{"id":20291,"date":"2013-04-18T03:09:01","date_gmt":"2013-04-18T07:09:01","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/dbsjeyaraj.com\/dbsj\/?p=20291"},"modified":"2013-04-18T06:22:24","modified_gmt":"2013-04-18T10:22:24","slug":"why-cant-muslim-political-leadrs-stand-up-for-their-own-muslim-community","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dbsjeyaraj.com\/dbsj\/?p=20291","title":{"rendered":"Why Can’t Muslim Political Leaders Stand up For Their Own Muslim Community?"},"content":{"rendered":"

By<\/p>\n

Muheed Jeeran<\/strong><\/p>\n

Recent domestic developments are not looking good for Sri Lanka\u2019s ethnic minority Muslim community after they have been targeted by a revitalized and rather extremist Sinhalese grouping called \u2018Bodu Bala Sena (BBS).\u2019 This faction is led by a number of vociferous Buddhist Monks aimed at safeguarding the core principles of Buddhism. Let me be clear – of course these Monks have a right to protect their very own religion and culture, without any doubt. <\/p>\n

\"news.lk\"<\/a>

news.lk<\/p><\/div>\n

Fifteen diplomatic heads of Islamic countries, resident in Sri Lanka, met President Mahinda Rajapaksa at Temple Trees on Apr 17. Ministers Prof. G.L. Peiris, Rauff Hakeem, Anura Priyadarshana Yapa, Parliamentarian A.H.M Azwer, Secretary to the President Lalith Weeratunga and Secretary to the Ministry of External Affairs Karunatilake Amunugama were also present~news.lk<\/em><\/p>\n

What I strongly condemn though is the fact that they are targeting the Muslim Community promoting a campaign based on nothing more than religious hatred. <\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

As a Sri Lankan Muslim myself I am proud to state that by default the Sri Lankan people always respected the values of other faiths and cultures. Yet once independence had been achieved most political parties were dancing to the tunes of some more hard-line Buddhist groups often infringing upon the liberties of ethnic minority communities. <\/p>\n

For three long decades Sri Lanka endured civil war. This war broke out when the rights of the Tamils were being forcefully taken away by various Sinhalese – led governments. What\u2019s more, our politician always remained silent whenever a hard-line Sinhalese Buddhist\u2019s group targeted the minorities which is very unfortunate in itself as the vast majority of Sinhalese are very moderate and helpful versus minorities.<\/p>\n

Let me put recent incidents into perspective. It all started with a campaign by BBS to remove Halal – certified products from the Sri Lankan market. In this context we must note that similar to the Muslim Council of Britain, Sri Lanka has its All Ceylon Jamayathul Ulama (ACJU). Whereas the Muslim Council of Britain (MCB) is a self-appointed umbrella body for national, regional, local as well as other Muslim organizations and institutions hailing from different backgrounds within British Islamic society the ACJU is entirely comprised of Imams. So their \u2018public relations strategy\u2019 of monitoring Halal products was by no means properly conducted which in turn facilitated some extremist Buddhist Groups to more easily carry out their hate campaigns against the Muslim minority community of Sri Lanka. <\/p>\n

I strongly believe in that if the ACJU would have followed a more diplomatic yet nevertheless much more assertive path highlighting the benefits of businesses to produce according to Halal stipulations allowing the Muslim community to obtain Halal certified goods yet never imposing Halal certified produce on anyone else tension could have been significantly reduced from the very start. <\/p>\n

Hence, the most serious mistake made by ACJU was not to come up with a strategy to ask the businesses to produce the Halal goods only for Muslims; it was the fact to demand a monitoring of the entire production line before issuing the required Halal certificate. Obviously this is wrong – it forced members of all the other faiths to consume Halal products, too, as there was nothing else available made in those certified enterprises thus everyone, Muslim or not, had no other choice than buying Halal certified products. Businesses also added an extra charge for Halal certified goods onto their product price in order to cover their cost which is greedy by definition. <\/p>\n

Personally speaking I strongly believe in that we have no right to force the other faiths to follow our practices though they should be given the liberty to consume Halal products if they so desire. <\/p>\n

I know that the majority of Sinhalese people are very respectful in terms of other religions and cultures. When a Muslim funeral procession passes them by on the road non-Muslim passengers in the bus stand up to show their respect. They visit Hindu Kali Temples in order to share their grievances by breaking coconuts and also frequent Muslim shrines for the same purpose of finding solace. <\/p>\n

To give you another example, during the Ramadan Fasting Days my friends avoid eating or drinking in front of me in order to respect my faith and belief. What\u2019s more, in our country\u2019s employment law we do not have any specific clause for allowing extra time off for Muslim employees during the month of Ramadan. Nevertheless many employers from other faiths do support their Muslim employees so that they can spend time off work going to the mosque for prayers or on other occasions can find some time for rest during our sacred month.<\/p>\n

Very unfortunately though and in this otherwise multicultural and tolerant society many politicians are puppets of the more extremist Buddhist monks and hard-line Sinhalese groups! Besides, I have the strong feeling that the Bodu Bala Sena enjoys backing from a number of very high profile and seniors figures in the current ruling regime of Sri Lanka. <\/p>\n

There were previous attacks against Muslim mosques and businesses but so far no one was arrested and punished. As we have noted many times before opposition politicians and activists who were campaigning against the ruling government had been arrested, threatened with death and even faced jail sentence based on false allegations. More recently they impeached the Supreme Court Chief Justice Dr. Shiranee Bandaranayake without allowing for a fair trial!<\/p>\n

To make matters worse one of the country\u2019s leading clothing chains – owned by a Muslim family \u2013 now came under attack by hard-line, extremist Buddhist Monks. A well renowned online Sri Lankan newspaper – the Colombo Telegraph – reported the news by stating \u2018Muslim Owned Fashion Bug Is Attacked By A Mob Led By Buddhist Monks.\u2019<\/p>\n

That news source further reported that a mob led by a group of Buddhist Monks attacked the head offices of Mssrs Fashion Bug situated at Pepiliyana Junction at around 20.00 hours local time on Thursday the 28th March of 2013. The excuse used to justify the attack was that a 15 – year old girl had apparently been raped whilst being inside the building. <\/p>\n

However, the shop owner said that this was a false allegation as a rape did take place in the neighborhood indeed
\n yet not on his premises. The mob went out of control after intervening in that other deplorable incident and then turned on Fashion Bug, the owners told the Colombo Telegraph. They also damaged a heavy duty machinery company owned by a Muslim businessman before eventually attacking the clothing chain. <\/p>\n

Eye witnesses reported that extremist Buddhist thugs had gone on a rampage setting clothes on fire and shouting obscenities at the girls who worked in this complex saying that they should be ashamed to work in an enterprise owned by Muslims and to never come back. The mob had also manhandled some of the girls. It was reported in related news including video evidence that the Monks had been clearly involved in that attack. <\/p>\n

The manager of the warehouse was hospitalized. Several Monks were among the mob. The BBC\u2019s Charles Haviland in Colombo said the Monks led a crowd which quickly swelled to about 500, yelling insults against the shop\u2019s Muslim owners and rounding up on journalists seeking to cover the events. Later during the day government blocked the Colombo Telegraph\u2019s website for reporting the news on the same day that the Inter Parliamentary Union (comprised of 162 countries) finally stood up to a free, open and accessible Internet without censorship is a human right.<\/p>\n

This time 14 suspects were arrested on charges of having been involved in the Pepiliyana mob attack and later three Monks surrendered to police, too. However, Nugegoda Magistrate Ajith P Masinghe released all 17 suspects including three persons in robes with nothing more than a stern warning. The events are a direct result of the recent hate campaign whilst the general public is disappointed by the soft approach as became evident from the side of the country\u2019s authorities.<\/p>\n

I have been closely following several public meetings of Bodu Bala Sena which are proof of that they are inciting hatred against the Muslim Community. It is very unfortunate, too, that the Muslim political leaders keep their silence faced by this injustice. Is it not correct to say that when one local community is attacked and hurt it is the responsibility of all other community leaders to speak up?<\/p>\n

Let me share one more incident with our readers. Late in December of 2011 the Head of the Catholic Church in Sri Lanka Cardinal Melcom Ranjith boycotted all government functions in protest against the arrest of a nun over child trafficking allegations. He strongly objected to the arrest of Sister Mary Eliza, an Indian nun serving in a Mother Theresa Missionary in Moratuwa near Colombo. Thereafter the Court dropped all the charges against her and the missionary, too. <\/p>\n

So why can Muslim leaders not stand up for their very own community? I think it is also maximum time for the community to test their so-called Muslim Political Leaders. <\/p>\n

Sri Lanka is already an isolated nation when being seen through the international community\u2019s democratic lens. I think it is about time for the regime to move forward rather than to take the country back into another dark era. The regime must take bold steps to stop these groups\u2019 hate campaigns. <\/p>\n

Otherwise I feel urged to take this matter to the International Community if there is no proper action emanating from the side of the Sri Lanka authorities to stop this latest hate campaign against the Muslim minority. It is my strong message to the Sri Lanka regime to take convincing action or face serious consequences from the international community. <\/p>\n

Our global village does not have any place anymore for \u2018leaders\u2019 who use their power to oppress its own people or minority groups, respectively. Assassinated Colonel Gaddafi\u2019s or ousted from power President Mubarak\u2019s political styles can not survive in the 21st century!<\/p>\n

(Muheed Jeeran is an International Political Lobbyist and a Campaign Strategist)<\/em><\/p>\n

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By Muheed Jeeran Recent domestic developments are not looking good for Sri Lanka\u2019s ethnic minority Muslim community after they have been targeted by a revitalized and rather extremist Sinhalese grouping called \u2018Bodu Bala Sena (BBS).\u2019 This faction is led by a number of vociferous Buddhist Monks aimed at safeguarding the core principles of Buddhism. Let …<\/p>\n

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