32 Sri Lankans have joined the ‘Islamic State’

Justice Minister Wijeyadasa Rajapaksha yesterday said that 32 members of four Muslim families have joined the Islamic State (IS) movement in Syria.

“Though the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA) is not in operation at the moment, it seems that the situations developing in the country would pave the way to enact it again,” Minister Rajapaksha said in Parliament yesterday.

He made this observation joining the Second Reading debate on Budget proposals 2017.

The minister alleged that the 32 members of four Muslim families have joined the IS. “We will never let them cause any disruption in the country. The government will never take decisions that would tarnish national security in the country,” he said. “He said some groups were attempting to disrupt the country by labeling the Aava group in Jaffna, as a LTTE group.

The Aava group in Jaffna is just a criminal group and such groups are common to all ethnic groups in the country.

“We are in the process of formulating a new Constitution. Some groups spreading baseless rumours claiming that Buddhism would not receive the foremost place in the new Constitution," he said.

“Other religious leaders in the country also stressed the necessity of giving the foremost place to Buddhism in the new Constitution. Therefore, we should protect the rights of other religious groups in the country,” the minister said.

“Some Buddhist monks are also attempting to fan the flames of racism for political purposes. We will never suppress the country’s law for the sake of religion since we were elected to ensure the supremacy of law. We will never let any Muslim or Buddhist extremists fulfill their wishes,”Minister Rajapakshe said.

“The fact that no legal action has been taken should not be considered as a weakness on the part of the government,” he added.

“We do not want to control web sites. But, will take legal action against them if they work illegally. We cannot allow anyone to abuse media freedom. Lanka e news website has published more than 70 incidents which insult the judges and the court during the past few months. Sandaruwan is a desirer who has been deported from the country. We will bring him to the country and legal action will be taken against him,” the minister said.

CCTV Scanners for Sri Dalada

President Maithripala Sirisena has ordered IGP Pujith Jayasundera to ensure two CCTV security scanners are installed immediately at the Sri Dalada Maligawa in Kandy to enhance security on the premises. 

The President's order came in response to a request by the two Chief Prelates of the Asgiriya and Malwatte Chapters and Diyawadana Nilame Nilanga Dela through the Central Province Governor Niluka Ekanayake.

Heavy showers over The next few days

The Meteorology Department yesterday warned of heavy rains of about 100 mm particularly in Western, Sabaragamuwa, Central, Eastern, Southern and Uva provinces due to the influence of the atmospheric disturbance in the Bay of Bengal to the southeast of Sri Lanka.

Issuing a weather warning, the Met Department said that cloudy skies and showery conditions were expected to enhance during the next few days, particularly in the Southern, Sabaragamuwa, Central, Western, Eastern and Uva provinces.

Due to the active cloudiness in the Southern seas, the possibility of heavy showers and sudden roughness of the sea areas associated with sudden increase of wind speed (up to 70-80 kmph) off the coast extending from Batticaloa to Galle via Pottuvil and Hambantota could be expected, according to the met department. The Met Department requested Naval and fishing communities to remain vigilant. (MM)

Complaint of Person Sitting on Speaker’s chair

A complaint has been lodged with the Speaker’s office that an engineer attached to Parliament staff sat on the chair of the Speaker for the first time in parliament history.

Matale District UNP MP Ranjith Aluvihare has written to the Speaker that the engineer sat on the Speaker’s Chair while cleaning staff was attending to their work in the Chamber after Parliament hours. The engineer had been seen giving orders from the chair to his subordinates, sources said.

The incident occurred after Parliament was adjourned the previous day (16).

The MP has said Parliament is supreme and unelected person sitting on the chair of the Speaker is not only an affront to Parliament but also the entire nation. (SI)

Mahinda Rajapaksa turns 71

Joint Opposition (JO) and SLFP Kurunegala District MP Mahinda Rajapaksa celebrates his 71st birthday today. 

Several religious observances have been organized at temples and elsewhere today and tomorrow to mark the day beginning with an alms-giving to mothers at the Abhayarama Temple, Narahenpita commencing 5:30 a.m.

This will be followed by a Bodhi Pooja at 7:30 p.m. at the Kelaniya Temple which has been organized by JO MPs. The former President's Coordinating Secretary Udith Bandara said several religious programmes will also be held in Anuradhapura on 19 November to mark the day.

ACJU denounces religious humiliation

The All Ceylon Jamiyyathul Ulama (ACJU) in a media communique‚ yesterday said that Islam strictly prohibits humiliating other religions and while enforcing to respect the other religious clerics.

The ACJU denounced the Muslims who demean other religions or religious scholars since it is against the Islamic teaching.

The full statement:

Islam is a religion that enforces social reconciliation. Therefore, it does not recognise any activity detrimental to the social fabric.Islam preaches that Muslims should avoid creating hostilities between religions and respect other faiths.

If any anti-Islamic strategies are initiated by any force, Islam does not encourage encountering back by the similar manner. Islam teaches that evil has to be encountered with goodness. It also exhorts that when pointing out any fault to use wisdom and adopt a soft approach, to avoid hurting the feelings of others.

Islam strictly prohibits humiliating other religions while enforcing to respect the other religious clerics. We strictly condemn writing, speaking and using social media contradicting to the above Islamic teachings.

We strictly denounce that a Muslim expressing his thoughts in a manner demeaning the others' religions or religious scholars, which is against the Islamic teachings.

Furthermore, we strictly condemn all activities humiliating Islam, Muslims and the Holy Quran, while requesting the government to take needful action against those who get involved in these types of unlawful activities.If the government does not take appropriate actions to stop this menace it will take our country and its citizens towards negative results.

The government also should take initiatives to identify the activities created to widen the relationship between the communities and do the needful to prevent them.

Furthermore, in order to settle matters concerning Muslims’ Affairs, it requests the government to consult the leadership of Muslim religious and civil societies for better outcome.

Former SL Ambassador to U.S arrested

The Police Financial Crimes Investigations Division (FCID) arrested former Sri Lankan Ambassador to the US, Jaliya Wickramasuriya yesterday.

Wickramasuriya was arrested for allegedly accepting a USD 245,000 commission while serving as the Sri Lankan Ambassador to the US, under the previous government.

It is alleged that he had accepted this commission following a contract awarded to refurbish the embassy. The former ambassador had reportedly remitted this money to Sri Lanka.

The former ambassador is a close relative of former President Mahinda Rajapaksa.

The FCID prevented Wickramasuriya from leaving the country on Wednesday. Police sources said the former Ambassador would be produced before court today.

Wickramasuriya, a businessman and a tea exporter by profession who migrated to the US in 1999, was first given a diplomatic posting in 2005, the year former President Rajapaksa came to power.

He first served as the Sri Lankan Consul General in Los Angeles, California from 2005 to 2008.

He was then promoted as the Sri Lankan Ambassador to the United States, despite his strong business links with the country.

After the new government came to power, the Foreign Affairs Ministry received a number of complaints from Sri Lankans living in the US, against the former ambassador.

Permission Granted to Rohitha to travel abroad

Kalutara District parliamentarian, Rohitha Abeygunawardena, of the Joint Opposition, was yesterday granted permission by the Colombo High Court, to travel to Japan for one month.

Rohitha Abeygunawardena is indicted in the Colombo High Court, on a charge of corruption, for being unable to explain how he has accumulated assets, amounting to Rs. 41.5 million, between May 31, 2004 and May 31, 2006.

Abeygunawardena, through his counsel, Niroshan Siriwardene, informed the Court that he needed to attend a Buddhist and cultural Seminar, in Japan.

The High Court directed the Register to inform the Director of Immigration and Emigration that the travel ban on Abeygunawardena was suspended for a limited period.

The Bench comprised High Court Judge, Nissanka Bandula Karunaratne.