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The resignation of all Muslim MPs from their portfolios due to pressure exerted by 'racists' is a 'most unfortunate' incident, spokesperson for the Tamil National Alliance Parliamentarian MA Sumanthiran said.

"Yesterday us, today you, tomorrow a new ‘other’," Parliamentarian Sumanthiran was quoted as saying on the TNA's official twitter handle.

Sumanthiran said that they continue to stand in solidarity with the Muslim people and called on all right thinking Sri Lankans to do the same.

Two Muslim governors resigned on Monday in the wake of protests in the country which demanded their removal over their alleged links to the Easter Sunday bombings.

Accordingly, Western province Governor Azath Salley and Eastern province Governor MLAM Hizbullah have resigned.

A tweet issued by the President’s media division confirmed that President Maithripala Sirisena accepted the resignations.

It is reported that Finance Minister Mangala Samaraweera had objected to the decision taken by Muslim MPs representing the United National Front to resign from their portfolios in the wake of the fast unto death of Athuruliye Rathana Thero.

Following Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe's discussion with Opposition Leader Mahinda Rajapaksa at Temple Trees this morning (03), all Muslim Ministers, State Ministers, Non- Cabinet Ministers and Deputy Ministers had come to Temple Trees and met with PM Wickremesinghe.

 All Muslims Govt. Ministers at Fowzie's House!

Before coming to Temple Trees, all Muslims Ministers had met at the Colombo residence of AHM Fowzie and decided together to resign from their respective portfolios.

A senior Muslim Minister in the Government had informed the Prime Minister and other Cabinet Ministers present at Temple Trees that the resignation of Eastern Province Governor Hizbullah was made under duress as there were threats of nationalist driven ethnic unrest island-wide if Hizbullah failed to resign.

The Minister pointed out that the Government would also be subjected to the same threats if they decided to continue in office and as such, arrived at a collective decision to resign from all of their positions.

 Decision taken to avoid a bloodbath!

The senior Minister added that the decision to resign was only a temporary measure to stop political opportunists gaining an undue advantage from the current political context as well as to stop things from spiraling out of control that could ultimately lead to a bloodbath.

He also said they believe that Muslim MPs will be vindicated once the Parliamentary Select Committee winds up its proceedings and the no-confidence motion debate is concluded.

Don't repeat the same mistake done by SWRD!

Minister Mangala Samaraweera had pointed out that the resignation of Muslim Ministers is a mistake similar to that of the removal of the Bandaranaike-Chelvanayagam Pact in April 09, 1958.

Samaraweera had said that Mr. Bandaranaike did not have a backbone to stand for what would have been the right decision back then and stressed that he was strongly opposed to allowing the Muslim MPs to make the same mistake again.

A deliberate decision!

Minister Samaraweera had stressed that instead of resigning, they should work to explain the true situation to the people.

However, the Muslim MPs had not agreed to it with their stance being that it was appropriate to resign from their ministerial portfolios until Minister Rishad Bathiudeen is proven innocent in Parliament.

At that time, Minister Harsha de Silva however had stated that the MPs had taken the right decision.

Let us resign together with the Muslim Ministers: Mangala

Minister Mangala Samaraweera had said that he was ready to resign along with the Muslim Ministers. If needed, more Ministers should resign from their positions in solidarity with the Muslim Ministers, Samaraweera had said.

He had further noted that they could swing public opinion by highlighting the tribal communalism that is spearheaded by Rathana Thero and others.

Samaraweera had said that they should not bow down in the face of radical racist trends and that the Muslim community should not feel threatened by the lack of democracy and due process in the country.

Don't resign Mangala, let's fight for national unity: PM

Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe had intervened and stated that the decision taken by the Muslim MPs was sufficient at this moment.

The Prime Minister had also proposed to work together to ensure that racism and communalism are defeated.

The Muslim Ministers had also urged Minister Mangala Samaraweera to remain in his position and intervene to ensure that justice prevails at the end.

In a bilateral meeting today, President Sirisena congratulated the Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the re-assumption of office following the resounding victory of his party in the recently-held General Elections and reiterated his desire to work together to strengthen relations between the two countries for peace, prosperity and security in our region.

President Maithripala Sirisena travelled to India yesterday to attend the swearing in ceremony of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

The Indian Premier warmly thanked President Sirisena for his gesture of attending the Ceremony and also for his good wishes. He conveyed his government’s continued commitment to further foster friendly bilateral ties with Sri Lanka.

The leaders noted that terrorism and extremism continue to pose threat to humanity and committed to closer bilateral cooperation for peace and security in South Asia and the Indian Ocean region.

SLMC leader Rauff Hakeem said that all Muslim Ministers, Deputy Ministers and State Ministers have decided to resign from their respective portfolios with immediate effect.

Addressing a media briefing at Temple Trees a short while ago, Hakeem siad that they will continue to remain with the Government despite their decision to give up their positions.

However, Hakeem noted that they will continue to serve as backbenchers in Parliament.

Minister of Housing, Construction and Cultural Affairs Sajith Premadasa said that Sri Lanka requires a leadership that can understand the needs of the poor and one who could survive any force.

The deputy leader of the UNP made these remarks at an event held on Thursday to vest the 193rd model village in Ahatuweva with the public.

Premadasa added that that the programme to transform Sri Lanka into another Singapore, requires the blessings of the general public.

"What the country needs is a leadership that is efficient and not idle, a leadership that understands the problems of the poor, and feels the heartbeat of the under privilege, a leader who can survive any force," Premadasa said.

The minister also noted that he is only intimating the opinion of the general public, the voice of the people and the hope and expectations of the general public.

Sri Lanka's suspended police chief has petitioned the Supreme Court, accusing President Maithripala Sirisena of failing to prevent the Easter bombings that killed 258 people.

In a 20-page complaint, Inspector-General Pujith Jayasundara disclosed serious communication gaps between intelligence agencies and security arms of the government, all of which fall under President Sirisena.

In the petition submitted to the court last week and seen by the media yesterday, Mr Jayasundara said the country's premier spy agency, the State Intelligence Service (SIS), ordered him last year to stop ongoing police investigations into Islamist militants.

The SIS, which reports directly to Sirisena, wanted the police's terrorist investigation department to stop all inquiries into extremist Muslim factions, including the National Thowheeth Jama'ath (NTJ), which was blamed for the Easter attacks.

Jayasundara said SIS head Nilantha Jayawardena did not take seriously the intelligence shared by neighbouring India which warned of an impending attack by the NTJ.

Jayasundara said that despite the SIS not sharing information warnings with the police department, he had initiated action to alert his senior men, but he had no input from the main spy agency.

Sirisena suspended IGP Jayasundara after he refused to accept responsibility for the deadly attacks. Attorney-General Dappula de Livera has asked for a full Bench of the apex court to decide the case.

Jayasundara said that he was offered a diplomatic post if he took the fall and stepped down, but he refused as he said he was not responsible for the catastrophic intelligence failure.

He said he had been sidelined by Sirisena since a political rift between the President and Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe emerged last October.

Jayasundara's petition came days after Mr Sirisena publicly rebuked another intelligence official, Sisira Mendis, who told a parliamentary panel that the Easter bombings could have been avoided.

Mendis' testimony appeared to put Mr Sirisena in a poor light by implying he had not held National Security Council (NSC) meetings to review threats.

In a statement, President Sirisena denied claims by Mr Mendis that the country's highest security body had not met as often as it should have around the time of the Easter Sunday attacks, which were blamed on militants backed by the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria group.

Sirisena, who is also defence minister, said in a statement that he held NSC meetings twice a week, contradicting Mr Mendis who told Parliament that the last meeting was on Feb 19, more than two months before the April 21 bombings that targeted three churches and three luxury hotels.

The President said he met IGP Jayasundara and his top brass 13 days before the Easter Sunday attacks but no officer raised the warnings that had been relayed by India.

Sri Lanka has been under a state of emergency since the attacks, but Sirisena announced last week that it will end in a month. (AFP)

The Government yesterday announced a special relief package with a total interest subsidy cost worth Rs. 1.5 billion for the country’s informal tourism sector which was affected by the April 21 Easter Sunday terror attacks.

In addition, several other sectors that were directly affected by the terrorist attacks, such as transportation and entertainment will also be given similar financial concessions from next month. Finance Minister Mangala Samaraweera speaking at a press briefing held at the Finance Ministry premises yesterday, said that the government will, as a part of the relief package, introduce a loan scheme titled Sancharaka-Poddo from June 10, for individuals who were making their living from providing goods and services to the informal tourism sector in the country.

“Accordingly, such individuals will be able to obtain a loan facility of a maximum of Rs. 500,000 at a zero percent interest rate, along with a 12 month grace period and three year loan repayment period,” the Finance Minister said. The loan facility will be granted via the state-owned Regional Development Bank only, Minister Samaraweera explained.

Minister Samaraweera expressed confidence that a one year grace period is sufficient for these borrowers since the country’s tourism industry will thrive again by that time.

“A large number of individuals were gainfully employed in the informal tourism sector within the last few years. Ella and Mirissa would be the best examples for such places where the informal tourism sector thrived.

People ran restaurants, surfing stations, ornament shops and offered Home-Stay facilities. Following the Easter Sunday carnage, these people were drastically affected.

Since we are a government concerned about the wellbeing of the common people, we are introducing the Sancharaka-Podda loan scheme, in order to save these people from loan sharks,” Minister Samaraweera pointed out.

“In addition, the government will also give a short term special grace period for private bus owners considering the severe impact that the Easter Sunday terror attacks had on the transportation sector,”the Minister said.

Accordingly, a grace period will be granted for the installments due on the months of April and May this year on the loans or leasing facilities obtained by private bus owners.

Minister Samaraweera said that the Circular pertaining to the said decision has already been sent to the respective banks and finance companies.

Minister Samaraweera also said that the government has decided to give a concessionary loan facility to the members of musical bands, as an initiative by Housing, Construction and Cultural Affairs Minister Sajith Premadasa.

The Minister said that musical band members will be given a working capital loan facility, a maximum of Rs.500,000 at a 3.46% interest rate and a two year repayment period.

“These working capital loans can be obtained from June 10, from the Bank of Ceylon,” Minister Samaraweera further said. “The government shall bear 75% of the total interest rate of these loans,” he pointed out. Similarly, the individuals who are in the Vesak pandol construction industry will also be granted a similar concessionary loan facility,” the Minister also said.

“The government will take the respective decisions by next Wednesday,” the Minister said.

The Finance Minister also pointed out that the government is able to give such extended concessions for the people even when the economy has suffered a significant setback due to the terror attacks. This is because of its deliberate economic planning.

Asked if the construction industry would also receive a similar concession form the government, Minister Samaraweera pointed out that he personally believes that the Construction Industry was not severely affected by the terror attacks. However, the Minister said the government will carry out discussions with those who are in the Construction Industry to lift the ban on drones, that has in fact affected the industry.

“Now, we should remember the whole country was directly or indirectly affected by the terror attacks. However, everyone cannot join the concessionary- bandwagon. Or else, we will have to give loans to the whole country,” Minister Samaraweera observed.

Former Secretary to the Ministry of Defence Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s lawyers has informed the court that he had not arrived in the island as ordered by the Courts.

As the court granted consent to Rajapaksa to visit Singapore for medical treatment, he had left the country on the 24th and was due to arrive back in the island yesterday (02).

However, the lawyer appearing on behalf of the former defence secretary, presented reasons before the three member High Court for the absence of the Gotabhaya Rajapakse.

It was reported that Gotabhaya was scheduled for another medical exam and was unable to present himself at the Court.

The case is to be recalled on November 19th.

A little over a month after Sri Lanka was rocked by a series of eight coordinated blasts that killed at least 253 people, India’s National Investigation Agency (NIA) has begun aiding the island nation in the probe into the bombings.

A person familiar with the development said the NIA was “likely to share and discuss with Sri Lankan authorities all details of its probe in India against various IS (Islamic State) modules, including evidence collected from searches in Kerala, Telangana, and Tamil Nadu. This could include pamphlets, documents, hard drives, laptops and CDs that were recovered by the agency."

At the same time, NIA’s operations against the Coimbatore module of the Islamic State (IS) will also be of key interest.

On 26 February, after months of investigation, the NIA chargesheeted six IS recruits –Mohamed Ashiq, Ismail S., Samsudeen, Mohammed Salauddin S., Jafar Shadik Ali and Shahul Hameed— in India after it was found that the arrested accused “had got radicalized on the violent extremist ideology of the proscribed terrorist organization--ISIS/Da’esh--and they had been propagating the same ideology over social media."

While the IS had claimed responsibility for the attacks in Sri Lanka, prior investigations by the NIA had revealed that the Coimbatore group had gone through videos of the National Thowheed Jamaat leader Zahran Hashim, who had been calling for the establishment of Islamic law in Sri Lanka, following which on 26 February India had passed on the intelligence to Sri Lankan authorities.

The development comes after the Kerala coast was put on high alert, late last week, following intelligence reports that boats carrying nearly 15 IS terrorists had set sail from Sri Lanka to India’s Lakshadweep slands.

There has been significant and growing movement of Islamic State cells and workers in pockets of Tamil Nadu, Telangana, and Kerala and any suspicious movements are being closely monitored, according to intelligence units.

Earlier this month, both the Union home ministry and the state authorities from Tamil Nadu and Telangana said India was always on “a state of high readiness."

Italy has joined several countries including China, India and several European countries in relaxing a travel ban to Sri Lanka.

In a statement today (03), the Italian Embassy in Sri Lanka said it has updated its travel advisory on its website for all Italian nationals travelling to Sri Lanka.

“Lowering the level of security previously advising against travel to Sri Lanka, the new update advises Italian nationals intending to travel to Sri Lanka during this period, to exercise the utmost caution, keeping the attention threshold in all circumstances,” the said.

Furthermore, the improved outlook of the update adds that the security situation in Sri Lanka is gradually returning to normal.

Sri Lankan authorities have used anti-hate laws to imprison a Muslim woman for wearing a dress displaying the wheel of a ship.

47-year-old M. R Mazahima was arrested by police who describe the printed motif on her Kaftan as the ‘Dharmachakra’ wheel symbolising Buddhist teachings.

The wheel print on the dress offended Buddhists, court was told.

Ms Mazahima in her kaftan with a wheel of a ship motif

Acting Magistrate Gamini Rambakenpura in the central town of Mahiyanganaya ordered to further remand Mrs Mazhima until June 3 after the police informed the courts that the controversial dress has been sent to the Department of Buddhist Affairs to verify the identity of the symbol.

Attorneys at law, AM Mohammed Zarook and Nusra Zarook appeared for the defendant.

Police had charged the Muslim woman under Sri Lanka’s adoption of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) - a law designed to safeguard human rights.

Local judges have no mandate to grant bail to suspects charged under the ICCPR act. Suspects must appeal to the high courts, which is a costly deterrent.

'Punished in Ramadan'

On 18th May M.R Mazhima was arrested on the streets of Hasalaka, 180 kilometres away from the capital, Colombo, on her way to the bank to withdraw money sent by her husband, a construction labourer stationed in Colombo.

She had been dressed in the Kaftan with the controversial wheel motif on the day of arrest after being forced by majority Sinhala Buddhists in the area to give up her customary Abaya.

Police officers displaying the kaftan Ms Mazahima was wearing at the time of her arrest

Muslim women throughout the island are being coerced to give up the Abaya following the Easter Sunday bomb attacks allegedly by Islamic militants.

“My wife doesn’t know the difference between the Dharmachakra or a ship’s wheel,” said Mazhima’s husband, Abdul Munaf.

“We are very poor people. Why are we who did not commit any crime, punished in this manner in the holy month of Ramadan?”

Most recently the ICCPR was used to imprison an award-winning writer who was accused of insulting Buddhism by writing a short story. (JDS)