Convert or die August 26, 2014, 12:00 pm

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’!

Life and Lives Outside Politics May 10, 2014, 12:00 pm

Life and Lives Outside Politics

May 10, 2014, 12:00 pm 

Solias Mendis

Ruwanweli Seya

Reviewed by Leelananda De Silva

Selected Writings of an Octogenarian by Upali K. Salgado, 132 pages, published by the author, 2014, price Rs. 500. (To be obtained from Upali K. Salgado, 29, Deal Place A, Colombo 3.)

Not many can write books on history. Many more have the capacity to place on record their memories of people and places and events, of which they have had some experience in their lifetime. This can be done in the form of brief articles to newspapers and journals. That would be an enormous contribution to the later, more organized writing of history. Among the largely ephemeral news and feature articles that appear in newspapers, there are selected writings which are of more lasting value. It is one of the important functions of newspapers to provide the space for recording these more lasting memories of its readers and writers. Then it is also possible to regular contributors to these newspapers, especially now when printing technology is so advanced, to bring their writings together in book form. Unlike long narrative historical writings, these collected works are more likely to be read or dipped into by ordinary men and women, creating an intellectual curiosity in a subject which might arouse their interest. Reading Upali Salgado’s book can create a more abiding interest in the people and the places he has described, and lead to further inquiry.

Salgado’s book consists of 25 articles which had appeared sometime or the other in daily newspapers. It is broadly classified into three categories – A Periscopic view of Buddhism, Portrait Gallery and Of People, Places and Events. They are a rich and varied selection. In the first section are articles on the revival of Buddhism in India, and more particularly, the archaeological findings in that country. There are also articles such as the restoration of Swarnamali Maha Seya. In the portrait gallery, are to be found brief discussions on notable figures of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries such as Anagarika Dharmapala, the well known philanthropist Sir Charles De Soysa and of artists like Solias Mendis and many others. In the section on places and events, there are, among others, two or three engaging articles on Colombo and of the Uva province. The book certainly has a pronounced slant on many issues relating to Buddhist activities.

A brief word on the author is appropriate at this point. Upali K. Salgado, after his education at St. Thomas’ College, Mt. Lavinia, and the University of Ceylon during the last days of Ivor Jennings, had a long career with the Lake House newspaper group, and was close to the Wijewardene family. He had been engaged in various Buddhist activities, and was the editor of an annual journal "Wesak Lipi" for 25 years. He has also been active in the Scouts movement. A man of varied experience and of great intellectual curiosity, he is a mine of information on the social history of the twentieth century. His writings in this volume are loaded with fascinating anecdotes, which are not generally known, and the book is valuable for these alone. The author quotes from Reverend Walpola Rahula, "The spirit of tolerance and understanding has been from the beginning one of the most cherished ideals of Buddhist culture, and civilization. That is why there is not a single example of persecution or of shedding of blood in converting people to Buddhism during the long history of over 2500 years." There is no doubt that it is this kind of Buddhism that the author believes in.

The articles on "Pathfinders of Buddhist Glory and Resurgence in India" and "The Kapilavasthu Buddha Relics and Sir Alexander Cunningham" describe the contributions of various Western and more particularly British colonial public servants in the re-discovery of Buddhism in India in the nineteenth and the early twentieth centuries. Several individuals like Cunningham and Archibald Carlyle, by their archaeological excavations brought to light the forgotten history of Buddhist sites and relics. Without that effort, Buddhism might have languished in the land of its birth. It is an intriguing question whether Buddhism would have flourished to the extent that it does now, without the British empire, as there were other forces in India at work to erase the traces of the Buddhist religion in that country. Today, the Buddhist pilgrimage to India is a highly popular religious activity, undertaken by both rich and poor. I wonder how many of these pilgrims are aware of the way in which these Buddhist centres of pilgrimage were re-discovered for them to see a hundred years later. Not many of them can read books such as Charles Allen’s "The Buddha and the Sahibs". It is worthwhile for Buddhist pilgrims to India, to be better informed about the events that led to the restoration of these places of worship.

The chapter on "Swarnamali Maha Seya and the Forgotten Monk" is a delightful evocation of the restoration of Ruwanweli Seya. It is a now forgotten monk – Venerable Naranvita Sumanasara Thera who started the work of restoration of the then dilapidated chaithya in 1873, and initially, he did the work all by himself.

He lived in the dense jungle, clearing it to the extent possible and lived for long years in an abandoned bullock cart with a lantern and mongrel for company. Thirty years later, in 1902, he founded the Ruwanweli Seya Restoration Society to take the work further after his death. (The year and date of his death is not known.) Ultimately, on 17th June 1940, the pinnacle laying ceremony of the Seya took place. By that time, many rich and well known people especially from Colombo and further south had contributed substantial sums of money for the restoration to be completed. The author notes one such donor – Situge Don Hendrick Silva (Henegama Appuhamy) from Ruhuna, who had donated 250,000 rupees, which was a handsome donation at that time.

Another article which is of great interest is the one on Solias Mendis, a painter of genius, who unlike George Keyt, has been relatively neglected. Walimuni Solias Mendis was born in 1896, and was educated at a pirivena. He had adorned many temples with his paintings. Solias Mendis came to fame when Mrs. Helena Wijewardene of Sedawatta Walauwa selected him to paint the walls of a new wing which she built at Kelaniya temple. Before he undertook the task, he was sent to India to see the paintings at Ajantha and Bhag. "Mendis introduced to the Kelaniya Vihare the style of Ravi Varma, which was associated with the Bengali renaissance of art. Much attention was given to detail of facial expressions. These inspired creations when clothed in a mixture of soft shades, giving flashes of a little orange and a mixture of lemon and red where necessary, provided life and contrast". However, Solias Mendis did not complete the work at Kelaniya temple, as he had some disagreement with the management. His patroness, Helena Wijewardene had passed away by that time. Solias Mendis retired into village life and never painted again. Later in 1948, at the request of D.S. Senanayake, he was brought to decorate the hall at Independence Square, to mark the freedom day celebrations. Solias Mendis passed away in 1975. The author has made an important contribution in keeping the memory of Solias Mendis, a truly great and indigenous artist, alive.

Two articles on Colombo and the Uva province are worth noting for the many snippets of information and anecdotes they contain. The author refers to over one thousand roadways in Colombo called lanes, places, avenues, gardens and passages apart from the main streets. The names they have been given enlightens us to the history of these roads, if only they are known now. To illustrate, there is Tickell road in Borella. R.H. Tickell was the engineer who commenced work on the municipal sewage scheme in 1902, and the road is named after him. Apparently, the expenditure on this scheme crippled the finances of the Colombo Municipal Council for many years. The article on the Uva province is of topical interest now that this area is opening up for tourism. There are various names connected with the province and one such was D.C. Kotelawela, a great philanthropist. He was the founder of Dharmadutha College, a leading boys school in Badulla, and his son, Sir Henry Kotelawela was a member of the Legislative and the State Councils for 27 years. He founded the Sujatha Vidyalaya for girls. The role of the Kotelawela family in Uva offers insights into other such philanthropic activities in the provinces of Sri Lanka by other families, and which are not widely known.

This relatively slim volume deserves to be widely read. It is written in simple language. It is this kind of book with a popular appeal which deserves to be translated into local languages. This book should also be an inspiration for ordinary men and women to write down their own experiences, not necessarily for publication, as many events which are personally experienced, and which have a wider relevance would be lost sight of once the person who had that experience is no longer there. The article on Uva province in particular brings up the relevance of more extensive writings on provincial life and experience of the past before our generation passes away from the scene.

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US resolution, Pillay’s report inflict harm on reconciliation – GoSL March 5, 2014, 9:48 pm

US resolution, Pillay’s report inflict harm on reconciliation – GoSL

March 5, 2014, 9:48 pm 

Prof. G.L. Peiris addressing UNHRC session in Geneva

Sri Lanka yesterday rejected a US-led resolution meant to pave the way for an international investigation into accountability issues in Sri Lanka.

The resolution jointly tabled by the UK, Montenegro, Macedonia and Mauritius welcomed UNHRC Chief Navi Pillay’s recommendations and conclusions on the need for an independent and credible international investigation in the absence of a credible national process with tangible results.

 External Affairs Minister, Prof. G. L. Peiris yesterday told the 25th Session of the Geneva-based body that the government of Sri Lanka rejected the resolution as well as the UNHRC Chief’s report in its entirety as they were fundamentally flawed.

Minister Peiris said: "These initiatives disregard the substantial progress made by the Government during the five years which have elapsed since the end of the thirty year war against terrorism. They also pay scant regard to the complexities and local nuances of a sensitive reconciliation process, while eroding confidence of the people of Sri Lanka by the constant changing of unjustifiable demands. Moreover, they persist in an attitude which is clearly disproportionate to the circumstances and inconsistent with the treatment of comparable situations. It is much to be regretted that the High Commissioner’s Report and those who exalt its virtues only seek to inflict harm on the reconciliation process by bringing about a polarisation of the Sri Lankan society."Prof. Peiris reiterated Sri Lanka’s continued cooperation and engagement with the UNHRC.

The resolution, which is to be voted at the end of this month, will be the third in as many year since the conclusion of the conflict.

 The resolution also recommends the establishment of a truth seeking mechanism, a national reparations policy, to hold individuals responsible accountable for violations of international human rights law, investigate all attacks against religious minorities, journalists, human rights defenders and civil society.

 The resolution seeks meaningful devolution of powers in terms of the 13th amendment to the constitution and to empower the Tamil chief minister in the north with necessary resources and authority.

Minister Peiris told the UNHRC: "The High Commissioner’s Report has exceeded its mandate by making reference to and recommendations on numerous issues extraneous to the resolution. Additionally, the recommendations contained in the Report are arbitrary, intrusive and of a political nature, and are not placed within the ambit of the LLRC, as demonstrated by the call to establish an international inquiry mechanism. Further, this recommendation is in contravention of her mandate granted by GA Resolution 48/141, particularly Articles 3(a) and 4(g). In the Government’s detailed "Comments" on the Report, it has also regretted that the High Commissioner has raised concerns regarding a range of issues based on information of questionable veracity and conclusions arrived at in a selective and arbitrary manner. Sri Lanka’s Comments have attempted to address some of the errors and misperceptions contained in the Report."

In an obvious reference to UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon welcoming of Pillay’s report, Prof. Peiris said: "The references made in the Council welcoming the High Commissioner’s Report on Sri Lanka, even at the highest level of the UN are regrettable, particularly considering that it is based on questionable and baseless material including what has been processed outside the UN framework. The Council may recall in this regard that the Panel of Experts Report which was the culmination of a private consultation that the Secretary General sought for his own advice, and is not the product of any intergovernmental process, has been extensively resorted to by the High Commissioner in her Report to the Council, in a bid to legitimise it within the UN framework despite the lack of mandate in this regard."

"It is universally accepted that the High Commissioner and the OHCHR must remain transparent, objective and be guided solely by the mandate given by the UN. However, if the initiatives taken on Sri Lanka at this juncture by the OHCHR is to be the basis on which the country is to be judged, it will clearly be a travesty of justice.

It is in this context that we greatly value the sentiments expressed in the Council by countries which have similar experiences with regard to reconciliation, that Sri Lanka be provided with the requisite time and space to address their own process domestically in a comprehensive manner as opposed to those who continue to pay disproportionate attention to Sri Lanka, based on agendas driven by political motives."

Prof. Peiris said that in spite of the government of Sri Lanka cooperating with the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), there had been a series of actions, in particular the introduction of country specific action on Sri Lanka in this Council. Such actions was evidence of lack of sensitivity in dealing with delicate situations and exposed the unfair and biased manner in which issues pertaining to Sri Lanka have been addressed.

The minister said: "Detailing of two of the most recent examples suffice.

In September 2013, in contravention of HRC resolution 5/1, specifically Rule 14 (47) and Paragraph 117 which casts a duty on the OHCHR that acts as the Secretariat of the Council to prepare and circulate documents for consideration by the Council in a timely manner, the text of the Oral Update of the High Commissioner was made available to Sri Lanka for response as the state concerned, with less than 20 hours remaining for its consideration in the Council."

"In February 2014, the non-adherance by the OHCHR to the request by Sri Lanka to publish the Comments by the State on the Report of the High Commissioner (A/HRC/25/23) as an Addendum to the Report in the current session in spite of existence of clear precedent in this regard and no rule to the contrary governing Addenda and submission of comments by the State on HC / SG Country Reports, is again in contravention of the Methods of Work of the Council which clearly state at Paragraph 110 of the IB package that "The methods of work, pursuant to General Assembly resolution 60/251 should be transparent, impartial, equitable, fair, pragmatic; lead to clarity, predictability, and  inclusiveness. They may also be updated and adjusted over time."

"These are examples of patent bias demonstrated by the OHCHR in addressing issues in relation to Sri Lanka. The OHCHR’s most recent act of placing the Comments of the Government of Sri Lanka on the Report A/HRC/25/23 under ‘Communications from Governments’, has seriously impeded the visibility and integrity of between the Report and the Comments by the State. It not only reflects a lack of transparency, but also clearly denies Sri Lanka a level playing field to present its point of view. The unequal treatment meted out to Sri Lanka by the OHCHR in the above instance defeats the very principles upheld by the Council.

The procedural concerns that Sri Lanka has raised with the President of the Council with regard to the above anomalies have wider relevance to member and observer states of the Council. They also raise serious questions on politicization and collusion of interests against Sri Lanka."

A case for the racism paradigm February 28, 2014, 8:53 pm

A case for the racism paradigm

February 28, 2014, 8:53 pm 

By Izeth Hussain

What are ethnic problems about? Almost invariably they are about discrimination. Sometimes ethnic groups claim the right to establish a separate state on the principle of self-determination and that is the source of some ethnic problems. But for the most part even they are willing to forego the claim to a separate state if they are given fair and equal treatment – that is, if they are not subjected to discrimination.

So, discrimination is of the very essence of ethnic problems. But there is a curious lacuna in the terminology used in ethnic discourse. In the act of discrimination x is the subject who discriminates against y who is the object of discrimination. What is the term to designate x? There is no such term as "ethnicist" unlike the term "racist" in the discourse of racism. Therefore ethnic discourse neatly elides away what is at the very core of ethnic problems: discrimination. That suits the purposes of majoritarian racists.

Also revealing is the discourse on national identity. From 1989 to 1994 I participated in several seminars on national identity, and I even presented papers at a couple of them. At that time the widespread assumption in the intellectual community was that the answer to the ethnic problem was to work out an authentic Sri Lankan national identity transcending our ethnic and other identities. Maybe, but how was that to be done? As far as I can recall that question was hardly ever addressed. I myself came to the notion that developing a transcendent national identity would be possible only if the minorities are given fair and equal treatment – that is if they are not discriminated against. They would then develop a sense of togetherness, of belonging, of being not just in Sri Lanka but of Sri Lanka. A scholar researching all that dreary material on national identity would probably find that it was only I, a minority member, who stressed the importance of the problem of discrimination in connection with national identity. The majority members ignored that problem. That was possible and convenient within the confines of ethnic discourse. On the other hand, the discourse of racism would bring the problem of discrimination to the forefront.

It is a curious fact that the term ‘racism’ has come into vogue in Sri Lanka in recent years, and it looks like it is in the process of replacing the earlier ubiquitous ‘communalism’. But, what is meant by ‘racism’ is not properly understood, certainly not in the way that it is very widely understood in the West. It seems to me important to bring about a proper understanding of what is meant by ‘racism’ because the paradigm of racism can enable us to handle our ethnic problems much more effectively than in the past, benefiting greatly from the vast experience gathered in the West in countering racism. The way we have handled our ethnic problems up to now has been – to put it in one precise eloquent word – idiotic.

I will not attempt to define ‘racism’ because all such political terms – for instance democracy, Fascism, terrorism and so on – can have over a hundred definitions and yet none of them will be definitive in the sense that it commands universal assent. Instead, I will provide some pointers to show how the term is understood today. The core idea is that some ethnic groups are inherently, intrinsically, essentially, enduringly, almost unchangeably inferior to others. At this point I must make a clarification. Traditionally, in the West, racism was understood to mean that some races were genetically and unchangeably inferior to others. But it came to be established that there is no such thing as a pure race, and besides it has proved impossible to establish that the inferiority of an ethnic group has been genetically determined. Therefore, ‘race’ has come to be replaced by ‘culture’ in the sociological sense, and we now have paradoxically racism without race. The important point, however, is that under modern racism some ethnic groups are seen as essentially inferior to others.

I must now explain what is meant by ‘essentialism’ as it is the key concept in race theory. This is what Pierre Andre Taguieff, one of the foremost theorists of race, has to say about it, in my literal translation: "Mode of thought which consists in attributing to all members of a group, and tendentiously to them alone, certain characteristics, explaining these by the nature or essence of the group, (by its natural dispositions) rather than by situational factors".

Certain consequences follow from the above definition; one is what has been called ‘synechdocic substitution’, by which is meant the application to the whole of what is true only of the part. For instance, I am an orthodox Sunni Muslim and I am proud of being so, in which way I am a typical SL Muslim, but at the same time I am thoroughly Westernised and some would say an intellectual, in which ways I am not a typical SL Muslim. But the racist would say that the Westernisation is bogus and being an intellectual intolerable pretentiousness and that in essence I remain a trader, cunning, unscrupulous, and all out for gain. What might be true of a part is thus being applied to the whole. All this points to another characteristic of the racist: the propensity to think in terms of stereotypes.

One of the most important characteristics of racism is irrationality, which for some reason is not given central importance in race theory. It is not an exclusive defining characteristic because non-racists can be irrational, but it is an integral part of racism that should be given central importance because of its terrifying destructive and self-destructive potential. I have pointed out in an earlier article that it is arguable that Hitler lost the Second World War because of his racist belief that the Soviet Union would very quickly cave in to a German invasion. The reason why racism and irrationality go integrally together requires investigation. I have in mind some brilliant thinking by Bertrand Russell, not on racism but on irrationality, which cannot be covered in this article because it includes some complex philosophical arguments. So, I will merely quote the following from his 1935 essay, The Ancestry of Fascism: "Rationalism and anti-rationalism have existed side by side since the beginning of Greek civiisation, and each, when it has seemed likely to become completely dominant, has always led, by reaction, to a new outburst of its opposite".

In concluding this exposition of what is meant by racism I must make an important clarification. Ethno-centric prejudice is not the same thing as racism. One of the great anthropologists of the last century, Claude Levi-Strauss, wrote that there is not a single ethnic group, even those lost in the depths of the Matto Grosso jungle, which does not believe that its way of life incarnates all the best of which human life is capable. Suspicion and a jaundiced view of the Other may be practically ubiquitous all over the world. But if that is racism, it would not be particularly objectionable because it would be seen simply as part of the human condition. But, it is seen in the contemporary world as deeply objectionable, indeed as a disease that is containable and corrigible, if not entirely ineradicable,

Racism, therefore, is not just a matter of perceiving the Other negatively. Perception has to lead to action that is inimical to the legitimate interests of the Other. Perceiving the Other as essentially inferior, or as too alien to allow positive rapport with him or as threatening and dangerous, could lead to his being discriminated against, his being excluded in various ways, and even his being subjected to genocide. Perception is, of course, important because that is what could lead to negative action.

The above is in broad outline what I have in mind by the paradigm of racism, which I hold will lead to far more effective action on our so-called ethnic problems than has been the case hitherto. We can learn a great deal from the West about action to counter racism, a field in which they have much expertise after 1945. We urgently need legislation against hate speech. We need an Equal Opportunities Bill, which in fact was mooted in the late ’nineties by Prof. G. L. Peiris but was shamefully allowed to lapse by CBK. We need the equivalents of the West’s Race Relations Boards. And so on.

I believe that what we need, above all, is to bring about a widespread awareness that it is racism that has been wrecking our ethnic relations over many decades, racism on both sides of the ethnic fence, with the Muslims relentlessly bootlicking the Sinhalese power-elite. We need the equivalents of RAT (Racism Awareness Training) programmes that are in use in some Western countries, because most Sri Lankans I believe are not even aware of their own racism. We need to be made aware that it is the essentialising habit of mind that is at the core of racism that underlies our unconscionably protracted ethnic imbroglio: the Sinhalese believe that the Tamils are essentially separatist and will use devolution only to strike out for Eelam, while the Tamils believe that the Sinhalese will never give them fair and equal treatment because of an essential and unchangeable Mahawamsa mind-set.

I will conclude this article by looking at our ethnic imbroglio through another perspective: that of tribalism and universalism. We cannot transcend tribalism and racism through counter-tribalism and counter-racism. We can do that only through universalism. In Sri Lanka the four great world religions are flourishing, which by definition as world religions transcend tribalism and racism. Furthermore, the wider ecumenism establishing common ground between the four great world religions has been much in vogue in recent decades. But, the world religions can also be used only for the affirmation of group bonds and no more than that. The example of Islam in Sri Lanka is very striking. I believe that of all the great world religions Islam is the most universalist with a deep in-built abhorrence of tribalism and racism. But, in recent decades we have seen our Muslims use Islam for the affirmation of group bonds to what looks like a pathological extent. We cannot attain universalism through our religions. Is it – a heretical thought that will drive some Sri Lankans to fury – that we can attain universalism only through Westernisation?

Izethhussain@gmail.com