BREAKING: RISHAD ARRIVES IN AMPARA

Ampara is fast returning to normal-with some good news to boot.

“The suggestion to immediately form an Inter-Religious Peace Committee (IRPC) for Ampara city is a great step to unite the worried people of Ampara” praised the Minister of industry and Commerce Rishad Bathiudeen on 28 February in Ampara.

Minister Bathiudeen was responding to the suggestion by respected Ven Suhadhagama Seelarathana Nayaka Thero on 28 February at Ven. Thero’s Ampara Mandala Maha Viharaya Temple premises during his meeting with Nayaka Thero.

Minister Bathiudeen, who flew to Ampara on the morning of 28 April, was joined at this meeting by Deputy Inspector General of Police Ampara District Nuwan Wedasinghe, STF  Ampara Zonal Chief Athula Ratnayake, and Ampara District Secretary Thusitha P.Wanigasinghe, among others.

Ven Seelarathana Nayaka Thero, updating Minister Bathiudeen on the situation following riots of 27 February, assured that things have calmed. “My suggestion is to immediately form an Inter-Religious Peace Committee (IRPC) for Ampara city” he said and added: “Representatives from all religions in Ampara should be part of it and IRPC will closely monitor peace and reconciliation. I believe the government and police officials with us at this meeting to be part of IRPC.”

“The suggestion to immediately form an Inter-Religious Peace Committee (IRPC) for Ampara city is a great step to unite the worried people of Ampara” praised Minister Bathiudeen and added: “People were not attacked but their properties were destroyed along with a Mosque. The result is the fear that gripped the Muslim populace here. Therefore IRPC is important, and it needs to be formulated immediately with your leadership. We shall extend our fullest cooperation for this.”

Previously on 27 February Minister Bathiudeen severely condemned attacks that took place in Ampara town targeting a Mosque and several businesses in Ampara town. During the 27 February Cabinet meeting he called on the government to take “immediate and strict action” on the wrongdoers saying that the government should compensate for the losses. A mosque, a lodging place adjoining the mosque, several small shops close to the mosque, a street-side hotel, and several vehicles  were set alight by a group of men on the early hours of 27 February after an argument erupted between some men and the owner of a street-side hotel in Ampara town.

During his visit to Ampara, Minister Bathiudeen also met affected people in the City and had discussions with them, assuring that the new Committee shall come into effect soon to safeguard them.