Sri Lankan President appoints controversial monk-led task force for ‘One Country, One Law’ – Times of India

Colombo: Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa has appointed a 13-member task force, headed by a staunch Buddhist monk known for his anti-Muslim stance, to explore the concept of ‘one country, one law’ in the island nation. for installation and preparation. a draft act.
‘One country, one law’ was Rajapaksa’s election slogan in 2019, when he was elected president with overwhelming support from the country’s Buddhist majority.
The task force, appointed by President Rajapaksa through a special gazette to establish the ‘one country, one law’ concept, is headed by staunch Buddhist monk Galagodatha Gyanasara, which has become a symbol of anti-Muslim hatred in the country.
The Bodu Bala Sena (BBS) or force of Buddhist power, of Gyansara, was implicated in the anti-Muslim riots in 2013.
The task force also has four Muslim scholars as members but no representation is allowed for minority Tamils.
According to the gazette released on Tuesday, it has been entrusted with the task of drafting the implementation of the concept of ‘one nation, one law’.
A final report is to be submitted by February 28, 2022, followed by a monthly report to President Rajapaksa on its progress.
Article 168(1) of the Constitution provides that all existing laws shall be read under the new constitution.
However, Article 16(1) provides that notwithstanding any inconsistency with the Chapter on Fundamental Rights, all existing laws shall be valid and effective.
The concept of ‘one country, one law’ was promoted by the ruling Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) to gain the support of the Sinhalese majority to counter rising Islamic extremism.
Attempts to practice Sharia law in the country have been opposed by nationalist groups, saying it promotes Muslim extremism.
The campaign gained further momentum after the 2019 Easter suicide attack, which killed over 270 people, including 11 Indians. The attack was blamed on the extremist Islamic group National Thowheed Jamaat (NTJ).
Nine suicide bombers belonging to the local Islamic extremist group NTJ linked to ISIS carried out a series of bombings at three churches and the same number of luxury hotels in Sri Lanka, killing more than 270 people and injuring over 500 on April 21, 2019. .
The Buddhist-majority nation was about to mark a decade since the end of the 37-year-long Tamil separatist war in May 2009, when the 2019 bombings rocked the country.