is true then this is not the first time that HE is supposed to have danced to the tune of Faizer Why? The first instance is supposed to be the reference to the Supreme Court regarding the duration of the term. Why is Faizer so obliged to the Mirissa mafia and why is HE so obliging to Faizer? I do not want to speculate but this is food for thought.
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Ss / May 1, 2018
If lasantha was alive we would have learnt the whole story. Our loss.
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Hethu Vadia / May 1, 2018
Mustapha (and his father) being the MI6 agents behind the 2015 yamapalana power grab, Sira is indebted to Mustaphas. He was appointed special advisor to Sira on British orders. He has become the Rasputin of modern Sri Lankan government joke. The Mirissa illegal structures, like all illegal settlements in the country, are done predominantly by Muslims and Mustapha is looking after their long term plan. God save Sri Lanka!
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johnjohn / May 1, 2018
UNBELIEVABLE. !!!!
So now the beachboys and bar owners have basically been given carte blanche to continue their activities unimpeded. Now they will get away with murder knowing the consequences are nothing. God help any unsuspecting tourist from now on in Mirissa. The tourist trade in this area will be severely affected and impact many more businesses in the area than just the few beach bars. This little beauty spot is now nothing less than a cess pit.
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Azam / May 1, 2018
It is okay to distroy, provided that there is an alternative plan to help the people whose livelihoods were affected.
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K.Anaga / May 1, 2018
This is an illegal/immoral lively hood . On this basis basis even pick pockets and thieves should not be arrested till an alternative plan is found. Srisena dances to various tunes as long as the dance will keep him in power. what is the use of courts not that it matters much.
Why only Mirrisa what about Wellawate bech coast from Ramakrisna road end to Dehiwela. Is it because important people are involved.? President should practice what he preach.
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Justice and Fairplay / May 1, 2018
Azam, try saying that in a developed country.
No wonder this country gets the politicians it deserves.
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Rasputin / May 1, 2018
The next politician who says we want to be another Singapore should be ……….@*%#^+€~><•?#..
My bloody foot sinagapore!!!!!!
This is the result of people’s hardwork to bring politicians into power. All we get is kicked in the teeth by the very politicians who we elect.
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Yasiru / May 1, 2018
This is not new, this is the 2nd incident where Maithripala dances to Faizer’s tune. first it was Colombo municipal Commissioner Anura, when the CMC Commissioner wanted to remove some illegal shops at pettah, Faizer talked to president & removed the commissioner. now CMC colombo is utter disaster without a proper commissioner. Faizer is doing all the illegal stuff when a proper commissioner is not there. 2nd is this. President is just a puppet which dances to Faizer’s tune.
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Luis / May 1, 2018
Looks like he is similar to Micheal Cohen!!!
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Real Revolutionist / May 1, 2018
Some are born to dance & some are made to dance. however tune is given by somebody else.
In Political dancing the tune is given by the people.
MS is held up between 2 tunes, RW’s tune & people’s tune & MR’s refreshed tune is heard behind & people started to dance to that beat now.
Tomorrow?
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Upali Samarajeewa / May 1, 2018
Tourism getting ruined. People avoid Mirissa, people avoid Kandy.
Tea industry got ruined after prohibiting glyphosate. Now more toxic chemicals detected in tea sent to Japan. Sri Lanka has no test systems.
THE PROOF OF THE PUDDING IS IN EATING IT. WE HAVE 18 MONTHS MORE TO FINISH THE PUDDING
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Ranjith / May 1, 2018
Wonder if Sira could dance to the tune of Ba ba black sheep
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Real Revolutionist / May 1, 2018
Ranjith
Why not, see he’s already dancing to the tune of nation’s black sheep.
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asela / May 1, 2018
This country is worse than the hell now. How can a Minister without any control over the Ministry of Tourism act in this manner. Sir where is your sword? Hiding inside your sarong?
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Ander / May 1, 2018
President is like a wilted snake gourd. Kick that Faizer out. Aiyo Sirisena. Mole nathi Sirisena. Doesn’t understand simple remedies.
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hari / May 1, 2018
WHO HAS NOT DANCE MERVIN / WEERAWANSA/ DILAN HAS DANCE AS PER RAJAPAKSH
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Namaste / May 1, 2018
What does a man from Polonaurwa know about running a country in the 21st century. He is pissing off the millennials by his stupidity. Let him plough the fields and handover the country to somebody else.
As for Mustapha – I don’t to waste my my energy commenting on his uselessness to humanity. #thugserver #Rapistlover
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anonymous / May 1, 2018
Buddhika Pathirana, Go ahead and add/include all these incident on to the FCID complaint you have opened. Impeach this leach ASAP before the whole country became another ‘Syria’ or ‘Yemen’, a testing range for the war mongers. May you have the courage to do so and I am sure the 6.2 million and many more from the JO will be with you.
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laksiri / May 1, 2018
sirisena stop taking legal action against the criminal ,stop arresting top public looters and making public like a great man but people know well this situation and waiting to come presidential election go send him to back his paddy filed soon. he will have no place to run away when he loss nexr election.
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Bunty / May 1, 2018
That is what happens when you have
“Wolf in sil-redi”.
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Ranjith / May 1, 2018
Oh god, get rid of the Presidential powers. Sri Lanka is heading towards disaster.If our President can overrule court orders then why do we need a judiciary ?
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Spring Koha / May 1, 2018
Ha, bloody Ha!
Jackboot Faizer just trampled on the Rule of Law, screwed it up, and tossed it straight in to the garbage bin of history. Pres. Sirisena just swallowed his pride and nodded. What can you expect, when a man is drowning, he will clutch at any shitty straw that comes his way. Beggars can’t choosers!
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Douglas / May 1, 2018
Now the latest move, to “Solve” the problem is to “Register” all the hotels and restaurants on the “Beach Area” by the Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority – SLTDA. They have already made a “quick” move to establish a “Mobile Registration” process. The “Authority” moved to pull down all the “Unauthorized” operations in the coastal belt was to be undertaken by another “Authority” i.e. CCD -Coastal Conservation Development, which is incidentally functioning under the President. Now the question is: If ALL these “Unregistered” operations that could include also the “Unauthorized Structures” are also registered through this “Quick” method of a “Mobile Registration Service” by the SLTDA, can CCD get involved in “REMOVING” those “Unauthorized Structures”? According to CCD, the identified number of such “Structures” are 17 (seventeen).. One could imagine how “POWERFUL” that 17 could be to get the President of the country to intervene and “STOP” the demolition and now to move possibly to “REGISTER” under SLTDA and grant “LEGAL STATUS”. Our President, as the Minister in-charge of “Coastal Conservation” possibly along with those “POWERFUL FORCE” must undertake an “Unannounced” visit from Unawatuna to Tangalle coastal belt and a little more beyond to get a “Hands on Experience and a GOOD LOOK” at what is going on in the area. I have no doubt this President will abandon the trip in Unawatuna/Talpe area and return to his “PALACE” in SHAME & DISGUST, if he has an iota of SHAME in seeing what is happening to this country..
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Lone Wolf / May 1, 2018
Douglas,
.
“One could imagine how “POWERFUL” that 17 could be to get the President of the country to intervene and “STOP” the demolition and now to move possibly to “REGISTER” under SLTDA and grant “LEGAL STATUS”.”
.
I do not understand why the president chooses to protect 17 bars doing business in alcohol, ganja and sex.
.
In addition to the SLTDA registration the bars need permits to sell alcohol and food. Possibly registration for tax .
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Lone Wolf / May 1, 2018
CT,
.
“CCTV footage viewed by Colombo Telegraph shows the minister and members of his entourage present at the party on April 8, 2018.”
.
Thank you for your investigative journalism. Keep it up!
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Marlon / May 2, 2018
The truth is, it’s Mustafa and :S.Lakthilleka who makes decisions and runs the country.
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Park / May 2, 2018
We have a President who violates the law of the land, we have a Judiciary which postpones all major cases, we have a Speaker who recognizes a group as Joint Opposition when there is an Official Opposition in the Parliament, we have a President of the Bar Association who wants a written notice from Suganthika when she has openly stated some names and some incidents in public (which is stronger than written note), we have people who vote for rogues, murderers, rapists and thugs to come to Parliament, we have MPs jumping from side to side like moneys, we have rogues who are calling the others rogues as they first set of rogues are not judged by a court of law etc. etc.. Where is this country going?
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