Sri Lankans Tolerant till provoked? - Editorial

Endowed with passive Bengali genes and equanimity preached by Buddha they had co-existed with other communities who became part of the country through invasions or otherwise, for a long time. So much so, close to the Temple of the Tooth Relic Kandy, the most hallowed place for Buddhists in Sri Lanka, two churches – one Anglican and Catholic and a big mosque continue to occupy space. Even in the sacred Buddhist city of Anuradhapura side by side within the sacred land there exist mosques and also churches of different denominations.
 

While the rest of the world was engulfed in brutal ethnic violence for centuries, the politically orchestrated 1983 riots which had nothing to do with the ordinary Sinhalese remain the only blemish against the community. The provocation of politicians came after the LTTE gunned down thirteen soldiers in Thirunelvely, Jaffna.
 

The war changed society dynamics but having learnt bitter lessons the ordinary men and women from all communities today are mindful of provocations. For instance despite strong incitements by certain extremist elements in Tamil Nadu – that included attacks on the Sri Lankan Buddhist clergy - the Tamil community in Sri Lanka knows for a fact that their Sinhala brethren would never target them. It is with this trust that they fled to Colombo from the North and the East, in their hundred thousands, even during the height of the war.
 

Had there been any disturbances in this co-existence in the recent past they have come as reactions to some obnoxious external moves to disturb the peaceful atmosphere prevailing in the country.
 

By the time of his death the slain MP T. Maheswaran was vehemently campaigning against the moves by foreign Evangelist groups to convert destitute Hindus in the plantation sector as well as in the war-torn North and East in their tens of thousands. Just like the Hindus the Sinhalese too became victims of the moves by these religious elements invading 100% Buddhist villages with a view of converting the vulnerable. There was evidence that dashing of Buddha statues was among the many methods adopted during the process of these unethical conversions. 
 

The result – the rise of a massive Sinhala movement around the turn of the century urging the government to protect Buddhism and its followers as espoused in article 9 of the Constitution.
 

The Catholic Church very rightly went on to issue statements at regular intervals condemning moves by extremist Christian elements who tried to disturb the Sri Lankan electorate. By then foreign elements had invaded the Catholic Church congregations creating massive disturbances in the churches of Sri Lanka.
 

Even today several Hindu MPs continue to express concern over the manner groups disturb Hindu villages especially in the North and the East targeting the poor.

On the other hand the informed Sri Lankan electorate is aware today how the influx of foreign teachers who had extremist views went on to influence a section of the generally tolerant Muslim youth at Madrasas. Mushrooming of prayer centres in predominantly Buddhist areas in largely disproportionate numbers, omnipresent black Abayas–which became a trend following an Iranian hamper of Abayas to a teacher training school in the East and propagation of policy of exclusivity by a section of Muslim community by creating their own banks and other institutions - went on to create a fear psychosis among the majority community that Muslims were out to take over economic and political power in the country.
 

In the absence of a single Muslim politician who could command the respect of the community, the voice of the ordinary, moderate Muslim went unheard.

The result – the birth of the Bodu Bala Sena, a group that appeals to the insecure, nationalist Sinhalese but loathed by others for its violent rhetoric and vandalism.

Had it not been for the activities by the external forces a vacuum would never been created in Sri Lanka for the feared local groups. As such it is important that government takes an initiative whereby the insecurities of all communities are addressed through a forum of moderates and necessary action is taken to prevent extremist foreign elements disturbing the hard earned peace prevailing in the country.