About 500 people have marched through the centre of the Sri Lankan capital, Colombo, protesting against a recent wave of ethnic hatred which has seen hardline Buddhists targeting the Muslim minority, the BBC’s Charles Haviland reports.
A movement to show that moderates are strong & united against hate and are committed to promote understanding about the strengths of diversity & unity.
Given the recent spate of hate speech and the marginalization of minority communities in general, a voluntary movement of concerned Sri Lankans from various institutions, professions and industries are organizing a series of nonpartisan, non-violent awareness campaigns and rallies against racist actions and hate-speech in Sri Lanka.
Photo Lakna Paranamanna
Photo captured form BBC Video ;
Hate has No Place in Sri Lanka
Thilina / April 30, 2013
All minorities of SL are tried to achive thier personal interests such as East muslims and Nothern Tamils, but thing is all sinhalease live with other minorities in all over the SL exept the Jafana, Kalmunai, samanthurai…etc…so main unjustise happened to the Sinhalease who are the Majority of SL. BBS SU and SR are popular among the Sinhalease who unrest because their hritage are being destroying by Muslims and Tamils.
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Buvanes / April 30, 2013
FUNNY
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Lester / April 30, 2013
Many of the observers here missing the point I made before: 1 or 2 Muslims in a crowd of hundreds of Sinhalese. There is little difference between 0 and 1, or 0 and 2. The real question is why hundreds of Muslims are not in attendance at this protest?
Now where is the protest in Saudi Arabia to demand that Christians be able to build churches, or Hindus be able to build temples? Is it because such a protest is not even allowed. Many people do not know that there was an “Arab Spring” in Saudi Arabia which was quickly put down by the House of Saud.
The fact that such protests can take place at all in Sri Lanka shows that it is still well ahead of most of the developing world.
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Probono Publico / May 1, 2013
yakoo Lester/Heshan/Observer you my friend need to get your head examined for harboring so much hate!
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AYMAN / May 1, 2013
LESTER,
THERE IS NO NEED FOR PROTESTS FOR CHURCHES IN SAUDI.
JUST READ THIS ABOUT CHURCHES IN EDINBURGH
Mr Fulton said: “I suppose it is part of a fairly common trend in which many churches are experiencing declining attendance. I don’t believe demographics are involved. There is still quite a large population in the area but for whatever reasons, the church was failing to draw folk in.” The grateful new owner of the church is the Edinburgh Pakistan Association, which is two-thirds of the way towards reaching its target of £600,000 (Dh3.56 million) to fund its renovation plans.
THANK ALLAH THAT THERE WERE MUSLIMS TO BUY THE CHURCH.
DECLINING CHURCH ATTENDANCE????? -ISLAM GROWING !!!!!!!!!!!
LESTER I HOPE YOU WILL REALIZE WHICH WAY THE WIND IS BLOWING
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Lester / May 2, 2013
I HOPE YOU WILL REALIZE WHICH WAY THE WIND IS BLOWING
Ask your brothers in Palestine. They only feel the Israeli wind.
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David Blacker / May 2, 2013
But I thought you said that it was the Muslims chasing out the rest? now you say it’s the Jews. You’r beginning to sound a bit like your German idol — you know, the one you claimed won WW2?
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David Blacker / May 2, 2013
Why should it be incumbent upon the Muslims to defend themselves? A civilized nation is duty bound to protect all its citizens. And it is doubly incumbent on the Sinhalese Buddhists to be at the forefront of such protests because the hatred and racism being spewed is being done in their name. It is lame and pathetic that you can’t find any incidents of persecution of other communities by SL Muslims, and that you are forced to point to Saudi Arabia, which has no connection to the SL Muslims. When are you going to stop being lame, Heshan/Lester?
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Native Vedda / May 2, 2013
David Blacker
“And it is doubly incumbent on the Sinhalese Buddhists to be at the forefront of such protests because the hatred and racism being spewed is being done in their name”
Good point, when did you start to think along this line?
However, who is going to protect the Sinhala and Buddhist people from Sinhala/Buddhists?
Sinhala/Buddhists want to transform the entire country into a Sinhala/Buddhist ghetto. Why don’t the “minorities” Tamils, Hindus, Muslims, Christians,……..make their own life easy by converting themselves into Sinhala/Buddhists and live happily ever after?
After all Sinhala/Buddhists are majority in the island, who elect their representatives, fill the goverment ranks and opposition, man the bureaucracy and the armed forces, have large supply of thugs and criminals…………and monks?
Please give us one reason as to why shouldn’t the state assimilate the diverse populace into a mono ethnic one nation people living in a ghetto known as Sri Lanka?
Don’t you think life will be much easier in a mono ethnic ghetto?
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Lester / May 2, 2013
@ Native Vedda,
Do you want the Sinhalese to leave the island, so that the jungle will grow everywhere, and your people can hunt foxes with bows and arrows. Actually what will happen if Sinhalese left the island: Sri Lanka would become an Islamic caliphate and your Veddah women will become part of the harems for wealthy Muslims.
Be glad that Buddhism, not Islam came to Sri Lanka first. Otherwise your people would not be on the island today. When Muhammed conquered Mecca, Medina, and Jerusalem, he killed or chased the Jews and Hindus out. Do you know why there are no Jews in Arab countries today?
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David Blacker / May 2, 2013
‘Be glad that Buddhism, not Islam came to Sri Lanka first. Otherwise your people would not be on the island today. When Muhammed conquered Mecca, Medina, and Jerusalem, he killed or chased the Jews and Hindus out. Do you know why there are no Jews in Arab countries today?”
As usual, Heshan is mistaking Arab for Muslim :D
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Jamal / May 2, 2013
Truly your tumor is causing pain in your brain letting your imagination run riot!
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Lestert / May 2, 2013
Allah have mercy.
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David Blacker / May 2, 2013
“Good point, when did you start to think along this line?”
I have always thought along this line. Why did it take you so long to notice?
“However, who is going to protect the Sinhala and Buddhist people from Sinhala/Buddhists?”
That is up to the Sinhalese Buddhists to decide, just as it is up to the Muslims to decide whether they will tolerate extremism in their own ranks, just as it is up to the Tamils to decide whether they will tolerate separatism in their ranks.
“Why don’t the “minorities” Tamils, Hindus, Muslims, Christians,……..make their own life easy by converting themselves into Sinhala/Buddhists and live happily ever after?”
Firstly, while one can convert to Buddhism, how does one convert oneself into a Sinhalese? That aside, how can you decide what will make these minorities happy ever after? Do you believe the Veddhas should become Sinhalese Buddhists and live happily ever after? Change begins at home.
“Please give us one reason as to why shouldn’t the state assimilate the diverse populace into a mono ethnic one nation people living in a ghetto known as Sri Lanka?”
They already tried in 1956. It didn’t work. Isn’t that reason enough?
“Don’t you think life will be much easier in a mono ethnic ghetto?”
Why should we be governed by what is easy?
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Jayantha / May 1, 2013
Fought against Imperialists for our Independence to face another worst Imperialist Authoritarial Dictator. What a sad situation.
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faizer / May 14, 2013
sorry the comment language is English -CT
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