By Rifai Naleemi -
Do we really need to response to the provocations and hated campaigns
of this tiny group of extremists in Sri Lanka? Much has been said and
written about them in various news papers and TV broadcasting. It has
been highlighted in recent media presentation and press release.
Reading through what has been said and written about them I could
notice that there are two schools of thought in our response to the
provocations and activities of this group. One school of thought argues
that BBS should be
left on its own and we should not response to their
provocation and activities. It will meet its doom day naturally.
The more we response to them the more they will be encouraged to
provoke Muslims and therefore, it would be better to leave them alone to
shout as much as they like. This school of thought is maintained by
some of highly respected academic and venerable monks in this country.
It is noted that one of the venerable monks remarked that BBS will be eliminated within the periods of two Poyas:
In a sense, this observation is right and timely needed observation. I
partially agree with this highly respected academic and venerable monk.
The BBS will shout for some times and after a short period when they
will calm down and even disappear from the scene.
Such notion is somewhat acceptable given the human nature and habit
of majority of Sinhalese people. it is true some of them get emotions
then after sometime they forgive and forget all what happened. Most of
Sinhalese people are pure in their hearts and they do not hide enmity
and hatred at all. Most of them are honest and open minded people. They
do not have any hidden jealously in their hearts and for that reasons I
could convincingly say that BBS agenda would not get grounding among
Sinhalese people.
The second school of thought on the matter is to challenge and
encounter BBS, to challenge their ideologies, to encounter their
vigorous criticism, face them intellectually and academically,
psychologically and spiritually. Not to be silent but to face them and
encounter them rationally, morally and politically from different
platforms. Initially, I was skeptical and of two minds, whether to
challenge unfounded accusation of this handful people: Some of them do
not have any academic backgrounds and some of their arguments do not
have any academic or intellectual credits. Why should I waste my time
and energy in responding to all these allegations? Of course, most of
these allegations are baseless and unsubstantiated with logical or
rational evidence. Yet, it came to my mind that I do not reply to these
unfounded accusations and allegations, the ideological philosophies of
BBS could influence and shape public opinions and they could give bad
impression about Islam and Muslims in this country so that I was
compelled to pen down my response to their allegations and accusations.
Muslim community is under attack in Sri Lanka. Muslim community and
Islam are under attack in Sri Lanka politically, spiritually,
psychologically and even physically and to be silent at this crucial
juncture would be moral bankruptcy of Muslim intellectual if any Muslim
intellectual did not reply to these false allegations. It is imperative
that Muslim academics and intellectual should respond to them with
rational arguments. To be idle and do nothing in the face of these
barrage of hostile and hatred campaigns against Muslims and Islam would
be moral crime. Moreover, if there is no intellectual responds to BBS
ideologies and activities from Muslim perspectives what would happen for
public perception of Islam and Muslim in Sri Lanka? Moreover, silence
of Muslim intellectuals could send many negative impressions about Islam
and Muslims in Sri Lanka. Moreover how do public know the truth about
Islam and Muslims? And public would not have alternative sources to know
about the true picture of these allegations if Muslim intellectuals
provide them with clarifications and explanation,
For these reasons, I shall try to write series of articles in
responding to some of the allegations made by BBS. I shall try to be
objectives in my writing and I shall be making some constructive
criticism: It is not my objective here to damage communal harmony in Sri
Lanka rather to enhance communal harmony and peace between communities
in Sri Lanka. We should use our brains and gauge these issues and
problems logically and rationally. We should try to understand different
cultures and ways of life. This is in the greater interest of all
communities in Sri Lanka. When I write this I do not intend to offend
any one or any religious faith or doctrines. It is my humble request to
Sri Lankans irrespective of their religious attachment to read my
articles completely until final parts to come to some solid conclusions;
BBS and its Ideological philosophies
The historical origin, motives and philosophies of Budu Bala Sena
should be examined and analysed in the context of its concerns and
emotional feeling. Every one knows that it has been pouring its
sensational emotions since its inception. The psychological, moral,
political, and socio- religious mindsets of these people should be
examined in light of sociological and historical perspectives. Why these
people are so emotional and why these people are so angry? What makes
them so angry? Why do they feel that their cultural, religious heritage,
customs, traditions and way of life are in jeopardy? Is it really
because of minority communities or is it because of the failure of
successive Sri Lankan governments to protect Buddhism in this country or
is it because of the failure of religious leadership of Buddhist
clerics to reach out to Sinhalese public in professional and scientific
ways and methods with Buddhism? Or is it because of the western
influence in Sri Lankan.
With modern technological advancement and intrusion of internet and
Web culture young generation goes away from religious faith
and practices not only in Sri Lanka but also all over the world. This is
a general trend in all communities and communal and socio-religious
values and principle are peril in all countries. This is a reality of
the world we live in and Sri Lanka is not an exceptional to this general
rule.
These are some of genuine questions and we should examine them in
light of modern development in Sri Lanka. Rather than challenging or
debating these clerics it is the duty of each and very Sri Lanka to try
to understand their problems and their worries. I think that it is a
collective duty of all Sri Lankans. Their worries and problems would
affect all Sri Lankans in one way or another. Today live in Sri Lanka
as a one family unite and we can not ignore these problems at all.
We should understand problems and worries of these people objectively
without any bias with sympathy and empathy. What went wrong with
Buddhism in Sri Lanka to make these people so angry? Why that Buddhism
is is in decline as it is claimed by some of these monks? Who is
responsible for such decline/? One wonders whether these people are
trying to follow Anagarika Dharmapala
who tried to revive Buddhism in Sri Lankan in early 20th century. It
seems that these people have been using same slogans and mottos as
Anagarika Darmapala did. It is often said that he succeeded to some
extent to generate nationalistic feelings in his days. One wonders as
if history repeats itself now in Sri Lanka today.
In one of his TV interviews the President of Budu Bala Sena venerable
Kirama Vimalajothi clearly outlined BBS’s objectives and missions in
Sri Lanka. He said that he and his fellow members were worried and
concerned about the status of Buddhism in Sri Lanka right now. He said
that he was worried about alien cultural intrusion and influence among Sinhalese Buddhist
communities. He argues that 2000 years Buddhists culture is in peril
and has been threaten by different cultural invasion and influence.
Particularly he contends that since independence Sinhalese community is
subjected Christian missionary onslaught of converting poor Sinhalese
people from Buddhism to Christianity. He claims that hundreds of NGO are
working day and night in Srilanka with hidden agenda of converting
Sinhalese into Christianity. He claims that these NGOs are working in
disguise as Montessori, nurseries and charities as missionary agents
with the intention of converting people.
He said that Sinhalese Buddhists are losing their cultural identity.
Western way of life is intruding in Sinhalese community. For instance
he lamented that Sinhalese are celebrating “Mothers day” in Sri Lanka
now. It is a western concept and how did this intrude into our culture.
We care and love our parents 24 hours a day and 365 days in year unlike
western people. He further lamented that alien languages, food, songs
and even Cinemas are dominating Sri Lanka. Sinhalese people like to
wear as westerners wear. They like to eat as westerners eat and they
like to behave as westerners behave. Venerable Monk says if this trend
continues what would happen to our culture and our way of life. Where
does this country of ours go? What would happen to our people and our
culture? He says that some patriotic Sinhalese people are asking these
genuine questions. He further noted that a lot of people today are
worried about this new trend.
Hence it could be said that BBS was instituted primarily with the
objectives of purifying Sinhalese Buddhist community from alien cultural
and religious influences. Venerable Kirama Vimalajothi clearly said in
his TV interview that their primary objective was “to clean our garden
from all types of dirt and filth”. Therefore, BBS main concerns and
worries are not wage wars on other religious faiths and practices as it
is assumed by some its followers.
Venerable Monk says that we had 30 years of wars and we do not want
to create any more problems in this country and we know how much we
suffered during these thirty years. We are here to protect our race and
our country. We are not racists and we do not have any racist agendas.
We are not against any race or any religion. We are here to speak on
behalf of our people and we are here to protect our community. These are
some of worries of these monks. I personally do not see any problems in
these concerns and these are really genuine concerns and worries. No
one should doubt about it. Yet, how these address these concerns and how
do they try to find solutions to these problems and concerns.
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