Sri Lanka besieged by religious conflict

Buoyed by the governments indifference or perhaps encouragement of violent crimes against the Tamil minority, a militant offshoot of the Sinhalese Buddhist majority is increasing targeting all minorities

By Tariq A. Al Maeena !ovember ", "#$%

!ot&ithstanding all the glib assurances by Sri 'an(an politicians, including )resident Mahinda *ajapa(sa, on the cohesiveness of its people in this island nation, ground realities tell another story. The Tamil nation, &hose struggle for a separate homeland began in $+,%, &ere long targeted by government forces until the massive military manoeuvres by the Sri 'an(an armed forces came to a head and defeated their representative military unit, the 'iberation Tigers of Tamil -elam .'TT-/, in "##+. An estimated $##,### civilians &ere (illed in the "0 year struggle, and there have been charges of &ar crimes against the Sri 'an(an government during the final phase of the battle &here an estimated 1#,### civilians &ere indiscriminately (illed. 2n "#$$, 3! Secretary 4eneral Ban 5i moon released findings based on a study by e6perts of the "##+ events on the island. 2t indicated that along &ith the 'TT-, government forces 7conducted military operations &ith flagrant disregard for the protection, rights, &elfare and lives of civilians and failed to respect the norms of international la&8. There &as also a recommendation that an international investigative body be established to bring the &ar criminals to justice. The Sri 'an(an government quic(ly dismissed the findings of the e6perts and scoffed at their recommendations. A 3S report in "#$% said that the Sri 'an(an governments human rights record &as rampant &ith 7major human rights problems8, &hich included involuntary disappearances and unla&ful (illings by government security forces and pro government militia groups.

The 3S State 9epartments :ountry *eports on ;uman *ights )ractices for "#$" stated that 7the major human rights problems &ere attac(s on and harassment of civil society activists, persons vie&ed as 'TT- sympathisers, and journalists by persons allegedly tied to the government, creating an environment of fear and self censorship, involuntary disappearances as &ell as lac( of accountability8. The government prosecuted a very small number of officials implicated in human rights abuses, but is yet to hold anyone accountable. The 35 <oreign and :ommon&ealth =ffice in "#$% identified 7Sri 'an(a as a country of concern &ith regard to human rights violation8, and guilty of increasing violent 7campaigns against religious minorities8. Both the 3S and the 35 charged the Sri 'an(an government &ith failing to conduct impartial investigations into the alleged &ar crimes committed by government forces against Tamil civilians, and that the governments reconciliation committee &as 7deeply fla&ed, and did not meet international standards for such commissions, and has failed to systematically inquire into alleged abuses8. Tamils today are still &aiting for justice. Buoyed by the governments indifference or perhaps encouragement of the violent crimes against the Tamil minority, a militant offshoot of the Sinhalese Buddhist majority has in recent times set its sights on the other minorities > the Muslims and :hristians of the island > &ho unli(e the Tamils have not been involved in any struggle for a separate homeland and have lived peacefully along &ith all other groups. These militant Buddhists, operating under the banner Bodu Bala Sena .BBS/ and headquartered in the capital city of :olombo, have organised many campaigns and acts of violence against the islands Muslim and :hristian minority groups. 2n <ebruary this year, the BBS general secretary 4alagoda 4nanasara &arned that 7this is a government created by Sinhala Buddhists and it must remain Sinhala Buddhist. This is a Sinhala country and Sinhala government. 9emocratic and pluralistic values are (illing the Sinhala race8. Through campaigns of terror, the BBS and their militant follo&ers have looted, burned and defiled religious citadels of both minorities. Their aim is simple. They &ant to rid the island of anything or anyone that is not Sinhalese Buddhist, and protect the islands Sinhalese Buddhist character. 2n a sharp departure from the normally peaceful teachings of Buddha, these religious terrorist Buddhists are not averse to violence against individuals of other faiths and e6hort their follo&ers to do the same. ?riter 9on Manu &arns@ 7<rom the first virulent flo& of vituperative slime that cascaded from the steps of the BM2:; > &here they ABBSB held their first convention last year in Culy > to seep into the nations collective thought stream, their venomous flood has continued unabated and, though it irrigates hotbeds of faiths animalistic fervour sprouting violent passions and threatens to rip the fragile fabric of religious harmony, no serious effort has been ta(en by the government to dam its ebullient tide. 7<or a nation still convalescing from the horrors of a %# year &ar provo(ed by racial discrimination to complacently accept in its stride the potential birth of another &ar, this time based on religious acrimony, borders on criminal negligence. To acquiesce and &atch it gro&

unchec(ed, to loo( as(ance &hile its parasitic tendrils that have lost its taproot spread around to ultimately throttle the body politic is to invite disaster on an unimaginable scale.8 At present, all the positive vibes coming from *ajapa(sas government on his stern actions against the Buddhist militants lac( credibility as actions against minorities indicate other&ise. The BBS are the ne& Buddhist terror group and their actions &ill undoubtedly give rise to the normally placid Muslim and :hristian and force them into acts of defiance, &ith no other means of survival. The policies of the present government prefer to s&eep the antics of the BBS under the carpet at the e6pense of the abuse suffered by its minorities. 2t is the president and his cohorts &ho should be brought to boo(, or else the island &ill soon sin( into another sectarian conflict that could &ell last for decades.