Perhaps Mossad manipulates BODU BALA SENA - Mujibur Rahman

-By Shaahidah Riza and Umesh Moramudali-

Buddhist movement Bodu Bala Sena (BBS) is being manipulated by a foreign power, United National Front (UNF) Parliamentarian, Mujibur Rahman said. In an interview with Ceylon Today he said the Sri Lankan intelligence should investigate this extremist movement and ascertain who is funding and manipulating them to conduct hate crimes and violence. He reiterated that this movement represents less than one per cent of the peace-loving Sinhalese community.

Excerpts:

? Extremism has risen once more. You have spoken about this in Parliament, and it is evident that what we are experiencing now is not a new phenomenon. What is your view about the current situation?

A. Over the last few weeks we saw the height of extremism. Therefore, the government decided that this cannot be tolerated and that it has to be stopped immediately. As a result, extremism has reduced to some extent. However, we are notified of isolated acts of terror and violence in certain areas.

? One of the main reasons the previous government was defeated was due to the fact that acts of violence and terrorism which were taking place then, was ignored by the government. Also, perpetrators of these acts received government support at that time. Despite the change of government, why is this level of extremism tolerated?

A. A reason for the previous government to be defeated was the hate motivated incidents of terror and violence. When we formed the incumbent government, we did so with the intention of taking measures to prevent such incidents, and also to penalize those who disrupt law and order. The Bill against hate speech was one aspect which was in our manifesto. We made a promise to pass this Bill. The main factor is that the government is moving towards reconciliation, rehabilitation and peaceful co-existence. At this juncture, it is clear that these elements are trying to sabotage the government's work in instilling peaceful co-existence. This is not an anti-Muslim movement. There is a hidden agenda, as these extreme elements are using the pretext of anti-Muslim slogans to disrupt the work which the government is doing with regard to rehabilitation and reconciliation. Their motive is very clear. We have to unite the people to defeat this motive, and enforce the law against the perpetrators. We expect the government to take firm measures if these extremist elements try to wreak havoc among the communities.

? Certain Buddhist extremist elements allege that Muslim extremism is also on the rise in Sri Lanka. They claim that the Muslim community struggles to integrate with other communities. As people's representative and as a Muslim, how do you view this allegation?

A. Stories about extremism among Muslims are something which I have heard since I was a child. During the war time in the 80s, the LTTE expelled the Muslims from the North. Then there was the Kattankudi mosque attack. These were LTTE militant gangs that attacked villages. In all of these incidents, it was the Muslims who were killed. However, the Muslims did not retaliate. At the same time, there were incidents which took place in the South, where Muslim owned businesses in Aluthgama were set on fire. In all of these incidents it was again the Muslims who lost their lives and property. Again, the Muslims did not retaliate. There is not a single report which indicates this. Whether it is North, South or East, the fact is that it was the Muslims who were subjected to acts of violence and terrorism. Therefore, this talk about extremism among Muslims in Sri Lanka is a myth. If there were such extremism brewing, these elements will come into the forefront to defend themselves. None of these happen, either. Therefore, the people who make allegations pertaining to extremism among Muslims are trying to set the Sinhalese community against the Muslim community and create disharmony. Their motive is to spread fear among the Sinhalese community and through that fear they attempt to break the connection between Muslims and the Sinhalese. The fact that the Muslims and Sinhalese are living in harmony is distasteful for the hate mongers. Therefore, they want to destroy this peaceful co-existence. There is no truth in these allegations. There is a law and order system in place in this country. There is also the government, the Police and the Intelligence.

Therefore, they can take these allegations to the relevant authorities and conduct an investigation. What these hate motivated people end up doing is that they take the law into their own hands, spout hateful language, create suspicion among communities and set one community against the other. We cannot let that happen, it will destroy the country.

? There were allegations that certain Sri Lankans had joined ISIS. They also claim that as a result, there might be a possibility of extremism spreading in the East. What is your view?

A. There is a report that about 20 or 30 Sri Lankans went to join ISIS. However, it is only a report. There is no credible proof that it actually happened. However, if there is such an allegation, then the relevant authority has to conduct an investigation and come out with credible evidence. The Muslim community is not against this. But that is not the problem. The problem is that there is another force that doesn't want the Muslim, Sinhalese and Tamil communities living in harmony. They want to destroy it. The majority of Muslims condemns ISIS. They don't accept ISIS or any other terror organization. These hate mongers make illogical statements and create false and irrational links between terror organizations and Muslims who are not in the least connected, and cause unnecessary fear and doubt among people and are on a mission to destroy the existing peaceful co-existence in Sri Lanka.

You cannot deny the fact that the Muslim, Sinhala, and Tamil communities are united. We have a doubt that these people work towards achieving a foreign agenda. The Intelligence must investigate as to how these people are funded, and operate their movements. They should investigate whether Mossad is behind this as well. We have this doubt. Suddenly this form of extremism raises its head, and suddenly it disappears, only to emerge once again. This is very suspicious. Therefore, this group is acting according to someone else's agenda. It has been made very clear.

? All of the acts of extremism and violence against minorities during the past few weeks were orchestrated by Gnanasara Thera. Therefore, an arrest warrant has been issued against him. However, he is yet to be arrested. Don't you think that there is some issue with law enforcement?

A. The President, Prime Minister and the Minister of Law and Order are firmly of the view that the law should be enforced. But, there is an issue as to why those in the secondary level are not taking steps in this regard. We have a concern as to why the Police are hesitant to enforce the law. If you consider the hypothetical case of a Muslim who makes derogatory remarks about the Buddha and offend the Sinhalese community, I highly doubt that the Police would turn a blind eye. The Police will definitely take measures against it. In fact, it happened in one incident. However, these extremists insulted the Prophet of Islam, and caused grief amongst the Muslim community on several occasions. But, the law was not enforced. So why are the Police reluctant to enforce the law against these individuals? So why are there double standards? In the yahapalana governance we promised to enforce the law equally. According to the Constitution no one is above the law. Law should be enforced regardless of a person's status, and then most of this country's problems will be solved. When we spoke to the Minister in charge of Law and Order, even he was of the view that the Police should immediately spring to action if someone violates the law.

? There is some speculation that Gnanasara Thera is hiding in a safe house provided by a senior minister. Is this true?

A. Even I was informed of this speculation. However, I don't think that any minister of this government has any reason to facilitate Gnanasara Thera's hiding. If someone was caught doing exactly that, they will lose their status. Why would any minister want to lose their status unnecessarily? Just because someone associated with Gnanasara Thera, the former's vote base will not increase. The truth is the more they associate with Gnanasara Thera, the more they will lose their votes.

? However, there is some conflict within the government in this regard.

A. Yes, everyone can have different views. However, there is no one who holds fascist and extremist views. Gnanasara Thera is of the view that the Muslims have to be butchered, killed and expelled. Not a single member of the incumbent government holds this view. There are people who hold various opinions, but they do not go to the extent of spouting extremism or fascism. As I said before, no one will benefit from shielding Gnanasara Thera from the law. They will only lose the benefits they currently enjoy. This is what happened to former President Mahinda Rajapaksa. Mahinda and Gotabhaya kept Gnanasara Thera very close to them, and lost what they had.

? In conclusion, is there anything else you would like to add?

A. I would like to reiterate that this Buddhist extremism is based on an agenda. They claim that they are protecting Buddhism, and the Buddhist people. They are of the view that such claims would draw the support of the majority Buddhists. However, when they stood for elections during the last parliamentary polls, the Buddhist people rejected them. These people do not even represent 1% of the Sri Lankan society. We should not bow down to the hate motivated views of these people. They are of a small number and they cannot take on the majority. They are trying to cow the people through terror and threats. As a government we cannot allow that. There is no problem with tolerating varied opinions but we shouldn't be cowed by terror. There is extremism in all communities. We saw rise of that in the North, where a group of Tamils wanted to be independent from Sri Lanka. But the Tamil community rejected them and voted for Maithripala Sirisena. This is the case with all the communities, when a small party amongst them spouts extremism, the majority rejects them. Likewise, in Sri Lanka the majority from all communities should rise to defeat the extremism of certain minor elements, like we did in 2015.