Mass resignation...

Although the terrorists responsible for the carnage operated under the IS label, they were essentially an indigenous, homegrown outfit with wide-reaching links at multiple levels. One factor upsetting many Sri Lankans was that some of the suicide bombers were from the upper-crust of Muslim society and were wealthy and educated.

Against this backdrop, the accusing finger began pointing to others who had supported or were suspected of supporting the NJT/IS terrorist group. 2,289 were arrested on suspicion. Of them, 1,665 were freed or released on bail. 423 are kept remanded. 211 are detained for interrogation by the TID and CID. Given the acrimonious nature of politics in Sri Lanka, it was inevitable that a political twist or twists would be given by interested parties to exploit this situation and undermine their political adversaries. This is what happened and soon some Muslim politicians were singled out and attacked. There were calls for their arrest.

BATHIUDEEN, HIZBULLAH AND SALLEY

Initially, there were five Muslim politicians who were so targeted. They were Muslim Congress leader and Cabinet Minister Rauff Hakeem, Makkal Congress leader and Cabinet Minister Rishad Bathiudeen, Western Province Governor Azath Salley, Eastern Province Governor M.L.A.M. Hizbullah and UNP Colombo District MP Mujibur Rahuman. Gradually, the campaign against Hakeem and Rahuman ceased but a vicious campaign against Bathiudeen, Hizbullah and Azath Salley was pursued with vigour on a widespread scale. It was alleged without any tangible evidence that the trio were linked to the terrorists responsible for the Easter Sunday carnage and that they should quit their posts or be removed and that they should be probed and penalised. This campaign was promoted by opposition party elements in association with some Buddhist organisations and sections of the media. A no-confidence motion against Bathiudeen was submitted to the Speaker.

What is noteworthy here is that there is little in common among Bathiudeen, Hizbullah and Azath Salley apart from the fact that they are Muslims and are being listed together by their detractors as having links to the NTJ/ IS organisations. Bathiudeen is an elected Member of Parliament while the other two contested and lost elections in 2015. Both were appointed as provincial governors by President Maithripala Sirisena. Although all three have been heaped together by those demanding action against them, the circumstances relating to ex-cabinet Minister Bathiudeen and the two former governors are vastly different at this point of time. Besides, the key figure involved in the mass resignation exercise is Bathiudeen and not the two governors. Although all three quit their posts on the same day at different times, the reasons for the resignations were different.

Since this article relates to the mass resignation of Muslim ministers, the focus will be more on Bathiudeen and less on Hizbullah and Salley at this juncture. Also, it has been Rishad Bathiudeen who has been at the receiving end of sustained vitriolic attacks in recent times. More importantly, it is against Rishad Bathiudeen that a no-confidence motion has been mooted with 64 MPS as signatories. It is this singular offensive against Bathiudeen that has influenced the resignation response adopted by Muslim ministers in the government. The mass resignation was more due to the Bathiudeen factor and not the other two.

All Ceylon Makkal Congress (ACMC) leader and ex-cabinet Minister Rishad Bathiudeen is a prominent Sri Lankan politician who has very often been in the news for the wrong reasons. The 46-year-old Bathiudeen served as Minister of Industry and Commerce, Resettlement of Protracted Displaced Persons, Co-operative Development and Vocational Training and Skills Development. Bathiudeen hailing from Dharapuram in the Mannar District is an engineer by profession. Known widely as Rishad, he was first elected to Parliament from the Northern Wannielectoral district in December 2001. He has been consistently elected as Wanni MP since then in 2004, 2010 and 2015. Rishad has also served continuously since January 2007 as Cabinet Minister in the governments of Mahinda Rajapaksa and Maithripala Sirisena.

CAUGHT UP IN CONTROVERSIES

Rishad Bathiudeen has frequently been caught up in controversies in the past. Chief among them was the charge that he had deforested areas of the Wilpattu National Park and constructed a housing scheme to settle displaced Muslims in those cleared lands under the auspices of an ‘Uthuru Wasanthaya’ (Northern Spring) project. The Centre for Environmental Justice filed a petition against the move in 2015 and initiated legal proceedings. Last February, the Court of Appeal fixed the petition for judgment to be delivered on August 6. However on May 28, the Court of Appeal decided to take afresh the case from July 31 onwards before a two-judgebench comprising Justices Janak de Silva and Nishshanka Bandula Karunaratne.

The problems and hassles faced by Rishad Bathiudeen in the past have paled into insignificance after the Jihadi terrorist attacks on April 21 this year. As stated earlier, Rishad Bathiudeen has been virtually singled out by his critics and detractors as being linked to the NTJ/IS groups held responsible. After a bitter campaign demanding his ouster from Cabinet and/or arrest, the Mahinda Rajapaksa led opposition presented a no-confidence motion against Rishad Bathiudeen in Parliament. It was signed by 64 MPS. The text of the motion was as follows –

Whereas it has been stated by the Commander of Sri Lanka Army to the ‘Silumina’ newspaper on May 5 that pressure was exerted on him to release the suspects apprehended in connection with the terrorist attacks known as the Easter Sunday terrorist attack on nine locations including Christian churches and hotels on April 21; (3)

And whereas the factory owned by Imshan Ahmed Ibrahim who carried out the suicide bomb attack on Cinnamon Grand Hotel has been supplied with empty cartridges by the Ministry of Trade and Commerce in breach of procedures;

And whereas reasonable suspicions have arisen that there had been political influence by allowing the workers of the company which is believed to have been used for manufacturing bombs to be released on bail on 06.05.2019 by not producing them to the court under the Prevention of Terrorism Act by the Sri Lanka Police which produced war heroes to court under the Prevention of Terrorism Act permitting them to be remanded for more than a year;

And whereas no action was taken against though legal action could have been constituted under the Prevention of Terrorism Act against S.K.P. Alahudeen, Treasurer of the All Ceylon People’s Congress led by Minister Rishad Bathiudeen for not disclosing the attempts of terrorists to authorities despite being aware of the same;

And whereas two sons of Alhaj Mohammad Ibraim Yusuf Ibrahim, a close associate of the minister, had carried out suicide attacks; Coordinating Secretary to Minister And whereas Abdul Hanuth,a Pradeshiya Sabha member of the All Ceylon People’s Congress and claimed to be a Coordinating Secretary to the minister has been arrested as a terrorist suspect;

And whereas a Moulavi who claims to be an advisor to the minister has been arrested as a terrorist suspect;

And whereas Rifkan Bathiudeen , one of the minister’s brothers, when handed over to the police after being arrested by the army, was released without producing him before the court as a result of pressure exerted;

And whereas a very strong opinion prevails in society based on the information provided by the officers of the security forces and the police that the minister was exerting undue pressure on the investigations into the Easter Sunday terrorist attack;

And whereas the minister holding the portfolio is deemed to be an obstacle to investigations as the police has so far failed to question the minister in this regard despite the strong suspicion about a powerful link between the minister and the terrorists;

That this Parliament resolves that it has no confidence in the competence of Rishad Bathiudeen to function as a Cabinet Minister any longer.

BAYING FOR BATHIUDEEN’S BLOOD

The opposition led by Mahinda Rajapaksa is baying for Bathiudeen’s blood like a wolf pack. They are demanding his ouster and seeking further action against Rishad. But what would be the position today if the ACMC leader had thrown in his lot with Mahinda Rajapaksa during last year’s October 26 anti–constitutional power grab? Rishad was much in demand then and ardently wooed. Furthermore, why is the opposition spearheaded by Mahinda gunning for Rishad Bathiudeen alone instead of the entire government? All these and more related matters would be delved into in the forthcoming second part of this article.

D.B.S. Jeyaraj can be reached at

dbsjeyaraj@yahoo.com