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Civil society questions PCoI blaming majority community extremists ‘nourishing’ Islamic extremists
The Easter Sunday Commission has incorrectly and inappropriately labelled majoritarian extremism as well as minoritarian extremism as “Islamic” and “Buddhist” extremism, argues a group of Muslim civil society activists.
M. M. Zuhair PC, former MP, Latheef Farook, Journalist and Author, Mass L. Usuf, Attorney-at-Law and Advocacy Columnist and Mansoor Dahlan, Theology Scholar, issued the following statement in this regard: “The Easter Sunday Commission has said (at page 471) that “The thowheed (Wahhabis) ideology is at the core of the Islamic extremism prevalent in the country. This was further fermented by Buddhist extremism which was not checked at an early stage”. In our view these are unacceptable observations, because as pointed out in our earlier statement we do not subscribe to the Western right wing extremist propagandist narrative of naming and shaming Islam or Buddhism for the extremist views or conduct of a few amongst their respective followers. Erroneous narratives such as “Islamic” extremism or “Buddhist” extremism will be wrongfully exploited before international fora for attack by anti-Sri Lankan interest groups.
“There are in our country, majoritarian extremism as well as minoritarian extremism, adverted to in the Commission’s report but incorrectly and inappropriately stereotyped as “Islamic” and “Buddhist” extremism.
“We also do not accept that ‘thouheed’ or ‘thouheed ideology’ is at the core of extremism prevalent in the country. No doubt there had been differences of opinion within the Muslim community on methodology and ritualistic practices at different times in the country. There had been similar rifts amongst followers of other religions as well. This is a common phenomenon amongst followers of all religions.
“But it is noteworthy that the 21/4 attacks were never against any segment of the Muslims by other Muslims! Majoritarian extremism, intolerance and inciting anti-minority hatred and failure on the part of the authorities to prosecute according to law, some of which have been referred to though inadequately in the report, had led to the violent extremist terrorist attacks of 21/4.
“We do not accept the Commission’s observations above referred to for the reason that incorrect reasoning and erroneous actions thereon may not help the country to avoid a recurrence of similar attacks. Blind implementation of some of the recommendations, we fear may provoke radicalization and communal conflicts. On the other hand actions to be taken, must prevent and not be the new causes for the recurrence of another despicable 21/4!
“It must be pointed out that the composition of the five-member Commission was exclusively pan-Sinhala. The 32-member Commission staff was pan-Sinhala. The Attorney General’s team which assisted the fact finding Commission erroneously described in the report as the “Prosecution” team was pan-Sinhala. The investigation team of 44, except for one retired SSP was pan-Sinhala! Nevertheless the Commission had been forthright (A) to blame (at page 15) extremist groups in the majority community for ‘nourishing Islamic’ extremist groups; (B) to pointedly refer (at page 464) to the rise of “Buddhist” extremism between 2012 and 2015 though blamed only on the BBS; (C) to advert to (at page 361) Buddhist extremist organisations such as BBS as “vocal critics of Islamic extremism and wahhabism in particular”; (D) that the BBS “went beyond targeting the Muslim community in general with hate speech” and identifying two speeches one at Maharagama on 17th February 2013 and the other at Aluthgama in June 2014 containing “without any doubt hate speech”’ (E) that the Attorney General file charges against the hate speech maker; (F) in naming Sihala Rawaya, Mahasohon Balakaya, Sinhale Jathika Balamuluwa and Sinhale Jathika Sanvidanaya among others as “anti-social Sinhala Buddhist Movements” and recommending action.
“Furthermore the Commission report states (at page 29) that the Sufi group “believes that one of their leaders is God”. This is shockingly false. Sufis believe Allah alone as God. We need to remember that Sufism is a well-recognized facet of Islam. So is ‘Thouheed’ which means monotheism or ‘oneness’ of Allah. It is clearly distinguished from the Christian concept of ‘trinity’. Every Muslim believes in the oneness of Allah.
“Sufis as well as ‘Muwahhideens’ who are called by their critics as ‘Wahhabis’ too believe in the oneness of Allah (as opposed to multiple Gods). Though every Sufi and ‘Muwahhideen’ (‘wahabi’) is a believer in the ‘oneness’ or ‘singleness’ of Allah or ‘thowheed’, not every Muslim is required or compelled to practice Sufism or follow the 18th century (1703-1787 ) scholar Muhammed Ibn Abdul Wahhab’s thoughts. Muslims follow the Quran and the Sunnah, meaning the sayings and practices of the Prophet Mohammed. The views of Islamic jurists and scholars may be followed, in given situations, if they are not in conflict with the Quran. We must take care to avoid attacks on Islam, because that will be globally resisted and exploited by interest groups at international fora.”
The U.S. Embassy in Colombo welcomed the U.S. Sports Envoys to Sri Lanka, former National Basketball Association (NBA) and Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) players Stephen Howard and Astou Ndiaye, from June 8 through 14.
The Public Diplomacy section of the U.S. Embassy said that it would launch a weeklong basketball program intended to harness the unifying power of sports, made possible through collaboration with Foundation of Goodness and IImpact Hoop Lab.
While in Sri Lanka, Howard and Ndiaye, both retired professional basketball players, will conduct a weeklong program, Hoops for Hope: Bridging Borders through Basketball. The Sports Envoys will lead basketball clinics and exhibition matches and engage in leadership sessions in Colombo and Southern Province for youth aged 14-18 from Northern, Uva, Eastern and Western Provinces, offering skills and leadership training both on and off the court. The U.S. Envoys will also share their expertise with the Sri Lanka Basketball Federation, national coaches, and players, furthering the development of basketball in the country. Beyond the clinics, they will collaborate with Sri Lankan schoolchildren to take part in a community service project in the Colombo area.
“We are so proud to welcome Stephen and Astou as our Sports Envoys to Sri Lanka, to build on the strong people-to-people connections between the United States and Sri Lanka,” said U.S. Ambassador Julie Chung. “The lessons that will be shared by our Sports Envoys – communication, teamwork, resilience, inclusion, and conflict resolution – are essential for leadership development, community building, equality, and peace. The U.S. Sports Envoy program is a testament to our belief that sports can be a powerful tool in promoting peace and unity.”
SJB Colombo District MP Mujibur Rahuman in parliament demanded to know from the government the reasons for CEB suspending the leave of all its employees until further notice from Thursday.
MP Rahuman said that the CEB has got an acting General Manager anew and the latter yesterday morning issued a circular suspending leave of all CEB employees with immediate effect until further notice.
“We demand that Minister Kanchana Wijesekera should explain this to the House. This circular was issued while this debate on the new Electricity Amendment Bill was pending. There are many who oppose this Bill. The Minister must tell parliament the reason for the urge to cancel the leave of CEB employees,” the MP said.However, Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena prevented Minister Wijesekera responding to the query and said that the matter raised by MP Rahuman was not relevant.
The Chartered Institute of Personnel Management (CIPM) successfully concluded the 8th Annual CIPM Symposium, which took place on 31st May 2024. Themed “Nurturing the Human Element—Redefining HRM in a Rapidly Changing World,” the symposium underscored the pivotal role of human resource management (HRM) in today’s dynamic global landscape. Since its inception in 1959, CIPM has been dedicated to advancing the HR profession through education, professional development, and advocacy, solidifying its position as Sri Lanka’s leading professional body for HRM.
Ken Vijayakumar, the President of the CIPM, graced the occasion as the chief guest. The symposium commenced with the welcome address by the Chairperson, Prof. Arosha Adikaram, followed by the Web Launch of the Symposium Proceedings and Abstract Book by the CIPM President. The event featured distinguished addresses, including a speech by Chief Guest Ken Vijayakumar, President of CIPM, and an address by Guest of Honor Shakthi Ranatunga, Chief Operating Officer of MAS Holdings Pvt. Ltd., Sri Lanka.
The symposium also featured an inspiring keynote address by Prof. Mario Fernando, Professor of Management and Director of the Centre for Cross Cultural Management (CCCM) at the University of Wollongong, Australia.
Vote of Thanks of the inauguration session was delivered by Dr. Dillanjani Weeratunga, Symposium Co-chair.
The symposium served as a comprehensive platform for researchers to present their findings across a wide range of critical topics in HRM. These included Cultural Diversity and Inclusion, Talent Development and Retention, Ethical Leadership and Corporate Social Responsibility, Adapting to Technological Advancements, Mental Health and Well-being at Work, Global Workforce Challenges, Employee Empowerment, and Reskilling and Upskilling.
The plenary session was led by Prof. Wasantha Rajapakse. Certificates were awarded to the best paper presenters during the valedictory session, followed by a vote of thanks delivered by Kamani Perera, Manager of Research and Development.
The annual symposium of CIPM was a truly inclusive event, attracting a diverse audience that spanned undergraduates, graduates, working professionals, research scholars and lecturers. This widespread interest highlights the symposium’s significance in the field of HRM, offering a unique opportunity for everyone to network and learn from scholarly brains.The CIPM International Research Symposium was sponsored by Hambantota International Port, Sri Lanka Institute of Information Technology (SLIIT), E B Creasy & Co. PLC, and Print Xcel Company.
US sports envoys to Lanka to champion youth development
Rahuman questions sudden cancellation of leave of CEB employees
