Extremism: Take the bull by the horns
March 31, 2013, 8:50 pmThursday night’s dastardly attack on a clothes store warehouse owned by a Muslim businessman in Pepiliyana is a clear indication that anti-Muslim protests have spun out of control and the country is headed for disaster. Some suspects are said to have been arrested and opinion is divided on the motive for the attack. The police are apparently muddying the water in a bid to obfuscate the main issue for reasons best known to them. But, they cannot fool the informed public.
In a previous editorial comment condemning an aggressive protest opposite a popular shop also owned by a Muslim, in Maharagama, we urged the government to nip the anti-Muslim frenzy in the bud, but to no avail. The government let the grass grow under its feet. Today, it is evident that extremists have graduated from boisterous demonstrations to savage attacks and their campaign is reaching a tipping point where mobs consisting of looters, killers and rapists are likely to take over. This is a worrisome proposition. Let the government be forewarned that the day may not be far off when such antisocial elements resort to widespread plunder and bloodletting similar to the 1983 anti-Tamil pogrom.
The Bodu Bala Sena (BBS) responsible for anti-Muslim protests has vehemently denied that it had a hand in the Pepiliyana incident, but it is doubtful whether the discerning public will take its denial seriously. They were quick to blame it for the incident. Investigations are still on and it is hoped that they will lead to the arrest and prosecution of those responsible for such condemnable attacks as have put the country to shame. The BBS ought to realise that it has let the genie out of the bottle.
Those who are promoting ethno-religious extremism in this country must learn from what has befallen countries like Afghanistan and Myanmar.
Sri Lanka won its war on terror four years ago and it was no mean achievement, but, we are afraid, all signs are that it is fast losing the peace. The government is busy refighting old battles and tilting at the windmills and, regrettably, some of its stalwarts stand accused of promoting religious fanaticism on the sly. When will it ever learn?
Racial amity is a sine qua non of nation building which this country has embarked on belatedly and religious extremism of all hues is sure to put paid to its efforts. Moreover, a country cannot be considered peaceful by any stretch of the imagination if its ordinary citizens, especially minorities, cannot live free from fear. The incidence of murder, rape and child abuse is on the rise and a culture of impunity prevails with precious little being done to restore the rule of law, the bedrock of social stability.
Every ethnic or religious community in this country has its share of fanatics who are consumed and driven by hatred. They are a threat to the entire society yearning for a peaceful co-existence. Inferior as they may be numerically, they have the potential to ruin the country’s future. Hence the pressing need to stop them in their tracks before they wreak further havoc! This is a task not only for the government but also for the moderate leaders of all ethnic, religious communities. They must stand up and be counted. The bull of extremism must be taken by the horns!
It behoves the government to pluck up the courage and crack down on the extremist groups going berserk and prevent them from taking the country in the same direction as Myanmar, where anti-Muslim fanatics are on a killing spree. Time is fast running out.
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