Guarded by soldiers, defiant Sri Lankan Muslims pray for peace

Published April 26, 2019
A Sri Lankan Muslim man prays at the Dawatagaha Jumma Masjid during Friday noon prayers in Colombo. — AFP
A Sri Lankan Muslim man prays at the Dawatagaha Jumma Masjid during Friday noon prayers in Colombo. — AFP

As the call to prayer echoed through the subdued streets of Sri Lanka’s capital Colombo, crowds of Muslims were greeted with an unusual sight: their golden-domed mosque flanked by soldiers armed with assault rifles.

Security has ballooned in the seaside capital since a series of coordinated suicide attacks at hotels and churches on Easter Sunday killed 253 people and sent shockwaves through an island state that had enjoyed a decade of relative peace.

Nearly 10,000 soldiers were deployed across the Indian Ocean island state to carry out searches and provide security for religious centres.

Fears of retaliatory sectarian violence have already caused Muslim communities to flee their homes amid bomb scares, lockdowns and security sweeps.

But at the Kollupitiya Jumma Masjid mosque, tucked in between sleepy side streets, hundreds defied government calls to stay at home, attending a service they say was focused on a call for people of all religions to help return peace to Sri Lanka.

“It’s a very sad situation,” said 28-year-old sales worker Raees Ulhaq, as soldiers hurried on dawdling worshippers and sniffer dogs nosed their way through pot-holed lanes.

“We work with Christians, Buddhists, Hindus. It has been a threat for all of us because of what these few people have done to this beautiful country.”

Sunday’s bombings shattered the relative calm that has existed in Buddhist-majority Sri Lanka since a civil war against mostly Hindu ethnic Tamil separatists ended 10 years ago.

Sri Lanka’s 22 million people include minority Christians, Muslims and Hindus.

Muslims and Christians have largely lived peacefully side-by-side, immune from much of the tension that exists between the religious groups in many parts of the world.

Most Sri Lankans are praying that the church blasts five days ago will not open up irreversible rifts.

“Not all Muslims are terrorists,” Abdul Waheed Mohamed, a 43-year-old engineer, said after leaving Friday prayers.

“Every day since this carnage happened, me, my family, and all, we are praying to God, please bring us peace.”

Opinion

Editorial

Counterterrorism plan
Updated 23 Nov, 2024

Counterterrorism plan

Lacunae in our counterterrorism efforts need to be plugged quickly.
Bullish stock market
23 Nov, 2024

Bullish stock market

NORMALLY, stock markets rise gradually. In recent months, however, Pakistan’s stock market has soared to one ...
Political misstep
Updated 23 Nov, 2024

Political misstep

To drag a critical ally like Saudi Arabia into unfounded conspiracies is detrimental to Pakistan’s foreign policy.
Kurram atrocity
Updated 22 Nov, 2024

Kurram atrocity

It would be a monumental mistake for the state to continue ignoring the violence in Kurram.
Persistent grip
22 Nov, 2024

Persistent grip

An audit of polio funds at federal and provincial levels is sorely needed, with obstacles hindering eradication efforts targeted.
Green transport
22 Nov, 2024

Green transport

THE government has taken a commendable step by announcing a New Energy Vehicle policy aiming to ensure that by 2030,...