Sri Lanka arrests 19 after Buddhist-Muslim violence; four injured

[rooster59]

Sri Lanka arrests 19 after Buddhist-Muslim violence; four injured

By Shihar Aneez

 

COLOMBO (Reuters) - Sri Lankan police arrested 19 people after a clash between "extremists" from the majority Buddhist and minority Muslim communities in which four people were injured, a spokesman said on Saturday.

 

Tension has been growing between the two communities this year, with some hardline Buddhist groups accusing Muslims of forcing people to convert to Islam and vandalising Buddhist archaeological sites.

 

Some Buddhists nationalists have also protested against the presence in Sri Lanka of asylum seekers from mostly Buddhist Myanmar's persecuted Rohingya Muslim minority.

 

Police said the late Friday violence in the southern coastal town of Ginthota was triggered by rumours and fake messages on social media.

 

"This was a clash between a small fraction of extremists in the both ethnic groups," police spokesman Ruwan Gunasekera told Reuters.

 

One of those arrested was a woman who falsely spread news that Muslims were about to attack a Buddhist temple, he said.

 

"We've decided to arrest those who have been spreading false messages and rumours on social media."

 

Later police said all 19 suspects have been remanded until Nov. 30 and a local curfew had been imposed in the clash area for 12 hours to 0600 hours (0300 GMT) on Sunday.

 

Law and Order Minister Sagala Ratnayaka said "some political groups are now on a desperate mission to turn this minor brawl into a Sinhala-Muslim clash".

 

"I urge the public not to be misled by their false propaganda," he said.

 

Additional police battalions, elite police forces, the anti-riot squad and the military were called late on Friday to bring the situation under control.

Buddhists make up about 70 percent of Sri Lanka’s population of 21 million, compared with about 9 percent for Muslims.

 

President Maithripala Sirisena’s government, after coming under fire from rights groups and diplomats for not doing enough to crack down on hardline Buddhist groups, acted against anti-Muslim attackers in June this year.

 

That response came after more than 20 attacks on Muslims, including arson at Muslim-owned businesses and petrol-bomb attacks on mosques, were recorded in two months.

 

In 2014, three Muslims were killed in riots stirred up by hardline Buddhist groups.

 

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2017-11-19

[klauskunkel]

the Religion of Tolerance clashes with the Religion of Peace. Result: neither tolerance, nor peace, but a clear image of bigotry.

[Catoni]

  Just what is it with Islam and Muslims ? ?    Trouble in Bangladesh and Myanmar with them.... trouble with them in Europe,  Trouble with them in North America....  Trouble with them in the Middle East and Africa....  Trouble with them in the Philippines, especially violent on Mindanao....     (have I left any other Islam/Muslim trouble area out?)   Oh... I forgot ...trouble with them in the southern three Provinces of Thailand bordering on Malaysia....

        Just what is it with this religion/ideology ? ? ? Can anyone tell me ? ?   I'm willing to listen..  

 

Oh... and I forgot... trouble with them in Sri Lanka now.... of course..    BUT.. in this case... if so-called Buddhists started it... they should be arrested and face charges of course..  

Edited November 19, 2017 by Catoni
Addition

[Rancid]

Violent Muslims we come to expect as the deluded seem to believe the absurdity that murder and suicide buys them a stairway to heaven. Can understand any group being put off by them, however Buddha taught about the necessity of turning the other cheek long before Jesus.

[Srikcir]

9 hours ago, rooster59 said:

fake messages on social media

Hmmm. We've seen this before in recent history.

[Kiwiken]

54 minutes ago, Rancid said:

Violent Muslims we come to expect as the deluded seem to believe the absurdity that murder and suicide buys them a stairway to heaven. Can understand any group being put off by them, however Buddha taught about the necessity of turning the other cheek long before Jesus.

Seems to me that they seem to be saying that they are willing to live side by side providing the other side converts to Islam.

Rohingya again involved somehow. Is sad this may only end One way.

[IAMHERE]

"... hardline Buddhist groups"

Got to love that line, now I've heard everything.

[simple1]

40 minutes ago, IAMHERE said:

"... hardline Buddhist groups"

Got to love that line, now I've heard everything.

The fact is Hardline Nationalists who claim to be Buddhist operate at the national political level at a minimum in Thailand, Myanmar and Sri Lanka which as led to ongoing conflict. To me it comes across as a total contradiction to Buddhist principles, there again humanity primarily operates at the ego driven self interest level.

[BuaBS]

2 minutes ago, simple1 said:

To me it comes across as a total contradiction to Buddhist principles,

So Buddhists should be overrun by muslims because Buddhism is supposed to be non violent ?

[simple1]

27 minutes ago, BuaBS said:

So Buddhists should be overrun by muslims because Buddhism is supposed to be non violent ?

Don't be ridiculous. If you have even a minimum knowledge of the facts, as opposed to your extremist right wing opinions, you will know you're talking rubbish in reference to Sri Lanka, Thailand and Myanmar. Unfortunately extremist hardline nationalists are causing misery in the foregoing countries and not just for Muslims, which even the Trump Administration has acknowledged regards Myanmar.  

 

Investigations are long overdue with regards War Crimes by the Buddhist Senegalese military in Sri Lanka, primarily against Hindus. With regard to Thailand's deep South a backgrounder written by a Thai military officer may possibly open your eyes, though I doubt you would bother to educate yourself.

 

The Conflict in Southern Thailand

Centre for Defence and Strategic Studies

Australian Defence College

Written by Colonel Chumphot Nurakkate

 

 

 

 

Edited November 19, 2017 by simple1

[khunken]

22 minutes ago, BuaBS said:

So Buddhists should be overrun by muslims because Buddhism is supposed to be non violent ?

There is no evidence of Buddhists being overrun by Muslims - except in the bigoted minds of some.

One only has to look at how the 'oh so peaceful' Buddhist majority government in Sri Lanka committed war crimes in their ethnic cleansing of the Hindus of Tamil Nadu. Luckily the present leadership is a lot more attentive to any fake news issued to stir up clashes.

[UnkleMoooose]

Who doesn't love a bit of religion? It helps us all get along.

[alocacoc]

Islam is a death cult and a serious threat to the free world. Some countries realised this while others still hiding behind PC. There will be more clashes around the world as times go on.

 

Many countries will fall. Particularly European countries like the UK, France NL, Belgium, Sweden... Others have the chance to learn from history and current development.

 

Sent from my SM-G900F using Tapatalk

 

 

 

 

[Catoni]

21 hours ago, simple1 said:

The fact is Hardline Nationalists who claim to be Buddhist operate at the national political level at a minimum in Thailand, Myanmar and Sri Lanka which as led to ongoing conflict. To me it comes across as a total contradiction to Buddhist principles, there again humanity primarily operates at the ego driven self interest level.

      Hardline violent "Buddhists" by their very action of being violent... violate everything the Buddha taught...  They are Buddhist in name only...  

[Catoni]

21 hours ago, simple1 said:

Don't be ridiculous. If you have even a minimum knowledge of the facts, as opposed to your extremist right wing opinions, you will know you're talking rubbish in reference to Sri Lanka, Thailand and Myanmar. Unfortunately extremist hardline nationalists are causing misery in the foregoing countries and not just for Muslims, which even the Trump Administration has acknowledged regards Myanmar.  

 

Investigations are long overdue with regards War Crimes by the Buddhist Senegalese military in Sri Lanka, primarily against Hindus. With regard to Thailand's deep South a backgrounder written by a Thai military officer may possibly open your eyes, though I doubt you would bother to educate yourself.

 

The Conflict in Southern Thailand

Centre for Defence and Strategic Studies

Australian Defence College

Written by Colonel Chumphot Nurakkate

 

 

 

 

      simple1 is absolutely right.    Yes.... I agree.....those of us on the progressive left are more knowledgable. We are quite aware that Islam is a religion of peace and compassion. They have no desire to hurt anyone.  They believe in freedom of religion. The Prophet Muhammed (Peace be upon Him) was a good man of peace.  It's just the rightwing media like FOX news and Republicans and conservatives in other countries trying to make us think otherwise.  Most of the problems in the world come from Christians, Jews, Buddhists and Hindus.  

[simple1]

1 hour ago, Catoni said:

      simple1 is absolutely right.    Yes.... I agree.....those of us on the progressive left are more knowledgable. We are quite aware that Islam is a religion of peace and compassion. They have no desire to hurt anyone.  They believe in freedom of religion. The Prophet Muhammed (Peace be upon Him) was a good man of peace.  It's just the rightwing media like FOX news and Republicans and conservatives in other countries trying to make us think otherwise.  Most of the problems in the world come from Christians, Jews, Buddhists and Hindus.  

In the countries I mentioned "most of the problems" are created by authorities and individuals who claim to be Buddhist, not Muslims. Oh and to quote Oscar Wilde...sarcasm is the lowest form of wit

Edited November 20, 2017 by simple1

[Credo]

In my experience, people are prone to violence and religion is simply a convenient excuse.   

[boomerangutang]

People are people, and therefore glom to indoctrination and sects.  

Religion is the shell that covers ethnicity, skin color, language, cultural teachings, etc. 

 

So, it's secondary what belief system they adhere to - when people are pissed off about intrusions (call them migrations, whatever), then clashes can arise. 

 

 

[boomerangutang]

Not much different than a large group of raccoons living on an island, .....then along come raftfulls of opossums.