The Qaraqosh Protection Committee (also known as the Nineveh Plains Security Forces ) is an armed militia formed by Assyrians living in the city of Bakhdida , in Ninawa Governorate of Iraq . The committee, formed in 2004, was organized through local churches, and began manning checkpoints and was soon working with the Iraqi police .
66-487: Assyrians in post-Saddam Iraq have faced a high rate of persecution by Fundamentalist Islamists since the beginning of the Iraq War . By early August 2004, this persecution included church bombings, and fundamentalist groups' enforcement of Muslim codes of behavior upon Assyrian Christians, e.g., banning alcohol, forcing women to wear hijab . The violence against the community has led to the exodus of perhaps as much as half of
132-479: A Sinhala police ; we still have a Sinhala army . After today if a single Marakkalaya [Muslim, in context used derogatorily] or some other paraya [alien, outcast, also a derogatory term] touches a single Sinhalese…..it will be their end." After its rally the BBS drove into Dharga Town chanting anti-Muslim slogans. Local residents started throwing stones at the BBS convoy which resulted in violent clashes erupting between
198-471: A hartal on 19 June 2014 as protest against the riots. Contrary to fears there was no violence after Jumma prayers on 20 June 2014. The Muslim owned No-Limit clothing store in Panadura was destroyed by fire in the early hours of 21 June 2014, causing Rs.400 million in damage. Witnesses reported seeing petrol bombs being thrown into the store. Police and Special Task Force personnel were deployed in
264-436: A counter-cultural fidelity to a principle or set of principles, as in the pejorative term " market fundamentalism ", used to imply exaggerated religious-like faith in the ability of unfettered laissez-faire or free-market capitalist economic views or policies to solve economic and social problems. According to economist John Quiggin , the standard features of "economic fundamentalist rhetoric" are "dogmatic" assertions and
330-452: A high-level panel to investigate the riots. At a meeting in Badulla on 21 June 2014 Rajapaksa blamed "international forces" for a "concerted efforts to destabilise the country" and ordered a crackdown on hate groups . Former President Chandrika Kumaratunga and various other parliamentary ministers also condemned the attack. Moderate Buddhist monk Watareka Vijitha, who had been critical of
396-850: A major turning point in the use of the term "fundamentalism". The media, in an attempt to explain the ideology of Ayatollah Khomeini and the Iranian Revolution to a Western audience described it as a "fundamentalist version of Islam" by way of analogy to the Christian fundamentalist movement in the U.S. Thus was born the term Islamic fundamentalist , which became a common use of the term in following years. Jewish fundamentalism has been used to characterize militant religious Zionism , and both Ashkenazi and Sephardic versions of Haredi Judaism . Ian S. Lustik has characterized "Jewish fundamentalism" as "an ultranationalist, eschatologically based, irredentist ideology". The term New Atheism describes
462-455: A number of signs that he had displeased Dorje Shugden by receiving teachings from non-Gelug schools, and thus initiated a revival movement that opposed the mixing of non-Gelug practices by Gelug practitioners. The main function of the deity was presented as "the protection of the Ge-luk tradition through violent means, even including the killing of its enemies." Crucially, however, these "‘enemies’ of
528-572: A police officer, were taken to Beruwala District Hospital. 10,000 people (8,000 Muslims and 2,000 Sinhalese) displaced by the riots sought shelter in schools, mosques and other community facilities. The curfew was later extended. By 16 June 2014 no arrests had been made in relation to the violence. After the police failed to restore order, around 50 military personnel were deployed in Aluthgama, Beruwala, Dharga Town, Maggona and Welipenna to maintain order. Local schools were closed on 16 June 2014. On
594-472: A protestation march against the imposition of restrictions on the wearing of headscarves in state-run schools, a banner labeled the ban as "secular fundamentalism". In the United States, private or cultural intolerance of women wearing the hijab (Islamic headcovering) and political activism by Muslims also has been labeled "secular fundamentalism". The term "fundamentalism" is sometimes applied to signify
660-555: A rising trend of violence by extremists. The US embassy in Colombo also a statement on 16 June 2014 condemning the violence and urging the government to restore order and bring the perpetrators to justice. The following day United States Department of State spokesperson Jen Psaki stated that the US condemned the violence and blamed it on recent "inflammatory rhetoric". Canada's Ambassador for Religious Freedom Andrew P. W. Bennett issued
726-399: A statement on 16 June 2014 condemning the communal violence against Muslims and calling for a swift and transparent investigation into the violence. Amnesty International urged the government to take action to end the violence immediately, rein in groups targeting religious minorities, protect Muslims and bring to account those responsible for the violence. Human Rights Watch has urged
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#1733093396728792-414: A strong belief in the importance of distinguishing one's ingroup and outgroup , which leads to an emphasis on some conception of "purity", and a desire to return to a previous ideal from which advocates believe members have strayed. The term is usually used in the context of religion to indicate an unwavering attachment to a set of irreducible beliefs (the "fundamentals"). The term "fundamentalism"
858-856: Is a complex and contradictory phenomenon. While some would argue that certain aspects of Gaudiya Vaishnavism manifest fundamentalist tendencies, these tendencies are more clearly displayed in Hindutva , the predominant form of Hindu nationalism in India today, and an increasingly powerful and influential voice within the religion. Hinduism includes a diversity of ideas on spirituality and traditions, but has no ecclesiastical order, no unquestionable religious authorities, no governing body, no prophet(s) nor any binding holy book; Hindus can choose to be polytheistic , pantheistic , panentheistic , pandeistic , henotheistic , monotheistic , monistic , agnostic , atheistic or humanist . According to Doniger, "ideas about all
924-426: Is generally regarded by scholars of religion as referring to a largely modern religious phenomenon which, while itself a reinterpretation of religion as defined by the parameters of modernism , reifies religion in reaction against modernist , secularist , liberal and ecumenical tendencies developing in religion and society in general that it perceives to be foreign to a particular religious tradition. Depending upon
990-444: Is inextricably mixed into the very meaning of the divine word. As a result, it is impossible to follow the indisputable word of God; one can only achieve a human understanding of God's will. Howard Thurman was interviewed in the late 1970s for a BBC feature on religion. He told the interviewer: I say that creeds, dogmas, and theologies are inventions of the mind. It is the nature of the mind to make sense out of experience, to reduce
1056-477: Is most associated with higher levels of fundamentalism." The Associated Press ' AP Stylebook recommends that the term fundamentalist not be used for any group that does not apply the term to itself. Many scholars have adopted a similar position. Other scholars, however, use the term in the broader descriptive sense to refer to various groups in various religious traditions including those groups that would object to being classified as fundamentalists, such as in
1122-526: Is not on yours." He claimed it led to situations such as councils calling Christmas " Winterval ", schools refusing to put on nativity plays and crosses being removed from chapels. Others have countered that some of these attacks on Christmas are urban legends , not all schools do nativity plays because they choose to perform other traditional plays like A Christmas Carol or " The Snow Queen " and, because of rising tensions between various religions, opening up public spaces to alternate displays rather than
1188-455: Is usually called a religion . For instance, the Archbishop of Wales has criticized "atheistic fundamentalism" broadly and said "Any kind of fundamentalism, be it Biblical, atheistic or Islamic, is dangerous". He also said, "the new fundamentalism of our age ... leads to the language of expulsion and exclusivity, of extremism and polarisation, and the claim that, because God is on our side, he
1254-596: The 2014 anti-Muslim riots in Sri Lanka and in the course of the 2018 anti-Muslim riots in Sri Lanka , allegedly instigated by hardline groups such as the Bodu Bala Sena . Historic and contemporary examples of Buddhist fundamentalism occur in each of the three main branches of Buddhism : Theravada , Mahayana , and Vajrayana . In addition to the above examples of fundamentalism in Theravada-dominated societies,
1320-579: The Democratic Left Front has called for BBS leader Gnanasaara and other BBS members to be arrested for instigating racial tensions which led to the riots. However, Champika Ranawaka , Minister of Technology, Research and Atomic Energy and leading member of the Jathika Hela Urumaya , blamed the violence on Muslim extremists and accused the United States of nurturing a Taliban in Sri Lanka. Rajapaksa has criticised ministers who were critical of
1386-679: The Fundamentalism Project . Tex Sample asserts that it is a mistake to refer to a Muslim , Jewish , or Christian fundamentalist. Rather, a fundamentalist's fundamentalism is their primary concern, over and above other denominational or faith considerations. 2014 anti-Muslim riots in Sri Lanka The 2014 anti-Muslim riots in Sri Lanka were religious and ethnic riots in June 2014 in south-western Sri Lanka . Muslims and their property were attacked by Sinhalese Buddhists in
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#17330933967281452-645: The Nativity scene is an attempt to keep government religion-neutral. In The New Inquisition , Robert Anton Wilson lampoons the members of skeptical organizations such as the Committee for the Scientific Investigation of Claims of the Paranormal as fundamentalist materialists, alleging that they dogmatically dismiss any evidence that conflicts with materialism as hallucination or fraud. In France, during
1518-475: The Niagara Bible Conferences which were held annually between 1878 and 1897. During those conferences, the tenets widely considered to be fundamental Christian belief were identified. "Fundamentalism" was prefigured by The Fundamentals: A Testimony To The Truth , a collection of twelve pamphlets published between 1910 and 1915 by brothers Milton and Lyman Stewart . It is widely considered to be
1584-559: The Nineveh Plains Security Forces and cooperates closely with the Kurdish Peshmerga and Asayish . This Iraq -related article is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . Fundamentalist Fundamentalism is a tendency among certain groups and individuals that are characterized by the application of a strict literal interpretation to scriptures , dogmas , or ideologies , along with
1650-913: The Pueblo Revolt (1680s), the Shawnee Prophet Movement (1805–1811), the Cherokee Prophet Movement (1811–1813), the Red Stick War (1813–1814), White Path's Rebellion (1826), the Winnebago Prophet Movement (1830–1832), the first Ghost Dance (1869–1870) and the second Ghost Dance (1889–1890), and the Snake movements among the Cherokee, Choctaw , and Muscogee Creek peoples during the 1890s. The existence of fundamentalism in Hinduism
1716-517: The early history of Islam in the 7th century, to the time of the Kharijites . From their essentially political position, they developed extreme doctrines that set them apart from both mainstream Shia and Sunni Muslims . The Kharijites were particularly noted for adopting a radical approach to takfir , whereby they declared other Muslims to be unbelievers and therefore deemed them worthy of death. The Shia and Sunni religious conflicts since
1782-405: The "essential" doctrines. A few scholars label some indigenist revitalization movements within ethnic and indigenous religions who reject the changes brought by the modern states and major religions in favor of a return to traditional ways as fundamentalists in contrast with syncretic reform movements. Thus, numerous new generally fundamentalist Native American religious movements include
1848-470: The 1980s, could be praised as 'freedom fighters' by their American backers at the time, while the present Taliban, viewed, among other things, as protectors of American enemy Osama bin Laden, are unequivocally 'fundamentalist'." "Fundamentalist" has been used pejoratively to refer to philosophies perceived as literal-minded or carrying a pretense of being the sole source of objective truth, regardless of whether it
1914-538: The 20th century. Fundamentalism as a movement arose in the United States, starting among conservative Presbyterian theologians at Princeton Theological Seminary in the late 19th century. It soon spread to conservatives among the Baptists and other denominations around 1910 to 1920. The movement's purpose was to reaffirm key theological tenets and defend them against the challenges of liberal theology and higher criticism . The concept of "fundamentalism" has roots in
1980-529: The 7th century created an opening for radical ideologues, such as Ali Shariati (1933–77), to merge social revolution with Islamic fundamentalism, as exemplified by the Iranian Revolution in 1979. Islamic fundamentalism has appeared in many countries; the Salafi - Wahhabi version is promoted worldwide and financed by Saudi Arabia , Qatar , and Pakistan . The Iran hostage crisis of 1979–80 marked
2046-712: The BBS, was abducted and assaulted in the Bandaragama area on 19 June 2014. Vijitha had been forcibly circumcised . The police later stated they would take action against Vijitha for giving false statements, saying that his injuries were self-inflicted. Vijitha was later charged by the police for making false allegations. Vijitha had been threatened by BBS leader Galagoda Aththe Gnanasaara in April 2014. He had gone into hiding following attempted assaults. Muslim businesses in Colombo, Eastern Province and Northern Province staged
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2112-558: The BBS. Three men who were trying to protect Welipitiya mosque in Dharga Town were shot dead in the early hours of 16 June 2014 by a group travelling in a vehicle. The victims were identified as labourer Mohammed Shiraz (30), shop keeper Mohammed Sahuran (40) and tile layer Mohammed Imran (41). More than 80 people were injured. The injured were taken to several local hospitals. 36 people, including seven who had been shot, were taken to Kalutara Base Hospital while seven others, including
2178-573: The Buddhist majority , especially during the 2013 Burma anti-Muslim riots (possibly instigated by hardline groups such as the 969 Movement ). as well as during actions which are associated with the Rohingya genocide (2016 onwards). Buddhist fundamentalism also features in Sri Lanka . Buddhist-dominated Sri Lanka has seen recent tensions between Muslim minorities and the Buddhist majority, especially during
2244-669: The Gelug refers less to the members of rival schools than to members of the Gelug tradition ‘who mix Dzong-ka-ba’s tradition with elements coming from other traditions, particularly the Nying-ma Dzok-chen ’." In Japan, a prominent example has been the practice among some members of the Mahayana Nichiren sect of shakubuku – a method of proselytizing which involves the strident condemnation of other sects as deficient or evil . George Marsden has defined Christian fundamentalism as
2310-539: The area. Schools in the riot affected re-opened on 23 June 2014. Sporadic attacks against Muslim targets continued in the days after the riots. President Rajapaksa, who was in Bolivia for the Group of 77 summit, issued statements via social media urging restraint and promising an investigation. The government then urged the media not to publish news about the riots which could cause "disharmony" amongst religious groups in
2376-414: The area. According to the police 41 people had been arrested by 17 June 2014. The number of arrested later rose to 49. By 21 June 2014 58 people had been arrested, 36 of whom were remanded whilst the rest were released on police bail . Journalists covering the riots were also attacked by the mob. Sunday Leader journalist Binoy Suriyaarachchi was held hostage for several hours and his driver Upul
2442-550: The claim that anyone who holds contrary views is not a real economist. Retired professor in religious studies Roderick Hindery lists positive qualities attributed to political, economic, or other forms of cultural fundamentalism, including "vitality, enthusiasm, willingness to back up words with actions, and the avoidance of facile compromise" as well as negative aspects such as psychological attitudes, occasionally elitist and pessimistic perspectives, and in some cases literalism. A criticism by Elliot N. Dorff : In order to carry out
2508-737: The community. While Assyrians only made up 5% of the total Iraqi population before the war, according to the United Nations , Assyrians comprise as much as 40% of the growing Iraqi refugees who are stranded in Syria , Jordan , Lebanon , and Turkey . The coordinator for the Qaraqosh Protection Committee, Sabah Behnem, said outside agendas—from the Sunnis of al-Qaeda to the Shi'a in Iran—were "behind
2574-434: The conglomerates of experience to units of comprehension which we call principles, or ideologies, or concepts. Religious experience is dynamic, fluid, effervescent, yeasty. But the mind can't handle these so it has to imprison religious experience in some way, get it bottled up. Then, when the experience quiets down, the mind draws a bead on it and extracts concepts, notions, dogmas, so that religious experience can make sense to
2640-448: The context, the label "fundamentalism" can be a pejorative rather than a neutral characterization , similar to the ways that calling political perspectives "right-wing" or "left-wing" can have negative connotations. Buddhist fundamentalism has targeted other religious and ethnic groups, as in Myanmar . A Buddhist-dominated country, Myanmar has seen tensions between Muslim minorities and
2706-535: The contrary. The religion "defies our desire to define and categorize it." In India, the term “dharma” is preferred, which is broader than the Western term “religion.” Hence, certain scholars argue that Hinduism lacks dogma and thus a specific notion of "fundamentalism," while other scholars identify several politically active Hindu movements as part of a "Hindu fundamentalist family." Fundamentalism within Islam goes back to
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2772-495: The country. As a result, there was a virtual blackout about the violence in the mainstream media in Sri Lanka. Rajapaksa's United People’s Freedom Alliance (UPFA) government was divided over the riots. Rauff Hakeem , Minister of Justice and leader of the Sri Lanka Muslim Congress , has called for "an independent and transparent inquiry" into the riots which would bring to justice not just those responsible for
2838-469: The demand for strict adherence to certain theological doctrines, in opposition to Modernist theology . Its supporters originally coined the term in order to describe what they claimed were five specific classic theological beliefs of Christianity, and the coinage of the term led to the development of a Christian fundamentalist movement within the Protestant community of the United States in the early part of
2904-639: The efforts to displace Iraqi Christians." On Tuesday, October 12, 2010, the Qaraqosh Protection Committee, in coordination with the Kurdish Asayish Forces, captured Ali Muhammad Idris Sadeq, a top Al-Qaeda leader, in the town of Qaraqosh ( Bakhdida ). The Qaraqosh Protection Committee reorganized after the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant overran the Nineveh Plains in 2014. It is now known as
2970-664: The five fundamentals came to be known as "fundamentalists". They rejected the existence of commonalities with theologically related religious traditions, such as the grouping of Christianity, Islam , and Judaism into one Abrahamic family of religions . By contrast, while Evangelical groups (such as the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association ) typically agree with the "fundamentals" as they are expressed in The Fundamentals , they are often willing to participate in events with religious groups that do not hold to
3036-598: The foundation of modern Christian fundamentalism. In 1910, the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church identified what became known as the five fundamentals : In 1920, the word "fundamentalist" was first used in print by Curtis Lee Laws, editor of The Watchman Examiner , a Baptist newspaper. Laws proposed that those Christians who were fighting for the fundamentals of the faith should be called "fundamentalists". Theological conservatives who rallied around
3102-456: The fundamentalist program in practice, one would need a perfect understanding of the ancient language of the original text, if indeed the true text can be discerned from among variants. Furthermore, human beings are the ones who transmit this understanding between generations. Even if one wanted to follow the literal word of God, the need for people first to understand that word necessitates human interpretation. Through that process human fallibility
3168-582: The government's and police's response. At the 26 regular session of the United Nations Human Rights Council on 20 June 2014 the Sri Lankan government blamed Muslims for the riots. The BBS has denied responsibility for the riots, saying it did not organise the rally in Aluthgama on 15 June 2014. The main opposition United National Party (UNP) condemned the riots and blamed the governing United People’s Freedom Alliance for instigating
3234-435: The major issues of faith and lifestyle – vegetarianism, nonviolence, belief in rebirth, even caste – are subjects of debate, not dogma ." Some would argue that, because of the wide range of traditions and ideas covered by the term Hinduism, a lack of theological 'fundamentals' means that a dogmatic 'religious fundamentalism' per se is hard to find. Others point to the recent rise of Hindu nationalism in India as evidence to
3300-521: The mind. Meanwhile, religious experience goes on experiencing, so that by the time I get my dogma stated so that I can think about it, the religious experience becomes an object of thought. Influential criticisms of fundamentalism include James Barr 's books on Christian fundamentalism and Bassam Tibi 's analysis of Islamic fundamentalism. A study at the University of Edinburgh found that of its six measured dimensions of religiosity, "lower intelligence
3366-654: The night of 16 June 2014 the riots spread to the Welipenna where a mob of 50-60 men armed with guns , Molotov cocktails and knives destroyed 26 shops and nine houses. Karuppan Sivalingam (58), an unarmed Tamil guard, was hacked to death and a Sinhalese farm worker seriously injured when a mob raided a Muslim owned chicken farm in Henagama near Welipenna. The curfew was temporarily lifted at 8.00am on 17 June 2014 before being re-imposed at 12.00pm. By 17 June 2014 10,000 police and Special Task Force personnel had been deployed in
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#17330933967283432-516: The opposite stance to said policies. Political usage of the term "fundamentalism" has been criticized. It has been used by political groups to berate opponents, using the term flexibly depending on their political interests. According to Judith Nagata, a professor of Asia Research Institute in the National University of Singapore , "The Afghan mujahiddin , locked in combat with the Soviet enemy in
3498-505: The perpetrators to book. The European Union delegation in Colombo, with the support of the Norwegian, Swiss and Turkish embassies, issued a statement on 20 June 2014 condemning the violence and urging the government to uphold the rule of law. Organisation of Islamic Co-operation Secretary General Iyad bin Amin Madani expressed serious concern at the violence against Muslims and observed
3564-579: The positions of some atheist academics, writers, scientists, and philosophers of the 20th and 21st centuries. Critics have described New Atheism as " secular fundamentalism ". In modern politics, fundamentalism has been associated with right-wing conservative ideology, especially social conservatism. Social conservatives often support policies in line with religious fundamentalism, such as support for school prayer and opposition to LGBT rights and abortion . Conversely, secularism has been associated with left-wing or liberal ideology, as it takes
3630-534: The priest, stormed Aluthgama Police Station demanding that immediate action be taken. Three Muslims were arrested and remanded until 25 June 2014 by the courts. That evening a tense situation arose in Aluthgama as a group of Sinhalese Buddhists started protesting against the alleged assault. The protest turned violent and the mob started throwing stones at the police and attacking Muslim shops. Government ministers Kumara Welgama and Rohitha Abeygunawardena visited
3696-689: The reification of a protector deity , Dorje Shugden , by 19th-century Tibetan lama Pabongkhapa could be seen as an example of fundamentalism in the Vajrayana tradition. Dorje Shugden was a key tool in Pabongkhapa's persecution of the flourishing Rimé movement , an ecumenical movement which fused the teachings of the Sakya , Kagyu and Nyingma , in response to the dominance of the Gelug school. While Pabongkhapa had an initially inclusive view early in his life, he received
3762-574: The riots but it has denied responsibility. The mainstream media in Sri Lanka censored news about the riots following orders from the Sri Lankan government. Since 2012 there have been a number of attacks against Sri Lanka's Muslim minority by the majority Buddhists. Bodu Bala Sena (BBS) has engaged in various anti-Muslim campaigns. On Poson Poya (12 June 2014) Buddhist monk Ayagama Samitha and his driver were allegedly assaulted by Muslims in Dharga Town . A mob from Samitha's temple, together with
3828-482: The scene to sort out the situation but Welgama's vehicle was stoned by the mob. The police were forced to use tear gas against the protesters. Three people were arrested over the violence. On 15 June 2014 the BBS staged rallies in Aluthgama, Beruwala and Dharga Town in Kalutara District . Addressing a cheering crowd in Aluthgama, BBS leader Galagoda Aththe Gnanasaara threatened "In this country we still have
3894-503: The situation. The police imposed an indefinite curfew in Aluthgama at 6:45pm on 15 June 2014 and at 8:00pm in Beruwala. Despite the curfew BBS supporters wielding weapons were seen in the area. Muslim residents stated that the curfew was only for the Muslims, not for the rioters. According to local residents the police did nothing to help them. Some residents accused the police of helping
3960-428: The towns of Aluthgama , Beruwala and Dharga Town in Kalutara District . At least four people were killed and 80 injured. Hundreds were made homeless following attacks on homes, shops, factories, mosques and a nursery. 10,000 people (8,000 Muslims and 2,000 Sinhalese) were displaced by the riots. The riots followed rallies by Bodu Bala Sena (BBS), a hard line Buddhist group. The BBS was widely blamed for inciting
4026-426: The two groups. Eyewitnesses reported Muslim homes and a mosque being stoned. Muslims were pulled off buses and assaulted whilst the Buddhist mob threw Molotov cocktails , burning and looting Muslim shops and homes. Muslim residents were forced to flee from their homes and seek shelter in mosques and community centres. There was rioting in Beruwala as well. Special Task Force personnel were deployed to control
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#17330933967284092-479: The violence but also those allowed or encouraged religious zealotry. Risad Badhiutheen , Minister of Industry and Commerce and leader of the All Ceylon Muslim Congress , accused the BBS of instigating racial tensions and called upon the government to ban the BBS and take legal action against its leader Gnanasara. Vasudeva Nanayakkara , Minister of National Languages and Social Integration and leader of
4158-527: The violence. UNP MP Mangala Samaraweera , a vocal critic of the Rajapaksa government, went as far as to name three senior military intelligence officers - General (retd) Kapila Hendawitharana (defence ministry advisor), Colonel Suresh Salley and Deputy Inspector General Chandra Wakishta (deputy chief of the State Intelligence Service ) - whom he accused of instigating the violence. The violence
4224-412: Was also condemned by religious leaders and civil society groups. UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon expressed concern at the communal violence and urged the government to ensure the safety of all Sri Lankans. UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay issued a statement on 16 June 2014 expressing alarm at the riots and urging the government to halt the violence and hate speech and bring
4290-473: Was attacked. Sunday Times journalist Sarath Siriwardana was attacked by a mob in Aluthgama on the night of 15 June 2014. An Al Jazeera crew travelling between Mathugama and Aluthgama on 17 June 2014 were attacked by a mob who damaged their vehicle's windscreen. On 17 June 2014 the police obtained court order preventing the BBS from holding a rally in Mawanella . The curfew in Aluthgama and Beruwala
4356-407: Was lifted at 8.00am on 18 June 2014. President Mahinda Rajapaksa , accompanied by government minister Mervyn Silva , visited Beruwala on 18 June 2014 to meet victims of the riots and promised an impartial inquiry. According to the president, the government would re-build homes and business destroyed by the riots. The president announced via social media on 21 June 2014 that he would appoint
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