Emerging dark clouds threaten national unity

At a time when national unity is the need of the hour for the country to face the twin challenges of the COVID- 19 pandemic and the country’s economic down turn, the actions of a few pose a serious threat to communal harmony.

At a time when every section of the citizenry is required to contribute to the national effort, it is alarming that the actions of the usual suspects can drive a wedge between communities and thereby undermine the national interest.

The most recent example of this is the orchestrated attack on Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith and the Catholic Bishops Conference in response to their plea for justice for the victims of the Easter Sunday attacks and their request to the Government to expedite investigations.

Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith and the Catholic Bishops have for some time now been expressing their disappointment at the pace at which investigations into the Easter Sunday attacks have been proceeding. Recently the Cardinal wrote to President Gotabaya Rajapaksa expressing his concern on the matter and raising several questions for which he requested answers.

Subsequently the Cardinal held a media conference where he conveyed his displeasure about not receivinganswers to his questions.

When Foreign Minister G. L. Peiris requested a meeting with the Cardinal, the latter declined to meet Prof. Peiris unless he received assurances as regards the inquiry.

The news that Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa and the Foreign Minister were to travel to Italy and would meet the Pope to provide details of the investigations into the Easter Sunday attacks was confirmed at the weekly Cabinet meeting last Monday.

Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith then called a media conference in which he accused the Government of planning to undertake a visit to Vatican in a bid to deceive the Pope and mislead him regards the Easter Sunday attacks.

The Foreign Ministry subsequently issued a statement stating that there were no plans for the Prime Minister and the Foreign Minister to meet the Pope on their visit to Italy.

One can empathise with the frustration of the Cardinal and the Catholic Bishops and their demand for justice for the victims. There is no doubt that the whole country would in one voice want the truth to be revealed and the perpetrators punished.

Indeed there are many unanswered questions that defy understanding and probably contribute to the scepticism with regard to the progress of the investigations. Why did the suicide bombers who were few in number target worshippers at churches and tourists at high profile hotels without any previously articulated reasons?

In contrast when the LTTE committed such attacks they did so as part of previously articulated grievances against the State.

This was probably the most sophisticated and synchronised simultaneous attacks on several locations in recent memory. Such a coordinated attempt would have required a degree of technical skill and planning that one cannot hardly expect from a moulavi, although the Government claims that Naufer Moulavi is the ‘ mahamolakaru’ or the brains behind the attack.

There are also several leads in the public domain including in the report of the Presidential commission which inquired into the Easter Sunday attacks which don’t seem to have been followed up.This is another factor that may have led the Cardinals and theBishops to the conclusion that there is an attempt to do a cover up.

While the continuing standoff between the Government and Cardinal remains unresolved, three actors who have over a period of time been engaging in hate speechdecided to hold separate media conferences and criticise the Cardinal and the Bishops for articulating their grievances.

The Bodu Bala Sena, the Sinhale Organisation and the Sinhala Ravaya movement seemed to have taken umbrage at the Cardinal’s insistence that the investigations should unravel the whole story and name the ‘ mahamolakaru’ or the brains behind the attack.

Why they have come forward to take up cudgels on behalf of the Government is beyond comprehension when the Government is quite capable of doing so by itself. It can only be explained as an attempt to prevent the cry for justice and the identification of the ‘ mahamolakaru’.

What is totally unacceptable, however, is the tone and content of their attacks on the Cardinal and the Bishops. Expression of difference of opinion on a matter is acceptable when conveyed in civilised language. This was hardly the case at the three press conferences held to criticise the Catholics’ demand for justice.

It is an accepted norm in the civilised world including in Sri Lanka that religious teachings, religious founders and religious teachers are referred to with respect. This degree of respectful conduct which is part of the Sri Lankan heritage was totally absent at these media briefings and could give rise to disappointment and anguish among the followers of the respective religions.

Such conduct can contribute to undermining national unity and reconciliation if steps are not immediately taken to counter such manifestations of hate.