Tame Rising Militant Racism Before It Tames The Government And The Country
By Latheef Farook –June 12, 2016
Latheef Farook
Isn’t it time that the government and the mainstream Sinhalese community wake up and tame militant racist mercenaries before they tame the government and turn the country into a killing field?
It appears that racist mercenaries who persecuted Muslims during Mahinda Rajapaksa regime seem to be raising their heads to destabilise President Maithripala Sirisena’s government. Perhaps they are trying to help defeated political forces to stage a comeback by trying to exploit the unstable political and economic situation especially in view of the government’s failure or refusal to fulfil its promises.
This also includes the government’s failure to pass the much talked about and expected hate speech bill which could deter racist elements.
During the past months few militant racists who do not represent mainstream Sinhalese community or Buddhism as they claim, have started violent attacks on Muslims, especially their religious and educational institutions.
Protest against te construction of a junior school in Dambawinna-Welimada
It is common knowledge that these racists, suspected to have been funded by local and foreign forces hostile to Muslims, have been used by Rajapaksa regime and foreign forces to unleash violence on Muslims in violation of the very same teachings of Buddhism they claim to profess and protect.
The atrocities they committed on Muslims during Rajapaksa regime remain fresh in the minds of all. Muslims too set aside their sufferings and began to rebuild their lives under the peaceful environment brought in by President Sirisena’s government. They didn’t even call for a commission to probe into these shameful activities during Rajapaksa regime.
Racists remained subdued ever since Maithripala Sirisena was elected as president on 8 January 2015. Now they seem to be raising their heads.
Minaret issue in Kandy Mosque
A group of people led by Buddhist monks protested against the construction of a minaret at a mosque in Kandy stating that it will be taller than the Tooth Relic Temple. Called Line Mosque and built in 1860, in close proximity to Central Market, the mosque is located in a low area. The top most point of the minaret, on completion, will be far below the ground level of the Tooth Relic Temple and even much below the adjoining building complex.
Thus the protest led by militant monks and lay people on 05.06.2016 in front of the mosque is simply based on fiction. Threatening the Muslims a Buddhist monk addressing the crowd said “let them raise an inch in the minaret we will take care of them! “.
