Calculated Attack On Grandpass Mosque
Latheef Farook
Latest step in the build up to commemorate anniversary of 1915 Sinhala Muslim Riots with July 83 type attacks on Muslims?
The timely settlement of the dispute over the mosque at the Swarna Chaithiya Mawatha averted a potentially disastrous conflict which had all the ingredients to turn the area into a killing field. This could have even spilled over to other parts of the country.
This farsighted and generous gesture, in the true spirit of Buddhist teachings, included the cutting of the nearby Bo tree and offering Muslims to pray in the temple “Banamaduwa”, (preaching hall)l need to be admired by Muslims all peace loving citizens of this country.
This is the need of the hour in a country which was torn apart due to a few hundred Buddhist extremist’s reckless attacks vandalizing mosques, Muslim owned businesses and a vicious hostile media campaign poisoning the minds of main stream Sinhalese against Muslims.
If peaceful solution is possible following violent attacks on the mosque this could have also been possible without violence. This is what we all should strive to achieve.
The attack on the Grandpass mosque came weeks after hooligans vandalized the Mahiyangana Mosque when they threw a slaughtered pig, its body parts together with organs and blood inside the prayer area.
Widespread suspicion among knowledgeable Muslims today is that these Buddhist extremists are preparing the mainstream Sinhalese to justify a major July 83 type attack on Muslims to commemorate the 1915 riots.
Today the island’s Muslim community remains a deeply frustrated lot. During the recent past they were subjected to severe attacks and harassments. Three years ago they were attacked by very well organized “grease yakkas, during the holy month of Ramadan.Read More
