Sri Lankans are sitting on a time bomb.
Posted on July 7th, 2014
Herold Leelawardena
Let’s make no mistake; Thowheed ideology or Islamic fundamentalism is clearly taking root in Sri Lanka. To understand it, one only has to go around Sri Lanka to perceive it. Scholars could analyse how Muslims in Sri Lanka have transformed their religion from moderation to extremism.
Even a gullible would not accept Sri Lanka Thowheeds are peace lovers. No matter where they are, Thowheeds are act the same. Thowheeds are jihadists and Jihadists are mujahids. And Mujahids fight to anchor what Muhammad said as Allah said to the letter or the 7th century Muhammad’s cult everywhere.
Since the end of the war, it is clear that Thowheed have been using the ongoing peace and political stability in Sri Lanka to extend their foothold in the country. The extent that Thowheed or Muslim fundamentalism spread to Beruwala Aluthgama area can be ascertained from the taped sermon that Wahhabi Thowheed delivered the day after the annual tandoori (feast) at 150 year old Buhkary Thakiyya of traditional Quadri Sufis on 23rd July 2009.
That loud-speaker amplified taped sermon by Thowheed compared traditional Buhari Thakiyya to a Buddhist Temple, the Kandhoori to a Dansal and its arches at the entrance to the mosque to a Vesak Pandal. Everyone in the village of Mahagoda heard it. Wahhabi Thowheeds had degraded both Sufis and Buddhists with equal ferocity. One could say, more than Ven. Gnanasara’s speech.
Sufis complained to police. But police hadn’t arrested the Thowheed hate monger. So, ideological arguments continued between Thowheeds and Sufis. It ended up killing two and maiming forty. And many fights followed mosques were and burned damaged throughout Sri Lanka.
As a result of the Thowheed campaign, a number of Muslim home guards had deserted their unit in the East with weapons to join Tawheed for a Jihad” against traditional Muslims. Want proof? Google, the Sunday Times dateline, August 16, 2009 from its archives. Is it not Thowheed who started a conversion campaign immediately after 33 year war? Ven. Gnanasara’s BBS is the Buddhist response to Thowheed expansion their extremist 7th century cult.
We see all kinds of geezers that wants to ban BBS but none of them talk banning Thowheed groups like Thowheed Jamath. Yet, secretary to Sri Lanka Thowheed Jamath, Abdul Razik had deliberately made an unprovoked and derogatory remarks on Buddha on 13th April 2013. Razik said, the Buddha had eaten human flesh and ‘triple gem’ means just stones at a meeting in Maligawatta. Before that Hakeem said yellow robed monk are terrorists.
Mr. Tariq Mahmud, President, National Shoora Council, I sincerely hope what I have given above is proof enough to show that jihadists are living among us in Sri Lanka. And Jihadists are mujahids who lurk in the shade waiting to join organisations like ISIS, Al Qaeda or whatever. Google and read what British Jihadists who joined ISIS had to say.
Latheef Farook an extremist anti Buddhist writer to CT wrote; a professor of Manipal University had hailed Narendra Modi, then BJP prime ministerial candidate, as the only solution to India’s ills.” Farook says as professor also said that Wahabi terrorism is not a problem yet, but it is spreading fast and it can be a serious problem in about five years. Therefore unless Sri Lanka takes precaution Wahabi terrorism is bound to become serious and Sri Lanka could become the transit point for Muslim terrorists.”
I fully agree with the professor; Sri Lankans are sitting on a time bomb.
July 7th, 2014 at 6:49 am
Excellent article on the extremism of Islam and the dangers it poses for Sri Lanka. But what if it is not extreme? what if it is a benign faith that is usurping Buddhism? would that be fine? A classical example is the philosophy of Secularism.
In its purest form it mainly requires that religion is removed from government affairs and that the basic rights of minorities be honored. Looking at it that way Secularism sounds harmless. But in its application it renders religion out of the lives of the people. It effectively removes Buddhism out of public schools, and any public institution.
It gives special status to women through the women’s movement which again on the surface is perfectly fine. But in the application of it has led to abortions, failed marriages that quickly lead to divorces where the judicial system favors the wife and usually authorizing custody of the children to her and alimony from the former husband to support them till she remarries. If she does not then that man is obliged by law to support his former wife and his children, with scheduled visitation “rights” of course.
Then we have the western notion of Democracy which on the surface translates to majority rule with minority rights. But in the application of it the minority’s rights be they religious or gender oriented supersede those of the majority. it would not be a far stretch for one to conclude that the Democratic Secular system of Sri Lanka did contribute to the warped belief by Tamils and now Muslims that their rights come first and those of the majority have to wait.
Tamils took this concept to the extreme by demanding a separate homeland which would be the solution to all that ails them. Now the Muslims by the nature of their faith consider non Muslims “lost souls” in the same manner as Christian Evangelists. However benign they maybe the ultimate goal of Christians and Muslims is to convert these lost souls to their faith and by that be the instrument that destroys Buddhism in Sri Lanka.
The cause of their success be it radical or not is that the existing system of a Democratic Secular Sri Lanka has paved the way for them to flourish using the very laws of the land. In Europe the heart of Christianity Islam is surging and so is radical Islam. To date no European nation has an answer short of using the existing system to stem the tide and they are failing.
The only way Sri Lanka can save Buddhism is to make Buddhism a state faith. Only by Buddhist laws that favor Buddhism can Sri Lanka legally and civilly eliminate foreign philosophies that are detrimental to her and be in a position to allow other philosophies that compliment Buddhism and not destroy it.
Japan is a prime example of a functioning Buddhist/Shinto civilization that has taken what she wants from the world to evolve and develop into a vibrant nation while maintaining her ancient Buddhist/Shinto traditions. Unlike Islam that simply bans any foreign concept be it beneficial to Islam or not, Buddhism has in her nature the pragmatism of a philosophy and the strength of a religion to be flexible enough to allow into her culture what is beneficial to her culture and warding off the elements that are inherently opposed to the teachings of the Buddha, especially the eight fold path.
July 7th, 2014 at 1:24 pm
I agree its a time bomb waiting to explode in more sense than one.
I’m rather puzzled and confused by the names.
Thowheed Jamath is a muslim organisation that originated from Tamil Nadu and am assuming funded from Tamil Nadu, whilst Tawhid is a similar muslim organisation that originates and funded by Saudi Arabia.
It was Abdul Razik of Thowheed Jamath who had to (under instructions from the Court) to make an unreservedly apology to the Maha Sangha for derogatory remarks about Lord Buddha.
If the author (and the Authorities) feel that this organisation is inciting hatred towards non-muslims should they not be banned? or at least its website be blocked in Sri Lanka (sltj).
If Sri Lankans were able to canvas Facebook on removing BBS and its main representatives from Facebook and the Sri Lankan Buddhist living in US petition the US Ambassador to cancel the US visa, i cannot see any reason why Sri Lankans should not be canvassing the SLG to ban such organisations.
It’s laudable writing articles and making comments but end of the day absolutely nothing happens.
July 7th, 2014 at 1:43 pm
BANNING and STOPPING extremist Islamic sects is the FIRST choice.
But if it cannot be done it should be used to PIT one Islamic sect against another. There is NO peaceful Islamic version.
Terrorists in Iraq, Syria, etc. are doing HUMANITY a favor by killing Muslims and getting killed. This seems to be the ONLY solution SL is heading into.
July 7th, 2014 at 1:45 pm
We should not underestimate the threat by TAMILS which is the BIGGEST threat to SL.
Muslim threat is GLOBAL. MANY countries want to fight Muslims. We have many friends to fight Muslims.
But Tamil threat is SL specific. We have VERY FEW friends to fight off Tamils.
July 7th, 2014 at 4:14 pm
“But Tamil threat is SL specific. We have VERY FEW friends to fight off Tamils.”
This is THE ISSUE. We don’t need friends to the old enemy.
What’s happened was our buggers looked for unnecessary friends and ended up making friends with Jihadists and it is still going on. Bayagulla tactics earned us Allah hullalha terrorism.
July 7th, 2014 at 8:21 pm
Bayagulla tactics earned us Allah hullalha terrorism.- ha ha .. I like it
so why this (tactic) Kolaveri. kolavri mate….
United Provincial council of Mother Lanka .
live & let live until Eelam war VI !
July 8th, 2014 at 3:40 am
Marco said: ” …Sri Lankans living in US petitioned the US Embassy to cancel the VIS…….” I saw in, another such “Statement issued by Sri Lankan Buddhist (eminent) living in Canada met and discussed the situation in Althgama. They too condemned the “Buddhist Activities” and urged them to remain calm and live in peace.
Apart from that even the Rev. Dalai Lama has got involved and urged the Buddhists to be peaceful and leave the minority groups alone. The whole world got involved in directing accusing finger at the Buddhists in our country.
So at the end of the day, it was like the saying: OKKOMA KUNU BERUWAL BOKKATA. The Buddhists were “BLAMED” and “BRUSHED WITH TAR” to depict as a religious group of HATE AND CRIME.
July 8th, 2014 at 1:23 pm
It is rather harsh and unfair to blame and “brush” all Buddhists just because of a few loose “yellow robed” cannons.
Think we have witnessed the same in all other religious faiths too.
I was, however amused by two reports today.
Gnanasara, of BBS says Pope Francis (leader of the Catholic Church) must apologize to Buddhists for atrocities allegedly committed by Christian colonial rulers of Sri Lanka when he visits next year at the invitation of the President.
Of course this news item went viral in the international press.
(footnote- It is customary for the Pope not to visit countries that have declared or in the process of an election campaign)
Then we have (PNM) Chairman Elle Gunawansa Thera saying that the statement issued by the Most Ven Dalai Lama (spiritual leader of Buddhist) has led to the spreading of false rumours against the country to create an adverse effect internationally. Gunawansa is effectively accusing the Most Ven Dalai Lama of not telling the truth.
As we all know Most Ven Dalai Lama will never be invited by the President to visit Sri Lanka. (China factor)
July 8th, 2014 at 2:09 pm
Dalali Lama is NOT the spiritual leader of ALL Buddhists.
Dalai Lama is a western political tool. He is hardly a practicing Buddhist monk whose work is about living in luxury and making political statements!!
July 9th, 2014 at 8:39 am
Dalali Lama is NOT the spiritual leader of ALL Buddhists- What about our Hon Gnanasara Saathu ?