Former Ambassador Javid Yusuf‘s presentation at the panel discussion on “Religion, Reconciliation and Future” organised by Sri Lanka Young Journalists Movement.
Sri Lanka Press Institute Auditorium 96, Kirula Rd, Colombo – 05 on Monday, 8th April, 2013.
Related posts;
Video: “Religion, Reconciliation And Future” – Malinda Seneviratne
Video|Sinhala : Religion, Reconciliation And Future”- Dr. Dayan Jayatilleka
Video|Sinhala: “Religion, Reconciliation And Future” – Pubudu Jagoda – Frontline Socialist Party
Video: Buddhists Must Speak Out On Behalf Of The Muslims – Bishop Chickera
Senguttuvan / April 23, 2013
For as long as I have heard Javed Yusuf, he is quick to attack the LTTE, trash their struggle, criticise Mr Sampanthan and so on while trying to draw a red herring along the trail. Here he begins by saying the Tamils rose against justice to them and goes on to say the LTTE did the whole thing wrong – and brought the Tamil nation and their leaders to peril. He continues and advises that minorities must not only ask for rights but also must behave as stake-holders. phew!!!!
The fact is the conflict began on the Language issue in 1956 between the Tamils and Sinhalese. It focussed both on the Sinhala Only Bill and the Language of the Courts issue. Some Tamil youth decided to take to arms – only a quarter century latter when more than one administration refused to address Tamil issues. An over-zealous Muslim Education Minister complicated issues initially by his ambitious Standardisation project. It made him popular with his anti-Tamil Cabinet of 1970 but Prabakaran was to admit this was one move that forced Tamil youth to take to arms. I must add, it was Sinhala interests and intellects who intervened in the interim and diluted the unjust features of Mahmud’s Standardisation Scheme.
From 1948 Muslims articulated their needs through Tamil representatives and through Muslim MPs in the NEP. There was total harmony between the two races in the NEP until the 1980s.
What happened in the EP from the 1980s, where surreptitious power-play there was something to which Muslims in the rest of the country did not share, is now under much debate in the Muslim community nationally. It now emerges radical Muslim interests in the EP were getting ready for armed insurrection, working hand in hand with anti-Lankan and anti-Indian interests, to promote the strategic regional interests of third sources. Reports of many Containers of arms and ammunition being transported from the Port of Colombo during the time of Ashraff and thereafter – being part of the now confessed reality.
Now the strident and confused call from the Muslims side is that minorities should get together and fight the Sinhala State.
Some sections also call for a new Tamil-Muslim front. Tamils watch all these theatrics amusedly and realise when they were under brutal attack for over 50 years, it was they alone. They have reason to wonder why this concern was not expressed in the earlier decades. We also see many Muslim commentators here and elsewhere – claiming various forms of Doctorates – asking themselves “if they came from Pakistan, Afghanistan or Arabia?” The point driven is they originate from any one or all of these countries???
Meanwhile, there is growing consensus among Sinhala academic interests, in view of what has emerged out in recent times, there should be a further effort to bring together Sinhala-Tamil talks at reconciliation among the non-political scholars – before the country gets into further national and international complications. They believe all other issues are sub-issues and could be settled later. They see foreign interests are fishing in our troubled waters for their own global interests.
Is this what Mr Sampanthan had in mind when he told a leading Indian media outfit “leave the Muslim issue to me” Of course, this enrages many Muslims. But this may eventually be a formulae that has to come to the fore as the conflict from 1950s was a Sinhala-Tamil conflict based purely on language. Religion was never an issue between the two sides. Mr Yusuf makes strong reference to a factor most Muslims do – vide “Religion is a strong factor to all Muslims and close to their hearts” Mr Yusuf it is so with Sinhalese and Tamils as well – although they have for decades had the decency and good sense to leave religion largely at home. This was to change recently when Buddhist extremist sources claim they were forced to come out against other religious reactionary forces – suspected to be under direction from abroad – working in cahoots with local collaborators.
Senguttuvan
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Dr.Rajasingham Narendran / April 24, 2013
Senguttuwan,
I read your comment with much interest and ended with serious concerns. The mistake we frequently make is to identify the maliciousness, shenanigans and manipulations of politicians with the communities they represent. The Muslim politicians are not the Muslims. Some Muslims may have gained from their antics in the short term, but most did not. Most Muslims as poor as most Sinhalese and Tamils are. They pray as others do, only for divine help to have three square meals a day and live. Even the few who gained are at risk losing it, at this point in time.
The moment Buddhist priests, Mullahs or Christian priests, begin to dabble in religious or communal politics, they lose their status in the religious sense. They become politicians themselves- a despicable breed of carrion eaters in our country. What you have said is in a general context, true of the Muslim politicians , which includes their extreme religious fringe. However, we should also remember that the poor Muslims in the north and east were also victims of the madness that overwhelmed this country and has yet not relaxed its hold.
What I appreciate most of sections of the Muslim community in the east, is their scholarship in Tamil and Tamil literature. They have contributed much to keep both alive, when these were under seige among the Tamils. Even today Tamil is heard and spoken in the seven provinces outside the north and east, because of largely the Muslims. Further, whether it was after the Tsunami or the last war, the Muslims responded spontaneously to come to the aid of the Tamils.
What I have tried to convey above, applies to the Sinhalese and Tamils too. Generalization of specific issues in terms of communities can be dangerous in the context of our national political psyche to find scapegoats for everything that is wrong with our country, because of their own rottenness.
Dr.Rajasingham Narendran
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Rifkha Roshanaara / April 25, 2013
Beautiful and intelligent articulation. Thanks for your contributions Dr Rajasingham Narendran. I relish reading your responses.
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Ceylonese / April 24, 2013
This Senguttuvan writes of the allegedly knowing the late Lakshman Kadirgamar is a disgrace to the great man who stood firmly to equality of all communities. Thank you Dr. Rajasingham Narendran for your feed back.
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Maghribi / April 24, 2013
Hon. Sumanthiran – Please take corrective measures to restore the rights of the Muslims and Tamils in the North and East and prevent the theft of Property and Honour by the Oligarchy. The responsibility of the silent majority of all community keeping their month shut except for a few patriotic Sri Lankans. We Muslims appreciate you standing up in place of our purchased commodity of Muslim politicians. When Morality declines the rich and powerful takes control of the resources by unfair measures
“Religion, Reconciliation and Future” – Mr. M.A. Sumanthiran. MP
https://www.colombotelegraph.com/index.php/video-religion-reconciliation-and-future-m-a-sumanthiran/
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Truthful / April 25, 2013
Senguttuvan,
You express an obvious and “amused” glee that Muslims are now at the receiving end of Sinhala Buddhist threats and assert that they deserve this because they didn’t come to the rescue of Tamils in their struggle. But I suggest you look at these issues in a historical perspective. I like to remind you of 1915 during an era when everything about Sinhala- Tamil relationship was hunky-dory and when Muslims were mercilessly slaughtered by Sinhala mobs, the erstwhile Tamil national leader Sir Ponnampalam Ramanathan (who even claimed that Muslims need no separate representation in Parliament and he could represent them) worked tirelessly against the Muslims. Muslims had then learned the bitter lesson that they are alone and Tamil leaders will never help them. But even though I am a Muslim, I would never hold this great betrayal by Sir Ponnampalam Ramanathan as that of the Tamil people. I myself have been always sympathetic to the Tamil cause until militancy and terrorism became the hallmark of the Tamil struggle. I love the Tamil Language as my mother tongue and take great interest in Tamil literature including Saivite poetry. I received my entire school education in Tamil schools in the 1960s. Though I am forever grateful to my Tamil teachers, I cannot forget that I was always subjected to and silently suffered racial taunts and insults from some teachers and fellow students even in the hostels. To the eternal credit of some of those good teachers I was taught by, I have now risen up to a position of a University Professor. But even my negative experience at schools didn’t colour my attitude towards the Tamil people. I still relish socialising with Tamil people as much as with Sinhala friends and I advise and help my Tamil students as much as I would with students of other communities. So it is sad that an intelligent person like you harbours so much ill will against Muslims. Your reference to Muslims in the East preparing for armed insurrection in the 1980s has been shown to be a totally baseless canard and you should be ashamed to repeat such a falsehood. Don’t get sadistic pleasure in the suffering of people. You have much to learn from Dr Rajasingham Narendran in these columns.
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Senguttuvan / April 25, 2013
Your calculated falsehood that I express an obvious glee Muslims are now under attack is as true as the name you have carefully chosen – Truthful. Your unfortunate remarks are measured to create hatred against my name. But that is in your inherent nature and culture that everybody in the country has begun to accept long ago. But it is not going to change what took place in this country and in the NEP in recent decades. The trouble is when anyone speaks of Muslim shortcomings, they are called names. When I speak of Tamil sufferings and the atrocities committed against the Tamil Nation, I do so for that purpose only with the aim of securing justice to the Tamil people. I do not have to shift agendas – sometimes to catch the eye of the regime and at other times to win the goodwill of others. Those shenanigans who resort to this trickery are found out and adequately dealt with by other readers in these very pages is something that you could not have missed noticing. I am afraid although I treat those who hold opposite views with due respect, I feel it an affront to be compared with some of them in their present ideological reincarnation.
You exaggerate, be design, the Tamil role during the 1915 period to place the Tamils in bad light. Treachery against Tamils in this country to win the favour of Sinhalese in the post-1956 history is not a new thing. We hear of various kinds of “help” and “cooperation” with the armed forces, coming out now in bits and pieces, when the Tamil armed struggle was at its zenith What happened in 1915 is, sadly, what a few extreme Muslims brought upon the whole community – something that was to repeat here in recent times. I do not want to say more in these troubled times to avoid stoking fires that have not totally dimmed completely yet. But am glad the Muslim community and its lay-cleric leadership appear to have restrained the more mischievous and irresponsible within its ranks.
That Tamils are losing entire villages, vast tracts of agricultural lands, fishing prospects, employment opportunities. These are burning issues in that new twist to history “we have been here for over a thousand years…..We have come from Arabia..” and many other such fancy new claims. Every effort is made to erase the fact they came about 3-4 centuries substantially from the littoral coasts of Tamilnadu to toe the existing political fortunes. Of course, this is invoked parrot-like in visits to Tamilnadu during trying times – as Badiudin Mahmud and party did in 1983 and Hakeem and Company recently. Reference in such recent meetings are made to the fact former Indian President Abdul Kalam is one of their own??? Very soon a few will speak Arabic and in a few decades time claim this to be their mother tongue – so that they can be identified with more influential voices in the world today. Let us not forget the main feature that distinguishes particular communities from others in multi-racial societies is language. The large population of Muslims in Tamilnadu do not seek a religious identity is something that is in harmony with history. What men like that Rishard B and many others are now doing is not going to be met with applause by Tamils in those areas. The plight of this now weakened Tamils needs to be told to the nation and the outside world. A minister who behaves like an armed thug threatening senior judicial officials roams free – to carry on his “adventures” in other fields. Already we hear serious mis-deeds in the matter of housing allocations to the IDPs, where Muslim politicians use their temporary clout to change entire Tamil villages and districts to suit their electoral ambitions. Neither do I rejoice when Tamils were the most populous in the EP for millennia and suddenly they are the 2nd and 3rd largest in the Batticoloa and Trincomalee Districts – the changes coming through unnatural methods and State action in the form of forced colonization. Do I become an anti particular community because I raise the issue of injustices to the Tamil people? Then, by all means, so be it.
I am pleased to learn reader Truthful is an academic and has countless Tamil friends. This has beennthe happy and historic reality in the past 2-3 centuries, particularly in the NEP where Muslims live in numbers. The problem was as former UNP Minister A.R.M. Mansoor, in his wisdom, said many times to the effect this new kind of Islamic exclusionist politics will harm the Muslims in all parts of the country and affect their relations with other communities. People like Mansoor may not have much backing now – but under them Muslims all over the land were safe and went about their business peacefully.
So, my friend, instead of heaping abuse I suggest you look at matters objectively, turn the spotlight inwards and re-take those necessary steps by which you lived in peace and harmony with others up until recent times.
Senguttuvan
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Jamal / April 28, 2013
Senguttuvan writes:
Let us examine this charge and discuss the facts.
Previously Sengu has commented derisively on the Call to prayer(Adhan), Islamic Banking, Halaal, and the Dress code in the Muslim community. He never made any attempt to analyze these issues impartially but was quick to pass judgement that it was causing a problem to the majority community and therefore Muslims must compromise for peace to reign! I was saddened that deviating from his staid contributions on other topics Sengu on and off did shoot his surreptitious innuendos and rhetoric against Islam. For instance he would write of the barbaric practices referring to the Islamic practice of beheadings of criminals. Thus alluding to Islam as a barbaric religion! Now what is ordained in Islam is capital punishment for the murderer. During the period of revelation, guns were not known and the prevalent practice was beheading by well trained persons. Beheading was swift and in the infinitesimal time taken for the execution to be performed, it is virtually painless. Yes I admit it is horrific to watch. With a modern mindset any ordinary person might deem it barbaric! But killing for whatever reason by whatever method may also be deemed barbaric by others! Personally I think this method should be applied in Delhi where four, five and six year olds have been bestially raped and left to die with unimaginable injuries to their genitals. That will have the necessary deterrent effect to such sadistic crimes in future!
In what is an obvious reference to Muslims critical of his thoughts Sengu writes.
Vitriolic response to criticism is not exclusive to Muslims or their “culture”. I have been at the receiving end of some inappropriate venom with expletives such as “coming from the gutters”, “mariakade types coming with raised sarong”. The actual wording might not be verbatim but the sentiments expressed were more or less the same. Whether you bludgeon a victim or slice his throat with a scalpel the end result is the same.
As for our antecedents Sengu quotes:
Looks like History should toe Sengu’s version of historic events. Mrs Lorna Devaraj’s scholarship is rubbished in the dustbin of what should be and not How it was. At least to preserve his claim to be bona fide, one would expect some credible evidence or reference to have been quoted.
Anyway recent events have proved that the present local Muslim Leaders have all behaved in the most nauseating manner and it is our fervent prayer that come the next elections, they will be served their just deserts. In the meanwhile my prayer is that people of all ethnicities and races, especially the Tamils and Muslims of the Eastern block, should unite and aim for goals that will serve everyone fairly! Justice Vigneswaran’s talk reported in CT under the thread “Whence-sri-lankan-tamils-and-whither-sri-lankan-tamils is a very appropriate contribution for all of us to read, absorb and implement.
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Senguttuvan / April 28, 2013
I welcome Mr Jamal’s calm approach and wish to respond in like manner. I cannot but resist to note most of us in these columns make our comments and express opinions somewhat freely in the wider interest of debate and discussion only. Many of us sometimes commenting critically of Muslim short-comings do not expect us to be under surreptitious searchlights. We also note a few selected names from the community – coming under various guises – selecting to attack and abuse those who point out existing facts.
We do not expect files to be maintained on our comments – and on some of us individually – Gestapo or Police-State style. Clearly, this is what is happening. There was a suspicion foreign interests were paying local radical Muslim interests to keep tab on others whom they think may be against their “interests” I have earlier repeated other overseas commentators “the undeclared Global War of Conquest has already begun” and every Muslim in every part of the globe is expected to make his 24×7 contribution to the War Machinery (CNN’s Christine Amanpour’s multi-instalment TV series a few years ago titled “Judaism, Christianity and Islam”)
Not surprising BBS and their fellow-travellers take these matters in great earnest. Sinhala interests often quote the Maldives and point out until about the 1960s the island had a substantial Sinhala presence as well – some of them being Christian. But today the Maldives have been made a 100% Islamic Shariah State where merely owning a Christian Bible attracts serious punishment – including a long jail sentence. The Secretary/BBS made pointed reference to the Maldives in his widely televised speeches.
If Mr Jamal’s point is Muslims are innocent of all the negatives said against them both here and elsewhere – with everyone else wrong, then I am afraid we will not buy this. We learn today Minister Mohamed Azam Khan of the Uttar Pradesh Govt was detained “for many hours at the Boston airport” on his way to a Seminar at Harvard University. Whenever Indian actor Sharukh Khan reaches an airport in the US he screams of “insulting treatment” That poor innocent man former Indian President Abdul Kalam too. These are only a few instances in one country alone. Why does this happen to one particular group only?
I do not want to drag the point here too much because the Sinhala-Muslim issue still has not reached the point the country wishes for – as the Muslims themselves comment in these pages. There is much to be said about the Kattankudy tragedy, the eviction of Muslims in the North, the slaughter of nearly 20 French ACF volunteers falsely tipped off as LTTErs etc – hidden details of which many knew are trickling out now. So I suggest those plans to kill the messenger be kept on hold – because changing the tenor of the message is what matters. These pages, Sir, are not to discuss sensitive issues in-depth. Just quoting one Lorna D is not going to turn black into white. Sri Lanka claims to have a literate population of over 95% They often know the right from the wrong.
I note your bitter comments about the current Muslim leadership – a tacit admission these opportunists, have done very little to help the Muslim plight. We agree. And your comments of the fate that may befall them after the next elections. But many feel, once the heat is off, most of the same leaders will be returned again and again. Ganda Kata … and all.
Politics, as an infamous woman leader said, “is a family business” As the old saying goes “there can be no smoke without a fire”
Senguttuvan
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essie / April 25, 2013
A very good and relevant expose of the situation that faces the country today, and suggestions for correction thereof. There is absolutely no point in bringing up issues of the past and pointing fingers at community mistakes. The real issue is the future-all citizens of every ethnic background must have equal rights to help build a secure future.
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Jamal / April 29, 2013
Thank you Mr.Senguttuvan for your sentiments. I do not wish to delve too much in my reply. However I feel two points you raised need my comments. To quote you:
I feel that CT is a forum where we can freely exchange views. With the intention of maintaining high standards one would prefer contributions to be factually correct, well researched and referenced so that at the end of the day all of us can learn something from each other. Of course the purpose should not be either to proselytize or ram ones opinion down another’s throat. I have noted that that you have been positive sometimes, being privy to information on account of your association with important figures in the not too distant past. This has been openly appreciated in this forum. I applaud you for that.
However with reference to some of the Islamic features, of which the most glaring was ISLAMIC BANKING, I noticed that your opinion was more conjecture than well researched. What puzzled me was that it did not tally with your staid contributions as I said before. I would have preferred that you had inquired from the readership for more clarification before you passed judgement.
Again you state
I say that I have never declared in any thread that“Muslims are innocent of all the negatives said against them both here and elsewhere – with everyone else wrong”
Actually the reverse is true. I have always maintained that extremists have hijacked Islam. The prevailing situation is as was predicted by the Holy Prophet when he declared that the Muslims will split into 73 sects, all of them going to hell except one, meaning that 72 sects will deviate from the pristine teachings and do these abominable acts, which in turn answers your question “Why does this happen to one particular group only?”
CT has enunciated guidelines which many tend to ignore. Luckily for them most get past the moderator. You would have noticed an endless troll by two notorious Islamaphobes who, whatever the topic divert to banal Islam bashing. They character assassinate the Prophet at will and twist the meanings of the Holy Book, disregarding the fundamentals of critical analysis and paying only lip service as it were to the first clause in the comments policy viz:
We welcome debate and dissent, but personal attacks (on authors, other users or any individual), persistent trolling and mindless abuse will not be tolerated.
Finally I hope that people like you will help to keep this forum lively with not only healthy and constructive criticism, but with informative and educative contributions as well. Take care and have a good day!
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Senguttuvan / April 29, 2013
I welcome once more Mr. Jamal – the voice of moderation from the Muslim side – in what is clearly a difficult and divisive issue we can all do without.
As to Islamic banking, it is my view global banking does not need a religious face, which itself can be interpreted as suggestive of some ill-meaning are out to divide the world ecclesiastically. We have done without this from the inception of banking for over 500 years ago. We should allow this to remain there. I believe this Islamic banking, Islamic Insurance and so on are looked at with contempt by others – both here and elsewhere. Forgive me when I say the sooner you get out of this mind-set the better.
“I have always maintained extremists have hijacked Islam” say you. That is the long and short of all this hue and cry, Sir. This is what the Egyptian Ambassador told me, about 15 years ago, when I invited him to speak on the then sweeping Islamic fundamentalism. As I have often said here, our Muslims were a model of religious harmony and piety when we were children. We saw them walking to Mosque regularly, prayed daily at home – something which we as children saw. admired and respected. They did not “ram their religion or opinion down others throats” – to use your phraseology. And everything remained calm and tranquil then until our fundamentalist, Wahabist/Salafists friends showed up and spoilt matters – for everybody.
You speak of 73 and 72 sects; some being consigned to Hell and others of curses and so on. But that is your religion and your business so long as others are kept out of it. As to your reference to others attacking Islam and the Prophet in these pages here, Sir, I am afraid in this 21st century it is one of a freer world than in the medieval uncompromising world. Freedom of Speech, Opinion and the right to criticise most things are now a treasured heritage in this modern, enlightened world. The savage treatment to Taslima Nasreen and the earlier bestiality to the very literate Muslim Salman Rushdie have gone down in history as extreme instances of intolerance in a religion claiming Mercy and Compassion. That Ayatollah Khomeini himself had ordered the killing of Rushdie and the assassination of the Pope by the Turk Mehmet Agha (?) are matters that are ingrained in the minds of the tolerant and intellectual world These cannot be easily erased for a long time to come.
Let me reiterate to you, I began my learning career from a Muslim – who I invoke in my daily prayers; my oldest class-mate is a Muslim coming from a Colombo family of a leading 3-generations of lawyers ; at least two couples who join us in our regular get-togethers in the family and circle of friends are wonderful and sophisticated practising Muslims. Like in all communities, there are the good and the bad. I have no religious prejudices. As a secular Hindu – fond of history, mankind, the religions and reading – I have attended midnight mass celebrated by His Holiness the Pope at the Basilica in Rome; I have fulfilled my wish of praying in a Mosque – when I got the privilege at the Blue Mosque in Istanbul. I hope to visit and pray at Buddha Gaya at the first opportunity. I have been close to the place visiting Delhi several times. I have prayed at Kandy and leading Buddhist temples in Colombo and attend Buddhist classes in a Bambalapitiya Vihara, whenever I can.
I work hard hard, play hard and argue hard (when it is necessary) I like to think there is no prejudice in me – racial, religious or trans-gender in this mortal life. It was Amartya Sen, the Nobel Laureate, when asked what he does for leisure said he likes to cycle and get into long arguments. So please forgive little ignorant me.
I am entirely with you when you state “… CT is a forum where we can freely exchange views…where we can learn something from each other. …” I think we are fortunate for that to this fastly growing blog.
I conclude with those beautiful and meaningful words that matter to me very much “Salaam Malaikum” (I come in peace)
May peace be with you and your (mine too) people, my Brother.
Senguttuvan
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Senguttuvan / April 29, 2013
Correction – Salaam Malaikum can also mean “May peace be with you”
Senguttuvan
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Senguttuvan / April 30, 2013
In as much I would like to call halt to this discussion with Mr Jamal, I need to respond to a few matters he has touched upon last – leaving the discussion in suspense.
No formal lender of money does it free. Whether you call it Interest or Service charge etc it is a percentage of the Capital borrowed calculated on a monthly/yearly basis. Civilised countries of the world today ensure it is a reasonable rate. In the West and developed countries it varies today from 1% to 2% per year. In our part of the world, it is slightly more – in tune with the rate of inflation etc.,
It is those Shylock kind of interest of 10-50% that falls under the category of Usury, which we fortunately do not see even in our part of the world today. I will be surprised in today’s world, formal lending is made free of a reasonable return to the lender of Capital – whether the transaction is made in the name of religion or otherwise.
The usurious factor also apply to other commodities globally traded which are essential to mankind for their day to day living and the pursuit of happiness. When a commodity in such demand is priced many multifold from its actual cost of production, purely because it is found located in certain parts of the world, it is not only usurious,
I believe, it is a crime against mankind and civilisation.
When one speaks of the sacred Freedom of Speech one is also conditioned by the fact that such a freedom is exercised with responsibility and within the laws of Libel and so on. In most developed/developing countries worth their name, today these form part of their Constitutions.
The subjects discussed here are matters governed in most countries by law, common sense and above all humanism. These need no elaborate explanation as they are now part of accepted global culture. I believe the UN and its allied agencies make it a point to bring in countries outside this sphere – who have hitherto governed themselves by tribal and medieval customs. Fortunately, many of them appear to be coming of age now under pressure from the world media and global opinion.
Senguttuvan
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