The Muslim Council of Sri Lanka has announced that it is changing the colour of the burqa, a garment worn by some Muslim women around the world, from black to “simple pleasing pastel shades”, nearly a month after attacks on Muslims by Sinhala Buddhists in the south of the country.
Vice President of the MCSL, Hilmy Ahmed, said that they would hand out free burqas and claimed that this was not a knee-jerk reaction to the recent violence or threats by the Bodu Bala Sena against Muslim clothing, reported Ceylon Today.
"The dark garb has been heavily criticised by various quarters the world over and is even related to Wahhabism, but we too feel it is unnecessary, as the visibility of those who don it is very high on the streets and when interacting with people and when using public transport persons could be intimidated or targeted," he said.
Ahmed stressed that Muslims in Sri Lanka are “by and large now looking inward within themselves to see how they as a people belong to Sri Lanka”.
The BBS, an influential group made up of Buddhist monks, has previously agitated against Muslim clothing and the sale of halal meat.
A rally by the group preceded the violence in Aluthgama and surrounding towns in southern Sri Lanka last month, which left 4 people dead and large numbers of Muslim businesses and properties destroyed.
Significance of Aluthgama - Editorial (08 July 2014)
BBS launches online petition to ban the burqa and niqab - Colombo Telegraph (09 July 2013)
Ban halal meat completely – BBS (07 January 2014)
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