No reports of Sri Lankans joining ISIS, Rajitha asserts

Thursday, 24 November 2016 00:23 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

Cabinet Spokesman and Minister of Health and Indigenous Medicine Dr. Rajitha Senaratne yesterday said there are no Sri Lankans connected to the Islamic State organisation, contradicting the recent claims made by Minister of Justice Wijedasa Rajapakshe in Parliament.

Justice Minister Rajapakshe recently alleged that 32 well-educated Sri Lankan Muslims from elite families have left to join ISIS.

Addressing media at the weekly Cabinet media briefingyesterday, Minister Senaratne said that Rajapakshe’s views do not represent those of the Government. “No Muslims are engaged in such politics. They only teach Arabic. There are no Sri Lankans connected to ISIS and nobody has come from abroad to deliver lectures according to security information,” Minister Senaratne said. All Muslims coming from abroad to Sri Lanka are screened by the NIB (National Intelligence Bureau) and intelligence agencies have information on them, he said. According to armed forces intelligence reports, only four Muslim people have joined ISIS, though this was a family who had migrated out of Sri Lanka and joined from abroad.

“Not a single Muslim youth joined IS directly from Sri Lanka,” the Minister asserted. The Minister said he has reliable intelligence reports that the information given to Minister Rajapakshe was not correct and that someone has given him misleading information. Unfortunately, Minister Rajapakshe’s statements have created confusion and anxiety among the Muslim community in Sri Lanka, he added.

“Muslims are worried. Most Muslims are moderate and therefore if there is an issue they will inform us,” Minister Senaratne said. He said the Government must create confidence among the Muslim community as most Muslims are moderate, with only a few youths who are prone to fall into extremist ideologies.

Minister Senaratne said the President clearly stated that this was discussed during the Security Council meeting and a report was formulated. He said he spoke to Minister Rajapakshe during the Cabinet meeting, and acknowledged that he shared the information he had received.

Minister Senaratne said some 30 Muslim organisations had sought a discussion over the remarks made by Minister Rajapakshe to sort out the issue as they expect the Government to protect them from Sinhala Buddhist extremists. The Minister said he would meet them shortly after briefing President Maithripala Sirisena.

Minister Senaratne added that the Cabinet of Ministers convened last night to discuss the issue of racial and religious extremism at length. He alleged the JO believes that they can block Muslims and Tamils from voting for the SLFP or the UNP in a future election by inciting communal disharmony and therefore win elections from Sinhala Buddhist votes.

Minister Senaratne assured that the Government is committed to maintaining harmony among communities and that he personally held discussions with Muslim leaders in the country and not just in his electorate, Beruwela. (Colombo Page)