Tensions flare between religious groups in Sri Lanka over mosque

A group of Buddhist monks has threatened to demolish a mosque in a sacred area of Dambulla, in central Sri Lanka.

The Prime Minister has backed the monks, ordering the mosque's removal.

It's raised concerns the government is pushing a nationalist Sinhalese agenda to divert attention away from the island's troubled economy,

Correspondent: Kara Douglas

Speakers: Dr Ameer Ali, Vice President of the Regional Islamic Council of South East Asia and the Pacific; Lakshman Kiriella, Sri Lankan opposition MP; Dr Jehan Perera, National Peace Council spokesman.

DOUGLAS: Tensions between some members of the Buddhist and Muslim communities in central Sri Lanka came to a head when about two thousand Budhhists, including monks, marched to the Dambulla mosque last week, demanding its demolition. The mosque was later fire bombed. Prayers were cancelled but no one was hurt.

ALI: This threat to demolish the mosque by a group of arch conservative monks is something that is concerning all right minded people in this country and if the government doesn't act soon on this, it's going to escalate.

DOUGLAS: Dr Ameer Ali is Vice President of the Regional Islamic Council of South East Asia and the Pacific. The Sri Lankan expat and Murdoch University academic believes the attack on the Dambulla mosque is part of a wider trend.

ALI: There is a small group of people who are very fanatical and they are claiming that the country belongs to them and that no other community has a legitimate right to exist in this country, and the government should put its foot down and tell these monks that it's not the way. It's a plural society and every community, every religion, every icon must be respected.

DOUGLAS: The Sri Lankan Prime Minister, DM Jayaratne, has ordered the mosque's removal, claiming it's an illegal building. But mosque officials say it's been there for more than 50 years, well before the area was declared a sacred zone 20 years ago. The Sri Lankan opposition MP Lakshman Kiriella has accused the government of supporting extremists.

KIRIELLA: This is not Buddhist activity, these are fascists.

DOUGLAS: Mr Kiriella says if the mosque was built illegally the government should resolve the issue in court.

KIRIELLA: The government must go through the papers and first see if this construction is illegal and if it is so, then they must file papers in court. You can't take the law into your own hands.

DOUGLAS: While most of Sri Lanka's Sinhalese majority are Buddhists, Muslims are regarded as the third ethnic group, after the mainly Hindu Tamils. Doctor Jehan Perera from Sri Lanka's National Peace Council believes the government is promoting a Sinhalese nationalist agenda to divert attention away from the country's economic woes.

PERERA: The government distracts the people with Sinhala nationalism and that gives pace to extremist groups among the Sinhalese people. It's just small because they don't do very well in the elections especially when they are not aligned to the government. When they contest by themselves they get less than 5 per cent of the vote, but it gives these Sinhalese extremist groups a special power so that they have a certain licence to do what they want and get away with it.

DOUGLAS: Dr Ameer Ali says Muslims also believe the government's motivation is political.

ALI: They are facing elections very soon so they want to divert the attention of the Buddhist community from the economic difficulties the country is facing. The economics of the country are in serious trouble, so they want to divert the attention on issues like religion so they can win the support.

DOUGLAS: The Sri Lankan Prime Minister issued a statement saying the removal of the Dambulla mosque had the support of local Muslim MP's. But they've rejected the claim. Doctor Jehan Perera says the government risks losing the support of the Muslim community.

PERERA: They are putting a lot of pressure on the Muslim politicians who are in alliance with the government, who are part of the government, to take action. Unless the government takes some sort of remedial action, the government is going to have to pay a price because its support base among the muslims, who have been supportive of this government by and large, is going to erode.

DOUGLAS: Dr Ameer Ali says the issue could have a broader impact on peace in Sri Lanka, just three years after the end of the civil war.

ALI: It's a concern because we thought after the victory the Budhist, the majority community, will be magnaminous and they would approach the minority communities and solve their problems amicably and have serious negotiations, and that is not happening.

DOUGLAS: Sri Lanka's Muslim community has typically shied away from confrontations with the government. But Doctor Ali says the situation at the Dambulla mosque should concern all Sri Lankans.

ALI: I think the Tamils, the Muslims, the Christians, the Muslims, the Hindus and the neutral Budhists must join together and raise their voice against this policy of the government and make them not to promote this sort of fanatical situation in the country.

DOUGLAS: Radio Australia was unable to contact Sri Lanka's Federation of Buddhist Organisations for comment.

Source: radioaustralia.net.au