Violence Directed Against The Muslim & Other “Minority” Communities
Dr. Upatissa Pethiyagoda
With Hitler, Prabakaran, Dictatorships, LTTE and Sinhala Buddhism cluttering political discourse, and a visible resurgence of indiscipline, things do not portend well for integration, reconciliation and progress. Hypocrisy all round us is dominant. The terror unleashed and suffered by the previous dispensation and the nearly thirty-year period of extreme horror, have apparently not taught us much. The rumblings of imminent disaster are all too real. Incendiary and hateful speech is still prevalent. No sector is innocent. Prompt action is vital.
We marked the end of the Moslems holy month of Ramadan fasting. Eid al Fitr celebrates the occasion with Ifthar Banquets .Our political big-shots rivaled each other in hosting the event at the plushest hotels. The hospitality is not of the host but on State (that is yours and mine) Funds. It should be an opportunity to reflect upon the place of Muslims within the World Order and how it impacts on us.
In so doing, we can only deplore the violence directed some time ago at the Muslim community, beginning with the Beruwela and Darga Town incidents, and surfacing subsequently at Ampara, Digana, Akurana and other places in proximity to Kandy. While condemning this barbaric behavior most vehemently, we may re-visit these events to seek possible reasons that may underlie the violence. Mercifully, the heat has subsided. Complacency cannot be allowed to obscure reality, and the incidents should serve as an opportunity to realistically assess the causes and seek possible remedies. However painful, this is the only rational way to heal the wounds, dispel misconceptions and prevent recurrence. It is simply unwise to ignore the causes for this enmity and pretend that nothing untoward has happened. This will only mean that we trot along to the next disaster.
Signs are that rumblings are still there and could lead to disaster if not addressed urgently and vigorously curbed. If the media is correct, there are dark hints. As usual, politicians are the main culprits. In Jaffna there are moves to prevent alleged settlement of Sinhala persons, in Wilpattu, protected lands are being raped to accommodate Muslims displaced by LTTE terrorists and we are told of similar attempts elsewhere.
All too often, violence erupts from fears, real or imagined. The inconvenient reality is that perceptions and prejudice often over-ride facts and figures. Popular perceptions are often wrong and supported by questionable “evidence”. While rejecting the plainly absurd – such as the male sterility story, it is only reasonable that other concerns be sensibly addressed. In our context, it must be admitted that certain practices could inflame emotions among misguided zealots, ever ready to exploit an over-heated opportunity. In this matter, a major responsibility lies with the Moslem Leadership. They should, jointly with representatives of the majority community, seek sensible ways to eliminate any provocative factors that may have prompted the resort to violence. It must be admitted that some anxieties and ill-will do exist. This is an attempt to identify some potential flash points – whether justified or not.
It has been pointed out that one of the worst things that a minority wishing to integrate with a majority could do, is to set itself apart by residence (Ghettos), dress, occupation or custom. Thus Moslem ladies who identify themselves by black uniform cloaks, Hindus with ash or pottus on foreheads, while perfectly within their rights, may be seen by misguided extremists as an alien threat. Particularly during periods of heightened emotion, a genuine bonding with the majority would be prudent insurance.
It is worth reflecting on the existence in all religions, the twin factors of philosophy (or content) and ritual (or symbolism). Buddhism labels them as “Prathipatti puja” (respect to the teachings: spiritual) and “Amisa Puja” (adherence to custom: material). These are not mutually exclusive, but more correctly, symbiotic or even synergistic. There is remarkable congruence and commonality in the underlying rules of conduct laid down in the different religions that we profess. They are best encapsulated in the universal injunction, “Do unto others as you will that others do unto you”.
As a Buddhist, I feel more at ease being critical of my own. In our tutoring, we often learn to parrot Stanzas (or Gathas), without an understanding of what they mean. I have been made aware that in his final words, addressed to Bhikkhu Ananda, he said “The best homage to the Buddha is to follow the Dhamma” .It is incumbent on the Buddhists to critically examine our present day practices in the light of this advice. The Kalama Suthra was also a brilliant exposition of the true role of custom and teaching. In a remarkable exposition of enlightenment, the Buddha was bold enough to encourage critical evaluation of even his own teachings. There is thus no such concept as “blasphemy”. How much more liberal can anyone get?
