Does cricket have a citizenship?
My family like many Sri Lankan families is cricket mad. I am the exception. When Sri Lanka played Pakistan a few days ago, my family lived and breathed cricket and it seemed like the end of the world when Sri Lanka lost. Imagine my surprise when I read the editorial of a daily newspaper that revealed that most Muslims of Sri Lanka celebrated the Pakistani win! But then again was I that surprised?
We, Muslims look like any other Sri Lankans. We speak one of the two national languages and often both. Perhaps our feast day food is different, but no different than lumprai or yellow rice. On ordinary days we eat rice and curry like anybody else. For many years we dressed the same as other Sri Lankans but now I admit that many Muslim women wear the hijab. Other than that, no-one can say who is Muslim, Buddhist, Hindu or Christian. So how are we different? How are we not Sri Lankan?
For as long as I have known we Muslims have been spun a fairy tale that is perpetuated in schools, on cultural occasions, and under the guise of religious lessons. We have been told that we are a people who have come from afar. From Arab lands that sent traders to lands far, far away. We were told that these Arabs were our ancestors. We were not told that the Arab men married Lankan women, that their descendents settled here with no ties at all with their fathers’ country and now many generations and centuries later, we, genetically at least, should be quite assimilated with our birth country – Sri Lanka. Therefore you have scores of Muslim sons and daughters of Sri Lanka who look elsewhere to belong. The Muslim faith being strong and emphasized as the only one that gives them an identity results in Sri Lankan Muslims identifying with anyone else who is Muslim before anyone else who is Sri Lankan.
The reality check happens when they visit or live in these so called ‘other’ homelands and they are treated as Sri Lankans. No better or worse because of their religion but certainly better or worse because of their citizenship.
And yet ask any Muslim village boy if he wants to be like Sanath Jayasuriya and he will say Afridi. So perhaps after all, I am not surprised that the Sri Lankan Muslim viewers celebrated Pakistan’s win.
The editorial asked how we could change this perspective. I have a suggestion. With immediate effect remove the ethnic segregation that is perpetuated and perpetrated by having communal schools. As long as Muslim children live in a Muslim village, go to school that is a Muslim Maha Vidyalaya, trade and work amongst Muslims, only know other Muslims etc., in short live in a Muslim ghetto, it will be easy for them to believe that they are not from here and it is purely an accident of birth or karma (which they do not believe in) that put them on this island.
As long as every Muslim child knows that this is a Sinhala Buddhist country where they will not have all the rights and privileges of other Sinhala Buddhist citizens, where they cannot aspire to be President of the country, let alone the Prime Minister, where they will always be asked for their ethnicity in any government form they have to fill, they will believe they are from elsewhere.
As long as the Sri Lankan government perpetuates through school curriculums that teach only Sinhala Buddhist history as Sri Lankan history, do not teach comparative religions as a matter of course to all children, and constantly brainwash their citizens that this is a country of Sinhala Buddhists for Sinhala Buddhists, are you surprised that the Muslims of Sri Lanka celebrate when Muslim Pakistan wins a cricket match against Sinhala Buddhist Sri Lanka?
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Well said Nazeeya! that’s all I can say. The suggestion about doing away with communal schools is extremely important, and hope a mindful policymaker would read this article. A good few concrete measures are necessary to make Muslims feel that they are Sri Lankans…hope this article will trigger a very timely debate…
Nazeeya,
thank you for writing a shot yet extremely important commentary on Muslim National Identity in Lanka. It is a rare (and minority) perspective amongst the Muslim.
While citizenships are often Cultural as much as Civil, the Muslims in Lanka never found a place to locate their combined citizenship within the statehood of Lanka, a clear failure of the post independent state building project . The predominant (often forced) ‘Ape Sinhala-Buaddha Rata’ concept failed to accommodate the Asinhala or Abauddha. In return the Lanka Muslims search cultural citizenship elsewhere. ( though the question why Pakistan not Maldives or Bangladesh where they locate is an interesting socio-political question)
We should accept the fact Lanka is largely a Sinhala speaking county and her culture is based on the 2500 yrs of Theravada Buddhist Tradition. Further this is the only small country the 16 million Sinhalas have in the world. Unfortunately these fact don’t erase the truth that historically and contemporary Lanka is not only Sinhala-Buddhist but multination.
It may take long time for the state of Lanka to become truly multinational holding to her Sinhala-Buddhistness while paving the way for other nations to locate themselves within a united country. Negotiating (your) Nationalism is the way forward. The debate on Muslim national Identity should be intra-Muslim as much as with non Muslims. You have started a rare one. pl. continue to research and write on this.
I am muslim – who have grown up with people of all nationalities – i proud myself of being a Sri lankan. We do have the few who do might support a diffent country when a game is played – but i dont think whitewashing it as muslims support pakistan is correct – i humbly beg to differ – and my point of view is I am proud to be a Sri lankan – like many of my faith are. What has been lacking in our country is this feeling proudness to be known as a Sri lankan. When Sanga spoke in Singhalese to the world at the end of T20 cup – he didnt address the Singalese of Srilanka – he addressed the Sri lankans – somemight say otherwise – but being a proud Sri lankan thats what i chose to beleive and will beleive. Islam places great responsibity on us to respect ones own nation. And being a true muslim – i respect my country and will stand by it. After all isnt that only place on earth – i call home.
The problem this writer fails to appreciate is that Most Muslims turn radical when they become older. I studied at RCC, truly multi ethnic and multi religious school (more correctly atheistic school) the muslim friends did look same as us. Ate same things, played together, fought together, dressed similar and even smoked and drank together! The greeted me “Hello machang, how are you?” The same guys 15 years later I find with long beards, Pakistani dress and with the headcover, and greet “Aslam alekkum” or “Salaam” and the machang part have got dropped.
Current society there is a Muslim representation which is significant in all the fields. There are more than 20 Muslim MPs out of 225 in the parliament! Yes there have not been a president or a PM, thankfully. The way Ashroff has filled the harbor with Muslims cannot imagine what would a Muslim president do.
First Muslims should stop having double standards towards Muslims and non-muslims. I don’t know whether this is possible as throughout the history Muslims have been guilty of releasing violence against non-believers. Sinhalese shop owner will take anybody who agrees to work for a lower pay, but a Muslim shop owner does not do the same. Unless Muslims starts to loosen up there tight religious control, there will be very few chances of intermixing. They live in a country where they are minority (and both Buddhist and Hindu groups have similar moral values), and in such a country moral values are judged according to the majority
cricket is only a game no more deviation in world cricket.Just watch the game and joy the feel
Muslims have roots to Pakistan, prefer a Pakistan victory!
Tamils have roots to India, prefer an Indian victory!
Sinhalese have roots to Sri Lanka itself, prefer a Sri Lankan victory!
Bitter but those are the moments of truth!
People love your motherand and be loyal to her, that’s what religion tells about! Or get lost to where your hearts are!
Keep your soul, body and mind in one place!
Learn to be loyal to yourself!
I have a feeling that it is Muslims of Sri Lanka want to be isolated themselves from the rest of Sri Lanka. It seems the practice of Muslim religion makes themselves stick to each other too much than mingling with others. The clothes some wear send the signal that we are different from you. I personally have no problem doing whatever they are asked or wants to do. However while doing so and telling that we haven’t been assimilated enough is meaningless. It is easier to be a whiner than proactive to to make a change.
Farooq brings out a valid point – a point, sadly, no government from our independence did not understand – or though understood, gave in to Sinhala Buddhist nationalism to win votes. Think of Minister Lakshman Kadirgarmer. He was a Christian. An anglican by birth. But when he died, a so called leftist party that was a powerful component of the then UPFA government, forced to have Buddhist funeral rights. It was reported that his family members could not desist that, because the government insisted on it. Later, after Minister Kadiragamer’s Buddhist funeral rites were over, family members had held a private Christian memorial service for him. The man who faught agains so called terrorism on deplomatic arena could not leave his live in his full identity – as a Sinhala Christian. So was Jeyaraj Fernandopulle. People in Negombo quoate him as saying ” I can’t be the prime minister because I am a Catholic”. Some change their religions because of this problem. Like a former PM and a former CJ did. Others, like Farooq and me, and the Muslims who behaved that way ould think ” Can I call this my own – my beloved motherland”? For Indians – be they Tamils, or Karnakaties, or Bengalis or Sikhs – it is their Motherland – India. They call themselved proudly “we are Indians” Because that country, in its very nature is secular. We can become the same and love our country on the day that our constitution and our attitudes become secular.
//For Indians – be they Tamils, or Karnakaties, or Bengalis or Sikhs – it is their Motherland – India. They call themselved proudly “we are Indians” Because that country, in its very nature is secular. We can become the same and love our country on the day that our constitution and our attitudes become secular.
I am interested to know whether Assamese, Kashmiris and Indian Muslims are telling the same thing?
//People in Negombo quoate him as saying ” I can’t be the prime minister because I am a Catholic”.
You fail to see a glaring point. A country needs a leader who understands it’s culture. In SL it’s Sinhalese Buddhist culture. Adding on to it, Tamil Hindu culture also shares many similar things. Muslims and Christians are the ones with different moral values in the country. If you are from a minority, you should know how to mingle with the majority when you are a leader. Do you ever thought why Barack Hussain Obama had to prove that he’s an Atheist to USA in his election campains? Would you think Americans would have voted him if he said he was a “Muslim” and sworn in using the Quran? USA the culture is Judo-Chritian and the leader needs to represent that culture. (and this is regarded as one of the best countries with democracy). Kannasamy learnt Sinhala and practiced Buddhism to become Sri Wickrama Rajasinha. And Sinhalese people accepted it. And they’ll definitely accept any person from minority as long as he / she understands that Sinhalese Buddhist culture is the way of life in this country.
I am not a Buddhist or a Hindu…I belong to one of the other two religions…and I’m a supporter of Australia, South Africa and Pakistan! The only player I ever liked in the Sri Lankan team was Marvan Attapatu. The only thing the Buddhists, Hindus, Christians and Muslims in Sri Lanka have in common is,
1. Eating rice
2. Drinking tea
3. and to some extent watching cricket.
but when it comes to cricket, the anglophiles amongst us…of which I am one…more often than not like to see Australia, South Africa, England and New Zealand give Sri Lanka a good drubbing. Most Hindus like to see India win, and most Muslims support Pakistan and Bangladesh. That my dear Nazeeya, is the bitter truth! The day the majority makes up their minds that this is not a Buddhist country, but a multi ethnic, multi cultural and multi religious country…will be the day when everybody supports the Sri Lankan team!
ps; Can Murali, Maharoof or Angelo Matthews ever be captain of the Sri Lankan team? Never…it will always be a buddhist who captains! In the 1970s a burgher called David Heyn was in line to be captain…but it never happened! Just like only a Buddhist can be the President of this country!
[ps; Can Murali, Maharoof or Angelo Matthews ever be captain of the Sri Lankan team? Never…it will always be a buddhist who captains! In the 1970s a burgher called David Heyn was in line to be captain…but it never happened! Just like only a Buddhist can be the President of this country!]
dont talk utter crap man, is dulip mendis a buddhist?
billy…what happened when Chaminda Vaas was made captain? Anyway its left to be seen now that the ‘Jathika Hela Urumaya’ is in cahoots with the government if a non-buddhist will captain Sri Lanka in the future!
Migara…Barack Hussain Obama is not a muslim or an atheist…he is a Christian! He is half black. The blacks in America constitute only 14% of the population! Sri Lanka is not a Sinhala Buddhist culture! There are 69% Buddhists, 7% Christians, 7% Muslims, and the remaining 17% consists of Tamils and estate tamils…there is also about 30,000 burghers!
This country is multi cultural, multi ethnic and multi religious! The only way you can get rid of us non sinhala buddhists is to create a massive ‘No Fire Zone’…herd all of us into it and…I don’t need to say it…I guess you know what happened! That is the ‘Final Solution’ and the only solution to stop us minorities from asking to be treated equally!
Unfortunate to see cricket being politicized.
I have a dream in Sri Lanka!
I am not unmindful that some of you have come here out of great trials and tribulations. Some of you have come fresh from narrow jail cells. Some of you have come from areas where your quest for freedom left you battered by the storms of persecution and staggered by the winds of police brutality. You have been the veterans of creative suffering. Continue to work with the faith that unearned suffering is redemptive.
Go back to Killinochchi, go back to Mulutivu, go back to Trincomalee, go back to Batticaloa, go back to Jafna, go back to the slums and ghettos of our northern cities, knowing that somehow this situation can and will be changed. Let us not wallow in the valley of despair.
I say to you today, my friends, so even though we face the difficulties of today and tomorrow, I still have a dream. It is a dream deeply rooted in the Sri Lankan dream.
I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: “We hold these truths to be self-evident: that all men are created equal.”
I have a dream that one day Tamils of North of Sri Lanka and the Sinhalese of South will be able to sit down together at the table of brotherhood.
I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.
I have a dream today.
I have a dream that one day, LTTE with its vicious racists, with its Tamil Diaspora having their lips dripping with the words of interposition and nullification; one day right there in Sri Lanka, little Tamil boys and Tamil girls will be able to join hands with little Sinhala/Muslim boys and Sinhala/Muslim girls as sisters and brothers.
I have a dream today.
I have a dream that one day every valley shall be exalted, every hill and mountain shall be made low, the rough places will be made plain, and the crooked places will be made straight, and the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together.
This is our hope. This is the faith that I go back to the Sri Lanka with. With this faith we will be able to hew out of the mountain of despair a stone of hope. With this faith we will be able to transform the jangling discords of our nation into a beautiful symphony of brotherhood. With this faith we will be able to work together, to pray together, to struggle together, to go to jail together, to stand up for freedom together, knowing that we will be free one day.
This will be the day when all of God’s children will be able to sing with a new meaning, “My country, ’tis of thee, sweet land of liberty, of thee I sing. Land where my fathers died, land of the pilgrim’s pride, from every mountainside, let freedom ring.”
And if Sri Lanka is to be a great nation this must become true. So let freedom ring from the Central hilltops of Sri Lanka. Let freedom ring from the mighty mountains of Dumbara. Let freedom ring from the Jungles of Mulativu!
Let freedom ring from the North of Sri Lanka!
Let freedom ring from the South of Sri Lanka!
But not only that; let freedom ring from East of Sri Lanka!
Let freedom ring from West of Sri Lanka!
Let freedom ring from every hill and molehill of Nuwara-Eliya. From every mountainside of Badulla, let freedom ring.
And when this happens, when we allow freedom to ring, when we let it ring from every village and every hamlet, from every state and every city, we will be able to speed up that day when all of God’s children, Tamil men and Sinhala men, Hindus and Buddhists, Muslims and Catholics, will be able to join hands and sing in the words of the old Negro spiritual, “Free at last! free at last! thank God Almighty, we are free at last!”
NF…cricket has been politicized for a long time…remember the interim committee that has been running cricket for the last couple of years? Also do you remember Sanath Jayasuriya running to the President after the selection comittee dropped him from the one day team? Remember how the teams have to be ratified by the sports minister? Remember…?
These who support Pakistan due to their the believes of they are decending Pakistan I have no problem what so ever.Just go an live in Pakistan.
This Sri Lanka.If you wont others to treat muslim community you as a Sri Lankan .
What is wron with this extreamist,I really don’t know?
When Portugues massared you guys did go behind Pakistan to secure your lives?
Country first religion or what ever second?
Traitors will be severly delt with.
The editorial on 11th August and your comment give more prominence to religion than to cricket. How many Muslim Sri Lankans would support Bangladesh if they were playing Sri Lanka? Pakistan was simply popular amongst young Muslim viewers worldwide and they get audience support wherever they play (except in Pakistan where they are cheered with rotten eggs). Labelling the supporters of Pakistan team as pure Muslims is wrong because there must have been few if not many Tamils and Sinhalese too.
That was a fantastic artical from mr Naziar well said we all sri lannkans don’t ever catagarizie people by the nationalty or religon as he said we need to do lots of changes in our constitution any srilankan can be the preidant or priminister of this country it dos not has to be a sinhala buddhists he can be a muslim,catholic,or hindu so please will raly round and work towerds one goal
Dear President Bean,
Just so you know.
Sonia Sotomayor has just been confirmed as the first Hispanic Supreme Court Judge in US history, and what a fuss is being made. Sri Lanka has had minority justices in our highest courts since independence. Decades before Thurgood Marshall became the first non-white US Supreme Court justice.
Our first Army Commander was a Tamil Christian, again decades before Colin Powell. We have had a Tamil IGP – there has yet to be an FBI Director who wasn’t a non-white male. We had important minority ministers years before we saw a non-white face in the US cabinet. I’m old enough to remember Shahul Hameed being our foreign minister, one of the most prestigious offices of state. That was in the 80′s. And he was succeeded by Lakshman Kadirgamar.
I’m not saying that Sri Lanka is perfect – far from it. I completely agree that this is not a Sinhala-Buddhist country, but a multi-ethnic, multi-religious one. I’m for a secular constitution, a devolved power structure, an inclusive identity, and equal rights for all in law and in practice.
I believe these things will come to pass eventually – the war reversed our natural progress. Even then, I really don’t see how someone such as yourself, who constantly baits the majority community, and supports ‘anglo’ sports teams to boot (a sad sign of a racial complex), can ever become president of this country. Try your luck in Australia, South Africa, England or wherever.
After all, do you think for one moment that Obama would have won had he run as a black nationalist anti-Christian who cheered for the Cuban baseball team?
i am proud to be a sri l ankan and always defend when its come to sri lanka weather they play cricket or at war. I am on a holiday from one of the gulf countries. I work with Indians Pakistanis and Arabs. though i M from second minority i have to be honest to explain the history , once an Indian told me he is proud to be an indian because they have prime minister from a minority, sikh they represent only 2 percent. president is from a minority too. this was one year before when abul kalam
was president. can that happen in sri lanka. will a minority tamil or muslim become an education minister or finance of defence. post.
“As long as every Muslim child knows that this is a Sinhala Buddhist country where they will not have all the rights and privileges of other Sinhala Buddhist citizens,”
Pray tell us what rights and privileges the Muslims of Sri Lanka don’t have? They have more rights than Muslims in Muslim countries such as Turkey and western democracies such as France. The Muslim girls in Sri Lanka even get FREE CLOTH from the government to make hijabs while non-Muslims do not. Isn’t this a privilege that is accorded to Muslims? The Muslims have all the rights to blare the azan day in day out, good luck trying that in any of the western countries. Trying to play the victim and blame the majority communiy is getting really old. Look within and you’ll find Islamic fundamentalism is the root cause – putting Muslims ahead of the non-Muslim “kafirs”. It’s this new breed of extremist Islam that is cause of some Sri Lankan Muslim youth to support Pakistan.
How unfair, if one says no opprtunities for minorities in Sri Lanka. What they try to say? If Kadrgamer was living, he would have been the President today! I am a Sinhalese Buddhist, I would have definitly voted for him! Capantacy of the cricket team needs more than being Sinhalese, Tamil or Muslim. It neeeds leadership qualities.
It is a shame how some of the minority representations here cry for the captancy and political leadership, while they hurah for India & Pakistan. Show your loyalty to Sri Lanka, feel youself belong to Sri Lanka. Rest follows.
@will a minority tamil or muslim become an education minister or finance of defence. post.@
There was a muslim as the minister of education in Mrs. Bandaranayake govt in 1970. Alhaj Badyudeen Mahamood (sp?) was his name.
We all like to have our own religion becomes the state religion. Our own language becomes the state language. Sri Lanka has a long history and Sinhalese-Buddhists have the longest history than rest of the ethnics and religions.
Every country has a main ethnic group and a main religion but do respect multi-cultural, multi-religion society. For example, those who promote multi-cultural societies in the West Europe has the same concept.
If Muslims are so much attached to Pakistan because of the religion roots, Sinhalese-Buddhists must have the same right to call Sri Lanka as a Sinhalese Buddhist country. Likewise Tamil Hindus has roots to India. But Sinhalese don’t live in India any other country as a ethnic group.
Tamils, Muslims, Hindus, Christians live in vast numbers in many, many countries, but Sinhalese-Buddhists live only in this small island, Sri Lanka. There are only 7 Buddhist States in the world; Sri Lanka is one of them. Majority of countries of the world are Muslim states followed by Christianity.. etc.
In that context, it is everyone’s obligation to protect Sri Lanka as a Buddhist country and Sinhalese-Buddhists have been fair enough to others, haven’t they?
The problem here is Islamic extremism and tribalism. Sri Lankan Muslims have generally been a moderate and relatively liberal community but bigotry, intolerance and tribalism finds home among them just as with other communities. The problem is that Islam divides people into “believers” and “non-believers” – just like Christianity does. The non-believers are never equal to the believers; they are destined for an eternity of hell at death and are discriminated against in Islamic Sharia law. Acoording to Islamic thought the world is divided in to Dar Al Islam and Dar Al Harb. We in Sri Lanka are living in Dar Al Harb or the ‘region/abode of war’ which is dominated by the non-believers, the detested “kafiroon.” As extremist Islamic teachings find there way to Sri Lanka we can except Muslim tribalism to blossom even further. The effects of extremist Islam in Sri Lanka can be seen in the recent intra-Muslim riots in Beruwala and the bombing and abduction of Sufi Muslims who aren’t apparently “real Muslims.” Fascism is alive and growing among Sri Lankan Muslims and for the Muslim fanatics, Sri Lanka is a land of the Kafirs but Pakistan is a land of Muslims and thus a part of Dar Al Islam. No amount of finger pointing at the Sinhalese Buddhists as Nazeeya Faarooq has done in the above article is going to change this fact. It’s time the Sri Lanka Muslim community looked within and fixed its own flaws before playing the blame game.
FOR YOUR INFORMATION:
I wonder if the author of this article is really Muslim, or whether it is some wise guy trying to create a rift between the Muslims and the Buddhists.
As these things are often the doing of people practicing yellow journalism, we have to be very aware of what we read.
Peace!
I am a cricket lover but I am not bothered by some people in Sri Lanka cheering the visiting Pakistani team. The way the Pakistani side played the test matches and the first three one-day games they certainly deserved some support, from someone, to boost their morale. I am glad to see that they came around to restore some dignity by the end of the 20-20. Perhaps the cheering squad did the right thing to make the games more interesting for the audience. Are we becoming more and more narrow minded?
in sri lanka as in any where in the world individual rights have been guaranteed by the constitution, but as a community wise the majority will always take the precedence !
billy…you said that individual rights have been guaranteed by the constitution, but as a community wise the majority will always take the precedence!
IS THIS RIGHT?
The opening of the Declaration of Independence written by Thomas Jefferson in 1776, states as follows:
“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness.”
Isn’t this what every rational individual should be striving for?
I am a Muslim and if situation arise I would render my life to save Sri Lanka and its dignity! It is only the people who don’t have the reasoning and proper understanding of life and living that goes astray, and becomes enemies and traitors of their own land and countrymen. One may not like a person or the decisions of an authoritative body but for that reason in turn become a traitor or enemy of your mother land is absolutely unacceptable and very much criminal in nature. And especially, if you are a Muslim you are acting against your religion!
Some say this behavior is out of long standing unsettled grievances, perhaps, but are these actions helping the situation? I think the answer is absolutely not. In contrary, this situation will only increase the divide and end up further strengthening the hands of the extremist elements on all sides.
To be fair, the number of Pakistani flag wavers among the Sri Lankan Muslims are very few and this must be totally eradicated by means of enlightenment and inclusions. In general, as I understand, not only among Muslims but across the spectrum in this country I see a clear lack of patriotism but sadly with or without knowledge a lot of racism! If we are to look forward to a peaceful and prosperous Sri Lanka, given the fact that we have just come out of a ruthless bloody internal conflict that engulfed our nation for the last thirty years, this situation must change!
The only way out of this predicament is to take the racist factor out of the equation. I think in this endeavor the parents have a massive responsibility in guiding their children to the right path and more so the policy makers to set the right channels and atmosphere for equal opportunities and co-existence. It is we people who selects policymakers and hence politics and politicians must be evaluated on daily basis and be kept or kicked based on their service to the nation and its people. Any citizen who fails in up holding these responsibilities, in my eyes, would have failed his nation!
Many among non-Sinhalese, Major Tuan Nisham Muthalif, Lakshman Kadirgamer, Anagarika Dharmapala are true patriotic Sri Lankan heroes who embraced Sri Lanka as their motherland.
Americans consider absence of patriotism as a crime. How many Muslims, non Christians live in America? Do they demand Muslim or any other religion or language as a state religion/language? Simply cant!
Those non-Sinhalese and Sinhalese Sri Lankans who behave unpatriotically must be dealt with imprisonment. That’s what Lankan policy makers should include in the Sri Lankan constitution. Though I don’t like Taliban laws in Sri Lanka, patriotism is required to be maintained at highest level to re-unite our country. Extreme Taliban Muslims from Afghanistan who bombarded the Bamyan Buddha statues can be in our court yard.
Yesterday, they killed Muslims and burned a Mosque in Bentota.
Today, they hurrah for Pakistan cricket victory.
Tomorrow, they will kill Sinhalese and burn Buddhist temples.
Equality of people must be there, without changing the identity of the country. Sri Lanka is a Buddhist country, that can’t be changed for monies of the west. How can rights of people do violate when the country is Buddhist and do not violate when the country is Christian or Muslim?
I support Pakistan/India when they play against England, they are our neighbours.
Reza…the only way to have a peaceful and prosperous Sri Lanka is if everyone is treated equally! Regarding sports…take schools like Royal, S.Thomases, St.Peters, Trinty etc…where the school cricket, rugby and other sports teams have been captained by Buddhist, Hindu, Muslim and Christian students…the GOSL and the majority should follow the examples of these schools!
NoEalamInSL…you said “I support Pakistan/India when they play against England, they are our neighbours.”
Well I support Australia, South Africa, England etc, because English is my mother tongue…and I have relatives living in those countries! You might ask me why I don’t migrate to one of these countries…due to reasons beyond my control, I can’t! This country is a beautiful country…BUT the majority have messed it up due to their petty mindedness…maybe someday…maybe not in my lifetime…things might change…lets wait and see…
ps: there is a sinhala saying…”Bedaa genna kaa pang!” But what the majority has been doing for 61 years is “Badaa genna kayma!”
Mr President Bean,
I assume you live in Sri Lanka, mother tingue English? Perhaps you are a burgher rootes to Dutch(European). Burgher=burger=citizen in Dutch.
“Well I support Australia, South Africa, England etc, because English is my mother tongue…and I have relatives living in those countries!, You might ask me why I don’t migrate to one of these countries…due to reasons beyond my control, I can’t!”
If you are living in a country you respect the law of that country, If you are a citizen of a country, be patriotic, be loyal to that country. When someone in love with someone, he obliged to be loyal, other wise like visiting whores, screwing around. just use and abuse the moments…
PS: Beda gena kanna nam, hondama de thamai kaata hari handakin bedanna kiyana eka neda? Wede thiyenne beduwama madi kiyana eka ne!
//ps; Can Murali, Maharoof or Angelo Matthews ever be captain of the Sri Lankan team? Never…it will always be a buddhist who captains! In the 1970s a burgher called David Heyn was in line to be captain…but it never happened! Just like only a Buddhist can be the President of this country!
You are having selective amnesia.
Maharoof was the captain of U19 SL XI which palyed the World cup. Murali is the current vice captain. Angelo Mathews captained in his era. Duleep Mendis was a Catholic, so was Bandula Warnapura and both were captains. De Silva is half Buddhist and half Catholic. Sorry your blabberings are baseless.
@ moronin sri lanka. will a minority tamil or muslim become an education minister or finance of defence. post.
Plannty of evindence.
1. Sri Wickrama Rajasinha was known as Kannasamy. You can figure out his ethnicity and he was the king of “Sinhalese”
2. There was a MP in UNP known as Kabir Hashik who was the minister of higer education.
3. Prof. Sheriffdeen was the president of SL college of surgeons, and SLMA
4. Prof. Rezvi Sheriff is the director of PGIM
5. DS Senanayake, SWRD andarnaike JR Jayawardane, and Dudley Senanayake were all catholics. They grew up in a catholic backgound and their sons, daughers and even grand sons got married in the church. They changed their religion to get votes only. Post 1948 there were only 4 Sinhala Buddhist leaders (namely Sirimavo, Premadasa, Wijetunga and Rajapakshe)
@ President Bean said,
//Migara…Barack Hussain Obama is not a muslim or an atheist…he is a Christian!
That is what CNN tried so much to tell. If he was not a Muslim but a christian why there are more than 200 web sites to claim that he’s Christian (like this http://isbarackobamamuslim.com/)? If somebody comes out and say that Rajapakshe is a Viccan do you think that much of news will be around even at local level? There has to be a fire when there is so much of smoke.
//Sri Lanka is not a Sinhala Buddhist culture! There are 69% Buddhists, 7% Christians, 7% Muslims, and the remaining 17% consists of Tamils and estate tamils…there is also about 30,000 burghers! This country is multi cultural, multi ethnic and multi religious!
Sorry mate you are on the wrong track. This country has been known to the world because of it’s Sinhala Buddhist heritage. It’s the main culture of SL and ither cultures are compared to it. Not vice versa. However it does not mean that SL is going to ban Hijab as so called democratic countries, or to ban the cross. But minorities should accept that it’s a Sinhala Buddhist culture and things will be looked with that perspective. If you go to England, your culture will be looked at with English perspective. Sinhala Buddhist is the identity of this country. You cannot change that identity. I am not talking about legal rights or human rights of the people should change with their race. In SL everybody have same rights. In that sense it is multi-cultural, and multi0religous. But I am talking about identity of the country, which is taotally different from what you are talking about.
//The only way you can get rid of us non sinhala buddhists is to create a massive ‘No Fire Zone’…herd all of us into it and…I don’t need to say it…I guess you know what happened! That is the ‘Final Solution’ and the only solution to stop us minorities from asking to be treated equally!
This part needs no answers, because this is utter rubbish.
“Isn’t this what every rational individual should be striving for?”
No, I don’t think a rational individual would believe in a magical creature in the sky such as the ‘creator’ mentioned in your quote.
“the GOSL and the majority should follow the examples of these schools!”
Why should anyone want to follow what communal Christian schools do? They have a long history of discriminating against non-Christians and were originally set up to convert the “heathen” Buddhists and Hindus by giving them an education if they converted. Ask yourself who set up schools on a religious basis and sectioned out cemetries on a religious basis It sure wasn’t the Hindus or the Buddhists. And as for Burghers – a people who were the lackeys of the Dutch, Portuguese and British while the rest of the country was enslaved – I don’t think they have any right to tell the majority what to do. Just my opinion.
A minority will only become president of Sri Lanka if she or he manages to get most of the votes from the Sri Lankan electorate in a presidential election. He or she ain’t gonna get them votes by antagonising the majority. Tough pill to swallow but it’s the truth.
We are glad that we dont have to brainwash people to understand the simple fact that we are SriLankan Muslims….thats the fact. You dont go supporting your neigbor because you have a problem at home…because end of the day its your home…thats what most of the muslims beleive in and lets not forget that…
It all comes down to choice…you guys say that some Muslims are unpatriotic for not supporting the Sri Lankan cricket team!
Would it be unpatriotic for a person born in Sri Lanka to marry someone from a different country?
Is it unpatriotic to want to send your kid to an international school so that he/she can study in English?
Is it unpatriotic to listen to hindi, english music etc?
Is it unpatriotic to buy liquor for a higher price on poya day and consume it?
Is it unpatriotic if we say that the country had less corruption and was administered better under the British?
Is it unpatriotic to think differently and live differently to the Sinhala Buddhists?
They say that patriotism is the last resort of the scoundrel! And there seem to be
a quite a lot of them around today!
I believe in what Socrates said. He said, “I’m neither an Athenean, nor a Greek, I’m a citizen of the world!
It all comes down to choice!
You are the only person who has used the term “unpatriotic” in this thread President Bean. A symptom of your own insecurity perhaps?
To President Bean,
No President Bean, it is NOT unpatriotic:
To marry or live together with someone from a different country or community
To listen to English, Hindi music etc…
To buy liquor at a higher price on Poya day and drink till you drop
[I also want to add that it is not unpatriotic to eat meat on POYA DAY and on GOOD FRIDAY]
To think and live “differently” from Sinhala Buddhists
But, pray, tell me President Bean, how do Sinhala Buddhists think?
To say “we had less corruption and better administration under the British” – wow! At that time I suppose everything was TICKETY-BOO!
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President Bean, I think there might be a wee bit of a redemptive aspect to the Sinhalayas also. I base this on what goes on in Kandy market. As all the meat sellers are of Muslim faith, the sale of pork is prohibited in Kandy market. People who want to consume pork have to travel to various places where pork is sold. However, you may be surprised to know that people do not make a fuss over this trifle. They respect the religious/cultural sensitivities of those belonging to the Muslim faith.
Stereotyping Sinhala Buddhists is the in thing, now, even among some “urbane” Sinhalayas. Perhaps they are afraid that, if they do not join in with the Sinhala Buddhist bashing gang, they would be looked down upon as chauvinists. It seems they have bought into the more recently promoted myth of Sinhala Buddhist as peculiarly violent, racist and undemocratic than any other group on the planet.
The two quotes at the bottom of your posts – although hackneyed –still holds truth today. Wouldn’t it be nice if people actually practice what they quote?
Tickee Babu!
Atheist … yes things were very close to being TICKETY-BOO under the British. At least under their administration journalists were not killed, and ‘Unidentified Four wheeled Objects’ (UFOs) did not kidnap people!
Also Tickee Babu…I respect Buddhism the Philosopy…but not Buddhism the religion with all these funny rules which prohibits anything and everything! Even the Buddha has said that you can’t force people to do anything! That is why the funny ‘Matthata Thitha’ will not work! AS LONG AS THERE IS A DEMAND…THERE WILL BE A SUPPLY!
ps: A majority chaps in Sri Lanka are sooo hypocritical…every poya it is banned to kill cattle for the purpose of food…but for the last 26 years or so …on poya the war went on without a stop…killing cattle is bad…killing tamils is ok eh?? ha..ha..
Mr President Bean, Cattles didnt harm anyone, terrorists massacred civilians, poya is not a barrier send them to hell.
NoEalamInSL…the tourist board recently branded Sri Lanka as ‘The Small Miracle.’
I think they should rethink and brand the country as, ‘BIG Hipocrisy!’
What do you think?
“I disagree with what you say, but will defend to the death your right to say it!”
-Voltaire-
President B, You can be our president for defending my right to say! Hypocrisy is every where, even at home.
“every poya it is banned to kill cattle for the purpose of food…but for the last 26 years or so …on poya the war went on without a stop…killing cattle is bad…killing tamils is ok eh?? ha..ha..”
LTTE massacred 147 Buddhists on a poya day at Anuradhapura. Watch live shooting recorded by LTTE http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qqdW2auRlo4
What do you think of that Mr. President? When you o=pointi finger to others, 3 fingers towards you.