Wakeup call for Muslim corporates

One of Sri Lanka’s most respected Buddhist monks has accused Muslims of destroying the island’s majority Sinhalese community and called for a boycott of Muslim-run shops and businesses. 

Monk Warakagoda Sri Gnanarathana, the Chief Prelate of the Asgiriya Chapter of Buddhism said, “Don’t eat from those (Muslim) shops. Those who ate from those shops will not have children in the future. In another 10 to 15 years, we will know the consequences.”

The monk also made reference to a Muslim doctor who has been in the centre of controversial sterilisation claims. He said the Muslim doctor who had served in the Matale and Kurunegala Districts had allegedly done a “heroic” deed by destroying “hundreds of thousands of Sinhalese children”.

“Such traitors should not be allowed to stay free. Some ‘upasaka ammas’ said he should be stoned to death. I don’t say that, but that is what should be done.” 

Further he said very candidly, “Laws and rules are not necessary. We should unite as Sinhala-Buddhists. We should not look at colours and vote. We should elect people who think of the Sinhala race and country,” the monk added.  To add to the President’s growing problems, the Head of the Catholic Church in the Western Province this week issued a scathing criticism of the Government over the Easter attacks that killed more than 250 people, decrying a “total lack of interest” in determining why intelligence reports were ignored. 

Malcolm Cardinal Ranjith spoke of his frustrations just hours before he was due to meet Pope Francis and show the pontiff a video with graphic images of the 21 April attacks on three churches and four hotels. The attacks were claimed by Islamic militants.

“There was a serious lack of responsibility on the part of the Government,” Cardinal Ranjith told reporters. “Now they have appointed all kinds of committees and commissions, and there is bickering going on between the sides, you know, (about) who is responsible.”

President Maithripala Sirisena had criticised a parliamentary investigation, where some have openly accused him of foolishly mishandling national security. 

Given the time bomb we are sitting on and the childish behaviour of the President, the Commander in Chief of the military, where do we go from here? The best approach would be for the President to quickly call for a Presidential Election. Let the President test his popularity if he is keen to hang on without making Sri Lanka the biggest joke in international politics.

Sensitivity 

Most Muslim-owned businesses are now increasingly coming under pressure to do more for the communities. Therefore, these companies  must get out of their air-conditioned cabins and cocktail circle and engage with the communities they make money from to minimise prelates and others openly asking people to boycott Muslim businesses and businessmen.   

Very recently a well-known businessman wrote a mail to his friends asking them to boycott a certain Muslim business establishment. When someone inquired he had said it is because of their unfair practices. But this may actually not be the reality. These companies may actually be more socially responsible and ethical than many of their counterparts when it comes to doing business. 

Unfortunately, all Muslim companies now are painted with the same brush of profit seeking and propagating Islam in their companies. This must change and fast before it comes to bite them.