Muslim religious leaders in Sri Lanka have expressed fresh concerns over ethnic amity in the wake of Saturday’s attack on a mosque in Colombo.
The international community would expect Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa to act with resolve and commitment in promoting national reconciliation after several years of conflict that claimed the lives of young soldiers and innocent civilians.
Effective action is required to end religious-based violence in Sri Lanka.
Lukewarm measures taken by law enforcement agencies on previous occasions seem to have emboldened some extremist groups that have been targeting Muslim interests in the island nation.
Rajapaksa and the ruling coalition headed by him can have electoral consequences, now and possibly later, if the government fails to root out ethnic hatred.
In recent months, hard-line Buddhist groups have mounted a campaign against Muslim and Christian targets. Many Muslim countries including Saudi Arabia and Pakistan are staunch supporters of the Sri Lankan government. Pakistan provided crucial military aid to Sri Lanka to defeat separatist Tamil insurgents. It is hoped the government in Colombo is mindful of the negative publicity generated by communal violence.
During the war, the worst violence against Sri Lankan Muslims came at the hands of the Tamil Tigers. But after the fighting came to a bloody end with the defeat of the insurgents in 2009, it seems that majority communal passions have found a new target in the Muslim minority. This is an unfortunate development.
Sri Lankan Muslims have remained largely loyal to the state during the conflict with Tiger separatists.
Radical Buddhists recently forced Muslim religious leaders in Sri Lanka to withdraw halal certification from food sold locally. Due to intense pressure, halal certification was abolished and the announcement was greeted by firecrackers in some parts of the island.
Many Sri Lankans feel there are now uncomfortable echoes of the 1983 pogroms, when Sinhala violence against Tamils precipitated the war.
Muslim countries and global Islamic organizations must support Sri Lankan government’s efforts to promote national harmony. Sri Lanka needs durable peace and social stability to advance its economic goals. — S. Ashraf, Dammam
Concern over Colombo violence
