BBS defends rhetoric against Muslims

Wednesday, 9 July 2014 00:57 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

Warns of Muslim invasion through propagation
Rejects extremist label

Controversial Bodu Bala Sena monk Galagodaththe Gnansara Thero has defended his group’s angry anti-Muslim rhetoric, claiming his speeches have to be emotional to raise awareness about “rising Islamic terrorism in Sri Lanka.” Referring to allegations that he had used hate speech during the rally in Aluthgama that preceded anti-Muslim riots in the town, the Bodu Bala Sena General Secretary denied that his words were targeting Sri Lanka’s entire Muslim population. “We tend to speak emotionally at times. It’s only then that we can draw attention to the issue,” he said, referring to the issue of what he called “rising Islamic terrorism.” Addressing the Foreign Correspondents Association on Monday evening at the Bodu Bala Sena Headquarters in Kirulapone, Gnansara Thero warned of a “Muslim invasion” in Sri Lanka. Peppering his remarks with allegations about Sri Lanka’s Muslim community, Gnanasara Thero observed that “Muslims invade by having many children.” Both the Bodu Bala Sena General Secretary and the group’s CEO Dilantha Withanage, vehemently denied that they were an extremist organisation. “Only certain media portray us as extremists,” Gnansara Thero charged.

Pope must apologise to Buddhists: BBS

Buddhists are owed an apology from Pope Francis for the alleged crimes of Christian colonialists during their rule, the hard-line Bodu Bala Sena organisation said on Monday (7). Bodu Bala Sena General Secretary Galagodaththe Gnanasara Thero who spoke to Foreign Correspondents in Colombo, said the group was “waiting” for Pope Francis to arrive in Sri Lanka for his visit in January 2015. “Previous Popes had made public apologies to certain countries because they destroyed, they killed. We had a similar situation, most of the Buddhist temples were destroyed by them, they killed Buddhist monks. We would like to see that public apology from him,” Gnanasara Thero said. The Pope is expected to visit the Philippines and Sri Lanka in January.