Devious conspiracies of Budu Bala Sena should be exposed in the greater interest of Sri Lanka.
| by A patriotic Lankan
( March 25, 2013, Colombo, Sri Lanka Guardian) Problems and challenges faced by Srilankan Muslim community today are unprecedented in Srilankan History. Muslim people have been living peacefully with all communities for more than one thousand years in Srilanka and yet, they have not experienced any challenges in this magnitude. It is generally argued that these problems and challenges are some sort of devious conspiracies that are generated recent time against Muslim with deliberate intention of harming Muslim community. Muslims feared that after defeating LTTE next target will be Muslims and yet, Muslims have been living with the sense of optimism and hope. Given peaceful nature of Singhalese community and more than one thousand years of past history of co-existence with peaceful Singhalese community Muslims never expected these types of challenges and problems:
They never dream that some extremist Buddhist fundamentalists will emerge out of blue in Srilanka. Muslims know well that more than 95% percentage of Singhalese people are peace loving people and Muslims have been living peacefully among them for more than one thousand years and they have not created any problems for Muslims and indeed, Singhalese kings had long tradition of protecting minority communities. For instance Muslims were given shelter and protection during the Portuguese persecution and Roman Catholics were protected by Kandiyan kings during the Dutch periods. Unlike pitiless some politicians today, the majority of Singhalese people are kind hearted and they never dream even to harm any living creature on earth. Yet, recently so called Budu Bala Sena has emerged out of Blue to tarnish good name of these innocent Singhalese people and in the name of Buddhism BBS has done a greater damage to Buddhist teaching and Singhalese people.
Many conspiracy theocracies are creeping out about the origin of this extremist Buddhist fundamentalist movement in Srilankan. Where do they come from and who support them and who fund them? You do not have be a rocket scientist to understand BBS. Its history started recently and it emerged with some political patronage. Its ideology is nothing but hatred of other communities and its method of spreading hatred is venomous and deadly poisonous.
Every sound person knows that Srilanka is multi-cultural and multi-religious nation. Singhalese Buddhists are the majority of its population and all other communities such as Hindus, Christian and Muslims are minorities. This is a true fact about nature of Srilankan make up today. No one denies this factual nature of Srilankan communities. It is a moral duty and responsibility of Buddhist religious leadership to preserve and protect Buddhism and Buddhist teachings in Srilanka. No one disputes about that and if Buddhists do not take care of Buddhism no one will come forward to protect it from its decline. Of course, Buddhists should make every effort to develop and enhance their religion and no one object that and yet, what BBS tries to do is to destroy and eliminate religious heritage and rituals of other religions. This is totally unacceptable and unjustifiable at all. This is indeed inhuman method of dealing with other religious teaching. They openly claim that they want to wipe out all other religion from Srilanka and want to make it a Buddhist fundamentalist nation.
To undercut and demean ruthlessly other religious teaching is wrong and unacceptable at all in our modern world. This attitude is indeed against the very teaching of Buddhism and Lord Buddha. Lord Buddha never said to belittle other religions and hence one could argue that BBS is deviated group from the true teaching of Buddhism. It is indeed, a Buddhists fundamentalists group that emerged to damage good name of Buddhism: There is no difference between BBS and Taliban in their methods and methodologies. Both have militant attitudes in their approach to religious awakening and renaissance. BBS is trying to use religion of Buddhism to achieve their selfish motives and objectives: their ultimate motive is to destroy all other culture, religious sites and identities from this beautiful Island of Srilanka and to establish a Buddhist Talibanistan in Srilanka. This is dream of BBS. It wants to clear Srilankan of all other religious groups and identities.
Historical Origin of BBS in Srilanka.
It was reported that some Buddhist clerics were so concerned and worried about pathetic conditions of Buddhism and Buddhist people in Srilanka. Recently some of these cleric got together and discussed how to revive and revitalise Buddhism in Srilanka. Some of these clerics approached the present leader of BBS and asked him to lead this group and he agreed to lead them in the interests of Buddhism and Buddhists in Srilanka: The objective of BBS is very much clear in their manifesto. They argue that that BBS is the guardian of Buddhism and Buddhist people in this country. They argue that it is their objective to protect and promote Buddhism in Srilanka. It is their objective to revitalise Buddhism in Srilanka and save it from extinction and they argue that Buddhist culture in danger in Srilanka. They expect that in 2050 Srilankan would become a Muslim country and they argue once countries like Pakistan, Afghanistan, Malaysia, Brunei, Indonesia, Bangladesh and Maldives were Buddhist countries and they become Muslim countries through introduction of Islam into these countries and they fear that one day Srilanka would become Muslim country and they argue that Muslim population rate and conversion rate into Islam are so high and that is why they fear that Srilanka would become a Muslim country sometime in history .
BBS meets President Mahinda Rajapake
With this fear and Islamia phobia in mind BBS members met the president some times ago in its initial stage to get his patronage and backing. According to BBS leader this happened sometimes ago before they officially started its activities and programmes. President Mahindra Rajapakse after carefully listening to their concerns and determination to promote and protect Buddhism fully encouraged and endorsed BBS and its strategies. President might have endorsed BBS for his political motive or it may be done with good intention of promoting Buddhism and yet not knowing interior motives of BBS and its activities or he might have given green light to BBS to do whatever they want to do knowingly. Having the consent of President BBS started its hate campaign some ago.
For some unknown reasons it started its hate campaign against Muslims. It is alleged that Greece Yaka, White van ordeals were initiated against Muslims at this initial stage to create fear and terror in the minds and hearts of Muslims. It is also generally believed that with elimination of LTTE next step is to physiologically generate fear in the minds of Muslims and Christian communities. There were some incidents of attacks on some Christian people and Churches. Yet, BBS turned its full focus on Muslim communities. Recently BBS met President. BBS was advised to not create any communal tension and religious disharmony in Srilanka. BBS was asked and encouraged to promote Buddhism and yet not at the expense of communal harmony. This advice was not taken seriously by BBS members. Since then BBS has accelerated its anti-Muslim activities and started open hate campaign Muslims in every part of Srilanka.
Since the destruction of Dambulla mosque BBS has destroyed some mosques and have done hate campaign and demonstrations more than 10 places. They are planning to do some more demonstrations and hate campaign. They have targeted Muslim business and they have managed to stop halal food certification. They have openly made staunch and vulgar criticism of Muslim clerics. They made rude mockery of some of our politicians and Muslim leaders. They have depicted Muslim religious identities of Muslim with bad pictures. They have portrayed our prophet as child abuser. They depicted the Holy name of Allah in the cartoon of Pigs. They have scolded our cleric with filthy words. They have made mockery of Islamic law: They have quoted the Quran out of contexts. They have misinterpreted Quranic verses out of contexts: They have attempted to take off the veil of some Muslim ladies. They have attempted to block slaughtering of animals in some places. They have attempted to dishonour some Muslim clerics in some places. They have already blocked some prayers in some places. They have attempted to destroy the windows of Kagalle mosques. From Dambulla mosque to Jailani mosque they have targeted many sacred places of Muslim.
Muslim businesses have been targeted in recent times. They openly tell Singhalese people not to buy in Muslim shops. Even school children and university students are indoctrinated with BBS doctrines and ideologies. Muslims people are depicted as visitors to this Island and they have been compared to be mere guests. More than 58 anti-Muslim incidents have been reported. More than 15 websites have been created to spread false message about Islam and Muslims in Srilanka. More than 67 YouTube clips are uploaded against Muslims in Srilanka. It is reported that more than 15 books have been written against Muslims in Sinhala language alone. Every day press and news papers publish articles against Muslims and Islam. Even it is reported that Muslims are not given legal rights to make complaints about BBS activities in police. in stark contrast, BBS is protected by this government. Police and Army give them support and protection while Muslims live haplessly and hopelessly.
Yet, President says that he does not discriminate between communities and he claims that Srilanka is a multi-ethnic and religious nation. He proclaimed in his Independence Day speech that this country belongs to every one and all communities should live like one family members. He claims all are equal in Srilanka. This is in theory and yet, in practice there is a huge disparity in Srilanka today. Singhalese people are favoured and all other communities are discriminated and marginalised.
What are the hidden agenda behind BBS?
First conspiracy theory
People have begun to ask who the people behind BBS are. Is it is a local or international plot? Is it present government behind it? Is it Defence secretary MR G behind it? It has been unexplained and indeed has been a mystery so far for most of Srilankan. When Greece Yaka fiasco came out it was believed that this was the handy work of defence Secretary and finally disappeared. Greece Yaka was given protection and shelter in police and army camps. Sudden birth of BBS is nothing but continuation of long term plot to destroy minority communities in Srilanka. Why should an elected government engage in such crafty dirty works at all? Why an executive president with all powers should engage in such bullying tactic? Who will benefit from such unwanted mayhem in this country after thirty years of blood bath? It is argued that BBS has been used as curry leave by this government to attract public support to this government. It is argued that this government plays with racist card to win vote banks of Singhalese people. This government knows well that it can not face any genuine free election. This government believes that they could play with race card to win over the majority of Singhalese people by inciting communal tension between communities.
What more is that Srilanka is going to dire economic hardship right now? Though war with LTTE was over yet, Srilankan has a huge financial burden and it has not yet settled the loans that it borrowed to purchase arms and weapons during the war and it would take long time to pay back loans and interests. This government has got wrong economic policies and it will cost the country dearly and even Srilanka could face bankruptcy and economic failure soon or later. Its economic policies to build Hambathotta region with sea and air ports do not have any economic credibility. Some fear that what happened to Greek and Spanish economies could happen in Srilanka as well. They built great stadiums, air port and mega development programme with money they borrowed from international communities and they could not pay back the loans with huge interest rate and consequently end up with economic down falls. Same history could repeat in Srilanka if Srilankan unnatural and unsustainable mega development programmes go wrong in Srilanka.
Most of development projects in Hambaththoda region are not done in the greater interest of Srilanka rather they were done to show off the pride and proud of Rajapakse family dynasty and to record his family name in the history book. Srilanka has blessed with talented economists and academics. I do not think that any sound economist would endorse these unsustainable mega projects right now in Srilanka. Some of these projects may be viable in three to four decade times not right now. Every one knows that these projects are high risky gambling in Srilanka. These projects could go terribly wrong and nation will have take responsibilities of paying off all loans with huge interest. It is often said that now Srilankan has been already sold to China. People of Srilanka will have pay a big price for that economic stupidity of this regime and some of high level economist and government officials will have share the responsibilities for failure of these wrong economic policies.
To cover up these economic failures this regime needs to play with some games and with some emotional issues to turn the attention of public from the burning day to day issues and economic survival. Unfortunately Muslims of Srilanka today are trapped in this Rajapake family drama. It would be easy to this family dynasty to turn the attention of public through such nasty mechanism. Unfortunately some extreme Buddhist monks become main characters in this drama against their own self consciences and Buddhist teaching. This is one of the conspiracy theories of anti-Muslim campaign in Srilanka and we have to wait and see how and when these conspiracies backfire on them.
Second conspiracy theory
To be continued next week.
