Sri Lanka: Easter Day Bombing Looking Like an Inside Job

A ravaged Church

On June 11th, the former Muslim governor of the Western province, Azath Salley, speaking to the Parliamentary Select Committe (PSC) reiterated that he warned

the President, Maithripala Sirisena, just a few days to the Easter day attacks of the impending doom. 

Azath Salley went further to make statements that are yet to be refuted by the Sri Lankan government. He said the terror group responsible for the attacks received financial and intelligence support from Sri Lanka’s intelligence authorities. 

The PSC was instituted on May 22nd by the parliament to investigate the attacks and find the loopholes that might have been exploited for the attacks to be possible. 

On April 21st, a terror group that aligns itself with ISIS (Thowheed Jamath) carried out a string of bombings against three Churches and three luxury hotels. 

In a video claiming responsibility for the attacks, the group said the attacks were retaliation against the Christian population for the Christ Church Mosque shootings in New Zealand.

Here are some revelations made by Mr Azath Salley:

• The Muslim community had been warning the government about Thowheed Jamath since 1994. 
• From 2005 onwards, the Thowheed Jamath and the Police worked together.
• Thowheed Jamath torched 120 houses belonging to Muslims in Kattankudy in the Eastern Province in 2017, however the police did nothing to arrest the terrorists.
• Muslims who went to file complaints with the police against the terror group were either chased away or arrested.
• The OIC (Officer in Charge) who was preparing to arrest Hashim Zahran (leader of the group) was transferred immediately.
• Azath Salley personally warned the President about the terror group at least thrice. 

Azath Salley is not the only one suspecting a conspiracy. Dispassionate UPFA (United People's Freedom Alliance) MP and SLFP (Sri Lanka Freedom Party) General Secretary, Dayasiri Jayasekera, who testified before the parliamentary select committee said an international force was behind the Easter Sunday attacks.

“It is common knowledge that certain countries are getting involved in Sri Lanka’s affairs. Therefore, I don’t believe the Easter Sunday attacks were carried out by ISIS. There are certain international forces that used Zahran as a tool. Therefore, I am sure that there is an international force behind the attacks”, he said.

In a now deleted article from 2016, the Sri Lanka Mirror newspaper reported that intelligence authorities had uncovered a defense ministry account that was established under the regime of former President, Mahinda Rajapaksa.

It claimed that the cash was used to fund a number of terror groups including Thowheed Jamath, whose splinter group carried out the Easter day attacks.

According to a 2011 census, Sri Lanka’s 21 million population is composed of 70.2% Theravada Buddhists, 12.6% were Hindus, 9.7% were Muslims and 7.4% Christians (6.1% Roman Catholic and 1.3% other Christian)

Combining the Muslim population to the Christian population we get 17.1%, still a minority. Muslims always wondered, why would a group from a minority attack another minority population? Something always smelled fishy.

Quite shockingly, the president, Maithripala Sirisena, instructed his principal officers not to honour any invitations by the PSC. 

This gives observers every right to believe the Sri Lankan government is withholding information about the attacks.

The Sri Lankan police arrested the IGP and a former defense chief, Pujith Jayasundara and Hemasiri Fernando respectively on July 2nd over alleged failures to prevent the Easter Sunday bombings that killed 258 people. They were both released on bail on July 9^th with no apologia tendered.

On June 3rd, all nine Muslim ministers and two provincial governors (including Azath Salley) in Sri Lanka resigned from their posts to protest the failure of the Sri Lankan government to protect the community from mob violence by Buddhists. 

Muslim homes and business have come under attack with several Muslims sustaining fatal injuries; a few have also lost their lives.

If this was truly an inside job, what could have been the motive?

Rising Muslim Population

Buddhist believe the rising Muslim population will threaten their dominance in the near future. According to population data in Sri Lanka, between 1981 and 2012 the Buddhist population increased from 69.30% to 70.19%, the Hindu population decreased from 15.48% to 12.61%, the Muslim population increased from 7.56% to 9.71%, the Christian population decreased from 7.62% to 7.45%.

The Muslim population increased from 1,046,900 (7.05%) in 1981 to 1,869,820 (9.23%) in 2012, an over-all increase of 822,920 (78.60%). 

During the same period the over-all increase of the island’s population was from 14,846,800 to 20,263,723, that is an increase by 5,416,923 (36.48%). 

Therefore the population increase of the Muslims is double that of the national average.

This is largely due to the high birth rate in Muslim communities. Also coupled to this is the fact that a lot of Buddhist locals have been converting to Islam in recent years. 

This has led to attacks on Muslims in Sri Lanka by Buddhists who accuse Muslims of forcing locals to embrace Islam, the allegation has never been proven.

Financial Strength of Muslims

Muslims in Sri Lanka relatively wealthier than the rest of the population since they have a long history of trade hence, poor financial policies of the government affects them less. 

Among the 'Ten Richest people in Sri Lanka', two are Muslims. 

This jealousy can be seen in the fact that despite the Christian population being the major victim of the Easter day attacks, those who come out to attack Muslim homes and businesses have been Buddhists.

It might not be wrong to say that what has prompted the ethnic cleansing of the Rohingya Muslims in Burma is being adopted by the Sri Lankan state to make the Muslim community a pariah.

Plot to Control Muslims and Islamic Thought

On May 12^th, the Muslim Religious and Cultural Affairs Ministry has presented to the Government a bill called the Madrasa Education Regulatory Act that seeks to set up a Board with powers of regulation, registration, supervision, control and development of education within Madrasas in Sri Lanka. 

The bill has a separate provision that states that an employee of an affiliated Madrasa “…shall not take part in, or subscribe in aid of, or assist in any way, any movement or any activities tending directly or indirectly to excite disaffection against the Government as by law established…”.

The Madrasa Education Board shall also cause the registration of all Madrasas, Arabic Colleges or other such institutions teaching Quran, Arabic language, Islamiat–that is, Tafsir, Hadith, Fiqh, Kalam, Usul, M’aqulat, Faraid and relevant subjects–whether incorporated or not. None of them would be permitted to function unless registered under the proposed law.

Facts surrounding the Easter bombings show government complicity and/or insouciance. The beliefs of the Muslim population had absolutely nothing to do with it. Besides, the attackers did not show any dissatisfaction against the government. 

Why then is the Islamic creed coming under such scrutiny.

Who is pushing what buttons in Sri Lanka with no concern for humanity? Time will tell.