{"id":190520,"date":"2018-05-12T23:52:38","date_gmt":"2018-05-12T18:22:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.colombotelegraph.com\/?p=190520"},"modified":"2018-05-19T16:19:34","modified_gmt":"2018-05-19T10:49:34","slug":"either-way-muslims-have-no-escape","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.colombotelegraph.com\/index.php\/either-way-muslims-have-no-escape\/","title":{"rendered":"Either Way Muslims Have No Escape"},"content":{"rendered":"

By Mass L. Usuf<\/a> –<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>

Mass Usuf<\/p><\/div>\n

Experience is an honest Teacher. To let others, benefit from one\u2019s own experience that person must share it with them. This is exactly what this piece is about.<\/p>\n

The incident stems from a casual chat between old friends. Each person was arguing on a certain matter trying to prove his point as superior. All with a sense of humour and poking fun at each other.\u00a0 I, too, did the same. At one point, I changed my opinion and expressed a different view. The moment I did that one of my friends said, \u2018you are now changing your view, typical thambiya\u2019. I am thankful to them because they are the reason for me to clarify an important matter that bugs many people. Firstly, my friends are decent and respectable Sinhalese people. They are not racists. Secondly, when they made the statement typical \u2018thambiya\u2019, I am hundred percent certain that they said so not with a racist intent.\u00a0 However, that was proof that this perversion has been engrained in the minds of people.Like my friends there are many out there who have been innocently influenced by this deep-rooted prejudice.<\/p>\n

Neither is any community better than another nor, is any person of one community better than a person from another community.\u00a0 In every community there is the good, the bad and the ugly.\u00a0 We are all human beings and that is how human beings are made of by nature.\u00a0 Civic mindedness demands that this needs to be highlighted.\u00a0 It is unreasonable, unscientific and illogical to address Muslims in this perverted sense.<\/p>\n

Analysing \u2018Thambiya\u2019<\/strong><\/p>\n

In Tamil \u2018Thambi\u2019 means, \u2018brother\u2019 a very affectionate word.\u00a0 In the past, even the Sinhalese people respectfully refer to a person of Muslim or Tamil origin, as \u2018thambi\u2019.\u00a0 Today, this word is used by most of the Sinhala majority as a derogatory or offensive term especially targeting the Muslim people.\u00a0 A by-product of the unfortunate growth of racism in this country. Far from the respectful address of those days, \u2018Thambiya\u2019 has now been given a new definition by the racists. It means, \u2018Kattaya\u2019 (cunning) and untrustworthy Muslim person.<\/p>\n

In this background, lets analyse the situation where a Muslim person is considered as a cunning and untrustworthy person. The word, \u2018thambiya\u2019 in its distorted version had been alluded to increasingly in the social media by the Sinhala extremists.\u00a0 This usage against the Muslims has been taken for granted by everyone without proper inquiry or understanding.\u00a0 If some Muslim businessmen are accused of cheating, the same is true of some Sinhalese and Tamil businessmen who also cheat.\u00a0\u00a0 Hostile stereo typing a particular people belonging to a culture, religion or ethnicity is unreasonable.<\/p>\n

See the difference between these two stereo types: (1) Bruce Lee of martial art fame is Chinese. The perceptive assumption can be that all Chinese people know at least some kung fu. (2) ISIS the terrorist outfit are \u2018Muslims\u2019 so all Muslims are terrorists.\u00a0 The first is a positive stereotype while the second is negative.\u00a0 Both are unscientific statements.\u00a0 The truth is that not every Chinese knows kung fu nor every Muslim is a terrorist.\u00a0 Similarly, the usage of the word \u2018thambiya\u2019 connoting all Muslims as cunning or untrustworthy is unscientific.\u00a0 Logically, there should then be Sinhala and Tamil \u2018thambiyas\u2019 too, within this description.<\/p>\n

Black Sheep<\/strong><\/p>\n

Culture defines the values, norms, social behaviour, outlook etc. of the people fitting into a particular culture.\u00a0 People belong to various cultures.\u00a0 This is a universal reality.\u00a0 Those belonging to one culture through cognitive structuring develops certain perceptions of the cultural pattern of the other group.\u00a0 These can be both positive and negative perceptions.\u00a0 Some of these perceptions can also be irrational, distorted or prejudiced.\u00a0 Several factors contribute to this – appearance, social interaction, jealousness, inability to compete etc.<\/p>\n

The Muslim community is not an exception to the reality that in every community there are black sheep. It will be dishonest to deny that in the Muslim community there are no cunning or untrustworthy people.\u00a0 In the same way, there are several cunning and untrustworthy people in other communities too.\u00a0 The distortion of this truism takes place when one group, based on the exceptional situation of a few persons, prejudicially uses a broad brush on the entire community.\u00a0 This is done influenced by prejudice; that is preconceived or unfounded opinion not based on reason. One of the causes being dislike or hostility towards the target group\u2019s behaviour. Yet another being the psyche of dominance over another group of people.\u00a0 Here, in this instance, the Muslims.<\/p>\n

Holier-Than-Thou<\/strong><\/p>\n

Blaming an entire community for the wrongdoings of a few is called stereotyping.\u00a0A stereotype is a generalization about a group of people which arises from prejudicial targeting, as in the case of \u2018thambiya\u2019.\u00a0 Therefore, most of the times stereo types are inaccurate.<\/p>\n

This holier-than-thouattitude of the Sinhala people cannot be allowed to continue unchecked.\u00a0 Some Sinhalese people behave as if no one in their community are cunning or untrustworthy.\u00a0Or, in other words, figuratively there is no \u2018thambiya\u2019 amongst them, according to the new definition.\u00a0 To think in this manner is absolutely wrong.\u00a0 The inherent prejudice denies them the rational thinking of taking cognisance of the fact of the same \u2018thambi\u2019 behavioural pattern in their own community.\u00a0 You see what others are like, according to your own perception and, fail to see such qualities in your own self.\u00a0 The reason is because you are not prejudiced negatively with your own self and, naturally have not stereo typed the behaviour of your people.<\/p>\n

Let us consider the following situations (though I do not necessarily subscribe to some of these). The Muslim politicians are accused as turn coats and opportunists.\u00a0 Are not the Sinhalese or Tamil politicians the same?\u00a0 When the Muslims start a political party, they are communalists.\u00a0When the Sinhalese start an ethnic party, they are protectors of their race. When the monks speak out, they are protecting Buddhism and the race.\u00a0 When the Muslim learned speak out they are promoting Wahabism (if this allegation is true or false is a separate debate).\u00a0 When the Muslim speaks kindly and respectfully, he is labelled as cunning.\u00a0When he does not show these qualities, he is called arrogant.\u00a0 When Muslims do not use Sinhala names they are accused of not integrating.\u00a0 When a Muslim starts a new business with a Sinhala name, he is accused of deceiving the Sinhala people using a Sinhalese name.\u00a0 When a Muslim change his position based on newer facts he is untrustworthy.\u00a0 When he sticks to his point without change, he is called a bigot. Muslims are accused of not contributing to the economy.\u00a0 When a Muslim develops a business, he is accused of usurping the business of the Sinhalese people (and they cowardly commit acts of arson).\u00a0 Muslims are accused of slaughtering cows but the Sinhalese queue up to buy beef or order their favourite plate of \u2018devilled beef\u2019 when having a drink. The list of no escape either way can continue, in this manner.<\/p>\n

Miccha Sankappa<\/strong><\/p>\n

The Sinhalese community must remind themselves of the words of buddha on \u2018right view\u2019 (Samma Ditti).\u00a0 Right view produces right thinking (Samma Sankappa).\u00a0 Come out of these prejudicial, stereo type and maladaptive perceptions \u2018wrong thinking\u2019 (Miccha Sankappa) about another group of people.\u00a0 Whoever does not have the basic \u2018samma ditti\u2019, such person is far from liberation and will continue to live within the dungeons of darkness.\u00a0 He creates hell not only for himself but for others as well.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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