19 March, 2024

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WikiLeaks: Justice Minister Hakeem Knows Who The Abductors Are

By Colombo Telegraph –

Minister of Justice Rauff Hakeem

“In recent weeks the Embassy has received several anonymous letters from Muslim groups alleging that they are being targeted for abduction for ransom. One such letter from the ‘Muslim Community in Sri Lanka,’ with no return address, states that ‘within a short period they have kidnapped and collected huge sums from Muslim businessmen.’ Several Muslim leaders have alleged that Muslim businessmen are being targeted for abduction now that most prominent Tamil businessmen have either paid off paramilitary groups or fled the country.” the US Embassy Colombo informed Washington.

The Colombo Telegraph found the related leaked cable from WikiLeaks database, which details a meeting the US Ambassador to Colombo has had with then Minister of Posts and Telecommunications Rauff Hakeem( Present Justice Minister). The cable is classified as “SECRET” and written by the Ambassador Robert O. Blake on June 19, 2007.

Under the subheading “MUSLIM LEADER STATES ABDUCTIONS COME ‘FROM THE VERY TOP’” the ambassador wrote “Sri Lanka Muslim Congress leader and Minister of Posts and Telecommunications Rauff Hakeem (strictly protect) told Ambassador on June 14 that he believed that those carrying out abductions receive ‘patronage from the very top,’ but did not elaborate further. Hakeem stated that he has received many complaints from his constituents recently about abductions for ransom among the Muslim community but that victims were ‘petrified’ to come forward and make a formal complaint. According to Hakeem, some prominent Muslim businessmen have decided to leave Sri Lanka until the threat of abduction subsides. In reference to government-sanctioned abductions of Muslim businessmen for ransom, Hakeem said that the Muslim community ‘has never seen this before.’”

Placing a comment Blake wrote “The negative impact of abductions is spreading beyond the Tamil community and past extra-judicial methods of dealing with possible LTTE supporters into abductions of any minority with a large bank account. Muslim leaders like Rauff Hakeem are increasingly critical of the Rajapaksa administration’s apparent tolerance for abductions, and numerous recent media reports have called attention to the growing trend of Muslim abductions for ransom. The Ambassador met with Foreign Minister Bogollogama on June 13 in part to flag to the Government our concern about this new trend and the need for the GSL to address it”

Below we give the relevant part of the confidential cable;

VZCZCXRO9010
OO RUEHBI RUEHLMC
DE RUEHLM #0861/01 1700544
ZNY SSSSS ZZH
O 190544Z JUN 07
FM AMEMBASSY COLOMBO
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 6287
INFO RUEHKA/AMEMBASSY DHAKA PRIORITY 0214
RUEHIL/AMEMBASSY ISLAMABAD PRIORITY 7197
RUEHKT/AMEMBASSY KATHMANDU PRIORITY 5304
RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON PRIORITY 3844
RUEHNE/AMEMBASSY NEW DELHI PRIORITY 1104
RUEHNY/AMEMBASSY OSLO PRIORITY 3915
RUEHOT/AMEMBASSY OTTAWA PRIORITY 1139
RUEHKO/AMEMBASSY TOKYO PRIORITY 3001
RUEHCG/AMCONSUL CHENNAI PRIORITY 7783
RUEHBI/AMCONSUL MUMBAI PRIORITY 5443
RUEHON/AMCONSUL TORONTO PRIORITY 0260
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC PRIORITY
RUEHLMC/MILLENNIUM CHALLENGE CORPORATION PRIORITY
RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHDC PRIORITY
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY
RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA PRIORITY 2136
RHEHAAA/NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY
RHHMUNA/HQ USPACOM HONOLULU HI PRIORITY
RUEHBS/USEU BRUSSELS PRIORITY
S E C R E T SECTION 01 OF 02 COLOMBO 000861 

SIPDIS 

SIPDIS 

DEPARTMENT FOR SCA/INS AND PM
MCC FOR D NASSIRY AND E BURKE 

E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/18/2017
TAGS: PGOV PREL PTER PHUM MOPS CE
SUBJECT: SRI LANKA: ABDUCTIONS PLAGUE MUSLIM COMMUNITY 

REF: COLOMBO 842 

Classified By: Ambassador Robert O. Blake, Jr., for reasons 1.4(b,d).
EMBASSY RECEIVES AN INFLUX OF COMPLAINTS
---------------------------------------- 

2.  (C) In recent weeks the Embassy has received several
anonymous letters from Muslim groups alleging that they are
being targeted for abduction for ransom.  One such letter
from the "Muslim Community in Sri Lanka," with no return
address, states that "within a short period they have
kidnapped and collected huge sums from Muslim businessmen."
Several Muslim leaders have alleged that Muslim businessmen
are being targeted for abduction now that most prominent
Tamil businessmen have either paid off paramilitary groups or
fled the country. 

MUSLIM LEADER STATES ABDUCTIONS COME "FROM THE VERY TOP"
--------------------------------------------- ----------- 

3.  (S)  Sri Lanka Muslim Congress leader and Minister of
Posts and Telecommunications Rauff Hakeem (strictly protect)
told Ambassador on June 14 that he believed that those
carrying out abductions receive "patronage from the very
top," but did not elaborate further.  Hakeem stated that he
has received many complaints from his constituents recently
about abductions for ransom among the Muslim community but
that victims were "petrified" to come forward and make a
formal complaint.  According to Hakeem, some prominent Muslim
businessmen have decided to leave Sri Lanka until the threat
of abduction subsides.  In reference to government-sanctioned
abductions of Muslim businessmen for ransom, Hakeem said that
the Muslim community "has never seen this before."
6.  (C) COMMENT:  The negative impact of abductions is
spreading beyond the Tamil community and past extra-judicial
methods of dealing with possible LTTE supporters into
abductions of any minority with a large bank account.  Muslim
leaders like Rauff Hakeem are increasingly critical of the
Rajapaksa administration's apparent tolerance for abductions,
and numerous recent media reports have called attention to
the growing trend of Muslim abductions for ransom.  The
Ambassador met with Foreign Minister Bogollogama on June 13
in part to flag to the Government our concern about this new
trend and the need for the GSL to address it (reftel).
BLAKE
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Latest comments

  • 0
    1

    Shame on you Mr Hakeem. :(

    • 1
      0

      Shame on him for what?

      Keeping quiet about the abductions or for identifying the Rajapaksa brothers as the culprits?

    • 0
      0

      Donkey it’s shame on you dam [Edited out] donkey.

  • 0
    0

    Hon. Minister tell us who are they? “TOP” ????

    • 0
      0

      ‘TOP’ means Gotabaya Rajapaksa. Abductions were carried out by Karuna and his henchemn with the blessings of Gotabaya. Enough? When Gota is dragged to the Hauge, these evidences will be brought out.

  • 0
    0

    Hakeem is a coward who fancies perks & positions, not a sacrifice r,I pity the 11 Muslim youth who was murdered by UPFA Anuruddha Rathwathe & his son Lohan Rathwathe during election time in Udathalavinne for supporting Hakeem, some soldiers were charged to cheat the public & prosecution flawed deliberately, all suspects escaped justice went Scot free.

    Hakeem never pursued this heinous murder even after becoming justice minister.

    I have every right to call the UPFA as murderers & terrorists.

    [Edited out] Max take a note.

  • 0
    0

    If this man is the minister of justice, then, we are forced into a position to invent a new word for justice itself. Every word has a whole new meaning in SriLanka. Why can’t you say Gota rather than “top”..Bunch of crooks abusing their legislative powers to rob the nation.

  • 0
    0

    Hakeem’s position is now starting to see the end of the road.Hakeem will be labeled “traitor”.

    I agree with Jim Hardy. Hakeem was not useful to the people he represented. He is a old horse to be shot dead.

    Bye bye Hakeem ;)

  • 0
    0

    George W. Bush cancels visit to Swiss charity gala over fears he could be arrested on torture charges

    UPDATED: 20:57, 6 February 2011

    Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1354211/George-W-Bush-cancels-Switzerland-visit-fears-arrest-torture-charges.html#ixzz1sUPGn5hQ

    Think of your part!

  • 0
    0

    Dear Rauf Hakeem

    Sri Lankans know that the Rajapakse clan tolerates abductions.

    Problem is politicians like yourself, who do not have the “balls of Steel” required to stand up against, this kind of Insjustice.

    Provide leadership to the brave Sri Lankan nation to fight this.

    You shuold not creep into Western Embassies in Colombo to cry on their shoulders in secrecy. It is pathetic.

    You should have told the Sri Lankan people first what you knew was happening in their country. They elected you to do just that.

    You are not accountable to “Robert Blakes”, but to average Sri Lankans.

    • 0
      0

      Its true that the minister is accountable to ‘average Sri Lankans’. But what can an avergae Sri Lankan do? ha? Robert Blakes can shake pepole like Gota and Mahinda. Can an ‘average Sri Lankan’ even think about it? get real, please. I am not a fan of this minister, but someone with ‘muscle’ only can bring change there, and average Sri lankans can’t…

      • 0
        0

        Rajan, I trust you have heard that God did not make all people equal. But Col. Colt did.

    • 0
      0

      Hi Ben,

      It is difficult to speak the truth in Sri Lanka. Hence what Rauf has done is correct. He has to tell someone – may be he wants get out of his chest.

  • 0
    0

    In 1999, the then Secretary General of the UN. Kofi Annan, stated to the UN General Assembly that both Rwanda and Bosnia failed in their duty to protect their own people, and that the sovereignty of states, as in the UN Charter, was an obstacle to human rights protection there.

    Consequently, in 2005, the UN accepted the principle of “Responsibility to Protect”(RtoP). RtoP stipulates that sovereignty is not a licence to kill its own people, and empathy with suffering people justifies outside inteference. It obligates protection, employing various methods.

    If these UN principles are applied to Sri Lanka(SL),
    the aspects that become very clear are;

    1) SL is a failed state.
    2) There is gross violation of Human Rights and
    Humanitarian Law, to the extent of war crimes and
    Tamil Genocide against the people of Tamil Eelam
    (TE).
    3. Sovereignty of SL is an obstacle.
    4. RtoP is applicable to SL and the UN can intervene
    on Tamil matters.

    These aspects became evident in the UN Panel Report on SL, but the GOSL defiantly and arrogantly rejected it as if it was from its backyard and not from the International Community(IC).

    Therefore, IC responded to the defiance of SL. A resolution on SL was placed before the UNHRC.

    Eight countries stepped aside, and the resolution was passed with a majority of 9 votes.

    For SL, that was like a red flag waved in front of an enraged bull in Spanish sport.

    One enraged cabinet minister said in public that he will break the legs of journalists.

    There were many angry outbursts of defiance, with steam and hot air, coming from other cabinet ministers.

    Finally, president Rajapakse said “…No one has to tell SL what to do…”.

    He meant the IC.

    The GOSL insults the IC now, like how it insulted the UN Panel Report. The signs are that SL will not comply.

    Now the UN must think of its third step.

  • 0
    0

    Thank you for your detailed report Sam Thambipillai

  • 0
    0

    These abductions were well known and those abducted have clearly said that there wer powerful Govt. hands involved in those. Many of the businessmen, who could do so, shifted their investments to Malayasia and other countries. Those who cannot go remain in the country after paying the ransoms. It is even said that some are continuing to pay even now. No one spoke for these victims, neither the Muslim politicians in the Govt. nor those in the opposition. Generally Muslims have become a pathetic community without any political power. Worse is going to happen to them if they remain passive as now.

  • 0
    0

    No secret that Gota is a Muslim hater

    A section of Sinhala (and Tamils) are not too fond of Muslim Business and population expansion.

    Business expansion is fair, if the mosque/community funds it, the same can be done by other respective communiteis, it is not their fault they dont drink too much, our fault we were bussy discriminating and fighting the Tamils and they can not say no to side benefits.

    As far as the population side, we can do the same, but as SL is an island, could popularize/legalize smaller families.

  • 0
    0

    Dambulla Mosque was attacked yesterday by mob monks. Although, there are bars, karokes, 5 star hotels with all activities and brothels and still call Dambulla “sacred bhoomi”, which is a shame of those mob monks to attack another worshiping place of another faith.

    Run Hakeem to the US Embassy and cry for help ;)

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