COLOMBO : A group of six Members of Parliament jointly lodged a complaint to the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) against Ven. Galagoda Aththe Gnanasara Thero for inciting and seeding religious hatred and discrimination against Sri Lankans who are professing the religion of Islam.
The MPs are Naseer Ahamed, H.M.M. Harees, Muszhaaraff Muthunabeen, Faizal Cassim, Ali Sabri Raheem and M.S. Thowfeek.
In their complaint, the MPs said Ven. Gnanasara Thero appeared in the ‘Salakuna’ program telecast on Hiru TV on 13 September and made “inconceivable, insulting and hate speech” against Muslims, and “insulted and incited hatred against Almighty Allah, worshipped by Muslims, and the religion of Islam”.
In the program, Gnasarara had said that Allah was the “mastermind” accountable for the Easter Sunday violence and bombings. These and several other ethno-religious hate utterances constitute offences under the Penal Code, the Prevention of Terrorism (Temporary Provisions) Act, the ICCPR and other laws, the complainants point out.
In the same program, Gnanasara also claimed that Sri Lankan Muslims were violent, that they harboured radical ideologies, and that he had reliable information that another bombing was to be carried by Muslim terrorists in Sri Lanka. “These statements are offensive, baseless and insulting to the Muslims, the most peace-loving community in this country,” the MPs said.
They added that these “contemptuous utterances” had been made to damage the moves made by the President and Foreign Minister to obtain the economic support of countries like Kuwait, Turkey, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), and other Muslim countries, and would adversely affect the national interest of Sri Lanka.
MPs also noted that these unsubstantiated statements of an alleged impending second attack by Muslim terrorists would seriously affect foreign investment and tourist arrivals into the country, causing unaccountable loss and damage to the 21 million people of Sri Lanka.
“We are shocked and distressed to witness these kinds of distressing statements which endanger the unity and harmony amongst all communities, the well-being of the Muslim Society and tarnish the country’s image globally. We state that it is your duty to take prompt and transparent action on this complaint and to institute criminal proceedings against Ven. Gnanasara Thero under the law,” the complaint by the six MPs to the CID stated. (FT)
