Austra-Lanka Muslim
Association Inc.
Incorporated in
NSW as
a Not-for-Profit
Community Organisation
ABN 80 076 747 489
The High Commissioner for Sri Lanka in Australia His Excellency
Somasundaram Skandakumar
Sri Lankan High Commission Canberra,
Australia
Your Excellency,
Violence against Muslims in Sri Lanka
Greetings from the Austra-Lanka Muslim Association
Inc. (ALMA)
On behalf of the Muslim community in Sydney, we
would like to place on record our concern and
extreme dissatisfaction on the atrocities meted
out to the peace loving Muslim community in Sri
Lanka. It was our fervent belief that the racial disharmony that was the
norm in the past, against which we made repeated representation at that time,
would come to a closure with the change of leadership/regime which was replaced
by the ‘Yahapalana’ government. Ever since this government took over, racial discrimination
and victimization of the minorities, particularly the Muslim community, have
continued unabated. Certain hard-line groups appear to be acting to instil an
on-going fear psychosis among the Muslim population in Sri Lanka. The
despicable yet well-orchestrated attacks which started in Ampara and spread on
to Digana, Teldeniya, Katugastota, Akurana and other areas, where a sizeable
Muslim population lives harmoniously with the Sinhalese society, opened the
gates for further communal violence against the Muslims. These attacks were
perpetrated by some Buddhist extremist groups.
Regrettably, a personal dispute between some individuals has been used as
an opportunity to incite communal violence resulting in loss of lives and,
unjustified destruction of Mosques, business establishments, homes and vehicles
causing extensive financial losses and psychological distress.
Obviously these dastardly and vindictive atrocities do not augur well for
the image and growth of Mother Lanka. The economy of the country is at its
lowest ebb throwing the country in a state of total disarray. The Law and Order
in the country appears to be in the hands of the goons who could not be
controlled by the Government or Police and/or armed forces. The hatred and
animosity the perpetrators demonstrate, unfortunately has been targeted against
the Muslims who have every right to be part of the total populace. They are Sri
Lankans too and should be treated like any other citizen in the country. It is
deplorable that things are not happening the way they should. These acts of
hatred, violence and destruction by Buddhist extremists has brought the country
to a virtual standstill thus inconveniencing the daily lives of the law-abiding
citizens.
The 30-year war with the LTTE came to a closure in 2009, but the Muslim
minority seems to be the next target of this racial hatred exercise
orchestrated in total connivance with certain hardliners of the political
community. Whether Sri Lanka will be able to revert to the early
post-independence era that created an environment where all the communities
lived in peace and harmony is questionable and seems a remote possibility.
While the Intelligence Service of the Sri Lankan armed forces played a
significant role in efficiently dismantling the powerful LTTE, failure to
foresee the well-orchestrated attacks against the Muslims on this occasion has
created a sense of suspicion in the minds of the Muslim community.
Our prayers are certainly with those affected in the disturbances.
Ironically enough of these atrocities are being done in the presence of the
security personnel who are accused to be mere observers. Is it not a shame on
those that are destined to protect the citizens of the country irrespective of
caste, creed or religion? Where is the country leading to, is it following the
footsteps of Aung San Suu Kyi with the determination to repeat what extremist
monk Ashin Wirathu and his disciples did to the downtrodden Rohingya Muslims?
Only time will tell us and therefore the hapless Muslim community in Sri Lanka
have to live in constant fear of being killed or their properties being
torched.
We also take this opportunity to place on record our sincere appreciation
towards the majority Sinhalese community, particularly the Buddhist clergy, who
displayed their displeasure towards this dastardly act and extended their
genuine support to the victims.
We, representing Sri Lankan Muslims living in NSW are urging you, Your
Excellency, to bring this to the attention of the President, His Excellency
Maithripala Sirisena, The Prime Minister, Hon Ranil Wickremasinghe and the
Honourable Minister of Law and Order, our extreme disappointment, displeasure
and strong condemnation of the continual violence unleashed against the
Muslims.
To assure our community in Australia, who are concerned about the safety
of their family and friends in Sri Lanka, we would appreciate if we can be
informed of the constructive measures that the government would take to prevent
incidents of this nature occurring in the future.
We enclose herewith a compilation of documented
incidents in Kandy as of 8 March 2018 for your
perusal.
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Rafi
Mubarak Feroze
Razik
President Secretary