Forced de-radicalisation projects or discriminatory banning of civil society organisations will not prevent radicalisation

By M.M. Zuhair, Latheef Farook and Mass L. Usuf

As we complete with deep sadness two years since the tragic events of the Easter Sunday attacks of 21 April 2019, we concur with the statements of Archbishop of Colombo Malcolm Cardinal Ranjith that it is not religious extremism but international political forces backed by powerful countries which sow religious discord among people and create armed struggles. We wish to add that our country, the government and all religious leaders in particular must be fully alert to the dangers of international arms mafia and its agents using 21/4 to create divisions and discord between and within communities in the country.

We wish to also recall this year’s Easter message of Pope Francis in which His Eminence slammed the world powers for spending on weapons even when the world was reeling under a devastating pandemic. 

Discriminatory actions by the State and its agencies will also sow discord. Forced de-radicalisation projects without addressing the true causes of our troubles or discriminatory banning of civil society organisations, will not help to prevent radicalisation. They are moves that must be addressed differently. Actions going beyond the realm of criminal liability will engender further radicalisation and marginalisation, leading to conflicts. That will help only the arms mafia. We will continue to end up becoming a poorer nation by the day.

Blaming Islam for 21/4 is the biggest blunder that this country can make. It is obvious that such misleading accusations are being made to cover up the real causative factors. 

We cannot expect to solve problems by taking action only against minoritarian extremism while ignoring majoritarian extremism, which was dealt with clearly in the Select Committee Report of Parliament and also in the Easter Attacks Commission Report. We must not forget that the watch list of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights will be getting lengthier rather than shorter. The consequences of that should not become as tragic as 21/4.

We may recall the Colombo Archbishop’s speech made on 21 July 2019 at the re-consecration of the Katuwapitiya St. Sebastian Church, where he said: “I don’t believe a group of youth created the Easter Sunday carnage merely because of their ideologies with regard to Islamism. The youth who carried out the bomb attacks were used by international conspirators. Global Muslims have become victims of international forces. However, global Muslims should stand up against the conspirators who use Islamic ideologies to create mayhem all over the globe. I have seen a report that ISIS leader Abu Bakr Al Baghdadi is in a military camp which is run by the most powerful nation in the world. I won’t mention the name of this country, but clearly the ISIS leader is in a military camp run by this powerful nation. We are worried that ISIS leaders are being used by this powerful nation to fulfil their vested interests. We question whether this nation knew about the bomb attack. We also question whether some are trying to create a Sinhala-Muslim backlash and create unrest in our country.”

It is close upon two years since this significant accusation was made by the respected leader of the Christian community. We have not heard any refutation by this powerful country, whose invasions of Muslim countries for years without end is well known. Since this country has just now withdrawn its forces after 20 years of a failed war against the Talibans, when will this country start the next, 

possibly three decades of war in South Asia? 

(The writers are M.M. Zuhair PC, former MP; Latheef Farook Journalist and Author and Mass L. Usuf Attorney-at-Law and Advocacy Columnist)