Minister of Justice and Buddhasasana, Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe, said leaders from the country’s four main religions and the responsible subject ministers were set to meet President Maithripala Sirisena to establish a long-term religious reconciliation program. 

“The discussion will focus on issues caused by religious disharmony among various groups on the long-term measures to be taken to secure religious harmony and social reconciliation,” Minister Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe said, addressing the media at a briefing held at the Department of Information. 

Highlighting the country’s rising religious tension, Rajapakshe said the subject ministers responsible for the four main religions have been working towards finding a way to address the escalating situation.  

“We have already discussed the trends of religious uneasiness among certain groups in the community. We have reached the religious leaders who are involved in these public disturbances in these discussions,” the Minister said.

Defending the actions taken by law enforcement authorities in preventing a procession led by Buddhist monks from accessing a temple in Batticaloa, Rajapakshe said that action was taken to prevent any possible clash. 

“We knew this group was marching towards the temple. There were reports that another group was organising itself to throw stones at the procession when they passed certain areas so we had to inform the ministry responsible for law enforcement to take necessary action to prevent any clash,” he said, adding  that any individual disobeying the rule of law would not be tolerated. (CD)

Justice Minister stands by his statement on ISIS recruits 

Justice Minister Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe stood his ground on the statement he made in Parliament regarding ISIS recruitment in Sri Lanka. 

Defending his statement in Parliament the Minister said that the statement was made with responsibility as the situation needed to be acknowledged and addressed and not ignored due to fear of being insensitive towards other people’s religions.

“My statement was based on the information that I have received,” he claimed, speaking at a media conference held at the Government Information Department yesterday. 

The Justice Minister dropped the bombshell in Parliament three weeks ago, stating that 32 Sri Lankans belonging to four families had joined ISIS. Rajapakshe went on to say that these individuals were well-educated Sri Lankan Muslims from respected families. 

However, the following week Cabinet Spokesperson Rajitha Senerathne denied the Justice Minister’s statement, saying that no Muslim youth had joined ISIS. He also claimed that contrary to Rajapakshe’s statement in Parliament there were no Muslims engaged in ISIS-related politics and that visiting Muslims are in the country only to teach Arabic. (CD)