The Buddhist extremist group has been leading the charge on virulent anti-Muslim sentiment spreading in Sri Lanka that has led to several incidents against members of the Muslim community in recent weeks. Last week, Muslim shop owners in Narammala in the Kurunegala District received letters threatening them with death if they fail to vacate their places of business by 31 March.
In January at another rally, orchestrated demonstrations against Halal' labeled foods, Muslim owned businesses and Muslim places of worship were led by organized groups of Buddhist militants in Sri Lanka's northwestern province of Wayamba.
Those protesters were more ominous in their intentions. Taunting and cheering, they carried an effigy with the name board saying "Allah" in Arabic letters, with drawings of pigs plastered all around it on the board. The demonstrators who went in procession with these offensive placards and effigy attempted to taunt and provoke the Muslims of the town. The police would not take action against such highly provocative taunts, assuming that it was sanctioned by high levels of the government.
If left unchecked, the actions of such fringe group of fanatics trying to inflame the existing peaceful relations between the island's Sinhalese and Muslim population could only lead to violence. Although the Muslims in the north watched, muted and restrained, it is only a matter of time before these fanatic radicals go berserk with their pent up resentment and hatred towards Muslims, and lead the island into an ethnic war.
While the majority of Sinhalese Buddhists is indeed peace-loving and has been living in harmony with other minorities over the centuries, the plague of militant Buddhists in recent days is gaining a strong foothold throughout the country. These are dangerous times. History so often tells us of how the good conscience of a silent majority has been swept away by the vicious rhetoric and actions of a militant minority.
In sharing a common religion with the island's minority Muslims, GCC countries have a vested interest in ensuring their safety and security. The persecutions that have begun to form against them can in no certain terms be tolerated. The benign tolerance exhibited by the Sri Lankan government towards these militant groups must be viewed with alarm.
Sri Lanka is a recipient of a sizeable mass of its national budget from the remittances of its workers in GCC countries. The GCC also provides most of the island's energy needs. Many in the gulf have been frequent visitors for tourism and business. So far relations have been harmonious.
But gulf leaders must get the message across to the Sri Lankan government: The island must not embark on the perilous road of violent racial and ethnic divisions that could lead to unrestrained violence against not only the Muslims, but the other minorities on the island as well. Failure to heed that message must be compensated by strong action.
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