Unity Amongst Muslim Politicians, Need Of The Hour
By Aboobacker Rameez -June 19, 2014
Dr. Aboobacker Rameez
altercation involving a driver of monk and two Muslim youth did not cause for the Aluthgama riot. However, such a personal altercation politically and racially exploited by BBS and its thugs metamorphosed into a communal riot between Sinhalese and Muslims, following a rally and protest march going through the Muslim majority area. Much of the discourses on Aluthgama riot pinpoint the fact that irreparable damage caused not only to the innocent lives of Muslims, but to their properties worth millions and billions, places of worship-mosques, and houses could have been thwarted had law enforcement authorities acted swiftly or stymied the protest march held by the BBS marching through the Muslim majority area, chanting slogans against Muslims and inviting troubles. In fact, the speech made by Ven Galagodaaththe Gnanasara Thero at the rally was full of venom arousing the sentiments of Sinhala Buddhists against the Muslims. It is also reported that the curfew that was enforced to contain the violence had only confined the Muslims indoors while BBS thugs were seen looting and torching the houses and business establishments of Muslims in Aluthgama and Beruwala area. This suggests that the government and law enforcement authorities are complicit in what turned out to be a crisply outrageous pogrom against Muslims in Aluthgama. This point was further proven yesterday as even the most powerful in the country, His Excellency The President of Sri Lanka Mahinda Rajapaksa was not able to utter a word against or for that matter even condemn the actions of the ‘Bodu Bala Sena’ or the vitriolic speech made by its General Secretary Ven Galagodaaththe Gnanasara Thero at the meeting organised at the Beruwela Divisional Secretary office with the participation of both Buddhist and Muslim religious leaders. Read More
