An Open Letter to the President : Practice What You Preach By Chandra Jayarathna

Dear Mr. President,

“You must be the change you want to see in the world”

The Sri Lankan Lion roared at the 69th Session of the UN General Assembly reminding the global community that “…, in order to gain the confidence and goodwill of the international community as a whole, but one of the essential requirements was consistency of standards across the board without any perceptions of selectivity or discrimination. It is in this context that the current functioning of the system needs fresh examination in order to enhance its credibility. To be successful, this process must involve de-politicisation of the UN System and mechanisms and they must stop being hostage to different forms of funding…”
An Open Letter to the President Practice What You Preach by Chandra Jayarathna by Thavam

Tamil journalists worldwide call for investigation into Paris assassination attempt 27 September 2014 The International Association of Tamil Journalists (IATAJ) called on French authorities to investigate the attempted assassination of a senior official of the Tamil Media House in Paris on September 18, and ensure the security of Tamil journalists working in France.  The official was shot at by a masked gunman, before receiving death threats, warning him to stop running the organisation or face death. The France based Tamil Media House, which runs the widely read Eelamurasu newspaper, as well as two Tamil diaspora websites: www.sankathi24.com and www.tamilkathir.com, has been forced to shut down as a result.  "International Association of Tamil Journalists (IATAJ) vehemently condemns the intimidation and attempted murder of a senior official of the Tamil Media House in Paris by an unknown gunman by his home on 18 September 2014," the group said in a statement released Thursday.  "IATAJ hopes the French government which protects and promotes media freedom and independent journalism will conduct a comprehensive investigation into this incident and take immediate action where necessary and ensure the security of the Tamil journalists and their freedom of expression in France," it added.  See here for full statement.   See related article: Tamil Media House forced to shut down after assassination attempt on senior official (23 Sep 2014)

SRI LANKA: FORTY NEW CASES OF POST-WAR TORTURE DOCUMENTED IN PAST 8 MONTHS

September 24, 2014

Some of the almost 50,000 files of torture survivors referred to Freedom from Torture (REUTERS/Dylan Martinez)

In light of its latest evidence, published today, Freedom from Torture is calling on Sri Lanka to allow free and unfettered access to the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights as a matter of urgency and for the new Commissioner Prince Zeid Ra'ad Zeid al-Hussein to include ongoing torture in his investigations.

Freedom from Torture is one of the world's largest torture rehabilitation centres, providing psychological treatment and other services to over 1000 torture survivors each year.

As the new High Commissioner prepares to update the Human Rights Council on the Sri Lanka inquiry, the medical charity revealed that in the last eight months its doctors have documented 40 new cases of post-war torture perpetrated between 2009 and 2013. Of these new cases:

• 13 date from 2013
• 10 date from 2012
• 7 date from 2011, 2 from 2010 and 8 from 2009

Added to the organisation's previously released data, this means that Freedom from Torture has now forensically documented* 160 cases of individuals tortured since Sri Lanka's civil war ended in 2009.

The overwhelming majority of these cases are ethnic Tamils, and the key factor that led to their detention and torture appears to be a real, or perceived, connection to the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) – either their own, or that of a family member or acquaintance.

Of these 160 cases, 35 were detained and tortured in 2012 and 2013. In 2013, as in 2012, Sri Lanka was the top referral country to Freedom from Torture for torture cases with almost a quarter of all referrals to the organisation comprising Sri Lankan nationals.

Dr Juliet Cohen, head of doctors at Freedom from Torture, said:

"Our doctors are seeing first-hand that targeted torture continues in Sri Lanka. We are treating individuals displaying physical and psychological consequences of torture techniques that regularly include suffocation and sexual torture, and presenting with horrific scarring caused by 'branding' with hot metal rods – a technique that ensures an individual can be easily identified by the authorities in the future."

Susan Munroe, Chief Executive, Freedom from Torture, said:

"The forensic reports our doctors produce indicate strongly that torture is still very much part of the Sri Lankan's government's repression machinery almost five years after the end of conflict. This cannot be ignored. While the UN inquiry into human rights violations and possible war crimes during the closing stages of the civil war is a vital step towards accountability, the international community must face up to the reality that abuses continue today.

"The Council should mandate the UN High Commissioner to specifically include a focus on ongoing torture in his inquiry and Sri Lanka should allow him free and unfettered access to conduct it urgently."

Opting Out Of Sri Lanka And The Tamil Homeland

By Rajan Hoole -September 27, 2014 

Dr. Rajan Hoole

Border Aggression and Civilian Massacres – Part 2

The 1972 Republican Constitution of Mrs. Bandaranaike’s United Front govern- ment, which included the LSSP and CP, was a turning point in the Tamil question. The new Constitution took a hard-line approach to the Tamils. It removed even Section 29 of the Soulbury Constitution, which provided at least a psychological guarantee to the minorities by barring discrimination on grounds of group af- filiation. The youth were in a militant mood and the stress was on opting out of the Sri Lankan mainstream and safeguarding the Northern and Eastern Provinces as the homeland of the Tamils.

In one instance of communal violence in the Delta and Sanquahar estates, the attacking mobs were shouting “Victory to Jayaratne”. The latter was then MP for Gampola and recently the General Secretary of the SLFP. For the first time, Sri Lanka witnessed scenes of starvation with Tamil labour rummaging through dustbins in the hill country towns and in Colombo too.

Uppermost in their mind was the safeguarding of territory against planned state sponsored colonisation by Sinhalese.

The nationalisation of the British owned plantations in the mid-1970s resulted in dislocation of services to Tamil plantation labour. This was accompanied by some violence in which the plantation families were thrown out of their line rooms onto the streets. A combination of these led to starvation and vagrancy. In one instance of communal violence in the Delta and Sanquahar estates, the attacking mobs were shouting “Victory to Jayaratne”. The latter was then MP for Gampola and recently the General Secretary of the SLFP. For the first time, Sri Lanka witnessed scenes of starvation with Tamil labour rummaging through dustbins in the hill country towns and in Colombo too. A doctor in a provincial hospital confided that when these folk died of starvation, their instructions were to certify the cause as malnutrition. In one pro- vincial town at least the folk on the streets in search of food were forced into lorries by the authorities and dumped in the wild to clear the town of their presence. Many of them went in search of a new life in the Northern and East- ern Provinces. Tamils at all levels helped them to settle down on mainly permit lands (see Sul- len Hills, our Special Report No.4).Read More

Astrologers to decide date for presidential election

 Black cats are considered bad luck in some cultures

SATURDAY, 27 SEPTEMBER 2014 

According to political sources the official announcement regarding the next presidential election would be issued on 19th November, the day the Present President completes four years after being sworn in.

Most probably the election would be held on 8th January say sources though the final decision would be taken according to views of astrologers.

The propaganda campaign of Mr. Mahinda Rajapaksa for the election has been already launched and a propaganda office for the election has already been opened at Gregory’s road in Colombo.

Sobhitha Thera and CBK to meet
September 27, 2014
With the government deciding to call for a snap presidential election in the wake of the Uva Provincial Council elections, the Opposition is exploring avenues to find a suitable Presidential candidate.
 
With the gains made by the UNP, at the Uva elections, the Party has hailed its defeat as a victory. The convener of the Movement for a Just Society, Ven. Maduluwawe Sobhitha Thera however stated that the Uva results do not necessarily mean the UNP will be victorious at a future election.
 
Thus, he insisted that it was imperative to find a common candidate for the upcoming presidential election.
In line with this statement, the Thera is to hold decisive talks with former President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga and JVP Leader Anura Kumara Dissanayake in the next couple of days.
 

The talks are scheduled to be held on 8 October. Whether the discussions would be held separately, with each party, or together has not been confirmed. The talks will focus on building a common Opposition front for a future presidential election. A final decision on the matter is to be announced by mid October.
 

In the meantime, the Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC) and the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) are to hold talks regarding a common candidate next week. They will also discuss the possibility of joining hands with Sobhitha Thera.
Sobhitha Thera is thus working towards bringing all parties in the Opposition under one umbrella and his goal is call for a conference of a joint Opposition. It is also learnt that several UNP MPs, who support this vision of the Thera, have already held secret talks with him.

Uva effect and the presidency

September 27, 2014  

Analysts, commentators and readers in general should check the results of the 1982 and 1994 presidential elections. Despite an 8% growth rate, the Mahaweli program, a five-sixth majority in parliament and the deprivation of Mrs. B’s civic rights, the legendary J.R. Jayewardene won only 52+% of the vote, in what is regarded as a great victory.

Uva Effect and the Presidency by Thavam

Muslim Population Problem (continued) Sri 

Lankan Muslims at the cross roads – 18

 

by Izeth Hussain-September 26, 2014

I will now substantiate the point I made earlier: the expectation that the Muslims will outnumber all the others and come to dominate the globe within decades is no more than an expression of Islamophobia, which is really a form of racism. That apocalyptic projection is made on the basis of distortions, blatant lies, and zany logic. I have at hand an outrageous example of that zany logic, but before providing it I must make a necessary clarification. Populations usually grow for two reasons: through natural increase, that is the difference between births and deaths, and migration. However a religious group can also grow, sometimes on a massive scale, through conversions. The important point for my present purpose is that we have to be wary in drawing conclusions about population increase through migration. When say a hundred thousand Muslims migrate to Canada, it certainly means that Canada’s Muslim population increases by a hundred thousand. It certainly does not mean that the world’s Muslim population has increased by a hundred thousand. All that has happened is that a hundred thousand Muslims have moved from one place to another.

Those simple facts have eluded one of my readers who is stuck with the notion that there will be huge increases In Sri Lanka’s Muslim population in forthcoming years, which he sees as part of a global process. In support of that apocalyptic vision he has produced the following UN statistics. Since 1989 Islam in North America increased by 25%. During the same period Islam in Africa increased by 2.15%; in Asia by 12.57%; in Europe by 142.35%; in Latin America it decreased by 4.73%; in Australia and Oceana Pacific it increased by 257.01%. The reader will note that the figures for increases in Islam in different parts of the world are wildly disparate. There has actually been a decrease, not increase, in Latin America, while there has been a very modest increase in Africa of just over 2%, in Asia by just over 12%, and in North America by double that figure. It should be obvious that we can draw no valid conclusions about the increases in global Muslim population from those disparate figures. Next, we must note that Islam increased by over 142% in Europe, and by over 257% in Australia and Oceana Pacific. We have therefore a decrease in Islam at one end and an increase of over 257% at the other end. The explanation of course is that there was massive migration of Muslims to Europe, Australia and other countries, which as I have explained in the preceding paragraph merely meant that huge numbers of Muslims went from one place to another, and not that global Muslim population increased by those huge numbers. But my reader speaks of a "phenomenal increase" which he explains by Islamic polygamy, conversion and higher fecundity. He doesn’t mention migration at all, probably because his mind has been blocked by Islamophobic prejudice. In the process he has provided a striking example of the zany logic behind Islamophobic projections of the Muslims becoming the dominant majorities in Sri Lanka and the rest of the globe within a few decades.

I will now provide a few details from Rajan Philips’ two-part article Politics are getting nuttier in the Sunday Island of August 3 and 10. I must make two points before I provide those details, the first of which is that I prefer to cite others on Islamophobia because anything I say on that subject tends to be taken both by Sinhalese and Tamil Islamophobes as highly suspect because I am a Muslim. My second point is that we Sri Lankan Muslims should acknowledge a deep debt of gratitude to RP for his superb demolition job on Islamophobic idiocy regarding Muslim demography. He writes that paranoia about Muslim population growth began with a 2009 You Tube on Muslim Demographics. The seven and a half minute video was designed to rouse fears among Europeans about an impending takeover of their continent within decades by hordes of Muslim immigrants. "The chimera of Eurabia was born and the myth of Islamic fecundity was implanted in racially receptive minds." The You Tube received 10 million hits in a matter of months and plateaued later at around 15 million hits. A Vatican Cardinal was brought to order after he showed the scurrilous video at a synod of Catholic bishops in Rome. The ripples set off by that video eventually reached Sri Lanka where a lecture was given at Jaffna University on supposedly alarming Muslim population increase.

Rajan Philips provides absolutely convincing data showing up the alarmist nonsense on Muslim population increase. I am not going to reproduce any of that data partly because that will take up much space and more importantly because the facts about the population problem are so well-known. It was thought for several decades after the Second World War that very high population increase in the third world would set off pressures on scarce resources and continue to seriously retard economic development, unless rigorous population control measures are imposed. That bit of conventional wisdom came increasingly under challenge and by the ‘eighties a new commonsensical wisdom on the population problem was established: population control may be necessary or advisable under certain conditions, but as a rule the population growth rate starts declining once an economy reaches a certain level. I recall reading, sometime in the first half of the ’eighties, an excellent essay on that subject by that iconoclastic economist Peter Baur. I have pointed out earlier that the average Muslim family used to have well over five children, but after 1945 the average was between two to four children. That demographic transition among the Muslims took place automatically without any birth control measures being put in place.

Evidently since the ‘eighties of the last century much work has been done on demography and hence we have the more sophisticated theory of Youssef Courbage and Emmanuel Todd in their 2007 book Le rendez-vous des civilisations. Their focus in explaining the dynamics of population is not on the level of economic development but on literacy – as the main factor though not the only one. More specifically their focus is on female literacy, after the advent of which the number of children per family starts reducing. They are able to show, after scrupulous statistical study, that that dynamic applies to Muslims just as much as to adherents of other religions.

Their book is really on the rendez-vous, that is the coming together, of civilisations and is meant to refute the famous thesis of Samuel Huntington on the clash of civilisations. They begin their book with the statement, "Presenting Islam as a religion that is refractory to modernity has become a banal exercise". They continue a couple of paragraphs later – to demonstrate their point about the rendez-vous of civilisations - as follows: "To demonstrate it, we have mobilized the tools of demographic analysis on a grand scale. That reveals in effect, not a divergence, but an ample and rapid convergence of models". After that come two crucially important sentences: "The Muslim world has entered into the demographic revolution, cultural and mental that earlier allowed the development of regions that are today the most advanced. It proceeds in its own way to the point of rendez-vous of a historic process that is far more universal than we have been prepared to admit".

Why is it that after so many decades of expertise on demography, and so much information available on the Islamic world, Islamophobic idiocy on the supposed Islamic time-bomb has come to prevail to the extent that it has? It seems to me that the most probable answer is to be found in racism. The factor of racism in international relations needs serious study. I propose to devote a few paragraphs to the racism that is behind Islamophobia and thereafter deal briskly with the other less important issues that have been bedeviling Sinhalese-Muslim relations.

Sri Lanka Welcomes Terrorist, Spurns Saint

By Niranjan Rambukwella -September 27, 2014

Ahsin Wirathu, leader of the 969 Burmese terrorist movement[1] and self-proclaimed ‘Buddhist bin Laden’[2], landed in Sri Lanka this morning. He will attend the BBS’ so called ‘Great Sangha Council’, undoubtedly voicing his trademark toxic message of hate, violence and terror that unleashed death and destruction on tens of thousands of Burmese Muslims.

The 969, an organization very similar to the BBS, plays a critical role in stoking inter-ethnic conflict in Burma. For example, its influence was inescapable in two recent incidents. The first, in June and October 2012, 969 inspired clashes between Buddhists and Muslims left almost 200 people dead and around 140,000 displaced the great majority of them Muslims.[3] The second, involved a dispute at a shop which led to anti-Muslim violence. The brutal killing of a Buddhist monk sharply escalated the situation, led to riots by a 1,000-strong mob resulting in widespread destruction of Muslim neighbourhoods, and left at least 44 people dead, including twenty students at an Islamic school.[4] The mother of one of the students, said “my son was killed because he was Muslim, nothing else.” [5]

These incidents bring haunting echoes of the recent events at Aluthgama, where at least four were reported dead, 165 injured and 150 buildings burnt by mobs after a BBS rally was held in the town. Over the past two years Sri Lanka’s Muslims have been terrorized by groups like the BBS – they have been subjected to violence, intimidation and hate. Their places of worship have been desecrated, their homes invaded and their security lost. The war’s end has brought greater fear for life and property for Muslims –but not peace.

Post-war Sri Lanka has the opportunity to heal from its bloody past, cut repeating cycles of violence and rebuild harmony, peace and tranquility. Instead of accepting requests from globally respected peaceful saints like the Dalai Lama to visit Sri Lanka[6], the government has encouraged the rise of terrorist groups like the BBS and turned a blind eye to violence against its own citizens. Today, after having refused the Dalai Lama and won a thirty yearlong battle against one of the world’s most sophisticated terrorist organisations, it has allowed a terrorist leader to enter Sri Lanka.

As the government’s popularity dwindles does it need another war to remain in power? Does this government need terrorists and not saints for its survival?

---

[1] http://www.trackingterrorism.org/group/969-movement-wirathu

[2] http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/06/27/us-myanmar-969-specialreport-idUSBRE95Q04720130627

[3] http://www.crisisgroup.org/~/media/Files/asia/south-east-asia/burma-myanmar/251-the-dark-side-of-transition-violence-against-muslims-in-myanmar.pdf

[4] ibid

[5] https://www.colombotelegraph.com/index.php/full-text-of-the-banned-time-story-the-face-of-buddhist-terror/

[6] http://www.sundaytimes.lk/140518/editorial/yes-to-pope-no-to-dalai-lama-99450.html

BBS-Ashin Wirathu Alliance – Is Sri Lanka heading towards a Rohingya type attack on island’s besieged Muslims?

By Latheef Farook- September 27, 2014

The alliance between anti Muslim Sri Lankan racist outfit Bodu Bala Sena and Burma’s   blood thirsty Buddhist Monk Ashin Wiruthu, responsible for slaughtering thousands of Myanmar’s Rohingya Muslims, spells disaster for the island.

BBS-Ashin Wirathu Alliance – is Sri Lanka Heading Towards a Rohingya Type Attack on Island’s Besieged Musli... by Thavam

Despite Concerns Raised By Lankan Muslims, The “Butcher Of Burma” In Sri Lanka

September 27, 2014
Despite concerns raised by Sri Lankan Muslims over the visit of Burmese monk Ashin Wirathu who has been held responsible for spreading racial hatred that led to the murder of thousands of Burmese Muslims,  the monk has arrived in Sri Lanka last night to participate in the summit of Buddhist monks tomorrow, organised by the Bodu Bala Sena (BBS).

BBS Representatives had visited the Bandaranaike International Airport this morning to welcome Wirathu into the country.

Yesterday,  the Sri Lanka Muslim Council raised concerns over the possible visit of Wirathu to Sri Lanka to partake in the summit organised by the extremist group BBS. They pointed out that Wirathu’s participation and his speeches might led to a recurrence of the tragic events that expired in Aluthgama few months ago, similar to what happened due to the speech made by BBS General Secretary Galagoda Atte Gnanasara.

The organisations therefore, urged the government to refrain from granting visa to Wirathu pointing out it would help maintain peaceful co-existence in the country.

Gnanasara however lashed out against the organisations that opposed Wirathu’s visit.

“Venerable Wirathu has not been found guilty of perpetrating any crimes. No one has the right to oppose a visit by any Buddhist leader, particularly not someone of his caliber. Everyone must keep in mind that this is a Sinhala Buddhist country,” he added.

The government of Sri Lanka has granted visa to Wirathu who is held responsible for the murder of thousands of Muslims in Burma, just days after President Rajapaksa assured the General Secretary of the Organisation of Islamic Countries of doing everything in his power to ensure the safety of Muslims in Sri Lanka.

Time magazine ran a piece on Wirathu last year complete with a picture of the controversial monk on its cover page titled ‘ The Face of Buddhist terror’.

Don’t Fall Prey To Traps Laid By Extremist Groups: BBS Tells Buddhists

September 27, 2014 

The Bodu Bala Sena (BBS) has expressed concern over statements issued by various organisations and individuals over the summit of Buddhist monks they have scheduled to be held tomorrow, describing them as ‘attempts made by racist, extremist groups and opportunist politicians to disrupt BBS activities’.

Dilanthe

BBS CEO Dilanthe Withanage issuing a statement has remarked that a series of actions are being carried out as part of a conspiracy to break the momentum that is building in support of their activities, by religious extremists, opportunists, fundamentalists and racists.

He has gone on to say the statement issued by the Sri Lanka Muslim Council on the visit of Burmese monk Ashin Wirathu to Sri Lanka to partake in the BBS summit is one such attempt to aggravate the local Muslim community against Buddhists and Buddhist monks.

“We regret their actions – Venerable Wirathu decided to visit Sri Lanka and participate in the Sangha Sammelana following an open invitation we extended to the international Buddhist community. There is no need for the SLMC to get riled up over it,” Withanage has stated.

Moreover, he called upon all the Buddhists in the country to ensure they do not fall prey to the traps laid by such groups because the primary motive of the Buddhists should be to build the country and not destroy it.

“Despite their continuous use of phrases such as ‘the promotion of co-existence in Sri Lanka’ they are carrying out underhand activities that destroy the nation. This is ample reason fr the entire nation to remain alert on their activities,” he added.

Withanage has gone on to criticize UNP MP Ravi Karunanayake’s statements involving the BBS, describing it as a ‘yardstick to measure how bad the opportunist politicians have failed in promoting their narrow agendas, before the uniting Sinhala Buddhist forces.’

Speaking further he has pledged to continue with the Summit tomorrow irrelevant of the challenges that might come their way and has urged the Buddhist community to refrain from engaging in any activity that would send a wrong impression about Buddhists and Sri Lanka to the global community.

Online hate speech stokes fear of religious violence in Sri Lanka

by UCAnews 

- on 09/26/2014 

Hate speech is growing more effective and pervasive among media platforms in Sri Lanka, prompting concern from Muslim and Christian minorities amid mounting attacks.

The Colombo-based Centre for Policy Alternatives (CPA) released a report this week on the challenges surrounding the significant uptick in online-based hate speech in post-war Sri Lanka.

“The growth of content creation and consumption online, wider and deeper than any other media in the country and at an accelerated pace, has also resulted in low risk, low cost and high impact online spaces to spread hate, harm and hurt against specific communities, individuals or ideas,” notes the report.

S.Y. Muhammad Saleem, a member of the administration committee of the Hairiya Jummaha mosque in Dambulla, said that anti-Muslim screeds on Facebook have led to multiple attacks on his mosque.

The latest attack was just last week when two petrol bombs were thrown into the mosque.

“Buddhist extremist groups campaign every day by saying Islamic extremists must be exterminated, and, if not, worse conflict could occur in the future,” he said. “[They say] ‘Muslims are dreaming of the day Sri Lanka turns into Arabia. We won’t give our country over to Muslims.’”

Saleem said he and other Muslims have received threats through Facebook, prompting him to file a police complaint.

“We respond on Facebook against their narrow views then we see 40-50 well organized reaction comments, slinging mud at us, from extremist Buddhists,” he said.

With a population of 21 million, there are more than 2.3 million users of social media, the majority of them male, according to the CPA report.

The Venerable Magalle Sudantha Thero, the head of Sinhala Rawaya, a radical Sinhalese Buddhist nationalist organization, said the organization has formed a special youth group to work on social media.

“We educate our Buddhists on ISIS and the global militant jihad over Facebook, there’s nothing wrong [with that],” the monk said.

“There are no Buddhist terrorists but [there are] Islamic terrorists in the world. We revealed the truth a few months before but officials were not very serious about the issue, now Interpol has issued a security warning that the Taliban operates in Sri Lanka,” he said.

Ven Sudantha defended the postings, saying the group never made “false accusations”.

“We use Facebook to enlighten our people and it’s our prime duty to serve the nation and protect the country.”

Offensive photos and extreme commentary posted by the Buddhist group have sparked major tensions.

In June, Buddhist groups circulated a story online saying that a monk was attacked by Muslims, sparking a riot in Aluthgama that saw clashes on the street. Four people were killed, more than 200 homes and shops destroyed, and 17 mosques attacked. More than 2,200 people were displaced by the violence.

Saleem said that “freedom should have limitations” if the freedoms allotted to Buddhist extremists end up harming others”.

Yamini Ravindran, a legal and advocacy coordinator at the National Christian Evangelical Alliance of Sri Lanka (NCEASL), said Buddhist nationalist groups operate many Facebook pages and often attack evangelical churches by claiming they unethically convert Buddhists.

“Various false allegations have been brought on our churches and one of [the groups] has even reported us to Facebook administration,” Ravindran said. “Our churches face many mob attacks.”

About 60 Christian churches and evangelical prayer centers have been targeted so far this year, while 105 were attacked in 2013, according to NCEASL.

Ruki Fernando, one of country’s leading human rights activists, said that Facebook has also been used to promote violence against journalists and activists who have been critical of how Buddhism is being employed.

Saleem, for his part, feels it’s only a matter of time before such speech ignites renewed clashes.

“There is petrol being spilled across the country, so if there is a spark anywhere it could explode.”