Muslims Condemn Abuse And Threats Against Women From Within The Community For Advocating MMDA Reforms

November 18, 2016

A cross section of Muslims have banded together to unequivocally condemn the recent threats against women activists who have been involved in recent campaigns to reform the Muslim personal laws.

In a statement issued today, signed by over 100 Muslims from Sri Lanka, comprising of professionals, academics, including Lawyers, social activists, teachers, lecturers, corporate leaders, journalists, authors, researchers, and mosque trustees, said that “We the undersigned Muslims categorically condemn the abuse, threat and intimidation perpetrated by some within the community against Muslim women activists who have been involved in recent campaigns to reform Muslim personal laws.”

According to the statement, women activists across Sri Lanka have come under threat, from some Muslim individuals and groups, in the last few weeks for advocating changes to the Muslim Marriage and Divorce Act (MMDA). “Abusive anonymous phone calls warning activists to ensure their wives, sisters and daughters refrain from pursuing this campaign have been received by family members of women activists. Muslim women activists have also been named and abused in social media campaigns. These attacks, abuse and intimidation are organised and targeted against specific women’s rights activists,” the statement said.

“Such targeted and organised attacks against Muslim women activists are unacceptable and must cease immediately. We as Muslims have always condemned the use of violence, threats and intimidation. We stood united against such intimidation when used against members of our community by nationalist Buddhist groups and will therefore not accept the use of such tactics by members of our own community. We continue to assert Islam is a peaceful religion, tolerant and accepting of diversity, and will resolve differences through peaceful means,” the statement said.
The statement clarified that women’s groups have not suggested the Muslim Personal Laws to be repealed, but have only emphasised that they be reformed to protect the rights of women and girls.

“We recognise differing views within the community on the extent of reform, but there is broad acceptance that the law has to be reformed. We therefore call on all religious and civil society groups within the community to come together and engage in wide ranging discussions and so we may reach consensus on the nature of the reform.

Finally, we recognise the yeoman service done by these women activists who have tirelessly struggled for the rights of Muslims at great risk to their lives. They have dedicated their lives to help uplift sections of our community and have campaigned and advocated for minority rights, freedom of religion, political, civil and socio-economic rights of Muslims,” the statement said.

The undersigned said that they will not support or condone violence, abuse or intimidation in the name of Islam. “We ask those involved in such acts to immediately stop it and engage with this reform process in a democratic and consensual manner,” the statement added.

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