How Sri Lanka Muslims suffer from Ethnic War and Tamil Tiger Terrorism
Bismillahi rahmani raheem
In August (2006) more than 40,000 Muslim civilians fled in fear from their hometown Muttur in eastern Sri Lanka, as violence erupted between Government forces and Tamil Tiger rebels over a neighbouring water sluice. About 100 civilians were also believed to be killed or missing from this clash. This is only one major incident in the sufferings Sri Lankan Muslims continue to undergo for more than 25 years.
Sri Lanka and Muslims
Sri Lanka is an island nation of 20 million people and it is located in the Indian ocean, just off the southern tip of India. It is home to Sinhala, Tamil and Muslim ethnic communities who have lived in harmony with each other for centuries. The Sinhalese form the majority (74%) of the population followed by Tamils (15%) and Muslims (9%).
Sri Lanka’s 1.5 million Muslims are mostly Moors (i.e. descendent's of Arab traders who settled in the island centuries ago) while about 1/10 of them are Malays (who came to Sri Lanka during Dutch & British colonial rule.) These Muslims have over the time developed their own Sri Lankan identity and live scattered throughout the country in small communities. In the present context it's also noteworthy Muslims form the single largest ethnic community in the eastern province.
The Separatist War
In early 1980s the rebel group called LTTE (Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam) or better known as Tamil Tiger, launched a violent separatist struggle for a separate Tamil state in the Tamil majority north-eastern provinces of the country claiming the Tamil people were oppressed by the majority Sinhala Government. The war that ensued has so far claimed more than 60,000 lives and has devastated the country and its people.
Tamil Tigers and Muslims
From the beginning of the separatist war Tamil Tigers claimed to represent and fight for what they claimed as the "oppressed" Tamil minority of Sri Lanka. In addition the Tamil Tiger rebels made a preposterous claim that Muslims were not a separate ethnic community or a minority but part of Sri Lanka’s Tamil ethnicity. This they made realizing the strategic importance of numbers in their struggle for a separate Tamil country and due to the considerable concentration of Muslims in north-eastern provinces.
But the Sri Lankan Muslims with their own ethnic, cultural and religious identity opposed the Tamil Tigers preposterous claim. And also having lived in harmony for centuries among the Sinhala majority and used to considering Sri Lanka as their motherland the Muslims vehemently opposed the Tiger rebels struggle for a separate country.
Violence against Muslims
All Sri Lankan ethnic communities have suffered from the war but the islands third, and smallest, ethnic community –the Sri Lankan Muslims have become the worst affected and forgotten losers in this vicious struggle.
Since the start of the separatist war Tamil Tigers planed and carried out ruthless attacks against the Muslims living in the north-eastern areas of the country including ethnic cleansing, mass killings, forcefully taking over Muslim properties, imposing various taxes, abducting Muslim youth as Tiger guerrilla cadres and others for ransom.
1990-1991 was a particularly terrible period for Muslims. In October 1990 the Tamil Tigers ordered all Muslims living in Tiger controlled northern Jaffna peninsula to leave within 48 hours or face execution. So nearly 90,000 Jaffna Muslims fled from their homes overnight. Each fleeing person was only allowed to take 300 rupees in cash (around 10 US $ then) and a few cloths and leave behind everything else they had, which subsequently the Tamil Tigers took over. These Muslims fleeing the northern peninsula were gathered in refugee camps in Putlam and Kalpity areas. These Muslim people had lived better lives in Jaffna while some had even been very successful businessmen. Even today after 15 years, around 53,000 of them still live in these refugee camps.
The same year Tamil Tigers massacred 172 Muslims praying in a Mosque in the eastern town of Kathankudy. Not stopping from these, they have since then killed many thousands of north-eastern Muslims by sporadic attacks, not to mention they have taken over Muslim peoples properties in Eastern areas under their control. So the mainly agrarian North-Eastern Muslims have been continuously suffering in the hands of the ruthless Tamil Tigers.
Current Situation of Muslims
The successive governments elected to power have not addressed the concerns and sufferings of Muslims. Furthermore on many occasions the protection offered by Government forces to the Muslims has been inadequate, thus exposing them to the ruthless Tamil Tiger terrorism. Meanwhile the Government, Muslims and Sinhalese from other parts of the country, Islamic organizations and other NGOs, continue aid and rehabilitation efforts. However the relief and rehabilitation efforts are insufficient and with the continuation of hostilities despite a ceasefire since 2002, Muslims in war-torn areas continue to endure the adversities of war.
Meanwhile Muslim political parties and representatives are stuck in personal wrangling and are divided. Many Muslim politicians are trying to make the pains and sufferings of these destitute people into their own personal projects to uplift their political image. This was evident from the recent Muttur incident where currently 40,000 Muslims are displaced and continue to live in refugee camps undergoing much hardship. Consequently there is no one to speak for the real concerns and sufferings of the Muslims.
Caught in this intricate and seemingly endless web of violence between Tamil Tiger terrorists and the Government, Sri Lanka's Muslims are increasingly desperate, unsure which way to turn, and whom to trust. Forgotten victims of a particularly vicious war, they are trapped between hammer and anvil.
Related Useful Links:
In August (2006) more than 40,000 Muslim civilians fled in fear from their hometown Muttur in eastern Sri Lanka, as violence erupted between Government forces and Tamil Tiger rebels over a neighbouring water sluice. About 100 civilians were also believed to be killed or missing from this clash. This is only one major incident in the sufferings Sri Lankan Muslims continue to undergo for more than 25 years.Sri Lanka and Muslims
Sri Lanka is an island nation of 20 million people and it is located in the Indian ocean, just off the southern tip of India. It is home to Sinhala, Tamil and Muslim ethnic communities who have lived in harmony with each other for centuries. The Sinhalese form the majority (74%) of the population followed by Tamils (15%) and Muslims (9%).
Sri Lanka’s 1.5 million Muslims are mostly Moors (i.e. descendent's of Arab traders who settled in the island centuries ago) while about 1/10 of them are Malays (who came to Sri Lanka during Dutch & British colonial rule.) These Muslims have over the time developed their own Sri Lankan identity and live scattered throughout the country in small communities. In the present context it's also noteworthy Muslims form the single largest ethnic community in the eastern province.The Separatist War
In early 1980s the rebel group called LTTE (Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam) or better known as Tamil Tiger, launched a violent separatist struggle for a separate Tamil state in the Tamil majority north-eastern provinces of the country claiming the Tamil people were oppressed by the majority Sinhala Government. The war that ensued has so far claimed more than 60,000 lives and has devastated the country and its people.
Tamil Tigers and Muslims
From the beginning of the separatist war Tamil Tigers claimed to represent and fight for what they claimed as the "oppressed" Tamil minority of Sri Lanka. In addition the Tamil Tiger rebels made a preposterous claim that Muslims were not a separate ethnic community or a minority but part of Sri Lanka’s Tamil ethnicity. This they made realizing the strategic importance of numbers in their struggle for a separate Tamil country and due to the considerable concentration of Muslims in north-eastern provinces.But the Sri Lankan Muslims with their own ethnic, cultural and religious identity opposed the Tamil Tigers preposterous claim. And also having lived in harmony for centuries among the Sinhala majority and used to considering Sri Lanka as their motherland the Muslims vehemently opposed the Tiger rebels struggle for a separate country.
Violence against Muslims
All Sri Lankan ethnic communities have suffered from the war but the islands third, and smallest, ethnic community –the Sri Lankan Muslims have become the worst affected and forgotten losers in this vicious struggle.
Since the start of the separatist war Tamil Tigers planed and carried out ruthless attacks against the Muslims living in the north-eastern areas of the country including ethnic cleansing, mass killings, forcefully taking over Muslim properties, imposing various taxes, abducting Muslim youth as Tiger guerrilla cadres and others for ransom.1990-1991 was a particularly terrible period for Muslims. In October 1990 the Tamil Tigers ordered all Muslims living in Tiger controlled northern Jaffna peninsula to leave within 48 hours or face execution. So nearly 90,000 Jaffna Muslims fled from their homes overnight. Each fleeing person was only allowed to take 300 rupees in cash (around 10 US $ then) and a few cloths and leave behind everything else they had, which subsequently the Tamil Tigers took over. These Muslims fleeing the northern peninsula were gathered in refugee camps in Putlam and Kalpity areas. These Muslim people had lived better lives in Jaffna while some had even been very successful businessmen. Even today after 15 years, around 53,000 of them still live in these refugee camps.
The same year Tamil Tigers massacred 172 Muslims praying in a Mosque in the eastern town of Kathankudy. Not stopping from these, they have since then killed many thousands of north-eastern Muslims by sporadic attacks, not to mention they have taken over Muslim peoples properties in Eastern areas under their control. So the mainly agrarian North-Eastern Muslims have been continuously suffering in the hands of the ruthless Tamil Tigers.
Current Situation of Muslims
The successive governments elected to power have not addressed the concerns and sufferings of Muslims. Furthermore on many occasions the protection offered by Government forces to the Muslims has been inadequate, thus exposing them to the ruthless Tamil Tiger terrorism. Meanwhile the Government, Muslims and Sinhalese from other parts of the country, Islamic organizations and other NGOs, continue aid and rehabilitation efforts. However the relief and rehabilitation efforts are insufficient and with the continuation of hostilities despite a ceasefire since 2002, Muslims in war-torn areas continue to endure the adversities of war.Meanwhile Muslim political parties and representatives are stuck in personal wrangling and are divided. Many Muslim politicians are trying to make the pains and sufferings of these destitute people into their own personal projects to uplift their political image. This was evident from the recent Muttur incident where currently 40,000 Muslims are displaced and continue to live in refugee camps undergoing much hardship. Consequently there is no one to speak for the real concerns and sufferings of the Muslims.Caught in this intricate and seemingly endless web of violence between Tamil Tiger terrorists and the Government, Sri Lanka's Muslims are increasingly desperate, unsure which way to turn, and whom to trust. Forgotten victims of a particularly vicious war, they are trapped between hammer and anvil.
Related Useful Links:
- Sri Lanka - Muslim History & General Statistics
- Sri Lanka Ministry of Defence
- Sri Lanka Muslim Portal
- SPUR News Centre
Labels: Buddhist, Hindu, LTTE, Malays, Minority, Moors, Muslims, Sinhala, South Asia, Sri Lanka, Tamil Tigers, Tamils, Terrorism, War
posted by 1 Muslim Nation at 9:46 PM
5 Comments:
Krishna-Kirir wrote as """"""""As regards to how the press reports ethnic cleansing, I think the term is accurate. The LTTE engages in ethnic cleansing against at least two groups: the Simhalese, who are Buddhists, and the Muslims. I've not heard of it, but I wouldn't be surprised if Christians also found themselves on the wrong end of an LTTE sponsored ethnic cleansing."""""""""""""""""""""""
WELL, I CAN'T SEE ANY UTTER LIE IN THE WORLD THAN THESE ALLEGATIONS AGAINST A GENUINE LIBERATION ORGANISATION LIKE LTTE.
PLEASE REFER THE SRILANKAN CENSUS(IN TAMIL AREAS ESPECIALLY IN THE EAST -TRINCOMALLEE, BATTICOLA, AMPARA AND IN THE NE MANALARU AND VAVUNIYA IN THE NORTH)TO SEE THE PATTERN OF ETHNIC CLEANSING OF TAMILS AND MUSLIMS BY THE SRILANKAN GOVERNMENTS SINCE 1948 TO DATE. THE LATEST EXAMPLE- SRILANKAN OPEN NAKED ETHNIC CLEANSING OF MORE THAN 200,000 TAMILS IN TRINCOMALLEE AND VAHARAI IN BATTICOLA.
THE SINHALESE POPULATION WAS UNDER 0.5% OF THE ENTIRE POPULATION OF NORTH AND EAST IN 1948. ONE WONDER HOW THE SINHALESE POPULATION GROWN TO 40% IN THE EAST ALONE IF THE LTTE ETHNICALLY CLEANSED THEM???????????????????????????????
THE MUSLIM POPULATION WERE ETHNICALLY CLEANSED BY THE SINHALA CHAUVINIST TERRORISTS IN 1915.
PLEASE SEE THE NEWS IN 1915 AND READ HOW THE SINHALA TERRORISTS ETHNICALLY CLEANSED MUSLIMS FROM KANDY DISTRICT.
Riots 1915
1915 Major Sinhala-Muslim riot took place. In June, Sinhala Budhist-Muslim riots in Ceylon. Riots spread from the central province to the western and northwestern provinces.
There were heavy casualities amongst the Muslims. According to available records, 146 Muslims were killed and 405 Muslims were injured and 62 Muslims women have been raped by major Sinhalese. Nearly 85 mosques were damaged and more than 4,075 Muslin-owned shops were looted by the Sinhala rioters.
http://www.nitharsanam.com/?page=riot_1915
PLEASE READ HOW THE SRILANKA SYSTEMATICALLY ETHNICALLY CLEANSED TAMILS AND MUSLIMS IN THE EAST AND COLONISED SINHAESE CRMINALS AND THUGS WITH WEAPONS INTO THE TAMIL AREAS.
A Rebuttal to H.L.De Silva's Reviving the Moribund Concept of a merger: A Betrayal of the National Interest
http://www.tamilcanadian.com/page.php?cat=74&id=4788
PLEASE ALSO SEE THE INDICTMENT OF SRILANK: WAR ON TAMILS
http://www.tamilnation.org/indictment/index.htm
http://www.tamilnation.org/humanrights.htm
PLEASE READ THE BLOODY HISTORY OF THE NAZI SINHALA TERRORIST STATE CALLED SRILANKA WHO USE BUDDHISM AND DEMOCRACY AS TWIN COVER TO HIDE THE SYSTEMATIC ETHNIC CLEANSING OF TAMILS, MUSLIMS AND CHRISTIANS SINCE 1948 TO DATE.
AS PER SO CALLED HINDU TERRORISM, WE TAMILS ARE THE MOST SECULUR PEOPLE IN THE WORLD AND DON'T FAVOUR ANY RELIGION AS WE VALUE THE THE MOST SECULUR BOOK CALLED THIRUKKURAL AS OUR BIBLE RATHER THAN BEING NARROW MINDE INTO RELIGIOUS BOOKS AND SEE THE LTTE'E ISGA PROPOSALS
Proposal of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam on behalf of the Tamil people
for an agreement to establish an interim self governing authority
for the North-East of the island of Sri Lanka
http://www.tamilnation.org/conflictresolution/tamileelam/norway/031101isga.htm
WHERE YOU CAN FIND THAT NO RELIGION WILL BE GIVEN PRIVILLAGE STATUS IN TAMIL AREAS BUT SRILANKA ENACTED THE SINHALA AND BUDDHISM AS THE STATE ONLY LANGUAGE AND RELIGION IN 1956 AND STILL REFUSUING TO BE SECULUR.
TAMILS HAD THEIR SEPARATE NATION BEFORE THE BRITISH CAME TO THE ISLAND, DUTCH AND PORTUGESE GOVERNED BOTH TAMIL AND SINHALA NATIONS SEPARATELY BUT THE BRITISH INVADERS JOINED BOTH OF THEM WITHOUT OUR CONSENT. TAMILS SHOULD HAVE SEPARATED THE TAMILEELAM IN 1948 LIKE MOHAMMED ALI JINNAH DID SEAPRATE PAKISTAN FROM INDIA.
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You have really great taste on catch article titles, even when you are not interested in this topic you push to read it
Great Site. Was added to mybookmarks. Greetings From USA.
Funny that this person never heard of the Sinhalese-Muslim riots: http://rethinkingislam-sultanshahin.blogspot.com/2009/07/sri-lanka-muslims-tamil-converts-or.html !
After the Buddhist Nationalists have finished off the Tamil population, they will probably do this to the Muslims too: http://www.metaot.com/blog/occupational-alienation-personal-perspective
V
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