Wednesday, 30 July 2014 00:00
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Eid ul-Fitr was celebrated on a somewhat muted note this year, with recent intolerance and communal violence marring the inclusiveness of the celebrations. President Mahinda Rajapaksa in his message commended the valuable contributions made by the Muslim community towards the development of Sri Lanka, but disappointingly brushed over the disturbing deepening of ethnic tensions.
Although Sri Lanka’s Constitution and other laws and policies protect religious freedom, there was an overall decrease in societal respect for religious freedom, as Buddhist nationalist groups led campaigns targeting Muslims and Christians, the International Religious Freedom Report for 2013 released by the United States on Monday has pointed out. The US report criticised the local authorities for failing to respond effectively to communal violence, including attacks on members of minority religious groups, and to bring the perpetrators to justice.
The 2013 International Religious Freedom Report released Monday by the Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labour documents how, where and when the universal right to religious freedom was violated or protected in nearly 200 countries around the world. The report noted that when governments choose not to combat discrimination on the basis of religion and intolerance, it breeds an environment in which intolerant and violent groups are emboldened, even to the point of physically attacking individuals on the basis of their religious beliefs.
It cannot be denied that with the advent of the Bodu Bala Sena and other hardline organisations in Sri Lanka, the intensity of bigoted actions has increased. The number of derogatory racist remarks and tokenisation of religions and individuals, the warping of the diverse history inherited by Sri Lanka and spread of virulent and often inaccurate information to whip up racial hatred are on the rise.
The Government has disappointingly failed to arrest these trends. Instead it has attempted to frame the situation in a misguiding way by establishing a separate Police Unit to deal with religious tensions. This is insinuating the Buddhist and Muslim communities have problems with each other when the reality is that unchecked extremist organisations are behind most tensions. What is even more worrying is that the legitimate and once-tolerant hierarchy organisations within the Maha Sangha themselves are increasingly seen to be giving legitimacy to these hardliners.
Last year during the much-publicised Halal controversy, social media was used to malign certain products and urge users to boycott shopping at popular Muslim shops. These posts are accompanied by insulting remarks that make reasoned argument or discussion impossible. They are also anonymous, so holding people accountable is difficult.
Making the sacrifice to maintain peace, the Muslim community ended the Halal certification process for local companies and agreed to give it free of charge for exporters. Weeks before fasting began this year, the tragic riots of Aluthgama and Beruwala took place, killing people, destroying hundreds of homes and shops and leaving over 1,000 people displaced. These people are still suffering and many others live in fear. Events came to such a pass due to the increase in hardline factions and the inability or reluctance by the Government to quell them. Because of them old wounds are being reopened and new rivalries are being created.
Already struggling with reconciliation after the end of a three-decade war, it seems Sri Lanka is in danger of repeating the same mistakes as it did decades ago. Surely it is time to step up and make sure history does not repeat itself.
