{"id":21157,"date":"2013-05-10T17:13:27","date_gmt":"2013-05-10T21:13:27","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/dbsjeyaraj.com\/dbsj\/?p=21157"},"modified":"2013-05-10T17:13:27","modified_gmt":"2013-05-10T21:13:27","slug":"arrest-and-harassment-of-azath-salley-is-indicative-of-the-climate-of-fear-critics-of-govt-must-live-under","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dbsjeyaraj.com\/dbsj\/?p=21157","title":{"rendered":"Arrest and Harassment of Azath Salley is Indicative of the Climate of Fear Critics of Govt Must Live Under"},"content":{"rendered":"

by<\/p>\n

Dr.Vickramabahu Karunaratne<\/strong><\/p>\n

From Kotagala struggle now we have entered the battle to free Azath Sally. We got together as the Movement for Unity with Power Sharing some time back. Team consisted of Mano, Sumanthiran, Azath, Siri and I. We met regularly to discuss the implementation of the LLRC and relevant subjects. Press conferences, statements, meetings and such actions to increase awareness on power sharing were our activities. <\/p>\n

In addition all of us worked with the UNP in the Protest of the Opposition. Our specific campaign for sharing of power has angered many chauvinist elements in the society. We could see this growth in attacks made against us in websites and e mails.
\n<\/p>\n

Kotagala attack was a part of this. Mano was isolated for inviting me to the Kotagala meeting. Apparently that is his crime. Mano can speak for hill country Tamils; that is tolerable. But the crime is to unite with Sinhala activists and raise the issue of land rights of plantation community.<\/p>\n

Tamils, Muslims and other minority communities claiming land rights in Lanka is a terrible crime; because this land belongs to Sinhala and Sinhala only. This bloody bigotry is behind this animosity against our movement. Emergence of fascist styled Sinhala Buddhist chauvinist organizations is directly connected to the bankrupt economic policy of the government. <\/p>\n

It has borrowed money under the direction of the IMF and invested in a mega development programme with much corruption and waste. Combined that with the borrowings for the war against Tamil liberation the government is now pressed to put the burden on poor masses. The so called development programme has made the rich richer with filthy degeneration while the poor has become poorer with wide spread destitution. <\/p>\n

This is true not only in the war ravaged Tamil homeland but also in the Sinhala areas mentioned in the great chronicle of the Sinhala the Mahawansa. Fascist style organisation were activated in this socio economic context. Azath held his ground against fascistic howling of so called Sinhala Buddhist saviors. While those who openly declared war on minorities are given the free hand Azath has been locked up under the PTA.<\/p>\n

Several human rights organizations declared that this prominent Muslim politician and government critic, Azath Sally, arrested in Lanka, must be immediately released or charged with an internationally recognizable criminal offence. Most of these organizations agreed that Azath Sally, the leader of Lanka\u2019s newly formed National Unity Alliance, was taken into custody on morning just after the May Day, by the intelligence services under Prevention of terrorism Act for flimsy reasons. <\/p>\n

It is well known now that Sally has been an outspoken critic of all fascist styled so called Sinhala Buddhist organizations including Bodu Bala Sena. BBS has since February 2013 allegedly attacked Muslim and Christian religious establishments and agitated against certain religious practices. Azath crime is to condemn them, There were several attempts to arrest him under various allegations and he was in hiding because he feared for his safety after receiving threats in state-run media.<\/p>\n

He was one of the leaders who organised the anti racist and anti religious-sectarian Working peoples May Day at the Price Park. Unfortunately because of the threat he missed participating in the May day with all of us of the MUPS. It is clear that those who were against the campaign of the MUPS were behind this repression.<\/p>\n

Azath Sally\u2019s arrest, and the harassment he has faced over the past weeks, is indicative of the climate of fear government critics in Lanka are forced to live under. We believe that his life is in danger. He must be released immediately or charged in a court law and allow him to answer those who accused him of terrorism.<\/p>\n

It is now internationally accepted that he has been campaigning to end oppressive practices against minorities in Lanka, in particular Muslims, Christians and Tamils, for which he has faced the ire of the Mahinda regime. Azath Sally is the latest victim in the intensifying crackdown on dissenting views motivated by the government\u2019s desire to tighten its grip on power.<\/p>\n

In this confrontation, journalists, the judiciary, human rights workers and opposition politicians like Sally are targeted through threats, harassment and vicious violent attacks. The view that Commonwealth leaders must take a stronger stand against the government\u2019s violent repression of dissent and its persistent failure to bring to justice those responsible for alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity will be enhanced by this action against Azath.<\/p>\n

(This Article was written on May 5th 2013,5 Days before Azath Salley’s Release)<\/em><\/p>\n

Tweet<\/a><\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

by Dr.Vickramabahu Karunaratne From Kotagala struggle now we have entered the battle to free Azath Sally. We got together as the Movement for Unity with Power Sharing some time back. Team consisted of Mano, Sumanthiran, Azath, Siri and I. We met regularly to discuss the implementation of the LLRC and relevant subjects. Press conferences, statements, …<\/p>\n

Continue reading ‘Arrest and Harassment of Azath Salley is Indicative of the Climate of Fear Critics of Govt Must Live Under’ »<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[12],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/dbsjeyaraj.com\/dbsj\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/21157"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/dbsjeyaraj.com\/dbsj\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/dbsjeyaraj.com\/dbsj\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dbsjeyaraj.com\/dbsj\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dbsjeyaraj.com\/dbsj\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=21157"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/dbsjeyaraj.com\/dbsj\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/21157\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":21158,"href":"https:\/\/dbsjeyaraj.com\/dbsj\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/21157\/revisions\/21158"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/dbsjeyaraj.com\/dbsj\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=21157"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dbsjeyaraj.com\/dbsj\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=21157"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dbsjeyaraj.com\/dbsj\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=21157"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}