Keepers of the light

Justice Minister Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe on Tuesday met with the Bodu Bala Sena (BBS) and its notorious General Secretary Galagoda Aththe Gnanasara Thero to discuss apparent racial tensions in the country and forge a way forward. But is the Government in danger of missing the larger share of moderates while it pays attention to the fringe extremists? Could it inadvertently provide a platform to legitimise these groups?

Those that observed the meeting can be justifiably concerned that such engagement could pave the way to legitimise the BBS and their demands. They would be excused for seeing a parallel between similar discussions that took place with top officials of the previous Government that allowed or even promoted the message of the BBS and pushed it even more into public consciousness. 

One of the most welcome differences after January 2015 was the fading of racist rhetoric as the BBS and its like-minded organisations found themselves having to deal with State machinery that did not pay attention to artificially manufactured religious tensions. It was clear that bereft of political patronage the organisations stuttered to keep their particular brand of hatred chugging along and had to stumble about finding new messages and new issues to cause tension. 

More recently, on the west coast, so-called Muslim leader and Secretary of the Sri Lanka Thawheed Jamath (SLTJ), R. Abdul Razik, was arrested by Police for allegedly insulting other religions while protesting calls to end provisions in the Muslim Marriage and Divorce Act that legitimise child marriage. If the charges against Razik are true, it is commendable for Police to have acted in such a swift manner. However, what is alarming is that the arrest follows threats made by Gnanasara Thero demanding his arrest. Why is it that all hate-speech is not dealt with in the same manner? Reform of the Muslim Marriage Act clearly needs to be done with progressive elements of that religion as stakeholders and require engagement with the public on a policy level. It should not be twisted by extremist elements for their own ends.   

In an effort to reduce religious tensions the Government has appointed a high-powered ministerial group, but why are they reaching out to the extremist organisations and not the millions of moderate Buddhists that voted with minorities to change a Government that was clearly allied with extremist organisations? What about moderates within minorities themselves that can build a platform based on open and informed discourse? 

One could argue that as long as the State entertains such fringe elements, their ideologies can and will trickle into the mainstream. This is why any steps taken by Government representatives should be done carefully and with genuine consideration to the results they can endanger. At no point should the Government provide a platform to legitimise unfair and unconscionable demands from fringe elements of any religion.

Sri Lanka has embarked on an ambitious Constitution-making process that has much potential to address religious and ethnic divisors that have hampered the country’s progress for decades. Such an effort should be supported by all representatives who should work to expand moderate views and foster reconciliation.