Kamalika Pieris
There is deep hostility between Wahhabi
movements and the traditional (Sufi) groups, reported Faslan and Vanniasinkam. They
fight over who is the better Muslim and who are the real followers of Prophet
Mohamed. They each consider themselves as the only real Muslims, the rest are
non- Muslims.
Families, including children were also trained
to think on those lines. In
Kattankudy, for instance, Wahhabis
publicly ridiculed the practices of traditional groups and in their homes,
families gathered around the television to watch CDs of these public statements
and laugh at the non-Muslim groups, reported Faslan and Vanniasinkam.
The Wahhabi were insulting towards the traditional
groups and their saints, said Faslan and Vanniasinkam. Wahhabi groups were openly critical of
traditional Muslim practices. Wahhabis object to Kanduri (celebrating feasts),
Kodiyetram (hoisting of the mosque flag) and Maulid celebrations (singing songs
in praise of Prophet Mohamed). Wahhabi say these are not part of orthodox
Islam, but borrowings from Hindu culture.
The Wahhabi (Thowheed) groups tried to disrupt
Muslim worship. Thowheed adherents started coming into our
mosques, said Azath Sally. They became a nuisance to us. They have a practice
of rotating their fingers disturbing all other worshippers. The way traditional
Muslims pray is different. Fights have broken out as a result of this, he said.
The sighting of the new moon for Ramazan is an
important matter for Muslims. It was
turned into a major cause of conflict between Muslim groups. Usually the ACJU
decides when the moon was sighted. The ACJU decision was opposed by the Wahhabi
(Thawheed) groups, said Faslan and Vanniasinkam.
This issue was given publicity in the
newspapers. I recall reading that Muslim
leaders had come to sight the new moon, could not see it and gone home, or some
such thing. I also recall a request, in the papers, that Muslims should look
out for the new moon and inform the Muslim leaders, or something like that. I
cannot remember when this happened.
The hostility between Wahhabi and traditional
Muslims has led to violent conflict. The two rival groups have clashed physically.A Sufi cleric was killed at Valachchenai
in July 2009. In
some instances, the conflict was instigated by the Thawheed Jamaat but
perpetrated by traditional Sufi groups, said Faslan and Vanniasinkam.
Wahhabi and
traditional Muslims have destroyed each other’s mosques. The Wahhabis
destroyed a mosque at Ukuwela in Feb 2006 and a mosque in Thihariya in May
2009. A Sufi shrine at Anuradhapura was
destroyed in 2013. There were also plans to destroy the Daftar Jailany shrine
in Balangoda.
The traditional
Muslims hit back. There was a clash at Madampitiya between Wahhabi and Jamaate
Islami in 2014 resulting in stones being thrown at a Thawheed centre in
Madampitiya for two hours. A Wahhabi
mosque in Beruwala,
Masjidur Rahman, was burned in 2008, leading to two deaths, 40
people injured, and 132 arrests. The traditional Muslims (Quadri Sufi)
complained that the Wahhabi mosque had accused their Bukhari Thakkiya mosque of
being disbelievers” and concealers of the truth” (qafirun) continuously
in the eight years since the Wahhabi mosque was inaugurated.
Kattankudy in
Batticaloa district, is home to a
variety of Muslim groups. All Islamic
groups and movements are represented in Kattankudy. Wahhabi hostility, violence and desire to kill was clearly
demonstrated in Kattankudy. Kattankudy
has been a centre of continuing violence, and all agree that the violence was
caused by National Thawheed Jamat, (NTJ) led by Zaharan.
The Wahhabi specifically targeted two
movements, Thareekathul Mufliheen and the Rauf group. NTJ has been very confrontational in its
attack of the Abdur Rauf group,
criticizing their practices and teachings at public platforms, conducting
public debates and distributing slanderous DVDs, reported the media NTJ
are considered to be responsible for the violent evacuation of members of the
Abdur Rauf group from Kattankudy in 2000 and 2006.
All Island
Tharikathul Mufliheen, a Sufi sect founded by K. S. M. Abdulla,
called (Rah) and also
known as Pahilvan from Maruthamunai. (Rah) and the members of his order were
subject to gun and grenade attacks, and other physical aggression, as well as
threats.
Thareekathul
Mufliheen opened a Meditation Centre at Kattankudy in 1996. Wahhabis promptly
tried to burn it down. In October, 2004,
500 Wahhabis, organized
as Jihadis again set the Meditation Centre ablaze, destroying its library,
along with homes and businesses owned by Sufis. Financial loss to the injured
parties was considerable, and one Sufi was shot and killed while another was
wounded by gunfire, reported the media. Police arrested eight suspects, but
released them later. No charges were framed.
The Meditation Centre and headquarters were
rebuilt and a birthday celebration for the founder of the order was held on
July 25, 2006, with 15,000 people provided free food. On or around this time, a group of Wahhabi indoctrinated
youngsters went rampaging in public
attacking members of the All Island Tharikathul Mufliheen, reported the media.
(Rah) died on December 6, 2006. The Jihadis,
armed with lethal weapons, rioted after the death of Abdullah (Rah), bringing
life in Kattankudy to a halt by a general work stoppage (hartal).
Schools, government and private offices, banks and businesses shut down and
some banks and shops were looted and burned, reported the media.
Wahhabi preachers from the Thawheed network
and the armed Jihad” incited the local politicians and local clerics, (
Jamiathul Ulama Kattankudy, Muslim
Federation of Mosques, and Urban Council
of Kattankudy) to oppose (Rah’s) burial according to Islamic rites, in the
Meditation Centre, as he was a supposed apostate.
Another member of the Sufi order died on December 1, 2006, was buried that
day, and on December 2 was exhumed by Wahhabis on the same pretext and laid out
on the soil. According to the Wahhabis and their accomplices, apostates” could
not be buried in Kattankudy.
On December 13, 2006 Urban Council, Kattankudy
ordered the dismantling of the minaret at the Meditation Centre, as an
unauthorized structure”. Police
prevented commencement of the demolition, but Wahhabi fanatics interfered with
the officers. Three rioters were shot and killed. A police post and police
vehicle were assaulted.
On December 15, 2006, members of the Urban
Council joined a Wahhabi mob that invaded the Meditation Centre and knocked
down the minaret, removing the body of Abdullah (Rah), either burning or
reburying it in a location yet unknown. The houses of 117 Sufis were leveled by
fire. Many were threatened and fled the district. Two were injured, and one
lost an arm.
Sri
Lanka Supreme Court gave an order in
2008, that 200 members of Thareekathul Mufliheen be allowed to return to their
homes in Kattankudy and practice their beliefs in freedom. This was obstructed
by armed Jihad members, reported the media.
There were
other NTJ attacks in Kattankudy. On December 17, 2006, over 100 houses of Sufi followers
were destroyed by fire and Wahhabis were blamed. In July 2009 there were clashes between
Sufis and Wahhabis and two people were killed and 40 injured. In 2017, several
people were severely injured in a clash
between Thawheed Jamat and the Sufis. The groups attacked each other with
swords and knives on a Friday during a
lecture. Those attacked lodeged a complaint with the police.
By 2017, the
residents of Kattankudy had had enough. A large number of Muslims took to the
streets in March 2017, to protest the recent clash while demanding that the
groups with the radical mindset leave and let the residents live in peace. Both
old and young, including men and women holding placards demanded that ‘Wahabi
terrorism’ stop, reported the media. We want peace, we do not
want Wahabi terrorism,” the demonstrators said.
There is evidence
to show that Muslims had been concerned about these matters for some time.In 2014 a group called the
“Peace Loving Moderate Muslims in Sri Lanka” made a public protest on
the matter. They sent a letter dated 14.3.14 addressed to Secretary General of the
United Nations, UN Human Rights Council and to the President of Sri Lanka. They
also released the text to the media.
Peace-Loving
Moderate Muslims” said “This
movement [NTJ] has fast become a cancer within the Muslim community in Sri
Lanka. Preaching and practicing religious intolerance, exerting pressure on
other Islamic movements, making it compulsory to attend mosques, making it
compulsory to learn the Arabic language, making the implementation of Sharia
law above the civil laws of Sri Lanka, forcing females to wear the burka and
the construction of mosques and madrasas in many parts of the country are some
of these activities. This movement which started in the Eastern Province has
now spread to many different parts of Sri Lanka.
“We fear that
these activities, if left unchecked by the authorities, would create a
situation in which the majority of Muslims in Sri Lanka, already under threat
and harassment from this extremist minority, may have to face the wrath of
other religions, It is tragic that the majority of Muslims who are essentially
peace-loving are to pay for the actions of this minority,” the statement
concluded.
Another
group, the Ex Muslims of Sri Lanka”
(sic) issued a statement in March 2017.
Sri Lankan Muslims are being indoctrinated with a fundamentalist,
hateful and terrorist ideology by groups, organizations and individuals who are
receiving foreign funds. They are doing
so under the excuse of Islamic Missionary”, said the Ex Muslims of Sri Lanka
(EMSL)
EMSL said
that one of the groups involved in violence is a pro ISIS – Islamic State
organization, with members and supporters all around the Island. The
activities and preaching of such organizations have become a threat to the
existence of ex Muslims around Kattankudy area,”. The government and the
defense authorities should pay strict attention and take serious actions
against the activities of the foreign-funded Islamic groups, organizations,
individuals and other elements in Sri Lanka, which directly and indirectly preach
and support terrorism, fundamentalism and hatred among Sri Lankan Muslims.
The incident that
took place between two Muslim factions on March 10 in Kattankudy indicates that
extremist groups are ready to spread their terror continued EMSL. They are causing a crisis of faith for
Muslims. Some of them have started teaching their doctrine of fundamentalism,”
an EMSL member said. They have become a
threat to the existence of ex-Muslims in Kattankudy. The general public including the peace
loving Muslims should give their fullest support and cooperation to the
government and the defense authorities by providing all the information and
details known to them regarding the above matter.”
Ex Muslims of
Sri Lanka” called on the government and the defense authorities to take firm
measures to free the nation completely from radical Islamic terrorist elements. They said they wanted the government to
bring to an end all activities carried out by foreign-funded Islamic groups,
organizations, individuals and related elements in Sri Lanka. (Continued)