Convert or die
August 26, 2014, 12:00 pm 
By Dr UpulWijayawardhana
A few weeks ago, when I wrote ‘It’s a mad, mad world’ (The Island – 2nd August) I did not imagine things could get any worse; how wrong was I! Things seem to get crazier by the day or is it that with increasing age I am getting more and more pessimistic? Am I becoming a grumpy old man? Hope not! The world I was born to, seems so distant from what it is today. In my childhood, in spite of the strong anti-colonial feeling with a yearning for Independence, we did not have hatred; our politicians did not make us hate the British, our colonizers, but they did their utmost, in a legitimate way, and succeeded in making my Motherland free again. The feelings of the majority community were not inflamed by leading politicians, in spite of an unfair demand for 50:50 by some politicians of a minority community. Rights of minorities were recognized and accommodated in spite of some in the majority community feeling, quite rightly in my personal opinion, that no adequate steps were taken to undo the inequalities perpetrated on the majority community by the British who excelled in ‘divide and rule!’
I am aghast to see the behaviour of some of our Bhikkus, who under the guise of a ‘Bodu Bala Sena’ are spreading intolerance and hatred. The latest salvo of the BBS is that they will not allow anybody to protest against the atrocities committed by Israel in Gaza. There is no doubt in the minds of most Sri Lankans that Israel helped us, no end, in our hour of need and we should be grateful for their contribution, which helped us to defeat terrorism at our door-step. But, that does not mean we have to support everything Israel does, especially when acts bordering on war crimes are committed. If we do so, we descend to the level of the USA whose policy is to defend Israel at any cost! When a number of UN facilities in Gaza were shelled, USA had no choice but to make a faint condemnation. The British Prime Minister, David Cameron, excelled himself with lack of criticism though he made CHOGM an excuse to slander the Government of Sri Lanka; the inescapable conclusion being that he acted on the basis of the contributions made to his party funds by sympathisers of ‘Tiger rump’! That is the shameless nature of politics today!! Having said that, I will fail in my duty if I do not mention the bold stand of Ed Miliband, the Leader of the British Opposition, who was very critical of the over-reactions of Israel, in spite of his Jewish origin. There are many sensible, peace loving Jews, even in Israel, who are critical of unjustified actions of the Israeli Government. This makes it even more difficult for me to understand the attitude of the BBS!
What happens in our country pales into insignificance when you consider the blood-curdling events happening in the rest of the Middle East. Atrocities committed in the name of Islam by the so-called ‘Islamic State’ (IS), a state not recognized by anybody except themselves, are unparalleled in modern times. We thought LTTE was bad enough! ‘IS’ started as a part of the opposition in Syria, which was supported and aided by Western Leaders led by none other than David Cameron! Using arms and ammunition supplied, at least partly, by the West they have spread rapidly across to northern Iraq from Syria, murdering any, other than Sunni Muslims, with the sole purpose of establishing a Caliphate; an Islamic state ruled by a supreme religious and political leader, Caliph, under Sharia law. Their slogan is ‘Convert or die’, which to say the least is frightening more so because they have actually carried out that threat.
‘IS’ consists of techno-savvy, well-educated but misguided youngsters (nearly 500 British born Muslims are thought to be with them) who use social media for publicity, a new-age terrorist group who pose a great danger because they are very well organized and absolutely ruthless. One of them had posted the photograph of his son, just seven years’ old, holding the head of a decapitated Iraqi soldier! They post killings on social media with relish; they brag about their murders which includes burying alive innocents whose only crime is not being Sunni Muslims; they kill men and sell women and children: all in the name of religion!! Is this really happening in the 21st century? Perhaps, the more apt question is, are we regressing to the Middle Ages? Lack of condemnation of their heinous actions by many countries is troubling, to say the least.
They have displaced almost a million Christians, who have lived in Iraq since First Century, well before the introduction of Islam. Hordes of Christians, Shias and Yazidis have escaped to the inhospitable but safe Sinjar Mountain but the ‘Civilized World’ watched in silence and inaction. Yazidis are, according to a BBC video, a secretive religious minority based in Southern Turkey, Northern Iraq and Syria. Yazidi mean ‘worshippers of God’ and have to be born to it as conversion to Yazidism is not possible. They revere the Koran and the Bible but much of their tradition is oral. They are Monotheists but believe in seven spirits, especially the Peacock Angel, and are mistakenly believed to be ‘Devil worshippers’ by some Christians and Muslims. They number less than half a million and, interestingly, believe in reincarnation, allowing purification through continual rebirth. A minority that practises a religion which looks like a synthesis of all the great religions may be lost for ever, if ‘IS’ is allowed to have its’ way.
UN has estimated that 1.2 million Iraqis have been internally displaced and declared the highest level of emergency but, for a long time, those who jump up to support any group opposing any government have remained silent enjoying their summer holidays! Obama was shown brushing up his tees and Cameron enjoying a fish market in Portugal! Are they not the Nero’s of the modern times?
I cannot find much justification for the ‘Great War’, which was renamed ‘The First world War’ after the second WW, which had a clear purpose. Though I wonder whether nearly ten million lives lost in WW1 could have been averted had the politicians of the day were blessed with a little more sense, over 50 million lives lost in WW2, perhaps, was inevitable considering the evil at play. It gave a chance for USA to test its nuclear power and resulted in the United Kingdom going bankrupt and losing its’ Empire. Whoever at fault, one would have thought all this massive loss of valuable lives would have taught us a lesson and make us strive for a lasting peace. Well, it did not happen and we are still fighting!
I can well understand USA going to war in Afghanistan, to destroy Al Qaeda, after the attack on Twin-Towers in New York but can never fathom why they started a war in Iraq as well, at the same time. If you go by BBS logic, we should support all the misdeeds of George W Bush simply because he did us a great favour by proscribing the LTTE. While thanking him for that gesture, may I be permitted to ask "President Bush, why the hell did you go to Iraq and let the genie out of the bottle which, now, is destroying that country"? May I also ask Mr. Blair, sorry, Tony, as he prefers to be addressed as "Why the hell did you not stop that madness which is continuing to haunt you. Unlike for Bush, I have great respect for you as the most dynamic British Politician of our time and regret that your image is tarnished by this great blunder"
Having de-stabilised Iraq, the US and the UK have a responsibility which Obama and Cameron are shirking! As leaders of these two countries they are obliged to assume responsibility, though the initial blunders were committed by their predecessors, which they do not seem interested in doing. While ‘IS’ is spreading its’ virulent doctrine of religious intolerance and hatred, which is a great threat to world peace, these two non-leaders are looking for ‘patch-work solutions’ than taking proper action. While Mr Cameron goes on talking and talking with no action, Mr. Obama seems at last woken up from a slumber and taken some action, air strikes,which helped Kurdish and Iraqi forces to take over the Mosul Dam, the first defeat inflicted on ‘IS’
When there are protests against governments taking sides is totally different from taking action against a terrorist group of religious extremists who kill innocents simply for their beliefs. I am no supporter of wars but, together with the majority of the British Public, am shocked when leaders do not rise up to the virulent war cry of ‘Convert or Die’!
