{"id":126077,"date":"2014-06-16T18:15:15","date_gmt":"2014-06-16T12:45:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.colombotelegraph.com\/?p=126077"},"modified":"2014-06-16T18:44:35","modified_gmt":"2014-06-16T13:14:35","slug":"turn-your-twitter-words-to-action-npc-tells-rajapaksa","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.colombotelegraph.com\/index.php\/turn-your-twitter-words-to-action-npc-tells-rajapaksa\/","title":{"rendered":"Turn Your Twitter Words To Action – NPC Tells Rajapaksa"},"content":{"rendered":"

“We draw attention to President\u00a0Mahinda\u00a0 Rajapaksa<\/a><\/span>‘s statement that his government will not permit anyone to take the law into their\u00a0 own hands.\u00a0 But it is necessary to back words with actions and if anyone is not following the President\u2019s commitment then such person or persons should be dealt with.” says the\u00a0National Peace Council.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"Mahinda<\/a>Issuing a statement on ongoing\u00a0Sri Lanka\u2019s growing unrest, the NPC said today; “We hope the truth behind the incident will be made public and the perpetrators of violence and destruction will not go free to continue with their rampage elsewhere.”<\/p>\n

We publish below the statement in full;<\/p>\n

The mob attack on Muslim owned shops and homes in <\/span>Aluthgama<\/a><\/span> and Beruwela signifies a significant escalation in <\/span>anti Muslim activities<\/a><\/span> that have been taking place over the past two years. It is reported that <\/span>at least 2 persons have died<\/a><\/span> and more than 30 injured in clashes. Previous such incidents were on individual targets, including mosques and shops.\u00a0 In most of those previous incidents the responses by the police and security forces was slow or ineffective with the miscreants going free, which created a climate of impunity for the attackers.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"Mahinda<\/a>The most recent incident follows allegations that three Muslim men assaulted a Buddhist monk<\/span><\/a> after getting into an altercation with his driver.\u00a0 Another version is that it was the driver who got assaulted and not the monk although the complaint to the police states otherwise.\u00a0 Whatever be the truth of the matter, it is totally unacceptable that there should be an attack on shops and homes of others merely because they belong to the same ethnic or religious community of the persons with whom a private dispute has arisen.\u00a0\u00a0 This incident follows a sustained hate campaign against the Muslim community in the Aluthgama area and elsewhere in the country which has not been countered by either legal or political means.<\/p>\n

The National Peace Council<\/span><\/a> is greatly distressed that five years after the end of an ethnic-based civil war, that another dimension of communal violence is opening up to cause immense suffering to innocent people.\u00a0 There are reports of incidents in other parts of the country, including suburbs of Colombo, in which Muslim-owned properties have been subjected to attack.\u00a0 This has created a climate in which those belonging to the Muslim community are living in fear not knowing where and when the next attack might be and whether they will be falling victim to it.<\/p>\n

The police have declared curfew in the Aluthgama and Beruwela areas which has stopped the violence.\u00a0 The law gives the discretion to the Police to take preventive action and we welcome this action, although it has come after considerable destruction has taken place and relations between the communities has deteriorated.\u00a0 We draw attention to President Mahinda\u00a0 Rajapaksa<\/span><\/a>‘s statement that his government will not permit anyone to take the law into their\u00a0 own hands.\u00a0 But it is necessary to back words with actions and if anyone is not following the President\u2019s commitment then such person or persons should be dealt with.<\/p>\n

Despite a strong focus on defense, Sri Lanka has witnessed a gradual decline in the rule of law and an increase in levels of impunity often reportedly due to political patronage at national, provincial and local levels. This trend needs to arrested forthwith and the guilty not shielded from facing the due legal processes. We call on the government to restore the Rule of Law and failure to do so will only strengthen the convictions of those who have gone to the UN for punitive justice.\u00a0 We hope the truth behind the incident will be made public and the perpetrators of violence and destruction will not go free to continue with their rampage elsewhere.<\/p>\n

Related stories;<\/p>\n

\u201cBring Those Responsible For Aluthgama Attacks To Justice\u201d US Tells Sri Lanka<\/a><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Barbarism Of Sinhala Buddhist Extremist Forces Against Muslims<\/a><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Muslims Still In Mosques; Shops Looted Throughout The Night<\/a><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Horror In Aluthgama: Their Crime; Our Shame<\/a><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

First Death Is Reported In Sri Lanka Riots<\/a><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Riots Expand; Minister Held Hostage<\/a><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Video: \u201cThis Will Be The End Of All Muslims\u201d Gnanasara Says Prior To Riots<\/a><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Media Blackout On Aluthgama Situation: Police To Cover Mosques Island-Wide<\/a><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Buddhist Monk Allegedly Assaulted By Muslims In Aluthgama<\/a><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Muslim Owned Shop Torched By Buddhist Thugs<\/a><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Altuhgama Under Siege: Muslim Owned Shops Are Torched<\/a><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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