CID Director SSP Shani Abeysekera. Picture by Gayan Pushpika, DN. Senior Superintendent of Police Shani Abeysekera, Director of the Criminal Investigation Department told the Parliament Select Committee on the Easter bombings yesterday that extensive investigations into the activities of Zahran Hashim by the CID had led them to Lactowatte, where the haul of explosives found […]
Bodu Bala Sena
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Gnanasara, Rathana and Asgiriya Chapter Seeds of a national crisis in the making
Vishwamithra. “A Boss in Heaven is the best excuse for a boss on earth, therefore If God did exist, he would have to be abolished.’’ ~ Mikhail Bakunin Being born a Buddhist, educated at one of the leading Buddhist schools in Colombo and for that matter by one of the greatest erudite scholarly monks at […]
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Paikiasothy Saravanamuttu ED, CPA files a FR petition challenging the Presidential Pardon of Gnanasara Thero
Image: Sirisena invited Gnanasara and his mother to his office after pardoning him. 20th of June 2019: The Centre for Policy Alternatives (CPA) and its Executive Director, Dr. Paikiasothy Saravanamuttu, filed papers challenging the Presidential Pardon of Gnanasara Thero who was convicted for contempt of court by the Court of Appeal on 8th August 2018. He was sentenced […]
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Organization of Islamic Cooperation to Sri Lanka govt: Take swift, stern judicial action against the perpetrators of communal violence
OIC press release/03.06/2019. Communal violence targeting Muslims in Sri Lanka has regional and global security implications. The developing situation over the past few days has been extremely worrying with regards to the safety and protection of the Sri Lankan Muslim community, including some foreign Muslim refugees. The lives and livelihoods of Muslims, including their local […]
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All terror suspects should be investigated irrespective of their position: Ceylon Chamber
Image: Ceylon Chamber of Commerce deeply concerned about the possibility that events that threaten the law and order situation in the country, will unfold and this concern stems from positions taken and utterances made very recently by certain parties. Jun 03, 2019 (LBO) – Ceylon Chamber of Commerce has sent a missive to the Ministry of […]
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Sri Lanka: Prez shouldn’t exercise executive powers arbitrarily when pardoning Galagodaaththe Gnanasara Thera: BASL
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 […]
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Pardoning Gnanasara Thero raises a number of very serious concerns – CPA
CPA Statement on the Presidential Pardon of Gnanasara Thero. 24th May 2019, Colombo, Sri Lanka – The Centre for Policy Alternatives (CPA) expresses its deep shock and concern over the Presidential pardon of Galagoda Aththe Gnanasara Thero, who was released from prison on 23rd May 2019. The pardon raises a number of pressing questions which the President and […]
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Pardoning Gnanasara is an act of extreme leniency to a Buddhist monk & it sends a wrong message to the country.- TNA
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 […]
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It is president Sirisena who is behind Gnanasara antics says the editor of Gota’s War
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 […]
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Sri Lanka seeks militant monk’s arrest over hate crime
Image:Police said the warrant for the arrest of Galagodaatte Gnanasara relates to an accusation of insulting the Koran that dates back to April 2014, months before the outbreak of deadly religious riots. By AFP A Sri Lankan court issued a warrant Thursday for the arrest of a radical Buddhist monk accused of instigating arson attacks against […]
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Sri Lanka: over 20 attacks on Christians this year
A Buddhist shrine in Hambantota District, Sri Lanka, July 2016. (Photo: Open Doors International) There have been over 20 violent incidents against Christians so far this year, according to the National Christian Evangelical Alliance of Sri Lanka. Following a parallel surge in violent attacks on Muslims in the country, the alliance calls on the government to ensure […]
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Sri Lanka arrest five over anti-religious violence
Image: A food out let in Ampara, Eastern province was attacked on 22nd May 2017. Sri Lanka police have arrested five people including a member of a hardline Buddhist organization for instigating religious violence against Muslims and a Muslim for defaming Buddhism, police said on Sunday. The arrests come a week after diplomats condemned violence […]
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In the holy month of Ramadan attacks against Muslims in Sri Lanaka has increased- Shreen Saroor at CESCR 61
Image: Chairperson, Secretary of the CESCR and Sri Lanka ambassador at the podium of UN CESCR 61 held at Palais Wilson on 9th June 2017. ©s.deshapriya. By Shreen Saroor. Violent attacks on minority religions have continued with impunity specially against Evangelical Christians And Muslims in Sri Lanka. The government of Sri Lanka accepted recommendations of […]
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The re-emergence of the BBS
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 […]
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Galabod Aththe Gnanasara: Out of the Shadows – Dharisha Bastians
He’s back. After a year in the shadows, Galagoda Aththe Gnanasara, the controversial monk who leads the radical Buddhist group Bodu Bala Sena, is front and centre of the news cycle again. He is storming into courtrooms, insulting Government lawyers and threatening, allegedly in foul language, the woman who has been searching for her missing […]
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The Gnanasara Thera factor
Busy as it is dealing with various political conundrums that crop up from time to time, the government this week encountered yet another unexpected hurdle- in the form of Ven Galagoda Aththe Gnanasara Thera and his organisation, the Bodu Bala Sena (BBS). The rabble rousing monk made an unexpected appearance at the on-going hearings at […]
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Mayhem As Monks Go On The Rampage
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 […]
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Why Sri Lanka’s Rajapaksa Failed to Make a Comeback
After being toppled as president, Mahinda Rajapaksa wanted to become PM. But the Sri Lankan leader’s comeback bid has ended in defeat as early parliamentary poll results showed the ruling alliance made decisive gains. “My dream of becoming prime minister has faded away,” Rajapaksa was quoted by news agency AFP on Tuesday, August 18, as […]
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Sri Lanka: For a Lid on Hate Speech
The Government’s move to come down hard against purveyors of hate speech is most opportune given the increasingly strident forms the speeches made by both politicians and some members of Bhikkhu community, with communal undertones, have taken in recent times. Today minority bashing has become a fine art with certain politicians in the South so […]
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SLMC Wants Fresh Investigation On Aluthgama Riots
[A Sri Lankan Muslim man checks his charred house after it was set on fire by Buddhist hardliners: Times of India] The Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC) today called upon the newly elected president to re-investigate religious killings which had occurred in the country under the previous regime. The SLMC said that while the government […]
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Hard Line BBS Ensures Total Muslim Support to Opposition Candidate
[BBS responsible for anti-Muslim riots in Aluthgama] By publicly alining with Rajapaksa regime the anti- Muslim hard line Bodu Bala Sena (BBS) has delivered that total Muslim vote bank to Opposition common candidate Maithripala Senanayaka. Today at a news conference held today, the Bodu Bala Sena (BBS) Organisation said it would give its unconditional support […]
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BBS’ Activities Can Trigger an Islamic Extremism in Sri Lanka – Prof. Tudor Silva
[BBS head with his body gaurds] By Jenny Gao This Thursday, Tudor Silva, Senior Professor of Sociology from the University of Peradeniya, gave a talk about Bodu Bala Sena (BBS), an organization of militant Buddhist monks, in Sri Lanka. With a Buddhist revival during the 20th century, Sri Lanka saw a rise of Sinhalese Buddhist […]
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Extremist Bodu Bala Sena to Support Rajapaksa as Common Candidate
[Ven. Gnanasara ] As the government represents people from all social and ethical backgrounds, President Mahinda Rajapaksa is the ‘genuine’ common candidate of the nation, General Secretary of the Bodu Bala Sena (BBS) organization Ven. Galaboda Aththe Gnanasara Thero has said. Ven. Gnanasara made this announcement at a press conference held in Colombo, on 28th […]
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Hardline Buddhists in Myanmar, Sri Lanka Strike Anti-Islamist Pact
[Buddhist monks at the BBS convention; Photo: REUTERS/Dinuka Liyanawatte] COLOMBO (Reuters) – A Myanmar monk accused of inciting violence against Muslims and a hardline Buddhist group in Sri Lanka said on Tuesday they would work together to rally other Buddhist groups and defend their faith against militant Islamists. Ashin Wirathu, who once called himself “the […]
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Sri Lanka Nationalists To Host Controversial Myanmar Monk Wirathu
[Monks Wirathu and BBS head Gnanasara] Controversial Myanmar monk Wirathu attends a meeting of Buddhist monks at a monastery near Yangon in June 2013. Sri Lanka’s main nationalist group will host the cleric Sri Lanka’s main Buddhist nationalist group on Saturday announced it will host a radical cleric from Myanmar who is accused of fanning […]
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Buddhist extremists warn Sl Muslim groups of dire consequences if Boro Budur destroyed
[Photos of the protest; Sunday Times] “If any Muslim extremist group attack the world heritage of Boro Budur Buddhist temple Complex in Indonesia which consists of 504 Buddha statues the extremist groups in Sri Lanka would have to face the consequences”, said The General secretary Ittakande Saddathissa thero of the Ravana Balaya. reportes The Sunday […]
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Sri Lanka: Ban Ki-moon alarmed by the rising attacks against religious minorities
[Photo: UNAOC/Georges Schneider] “In both Myanmar and Sri Lanka, I am concerned that Buddhist communities are being swept up by a rising tide of extremist sentiment against other groups,” United Nations Secretary-General, Ban Ki Moon said on Friday. He said that in Myanmar, it “is critical to resolve the issue of status and citizenship of […]
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Hindus need not join Bodu Bala Sena to protect Hinduism – ACHC
[ACHC – A file photo] The All Ceylon Hindu Congress has sent the following letter with reference to news item that appeared in the newspapers and websites: We have been receiving enquiries in respect of news reports and website news of what have been said by “All Ceylon Hindu Federation”. We are unaware of existence […]
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Report: Hate incidents against Muslims: January – May 2014
[DEVASTATED: A riot-victim grieves in Alutgama. (AP)] By Secretariat for Muslims– It is now two months after the anti- Muslim violence of Aluthgama and adjacent areas, and as is the case with most occurrences in Sri Lanka, media attention seem to have moved on now to other issues of importance. The Office of the High […]
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Bishop rejects allegations of monks led mob against Fr. Sathivel
[Fr. Sathivel (on right) was almost assaulted by the mob. Photo: Melani Manel] Bishop of Colombo Rev. R. Canagasabey today rejected false allegations against HRD, Fr. Sathivel by the monks led mob who invaded the Center for Society and Religion on 4th Aug. Issuing a statement the Bishop said that ”I do not in any […]