Muslim citizens, mosques and other properties were attacked by mobs of Sinhala Buddhist nationalists, and at least one incident in which attacks were carried out by a Christian-majority mob.[6] Only one death was reported, Saleem Ameer who was killed by a mob wielding swords. Other sources claimed 9 deaths, but the claims are unconfirmed.[7][8] Other news agencies have reported that over 540 Muslim-owned houses and properties have been destroyed, in addition to upwards of 100 vehicles.[9][10]
Similar to the anti-Muslim riots of 2018, locals in affected areas have noted the arrival of outsiders in buses to participate in the rioting, raising concerns that these attacks had been orchestrated beforehand.[11]
On 14 May, Sri Lankan authorities arrested 23 people in connection with the riots.[15] Amongst those remanded into custody was Amith Weerasinghe, the leader of the Sinhala-Buddhist group Mahason Balakaya, who was taken in for questioning regarding his role in the riots, and regarding his alleged racial and religious hate speech, posted and distributed through social media channels.[16] Additionally, Namal Kumara, an anti-corruption activist previously involved with a plot to assassinate PresidentMaithripala Sirisena was arrested.[17][18][19]
This section needs expansion. You can help by adding to it. (June 2019)
According to a preliminary report published by Daily Mirror on 30 May 2019, through data obtained from Gampaha District's Minuwangoda Divisional Secretariat, 12 houses, 64 businesses, 1 mosque, and 9 vehicles were damaged or destroyed during the anti-Muslim riots. There were 4 casualties in Minuwangoda.[7]
On 28 April 2019, six unidentified individuals were arrested after they were caught planting false evidence at a Muslim man's house, when he was out for prayers. The group, who were not identified by news agencies, were in possession of explosives at the time of arrest.[24]
On 9 May, more than 1,000 Muslim refugees were evicted from their rented houses in Negombo, after landlords feared that mobs would attack their properties. According to Daily Mirror, there were 844 refugees and 826 asylum seekers in the country, in 2018. On the same day, 12 Muslim teachers of Puwakpitiya Tamil Maha Vidyalaya were transferred to other schools after they were chased away by parents. They wore the Abaya to school, and refused to wear the Sari.[25][26][27]
On 13 May, rioters destroyed and set houses and businesses on fire, and a vandalised a nearby mosque, after a Muslim man posted a comment on Facebook, that rioters mistook as a threat. The incident subsequently sparked more rioting in the wider region.[28]
On the same day, violent rioters destroyed the Rs. 700 million (US$4 million) Muslim-owned Roza Pasta Factory, which was Sri Lanka's largest pasta factory. Local witnesses stated 300-400 rioters entered the factory to set it on fire. Viral videos of incident show the large factory complex and machinery still burning hours after the rioting.[29] Reports also claim that the Fire Department refused to douse the blaze and never arrived at the scene, stating that they are out of water.[30]
In a separate incident on 13 May, a mob slashed 45-year-old Jiffriya Ameer with swords and knives in front of his three children and wife, before pouring turpentine on his wounds and face. Mobs also set fire to their vehicle, which disabled them from reaching the hospital sooner.[9] He was pronounced dead shortly after admission to the Puttalam Hospital. It was the first death relating to the anti-Muslim violence. In a TV address, Chief of the Sri Lanka Police Chandana Wickramaratne warned that police will take stern action against rioters, and constables have been issued orders to use maximum force.[31]
On May 14, a Muslim family doing tailoring business in Hunupitiya, consisting of a mother, three daughters, and five grandchildren was taken into protective custody after Sinhalese neighbours found out that they were in possession of orange cloth similar to clothing worn by Buddhist monks. After police failed to control the sword-wielding mob, the Special Task Force arrived and successfully rescued the family.[32]
By 16 May rioters were suppressed and the Government removed curfew. However isolated incidents were reported such as a Buddhist monk being caught on CCTV in Padiyathalawa, chasing out Sinhalese customers from a Muslim-owned clothes shop, and threatening the owners. The monk was not identified, and no further reports of the incident surfaced.[33][34]
On 21 May, a viral post shared by Sinhalese and a few local news companies claimed to show Muslim restaurant staff cleaning crockery in dirty drainage water. After being shared and viewed tens of thousands of times, the footage was subsequently proven by Agence France-Presse to be a foreign video from 2018.[35]
On 23 May, a Muslim passenger on Sri Lankan Airlines UL605 from Melbourne to Colombo was detained for reading the Quran inflight. The passenger was detained for 12-hours by CID after the crew reported the suspicious activity to ground staff.[36] In a statement issued the airline denied any discrimination, and stated that they were following standard protocol.[37][38][39]
On 3 June, three Muslim men were taken into protective custody after supporters of Athuraliye Rathana Thero beat them for failing to prove their identity, at the site of the monk's protest.[42][43]
On 24 June, SLPP member and WennappuwaPradeshiya Sabha chairman K V Susantha Perera issued a controversial circular banning Muslim vendors from using the Dankotuwa Sathi marketplace. The circular further stated that the move was done to "preserve peace in the area".[48] The MarawilaMagistrate's Court subsequently ordered the chairman to provide further explanation on the ban.[49] The Sri Lanka Police overturned the local government ban on 25 June, with the local police superintendent commenting that it was done to curb the spread of Islamaphobia.[50][51][52][53]
Buddhist hardline monk and general secretary of Bodu Bala Sena (Buddhist Power Force) Galagoda Aththe Gnanasara, was arrested in August 2018 for contempt of court to serve a 6-year sentence. Since 2014, the monk has also faced accusations in cases regarding anti-Muslim violence, hate speech, and defaming the Koran, and was also caught on video last year, plotting anti-Muslim attacks with the Mahason Balakaya, another Buddhist hardline group.[59] He is also known to have signed a pact with Myanmar's Ashin Wirathu, a key figure in Myanmar's anti-Muslim riots and massacres.[60][61]
On 18 May 2019, a senior official from the Department of Prisons confirmed that there was no plan of releasing the monk under presidential pardon on Vesak Poya Day, a Buddhist religious holiday, although 762 prisoners were expected to be released.[62]
On 22 May 2019, in a shock move which were condemned by many including International Crisis Group, Gnanasara was released under a special presidential pardon by Maithripala Sirisena, without further comments from the president's office.[61][63]
On 23 May 2019, Gnanasara made a public statement asking his supporters to be calm and to act judiciously for the sake of the country. He further went on to state that he will spend the rest of his days by following the Dhamma as a Buddhist monk.[64] The following day, he attended a special meeting at the President's office.[65]
On 28 May 2019, in another shock move, Gnanasara stated that "there is no time to rest, no time to engage in Dhamma and meditation; attaining nirvana can wait", and vowed to resume his activities as the BBS secretary.[66]
On 2 June 2019, speaking to the media, Gnanasara promised to cause countrywide pandemonium (sanakeli) if the government does not take action on his demands of removing the controversial Muslim politicians from the parliament.[67]
On 7 June Gnanasara's travel ban was temporarily lifted as he received a foreign scholarship and announced that he will leave Sri Lanka for studies.[68]
Alleged collusion by security forces
In Minuwangoda, police and armed forces were accused of allowing rioters get away with crimes, with at least one incident where police officers watched as rioters destroyed property.[69]
Collusion by security forces has also been captured on CCTV, which purportedly show a soldier signalling towards a group of rioters and disappearing off screen, seconds before the group including officers, starts attacking a mosque.[70][71] On 17 May, Lieutenant GeneralMahesh Senanayake explained that the soldier had not invited the mob, but instead was fixing the strap of his firearm.[72]
Causes
The rioters initially attacked the Muslim population in retaliation of the Easter bombings, which saw a series of terror attacks carried out by ISIL-backed National Thowheeth Jama'ath (NTJ). It subsequently escalated to the Islamophobic sentiment in the country,[7] after more incidents and a number of rumour-based news articles worsened the situation. Fears of xenophobia were also evident in early June.[73]
This section needs expansion. You can help by adding to it. (June 2019)
The activities of NTJ and its leader Zahran Cassim were known as early as 2014, with a number of public protests and demonstrations carried out by the Kattankudy Muslim community, urging the government to take action. In 2016, twenty-three Muslim Religious and Civil Society organizations headed by the All Ceylon Jamiyyathul Ulama issued a statement against activities of the NTJ.[74] The NTJ was known by the community to incite violence against non-Muslims. In 2017, it had carried out a brutal sword attack against the Muslims who stood against the group's ideologies.[75][76][77] Despite the incidents and protests, the failure of any action against the NTJ was deemed as a major government failure.[78]
On 10 May 2019, several hartals were held in Trincomalee and suburbs, demanding the removal of Eastern Province governorMahamood Hizbullah.[79] On 30 May Ven. Warakapola Indrasiri Nayake Thera, Eastern Province Sangha Nayake and Chief Incumbent of Muhudu Maha Viharaya in Pottuvil revealed that Islamic extremists supported by Hizbullah are renaming places in the Eastern Province in Arabic and illegally taking over archaeological sites in what was called an "Islamic rule" . The road to the Muhudu Maha Viharaya itself was renamed "Masjithul Palah Road". The accusations were backed by the Federation of Kattankudy Mosques and Institutions who accused Hizbullah of beginning mass Arabaization of the East and claimed that Muslims only learn Arabic to understand the Quran and do not support Arabic name boards.[80][81][82]
When questioned by the PSC Hizbullah claimed that the Arabic name boards were to attract tourists and when questioned over meeting Zahran Hashim he claimed that Muslim politicians from the Sri Lanka Muslim Congress as well as the UPFA and UNP had met Zahran before the 2015 General Election due to his followers having 2000-3000 votes. He accepted that they knew him as an extremist preacher but at the time he was not considered terrorist. The Muslim politicians signed an agreement which included a ban on music and gender segregation which his supporters violated by using music in rallies. Hizbullah blamed Zahran acting against him after the incident for his election defeat.[83][84][85] However, when the PSC questioned Maulavi K. R. M. Sahlan who represents the Sufi Sect it was revealed that the agreement included more controversial clauses such as refusal to support "moderate" Muslims and Sufis as well as a condition saying the political parties should support extremists such as the National Thawheed Jama'ath. Sahlan revealed that in addition to Hizbullah those that signed the agreement included Shafi Salley, Shibly Farook, A.L.M. Ruby and Abdul Rahman [86][87]
On 1 June, a monk and President of Jathika Sangha Sammelanaya, Liyanwala Sasanaratana, urged people to join the efforts of Rathana Thero, to save the nation from terrorists. Other monks joined gathered at the location, chanting pirith.[90]CardinalMalcolm Ranjith also visited the monk, on 3 June.[91] Malcolm's visit was criticised by the Minister of FinanceMangala Samaraweera, who stated in a tweet that the "Cardinal fanned flames of hatred by visiting robed MP Rathana".[92] Mangala's tweet resulted in him being banned by clergy, to attend a number of Buddhist temples in the country,[93] and a condemnation by the Catholic Church.[94]
On 3 June, Athuraliye Rathana broke his fast, and was hospitalised, after Azath and Hizbullah voluntary resigned due to growing pressure.[95] Rishad too stepped down, later that day, in a separate process.[96]
In a separate event on the same day, all Muslim cabinet ministers, state ministers, and deputy ministers, resigned from their official positions, to allow space for investigators to conduct thorough investigations of possible terror links of politicians.[12] On 5 June, a statement was issued by the chief prelates of the Maha Sangha (Buddhist organisation) consisting of the three largest Buddhist monastic orders, Siam Nikaya, Amarapura Nikaya, and Ramanna Nikaya, expressing disappointment in the resignations, and urging them to accept their own responsibilities and fulfil duties to serve the people of the country.[97][98][99]
Batticaloa Campus
This section needs expansion. You can help by adding to it. (June 2019)
Politicians and certain media outlets portrayed the Juffali-funded Batticaloa Campus as a "Sharia University", which commenced developments during the Rajapaksa cabinet. While sharia law, Islamic studies, and Islamic banking would be taught at the campus, there are no verifiable claims that the campus will be run by, or will exclusively teach, Sharia law. Mahamood Hizbullah, a key figure behind the project, also rejected the claims.[100][101][102]
On 8 May 2019, the President stated that the campus will be under the purview of the Ministry of Higher Education and Highways.[103] When Hizbullah was questioned by the PSC it was revealed that the funding from Saudi Arabia violated Foreign Exchange Laws of Sri Lanka.[104]
Discovery of swords and weapons
Swords, weapons, and explosives were found in multiple locations and houses, including mosques, during countrywide raids.[105]
Controversy arose after some of the sword discoveries in mosques were defended by Minister of Muslim Religious AffairsHashim Abdul Haleem as being items used to clear yards and surrounding shrubs around certain religious places. He also stated that camouflage uniforms were an isolated case where the clothing was for re-sale as proven with receipts. In the statement, he requested the Muslim community to cooperate with security, avoiding different types of face covering.[105]Maduluwawe Sobitha Thero questioned the remarks, and urged Muslim leaders to stop humiliating the entire country by making such statements.[106]
Locations at which suspicious items were found
Date
Location
Items recovered
Suspects
Ref
26 April 2019
A mosque in Palliyaweediya, Slave Island
40 swords, kris knives, suicide jacket without explosives, clothing resembling Army uniforms
Further searches were conducted on 3 May 2019, in Peradeniya University premises, and suspicious locations in Moneragala, Anuradhapura, Katugastota, Puttalam, Kekirawa, Balapitiya, Welimada, and several other major areas. Pistols, NTJ literature/DVDs/CDs, T-56 rifles, ammunition rounds, swords, iron balls, bore 12 guns, machetes, and a stock of warlike items, were among those recoveries in the areas.
Facebook post
On 13 May 2019, a shopkeeper identified as 38-year-old Abdul Hameed Mohamed Hasmar had posted a Facebook comment titled "Don't laugh more, 1 day u will cry". Rioters mistook the post as a warning of an imminent threat, and launched a mob attack destroying his textile shop and vandalising a nearby mosque. Police fired warning shots to disperse the crowd, with a curfew imposed until dawn,[28] social media was blocked. The incident sparked more rioting and incidents in other parts of the country. The author of the Facebook post, as well as a group of unnamed men who attacked Muslim-owned businesses, were arrested.[115]
Human rights in Sri Lanka provides for fundamental rights in the country. The Sri Lanka Constitution states that every person is entitled to freedom of thought, conscience and religion, including the freedom to have or to adopt a religion or belief of his choice. And, that every person is equal before the law.
Rishad Bathiudeen is a Sri Lankan parliamentarian and former senior cabinet minister. He is the leader of the All Ceylon Makkal Congress (ACMC) Party, a registered political party in Sri Lanka. Bathiudeen was elected as a Member of Parliament (MP) from the Vanni Electoral District in December 2001 and was re-elected in April 2004, after which he was again re-elected in April 2010 and 2015 June from the same Electoral District which comprises Vavuniya, Mannar and Mullathivu Administrative Districts. Rishad Bathiudeen holds a National Diploma in Technology (NDT) in Civil Engineering from the University of Moratuwa.
Venerable Athuraliye Rathana Thero, is a Sri Lankan Bhikkhu politician and a Member of Parliament. He is the only representative from Our Power of People's Party in the current parliament.
Bodu Bala Sena, also abbreviated as BBS is a far-right anti-liberalist, and ultranationalist Sinhalese Buddhist organization, and a break-away faction from the right-wing nationalist Jathika Hela Urumaya party. The BBS generally opposes pluralist and democratic ideologies, and criticizes non-extremist Buddhist monks for not taking action against the rise of other religions within Sri Lanka.
Bibiladeniye Mahanama Thero is a Buddhist monk of the Theravada Order. The thero is the only Buddhist priest in Asia of the Theravada order to actively engage in the experimentation and the creative exploration of music as a form of aesthetic expression. The thero has been actively engaged with the art, both on overseas projects as well as in Sri Lanka for nearly two decades.
Events from the year 2013 in Sri Lanka.
Events from the year 2012 in Sri Lanka.
Events from the year 2014 in Sri Lanka.
The 2014 anti-Muslim riots in Sri Lanka were religious and ethnic riots in June 2014 in south-western Sri Lanka. Muslims and their property were attacked by Sinhalese Buddhists in the towns of Aluthgama, Beruwala and Dharga Town in Kalutara District. At least four people were killed and 80 injured. Hundreds were made homeless following attacks on homes, shops, factories, mosques and a nursery. 10,000 people were displaced by the riots. The riots followed rallies by Bodu Bala Sena (BBS), a hard line Buddhist group. The BBS was widely blamed for inciting the riots but it has denied responsibility. The mainstream media in Sri Lanka censored news about the riots following orders from the Sri Lankan government.
Galagoda Aththe Gnanasara Thero is the Secretary General of Bodu Bala Sena, a Sinhalese Buddhist nationalist organisation. He was born in Galagodaaththa in the southern district of Galle.
Maduluwawe Sobitha Thero was an influential Sinhalese Buddhist monk regarded for his nonviolent revolutionary leadership example in Sri Lanka and the chief incumbent of the Kotte Naga Vihara. He was a prominent social-political activist, and an independent thinker who endured to improve the positive and constructive aspects of Sri Lankan Politics.
Mahamood Lebbe Alim Mohamed Hizbullah is a Sri Lankan politician, MP and state minister. He was a minor presidential candidate in the 2019 presidential elections.
Warakagoda Gnanarathana Thero is a Sri Lankan Buddhist monk who is the present Mahanayaka Thero of the Asgiriya chapter of Siam Nikaya. He was appointed as the 22nd Mahanayake Thera of the Asgiriya Chapter on 7 April 2016, by the Karaka Sangha Sabha of Asgiriya chapter, after the demise of Galagama Sri Aththadassi Mahanayaka Thera. He is also the Chancellor of the Buddhist and Pali University of Sri Lanka of Sri Lanka.
Events in the year 2018 in Sri Lanka.
The Sri Lankan anti-Muslim riots were a series of religious riots targeting Muslims that began in the town of Ampara located in Sri Lanka on 26 February 2018, spreading to the Kandy District from March 2 until its end on March 10, 2018.
On 21 April 2019, Easter Sunday, three churches in Sri Lanka and three luxury hotels in the commercial capital, Colombo, were targeted in a series of coordinated ISIS-related terrorist suicide bombings. Later that day, two smaller explosions occurred at a housing complex in Dematagoda and a guest house in Dehiwala. A total of 269 people were killed, including at least 45 foreign nationals, three police officers, and eight suicide bombers. An additional 500 were injured. The church bombings were carried out during Easter services in Negombo, Batticaloa and Colombo; the hotels bombed included the Shangri-La, Cinnamon Grand, Kingsbury and Tropical Inn. According to the State Intelligence Service, a second wave of attacks was planned, but was prevented due to government raids.
National Thowheeth Jama'ath was a Sri Lankan Islamist jihadist militant group implicated in the 2019 Sri Lanka Easter bombings. It is believed to have ties to the Islamic State (ISIL). President of Sri Lanka Maithripala Sirisena banned National Thowheed Jamath on 27 April 2019 and designated it as a terrorist organisation along with Jammiyathul Millathu Ibrahim.
Sri Lanka faced a spate of coordinated bombings in churches and hotels on Easter Sunday 2019. The country was earlier involved in a three-decade internal conflict between the State and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam – a proscribed terrorist organization – that ended in May 2009. The Easter attacks, the largest since the war, were carried out by extremist Islamists. The chaos surrounding the attacks was compounded by the viral spread of fake news aimed at the minority Muslim community in the country. This led to a state shutdown of social media to prevent anti-Muslim mobs from organizing in the aftermath of the attack. The government also decided to criminalize hate speech and fake news in June 2019 to prevent a reoccurrence of violence.
1976 anti-Muslim violence in Puttalam was a series of organised violent events by Sinhalese mobs against the Muslim population of Puttalam in northwestern Sri Lanka, which occurred between 31 January and 7 February 1976. The violence was carried out under the leadership of a Buddhist monk and with the complicity of local authorities. It culminated in the killing of seven Muslims in the Puttalam Jumma Mosque by the police on 2 February. Overall, eleven Muslims were killed, dozens injured, 271 Muslim houses, 44 Muslim shops and two mosques were burned. It was the second major outbreak of communal violence between the two communities since 1915.
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