muslim attacks online

Islamophobia andattacks on Muslims in Sri LankaIncident Map

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During the past year, there has been anunprecedented level of violent attacks,demonstrations and hate speechtargeting Sri Lanka’s eight per centMuslim population. Mainly perpetratedby Buddhist fundamentalist groups, theevents have left the country’s secondlargest minority community – theMuslims – feeling afraid and vulnerable.The response from the Government ofSri Lanka (GoSL) has been limited.Police inaction in some cases hasenabled violence to take place andthere have been few arrests.

The ‘Bodu Bala Sena’ or ‘Buddhistpower force’ is the main group behindthe targeting of Muslims. Appeals byMuslim civil society to the GoSL to takeaction against this group have met withlittle positive response. On 27 January2013, President Mahinda Rajapakshareportedly met monks and members ofthe Bodu Bala Sena and asked them toavoid conflicts with other religious

communities. The President’s statementat this meeting was only publicised inthe English language and not in theSinhalese language media, thereby notreaching a large number of supportersof the Bodu Bala Sena. In his speechon Independence Day, 4 February 2013,there was again a call to stop incitingracial hatred. While these initiativesmust be welcomed, they are far fromadequate considering the level ofviolence and hatred being unleashedon Muslims at present.

MRG has received reports of otherreligious communities facing serious

problems too. However the Muslimcommunity is currently facing aconcerted campaign against them. In addition to attacks on places ofreligious worship there are calls toboycott Muslim shops andestablishments, all of which isincreasing tensions, particularly in areaswhere Muslims and Sinhalese live closeto each other. The incidents againstMuslims are widespread across thecountry and have picked upmomentum during the last months.Here are some of the major events thathave taken place since April 2012.

Islamophobiaand attacks on Muslims on the rise inSri Lanka

To the Governmentof Sri Lanka

● Take immediate action to protect allreligious minority communities fromviolent attacks, threats of violenceas well as incitement to religioushatred. Community property,including places of religiousproperty, must be protected andaccess ensured. This protectionresponsibility extends to ensuringthe safety and well-being ofpotentially vulnerable groups withinminority communities, includingwomen, children, the elderly andpersons with disabilities.

● Take immediate action to investigateimpartially all attacks against all

places of religious worship.Prosecute those involved in theattacks in accordance with SriLankan law.

● Take immediate action to enforce SriLankan law with regard to theactivities of fundamentalist groupsthat engage in attacks on places ofreligious worship in line withinternational human rights norms.

● Take immediate action to draftlegislation regarding the prevention ofreligious intolerance and hate speech.The drafting process must include fullconsultation with minority communityrepresentatives in relevant languages.

● Take immediate action to implementLessons Learned & ReconciliationCommission (LLRC)

recommendations on freedom ofreligion and minority rights.

● Take action to promote the religiousfreedom of all communities inaccordance with internationalhuman rights standards.

● Respond to communications madeby the UN Special Rapporteur onFreedom of Religion or Belief andthe Independent Expert on MinorityIssues and invite them to visit andreport on Sri Lanka.

● Finally, the President should make apublic statement, in all nationallanguages, condemning acts ofviolence and incitement to religioushatred against Muslims and all othercommunities and assure minoritiesthat their rights will be protected.

To UN Human RightsCouncil (HRC)member states

● Ensure a strong UN HRC resolutionon Sri Lanka that establishes aninternational, independent andimpartial mechanism to investigateviolations of international humanrights and humanitarian normsduring the recent armed conflict inSri Lanka as well as currentviolations, including with regard toreligious freedom and minorityrights.

● Use their bilateral communicationswith the GoSL to raise their concernabout the on-going attacks onMuslims and call for immediatemeasures to be taken to ensure theprotection of Muslim and all otherminority communities.

Recommendations

In addition to the protests and attacks, there has been a spate of online hatecampaigns targeting Muslims. These campaigns have run on social networkingsites and also appear as responses to comments and news on other websites.The campaigns use degrading and threatening language about Muslims and onsome occasions insult Islamic beliefs and texts. There is also currently a majorcampaign against the system of issuing halal certificates, which at present isdone by a national level Muslim religious body.

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kilometreskilometreskilometreskilometreskilometreskilometreskilometreskilometreskilometres

505050505050505050

INDIA

SRI LANKA

Ja-ElaNawalapitiya

Kattankudi

Varikuttiuruwa

Chavakachcheri

Bandarawela

Kannimaduwa

Dangollegama

Weligama

Kegalla

Moratuwa

Ragama

Gampaha

Panadura

Anuradhapura

Nuwara Eliya

Pamban

Negombo

Galle

Kalutara

Wadduwa

Mannar

Batticaloa

Trincomalee

Madu

Vavuniya

Killinochchi

Mullaittivu

Mallavi

Jaffna

Chilaw

Beruwala

Tiruvadanai

Tondi

Puttalan

Polonnaruwa

Kandy

Gampola

Badulla

Avissawella

Horana

Balangoda

Hambantota

Tangalla

Matara

Point Pedro

Kantalai

Padikaramduwa

Kandulla Block

KekirawaHingurakgoda

Arantangi

Ramesvaram

Matale

Arimalam

Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte

Islamophobia and attacks on Muslims in Sri Lanka: Incident Map

Dambulla

Dehiwala

25 May 2012

A group of about 70 protestersconducted a demonstration at thepremises of a mosque in Dehiwala,on the outskirts of the capital cityColombo. Some protesters threwstones and damaged parts of themosque.

26 July 2012

Police ordered the closure of aMuslim educational centre inDehiwala after protests by Buddhistgroups that the premises were notproperly registered and that theconducting of religious activities andclasses in the premises was disturbingneighbours. According to Muslimactivists, the centre had not used anypublic audio systems, and they wereunconvinced as to how their presencewas affecting neighbours. The centrehad been functioning since 2010 andhad 56 students following religiousclasses there.

28 May 2012

Muslims were stopped fromworshiping at a mosque inKurunegala, north central Sri Lanka byBuddhist clergy and local politicians inthe area. According to the localMuslim community, they were invitedto an event by Buddhist clergy in anearby temple, which they attended.At the event, they were questionedabout the origins of the mosque andits legality. The Muslim representativesresponded that it was registeredunder the Ministry of Religious Affairs.Muslim community members saidthey were subsequently threatenedand forced to sign a document whichstated that they would not use thepremises for religious purposes. Themosque remains unused.

24 July 2012

A group of 150 protesters led by aBuddhist monk entered a mosque inKurunegala, north central Sri Lanka,and threatened worshipers. Policeintervened and removed theprotesters.

Kurunegaia

31 July 2012

A group of Buddhist monksdisturbed Muslims engaged in prayerat a mosque in Rajagiriya, whichborders the capital Colombo. Themonks maintained surveillance ofthe mosque for a few days followingthis incident. In August, police gavenotice for the mosque to be closeddown until proper registrationdocumentation was provided. Muslimactivists say, after providing thesedocuments to the police, they haveenabled community members to usethe mosque.

RajagiriyaColombo

14 October 2012

Thousands of demonstrators in thecapital city Colombo, chanting anti-Muslim rhetoric, protested against anattack on Buddhists in Bangladesh.The protesters pelted stones at theBangladeshi embassy in Colombo.They were protesting the destructionof 22 temples and homes of minorityBuddhists in the Upazila andChittagong divisions of Bangladeshin late September.

7 January 2013

A group of people led by Buddhistmonks tried to break into Sri Lanka’sLaw College in Colombo, demandingto meet the principal on claims thatthe institution was favouringMuslims. The protesters claimed thata disproportionate number of peoplequalifying as lawyers in the countrywere from the Muslim community.

17 February 2013

Thousands marched in ademonstration organised by BoduBala Sena in the capital Colombocalling for the abolition of the halal

certification system. They also calledfor shops to stop selling halal

products. There were some incidentsof violence and intimidation duringthe protest, including an attack onthe BBC media crew who were thereto report the incident.

Malwathu Oya

26 October 2012

An unidentified group set fire to andburnt down a mosque in MalwathuOya, Anuradhapura, in north centralSri Lanka. The mosque was built inthe year 2000 and over 30 familiesresided within its vicinity. Followingthe incidents, local Muslims beganusing a home for their group prayers.Buddhist monks continue to conductprotests, calling for the closure of thenew religious space and for theremoval of Muslims from the area.

25 December 2012

Bodu Bala Sena carried out a largedemonstration in the southern townof Ratnapura calling on people toboycott Muslim shops, avoid halal

certified products, close downMuslim trading establishments andbreak ties with Muslims in the area.

Ratnapura

19January 2013

Over a hundred Buddhists protestedin Maharagama, north of the capitalColombo. The demonstratorsmarched to a Muslim-owned shoppingcomplex ‘No Limit’, demanding that itbe shut down. ‘No Limit’ is one of SriLanka’s biggest retail chains.

Maharagama

24 January 2013

Demonstrators conducted an anti-Muslim rally in the western town ofKulliyapitiya, calling for a boycott ofMuslim products and establishments.The protesters also distributedprinted material critical of Islam.

24 January 2013

Demonstrators conducted an anti-Muslim rally in the western town ofKulliyapitiya, calling for a boycott ofMuslim products and establishments.The protesters also distributedprinted material critical of Islam.

Kulliyapitiya

9 February 2013

Hundreds of Buddhist monks andprotesters demonstrated against thesystem of halal certification in thecentral town of Warakapola.

Warakapola

1. Sri Lanka civil society statement. http://groundviews.org/2013/ 02/ 15/civil-society-organisations-condemn-anti-muslim-rhetoric-and-attacks-in-sri-lanka

2. Gulf News: Neo-fascism on the rise in Sri Lanka.

http://gulfnews.com/opinions/columnists/neo-fascism-on-the-rise-in-sri-lanka-1.1150052

3. Saudi Gazatte: Sri Lanka’s journey to a foreboding future.4. BBC: Sri Lanka hardline group calls for halal boycott.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-21494959

Further Reading

20 April 2012

A group of up to 2,000 SinhalaBuddhists, including members of theclergy, protested outside andattacked a mosque in Dambulla,north central Sri Lanka. Theprotesters, carrying Buddhist flags,shouted slogans and demonstratedoutside the mosque, disruptingtraditional Friday afternoon prayers.Despite police presence, theprotesters subsequently broke intothe premises of the mosque andcaused some damage to property.The protesters claimed the mosquehad been built on a Buddhist sacredsite; Muslims in the area say themosque has been there for over halfa century. Subsequent to theattacks, the GoSL ordered therelocation of the mosque.

28 August 2012

A public campaign against Muslimswas launched in the north centraltown of Dambulla calling on peopleto boycott Muslim shops and not sellland to Muslims, as well as claimingthat the Muslim population isexpected to grow to 20-30 per centof the total by the year 2021. Printedmaterial making these points werewidely distributed across the town.

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