Rajapakse govt looks on as religious intolerance soars

Concerned Citizens’ Statement Against Religious Intolerance

It is with great concern that we the undersigned protest against the growing trend of increasing religious intolerance in Sri Lanka with regard to minority religions. We specifically condemn the recent violent attack on the

Mosque in Dambulla by a group of anti social actors. The Hindu community has also been asked to move their temple from the vicinity. The Dambulla Khairya Jummah Mosque had been in existence for over 60 years and the mosque trustees have legal documents regarding its construction. On Friday the 20th of April 2012 a tense situation arose as regular Friday prayer at the Mosque was prevented by a gang led by Buddhist monks who claimed that it was an illegal construction. The group stated that both the Mosque and Hindu shrine were built on sacred Buddhist ground. It is further regrettable that law enforcement authorities could not take appropriate action to stop the forceful entry into the mosque and the intimidation of the community.

On the 23rd after a discussion with the Buddhist monks deputy minister Hizbullah made a public announcement to the media that the monks have agreed to give three months to identify alternative land and relocate the Mosque. However the very affected members of the community have not been part of this discussion and are still unable to express their opinion freely. While we are in support of reaching a solution through negotiations with the Muslim community, we would like to stress that any decision taken on this issue should not be unjust towards the minority communities in the context of post-war Sri Lanka.

The mosque has been in existence for over 60 years and the Sinhala, Tamil and Muslim persons in the region had been living together in a spirit of amity for decades, if not centuries. Yet, today we see that that religious intolerance is on the rise and the state has done little to check this. The incident in Dambulla is not an isolated one. Last year a Muslim shrine (Dargha) was destroyed in Anuradhapura. In Ashraf Nagar the military has taken over land that belongs to 69 Muslim families, including land that was allotted for a Muslim burial ground. In Illangaithurai Muhathuwaram (now renamed Lanka Patuna) a Shivan shrine was removed and a Buddhist statue was built in its place. A group of Buddhist monks and people attacked the four Square Gospel Church in Kaluthara North last year. The Police have prevented the church from functioning claiming that it would lead to a breach peace. In Ambalangoda the Assembly of God church was attacked in February this year. A pastor in Kalutara was attacked and a house belonging to a Christian was vandalized by Buddhist monks alleging that the church was engaged in conversions. The police failed to frame charges against Buddhist monks. Recently the government has also tried to pass the Town and Country Planning bill which allows for religious land to also been acquired in municipal and urban areas for economic, social, historical, environmental or religious purposes. Even though the bill has been challenged in court and withdrawn there is a move to bring the bill back as law through other avenues. Such acts increase the sense of insecurity that minorities in general feel in this as regards the practice of worship and co existence.

Sri Lanka is a multi-ethnic and multi-religious community in which religious acceptance and protection of religious and cultural rights and the freedom to practice their religion anywhere in the country is a basic tenet of the Constitution and a protection assured to all citizens.

We appeal to the President, state institutions and officials, and those in the executive to take appropriate action on the incident in Dambulla that serves to build confidence among minority communities in the state structure and mechanisms. We strongly believe that the people of this country, Sinhala, Tamil, Muslim, Christian and Burgher wish to live in harmony with each other. We also strongly believe that it is a marginal amount of people who take to violence in riding rough shod over the rights of others. We strongly urge the state to take measures to curb the growing trend of intolerance and to do its utmost to make minorities feel in every way people of this country. In the post war context this is of the utmost importance for reconciliation and peaceful co-existence. We also appeal to religious and community leaders to initiate dialogue at all possible levels so that minority communities feel secure. We pledge our support for a pluralist Sri Lankan society.

1. Affected Women’s Forum (Akkaraippattu)

2. Association of War-Affected Women

3. Centre for Human Resource Development (Viluthu)

4. Centre for Human Rights and Development

5. Centre for Mass Communication and Media (Mannar)

6. Centre for Policy Alternatives

7. Equal Ground

8. Families of the Disappeared

9. Human Rights office Kandy

10. IMADR- Asia

11. INFORM

12. Jaffna Civil Society for Equality

13. Lawyers for Democracy

14. Mannar Women’s Development Federation

15. Mothers and Daughters of Lanka

16. Mullaitheevu Women Development and Rehabilitation Trust

17. Muslim Women’s Trust – Puttalum

18. Muslim Women’s Research and Action Forum

19. National Peace Council

20. Red Flag Movement

21. Resources for Peace and Reconciliation (Mannar)

22. Right to Life Human Rights Center

23. Rights Now Collective for Democracy

24. Sakhi Collaboration

25. Stand Up Movement

26. Voluntary Service Development Organization

27. Women’s Action Network

28. Women and Media Collective

29. A.L.M Bashir- NESAM, Nindavaur

30. A.Perinpanayagam

31. A.Rajasingam

32. A.C. Mohamed Mahir – Kattankudy

33. A.L. Mohamed Irfan – Kattankudy

34. A.S.Mohamed Rayees

35. Ashila Dandeniya

36. A.W.A. Jihad (Muthur People’s Forum)

37. Aliyar Hazarat (Sammanthurai)

38. Ameena Hussein

39. Anberiya Hanifa

40. Ann Jabbar

41. B. Skanthakumar

42. B.Gowthaman

43. B.F. A. Basnayake

44. Beryl Perera

45. Bhavani Fonseka (Attorney-at-Law)

46. Bishop Kumara Illangasinghe

47. Brito Fernando

48. C.De Silva

49. Cayathri Divakalala

50. Chandragupta Thenuwera

51. Chathurika Senanayake

52. Chulani Kodikara

53. Damaris Wickremesekera

54. Darshan Ambalavanar

55. Darshana Liyanage

56. Dayapala Thiranagama

57. Dileepa Witharana

58. Dishani Jayaweera (Attorney-at-Law)

59. Divakalala Sundaram

60. Dr. Camena Guneratne

61. Dr. D. H. S. Maithripala

62. Dr. Danesh Karunanayake

63. Dr. Dharmasena Pathiraja

64. Dr. Farzana Haniffa

65. Dr. Harini Amarasuriya

66. Dr. Kumar David

67. Dr. Liyanage Amarakeerthi

68. Dr. M. Vethannathan (University of Jaffna)

69. Dr. Muttukrishna Sarvananthan (Point Pedro Institute of Development)

70. Dr. Nishan de Mel

71. Dr. Pakiasothy Saravanamuthu

72. Dr. Philip Setunga

73. Dr. Philip Setunga

74. Dr. Ranil D. Guneratne

75. Dr. Ruvan Weerasinghe

76. Dr. Selvy Thiruchandran

77. Dr. Shamala Kumar

78. Dr. Sumathy Sivamohan

79. Dr. T. Jayasingam

80. Dushiyanthi Kanapathipillai

81. Ethayarani

82. Faizun Zackariya

83. Francis Devarani (Ampara)

84. Fr. Jeyabalan Croos

85. Fr. Nandana Manatunga ( Human Rights Office Kandy)

86. Fr. S. Maria Anthony, S. J.

87. Fr. T. S. Josuwa (Kavithalaya Kala Mandram)

88. Fr. Terence Fernando

89. Fr. V. Yogeswaran

90. F. Solomantine

91. Gamini Viyangoda

92. Godfrey Yogarajah (General Secretary, National Christian Evangelical Alliance of Sri Lanka)

93. Gowrie Ponniah

94. Harean Hettiarachchi (Programme Manager)

95. Harshana Rambukwella (Senior Lecturer- Open University)

96. Hashintha Jayasinghe

97. Hilmy Ahamed

98. Himali Nawalage (Sales Manager)

99. I.Malwatta

100. J. C. Weliamuna (Attorney at Law)

101. Jagath Weerasinghe (Artist)

102. Jake Oorloff

103. Jehan Mendis (Teacher)

104. Jehan Perera

105. Jensila Majeed

106. Jeyasankar Sivagnanam

107. Jezima Ismail

108. Jovita Arulanantham

109. Juweriya Mohideen

110. K.Arulanandarajah (Kalmunai)

111. K.Arumugam Asoka (Mahashakthi Foundation, Akkarappattu)

112. K.E.Tharagowri, Kalmunai, Ampara

113. K. L. Shafi Hatheem ( Kalmunai)

114. K.Nihal Ahamed (Humanitarian Elevation Organisation, Addalaichenai)

115. K.Niroshan (People’s Progressive Development Society, Akkaraippattu

116. K.Praba (Thambiluvil)

117. K. R. M. Wickremesinhe (Attorney at Law)

118. K.S Ratnaval-(Attorney at Law)

119. K.Sukirtha (Ampara)

120. Kasun Pathiraja

121. Krishna Velupillai

122. Krishni R. Sourjah

123. Kumudini Samuel

124. Kusal Perera

125. L. Perinpanayagam

126. Lakshan Dias

127. L. Yaseen Bawa ( Bakary, Oluvil)

128. Lal Wijenayaka (Lawyers for Democracy)

129. M.A.C. Humaid ( Health Education, Social and Sports Organisation, Akkaraippattu)

130. M.A.M. Rifaz (Addalaichchenai)

131. M. Casim Kulanthahi Mararaikar ( Kalmunai)

132. M.I. Haidar (Akkaraipattu)

133. M.I. Rezard (Muthur Youth Social Development Organisation)

134. M. M. Nazeer ( Oluvil)

135. M.M. Saburudeen (Attorney at Law- Mannar)

136. M.R.M Naufil (Mannar Grand Mosque)

137. M. Thiruvarangan

138. Mahaluxumi Kurushanthan (Mannar)

139. Mahesh De Mel (Director, Waves of Hope)

140. Mahinda Hattaka

141. Mahisha Warusavitharana

 

142. Malcolm Peter (Alliance Development Trust)

143. Manjula Gajanayake

144. Mano Ganesan, (Civil Monitoring Commission)

145. Manzoor A Cader. (Rtd Registrar Sammanthurai)

146. Marisa de Silva

147. Mawlavi Bazeer (Sammanturai)

148. Melani Manel Perera (Christian Women Journalist)

149. Melanie Perera (Alliance Development Trust)

150. Melisha Yapa (Marketer/Banker)

151. Menaha Kandasamy

152. Minna Thaheer

153. Mirak Raheem

154. Mohammed Mahuruf

155. Mohideen Bawa Parikari Ibralebbai. (Oluvil)

156. Monroe Jayasuriya (National Christian Evangelical Alliance of Sri Lanka)

157. Mujeeb Rahman

158. N. L. Pakeer Ali (Oluvil)

159. N.Shanthi (Akkaraipattu)

160. Nadya Perera

161. Nandala Maduranga Kalugampitiya

162. Navin Weeraratne

163. Nawaz Mohammed

164. Nicola Perera

165. Nimalka Fernando

166. Niyanthini Kadirgamar

167. Pala Pothupitiya (Artist)

168. P. Thanbirajah

169. P.N. Singham

170. Padmini, Women’s Centre

171. Peter Rezel

172. Priya Thangarajah (Law Student)

173. Prof. Jayantha Seneviratne

174. Prof Maithree Wickramasinghe

175. Prof. Priyan Dias

176. Prof. S.H. Hasbulla

177. R.M.B. Senanayake

178. Radhika Hettiarachchi

179. Raghu Balachandran (Methodist Church of Sri Lanka)

180. Rajany Chandrasegaram

181. Rajasingam

182. Rajith Keerthi Tennakoon (Campaign for Free and Fair Elections)

183. Rajiva Godagedara (Accountant)

184. Ralston Weinman

185. Ramyadarshanie Vithanage

186. Rev. Daisy Aseervatham

187. Rev. Oswald Firth

188. Rifana Buhary

189. Rohan Salgadoe

190. Romola Rassool

191. Rukaiya Mohideen

192. Ruki Fernando

193. Rukshani Attygalle Abeyeratne (Attorney at Law)

194. Ruwani Botheju (Alliance Development Trust)

195. S. Mohamed Rayees

196. S.C.C.Elankovan

197. S.N.S.Rizli (Addalaichchenai)

198. S. S . Ramakrishnan (Engineer- Mannar)

199. S.Yoga (Ampara)

200. S.Ziyath, (Addalaichchena)

201. Sam Perera

202. Sanathanan Thamotharampillai (Artist)

203. Sandamali Herath (Marketer)

204. Sanjaya Senenayake

205. Sanjayan Rajasingham

206. Santhasilan Kadirgamar

207. Shafinaz Hassendeen

208. Shanaka Cooray ( Lawyer)

209. Sheik Thajudeen

210. Shifan Ahmed

211. Silma Ahamed

212. Shreen Saroor

213. Sr. Kathleen A.C.

214. Sr. Rasika Pieris

215. Sriya, Women’s Centre

216. Sultan Mohamed Faizal (Mannar Mosque Federation)

217. Surangi Ariyawansha (Center for Human Rights)

218. Suren Raghavan

219. T. Sivapalan

220. T.Pakiyawathi, Aalaiyadivembu (Ampara)

221. U.K. Abdul Raheem (Naleemi, Oluvil)

222. U. P. S. A. Gafoor. (Rtd, RM Coconut Cultivation Board.- Oluvil)

223. Udan Fernando

224. V.K.Ranjani (Thandiyadi, Akkaraippattu)

225. Vamadeva Kurukkal (Uduvil)

226. Vasuki Jeyasankar

227. Visaka Dharmadasa

228. Wijith Rohan Fernando (Senior Lecturer, University of Kelaniya)

229. Y. D. Ravindran (Attorney at Law)

 

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