Colombo, March 8 (newsin.asia): Former Sri Lankan President and Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) leader Mahinda Rajapaksa has said that it is time multi-ethnic national political parties replaced communal and ethnic parties, given the way in which communalism and ethno-centric tendencies have spread in the country posing a serious threat to its integrity.
In a statement issued on Wednesday on the communal strife in Kandy district, which led to the imposition of a State of Emergency throughout the island for a week, Rajapaksa said:
“In the first few years after independence, Sinhalese, Tamil and Muslim leaders ruled this country together as partners. G.G. Ponnabalam had a warm and cordial relationship with the Senanayakes. That era ended in the mid-1950s as communalism and separatism came into Northern Tamil politics.”
“In the past, the two main political parties had Muslim leaders like A.C.S. Hameed, M.H. Mohamed, Badiudin Mohamed and Alavi Moulana who were elected to Parliament not only by Muslims but also by Sinhalese voters. During those decades, tensions between the Sinhalese and the Muslims were virtually non-existent.”
“But since the late 1980s a section of the Muslim population has gravitated towards communal political parties. This has made it easy for conspiratorial forces both local and foreign to inflame tensions between the Sinhalese and the Muslims by using agents provocateurs. “
“The tension that we see now between the Sinhalese and the Muslims is a fairly recent phenomenon. Everyone will remember that such tensions did not exist until about 2012.”
“What was started by conspirators who are now in the Yahapalana government, for the purpose of dislodging my government, now appears to have taken on a life of its own and mistrust between the communities is growing by the day.”
“Even though there are large numbers of Tamils in the north and east, the majority of the Tamil population permanently resides outside the north and east, among the majority Sinhalese. Similarly though there is a significant concentration of Muslims in the east, the vast majority of the Muslims permanently live outside the east, among Sinhalese and Tamils.”
“What we are now experiencing is the mismatch between this demographic reality and communalist politics. The very logic of communal politics requires the portrayal of other ethnic and religious groups as enemies or rivals.”
“Today, the situation is such that a dispute or clash between individuals belonging to different religions or ethnicities, automatically leads to a communal riot that spreads throughout the area.”
“Obviously this is not a situation that can be allowed to continue. There is a need to create in this country a nationalistic alliance comprising Sinhala, Tamil and Muslim leaders resembling the first post-independence government.”
“This is not going to be an easy task given the poisonous contagion of communalism that has spread in this country over the past several decades.”
“However on the basis of the recently concluded local government elections, I have reason to be cautiously optimistic that a window of opportunity exists to be able to turn back the tide of communalism.”
“I intend initiating a dialogue in this regard with national minded Sinhala, Tamil and Muslim individuals and organizations in due course.”
(The featured image at the top is that of Mahinda Rajapaksa, former Sri Lankan President and a prominent opposition leader)
