Sri Lanka: Hard-line Buddhist group calls for halal boycott
Published Date: 17/02/2013 (Sunday)
The Bodu Bala Sena (BBS) or Buddhist Strength Force, a new hard-line Sinhalese Buddhist group has called for the abolition of the Muslim halal system of certifying foods in Sri Lanka. They also demanded shops to clear their stocks by April 2013. They have openly accused the Muslim and Christians, in particular and said that foreign “propagators of religions” should leave the country within a month.
The BBS General Secretary addressing a rally of supporters in Maharagama said that only Buddhist monks can save the Sinhalese race. He claimed that Christian and Muslim extremists were threatening Buddhists, and said hundreds of monks were ready to fight. "Our country is a Sinhalese one and we are its unofficial police," he said.
The calls come at a time of mounting religious tension in the country. BBC’s Charles Havilan reporting from Colombo states, there have been several attacks on both mosques and Muslim-owned businesses as well as on Christian churches and the clergy.......Thousands of men and women reported to have filled the grounds of the rally and the surrounding streets at Maharagama to hear nationalist speeches by the group's monks. Youth activists wearing T-shirts denouncing the Muslim halal method of slaughtering animals to eat, were seen at the rally.
The group, however, has denied being anti-minority, and has dissociated itself from the recent attacks on Muslim and Christian targets.
Meanwhile, President Mahinda Rajapakse has called on monks not to incite religious hatred and violence, but the opposition United National Party member Mujeebur Rahuman has told the BBC that "the situation is very bad......... They are now working freely. Nobody is talking about this organisation and the government is not trying to stop their activities...... Any moment, the ethnic riot will start between Sinhalese and Muslims."
Earlier, replying to a series of questions raised by the Leader of Opposition Ranil Wickremasinghe, at the parliament on 6 February, Leader of the House and Irrigation Minister, Nimal Siripala De Silva said, “The government would not let anyone impose halal certification on others as it was the personal choice of the people to accept or reject it. He further added that the Sri Lankan government has not accepted Bodu Bala Sena organization and there is no such need for the government to give its approval for this, since obtaining halal food certification is voluntary.
The Irrigation Minister also said that the Government vehemently denies the allegation, made by Opposition Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe, that Muslim places of worship had been attacked in the recent past. The basis of this allegation was that several protests took place in the country and facts have been exaggerated to say that Muslim religious places had been attacked and condemned this distortion of facts and challenged the Leader of the Opposition to tell which mosque had been attacked and on what dates.
A special report obtained from the IGP in this regard was produced to the August Assembly.
Whilst, the government denies allegations of support to hard-line Sinhalese groups, there is a general feeling amongst the minority communities, based on the events in the past and happening currently in their northeast homeland, there are elements within government are strongly behind such rallies and express their anti-Muslim, anti-Christian and anti-Hindu feelings, and the activities of such elements are habitually ignored. In the north there is a serious problem of religious freedom where government military has been involved.
Earlier, replying to a series of questions raised by the Leader of Opposition Ranil Wickremasinghe, at the parliament on 6 February, Leader of the House and Irrigation Minister, Nimal Siripala De Silva said, “The government would not let anyone impose halal certification on others as it was the personal choice of the people to accept or reject it. He further added that the Sri Lankan government has not accepted Bodu Bala Sena organization and there is no such need for the government to give its approval for this, since obtaining halal food certification is voluntary.
