The leader of the Sri Lanka Muslim Congress, Rauff Hakeem, has claimed that an increase in anti-Muslim incidents could be due to an international conspiracy against Sri Lanka.
The Justice Minister urged the government to put a stop to the “hate campaign”, which included protests against halal meat, organised by Buddhist monks.
The Buddhist Power Force, better known as Bodu Bala Sena, claims that the island’s Muslims are a threat to Buddhism and their way of life and that they will “strengthen and defend the Buddhist religion and its heritage,” using all options.
Hakeem said in a statement that it was “distressing” to see that conflict between ethnic groups was “flaring up” again.
“The derogatory references to the Muslims as a community, and the related isolated incidents that have taken place in different parts of the country in the recent past, are also a disturbing trend that ought to be reversed. We seek a peaceful end to these hate campaigns immediately," Hakeem said according to The Island.
“At a time the country is recovering from a protracted thirty-year war, it is distressing to note that the conflicts between ethnic communities are showing signs of flaring up again, aided and abetted by certain groups trying to discredit the government and the Sri Lankan State.
“We must act with restraint and tolerance, by not falling prey to vested interests that spread hate and religious bigotry and thereby inviting unwanted external interference. I believe that this could also be part of a conspiracy to isolate Sri Lanka in the international arena.
“As intelligent citizens who love our motherland we must not pay heed to those promoting religious disharmony.”
See here for article on “concerns” about Islam harboured by Sinhala Buddhists, according to DailyNews.lk.