By Ermiza Tegal and Amra Ismail
Does the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA) keep us safe? How often is it misused? Does it cause unjust suffering to people? If it does cause suffering, how much suffering are we as a society willing to barter for a sense of security? Whose suffering do we barter? What gives us a sense of security, random arrests or actual accountability? These are some of the questions we as Sri Lankan society have not openly confronted or answered in the past 40 years the PTA has been in force. There is much publicly available documentation that torture has been widely committed under the PTA and that the PTA provisions do not meet human rights standards. Yet, these facts have have not moved Sri Lankan society at large to support its reform or repeal.
Sri Lankan government detains Muslim parliamentarian and bans burqa
Sri Lankan police announced on Tuesday that they were extending the detention of Muslim MP Rishad Bathiudeen and his younger brother Riyaj Bathiudeen for 90 more days under the country’s Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA). The men were arrested on April 24 under the draconian law.
President Gotabhaya Rajapakse’s cabinet also decided on Tuesday to ban the burqa and the niqab, traditional attire worn by some Muslim women.
Rishad Bathiudeen (Source: Twitter/rbathiudeen)
Both actions constitute an intensification of anti-Muslim communalism by the Rajapakse government and its racist allies, amid an increasing social and political crisis accelerated by the global pandemic.
Posted on April 25th, 2021
INSIGHT BY SUNIL KUMAR
But China has told us take whatever (money) necessary
and pay back whenever possible.” Parliamentarian S.B. Dissanayake (to Rev.
Keppitiyagoda Siriwimala Thero – 4.4.2021)
Days after the presidential election of 2010, the
Rajapaksa siblings gathered to enjoy an evening of musical extravaganza.
Organised by the state-owned ITN and titled Jaya Jayawe (Victory Victorious),
the show was billed as a Musical tribute to the Heroes of the Nation.” The
evening began with a lullaby about how King Mihindu” and his Chief General
Gotabaya” saved Mother Lanka from demons. Song after saccharine song followed,
hailing the wisdom and valour the Heroes of the Nation,” Mahinda Rajapaksa and
National program launched to plant one million Moringa trees island.lk - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from island.lk Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
Parliamentarian S.B. Dissanayake (to Rev. Keppitiyagoda Siriwimala Thero – 4.4.2021)
Days after the presidential election of 2010, the Rajapaksa siblings gathered to enjoy an evening of musical extravaganza. Organised by the state-owned ITN and titled
Jaya Jayawe (Victory Victorious), the show was billed as a “Musical tribute to the Heroes of the Nation.” The evening began with a lullaby about how “King Mihindu” and his “Chief General Gotabaya” saved Mother Lanka from demons. Song after saccharine song followed, hailing the wisdom and valour the “Heroes of the Nation,” Mahinda Rajapaksa and – to a lesser extent – Gotabaya Rajapaksa. The evening ended with a tribute to the Rajapaksa sibling’s heaven-dwelling mother.