By P K Balachandran
COLOMBO: Sri Lanka’s Defence Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa has said that there are no Islamic terrorists in Lanka, but the Sinhalese and the Tamils have issues with Muslims at several places in the country.
“The Indian intelligence agencies have told me that there is a possibility of Islamic terrorism being based in Lanka at act against India. We investigated these concerns and found that there is no merit in these concerns or claims,” Gotabaya told Daily Mirror on Tuesday.
Nevertheless, he pointed out that Sinhalese and Tamils have problems with the Muslims, and said that these issues have to be addressed. Tamil Catholics have problems with the Muslims in Mannar, and Tamil Hindus and Catholics have problems with them in Batticaloa. In Ja Ela, Sinhalese have problems with Muslims. Moderate Muslims have said that they have issues with certain extreme elements in the Muslim community, the Defence Secretary pointed out.
“That is why I believe that we have to talk to the Muslims. I am currently conducting a wide-ranging dialogue with them,” he said.
