Bodu Bala Sena

Paolo Affatato/Rome Bodu bala extremistThe relationship between Sri Lanka’s Catholics and Buddhists is on the rocks. Sri Lanka. Francis will be visiting the island in January 2015, his second Asian destination after Korea. Once the news of Francis’ trip got round, movements of radical and ultranationalist Buddhist monks verbally attacked the Pope, setting a dangerous […]

SLB– The Bodu Bala Sena (BBS) which is known for its anti Muslim violence in Sri Lanka has come forward to defend the Israel in its war against Hamas. The BBS has told media in Colombo that if Muslims launch demonstrations in Colombo against the ongoing Israeli operations against Hamas, it will mobilise thousands of […]

SL Muslims at the crossroads – 11 By Izeth Hussain ”If people behave like sheep, they will soon have a Government of wolves” – Bertrand de Jouvenel My main purpose in this article is to argue that the chief antagonist of the Sri Lankan Muslims, as well as of the Sinhalese and all the other […]

3.15pm: On the 4th of August a private sharing of experiences session organized by civil society inside the Centre for Society and Religion [CSR] is disrupted by an organized gang led by what appeared to be a group of Buddhist monks. Sri Lankan law enforcement authorities are present on location approximately 10 minutes after the […]

[The late Fr. Tissa Balasuriya, founder of the CSR stood for values of democracy] As the Provincial Superior of the Oblates of Mary Immaculate (Colombo Province), I wish to express my feelings of deep disappointment and frustration over the deplorable and despicable incident that transpired at the Centre for Society and Religion (CSR), at 281, […]

by WATCHDOG — Families of the disappeared from the Northern Province, gathered in Colombo on 4th August 2014, at 2.30pm, at the Centre for Society&Religion (CSR), which is a Church (Oblates of Mary Immaculate – OMI) run institution situated in the premises of a Catholic Church. The gathering was to share their experiences and struggles […]

[Joint statement following the disruption of a civil society meeting] The embassies of France, Germany, Great Britain and Switzerland strongly condemn the disruption by an organized group including monks of the get-together on the theme “Sharing and listening session with families of the disappeared” organized by Families of the Disappeared in the Centre for Society […]

[Threatening Fr. Sathyavail] Female journalists cum photographer have captured the monks led violent mob, who invaded the Centre for Society and Religion to disrupt a gathering  for  “Sharing and listening session with families of the disappeared” organized by Families of the Disappeared. Here are some of the photos which shows the violent mood of the […]

[Monk invaders of violent Buddhism] Lawyers collective/Press release Lawyers witnessed an event of a mob disrupting a peaceful meeting to discuss issues of disappeared families, held at Center for Society & Religion, located in the premises of a Catholic Church in Colombo 10, on 4th August 2014. This meeting was organised by Families of The […]

The Kollupitiya police today informed court that they were still conducting investigations to ascertain the BBS members who trespassed into the building of Ministry of Industry and Commerce on April 23 . Police told Colombo Fort Magistrate Thilina Gamage that they were inspecting video footage obtained from media institutions. Further date fixed for September 11. […]

[Siritunga Jayasuriya in a argument with the Police at Aluthgama recently, after Police bloced their peace march] Issuing  a media statement on behalf of the United Socialist Party, its leader  Siritunga Jayasuriya calls on left forces to come together along with all other progressive sections of our country to form a united platform of ‘Left […]

[REPORT: International Religious Freedom Report for 2013Sri Lanka] In Sri Lanka, the Sinhala Buddhist group Bodu Bala Sena (BBS) continued to promote its anti-Muslim campaign, which was linked to violent activities during the year. Local media and NGOs noted strong linkages between the BBS and the government. According to numerous reports, the BBS was behind […]

[ Why some Buddhists get violent; Photo-VividLife] By Rajeshwari Krishnamurthy — Over the past three years, there has been an evident surge of Buddhist radicalism in Myanmar and Sri Lanka, with the clergy being increasingly involved in violence against minorities, especially Muslims. Both countries have sizeable Muslim populations, and while the situation in Myanmar is […]

A Sri Lankan Buddhist monk leading an anti-Muslim campaign has accused the Dalai Lama of being influenced by “Muslim extremists” and said the Tibetan spiritual leader could not be accepted as a world Buddhist leader. Galagoda Aththe Gnanasara, the secretary general of the Sri Lankan Buddhist group Bodu Bala Sena (BBS), spoke out on Tuesday […]

Gota shows BBS the way! Special Correspondent Today Muslim community is at cross road in Sri Lankan Muslim history. No doubt an abrupt appearance of BBS out of blue sky in Sri Lanka is a bewildering mystery for many Sri Lankans. Many conspiracy theories were reported in relation to the origin and development of BBS. […]

Burned ( Dinouk Kolambage) ”I witnessed what happened. After the procession when the rioting began I called the police stations that administer the areas. When I called the Matugama police station, they told me that the OIC was not in. The Welipanna police told me that they had only one vehicle and didn’t have personnel. Other […]

“The police unit established to deal with complaints regarding religious issues will stay,” maintained Police Spokesperson SSP Ajith Rohana, refuting the comments made by the Ravana Balaya organization suggesting the possible disbandment of the Police Unit in the near future.The organization led by its General Secretary Ven Ittekande Saddhatissa Thera had also said the unit […]

BBS violence ( Vikalpa) Sri Lankan Muslims at the cross roads – 7 By Izeth Hussain The focus of the present article and of the previous one is on what the Aluthgama/Beruwela outrages really signify, and what action can be taken by our Muslims to safeguard their lives and their legitimate interests. I concluded my […]

(AP Photo/Gemunu Amarasinghe) July ’83 and June ‘14:  SL Muslims at the cross roads – 6 By Izeth Hussain Whom the Gods wish to destroy, they first drive mad. – Greek saying There has been much thinking, writing, and discussion on the Aluthgama/Beruwela outrages, so that we can now try to draw conclusions with some […]

Submitting an observation report to the Colombo Fort Magistrate, the Director General of Muslim Religious Affairs affirmed that the statement made by Bodu Bala Sena (BBS) General Secretary Ven. Galagodaatte Gnanasara Thera to the media recently contains derogatory remarks on Quran. The Director General of Muslim Religious Affairs had submitted this report on an order […]

Tibetan spiritual leader says religious attacks in Buddhist-majority Myanmar and Sri Lanka unacceptable.  The Dalai Lama, the spiritual leader of the Tibetan people, has reiterated his plea to Buddhists in Myanmar and Sri Lanka to halt violence against Muslims, in a speech to tens of thousands of devotees to mark his 79th birthday. In front […]

(Sanka Vidanagama photo) Victor Ivan’s explanation of Gota’s excesses Kumar David In my piece last week (Black Hand or Manic Folly) I summarised a much canvassed view that a conspiracy was in progress to stir up trouble as an excuse to declare a state of emergency and set in motion a dastardly plot to impose […]

Aluthgama set on fire by BBS Don Manu Talking as if butter wouldn’t melt in his mouth and he couldn’t say boo to a goose, the Bodu Bala Sena chief, Galagoda Aththe Gnanasara on Wednesday tells the waiting media after emerging from the CID headquarters in Fort, where he and his clan had been summoned […]

BBS Rule over Police Dayan Jayatilleka What is the role of the regime and state in a multiethnic, multilingual, multi-religious, multicultural i.e. pluralist setting and in a fraught, conflicted, actually or potentially violent situation? How should and how do the regime and state function?Are the UPFA regime and the State a neutral umpire –as it […]

Gnanasara “UNP, Foreign Diplomatic missions and Muslim extremists behind Aluthgama incident” The Bodu Bala Sena (BBS) yesterday admonished the government, the Opposition and the police, to not touch them, as it would be a move tantamount to digging their own grave. The United National Party (UNP), certain powerful foreign diplomatic missions and Muslim extremist organizations […]

The Bodu Bala Sena alleges that the US State Department has taken measures to cancel its General Secretary Galagodaaththe Gnanasara Thera’s visa to the United States. Speaking to Asian Mirror, BBS Chief Executive Officer Dilantha Vithanage said an official of the US Embassy had contacted Gnanasara Thera and informed him of the decision made by […]

Police have requested public assistance to identify the Buddhist monks of Bodu Bala Sena who stormed into the ministry of commerce on April 23, 2014. It has become unable to identify the Buddhist monks who are facing charges, police say. The police informed the courts thus after the case on this regard was taken up […]

Alleges Government is supporting and protecting Bodu Bala Sena in spite of deadly violence in Aluthgama and Beruwela ◾ Main Opposition takes its own national multi-religious initiative to secure ethnic harmony ◾ Multi-stakeholder meeting convened in Parliamentary complex approves four proposals; further public suggestions sought Blaming the Government for serious inaction and its responsibility over […]

one of the Monks in the video Kollupitiya Police today informed the Colombo Fort Magistrate today that they have failed to ascertained the suspects of the case pertaining to the incident where a group of BBS monks stormed the Ministry of Industry and Commerce, led by Minister Rishad Bathiudeen. The Kollupitiya Police informed the Fort […]

D.B.S. Jeyaraj In a shocking revelation that further erodes Sri Lankan public confidence in the upholding of the rule of law and in the impartiality of law enforcement agencies ,it is now leant that 13 Bodu Bala Sena goons who spearheaded much of the anti – Muslim violence in Aluthgama have been released from Police […]