Sri Lanka must act firmly on anti-Muslim violence

Sri Lanka must act firmly on anti-Muslim violence

Context:

• It is time that the Sri Lanka’s government had decisively and impartially put down anti-Muslim violence.

Background:

• In recent years, Muslims have been targeted by extreme right-wing groups, which are presumably looking for new enemies after the fall of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE).
• More recently, there was hate-mongering against the community in the backdrop of some Rohingya refugees seeking shelter in Sri Lanka.

State of emergency:

• This is the first time since 2011 that Colombo has had to invoke emergency provisions to bolster the security apparatus, indicating official concern that the current violence could escalate.

Reason behind the state of emergency:

• A Sinhalese truck driver was beaten to death by a group of Muslims for blocking their way.
• This was followed by attacks on Muslim houses, business establishments and mosques.
• There was one more death, that of a Muslim man, whose burnt body was found in a house.
• Sinhala groups then waded in with rumour and inflammatory social media posts, adding to the incendiary mood.

Conclusion:

• President Maithripala Sirisena and Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe should redouble efforts to ensure that the authorities on the ground act with decisiveness and impartiality.