Post Easter Attacks: Conspiracy To Demonise & Alienate Muslims – Toxic!

By Mohamed Harees –JUNE 6, 2019

Lukman Harees

The drama and media circus which surrounded the ‘fast unto death’ campaign of Ven Athuraliye Rathana Thero, the robed UNP MP, outside the Sri Dalada Maligawa, demanding the removal of Minister Rishard Bathiudeen, and two Governors was interesting in many counts, apart from causing grave concern for the  besieged Muslim community. Interesting, because Ven. Thero has shown up after a long silence in the political field; he was in deep slumber, even when the country was engulfed in an existential (constitutional) crisis last year. Interesting that the Thero did not decide to fast unto death if the both the President and his government did not resign and/or answer for the clear lapses in security and failure to take preventive action after receiving precise prior warning of the terror attacks. Interesting, because his political project to exploit the Post-21-04 sensitivities to gain political prominence was clear as Emperor’s clothes to everyone except those who feign sleep. It was none other than his erstwhile Sangha colleague Ven Galagoda Atte Gnanasara who chose to expose him as such, at a subsequent BBS media conference after making a media circus earlier at the site, threatening to cause mayhem and ignite fireworks across the country if Ven. Rathana’s demands were not met. So, is it a battle for ‘Sangha Raju’ title among the grass root Sinhala population? One may ask! Interesting that Ven Gnanasara chose to make his demands on the person who pardoned him arbitrarily (Sirisena) against all legal norms and also seeking the resignation of Governor Salley who visited him regularly and agitated for his release. Interestingly, none of the main political leaders from both sides of the political divide appeared to visit the fasting monk. Interesting that the govt. did not want to use emergency regulations powers to disperse thousands of an emotionally charged crowds with a clear anti-Muslim and Islamophobia agenda in mind. 

To my mind, the joint decision of the Muslim Ministers and both Governors to resign from their posts in the best interests of the country and considering the security of the Muslims, was praiseworthy and was a smart stroke taking the wind off the sails of the political conspirators. It will provide an opportunity to undertake any investigations in the light of many wild allegations being thrown at some of them. The Parliament through a NCM cannot investigate or decide on anyone’s culpability; the law enforcement can. Even Bathiurdeen in a well delivered speech in Parliament, indicated that he is prepared even to face a death sentence if proved guilty, and asked those who are calling for his blood not to kill the dignity of his community in the public domain. Although the opinion about the Muslim political parties and politicians has been by and large adverse, this joint decision earned much praise from within the community. Even the decision of the Muslim political parties to keep away from shady corrupt deals during the October 2108 Constitutional crisis too was admired. Whatever it may be, in these nasty political games, the Muslims are being used as a football, demonised and alienated for the inhuman acts of a fringe group they condemned and disowned at every turn. This approach is risky business for a country attempting to recover from the wounds of a 30-year-old war and recently from a terrible terror tragedy and hate attacks which have been posing immense challenges for national reconciliation and to build an inclusive Sri Lanka. 

In the Britain’s context, Lady Warsi, a former Conservative party chairperson, in 2011 said; ‘Islamophobia has “passed the dinner-table test” and become widely socially acceptable in Britain. Terrorist offences committed by a small number of Muslims should not be used to condemn all who follow Islam. Those who commit criminal acts of terrorism in our country need to be dealt with not just by the full force of the law. They also should face social rejection and alienation across society and their acts must not be used as an opportunity to tar all Muslims. Islamophobia is Britain’s bigotry blind-spot’. Does it ring a bell in Sri Lanka too?

When the ISIS wreaked havoc on innocent people hiding behind religious labels, they had a clear plan in mind. As Arie Kruglanski, a professor of psychology at the University of Maryland who studies how people become terrorists, says,’ to provoke communities to commit actions against Muslims. Then ISIS will be able to say, ‘I told you so. These are your enemies, and the enemies of Islam.’ Extremist groups feed off of alienation, some counterterrorism experts say, and Islamist militants deliberately aim to make Muslims in the West feel isolated and turn against their own communities.’. In the Western context, Jocelyn Bélanger, a psychology professor at the University of Quebec in Montreal who collaborated with Kruglanski says, ‘When people feel a loss of significance, when they are humiliated, that propels them to join a radical group. Attacks escalate tensions between Muslims and non-Muslims. They already lead to some anti-Muslim activity and probably provoke more. Not only will these events make Muslims in the West feel marginalized, but they will also provide extremist propagandists with examples of Western oppression. As a society if we are to move forward, we will have to stay united. If we become more self-centered, if we exclude and alienate minorities, we play right into their hands.”. Again how relevant indeed to our local scenario?; if  only the rulers wake up and reflect! 

Sectarian violence is not new in Sri Lanka. Former Prime Minister of Singapore, Lee Kuan Yew said in his book, From Third World to First: ‘In 1965, we had 20 years of examples of FAILED states. So, we knew what to avoid – racial conflict, linguistic strife, religious conflict. We saw Ceylon. SWRD Bandaranaike’s promise to make Sinhalese the national language and Buddhism the national religion was the start of the UNRAVELLING of Ceylon.I was surprised when, three years later, he was assassinated by a Buddhist monk. I thought it ironic that a Buddhist monk, dissatisfied with the country’s slow rate of progress in making Buddhism the national religion, should have done it.Over the years, I watched a promising country go to waste. Sri-Lanka has failed because it had weak or wrong leaders’.

Read More