Under conditions of sharpening social tensions in Sri Lanka, Buddhist priest Inamaluwe Sri Sumangala last month launched a provocative anti-Muslim campaign to demand the demolition of a mosque in a so-called sacred area connected to his Rangiri Dambulu temple. The government of President Mahinda Rajapakse is lending tacit support to this reactionary move.
On April 20, around 1,000 people gathered outside the Masjidul Khaira mosque in Dambulla, a town in Central Province. They shouted slogans, waved Buddhist flags and demanded the mosque’s demolition. Sumangala was seen leading the protest and issuing orders. The previous night, a petrol bomb was thrown into the mosque by unidentified persons as a warning shot for next day’s action.
About 50 persons who had gathered for Friday prayers were trapped inside when the mob laid siege to the mosque. The army, police and its special task force were deployed after the trustees of the mosque called for protection. The security forces, however, made no move to disperse the crowd or make arrests, even through a number of monks were openly advocating violence. Full story...
Related posts:
On April 20, around 1,000 people gathered outside the Masjidul Khaira mosque in Dambulla, a town in Central Province. They shouted slogans, waved Buddhist flags and demanded the mosque’s demolition. Sumangala was seen leading the protest and issuing orders. The previous night, a petrol bomb was thrown into the mosque by unidentified persons as a warning shot for next day’s action.
About 50 persons who had gathered for Friday prayers were trapped inside when the mob laid siege to the mosque. The army, police and its special task force were deployed after the trustees of the mosque called for protection. The security forces, however, made no move to disperse the crowd or make arrests, even through a number of monks were openly advocating violence. Full story...
Related posts:
- Sri Lanka's killing fields 2. Unpunished war crimes. (Graphic)
- Sri Lanka's killing fields (Graphic)
- Fears for Tamil detainees in Sri Lanka...
- Sri Lanka's sinister white van abductions on the rise...
- Sri Lanka: Protest in Jaffna over “disappearances”
- Sri Lanka minister Mervyn Silva threatens to "break the limbs" of journalists...
- Reconciliation is not happening in Sri Lanka...
- First they went for the Tamils, but now Sri Lanka is targeting workers and youth...
No comments:
Post a Comment