Sri Lanka has a catastrophic history of racism in Sri Lanka. Black July, The Civil War that lasted for almost a period of three decades, the anti-riots in 2014 & 2018 and the very most unresolved recent Easter Sunday attack. The history of Sri Lanka racist riots dates back to the year of 1915. There was a history of the Sinhalese-Tamil conflict which began in the year of 1956 and escalated throughout the years and finally lead to the first major attack in 1983 known as ‘Kalu Juliya’ (Black July) which began with the killing of 13 soldiers in Jaffna and lead to a major disaster.
Black July was the beginning of the Sri Lankan Civil War 1983-2009. Thousands of people were left dead and helpless, destructions in almost every part of the country, peace & harmony was destroyed ever since then. But then when Sri Lanka was granted a rare historic opportunity to restore the peace & harmony that once existed in the country, it lasted merely for a period of 4 years. In 2014, Sinhalese-Muslim riots were reported in towns of Aluthgama, Beruwala & Dharga Town in the Kalutara District and again in the year of 2018, riots were reported from the Ampara District and Kandy District.
Reasons for these riots;
12th June 2014 (2014 Anti-Muslim riot) - Buddhist monk Ayagama Samitha and his driver were allegedly assaulted by Muslims in Dharga Town.
Result of this riot,
Four people were killed.
80 injured.
Muslim owned shops were destroyed.
Over 10,000 iInnocent people were labelled victims due to this riot.
26th February 2018 (2018 Anti-Muslim riot)
Ampara - Allegations of ‘sterilization pills’ in food served at a Muslim eatery.
Kandy - Fatal assault on a Sinhalese lorry driver by four Muslim youths due to a traffic accident.
Result of this riot,
Two people were killed.
Total number of injured were 15.
As a result of these riots that have been taking place since 2012, social media such as Facebook, Instagram, Whatsapp and as the list goes on were blocked in parts of the country in an effort to ‘prevent mobs from organizing their attacks & spreading propaganda’...As if there aren’t other ways to do so…?
The Easter Sunday Attack then took place on the 21st of April 2019. Three churches & four hotels were bombed and small explosions had gone off in a housing complex in Dematagoda.
Reasons for this Attack;
A terrorism attack carried out targeting the Christian devotees and Tourists which was reported to be an attack by an Islamic extremist group named National Thoweeth Jama’ath which later on became a blame game which went to an extreme where the ISIS claimed that they carried out the attack.
Real Reason,
Attacks were carried out by Ismalic extremist groups & organizations under a certain political influence on behalf of the benefit of extremist politicians on getting agreements signed for their own satisfaction.
Result of this attack,
More than 259 people were killed.
A number exceeding 500 were disabled due to the explosions.
Hundreds of families were left helpless due to their losses.
Even though this attack was carried, shootings were reported from the Kalmunai area on the 26th of April 2019. Since then and up till now the current and most corruption regime are still unavailable to find the rightful person or terror group who is responsible for the loss of these innocent people’s lives. When will justice be brought forward & used properly in the correct manner to find who is truly responsible? Isn’t it clear ever since the 1983 attacks, have been done under certain someone’s influence? Haven’t all these attacks took place was in power in 1983?
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