Why are Muslims worried about Gotabhaya being elected President of Sri Lanka?

 19 Nov 2019 ( News Bureau )
POSTER

As soon as the news of Gotabhaya Rajapaksa's victory in the presidential election of Sri Lanka came, his supporters and party workers gathered at the party headquarters. The sentiments of the people were full of caution but most were satisfied that the Rajapaksa family has come back to power.

It has been a family affair. Gotabhaya's brother and former President Mahinda Rajapaksa lived here for 10 years and it is estimated that he could become the next Prime Minister. The two brothers appear together in posters and banners.

"This is the day of our victory. I have worked for it for over four years," says Sagala Abhayavikramme, who is part of a group of lawyers who campaigned for Rajapaksa.

She says clearly that Gotabhaya is the only person who can fix things.

"We have seen him as the defense minister, he ended the 30-year-long civil war."

Sagala Abhayavikram also credits the Rajapaksa team for the battle to defeat the LTTE 10 years ago. She says that if there was Gotabhaya Rajapaksa, there would not be an Easter attack.

"I think this is a historic turning point in Sri Lankan history," says Janaka Arunashantha, another supporter of Rajapaksa.

"On the economy and national security, I believe that in the next five years the country will be better in every respect. We have a lot of expectations from them."

Sri Lanka is still shaken by the serial blasts by Islamic extremists seven months ago. These attacks destroyed not only its economy but also the fragile communal relations of the island. This incident served as the final nail in the public's trust in the government.

However, the news of Gotabhaya Rajapaksa's victory would have been uneasy for the minority community of this country who voted for his rival, Sajita Premadasa.

Sri Lankan Muslim community considers Sajitha Premadasa more liberal. Premadasa has got votes in Sri Lanka's northern region, which is Tamil majority. It will be a difficult task to keep the various communities united and try to reconcile after the war.

In the past seven months, many Muslims say that fundamentalist Buddhist communities have launched a campaign against them in recent years, which is now openly visible.

Muslims say that their shops and businesses are being boycotted and they are openly humiliated on the streets, with their children being called by special names in schools.

Many people are afraid to speak publicly but they say with confidence that they are scared of Rajapaksa's victory. Rajapaksa has been seen promoting the interests of the majority Buddhist communities. At the same time, his critics accuse him of saving anti-Muslim extremists.

A Muslim woman expressed her concern. I have felt this uneasiness of Muslims constantly during the elections.

The woman says, "If Gotabhaya Rajapaksa wins, I will see violence and racism. Many racist groups are associated with this party."

When the election results came on Sunday, the roads in the capital Colombo were deserted and quiet. Authorities had banned demonstrations and gathering of people. The leaders were appealing for peace.

At the same time, Rajapaksa has also promised to maintain unity. The reaction comes after fears that minority communities have reported. He says that strict action will be taken on security at the cost of civil liberties.

Even if the political intent is real, the electoral results have shown how polarized Sri Lanka is. Therefore unity seems difficult to achieve.

 

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