Lakbima Again Srikes Muslim- Pasting Terrorist Label to Innocent Muclims of Sri Lanka
Armed Muslim groups to handover weapons by July 2
By Gayana Kumara Weerasinghe
Last week, this newspaper revealed that after the defeat of the LTTE, the security forces are now preparing to disarm armed Muslim extremist groups now raising their heads in the Eastern Province. Security forces are of the view that these armed extremist groups will be the next terrorist threat to be faced by Sri Lanka and the terrorism unleashed by these groups maybe far more brutal than that of the LTTE.
According to information received by military intelligence, a large number of armed Muslim extremist groups are at present operating secretly in the Eastern Province. The more prominent of these groups are known by names such as Jihad, Osama and Mujahib. In addition, there are also some armed extremist groups operating in the East which use the names of certain prominent politicians and are being sponsored by these same politicians of the Eastern Province.
Underworld connections
These groups operate in areas in the Eastern Province which have a large Muslim populus. The areas include Eravur, Kaththankudi, Oluvamavadi, Sammanturai, Akkaraipattu, Kalmunai Panama, Muttur and Kinniya.
Intelligence agencies also say that another armed group which has the blessings and support of these extremists groups is operating in Puttalam, led by a politician.
Security forces also now have evidence that certain underworld gangs operating in Colombo also maintain connections with the armed Muslim extremist groups in the East. Muslim underworld groups in the Maligawatta and Slave Island areas received most of their weapons from the extremist groups in the province.
On information from intelligence agencies that there was a possibility of these armed Muslim extremist groups organizing and rebelling together, the security forces attention has turned to them with a vigour never seen before.
The arrest of 7 persons with a large haul of weapons belonging to armed extremist groups by the Kaththankudi police confirms this situation. The haul included 7 T56 weapons, 1 LLR firearm, 3 hand grenades, 1 anti-personal mine and a walkie-talkie.
During police questioning, the suspects said that 200-250 persons were members of armed Muslim extremist groups in the Kaththankudi area possessing an assortment of weapons handed over to them by the LTTE whilst retreating from the East. Some were sold to them. The Muslim extremists had bought T56 weapons for less than Rs 5000 per firearm.
When one time LTTE commander and current government Minister Vinayagamoorthi Muralitharan alias Karuna Amman broke away from the LTTE, members of these groups received weapons from cadres who broke away with him.
“The Muslims armed themselves due to the suffering they underwent at the hands of the LTTE, not to oppose the government or to carve out a separate state. Some politicians started to use these groups to further their own political agendas. This is why armed Muslim extremist groups have now raised their heads in the Eastern Province. If Muslims continue to bear weapons, they will be a threat to national security. We need to disarm them,” said an intelligence officer who is tracking these armed Muslim groups. Significantly, this officer is himself a Muslim.
According to him only one Muslim armed group -Jihad- operated in the Eastern Province in the beginning. “Jihad started its operations on a small scale during the late 80s and became more powerful during the period 90-94 with the blessings of a prominent Muslim politician. During this period, Muslim youth from the Eastern Province travelled to Afghanistan and Arab countries and obtained weapons training. In addition a large number of retired Muslim military and police officers also joined Jihad and helped it become powerful, and the group directly functioned via a number of mosques in the East.
The Indian army arrived in Sri Lanka and established a 7000 strong Tamil army in the Eastern Province. The EPRLF, led by Varadaraja Perumal was also part of this Tamil army. They had large stocks of military weapons. This Tamil army also broke apart when the Indian army left Sri Lanka’s shores. Most of their weapons fell into the hands of the Jihad which operated against the LTTE. The group never threatened the maintaining of law and order. However, the situation is drastically different now. There are currently 13 armed Muslim extremist groups operating in the East verified by intelligence reports.” said the intelligence officer
Survival
Muslim politicians. maintain these armed groups for their survival. Some groups are said to be maintained by Muslim businessmen and Hajiars in the East. Security forces have received information that they are maintaining these groups with the aim of furthering their businesses. However, that does not mean that they don’t engage in contract killings and armed robberies once in a while.
Batticaloa DIG Edwin Gunathilaka was entrusted with the task of disarming such Muslim extremist groups. DIG Gunathilaka was also at the forefront of the campaign to disarm the Karuna and Pillayan factions which broke away from the LTTE. He had also made a significant contribution to disarm the Sinhala armed groups which were active in the South during the 88-89 reign of terror.
Accordingly, the DIG commenced the task by convening meetings involving highly respected personalities in the Muslim community including Muslim politicians, VIPs, Hajiars and Muslim religious leaders. He explained to them the dangers of armed extremism. One such special meeting was organized at the Hisbullah cultural centre in Kaththankudi Baticaloa on the evening of the 19th. Security forces Commander in the East, Major General Srinath Rajapaksa, Head of Operations of the STF, DIG R.W.M. Ranawana and a large number of senior army and police officers were also present on the occasion. Over 300 representatives of the Muslim community attended the meeting.
During his speech at the meeting, DIG Gunathilaka also issued a warning, stating that if armed groups do not take steps to hand over their weapons to the security forces, then he will be reluctantly compelled to take stern action against them. The warning vaguely alluded to certain persons present who are known to back these armed groups.
At the end of the meeting, the Muslim community urged that an amnesty period be declared for armed Muslim groups to hand over their weapons. They assured that arrangements will be made towards this end and implored the security forces not to take any action until this had been done.
Security forces officers, including DIG Edwin Gunathilaka agreed to this request. Accordingly, an amnesty was declared for Muslim armed groups to hand over their weapons. This amnesty period will continue upto 2 July. Security sources reveal that several armed Muslim groups are set to hand over their weapons at a mosque in the East on that same day. Security forces are already formulating plans to conduct operations against all Muslim armed groups which do not hand over their weapons by this date.
