Openly President Gotabaya Rajapaksa supporter Chathura Alwis of Derana TV was unwittingly exposed last Tuesday (31) when several racist slurs hurled at Muslims were inadvertently aired during a break in the political talkshow – Wadapitiya.
Chathura Alwis
The Wadapitiya talkshow was attended by Minister Mahindananda Aluthgamage – who too had been caught in making a racist comment just a few days back, immediate former State Minister of Tourism Promotion Affairs Arundika Fernando from the government side and former MPs Buddhika Pathirana (UNP) and Wasantha Samarasinghe (JVP) from the opposition ranks. It is not confirmed whether ExMP Pathirana was present when the racist comments were made although the presence of the other three politicos are verified beyond doubt.
Concerns arise as to why the two politicians from the United National Party (UNP) and the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP)- two parties which have fervently portrayed themselves as antiracist, anti-extremist; failed to condemn such abhorrent, unethical and reprehensible actions of the TV anchor and Minister Aluthgamage.
“Now I should be paid for allowing this to be said,” quipped Alwis, who is known to make many racist slurs against the Muslims before, but surprisingly had been promoting as an inclusive individual in the face of the public during recent months.
To which Minister Aluthgamage mentions about statistics possibly relating to figures of Covid-19 patients and deaths arising from the Muslim community.
“19 out of 20 found (on 31st)” added Aluthgamage implying that they were Muslims. (However Sinhalese still make up majority of the 148 Covid-19 patients so far, as at 12 noon)
“Definitely we must attack…. I had a chance to attack during the morning show with that….. Otherwise this won’t do”
“Even Bimal (Of the JVP) has criticized it saying that there was no burial and it was wrong. Is it inaccurate?” he asks exMP Samarasinghe from the JVP.
“No that is fake,” replies Samarasinghe.
“If I am asked whether the Ulema Organisation (in reference to ACJU- the All Ceylon Jamiyyathul Ulama – the apex religious body of Islamic theologians in Sri Lanka) has taken a decision (on the burial / cremation issue) I will tell I don’t care whether its Ulema or Hanuma even”
“I saw Upul Shantha Sannasgala’s post,” says Alwis.
“When I went for the meeting with Director General this (cremation) issue came up. We brought the Chief JMO (Judicial Medical Office) Dr Ruwanpathirana was called in….” said former State Minister Fernando.
“He has thoroughly refused,” claimed Alwis.
“You can’t deal with Muslims,” replies Minister Aluthgamage, who in the middle of fierce anti-Muslim attacks in the run up to 2019 November Presidential Elections promised a Muslim school in the Kandy city and ensured that Muslims would be safeguarded in the event they were able to increase the Muslim percentage of votes cast for Gotabaya Rajapaksa from 10% to 20%.
“In Dharga Town, when the procession was ordered to be called off, they (Muslims) distributed alms-giving from a vehicle,” says Samarasinghe who is affiliated to the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) which portrays itself as an antiracist, anti-extremist Marxist party.
“WHO guidelines (on disposing of bodies) were earlier published on our web. Now it is removed. In vain we published that. Why should we publish that? We should have published our own (guidelines),” Alwis questions, affirming that the Rajapakasa regime did allow even burials in principal at the beginning.
Experts are raising questions as to whether Alwis is a medical professional to discern on the approach to be taken over Covid-19 deaths.
“You can’t dig eight feet to bury in the Negombo beach,” added exMinister Fernando.
“No those are irrelevant. Saw what (Russian President Vladimir) Putin said?” question the JVP politico, siding with Alwis and Aluthgamage.
“Now it’s over…. This time they (Muslims) will have to understand that they can’t jiggle… ”
WHO (World Health Organisation) guidelines say coronavirus victims may be either cremated or buried and is practiced that way the world over. However the first was hurriedly removed and the second guidelines allow burials only.
Earlier too Minister Aluthgamage went on Derana TV trying to prove a surreal correlation between Muslims and Corona (https://twitter.com/i/status/1245638663595102209)
Interestingly the Tuesday’s episode has not been put on Youtube like all other previous talkshows. It is learnt that the advertising revenue of Derana too like many other TV channels has been badly hit by the Covid-19 Crisis and have very few commercials to be aired at present.
Alwis was referring to Sri Lanka’s second coronavirus victim – a 64 year- old who was receiving treatment at the Negombo General Hospital, who was cremated on 30 March against the urging from the Muslim community. Racist campaigns attacks on social media against Islam heightened after the deceased was found out to be a Muslim.
Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC) Leader former MP Rauff Hakeem condemning remains of a Muslim were cremated against the teachings of the Islamic faith. The ExMinister in a post on Facebook last Tuesday said the government’s action was “unfortunate, regrettable and of course reprehensible,” making him the subject of chagrin of many pages supporting President Rajapaksa.
Earlier Dr. Anil Jayasinghe went on none other than Derana TV explaining that the Ministry of Health guidelines did allow burial beyond eight feet or cremation under the supervision of JMO, Medical Officer of Health (MOH) and Public Health Inspector (PHI) (https://twitter.com/i/status/1245579999798681600 )
However legal experts say that Alwis’ comments and action of Derana TV in vicarious capacity, tantamount to intention to incite violence against minorities in breach of International Covenant for Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) of 2007, which criminalises advocacy of “national, racial, or religious hatred that constitutes incitement to discrimination, the hostility of violence”.
Netizens enraged by the racist slurs condemned both the TV anchor and the channel.
Afra Nawaz
@AfraNawaz2
“Shame on derana and shame on chathura, first learn the ethic of journalism. Don’t create racism.”
Arkam Ismail@ArkamIsmail “@AzzamAmeen The Real face of the uneducated Racists Media and The Uneducated Politicians. Chathura @adaderanaUseless Aluthgamage”
Sahad@ShahadRismy
“Chathura and Mahindananda convo.”The WHO circular has some hidden loopholes for them (WHO allowing to bury), JMO took it away from the website as soon as they could””Why can’t we make our own circulars and upload?”What makes you all so happy on denying rights of another ?”
Oshala Herath@OshalaHerath· “Derana TV journalist, Chatura de Alwis, who handles the media on a racial basis, should be arrested under the ICCPR law. @GotabayaR@PresRajapaksa@KaruOnline@RW_UNP”
Sanjana Hattotuwa@sanjanah· “හැතිකරේ’ trending on #Facebook a proxy indicator of things very quickly going down the proverbial පල්ලම්, esp. in relation to communal relations in #srilanka. Anti-Muslim rhetoric already virulant & widespread. I know this pattern. It doesn’t lead to anything good. #lka
Just hours before the controversial talkshow Alwis posted this on his Facebook page.
“Joining in Sri Lanka’s battle against COVID-19 and aware of the negative health and economic impact it will have, Akbar Brothers has pledged Rs. 100 million through a number of relief measures to ensure that its employees and the local community are sustained and supported during this difficult time. Akbar Brothers has pledged Rs. 50 million to the COVID-19 Healthcare and Social Security Fund initiated by President Gotabaya Rajapaksa. In its continued efforts to serve the people of Sri Lanka, the company affirmed its involvement in the construction of the New Health Centre in Chilaw. Additionally an emergency response entailing food supplies, medical equipment and other replenishments has been organised for all is employees. Relief packages including dry rations have been distributed among the workers and the local community including temples, churches, mosques and those in need around the vicinity. The Board of Directors of Akbar Brothers said it was deeply grateful and proud of the unwavering cooperation of its staff and management for adhering to safety measures and hygiene protocol and that it was fully committed to its civic duty as a responsible corporate citizen of this country.”
rbh / April 4, 2020
As we strive to improve conversations about race, racism Is manufactures by these channel, We all know that people throughout the country .
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Radical Ideas / April 5, 2020
In the entire world there are only two worst inhuman bastards who turn everything into a racial issue- The SINHALA BUDDHIST RACIST sluts comprising the GOVIGAMA RULING ELITE MAFIA ( Rajapakse, Wijewardene, Wickremasinghe, Ratwatte and their henchmen) PLUS the HINDUTVA BRAHMINS in INDIA ( comprising the MODI the former toilet cleaner who became the PM of INDIA and other Brahmin terrorists like the Yogi Adityanad). The DERANA TV which is owned by the Thieving scums, the Rajapkse family and Sarath Amunugama is being used as the leading media company to fight ISLAM. They have proven this many times over. If one could check their programs the Sinhala Racist bastard CHATURA ALWIS has spoken against ISLAM and the MUSLIMS more than a ZIONIST JEW. Because of the DERANA TV’s racist programs, the MUSLIMS have suffered with the riots that was organised by the RAJASKSES/RATWATTE/Amunugama/Wickremasinghe Govigama clan members. The World Muslims must catagorise these criminals as The foremost enemies of ISLAM and put them in a World Wide Islamophobe Terror watch Listing to deny travel rights and bringing INTERNATIONAL lawsuits against these criminals. The Sri Lankan authorities 99.9% racist do nothing to apprehend these constitution violators due to them being Rajapakses acolytes. Something must be done internationally to brand DERANA TV, HIRU TV as ISLAMOPHOBIC and treat them in kind. Sri Lanka’s economy is in doldrums and these racists cannot do anything to save it from crashing. The racists cant even find 100 Million dollars to save the economy and yet the Muslim countries are responsible for Billions of Dollars foreign revenue transfers and yet these bastards show no gratitude. They must be shown the repercussion for the ingratitude nature of the so called shameless Jathi mamaka Sinhala Buddhist racists.
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Radical Ideas / April 5, 2020
Apart from the many kind hearted Good Samaritan Sinhala people and peace activists (Activists like Chamira Perera, Prof. Thenuwara especially) the rest of the 99.9% politicians of all other Sinhala Political parties are supportive of the persecution of the Muslims as a matter of PRIME URGENCY. The Easter Sunday bombing was a clear CIA/Mossad/India’s RAW joint operation. It is very clear beyond any doubts that the ones who have benefitted from this carnage is the BJP/RSS Modi gangs and then the friends of MODI – Rajapakse gangs. Just before the Easter Sunday attack, the Muslims were subjected to daily harrassment by the Rajapakse/ Govigama Ruling Elite Mafia families backed Bodu Bala Sena and its secretary the Terrorist Monk Gnanasara who is infamous for turning any small matter pertaining to the Muslims in turning it against them and then go about on a rampage rioting and burning down Muslim properties and belongings. The methods they used against the Muslim have clear cut Israeli Zionist and Pro Israel Christian evangelical ones. Subramaniam Swamy positively said that they want Rajapakses back in power and that is what they did by way of election frauds to make the GOTA win as the President. Gota is a massive Anti Muslim operative and he is a US citizen till now and nobody is challenging him on that. Gota owns 99% of the Private Media companies and it they who are fighting ISLAM in the barbaric manner even today. Derana TV is one of them.
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Radical Ideas / April 5, 2020
Derana is private TV channel and it binds to the local Laws pertaining to broadcasting and Visual media presentations. How do they manage to break the law for years and deceptively make programs to victimise Muslim community for years??? Where are they getting money from to conduct MASSIVE ISLAMOPHOBIA at these levels to change the public opinions to cause rampage, riots and genocide against the Muslims. Mahindananda bitch is openly saying that the number of Muslim Corona virus affected are the highest. How did he come to this conclusion??? And during this debacle of Rajapakse Anti Muslim project, the Sinhala Racist block has circulated an Audio Clip by saying that there is a leaked INTELLIGENCE REPORT that the Muslim community has organised a campaign to infect the Sinhalese with Corona virus and then warning the Sinhalas to boycott any contact with a Muslim and their products. This is the JHU/BBS campaign of Muslim products and Food boycott combined project. Which also means, that the Sinhala Racists have a plan to infect the Muslims by taking them to concentration camps and fooling them of being sanitization from Corona. Then they can project it in Derana, Hiru and other Sinhala racist channels to prove their accusation…..
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Radical Ideas / April 6, 2020
First of all…How do these PRIVATE TV channel get so much of power to violate the constitution, norms and ethics of journalism and the rule governing social responsibility and everything right to maintain the peace among the communities???? Where are they getting funds to run these types of crap channels. If you watch any of their programs, all of them are right down below the standards and utter garbage. Talk with Chatura is another crap show, a lift off from the BBC’s HARD TALK. What is the enmity that this channel and its management has with the MUSLIM community???? What is their agenda??? The Talk with Chatura -crap show is all about highlighting “Muslim Issue” whenever or whoever comes to this interview. At the right interesting moment, Chatura brings in the “MUSLIM” issue to the fore to keep the “Muslim Danger” running in the minds of the Sinhala people. When the Rajapakse project in the Anti HALAL campaign was going at high gear, CHATURA bugger always came into the scene and once said, that Bodu Bala Sena Terror God father Gnaney was doing a great service to the nation…The only set of people who has this much of enmity is the ZIONIST JEWS and their criminal entity Israel. We know how much Rajapakses are close to the Jewish criminals and they are owning DERANA.
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Fahim Knight / April 4, 2020
Everyone one on this planet have two wolves within them fighting and the one they feed wins ,while we Sri Lankans have two within us and one outside us in sheep clothing and we always feed the one that will make us a sheep to the wolf outside in sheep clothing.
Tragic.
quote,
Story of the two wolves with us all.
An old Cherokee is teaching his grandson about life:
“A fight is going on inside me,” he said to the boy.
“It is a terrible fight and it is between two wolves. One is evil–he is anger, envy, sorrow, regret, greed, arrogance, self-pity, guilt, resentment, inferiority, lies, false pride, superiority, and ego.”
He continued, “The other is good – he is joy, peace, love, hope, serenity, humility, kindness, benevolence, empathy, generosity, truth, compassion, and faith. The same fight is going on inside you–and inside every other person, too.”
The grandson thought about it for a minute and then asked his grandfather: “Which wolf will win?”
end quote.
So when the wolf pounces on your lamb, just ignore the pitiful bleating and remind yourself that this is a democracy, where every sheep can freely express its preference for which kind of wolf it wants to be eaten by. Many sheep, perhaps understandably, prefer a wolf in sheep’s clothing, which is after all the basic idea of democracy. So far it has worked pretty well. The wolves all agree on that, and they want to spread democracy everywhere.
Joseph Sobran
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Abu / April 5, 2020
Can’t we get an action for this. Not only Derana, Alwis, Aluthgamage, includimg Hiru team.. if so how?
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Tin Tin / April 8, 2020
Radical ideas, there is nothing radical in your ideas, only racist venom and wickedness and eagerness to impose your religious ideas on others. There is no denying that Sinhala Buddhist supremacists like Mahindanada, Gota and Vimal Weerawansa and their hench iyyas such as Chathura are nothin but racists of the highest order. But your diatribe indicate that you have a holier than thou attitude and a disposition against all other ethnicities. You insist on special burial rites which under the current circumstances are detrimental to the entire population, just because your Prophet or somebody had propounded it. Non Muslims are not interested in what your Quran or Hadees says and are not bound by such crap.
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