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Muslim's role in the peace march

by A.R.M.T.B. Ratnayake

Today, everybody accepts that there can be no more important matter for the future of this country than solution of the conflict before it. No community or racial group should be or utter anything that would aggravate the conflict at a time when an approach is made. What matters in a conflict resolution is not debate or argument. Much of civilization is based on argument.

Today, everybody accepts that there can be no more important matter for the future of this country than solution of the conflict before it. No community or racial group should be or utter anything that would aggravate the conflict at a time when an approach is made. What matters in a conflict resolution is not debate or argument. Much of civilization is based on argument.

For example democracy and courts function on argument. But the argument or debate should be helpful and not harmful. For one to argue one must know thoroughly what is being argued and how well his argument contributes to the achievement of a solution. It is not productive to use the argument simply for the sake of attacking or to prove that one is a partner in the debate.

An inadequately trained doctor or a quack can deliver the wrong medication and kill the patient with the innocence of his ignorance. He is not a murderer of a monster. But his innocent inadequacy can have the same effects. It is therefore necessary for the argument to be mature and well intended.

A solution depends on how well the parties to the conflict can come to a compromise. A compromise suggests that all sides give up something in order to gain some thing. In such a situation no party should insist on all it seeks. In that context the Muslims too have a duty to act in a similar manner.

Dominated

Immediately after independence, the issue that dominated our politics was the recognition of Sinhala as the official language. Today it is different. What the people want right now is racial harmony and brotherhood; peace and prosperity.

The Muslims who form the second largest constituent of the plural society of our country, have throughout history, maintained good relations with other races, particularly with the majority group and in the process we have been able to share good dividends. Different elements, specially the Tamil separatists have, at different stages, manoeuvred to break this relationship and deter its growth.

Yet the Muslims have wisely resisted those attempts, mainly because their actions were guided more by the laws of God than of man.

Blood

It is told that Islam emphasises at great length that the civil laws of the country be fully respected and all criticism be made within its framework which would be applicable to all citizens of the state. This writer had a chance to read through a booklet entitled "Human Rights in Islam" which in fact was a speech made by Mawalana Abdul A'la Mawdi, an eminent international religious leader of Islam. In it was given this gem of a view "...... it is not possible for an Islamic state to retaliate even if all the Muslims outside its boundaries are massacred. The state cannot unjustly shed the blood of a single non-Muslim citizen within its boundaries." Dealing further on the rights of civilians in a war it says - "Do not kill the monks in monasteries or the people who are sitting in places of worship" (Musnad of Ibn Hanbal).

It is equally true that the polytheistic religion of Tamil people even go further to insist on the brotherhood not only of mankind but also of all that live.

The Muslim people have a colourful past and have played an important role in the social economic and political life of the country, even during the Sinhala kings helping them in marketing their produce and in importing the articles needed by them. They also helped kings to establish diplomatic relations with Arab countries. They never exhibited territorial ambitions but remained loyal subjects embracing Sri Lanka as their motherland.

Some of Sri Lanka's leaders refused to identify the Muslims as a separate ethnic group even hundred years ago.

The first political damage perpetrated on the Muslims can be traced to the year 1885, when the Legislative Council was expanded to include further non-official members from different ethnic groups. Sir Ponnambalam Ramanathan and his colleagues objected to the claim of the Ceylon Moors for a separate representation.

They put forward their usual argument that on the basis of the language and history the Moors of Ceylon were Tamil converts to Islam. However accepting the Muslim's point of view that they were muslims by birth Abdul Rahaman was nominated to the Council and after his death A.M. Sheriff from the Eastern province succeeded him.

Identify

Once again on the eve of Independence, the Tamils insisted that the Muslims identify themselves with them in their demand for fifty-fifty share in the governing process, put forward by G.G. Ponnambalam.

The Muslims however feared being merged in the Tamil stream and foresaw that they would be able to preserve their religious and cultural interests better by identifying themselves as Ceylonese.

When the Sinhala Only issue came up in 1956, the Tamil leadership had high hopes that the Muslims would join them at least then in opposing the bill. Yet they supported the bill of the SLFP (MEP) of which one of the joint-secretaries was Dr. Badi-ud-in Mohamed.

The MEP had seven Muslim parliamentarians supporting the Sinhala only bill and to the surprise of many late Mudliyar Kariapper and Mr. P.P. Musthapaha defected to the MEP in 1956 having won the election on the FP ticket.

The Muslim politicians have held many important ministerial positions in various governments since 1931 apart from holding the post of Speaker and deputy Speaker of our Parliaments.

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