By Rushdy Nizar –

Rushdy Nizar

Clarion Call is made; Continuous Attack on Muslim Shops, a reminder of 1956 & 1983 Tamil pogrom

Mawanella is a town situated in Kegalle district, Sabaragamuwa Province of Sri Lanka. It lies between Kegalle and Kadugannawa along the Colombo-Kandy road. There are considerable Moors and few Malays or Muslims population in the township and Mawanella quarters. The area is home to less than half a million people. Most of the contiguous areas are by and large occupied by Muslim and Sinhalese; Mawanella’s urbanized area is predominantly of Muslim communities.

For those familiar with the rooted local history, Muslims and Sinhalese communities have for long lived together harmoniously, barely of difference until the war victorious GOSL clandestinely began aiding and abetting the orange robed hooligan monks to propagate fake stories about Muslims.

A once pleasant social pluralist society has been tore apart and turned wild. In case the situation continues in this manner, on whose shoulder the catastrophic ramifications be laid. The leaders, who architected the enmity, injected and cultivated these types of poisonous and venomous thoughts amongst innocent Sri Lankan Sinhalese today rest in peace at Gampaha Horagolla Walawwa.

Not until of recent, incidents of organised crimes such as recent attack and burning of Muslim shops as reported by the local police is uncharacteristic of the locality, though there have been few army deserters reportedly involved in small level crime cases.

It is also an undeniable fact that GOSL has been deploying its own private army to spy on opposition members, ex-President Chandrika, and media personals.[1]Implicitly, the actions of GOSL prove that it will go to any extent to remain in power and propagate any false stories behind the screen.

Bringing back Mawanella to radar, Mawanella is a quiet town popular for Sinhala-Muslim unity. Historically, the town owes the fame as the abode of Utuwankandey Soora Saradiel alias Ceylon “Robin-Hood” – anindigenous local thatferociously rebelled andwrestled against British colonialism. Saradiel hailed from Mawanella, his glory lives to date (though not in the current urbanized Mawanella area).

Although, he is today a controversial character, yet his acts can be regarded as anti-British village ruffian, who fought against the local feudal chieftains. He looted possessions from the British officers and their local counterparts and dispensed amongst downtrodden villagers. Deekirikewagelage Saradiel was accompanied by fellow native’s specifically Mammale Marikkar, his sister, Abd-al-Cader, Nazarudeen, Samadet cetera.

On March 21, 1864, Saradiel was incapacitated by Mahath, a Muslim officer’s gun shot, which led to his execution at Kandy jail, Mammale Marikkar and few other comrades were also jailed in same Kandy jail, thus, ended the chapter of this local “Robin-Hood”.

Here, I would like to state that “One man’s terrorist can be another man’s freedom-fighter” and the same goes with the Saradiel for Sri Lankans. Saradiel was indeed a symbol of unity and resistance for the locals. Long are the heydays when, Sinhalese, Muslims and Tamils lived as unpolarised community, united and bonded together irrespective of their ethno-religious inclinations. They were rather fraternized, cohabitated peacefully on the island and resisted external forces like (Imperial Britain) with one voice, until the SWRD Bandaranaike’s “Sinhala Only”[2]chauvinistic initiative. The new political narrative found a footing back in 1956, dampened the former English hegemony status and instead encouraged socialist, anti-Western rhetoric that intensely challenged the root of Sri Lankan politics in the following decades. Since independence, SLFP adopted this rhetoric as prime party philosophy.[3]Bandaranaike presented an existential argument for his “Sinhalese only” philosophy, a philosophy he deemed would preserve the Sinhalese “race, religion and culture from vanish.”[4]

Despite Premier Bandaranaike’s rhetoric, his life was ended by Talduwe Somarama, vicious Buddhist monk from Kelaniya for his own business intentions. The succeeding PM who came to power in then Ceylon, on a majority Sinhala nationalist platform was equally gunned down by very same nationalist Buddhist monk.[5] The violent actions of such monks in Sri Lankan and other established Buddhist countries, where supposedly non-violent monks perpetrate violence in the name of religion exonerate the singularity of Muslims as violent people. It further suggests that all men are same, prone and instinctively violent, regardless of the faith or creed.

A statesman isn’t just knowledgeable on the technicalities of day-to-day statecraft, but reconstructs the relevant past event and learns a great deal from history. President Mahinda Rajapakse would be falling short of being a statesman and could meet similar fate, if he fails to learn from the lesson of Bandaranaike and if he chooses not to discontinue with similar “Sinhala Only” policy. Though, President Rajapakse has not publicly stated the Bandaranaike’s philosophy, but apparently and covertly feeding the Sinhalese minds and hearts with this ‘pseudo-nationalism’ with the anticipation to remain longer in power.

Back to Mawanella incident, it is imperative to refer to an incident that took place in May 2001,[6]the trivial division of Muslim and Sinhala society had rear-end with each other owing to a minor mix-up. Mawanella police, Buddhist temples and Muslim mosques have cordially cooperated to avoid unwanted misgivings, until the latest attack and burning of a Muslim shop.[7]

If I imprecisely remember, the2001 incident happened on the refusal of a local grocery owner to hand over a gratis cigarette packet to a drunkard hooligan, allegedly having local politician support. The refusal of shop keeper angered the drunkard, who later stormed the shop along with his peers in hooliganism, beat and tied the victim to the city’s clock.

The dawn of the next day witnessed people from suburb area rushed to the town and clash broke out between Muslims and Sinhalese, resulted to loss of properties worth million rupees owned by Muslims. Uninterestingly, not a single Sinhalese shop or house was attacked or torched. Sinhalese were not targeted, except few Muslims who were living close by predominantly majority Sinhalese villages.

But, the situation came under control since then President Chandrika Bandaranaike deployed forces immediately and restored peace in the city and surrounding areas. Police resorted to gun fire to curb the situation, though resulted to the casualty of a Muslim octogenarian, allegedly wanting to buy bread.

This was the strategy and the measurements taken by our previous Sri Lankan President to curb and quell any such major situation, and never let the issue see maturity. The inaction of the police to non-Sinhalese is nothing less than a robbery of fundamental right of other, particularly the Muslims. Whenever attacked on non-Sinhalese surface, the police turned a blind eyes, unleash their protection and security of the Sinhalese. Thus, maintaining the tradition since 1956 & 1983 riots- assuring the Sinhalese safety and security.

Today, the Muslims feel they are alienated within their own society by their own Sinhala brothers. The Muslims have sacrificed their lives and properties to safeguard the sovereignty and territorial integrity of this country, but today, have lost their hope and the trust for their safety and security as Tamils felt prior to 1956 and 1983.And, neither positive nor negative security assurance is given by the GOSL to Muslims. Thus, will President Mahinda Rajapaksa and his shenanigans be taking the responsibility if any major-situation takes place? Or Monk Gnaanasara led Bodu Bala Sena, Ravana Balaya or JHU would take the responsibility?