Govt. assures investigations still ongoing in Buddha statue vandalism incident

By Ashwin Hemmathagama – Our Lobby Correspondent

The Government has started a thorough investigation over the recent find of explosives and weapons haul in Wanathavilluwa in Puttalam District.

The Minister of Public Enterprise, Kandyan Heritage and Kandy Development and Leader of the House of Parliament Lakshman Kiriella confirmed to Parliament that the investigation was ongoing, in response to a question raised by the Opposition.

However, Deputy Minister of Development Strategies and International Trade Nalin Bandara Jayamaha said a certain group was organising a protest in Mawanella on Wednesday afternoon with the participation of some Buddhist monks and such protests could be a deliberate attempt to spark communal tensions in the area.

“The law must be allowed to resolve this type of issue. Instead, some are trying to take the people to the streets to get political mileage by fanning communalism. Such protests may lead to unnecessary problems and we urge the attention of relevant authorities in that regard,” said the Deputy Minister.

The recent arrest of two Muslim youth while engaged in damaging a Buddha statue in Hingula in Mawanella on a tip-off has led the police to start an investigation over the complaints of several Buddha statues damaged in the area. Eventually the investigations led to the arrest of a radical Islamic group operating in the area and to one of their safe houses in Wanathavilluwa.