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Muslims agitate against Minister Ranawaka

Friday, 07 November 2008 17:18 .Muslims staged a protest demonstration in front of Zahira College, Colombo against what they called intimidatory and anti-Muslim remarks by government minister Patali Champika Ranawaka.The agitation organized by Muslims` Rights Organization halted vehicular traffic on roads at Maradana town for several hours.

Several vehicles were slightly damaged after the protestors turned a little unruly.

They accused all Muslim politicians in the government of disregarding the rights of their community.

The protestors said their campaign was not politically motivated.

With government blessing, ministers like Patali Champika Ranawaka are promoting hate speech against the minorities, they charged.

A top activist of MRO said they would resort to stronger measures if the government fails to intervene in this matter.

In Hard Talk column of `Daily Mirror` of October 16th, Minister Ranawaka had said the Muslims are here because our kings let them trade here and the Tamils because they were allowed to take refuge when the Moguls were invading them in India.

What is happening today is pure ingratitude on the part of these visitors, he has said.

He had expressed similar sentiments while participating in a discussion of state-run Rupavahini.

When contacted over this, JHU spokesman Nishantha Sri Warnasinghe said that Sri Lanka`s civilization, history and culture belong to Sinhala Buddhists, who are rightful owners of this country.

Sri Lanka`s national heritage belongs solely to Sinhalese, while Muslims and Tamils are the other ethnicities of the country.

According to the JHU spokesman, Muslims had come to this island around 300 or 400 years ago, but they have the right to live here according to their tradition.

Throughout history, Sinhala Buddhists had given them protection, he said, asking as to how saying this truth could be described as an insult to Muslims.

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