The ugly use of extremism and terrorism for political gain
The recent statement by former Eastern Province Governor M. L. M. Hizbullah that Muslims are a majority in the world and that Sri Lankan Muslims should not fear even if they are a minority is dangerously inflammatory. It also amounts to an encouragement of the primitive cacophonous yelling on the part of Sinhala extremists that more Sinhalese ought to be born, that forced sterilisations of ‘ Sinhala Buddhist mothers’ are being carried out by Muslim doctors ( without a shred of tangible evidence, let us add) and that the Sinhala- Buddhist nation- state is in imminent and existential peril.
Ploys to fool the citizenry
It is no excuse therefore that the politician in question piously attempts to explain himself later, when asked as to why he made that statement, that he was only doing so to ‘ give strength’ to the scared and intimadated Muslims in Sri Lanka. These are not sentiments that can be excused with any measure of tolerance.
As the Kochchikade Church is reconsecrated this week with scores of injured worshippers in the congregation calling upon the Christian virtues of forgiving one’s enemies, the enormity of the terror that struck the country should never be minimised or forgotten. A sobbing teenager who lost her father in the Easter bomb attacks by militant islamist terrorists acting on Wahabi based preachings of hate asked that one question which the entire country should echo; ‘Why?”
So let it be said very plainly that the antics of Sri Lanka’s politicians as well as the political leadership must be recognised for what they are; simply, ploys to fool the citizenry in the face of upcoming elections. And lest there is any doubt on that score, this indictment applies in full measure to former President Mahinda Rajapaksa as well. His special address to the nation a few days ago where he pontificated that his leadership was the solution to the crisis is nothing but more of the same political profiting off this communal catastrophe that has engulfed the country.
As much as Tamil nationalists and Sinhala zenophobes fed off each other to prolong a deadly war which laid waste to the country and destroyed lives and communities for decades, this too is similarly cynical manipulation for political purposes. Mr Hizbullah is not greatly loved by his people as evidenced by the fact that he failed to muster votes in previous elections. Instead, he was given open licence by Presidential fiat to terrorise Sri Lanka’s East as its Governor to the chagrin of not only the Sinhalese but also the Tamils. His detractors point to his being instrumental in transferring a judge who did not obey him but instead, bringing in a judicial officer into that Province who was more ‘ compliant’ as it were. This is a hair- raising indication of the impunity with which he behaved. So too is the statement purported to be made by him where he boasts of taking over Hindu temple land with nary a lift of an eyelid.
Why the SLFP/SLPP combine opposes the Select Committee
Mr Hizbullah’s close associations with the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) and its quarrelsome offshoot, the Mahinda Rajapaksa- led Sri Lanka Podujana Party (SLPP) is no secret. This week, another former Governor, Azath Salley testified before the Parliamentary Select Committee that while the small group of wahabi islamists literally set the East on fire several years previously, they were safeguarded by powerful political forces which had ordered the police not to intervene beyond a point. In fact, his evidence was categorically that this group of Thowheed Jamath and the police had ‘ worked together’ from 2005 onwards which was effectively the period where the Rajapaksa writ ran in the country. When ordinary Muslims protested, they were detained or ‘chased away’.
Meanwhile the other testimony of peculiar interest was that of the President of the Federation of Kanthankudi Mosques and Muslim Institutions, Abdul Uvaiz, yesterday who stated strongly thatwa ha bi st extremism had run riot in the East during the term of the former Eastern Province G over norM.L.M.Hiz bull ah and that those opposing this spread, did not stand a chance of being heard. Law enforcement authorities had been deaf and blind to all entreaties. Taken in sum, it is not difficult to understand why the SLFP/SLPP combine opposes the sittings of the Parliamentary Select Commitee probing the Easter Sunday attacks so ferociously.
That opposition emanates also from this political game of oneupmanship that all politicians are playing without compunction for the country or its people, nattered, frightened and insecure. Nervous that the chain of command would lead to the door of the President, ( though this is surely a foregone conclusion already), yet another constitutional crisis is being perpetuated without any thought for the consequences as the President has refused to preside over the Cabinet. Now his agitated political mouthpieces are threatening a prorogation of Parliament if the Select Committee proceedings continue.
It is a relief that the Speaker has maintained a firm constitutional position on the fact that the President cannot dictate to Parliament as to how it should conduct its own proceedings. But are we some beggarly, newly emerged nation that these fundamental principles must be taught time and time again to politicians in power?
How does national security come into play?
In any event, it beggars the imagination as to how and in what way, the testimony given by the officials who have appeared before this Committee can, in any way, harm national security. Their posts are known, some of them have stepped down or have been sacked from their positions. There is no great secret as such that is being unveiled. Instead, what we see is a miserable process of political failures in leadership, rebounding both on the President and the Prime Minister. So why are SLFP politicians quoting the danger of intelligence leaks or the violation of the archaic Official Secrets Act? This is purely to hide their own misdeeds and culpability.
Indeed, it is a obscene paradox that, national security could have been disregarded, violated and brushed aside so casually to the extent that the Easter Sunday bomb attacks happened without any precautions being put into place while efforts to clear the fog of doubt and suspicion as to the manner in which this happened is met with such opposition ostensibly on the basis of national security.
Regardless of who pays the electoral price for such failures, the fact of the matter is that this disgraceful circus must not be allowed to continue further. Public pressure must make it clear to these politicians who tinker with Sri Lanka’s future, that their games are exposed and that the citizenry has only profound scorn for them. While one political party protects one Muslim political extremist leader, the other political party protects yet another, all the time, attacking each other.
This has to stop.