PM says govt. has not granted Israeli tourists permission to establish synagogues

By Saman Indrajith

Colombo District MP Mujibur Rahuman raised concerns in Parliament yesterday about operations of Israel’s national intelligence agency, Mossad, in Sri Lanka. He warned that they posed a serious threat to the country’s national security.

“Mossad’s presence in Sri Lanka will never be a good thing. It is a direct threat to our national security,” Rahuman said during the ‘Ask the PM’ question session in Parliament.

Rahuman alleged that Mossad agents were establishing Israeli cultural and religious centres, including synagogues, across the country, with permission from the Ministry of Defence. STF security had been provided to them, he claimed.

According to Rahuman, several such centres had already been built or were under construction in areas with a considerable Muslim presence such as Weligama, Dehiwala and Colombo.

“There is no issue with setting up synagogues if we had Jewish communities here. But Sri Lanka does not have a significant Jewish population to justify this. This is Mossad’s involvement,” Rahuman claimed.

This development jeopardizes our international relations and undermine our long-standing position on Palestine,” he warned.

Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya said that the government had not granted approval for the establishment of ‘synagogues’ by Israeli tourists.

She said that the Ministry of Buddhasasana, Religious and Cultural Affairs, or its Departments, had not granted such permission.

“These centres are not permitted. We will intervene in this matter very soon.

However, we were prompted to provide them with security, following intelligence on the Arugam Bay incident. That is our country’s responsibility towards tourists, and not permission to set up illegal centres,” the Prime Minister said.

Reiterating that the government had not given approval for such establishments, the PM revealed that discussions were underway to address the matter.

The Prime Minister noted that a total of 25,514 Israelis visited Sri Lanka in 2024.

“No laws in Sri Lanka allow foreigners to come here on tourist visas and engage in business activities. This has become a common occurrence the world over. We have identified this as an issue,” she said.

The family of slain editor Lasantha Wickrematunge has expressed hope that the government led by Anura Kumara Dissanayake will uncover the truth behind the crime, and deliver justice.

Speaking at the Borella Cemetery during a memorial event marking the 16th anniversary of Wickrematunge’s killing, his brother, Lal Wickrematunge, highlighted the lack of progress under previous administrations. “There have been four governments since Lasantha’s death, but none had the political will to investigate the incident,” he said.

Lal said that the current JVP/NPP government had pledged to pursue justice not only for Lasantha but also for several other high-profile cases that have remained unresolved.

He recounted the investigation’s history, stating that the case had been initially handled by the Terrorism Investigation Division (TID) amid speculation that the LTTE was involved. However, following the regime change in 2015, the family’s lawyer had got the case transferred to the CID.

“The CID investigation uncovered significant details, including the names and addresses of those involved in the murder,” Lal said, crediting former CID officer Shani Abeysekera for the progress made at the time.

 Lal expressed confidence that with Abeysekera’s return to the CID, under the current government, there is no need to restart the investigation. “It is simply a matter of completing the work that has already been done,” he said.

(UCAN) The Government’s plan to deport 104 Rohingya refugees, who were detained last month, back to Myanmar has triggered condemnation from rights groups and political opposition.

The uproar began after Ananda Wijepala, Minister of Public Security and Parliamentary Affairs, on Jan. 3, said the government is considering deporting Rohingya refugees, all Muslims, who arrived via sea route last month.

Wijepala’s statement said his government began discussing the issue with Myanmar authorities, and deportation can occur only after the legal process.

On Dec. 23, the government, through an official gazette, designated an Air Force facility as a temporary ‘Detention Center’ for the refugees.

Arun Hemachandra, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Employment, earlier said that based on preliminary investigations, the government suspects the refugees could be victims of human smuggling.

However, Hemachandra said the refugees were rescued and accepted as per the international conventions, to which Sri Lanka is a signatory.

His comment came after the refugees arrived on the Sri Lanka coast in a country boat. The 12 people who allegedly brought the refugees were charged under human trafficking laws in Sri Lanka.

Human rights activist Ruki Fernando, who criticized the government plan, also accused the government of denying him access to the refugees despite weeks of attempts.

The government also did not even allow the media to know the condition of the refugees, he alleged.

Fernando told UCA News that the government cannot simply turn away the refugees even if they arrived on the island as suspected trafficking victims.

“They are stateless people who are not recognized by the Myanmar authorities. How can we send them back to a country, which doesn’t recognize them as citizens and from where they fled. Are we going to send them back to sea?” asked Fernando.

Mujibur Rahman, a Muslim parliamentarian from the opposition alliance, Samagi Jana Balawegaya (United People’s Power), also criticized the government plan.

Rahman recently wrote to President Anura Kumara Dissanayake not to deport the people who are seeking refuge in Sri Lanka from the prosecution of Myanmar’s ruling military junta.

“This is about their survival… We cannot simply send them back,” Rahman wrote, urging Dissanayake to show Sri Lanka’s commitment to protecting human rights and communal harmony.

Sri Lankan navy and fishermen rescued the refugees on Dec. 20 on Sri Lanka’s northern coast at Mullivaikaal. The refugees include 25 children.

Media reports say their asylum applications are currently being processed by the UN Refugee Agency, UNHCR.

A senior Catholic Church official declined to comment on the issue when UCA News contacted.