National Shoora Council [NSC] is appalled at the recent turn of events which have again escalated uncalled for tension between the communities in our motherland.
A handful of extremists at hibernation for some time, have come out of the woodwork to once again spew unfounded Islamophobic hatred!!
Firstly, it was the re-emergence of the Norwegian brain-washed mercenary monk, Gnanasara Thero in “The Big Question” program in the state-owned Rupavahini. In a 1 hour 38 minute interview, he warned the viewers of an impending catastrophe. The interviewer asked a number of questions but did not ask him the antecedent circumstances in which the monk was publicly involved in inciting ethno religious conflicts in Sri Lanka. The State media did not raise even media related issues that led to the monk pleading guilty recently, to several charges of disrupting a press conference held at Hotel Nippon, Colombo 2 in 2014.
Secondly, it was the anti-Islamic blasphemous video featuring the astrologer Indika Thotawatte which has been condemned in no uncertain terms. He blasphemed Islam and the Holy Prophet of Islam severely hurting the religious susceptibilities of over two billion Muslims around the world. He has now been arrested by the Cyber Crimes Division of the Police and remanded by Courts. We are closely watching the progress of this case. We state that not only this miscreant, but also all those who are involved in its production, the producers and back-room boys of this blasphemous video must also be charged and brought before the law.
Thirdly, the President’s tirade against the journalist of Deutsche Welle [DW] in Germany recently, showed that it was meant for domestic consumption and as far as he was concerned, the file on the Easter Bomb Blasts was closed!
The NSC condemns all attempts to reignite ethno-religious hatred and conflict against the most patriotic community in Sri Lanka. State sponsored talk shows in the national media only demonstrates that once again the State is attempting to divert the peoples’ attention from the dire economic problems that Sri Lankan families are embroiled in and mislead them with falsehood of non-existing Islamophobic threats.
NSC urges the government to take cognizance of the writing on the wall and STOP ALL EVIL MACHINATIONS and work genuinely and sincerely for racial and religious amity, with the salutary aim of retrieving Mother Lanka from its present economic mess and march towards prosperity!
T.K.Azoor,L.L.B.,
Attorney-at-law
President,
National Shoora Council
11.10.2023