It is a little over three years since we eliminated Prabhakaran and the whole country was rejoicing over the end of the war. He Past? A spurious sense of freedom and security exists in a set up where the healing and reconciliation process within the war locked areas and even in the rest of the country has not gathered the momentum expected at the conclusion of the war. The country has not come to grips with the idea that in a civilized community people trust one another, respect and tolerate differences in beliefs and opinions derived from ethnic origins or religious faith or in their political or social ideology.  Since people’s primary interest is essentially focused on themselves as Tocqueville states such self- interest should be properly understood as “self-interest defined in the context of broader public needs, self-interest that is ‘enlightened’ rather than ‘myopic’, self- interest that is alive to the interests of others.”  Ethno- religious considerations must not be used to create disharmony or to establish primacy of any ethno religious majority group within the nation state.  This belief has to be promoted and nurtured within the civic society and must form a firm part of the political culture of the nation.

It is understood that people behave in a public spirited manner because they expect others to do so and fear that any abrasive or offensive behavior towards the sensitivity of others will carry a penalty imposed by the state.  The present peccadillo faced by the Muslim minority in the country spear headed by sections of the Buddhist  clergy calls to attention the LLRC recommendation to introduce legislation to prevent hate messages which will carry a penalty for failing to do so. The recommendation by the LLRC for the formation of inter- faith groups who could help to establish a mechanism that ‘serves as an early warning and early diffusing system to ensure that communal or religious tensions or friction does not lead to conflict’ has not been followed up. Under the present Sinhala Muslim tension it would have been an acceptable mechanism to mediate between the parties. 

 A country that has just surfaced from one of the most acrimonious and violent conflict between the government and the minority Tamil community should not be plunging into communal politics which is bound to be more incendiary than the three decade war.  The Muslim minority played no part in aggravating the situation during the war years.  In fact Muslims have hitherto been in the mainstream politics, with a demographic spread in the coastal belt in Sri Lanka where their ancestors landed in search of trade.  Two thirds of the Muslims live outside the North and the East.  This has helped to make the community important for electoral politics. In fact they have been noteworthy for being a fine example for establishing a balance in minority/ majority relationships.  Many among the Tamil speaking Muslims are equally proficient in Sinhalese and favour integration within the national environment as much as possible.  This is, while their culture is distinct and they practice their religion and their social and cultural traditions conservatively making no concessions on that score. 

The Muslim community has been consistent in their approach to identifying with the Nation on an equal footing.  The tendency of the majority ethno- religious group to confer a slightly superior status on themselves is an objectionable trend, contrary to democratic practice of equality to all.  Muslim contribution to the productivity of the country in terms of trade and agriculture is significant.  Their entrepreneurial skills can be seen from the number of successful enterprises run by them in collaboration with those from the other communities.  There should therefore be no place for envy because such establishment s provide employment to many from the other communities while contributing to the GDP growth in the country.

Following the Eastern Provincial Council elections a section of the Muslims decided to throw their weight with the Government even though there was criticism that they should have aligned with the minority Tamils.  Given this scenario it makes no sense to observe the communal cries of the Bodhu Bala Sena ‘allegedly involved in a campaign against the Muslims in the country.”  The name of this organization means Buddhist Power Force, the implication derived from this, totally in contradiction with the Buddhist philosophy of non- aggression and non -violence.  This onslaught against the Muslims has manifold phobias.  The obvious one is the fear that the demographic pattern will change in favour of the Muslims and remove the majority status of the Sinhala Buddhists.  The deeper resentment comes from the fear that with the financial input into development programs there is an accompanying increase in conversion to the more conservative sect within Islam. The overt reason being the certification of halal food items prominently displayed in eating places as well as on packaged food items.  The objection is that all certification regarding food stuffs should be endorsed by the government bureau of standards and not the Muslim organization.  To spice up the protest as it were a few other reasons are included in the statement issued by the Bodhu Bala Sena: the discontinuance of female migrant workers to the Middle East, the abolition of birth control, the protection of Buddhist culture and historical places of Buddhist worship and the dissolution of All Ceylon Jammyyathul  Ulama.

The country spent billions of rupees to spread information on birth control in order to limit the growth of the population.  This was not an easy task but with education many adopted family planning so as to enjoy a better quality of life.  It is understood that more and more are taking to limiting their families for obvious health and economic reasons.  It would be foolish for politicians to advocate increase in the number of children per family putting to risk the hard work done by the health authorities over the years.

None will deny that the unskilled female migrants to the Middle East should be discontinued.  At the sametime there is no gainsaying the reality that the government coffers are filled from the earnings of these workers.  In the short term government has only one option, that of providing training to those workers who go to the Middle East to reduce the difficulties faced by the work force.

The other argument that there is an urgent need to protect Buddhist culture and places of Buddhist worship should not be overemphasized.  Certainly there is always room for improvements but there is no fear that a philosophy and a Buddhist culture that has survived these many years need protection from us mere humans. The only service one can offer is to be true to what the Buddha taught and follow it accordingly.

 It is indeed disturbing to find the aggressive non Buddhist tenor of the declaration by the Bodhu Bala Sena : “We will celebrate the next Sinhalese and Hindu New Year in a country where there is no halal certification.”  For an organization led under the aegis of the Buddhist clergy it reflects poorly on the organization to issue an ultimatum of a threatening nature.  Is it time that there should be a revival of Buddhist studies so as to refresh and reacquaint Buddhists of the pristine and highly commendable quality of Buddhist philosophy? 

The anti –Muslim campaign has become a political issue and one that calls for decisive action.  The President has said, “there is an anti –Muslim campaign that is been formulated.  The history of the association of the Muslims with other communities span for about 1200 years.  A certain faction is endeavouring to demean our community with propping up many allegations. …”  Having recognized the problem it behoves of a responsible government to take immediate action to diffuse the situation.  In fact the All Ceylon Jamiyyathul Ulama has taken the initiative to make the compromise by pledging to protect ethnic harmony, to fully cooperate with the Cabinet committee and has requested companies with Halal certification to make available two sets of the same product- one halal and one- non halal. Financial Times February 22,2013.

It is appropriate to recall that when the Portuguese who were trading in Sri Lanka found that the Muslims were becoming a competitor they began to make trouble to the Muslims.  The Sinhala kings of the time felt sympathetic to the Muslim community and gave large portions of land in the East. That is how the Kings of the time conducted business!

Let us hope and pray the cabinet committee will come up with a resolution and not aggravate the situation by raising the hornets nest.  The thirty year war should be a reminder of what procrastination of decision making or poilticizing issues can do to a country and to the people.

Picture courtesy of www.dailynews.lk