COLOMBO, June 14 (Xinhua) -- Sri Lanka's cabinet has decided to take stern action against groups promoting hate among communities, the foreign ministry said on Wednesday.
A foreign ministry statement said the coalition government headed by President Maithripala Sirisena reaffirmed its commitment, in accordance with the mandates received from the people at the Presidential elections in January and Parliamentary elections of August 2015, to ensure that Sri Lanka never again returns to a conflict-ridden past, and instead resolve to guiding the nation towards reconciliation, sustainable peace, and economic progress.
"Communal, ethnic and religious hatred and violence have no place in the society that we strive to build. In this context, we are deeply concerned by the recent incidents of violence targeting places of religious worship, shops and business enterprises, and houses. We denounce in the strongest terms, these acts of violence and hatred, including incidents of hate speech by certain individuals and groups aimed at inciting violence against the different ethnic and religious communities in our country. We are deeply saddened by the destruction of property and loss of livelihoods as a result of recent incidents, and the pain of mind and fear caused to individuals," a cabinet statement released by the foreign ministry said.
The cabinet affirmed that hate filled expressions and actions by individuals and groups with vested interests, resulting in demeaning, denigrating and inciting violence against fellow citizens of various ethnic, religious backgrounds has no place in Sri Lankan society.
While reaffirming the government's commitment to reconciliation, peace building, peaceful co-existence, and the rule of law, the cabinet directed the law enforcement authorities to immediately take all necessary steps in accordance with the law, against instigators and perpetrators of violence and hate speech targeting any religious and ethnic groups in the country.
