Civil society urges Govt. to take urgent action to stop attacks on Muslims

Saturday, 21 June 2014 00:00 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

We the undersigned organisations, individuals and members of Sri Lankan and international civil society condemn in the strongest possible terms the latest wave of horrific violence led by the extreme right-wing Sinhala Buddhist organisation, Bodu Bala Sena (BBS – The Buddhist Power Force) against the Muslim community of south-western Sri Lanka in the towns of Aluthgama, Beruwala, Welipenna and Dharga Town.

According to reliable sources in the area, in the last two days at least four Muslims and one Tamil have been killed by mobs following a BBS rally led by its General Secretary, the Buddhist Monk Galagodaaththe Gnanasara in which he referred to the Muslim community in the most inflammatory and threatening terms after days of inter-communal tension and clearly inciting hatred and violence. A further 80 people have suffered serious injuries including shooting and knife wounds. Mosques have been torched and stoned and many Muslim-owned houses and businesses attacked and destroyed. It is noticeable that there has not been an official call from the President of Sri Lanka (apart from two Twitter messages) to bring an end to the violence or to provide clear orders to the security forces to maintain law and order. The BBS has been allowed to lead a systematic and sustained campaign of violence against Muslims in Sri Lanka attacking individuals, places of worship and business over the past three years. Recent tensions in the area were well known and have been brought to the attention of the political leaders of Sri Lanka but they have failed to act decisively. Despite heavy presence by the Sri Lankan security forces now in the area, there has been very little meaningful protection and a night time curfew was not respected by the mobs. The riots have not been controlled and instead have spread to neighbouring villages, where innocent men, women and children are fearful for their lives. So far not many arrests have been made and the BBS General Secretary Gnanasara is allowed to roam the area freely inciting further hatred and violence. Independent journalists, community leaders and politicians have been refused entry into the area to report on events or to seek ways to address them. Vans carrying relief supplies into the area have been set alight. Therefore, we call on the Government of Sri Lanka to take immediate and effective action and ensure that all perpetrators of this shameless violence are arrested without delay and that peace is immediately restored. The Sri Lankan Government bears ultimate responsibility to contain violence against religious minorities. The President who is also the Minister of Law and Order, and Gotabaya Rajapaksa, the Secretary of Defence, should ensure law and order is maintained and reassure their citizens that appropriate actions are being taken by deploying adequate security forces to protect minorities from further violence. The Government must also act to allow independent journalists and community leaders to enter the area safely to report on events and seek to address them in a peaceful manner. Further, the Government must act now to bring to an end this three-year campaign of hate speech and violence by the BBS – enough is enough We call upon the UN Human Rights Council, Organisation of Islamic Cooperation and other International Organisations at the highest level to communicate its grave concerns to the President and Government of Sri Lanka, calling upon the authorities to act immediately to curb attacks on Muslims in Sri Lanka. We call upon all Buddhist nations to express profound concern at the systematic and sustained violence perpetrated in the name of the Lord Buddha. Finally, we call upon the UN Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Religion and Belief, Heiner Bielefeld, to take this issue up in the strongest possible terms with the Sri Lankan government and to request permission to undertake an urgent visit to Sri Lanka and report on these events. We stand in solidarity with the victims and survivors of the villages of Aluthgama, Beruwala, Dharga Town, Walpitiya and Welipenna.

Signed18 June 2014 Individuals: A.M. Faaiz, Attorney-at-Law, Director, Secretariat for Muslims Ahilan Kadirgamar Aingkaran K., Attorney-at-Law Aino Salish Kendra, Dhaka, Bangladesh Aisha Maniar, Human Rights Activist, UK Aliya Firozvi Amarnath Amarasingham Ameena Hussein Anberiya Haneefa, MWRAF Anenta Ratneswaren, UK Anissa Helie Anita Nesiah Anuraj Sinnaththamby, UK Anushka Kahandagama Arjini Nawal Aruna Burte, India Aruni John Asha Abeyasekera-Van Dort Ashika Gunasena Serasundera Ayesha Imam, Nigeria/Senegal B. Gowthaman, Attorney-at-law B. Senthilkumaran Barrister Sara Hossain, Advocate, Bangladesh Supreme Court and human Rights Activist Barrister Jyortirmoy Barua, Advocate Supreme Court of Bangladesh Bhavani Fonseka, Attorney-at-Law Cassam Uteem, Club de Madrid and former President of Mauritius Chamindry Saparamadu Chandra Lekha Sriram, Professor of International Law and International Relations University of East London Chantal Kambiwa, Executive Director, SERVITAS Cameroon Chinniah Rajeshkumar Chulani Kodikara Dayapala Thiranagama Deanne Uyangoda Delores Robinson, GROOTS Trinidad and Tobago Dennis Mc Gilvray, Professor Department of Anthropology University of Colorado Dharmasiri Bandaranayake, TrikonE Cultural Foundation Dinusha Panditaratne Dr. Amrita Chhachhi, IIS, the Hague, Netherlands Dr. Dharmasena Pathiraja Dr. Farzana Haniffa Dr. Hameeda Hossain Dr. Mario Gomez Dr. Nimmi Gowrinathan Dr. Ratnajeevan Hoole Dr. Samanthi J. Gunewardena, Lecturer in Gender and Development Monash University. Dr. Shahnaz Huda, Professor and Chair, Department of Law, University of Dhaka, Bangladesh. Dr. Sharika Thiranagama Dr. Udan Fernando, Visiting Academic, Open University of Sri Lanka. Dr. Varun Soni, Dean of Religious Life, University of Southern California Dr. Veena R Poonacha, Director, Research Center for Women’s Studies, JNU New Delhi Dr. Avabai Wadia, Archives SNDT Women’s University, Mumbai Dyuti Ailawadi, India E. Valentine Daniel, Professor, Columbia University Einul Azeema Lall Director, Kaleels Maradana Nursing Home Estella Schmid, UK F.M. Nifraj Faizun Zackariya, Co- founder, Chair, Director of Muslim Women’s Research and Action Forum Fr. Emmanuel Sebamalai, Mannar Citizen’s Committee Fr. Jeyakumar Gananath Obeysekere Garvin Van Dort Gayatri Wijekoon, Academic Ghulam Mustafa Dulal, Executive Director, Gonoshasthaya Kendra Dhaka, Bangladesh Godfrey Yogaraja,Executive Director, Religious Liberty Commission, World Evangelical Alliance H.M. Maskoor Hana Shams Ahmed, WHRD, Bangladesh Harshini Ranasinghe Helen Saldanha, New Delhi Herman Kumara, National Fisheries Solidarity Movement Jaya Velankar, Writer, Gender Trainer, New Delhi, India Jayanta de S Wijeratne Jayanthi Kuru-Utumpala Jeanne Marecek, PhD., Swarthmore College, USA Jensila Majeed, Mullaitheevu Jinsar Hussain General Sectary/Chief Executive, Development Foundation Sindh, Pakistan Jothie Rajah, Research Professor, American Bar Foundation. Judith Large Juhi Jain, Feminist Activist, Delhi Juwairiya Mohideen Jyotsna Siddharth, Research Scholar, Delhi School of Economics Kalyani Menon-Sen, Feminist Activist, India Kamayani Bali Mahabal, Feminist and Human Rights Activist Karamat Ali, Executive Director, Pakistan Institute of Labour Education and Research, Karachi, Pakistan Karin Fernando Karunai Karunailingam, UK Kaveri Indira R I, Hyderabad Central University Khushi Kabir Human Right Activist, Bangladesh Kirupa Hoole Kishwar Sultana, Insan Foundation Trust Kuhanithy Gunachandran Kumudu Kusum Kumara Kumuthini Samuel Lakshan Dias, Board Member Rights Now and Chairman SANRIM Lareef Zubair, Visiting Lecturer University of Peradeniya Lata Singh, India Leah Lakshmi Piepzna- Samarasinha Liyanage Amarakeerthi, Academic Luz Mendez, Executive Board, National Union of Guatemalan Women M. .A Sumanthiran, Attorney at Law, Member of Parliament (TNA) M.Y. M. Siddeek, UK M. Baseera M. Jeslina M. Mangaleswary, Attorney-at-Law M. Nufail M. Rahman, Mannar M. Thahir M.K. Perinparaja, Attorney-at- Law, Kalmunai Mahaluxumi Kurushanthan, Mannar Mahendran Thiruvarangan Mala Liyanage, Executive Director, Law and Society Trust. Mangai A., Tamil Nadu Manori Kalugampitiya Marieme Helie Lucas Marta Benavides Siglo XXIII – El Salvador, C.A. Matt Withers May Yee, Writer/Colombo Meena Nallainathan Mesbahuddin Ahmed Mihiri Varnasuriya Mini Sukumar, Assistant Professor in Women’s Studies, Center for Women’s Studies, University of Calicut, Kerala Mohamed Adamaly Mohamed Farook, Attorney-at-Law, Akkaraipattu Mohamed Rayees Muhajiseen Mushtaq Fuad Nagulan Nesiah Nalini Ratnarajah Navaranjini Nadaraja Nilakshi de Silva Nimalan Seevaratnam MP, UK Nimalka Fernando, International Movement Against all forms of Discrimination and Racism Nirmal Ranjith Devasiri Nirmala Rajasingam Nisreen Jafferjee Norma Maldonado, Asociacion Raxch’ och’ Oxlaju Aj, AROAJ, Guatamala P.N. Singham Pakkiyanathan Vijayashanthan Pallavi Utthan, India Papori Bora, Assistant Professor, Centre for Women’s Studies, JNU, New Delhi Patricia Munabi, Babiiha Forum for Women in Democracy (FOWODE)Kampala Prashanth Kuganathan, Teacher’s College, Columbia University Priti Darooka, Executive Director PWESCR, India Priyanthi Fernando Purwa Bharadwaj, Writer and Researcher, Delhi Pushpa Achanta, Writer, Bangalore Professor Ajay Skaria, University of Minnesota Professor Anthony Anghie, University of Utah Professor Carmen Wickramagamage Professor Maithree Wickramasinghe Professor Neloufer de Mel Professor Qadri Ismail, University of Minnesota Professor Shahul Hasbullah Professor Sumathy Sivamohan Radha Paudel, Founder, Action Works Nepal Raghu Balachandran Rajan Hoole Rajany Chandrasegaram, Jaffna Rajashri Dasgupta, Journalist, Kolkata Ramani Muttettuwegama Rebecca Kurian, India Renu Alakenthiram, Trincomalee Renu Rajbhandari, WOREC, Nepal, National Alliance of Women Human Rights Defenders, Nepal Rev. Kyoichi Sugino, Deputy Secretary General, Religions for Peace, United Nations, NY Rishana Haniffa Robinah Rubimbwa, Kampala, Uganda Rohini Hensman Ruki Fernando Rukmini Rao, South Asia Alliance for Poverty Eradication (SAAPE) S. Nanthikesan S.H.M. Manarudeen, Attorney-at-Law, Maruthamunai Saadiqua Fauz Sadia Ahmed, WELDD, Shirkat Gah Women’s Resource Centre, Pakistan Samantha de Silva Sarawanan Nadarasa Savi Hensman Seenirasa Vijayakumar, UK Shaheen Anam, Development Activist Shamila Daluwatte Shamsul Huda, Executive Director, Association for Land Reform and Development (ALRD) Shanthi Satchithanandam, Viluthu Sharm Aboosally Sharon E. R. Bhagwan Rolls, Executive Director, FemLINKPACIFIC, Suva, Fiji Shayani Jayasinghe Sheba George, SAHR WARU Women’s Action and Resource Unit, Ahmadabad Shobasakthi Shraddha Chickerur, Delhi Shreen Abdul Saroor Shyla Visahan, UK Sithiravel Ithayarani Sithy Zulfika Suba Sivakumaran Sudarshana Gunawardana Sudesh Mantillake, University of Peradeniya Sukla Sen, Peace Activist, India Sumi Krishna, Scholar and Feminist Activist, India Syed Mohammad Ali, Post-doctoral Fellow, McGill University, UK T. Subaitha T.Ganesh Tanuja Thurairajah Tasneem Ahmar, Director, Research Centre on Women and Media, Pakistan Thahir Kubais Thenuwara Chandraguptha Uma Chakravarti, India Urvashi Butalia, Publisher and Activist, New Delhi, India Usha Ganapragasam Akkaraipattu V. Subramaniam V.V. Ganeshananthan, Lanka Solidarity- USA Vahida Nainar. India Vairamuttu Vardakumar, TIC, London Vanie Simon Akkaraipattu Vantha Mahendran Vasanth Kannabiran, Asmita Resource Centre for Women India Vasuki Jeyasankar Vasuki Nesiah, Assoc. Prof. of Practice, New York University Visaka Dharmadasa, Association of War Affected Women Vivek Sundara, India YaliniDream Yasmin Sooka , Executive Director Foundation for Human Rights Yvonne Zimmerman, UK Zafrullah Chowdurry Gonoshasthaya Kendra, Bangladesh Zainab Ibrahim Zareen Rasheed Organisations: Arab Women’s Organization (AWO) ARROW Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development (FORUM-ASIA) Bytes for All (ICTs for development, democracy and social justice), Pakistan Campaign Against Criminalizing Communities (CAMPACC) Canadian Organization for Peace and Equality (COPE) – Canada Centre for Women in Governance, Uganda Centro de Estudios de la Mujer CEM, Chile Deltawomen Foundation, Nigeria International Centre for Ethnic Studies, Sri Lanka Institute Perempuan (Indonesia) Jatiyo Sramik Jote, Dhaka, Bangladesh KontraS, The Federation of Commission for the Disappeared and Victims of Violence, Indonesia Lanka Development Journalists Forum London Guantanamo Campaign, UK Mannar Women’s Development Federation Sri Lanka Muslim Women Development Trust, Sri Lanka Peace in Kurdistan Campaign People’s Watch, India Prabodha, Sri Lanka Program for Women’s Economic Social Cultural Rights (PWESCR), Delhi Saheli, Delhi South Asians for Human Rights Suara Rakyat Malaysia (SUARAM) Tamil Information Centre, London The Association for Women’s Rights in Development (AWID) UK Tamil Associations Women’s Action Network, Sri Lanka Women’s Rehabilitation Centre (WOREC), Nepal WUNRN – Women’s UN Report Network