Features
The radicalizing effects of religious hatred
Only time will tell whether the Sri Lankan government’s recent decision to lift a ban on several Islamic organizations which were outlawed following the Easter Sunday carnage was advisable or not. In the interim, it is best to remember that every government claiming to be democratic is obliged to promote religious tolerance and amity and from this viewpoint the government’s decision needs to be seen as non-controversial.
Moreover, the government’s decision is unlikely to have been taken in knee-jerk, ad-hoc fashion considering the weighty security questions at the heart of the decision. Right now, though, the crucial need is religious and ethnic harmony and the governmental decision should not be needlessly chafed at.
The recent rapid rise in the West in particular of anti-Islamic sentiments among sections of hardline opinion underscores the need for unflagging moves on the part of states the world over and other relevant stakeholders to foster religious harmony in their countries and outside. In South Asia, Sri Lanka ought to be ranking high as a country where religious harmony has been consistently dipping and a special duty is cast on it to ensure that inter-religious harmony is built-up within it steadily.
The past two decades or so have seen a dramatic rise in anti-Islamic sentiments within Sri Lanka. This needs to be viewed with profound concern because Sri Lanka just cannot afford to have any more outbreaks of mass-scale murderous violence, focused on its religious minorities. Another July 1983-style holocaust and Sri Lanka could consider itself as good as permanently ruined. Accordingly, Islamophobia needs to be eliminated and governments should be leading from the front in this exercise.
Rising religious hatred in countries such as Sri Lanka has brought to the fore the question of the radicalization of sections of the local Islamic community. Confusion abounds on this issue, including that of a conceptual kind. There is a tendency among some sections of local opinion to see a link between the rapid rise of Islamic radicalism abroad and its spread locally, particularly among impressionable sections, such as some young adherents of Islam.
While the latter possibility cannot be ruled out, what is glaringly obvious in Sri Lanka’s case is the role played by some governments from the time of ‘Independence’, and other powerful social actors, in victimizing the local Islamic community and in visiting harm on them in manifold ways with a view to reaping short term political gain.
Generally speaking, influential sections of local society, have found it to be in their interests to foster inter-religious discord and hatred and this has been a root cause of the anti-minority violence Sri Lanka has been time and again witnessing over the decades. Simply expressed, external factors could have very little to do with inter-religious disharmony, Islamic radicalization and communal violence in Sri Lanka. A good proportion of it is of purely local origin and orchestration.
Islamophobia in Sri Lanka was particularly notable between 2005 and 2015 and the governments of those times had a strong hand in its spread among volatile local sections. This ought to be obvious to the impartial, scientifically-oriented observer and to those who were familiar with the machinations of the governments in question.
To point to external factors as being primarily responsible for the radicalization of local impressionable Islamic sections would be tantamount to misleading the public and it is hoped that all those quarters that are taking it upon themselves to make pronouncements on these issues, including ‘international experts on terror’, would take cognizance of these facts.
Over the past decade or two, Muslim community- targeted mob violence broke out in Aluthgama in 2006 and 2014, Ginthota in 2017, in Kandy in 2018 and in the Northwest subsequent to the Easter attacks and powerful, Southern political actors had a hand in all such outbreaks. Impressionable sections could not be expected to be the same after such onslaughts and these are the roots of radicalization, or in the conversion of peace-loving people into militants. The relevant causative factors are right here to see, under the very noses of ‘experts’.
While Sri Lankan governments ought to deal with religious violence firmly and ensure their non-recurrence by rooting out the prime factors in these abominations, democratic governments the world over are conscience-bound to cooperate with the UN in its current efforts at containing religious hatred and bigotry. Those instances of the desecration of the Koran in the West ought to be condemned by the right-thinking and the roots of the evil detected, analyzed and adequately dealt with.
Right now, the Denmark and Swedish governments are forced to walk a very tight-rope between stamping out the evil of religious hatred, manifested in instances of the desecration of the Koran by some of their citizens, and in upholding the democratic right to Freedom of Expression. The latter right is inalienable within a democracy but so is the right of people to their religious beliefs and convictions.
This is, no doubt, a painful dilemma for democratic governments but it is relieving to note that the Danish government is profoundly sensitive to the issues in question and that it considers itself duty-bound to intervene in the crisis with a view to resolving it amicably.
Generally speaking, within a democracy, one of the above rights cannot be bartered for the other. Both rights need to be protected by governments if the scourge of religious hatred and bigotry is to be contained and social harmony upheld. Clearly, acts of stamping on and burning copies of the Koran, which is most sacred to Muslims, cannot be perceived as acts embodying the Freedom of Expression. On the contrary, such acts are a gross abuse of the right to Freedom of Expression. Every civilized society is conscience-bound to eliminate such abuses if the cause of humanity is to be served.
The Sri Lankan situation reveals that religious hatred is very often orchestrated by powerful societal forces. The perpetrators concerned do not act alone. They are hand-in-glove with political actors who have an abiding vested interest in the spread of religious disharmony. Such facts ought to remind Western democracies too of the need to be watchful and act against those forces of religious intolerance and disharmony before they become too formidable to rein-in.
The most urgent need for the South Asian region right now, in the wake of the cold-blooded killing by gunmen of nearly 30 local tourists in Indian-administered Kashmir two days back, is the initiation of measures that could ensure regional stability and peace. The state actors that matter most in this situation are India and Pakistan and it would be in the best interests of the region for both countries to stringently refrain from succumbing to knee-jerk reactions in the face of any perceived provocations arising from the bloodshed.
The consequences for the countries concerned and the region could be grave if the terror incident leads to stepped-up friction and hostility between India and Pakistan. Some hardline elements in India, for instance, are on record in the international media as calling on the Indian state to initiate tough military action against Pakistan for the Kashmiri terror in question and a positive response to such urgings could even lead to a new India-Pakistan war.
Those wishing South Asia well are likely to advocate maximum restraint by both states and call for negotiations by them to avert any military stand-offs and conflicts that could prove counter-productive for all quarters concerned. This columnist lends his pen to such advocacy.
Right now in Sri Lanka, nationalistic elements in the country’s South in particular are splitting hairs over an MoU relating to security cooperation Sri Lanka has signed with India. Essentially, the main line of speculation among these sections is that Sri Lanka is coming under the suzerainty of India, so to speak, in the security sphere and would be under its dictates in the handling of its security interests. In the process, these nationalistic sections are giving fresh life to the deep-seated anti-India phobia among sections of the Sri Lankan public. The eventual result will be heightened, irrational hostility towards India among vulnerable, unenlightened Sri Lankans.
Nothing new will be said if the point is made that such irrational fears with respect to India are particularly marked among India’s smaller neighbouring states and their publics. Needless to say, collective fears of this kind only lead to perpetually strained relations between India and her neighbours, resulting in regional disunity, which, of course would not be in South Asia’s best interests.
SAARC is seen as ‘dead’ by some sections in South Asia and its present dysfunctional nature seems to give credence to this belief. Continued friction between India and Pakistan is seen as playing a major role in such inner paralysis and this is, no doubt, the main causative factor in SARRC’s current seeming ineffectiveness.
However, the widespread anti-India phobia referred to needs to be factored in as playing a role in SAARC’s lack of dynamism and ‘life’ as well. If democratic governments go some distance in exorcising such anti-Indianism from their people’s psyches, some progress could be made in restoring SAARC to ‘life’ and the latter could then play a constructive role in defusing India-Pakistan tensions.
It does not follow that if SAARC was ‘alive and well’, security related incidents of the kind that were witnessed in India-administered Kashmir recently would not occur. This is far from being the case, but if SAARC was fully operational, the states concerned would be in possession of the means and channels of resolving the issues that flow from such crises with greater amicability and mutual accommodation.
Accordingly, the South Asian Eight would be acting in their interests by seeking to restore SAARC back to ‘life’. An essential task in this process is the elimination of mutual fear and suspicion among the Eight and the states concerned need to do all that they could to eliminate any fixations and phobias that the countries have in relation to each other.
It does not follow from the foregoing that the SAARC Eight should not broad base their relations and pull back from fostering beneficial ties with extra-regional countries and groupings that have a bearing on their best interests. On the contrary, each SAARC country’s ties need to be wide-ranging and based on the principle that each such state would be a friend to all countries and an enemy of none as long as the latter are well-meaning.
The foregoing sharp focus on SAARC and its fortunes is necessitated by the consideration that the developmental issues in particular facing the region are best resolved by the region itself on the basis of its multiple material and intellectual resources. The grouping should not only be revived but a revisit should also be made to its past programs; particularly those which related to intra-regional conflict resolution. Thus, talking to each other under a new visionary commitment to SAARC collective wellbeing is crucially needed.
On the question of ties with India, it should be perceived by the latter’s smaller neighbours that there is no getting away from the need to foster increasingly closer relations with India, today a number one global power.
This should not amount to these smaller neighbours surrendering their rights and sovereignty to India. Far from it. On the contrary these smaller states should seek to craft mutually beneficial ties with India. It is a question of these small states following a truly Non-aligned foreign policy and using their best diplomatic and political skills to structure their ties with India in a way that would be mutually beneficial. It is up to these neighbours to cultivate the skills needed to meet these major challenges.
Going ahead, it will be in South Asia’s best interests to get SAARC back on its feet once again. If this aim is pursued with visionary zeal and if SAARC amity is sealed once and for all intra-regional friction and enmities could be put to rest. What smaller states should avoid scrupulously is the pitting of extra-regional powers against India and Pakistan in their squabbles with either of the latter. This practice has been pivotal in bringing strife and contention into South Asia and in dividing the region against itself.
Accordingly, the principal challenge facing South Asia is to be imbued once again with the SAARC spirit. The latter spirit’s healing powers need to be made real and enduring. Thus will we have a region truly united in brotherhood and peace.
The British School in Colombo celebrated the 2025 Sinhala and Tamil New Year with the traditional rites and rituals and customs unique to the island nation, during a special Avurudu Assembly held at the school premises.
Students from all over the world, who are part of The British School in Colombo, gathered to celebrate this joyous event.
The special assembly featured traditional song and dance items from talented performers of both the Junior and Senior Schools.
On this particular day, the teachers and students were invited to attend school in Sri Lankan national costume and, among the traditional rituals celebrated, was the boiling of the milk and the tradition of Ganu-Denu.
Boiling of
the milk
In the meanwhile, a group of swimmers from Lyceum International School, Wattala, visited Australia to participate in the Global-ISE International Swimming Training Programme in Melbourne.
Over the course of 10 days, the swimmers followed an advanced training schedule and attended sessions at the Melbourne Sports and Aquatic Centre (MSAC), Victoria’s Nunawading Swimming Club, and Camberwell Grammar School.
In addition to their training, the group also explored Melbourne, with visits to key landmarks, such as the Parliament House and the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG), along with city tours and cultural experiences.
Traditional dance item
Tug-of-war contest
On arrival in Melbourne, Lyceum International School, Wattala, with Sri Lankan officials
Got a few more beauty tips to give you … for a perfect complexion, or, let’s say, a healthy skin.
* Honey Face Mask:
Take a tablespoon of raw honey and then warm it up by rubbing it with your fingertips. Apply the warm honey all over your face. Let this natural mask stand for about 10 minutes and then wash it off gently with warm water.
* Coconut Milk Face Mask:
You need to squeeze coconut milk out of a grated raw coconut and apply this milk all over your face, including your lips.
(This will help you gain a glowing skin. It is one of the best natural tips for skin care)
* Orange, Lemon, and Yoghurt Moisturiser:
To prepare this moisturiser, you need a tablespoon of orange juice, a tablespoon of lemon juice and a cup of plain yoghurt.
Mix them together and apply the paste all over your face, leaving it as a mask for 10 to 15 minutes. Next, take a damp handkerchief and use it to clean your face.
(This moisturiser brightens the complexion of your skin)
* Cucumber and Lemon:
Apply equal parts of cucumber and lemon juice on your face before taking a bath. Allow it to sit for 10 minutes before rinsing it off. This natural face beauty tip will brighten your skin tone and lighten blemishes if used on a regular basis. The best aspect is that it is appropriate for all skin types!
* Healthy Diet:
Aside from the effective home remedies, there are certain other factors to consider for skin care – and the first of them is your diet. Without the right nutrients, your skin cannot reverse the damage it suffers every day.
Eat fruits that are high in vitamin C because they contain antioxidants.
Adjust your diet to get the right amount of protein and unsaturated fats, as well as fresh green vegetables. All of this provides the right amount of nutrients so your skin can heal and improve itself naturally.
* Sun Protection and Care:
Another thing to keep in mind is not to step out of your home without sunscreen, especially with this awful heat we are experiencing at the moment. The hard rays of the sun can do you more damage than you could ever imagine.
By the way, you can prepare your own sunscreen lotion with glycerin, cucumber juice and rose water. You can also keep this lotion in the fridge.
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