Building inter-ethnic harmony

Saturday, 18 July 2015 00:00 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

A month of fasting comes to an end today, as Muslims all over Sri Lanka celebrate Eid al-Fitr, one of the most spiritually significant dates on the Islamic calendar. It is a day of festivity where entire families come together to feast on a lavish spread, strengthening existing bonds and creating new ones in the process. Non-Muslim friends and acquaintances often take part in these festivities, in a spirit of communal harmony that one hopes the entire country opts to embrace on a permanent basis.

Unfortunately, however, as rock-solid as relations have been between Muslims and the majority Sinhala Buddhist community over centuries, certain unsavoury elements on both sides of the ethno-religious divide seek to drive a wedge between the two communities. Last year’s tragic incident in Aluthgama comes to mind, as racist sentiment emanating from a section of society culminated in violence – a situation that could have been avoided had steps been taken to address any grievances and create meaningful dialogue.

In its 2014 Human Rights and Democracy Report, the UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) observed that during the first two months of 2015, there was a significant drop in violence targeting Muslims and Evangelical Christians but has increased since, although to a much lower level than in previous years. Sporadic incidents continue to occur, the report reveals, including mob attacks on places of worship. Predictably, no one has yet to be held accountable for these incidents of organised, religiously-motivated violence, including the attacks in Aluthgama well over a year ago. In a welcome move, President Maithripala Sirisena appointed a Special Task Force on Reconciliation less than a month into his presidency and it is hoped that this would prove to be of use in promoting and building true inter-ethnic harmony.

Meanwhile, some civil society activists have raised concerns over the controversial Bodu Bala Sena (BBS) contesting in the upcoming Parliamentary elections. Fingers were pointed at the BBS in the aftermath of the Aluthgama violence and observers fear what they describe as a fascist movement will once again whip up anti-Muslim sentiment in the run up to the polls.

Solace can be taken, however, in the fact that a majority of Sinhala Buddhists have consistently responded with disgust to the racist ideologies that threaten to disrupt the hard-won peace in this country, many of whom have actively fought their propagation in solidarity with the victimised few. However, what with an all-important, high-stakes election just a few weeks away, it is more likely than not that some candidates will attempt to ride a fresh wave of jingoistic sentiment into power, especially considering the number of political parties centerd around ethnicity. It is up to the voters to keep these dangerous ideologues at bay.

While it is true that there has been a lull in incidents as of late, it is imperative that we constantly remind ourselves of the importance of coexistence, lest racism raises its ugly head again and drags us into another unnecessary, drawn-out conflict.