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The European Union has expressed deep concerns on the recent spate of attacks on communities and called for the government to take urgent action against hate crimes while ensuring that all perpetrators of such actions are swiftly brought to justice.

The statement by the EU ambassadors in Sri Lanka is as follows;

"The recent attacks on communities are very worrying. It is important that the Government and the security forces take urgent action against hate crimes and ensure that the perpetrators of such actions are swiftly brought to justice. It is vital that all political leaders, religious and other community leaders condemn violence and make every effort to promote understanding and harmony between communities. The EU trusts that any actions taken under the State of Emergency will be proportionate and respect constitutional rights and freedoms."

The proposed draft legislation to criminalise forcible disappearances was passed today in the parliament (53-16).

The draft Bill for Protection against Enforced Disappearances which was postponed twice in Parliament previously, was rescheduled for debate today March 7, after which the Bill was put to the vote.

The Government presented the International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearances Bill in Parliament on March 7, 2017. The Bill was scheduled to be taken up for debate on July 5 and September 19 last year, but the Government deferred it due to objections from various groups.

The Joint Opposition raised objections to the Bill, stating that it posed a threat to the security forces.

The Government had earlier clarified that the Bill was not retrospective and its main objective was to ensure that every Sri Lankan citizen enjoys the right to freedom to live without fear of being a victim of enforced disappearances or abductions.

The International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance Bill was gazetted by order of the Prime Minister on February 9 following cabinet approval.

The Bill, will give effect to the UN International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance that the Government of Sri Lanka ratified in May 2016. Under the convention, the country has an obligation to enact local laws to criminalise enforced disappearance and offer protection to victims of the crime.

According to Section 3 of the Bill, any public officer or person acting with the authority or support of the State, who “arrests, details, wrongfully confines, abducts, kidnaps” and refuses to acknowledge the arrest, detection, confinement or abduction, conceals the fate of such a person or refuses to disclose the person’s whereabouts, will be guilty of the crime of enforced disappearance.

Under the provisions of the Enforced Disappearances Bill, the crime is punishable by a prison term not exceeding 20 years and a fine of Rs. 1 million. Persons convicted of the crime of enforced disappearance will also be liable to pay compensation of no less than Rs. 500,000 to a victim.

Despite curfew being imposed in the Kandy district, the public allege that destructive forces continue to run rampage ignoring the imposed curfew and the Police along with the armed forces.

When questioned by ISIS news, a senior officer of the Police said despite a state of emergency being imposed the government nor the security forces have given the Police clear instructions on how to act.

According to the officer the Police are now reluctant to act according to powers given to them as those who have so acted are now in prison. “The Police can resolve these in a day or two” he said adding that however the IGP too has not provided any clear instructions in this regard. “He only bothers about meditating and the Police does not have a proper leadership anymore” he said. According to him therefore the Police have become mere witnesses to the incidents.

Permission granted to shoot into the air:

However sources say permission has been granted to shoot into the air using rubber bullets and the President has given instructions in this regard to the security forces.

“The Police are helping the racists” : Min. Rishard

 Minister Rishard Badurdeen has however alleged that the Police are helping the racist mobs.

He said these incidents are unfortunate and what happened to the tamils should not happen to the muslims as well.

According to him some mosques were attacked as the Police watched on.

“IGP and PM must be held responsible for the situation in Kandy”: Gnanasara Thera

 According to Galagoda Aththe Gnanasara Thera of the Bodu Bala Sena the PM and the IGP are responsible for the recent communal clashes in Kandy.

“If the message that those responsible for the Teldeniya person’s death were brought to book by the Police was given to the public these incidents could have been avoided,” he said.

A full curfew situation for the next 24 hours has been declared under emergency regulations for the Kandy district commencing from 4 pm today. Police curfew was imposed in the district during the last two days. However, attacks on Muslim households, places of worship and businesses had continued during the Police curfew under the watch of the Police and Armed forces

Severe allegations have been levelled against the Police and Forces for their lack of efficiency. Despite the curfew, security in and around Kandy appeared lax with only a small number of roadblocks in place while mobile patrol units were hardly present. Attackers had taken this weakness of the Police to continue their attacks while law enforcement officials appeared to be overwhelmed and unable to control the situation. Some victims have also alleged the Police and STF of supporting the attackers and standing back as the violence continued against them.

Meanwhile, leave of all Police Officers islandwide has been cancelled until further notice under the orders of IGP Pujith Jayasundara.

Releasing a statement on the recent communal violence in Sri Lanka the US Embassy in Colombo noted that Rule of law, human rights, and equality are essential for peaceful coexistence. The communique issued by the embassy also stressed that it is important that the Government of Sri Lanka act quickly against perpetrators of sectarian violence, protect religious minorities and their places of worship, and conclude the State of Emergency swiftly while protecting human rights and basic freedoms for all.

Sri Lankan government has taken steps to ban popular social networking sites including Facebook and What's App, after the Sri Lankan police failed to control clashes that arose between two communities in certain parts of the country. Telecommunication Regulatory Commission of Sri Lanka (TRCSL), the regulator of the telecommunications industry in the country said that the public can expect a general slowdown of social media platforms until further notice. However, all social media platforms have been completely blocked since mid afternoon, today (07).

The TRC said that content in social media platforms is being filtered on the instructions of the Ministry of Defence. Accordingly, content on social media platforms such as Facebook,Twitter, What's App and Viber are being monitored. Any content that instigates or propagates violence as well as content found to be 'fake' will be filtered out.

Wednesday's blockade of social media platforms was taken "in the interest of maintenance of public order", a highly placed TRC official speaking on the condition of anonymity said.

Meanwhile, Sri Lanka has the distinction of joining the likes of North Korea and Iran who have taken steps to ban social media platforms in their respective countries. Many activists in Sri Lanka are calling this ban egregious and asinine as it restricts freedom of expression.

The United Nations (UN) Under-Secretary-General for Political Affairs Jeffry Feltman will arrive in Sri Lanka at 4 p.m. today.

The American diplomat, Jeffrey Feltman is due to pay a visit to Kandy where the recent communal tensions erupted.

Source : Daily News

To make statements or release publications intended to incite violence and / or engage in hate speech amounts to criminal conduct according to the laws of Sri Lanka and according to Section 3 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights Act, says Director General of Government Information Sudarshana Gunawardhana.

 Issuing a statement on Publishing Statements Inciting Violence Targeted Against Particular Communities, the Director General said that therefore all citizens, and especially media institutions, should ensure that they do not themselves incite violence or engage in hate speech in contravention of the laws of Sri Lanka, and that they do not publish such statements calculated to incite violence as aforesaid.

 The full text of the Director General's statement is as follows;

 It is disturbing to note that statements inciting violence, especially targeted against particular communities, have been published / circulated on certain media, especially social media.

 It should be noted that such incitement to violence is contrary to the fundamental duties (recognized by Article 28 of the Constitution) of all citizens to uphold and defend the Constitution and the law; to further the national interest and to foster national unity; to preserve and protect public property; and to respect the rights and freedoms of others.

 To make statements or release publications intended to incite violence and / or engage in hate speech amounts to criminal conduct according to the laws of Sri Lanka and according to Section 3 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights Act. The relevant section states that “No person shall propagate war or advocate national, racial or religious hatred that constitutes incitement to discrimination, hostility or violence.”

 Similarly, the Prevention of Terrorism Act prohibits any person to “by words either spoken or intended to be read or by signs or by visible representations or otherwise cause or intend to cause commission of acts of violence or religious, racial or communal disharmony or feelings of ill-will or hostility between different communities or racial or religious groups.

 The Penal Code also criminalizes the abetment of an offence (section 100) and recognizes that instigation of an offence would amount to abetment. Thus, instigation of acts of violence such as causing hurt and causing hurt with a dangerous weapon, etc. would amount to the abetment of such offences.

 While the Constitution recognizes (subject to the imposition of lawful restrictions) the freedom of speech and expression including publication, these rights must be exercised in a responsible manner, with (among others) due regard for the rights and freedoms of others. The freedom of expression must also be exercised in a manner which does not amount to an incitement to violence / hate speech.

Therefore, all citizens, and especially media institutions, should ensure that they do not themselves incite violence or engage in hate speech in contravention of the laws of Sri Lanka, and that they do not publish such statements calculated to incite violence as aforesaid.

Minister Ranjith Madduma Bandara was sworn in as the Minister of Law and Order before President Maithripala Sirisena at the Presidential Secretariat a short while ago.

Amnesty International called on the Sri Lankan authorities to take action against those responsible for attacks on the country’s Muslim minority. Biraj Patnaik, Amnesty’s South Asia Director, said, “It is important that the authorities take action against mobs who have incited hatred and carried out acts of violence against religious minorities.

Dinushika Dissanayake, Amnesty’s Deputy South Asia Director, said, “The Sri Lankan authorities must put an end to the impunity enjoyed by groups that incite hatred and carry out acts of violence against religious minorities. They have a duty to protect vulnerable groups and hold the perpetrators accountable.

“The failure to take action against these groups has only emboldened them further and plunged minorities into a deeper state of fear. This is not the first time such horrors have been visited upon the country’s Muslim minority.

Meanwhile, Finance and Media Minister Mangala Samaraweera also called the authorities to take stern action on those who permeate racial violence and stated that it should be made a 'non-bailable offence'.

Releasing a statement today the United Nations Office (UN) in Sri Lanka said is concerned about the recent incidents of communal violence and condemns these acts in the strongest possible terms. The United Nations urged authorities to take immediate action against perpetrators and to ensure that appropriate measures are swiftly taken to restore normalcy in affected areas. “The United Nations also urges authorities, and all citizens to ensure that the rule of law is upheld, human rights are protected, and security and safety are ensured for all,” the communique issued by the international organization said.

Police fired teargas to disperse rioters in curfew-bound central Sri Lanka hours after a state of emergency was imposed in a bid to quell anti-Muslim violence, an official said Wednesday.

At least three police were wounded in the overnight clashes at Menikhinna, a suburb of Kandy, which has been a focus of the new trouble, police spokesman Ruwan Gunasekera said.

Seven people were arrested for breaking the curfew and trying to cause unrest in the multi-ethnic district, which is a popular tourist destination.

Schools across Kandy, 115 kilometres (72 miles) east of Colombo, remained closed Wednesday as the government ordered more troops to reinforce police and stop the unrest spreading.

Foreign governments issued travel warnings following Tuesday's declaration of a state of emergency which gives sweeping powers to police and security forces to arrest and detain suspects.

"The state of emergency may include curfews in specific locations," the British government said. "You should exercise caution, avoid protests and rallies, and comply with local security requirements."

The US State department told its citizens that further incidents were possible and advised those visiting the island to monitor local media for updates.

More than 150 homes, shops and vehicles were set ablaze during two days of rioting. Two people were also killed in the unrest.

Tensions rose on Tuesday as the body of a 24-year-old Muslim man was pulled out of a burnt building.

Sri Lanka's parliament Tuesday issued an apology to the Muslim minority, which constitutes 10 percent of the country's population of 21 million.

"We want to apologise to the Muslim community for the inhuman acts that have taken place," state enterprise development minister Lakshman Kiriella said in parliament.

City planning minister Rauff Hakeem described the riots as a "monumental security lapse" and recommended disciplinary action against those responsible.

Riots erupted on Monday after a man from the mainly Buddhist Sinhalese majority died at the hands of a Muslim mob last week.

Mobs set fire to Muslim-owned businesses and attacked a mosque in the east of the country last week after a Muslim chef was accused of adding contraceptives to food sold to Sinhalese customers.

Last November riots in the south of the island left one man dead and homes and vehicles damaged.

In June 2014 riots between Buddhists and Muslims left four dead and many injured. That bout of violence was instigated by a Buddhist extremist group whose leaders are on trial, accused of spurring religious conflict. (AFP)