BBS

The Bar Association of Sri Lanka (BASL) said yesterday President Maithripala Sirisena should not have exercised his executive powers arbitrarily when pardoning Galagodaaththe Gnanasara Thera, who was jailed after being found guilty of contempt of court charges. It said it was an act based on irrelevant consideration. In a statement, the BASL said it was […]

The Tamil National Alliance unequivocally condemns the President’s act of pardoning Ven. Gnanasara Thero by abusing the Constitutional powers vested in the Head of State. He was jailed by the Court of Appeal for committing the offence of contempt against the Magistrate’s Court of Homagama. The conviction and sentencing happened after the learned Magistrate complained […]

The anti-Muslim riots in different parts of the country have led to at least two killings and wrecked the lives of thousands of innocent people. These riots have taken place more than three weeks after the Easter Sunday bombings for which the Islamic State took responsibility. They have taken place at locations far from where […]

The letter signed by a set of powerful Buddhist leaders including two Mahanayakes and the Diyawadana Nilame of Dalada Maligawa, and addressed to Buddha Sasana Minister Gamini Jayawickrema Perera, appealing for the release of Galagoda Aththe Gnanasara Thera from prison, and in turn, the Minister’s recommendation to President Maithripala Sirisena (MS) to comply with that […]

(8 July, 2018/SO) There are two new developments in Sri Lanka’s contemporary politics which is getting crystalized and clearer these days. They are: (a) the consolidation of a hard right-wing alternative to a weak and shaky democratic regime option, and (b) the projection of an ex-military officer as the embodiment of the new right-wing agenda. […]

(24 June 2018 Sunday Observer )After the sentencing of Galagodaththe Gnansara Thera to six months rigorous imprisonment for criminal intimidation earlier this month, his victim Sandya Ekneligoda, the wife of missing journalist, Prageeth Ekneligoda has been facing harassment and intimidation, largely via social media networks. Speaking to the Sunday Observer, Sandya Ekneligoda complained about receiving […]

Image: BBS General Secretary outside Homagama court in 2016. by Anurangi Singh When the General Secretary of the Bodu Bala Sena threatened her in open court in January 2016, a new battle-front opened for Sandhya Ekneligoda, wife of missing journalist Prageeth. Braving threats and intimidation, even as she battled separately to find Prageeth, Sandhya saw the […]

By Nursheila Muez and Jessica Yeo Jia Lin, RSIS. A recent road accident involving a Sinhalese truck driver and four Muslim men in the Kandy district of Sri Lanka quickly spiralled into violent conflict following news that the driver died of his injuries days later. Attacks by mobs on Muslim homes and properties soon after prompted […]

Image: Galagoda Aththe Gnanasara, secretary of Bodhu Bala Sena also known as Buddhist Power Force, gestures during a protest outside the Indian High Commission in Colombo, Sri Lanka, on July 10, 2013. (AP Photo/Eranga Jayawardena) (AP Archive). Bodu Bala Sena leader Galagoda Aththe Gnanasara is a man whose words lead to action. When he threatens Muslims […]

Image: Galagodaatte Gnanasara Thera. The Island political correspondent, C.A. Chandraprema, was threatened on 19th Nov. by Galagodaatte Gnanasara Thera while the former was at the funeral of Ven. Medagoda Abhayatissa Thera’s mother in Narammala.After paying his last respects to the remains of the monk’s mother Chandraprema was speaking with a Nayake Thera when Gnansara Thera accosted […]

Image: The group that led the attack on UNHCR safe house where 31 Rohingya refugees were staying. Mangala amaraaweera. I would like to condemn in the strongest possible terms, the attack against Rohingya refugees – refugees who were under the care of UNHCR, yesterday in Mount Lavinia, by a group of thugs in robes. In fact […]

C.A. Chandraprema, a columnist in The Island has written a hard hitting commentary on  Monk Ganansara and his alleged backers. Chandraprema  is the editor of  the book “Gota’s War” in which he tried  to prove that it was then defense secretary  Gotabhaya Rajapksa who won the war against the LTTE. He is seen as a pro […]

Image: BBS leader Gnanasara with his body guards Who is a Buddhist? That’s a simple question but one that can yield innumerable answers. The innumerability of course can be explained and explained innumerably through reference to the Buddhist canon. The point is, labelling and self-labelling are both easy exercises. For the record, if you replace […]

Hilmi Ahamed.  President Maithripala Sirisena says that the Muslim IDPs have encroached and destroyed land belonging to the Wilpattu National Park (June 2015). President Sirisena says Muslims have not cleared one inch of Wilpattu Land (December 2016) President Sirisena orders the expansion of the forest reserve by taking over the land allocated to the Muslim […]

Image: Mahinda Rajapaksa courtesy of FCA, Sri Lanka. by Hilmi Ahamed. Justice and Buddha Sasana Minister Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe is seen as a blatant liar by the Muslim community. He has become Yahapalanaya’s unofficial patron of Bodu Bala Sena (BBS) and its controversial leader Ven. Galagoda Aththe Gnanasara Thero. He has elevated this thuggish prelate (who […]

BBS Gnanasara led civil and robed extremists showing their strength in Kandy, in Nov 2016. The JVP yesterday slammed the Government for failing to protect the religious rights of Sri Lankans and accused it of providing validation for extremist organisations that are still working to whip up ethnic disharmony in the country while calling for […]

Image: BBS General Secretary Galagoda aththe Gnansara at the Sugathadasa Stadium during a rally to welcome Myanmar’s hardline 969 monk Ashin Wirathu. Radical Buddhist monks threatening demolition of majority Muslim suburbs of Colombo and employing violent, racist and threatening rhetoric against public officials continue to enjoy impunity under the Sirisena-Wickremesinghe Government, which was swept into […]

Image: Picture of the mosque road board was destroyed ,later  a Buddhist flag erected in its place. Dear Mr. Jayasundara, Attached herewith, is a follow-up Complaint to you, signed by 5000+ people from Sri Lanka, regarding the inaction of the police against extremist groups, particularly those led by Buddhist monks. The petition is still online […]

Image: BBS head Galabodaatthe Gnanasara threatening a Muslim clergy (file photo). By Jehan Perera. The passage of the second reading of the budget by a 2/3 majority in parliament indicates that the Government of National Unity continues to hold. The differences in opinion between the government partners that sometimes manifest themselves openly have not as […]

Image: Extremist Buddhist monks has become violent hate mongers in recent times in SriLanka. I a letter to Inspector General of Police with copies to leaders of the government hundreds of citizens have asked the government to immediately arrest all hate preachers notwithstanding their religious of social affiliations. The letter calls for  urgent action by […]

(A Thera of the ‘Singha Le’ organisation and Azad Sallyin trying to make their voices heard. Picture by Mahinda Withanachchi) A tense situation erupted during the campaign of ‘Different yet Equal’ close to Baudhaloka Mawatha yesterday. A group of monks representing the “Singha Le Jathika Balamuluwa” disrupted the unity campaign claiming that the campaigners cannot […]

(A monk from the Buddhist organization Bodu Bala Sena (Buddhist Power Force, BBS) uses his phone to take pictures during a speech at the BBS convention in Colombo, September 28, 2014.Image Credit: REUTERS/Dinuka Liyanawatte) The rise of Sinhala-Buddhist ultra-nationalism (allegedly with political backing) could threaten reconciliation. By Zachary Walko. Since coming to national attention in […]

(image: An armed Sri Lankan soldier on alert as unarmed policemen inspect a deserted street following sectarian clashes between the majority Sinhalese and the minority Muslim communities in Aluthgama, 60 kilometers south of Colombo, Sri Lanka, 16 June 2014 – Newsmax.com) “We are very surprised that your statement made to the media had blamed a […]

( Galagoda Atte Gnanasara) Homagama Magistrate Ranga Dissanayake filed a Contempt of Court action in the Court of Appeal against Bodu Bala Sena (BBS) General Secretary Ven.Galagoda Atte Gnanasara Thera seeking the Appeal Court’s constitutional jurisdiction against Ven. Gnasara Thera’s alleged offensive behaviour in the Homagama Magistrate’s Court amounting to Contempt of Court on January […]

(BBS Gnanasara) Bodu Bala Sena Organisation General Secretary Ven. Galagoda Aththe Gnanasara Thera who came to the Colombo National Hospital yesterday morning, tied a pirith noola on the wrist of underworld gangster Dematagoda Chaminda, an accused in the Bharatha Lakshman Premachandra murder. Ven. Gnanasara Thera was among the 11 bhikkhus who visited Dematagoda Chaminda at […]

Bodu Bala Sena organization General Secretary Ven. Galagoda Aththe Gnanasara Thera currently under remand custody, comes out of the Homagama Magistrates’ Court after attending trial in connection with a case where he is accused of allegedly threatening Sandhya Eknaligoda, the wife of missing journalist Prageeth Ekneligoda. Picture by Ranjith Asanka Homagama Magistrate Ranga Dissanayake yesterday […]

Pandemonium reigned at the Homagama Magistrate’s Court premises with three Buddhist monks threatening to self-immolate in protest against the arrest of Bodu Bala Sena General Secretary Ven. Galagoda Aththe Gnanasara Thera. Ven. Galagoda Aththe Gnanasara Thera arrested on the charges of contempt of court, obstructing Court proceedings and intimidating a public servant was yesterday ordered […]

Bodu Bala Sena General Secretary Galagodaatte Gnanasara Thera was remanded till February 9 by Homagama Magistrate’s Court a short while ago. He was arrested this morning when he surrendered to the Homagama Police. The Homagama Magistrate issued an arrest warrant against Gnanasara Thera yesterday on three charges including threatening a state official, obstructing the court […]

The participation of Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe, former President Chandrika Kumaratunga and visiting British Minister Hugo Swire at the Thai Pongal celebration in Jaffna is an indication of the special attention that is being given to the northern polity by the government. The top leaders of the government have been making frequent visits to the […]

On the night of 2nd January 2016 the words ” Sinha Le” ( Sinhala Blood) has been written on the gates of Muslim houses in number of areas surrounding Colombo, the capitol of Sri Lanka. ” Sinha Le” is the name of  new extremist organisation launched few weeks ago. In few outstation towns including Kurunagala […]