Colombo: Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa has said that his government will not allow racism or religious extremism in the country and advised the Buddhist majority community to protect the rights of others. "This is a democratic country, non-Buddhists have equal rights and freedoms. While we safeguard the rights of Buddhists, it is the responsibility of the Buddhists to be exemplary and protect the rights of others," he told a religious gathering at Weherahena in the south.
Rajapaksa said any attempt to promote religious extremism would supply ammunition to those elements who want to spread false accusations against Sri Lanka. "All who love the motherland should shoulder the responsibility of safeguarding ethnic and religious harmony," he said.
His comments came after communal attacks on Muslim-owned businesses that raised religious tensions in the country. Bodu Bala Sena, a Buddhist nationalist group, is leading a campaign which they say targets the growing Muslim extremism in the country.
Less than 10 per cent of Sri Lanka's population of 20 million are Muslim. The majority are Sinhalese Buddhist, while most Tamils are Hindu. Rajapaksa said he appreciated the guidance received from the Buddhist clergy and their historical role in correcting the nation's path. "Everyone has the responsibility to ensure that Sri Lanka would not be tagged as a racist and extremist nation," he added....
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12:22 PM, Mar 31, 2013
Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa on Monday appointed his cabinet's legal advisor as the country's new Chief Justice to succeed Shirani Bandaranayake, whose impeachment created much furore both inside and outside the nation. Rajapaksa sworn in new Chief Justice Mohan Peiris to replace Sri Lanka's first woman chief justice who was impeached by the parliament in a controversial move. ...
03:20 PM, Jan 15, 2013
"We are ready to take initiative and will be happy if international cricket resumes in Pakistan," he said. ...
10:15 AM, Oct 07, 2012
Chennai: Key UPA ally DMK on Friday said the Centre's reception to visiting Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapakse has hurt the sentiments of Tamils and asked it to "wake up" to the development of Colombo cosying up to Pakistan and China. Party chief M Karunanidhi said both the Centre and AIADMK government in Tamil Nadu were "not bothered" about the strong opposition to the Lankan leader's Indian visit to attend...
07:24 PM, Sep 21, 2012
Bhopal/New Delhi: Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapakse will be in New Delhi on Thursday on a brief visit during which he will hold talks with President Pranab Mukherjee and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on the ethnic Tamil question and other issues of bilateral interest. In the first high-level interaction after India voted against Sri Lanka at the UNHRC, Rajapakse will meet Mukherjee and hold talks with Singh over dinner on...
09:54 AM, Sep 19, 2012
New Delhi: Rejecting Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan's appeal, MDMK leader Vaiko on Monday evening left for Sanchi where Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapakse is expected to arrive for a visit. Vaiko, a strong critic of Rajapakse, has held him responsible for the killing of civilian Tamils in the war against LTTE in 2009. Vaiko was accompanied by around 1000 supporters, who will hold a blackflag protest against...
11:53 AM, Sep 18, 2012
Chennai: Rejecting Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan's appeal, MDMK leader Vaiko will go ahead with his planned black flag demonstration against Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapakse during his proposed visit to Sanchi in that state. Vaiko, a strong critic of Rajapakse, holding him responsible for the killing of civilian Tamils in the war against LTTE in 2009, will leave for Sanchi on Monday afternoon, an MDMK spokesperson said....
01:50 PM, Sep 17, 2012
New Delhi: Sri Lankan High Commissioner to India Prasad Kariyawasam has termed the recent attack on pilgrims in Tamil Nadu as an 'aberration' and said that there was no turning back on President Mahind Rajapakse's visit to Sanchi in Madhya Pradesh later this month. "Attacking innocent pilgrims, frightening, such incidents are an aberration, but in the short term they do have an impact," he told CNN-IBN. On the relations between...
11:26 AM, Sep 06, 2012
New Delhi: The spokesperson of the Sri Lankan Cabinet, Keheliya Rambukwella, has told CNN-IBN that the remnants of the LTTE could be behind the anti-Lanka protests in Tamil Nadu. "The remnants of the LTTE could be behind the protests, they are active all around the world," the spokesperson said. "We can reconsider the travel advisory if the situation is safe, we can consider withdrawing it," he added. Meanwhile, MDMK MP...
08:41 AM, Sep 06, 2012
New Delhi: MDMK Chief Vaiko has threatened to lead a rally of 1000 Tamils against Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapakse if he is invited to Sanchi in Madhya Pradesh. He has written a letter to Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister, asking him to not hurt Tamil sentiments under pressure from senior BJP leader Sushma Swaraj. The MDMK chief also said that he along with party-workers will hold black flag demonstration. In...
11:00 AM, Sep 05, 2012
Colombo: While Sri Lanka's state media chose to ignore Sarath Fonseka's release from prison, pro-government newspapers said on Tuesday that the former Army Chief had become a "political pawn" in the hands of foreign countries against President Mahinda Rajapaksa. The story of Fonseka's release on Monday dominated the local media on Tuesday, with many a speculation about the war hero's future political plans. The English, Sinhala and even Tamil press...
12:00 PM, May 22, 2012
Colombo: Sri Lanka's main opposition parties on Saturday warned the government that it will carryout agitations similar to those sweeping the Arab world as they planed a major protest against the detention of former army chief Sarath Fonseka. The United National Party (UNP) of former premier Ranil Wickremesinghe said the attack against its MPs and supporters on Friday was a clear sign that the government was not willing to allow...
06:34 PM, Feb 05, 2011
The general who led the war against the LTTE was found guilty of making irregular purchases by a military court. ...
11:48 AM, Oct 01, 2010
The upcoming contest will be another bitter race between the govt and the opposition. ...
10:57 AM, Feb 10, 2010
It was even promised on an pro-LTTE website that he would return soon. ...
10:04 PM, May 24, 2009
Rehabilitation of Tamil civilians in the war-ravaged island nation will be discussed. ...
12:29 PM, May 20, 2009
Sri Lanka army says it has inched closer to Prabhakaran's hideout. ...
01:50 PM, May 09, 2009
Murthy decided to withdraw from being the advisor due to personal reasons. ...
05:57 PM, Feb 18, 2009
An original ban on the LTTE was lifted in September 2002. ...
01:06 AM, Dec 31, 2008
Pro-LTTE website says Prabhakaran is alive. Killed while fleeing | A profile ... 
