Anti-Muslim campaign in Sri Lanka and responses of the Buddhists

Sri Lanka is a country where multi ethnic, multi language, multi religious people live. Buddhist is the predominant religious group in Sri Lanka, while the Muslims formed second biggest religious group, next to Tamils. The Buddhist-Muslim relationship has been prevailing and everlastingly for centur...

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Main Authors: Razick, Ahamed Sarjoon, Khaidzir Hj Ismail, Ahmad Suanawari Long, Kamarudin Salleh
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Fakulti Pengajian Islam, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia 2016
Online Access:http://journalarticle.ukm.my/9952/
http://journalarticle.ukm.my/9952/
http://journalarticle.ukm.my/9952/1/233-900-2-PB.pdf
id ukm-9952
recordtype eprints
spelling ukm-99522017-01-17T01:09:44Z http://journalarticle.ukm.my/9952/ Anti-Muslim campaign in Sri Lanka and responses of the Buddhists Razick, Ahamed Sarjoon Khaidzir Hj Ismail, Ahmad Suanawari Long, Kamarudin Salleh, Sri Lanka is a country where multi ethnic, multi language, multi religious people live. Buddhist is the predominant religious group in Sri Lanka, while the Muslims formed second biggest religious group, next to Tamils. The Buddhist-Muslim relationship has been prevailing and everlastingly for centuries, sbut for a couple of years, a disturbing trend has wide spread, between them. This conflictual nature has come to appear aftermath of the anti-Muslim campaign by few Buddhist Nationalist Groups (BNGs) in Sri Lanka. The basic purpose of the anti-Muslim campaign in Sri Lanka is to propagate bad image of Islam and the Muslims of Sri Lanka, to create a negative perspective among Buddhist public about Islam and Muslims and to distort the good relationship of Buddhists and Muslims in Sri Lanka. In recent past years, few Buddhist Nationalist Groups, campaigned against Halal certification on consumer goods, Hijab of Muslim women, cattle slaughtering, worship places and prayer services in Sri Lanka. Furthermore, they have spread out the idea, that the latest Muslim developments within the country; especially in terms of religion; is a notable threat to Buddhism and to the Buddhist people. These wrong perceptions, ideas and point of views are major factors in Muslim-Buddhist bad relationship, in recent past years. This research attempts to analyze the point of views of few Buddhists, on recent campaigns, against the Muslims, undertaken by the BNGs, in recent past years, by conducting a semi structured interviews in 14 selected Buddhist majority districts of Sri Lanka. Based on the results, it is clearly affirmed that, the recent anti-Muslim campaign, by the BNGs, have created a suspicious nature Muslim stereotype among a group of Buddhists in the society, over a fact that a Buddhist-Muslim relationship in recent past years has damaged a lot. However, these campaigns have not changed the whole Buddhist’s mood and point of views, in terms of maintaining a good relationship with Muslims in Sri Lanka, without any break, as the majority know and respect Muslim citizens of Sri Lanka, because of the behavior and support of Muslims towards the Sri Lankan state, during the civil war (1984-2009) and pre-war time in Sri Lanka. Fakulti Pengajian Islam, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia 2016 Article PeerReviewed application/pdf en http://journalarticle.ukm.my/9952/1/233-900-2-PB.pdf Razick, Ahamed Sarjoon and Khaidzir Hj Ismail, and Ahmad Suanawari Long, and Kamarudin Salleh, (2016) Anti-Muslim campaign in Sri Lanka and responses of the Buddhists. Al-Hikmah, 8 (2). pp. 184-201. ISSN 1985--6822 http://spaj.ukm.my/jalhikmah/index.php/jalhikmah/issue/view/19
repository_type Digital Repository
institution_category Local University
institution Universiti Kebangasaan Malaysia
building UKM Institutional Repository
collection Online Access
language English
description Sri Lanka is a country where multi ethnic, multi language, multi religious people live. Buddhist is the predominant religious group in Sri Lanka, while the Muslims formed second biggest religious group, next to Tamils. The Buddhist-Muslim relationship has been prevailing and everlastingly for centuries, sbut for a couple of years, a disturbing trend has wide spread, between them. This conflictual nature has come to appear aftermath of the anti-Muslim campaign by few Buddhist Nationalist Groups (BNGs) in Sri Lanka. The basic purpose of the anti-Muslim campaign in Sri Lanka is to propagate bad image of Islam and the Muslims of Sri Lanka, to create a negative perspective among Buddhist public about Islam and Muslims and to distort the good relationship of Buddhists and Muslims in Sri Lanka. In recent past years, few Buddhist Nationalist Groups, campaigned against Halal certification on consumer goods, Hijab of Muslim women, cattle slaughtering, worship places and prayer services in Sri Lanka. Furthermore, they have spread out the idea, that the latest Muslim developments within the country; especially in terms of religion; is a notable threat to Buddhism and to the Buddhist people. These wrong perceptions, ideas and point of views are major factors in Muslim-Buddhist bad relationship, in recent past years. This research attempts to analyze the point of views of few Buddhists, on recent campaigns, against the Muslims, undertaken by the BNGs, in recent past years, by conducting a semi structured interviews in 14 selected Buddhist majority districts of Sri Lanka. Based on the results, it is clearly affirmed that, the recent anti-Muslim campaign, by the BNGs, have created a suspicious nature Muslim stereotype among a group of Buddhists in the society, over a fact that a Buddhist-Muslim relationship in recent past years has damaged a lot. However, these campaigns have not changed the whole Buddhist’s mood and point of views, in terms of maintaining a good relationship with Muslims in Sri Lanka, without any break, as the majority know and respect Muslim citizens of Sri Lanka, because of the behavior and support of Muslims towards the Sri Lankan state, during the civil war (1984-2009) and pre-war time in Sri Lanka.
format Article
author Razick, Ahamed Sarjoon
Khaidzir Hj Ismail,
Ahmad Suanawari Long,
Kamarudin Salleh,
spellingShingle Razick, Ahamed Sarjoon
Khaidzir Hj Ismail,
Ahmad Suanawari Long,
Kamarudin Salleh,
Anti-Muslim campaign in Sri Lanka and responses of the Buddhists
author_facet Razick, Ahamed Sarjoon
Khaidzir Hj Ismail,
Ahmad Suanawari Long,
Kamarudin Salleh,
author_sort Razick, Ahamed Sarjoon
title Anti-Muslim campaign in Sri Lanka and responses of the Buddhists
title_short Anti-Muslim campaign in Sri Lanka and responses of the Buddhists
title_full Anti-Muslim campaign in Sri Lanka and responses of the Buddhists
title_fullStr Anti-Muslim campaign in Sri Lanka and responses of the Buddhists
title_full_unstemmed Anti-Muslim campaign in Sri Lanka and responses of the Buddhists
title_sort anti-muslim campaign in sri lanka and responses of the buddhists
publisher Fakulti Pengajian Islam, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia
publishDate 2016
url http://journalarticle.ukm.my/9952/
http://journalarticle.ukm.my/9952/
http://journalarticle.ukm.my/9952/1/233-900-2-PB.pdf
first_indexed 2023-09-18T19:56:13Z
last_indexed 2023-09-18T19:56:13Z
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