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Saturday, 9 June 2012

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Consolidate domestic harmony

A statement by Deputy Minister Faiszer Musthapha which we front-paged yesterday drove home the point that religious harmony in this country which is continuing vibrantly must be further consolidated. Apparently, a potentially damaging rumour was doing the rounds that some state agencies were making a list of some of this country's Muslim religious institutions. The statement by the Deputy Minister effectively quashes this rumour and puts the record straight on the matters raised.

We could rest assured that the state would be leaving nothing to chance on the question of continued social harmony. A couple of months back when some tensions of a religious nature were stirred in Dambulla, the state lost no time in defusing the issues in question. Since then, complete religious harmony has prevailed, as it did for centuries previously, but the Dambulla tensions and the rumour mentioned earlier, point to the fact that there could be forces in our polity which are inimical to this country's hallowed tradition of religious tolerance.

The vast majority of the public is of a peaceful disposition and would say 'no' vehemently to discord of any nature among our communities. But as in the case of communal disharmony, there could be political forces which are seeking to have a vested interest in religious tensions. We hope we would be proved wrong, but nothing could be left to chance. Looked at objectively, from a Political Science perspective, the possibility cannot be ruled out of parochial-minded political forces seeking to destabilize our hard won peace and harmony. Such dark designs should be resoundingly defeated.

One lesson which our polity should have learnt from the 30 year conflict which was effectively resolved by the Mahinda Rajapaksa administration was that although it is very easy to trigger social conflicts it is astoundingly difficult to resolve them. We in Sri Lanka should know this lesson fully well because we suffered collectively for 30 long years. It should be obvious to all sections that in such conflicts there are no winners. There are only losers. Accordingly, it would be foolhardy for any quarter to seek to stoke religious tensions within our body-politic.

Yet, there could be sections which would prefer to put narrow short term gain above the collective interests of the country. These forces must be defeated and this is not a task for only the state. It is a task for the whole of society and we hope civil society too would address its mind to this challenge forthwith.

Perhaps, the state should think in terms of outlawing divisive political forces which seek to undermine religious and communal harmony. True, religious disharmony is not an issue among us but nothing could be left to chance, as said earlier. We believe the religious and ethnic communities of our land should think in terms of linking hands with each other more tightly and resolve to take Sri Lanka into a bright new future where social disharmony of any kind would not be heard of.

We call on all sections of society to be proactively involved in peace-building among our ethnic and religious communities. Besides the state continuously working towards social harmony in all its dimensions, the moderates in all our communities need to come forward and say 'no' vehemently to disharmony of any kind. Besides, they must stand united against divisive political currents which are seeking to sow the seeds of discord among us.

We propose that all well meaning persons and groups be proactively involved in creating more and more harmony among our social segments. They should ensure empathetic understanding is solidly built among all social groups. Men and women of goodwill need to stand-up and be counted.

Role of International Law in contemporary diplomacy - Part III:

Special skills needed of states in facing challenges

While these are certainly significant factors which have a major impact on the current political and law-making agenda, it would nevertheless be an over-simplification to conclude from them, that the major powers have the decisive say in dictating the contemporary international agenda.

Full Story

Rearing its ugly head again?

When the leader of the Tamil National Alliance (TNA), Rajavarothiam Sampanthan MP raised the Lion Flag on May Day, it was widely believed that this represented a change of heart among previously separatist Tamil politicians.

Full Story

An indelible blot on Freedom in Britain

Freedom of Expression also involves the freedom, for the other side to speak and be heard; however objectionable what is being stated may be, as long as it is in keeping with standards of decency and within the law. As the quotation often attributed to Voltaire states - “I may not agree with what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it”.

Full Story

 

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