Javid Yusuf's reply to Public Security Minister Weerasekera

The views expressed by Public Security Minister Rear Admiral (Retd) Dr. Sarath Weerasekera in his reply to the “In the National Interest” column published in the Sunday Times of September 26, 2021 warrant several clarifications.

The minister has taken objection to the column’s assertion that his speech in Parliament had painted the Muslim community in a bad light. All that is required to verify this assertion of the Sunday Times column is to replay and listen to the minister’s speech in Parliament.

Criticism of the minister’s speech from different quarters including from supporters of the Government reconfirms the views expressed in the ST column that the minister’s speech did, in fact, paint the Muslim community in a bad light.

If such comments had been made publicly by an ordinary citizen it would have been bad enough. But when a Government minister holding the portfolio of Public Security publicly airs such views, ordinary citizens will accept such opinions as gospel truth and be prejudiced against the Muslim community.

With regard to the disparaging remarks made by Abdul Razik of the Ceylon Thowheed Jamaath and the attacks on Buddhist statues in Mawanella, the Muslim community has unequivocally condemned such actions. These actions are in total violation of the letter and spirit of Islamic teachings.

There is no doubt that anyone who breaks the law, irrespective of the community he belongs to, should be brought to book. That is why the Muslim community and the rest of the country are demanding with one voice that the masterminds behind the Easter Sunday attacks should be identified and justice be done to the victims of this heinous crime.

However, it would be wrong to make a particular community responsible for the actions of one or more errant members of that community. For instance, it will be wrong to blame the entire Buddhist community or Buddhism for the actions of the Ven. Gnanasara Thera.

The enlightened words of Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern referring to the recent attack in Auckland on innocent civilians captures this well. “The perpetrator alone bears responsibility for these acts. The attack was carried out by an individual, not a faith, ethnicity or culture.”

With regard to the minister’s request for support to counter ISIS, the minister is probably unaware that the Muslim community made its position with regard to ISIS very clear as far back as July 2015.

Issuing a Joint Declaration on July 23, 2015, the All Ceylon Jamiyyathul Ulama (ACJU), the National body of Muslim theologians, together with several Muslim Organisations, condemned in unequivocal terms all forms of violence and extremism.

The joint declaration went on to point out that “Islam is a religion of mercy for all humanity. It is the fountainhead of Eternal Peace, Tranquility, Security and

Brotherhood.... It regards oppression, mischief, rioting and murders amongst the severest sins and crimes.”

With regard to ISIS, the joint declaration went on to point out that “the IS (ISIS) is a violent extremist organisation which acts against the fundamental teachings of Islam. It is an absolutely deviant organisation which operates against all the principles and tenets of Islam.”

The Muslim community has not hesitated to condemn violence in any form and has at every turn cooperated with the Law Enforcement authorities. The ACJU and other Muslim organisations repeatedly brought to the notice of the authorities long before the Easter attacks the violence and unlawful actions of Zahran who was having a free reign in the Eastern Province despite there being several open warrants against him.

Even the much maligned Azath Salley at a news conference on March 15, 2017 stated that he had brought to the notice of the Police, NIB and the

Defence Secretary that Zahran and others were unleashing violence in Kattankudy.

After the Easter Sunday attacks, the Muslim community in the Eastern Province gave its unstinted cooperation to the law enforcement authorities which helped, in no small measure, to dismantle the terrorist network. This fact was publicly acknowledged several times by the Army Brigadier who was in charge in the Eastern Province at that time.

In conclusion, Minister Weerasekera’s statement that as a nation, we must all shed our differences, if any, and come together in cohesion to ensure unity, reconciliation and national security is something that we can agree wholeheartedly. However, to achieve this laudable goal, the Government must give the lead to create an enabling environment where all citizens and communities are treated equally and with dignity while taking all democratic actions to prevent evil forces from undermining such efforts.