Political allegiance of Sri Lankan Muslims - Part II:
SLFP Governments’ contribution to Muslim education
A.A.M. NIZAM
Continued from December 31
This was a giant step taken by the truly Sri Lankan Bandaranaike
Government to emancipate the Muslim community and liberate them from the
bondage to Mudalalis and open a new vista for Muslim children to pursue
higher education. It was a well-known that there were many villages and
towns at that time without a single Muslim graduate, without a single
Muslim Doctor, Lawyer, Accountant or even a middle ranking Government
servant.
S. W. R. D. Bandaranaike |
Sirimavo Bandaranaike |
This massive teaching employment drive initiated by the Bandaranaike
Government, produced at least one teacher in each Muslim family and
completely changed the educationally backward Muslim Society into an
educated Muslim polity. It is the children of this new generation of
Muslims innovated by the SLFP Government that occupy seats of employment
today in many fields including those in the professional fields and even
in Foreign Missions.
It was the SLFP that legitimized the rights of Muslim girls to wear a
school dress in conformity to their religions norms even in non-Muslim
schools. While the pro UNP Western countries were not permitting Muslim
girls to wear Hijab in schools, the SLFP led Government in addition to
providing school uniforms to Muslim girls studying in Government schools
also took action to provide Hijabs to Muslim girls annually.
Government assistance
The Endowment Board known as Waqf Board was created to administer the
affairs of mosques thereby providing the opportunity for the commoners
to participate in the affairs of administering the mosques and making
them qualified to receive Government assistance. Relaying the Azan call
for the five obligatory prayers using loudspeakers from mosques
throughout the island was permitted.
A Special Unit known as Muslim Service dedicated for the Muslims was
created in the then Radio Ceylon to broadcast religious and cultural
programs and enlighten the Muslims with religious knowledge, their
cultural values, and educate them about the affairs of fellow Muslims in
other countries.
This Unit helped Muslims listen to whole night broadcast of religious
programs on special days such as Lailathul Qadr and listen to whole day
programs on Eid and other significant days, in addition to daily night
and morning programs.
A new set of teachers known as Maulavi teachers, similar to teachers
of other religions was appointed to teach religion to Muslim students
even in non-Muslim schools. Two hours permission for Muslims to attend
Jumma prayers was granted. Days prominent for Muslims were included in
the list of Public Holidays.
Muslim countries
In the international arena too, the SLFP Governments espoused the
cause of Muslims and Muslim countries. During the Suez Canal War in 1958
Prime Minister S.W.R.D. Bandaranaike solidly stood supporting the steps
taken by President Gamal Abdul Nasser of United Arab Republic (currently
Egypt), to nationalize the Suez Canal.
Historical records reveal that Prime Minister Bandaranaike speaking
at the United Nations not only vehemently condemned the invasion of
Egypt by the Western imperialist forces together with Israel but also
threatened even to send the Armed Forces of Sri Lanka to fight these
imperialists along with the Egyptian and Arab Armies. Not even the
Muslim countries outside the Middle East region had the courage to
support President Nasser in this manner.
It was the Prime Minister Bandaranaike’s Government that appointed a
Muslim as Sri Lanka’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations.
The UNP which fools the Muslims in every election to get their votes and
provide them nothing in return is yet to appoint a Muslim to such a
prestigious position.
Labour Ministry
Those days the Labour Ministry was an insignificant Ministry in the
whole Cabinet. The UNP Governments always kept this Ministry reserved
for Muslims as nothing could be done to serve the community through this
Ministry.
It was the Bandaranaike Government that nullified this discrimination
and appointed C. A. S. Marikkar to the prestigious position of Post and
Telecommunications Minister. Also the Bandaranaike Government has the
credit of appointing for the first time a Muslim as the Speaker of
Parliament. H.S. Ismail was appointed the Speaker although he was not
elected to Parliament as an SLFP MP.
The second structural change in the life of Sri Lankan Muslims and
enormous service to the community took place during the reign of the
late Prime Minister Sirimavo Bandaranaike who dearly valued cordial
relationships with Middle Eastern and Muslim countries all over the
world.
It was in gratitude to her cordial relationship that President Nasser
sent several oil shipments to Sri Lanka when Western countries imposed
sanctions on oil supplies to Sri Lanka following the bold steps taken by
her to nationalise the oil companies in Sri Lanka and establish the
Ceylon Petroleum Corporation.
In gratitude to this friendly gesture, Mrs. Bandarnaike declared one
week’s mourning on the death of President Nasser, and his funeral
proceedings were broadcast live through Ceylon Broadcasting Corporation
(currently SLBC). Such a respect to President Nasser’s funeral was not
accorded even in several Middle East and Muslim countries.
The late Prime Minister Mrs Bandarnaike was the only non-Muslim world
leader who severed Diplomatic relationship with Israel for invading Arab
countries and occupying their territory. J.R. Jayewardene, the UNP
hierarchy and the pro-UNP press severely criticised her for taking this
bold step.
When Mrs Bandarnaike made arrangements to host the Fifth Non-Aligned
Summit in Sri Lanka, the UNP not only condemned her decision but also
opposed it intensely. Pro-UNP media severely criticised the late Prime
Minister Mrs Bandarnaike for holding the Summit and boorishly slandered
many Muslim leaders who were scheduled to attend.
Middle East countries
The Summit, however, provided the opportunity for the leaders and
Heads of State of almost all Muslim countries to visit our Motherland
and obtain a first hand knowledge about the country, about the Muslims
in this country, and also to interact with them. In spite of UNP’s
criticism and vilification the Summit opened a new vista for Muslims and
other Sri Lankans to find employment, particularly in the Middle East
countries.
Thus began the era of foreign employment for Sri Lankans and it has
now become the leading source of foreign exchange earning for Sri Lanka,
and a means of alleviating poverty throughout the country.
Many Muslim families in Sri Lanka live without feeling the hardship
of poverty because of this step taken by Prime Minister Sirimavo
Bandaranaike.
People who went for employment in the Middle East countries in the
early phase would recall that the general public in the Middle East were
not aware of the existence of a country called Sri Lanka and they knew
Sri Lanka only as Madam Bandaranaike country.
Despite the enormous service rendered to the community by the
Bandaranaike Governments, Sri Lankan Muslims beguiled by the hollow
promises, misled by deceitful and aggressive propaganda joined the
reactionary forces and helped the Western slavish dictator J.R.
Jayewardene to win in the 1977 General Election.
To be continued
|