{"id":121850,"date":"2014-03-18T12:53:32","date_gmt":"2014-03-18T07:23:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.colombotelegraph.com\/?p=121850"},"modified":"2014-03-18T12:58:56","modified_gmt":"2014-03-18T07:28:56","slug":"video-bbs-threatens-to-slice-hakeem-to-pieces","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.colombotelegraph.com\/index.php\/video-bbs-threatens-to-slice-hakeem-to-pieces\/","title":{"rendered":"Video: BBS Threatens To Slice Hakeem To Pieces"},"content":{"rendered":"

The State sponsored Bodu Bala Sena<\/span><\/a> (BBS) threatened to slice Minister Rahuf Hakeem<\/span><\/a> to pieces in response to his statement that the Buddhist extremists group has been given powers that is even above the police in the country. Justice Minister Hakeem speaking at an election rally a few days ago demanded to know who is backing the so called \u201cBala Senawa\u201d that has threatened to take police powers to itself in order to curtail the liberties of the Muslim community. \u201cIt is after 2012 when this Bala Senawa was allowed to carry out their campaign that the troubles for the Muslims started. I ask you who is behind this Bala Senawa. It is after they started their hate campaign that Sri Lanka is facing international scrutiny\u201d Hakeem said. \u201cWhen I talk of these things as the Justice Minister it hurts some people\u201d he added.<\/p>\n

\"Gnanasara\"<\/a>

Gnanasara<\/p><\/div>\n

Galagoda Atte Gnanasara<\/span><\/a>, the leader of the BBS responded to Minister Hakeem at a press conference yesterday.\u00a0 \u201cPatta Pathuru Gahanawa me parayawa\u201d said Gnanasara roughly translating to “(we) will slice this bas..rd to absolute pieces.” The BBS is a state sponsored organization which along with the Ravana Balakaya (Ravana\u2019s Brigade) have been mostly responsible for the attacks against minorities. These two organizations have carried out numerous attacks on churches<\/span><\/a> and mosques<\/span><\/a>. Its activists were at the forefront of demanding a ban on Halal certification on food items and on several occasions attempted to de-robe Muslim women dressed in the traditional Burka and Abhaya. Secretary to the Ministry of Defence Gotabya Rajapaksa<\/span><\/a> opened a centre in Galle built by the BBS that was claimed to train youth \u201cfor the protection of Buddhism.\u201d<\/p>\n

Justice Minister Hakeem has been receiving slack from President Mahinda Raajapaksa<\/span><\/a> and his Sinhala extremists allies within the government for allegedly providing a list<\/span><\/a> to UN High Commissioner on Human Rights,\u00a0 Navi Pillai, detailing the attacks by government backed groups such as the BBS<\/p>\n