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Sri Lankan expatriate Premnath Thungasiri is in danger of becoming a victim of religious intolerance in the Middle East with the law enforcement authorities in the country he serves in viewing the performing of Buddhist rituals as practicing witchcraft
Recent reports on the arrest of Premnath Thungasiri and the wild speculations and allegations that have followed have created quite a stir among the local populace. Initially, it was reported that he had been arrested for worshipping a Buddha statue. The reports that were circulating almost gave the idea that he was arrested just because it was the statue of the Buddha.
Then, the series of anti-Islamic (Saudi law had, by then, been generalized to all Muslims) slogans and propaganda reached a fever pitch in certain social networks. While local celebrities and other noted authorities gave their views on what happens in the Middle East, the story took a twist, where it was revealed by the Sri Lanka Foreign Employment Bureau (SLFEB) that Thungasiri was arrested because he had tried to sell amulets for 2,000 Saudi Riyals.
Riyaz Salih, trustee of the Dewatagaha Jumma Masjid, Town Hall, told The Nation that, like any country Saudi Arabia has its own laws and guests visiting that country have a responsibility to be aware of its customs, law and traditions. Besides, what the media had carried so far, about idol worship, was proved false once it was revealed that his arrest had nothing to do with it, he retorted.
I am not an extremist and I am against any kind of extremism be it, Muslim, Hindu, Buddhist or Catholic, he claimed adding, racial sentiments being stoked by Buddhist extremists can be harmful to this country which has just emerged from a 30-year-long civil war. Salih stressed that this is a minor issue which can be sorted out without blowing it out of proportion. What is lamentable, he said, is the media s insensitive instigation of racial sentiments, without thorough research. Iran (with a majority Shia Muslims) has a Sharia Law and so does Saudi Arabia (Sunni), but they are not the same, he explained. Blowing dust into people s eyes with the use of words like Sharia Law needs to be stopped, he stressed.
Meanwhile, Secretary of the Bodu Bala Sena, Ven Galaboda Aththe Gnanasara Thera vehemently denied allegations that their movement was out to stir up religious hatred. He stuck to their claim that Thungasiri faced execution in Saudi Arabia.
Speaking to The Nation, Gnanasara Thera stated that according to information they had received from one of their representatives in Saudi Arabia, Thungasiri had first worked with one employer for 2 years. Around three months ago, he had left his employer and gone to work for a woman. He had worked for her for three months, but had only been paid wages for one month. Thereafter, he had gone back to work for his former employer.
The woman had thereafter called Thungasiri and told him that he could come and collect the two months wages due to him. However, we later learnt that she had previously lodged a complaint against Thungasiri with the Mutaween (Religious Police), Gnanasara Thera claimed.
According to the Thera, Thungasiri had asked the woman to come and see him at his workplace and hand over the money. She had done so accordingly, giving him the 2,000 Riyals. She had then asked Thungasiri to give her a piece of thread he had been wearing on his wrist. As he was giving it to her, the Mutaween had appeared on scene and arrested Thungasiri, the Thera claimed.
The Bodu Bala Sena secretary insisted that Thungasiri had been framed for a crime he did not commit. The religious police had subsequently raided the room Thungasiri was staying in and found a picture of the Buddha with offerings such as flowers and incense. He has then been charged with practicing witchcraft , the Thera claimed. If the crime is proven, Thungasiri faces death by beheading, according to Gnanasara Thera.
The Thera accused the Sri Lankan Embassy in Riyadh, the Sri Lanka Bureau of Foreign Employment (SLBFE), and the Ministry of External Affairs of being either lethargic in their attitude towards the case or being downright hostile towards Thungasiri.
However, he expressed optimism that Thungasiri would be released soon through government intervention as pressure mounted.
When contacted, a spokesman for the Royal Embassy of Saudi Arabia in Sri Lanka denied knowledge of the incident and said all inquires should be referred to the Sri Lankan Embassy in Riyadh.
What is certain from these allegations and counter-allegations is that there is much that is not known about this issue for comprehensive analysis. Getting the truth is not as simple as flipping a coin. Framed or not, Thungasiri is a helpless soul caught between powers which are beyond his control. Religion appears to have nothing to do with this.
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Dubai101
Joined: Apr 2012
Posts: 268
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 23 Jul 2012 09:58:26 GMT Report for Abuse
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One must respect the LAW of a country where the LAW is prevailing.it is not like Sri lanka and if you act with that mind set where as you can do anything and every thing the way you want, the result's will be very bitter.
one must have the basic knowledge before testing the foreign waters. |
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