A 2000 strong mob threw stones at the mosque claiming that the area is sacred to Buddhism and therefore cannot tolerate the mosque’s religious activities. They shouted slogans, waved Buddhist flags and demanded the mosque’s demolition. On Thursday April 19 night, a petrol bomb was thrown into the mosque by unidentified persons as a warning shot.

The army, police and its special task force were deployed after the trustees of the mosque called for protection but the security forces made no move to disperse the crowd or make arrests even through a number of monks were openly advocating violence. Instead the police asked those inside the mosque to hide in an inner room, and later told them to vacate the premises. The mob only dispersed after a senior government official for the area promised a solution to their demand by April 23. There is a Hindu temple in the same area and the monk Sumangala is demanding the removal of a Hindu temple from the same area.

Tension between Muslims and Buddhists is not a sudden development. After the Eelam War IV, the Buddhist clergy has become a little more aggressive in targeting both the Hindu Tamils and Muslims.  Last September a monk led a crowd to attack mosque in Anuradhapura, not far from Dambulla. Anuradhapura is an ancient Buddhist city and has been recognized as a world heritage site. But the mob demolished the mosque   with the monks claiming that the structure was built on land given to Sinhalese Buddhists 2,000 years ago; hence the attack.

Muslims constitute around eight per cent of Sri Lanka’s 21.5 million population; it is only they have become targets, unlike Christians attacks on whose places of worship have been justified on the ground that the Missionaries were promoting conversions

The Dambulla incident will upset the political equations at the national level. It will not destabilize the Rajapaksa government but will open it to new criticism that rights of religious minorities are undermined. If the campaign gains momentum, as it appears to from the strike in Muslim-dominated parts of the Ampara and Batticaloa districts and Muslim areas of eastern Sri Lanka, protesting the attack on the mosque, it will undermine the credibility of the President in the Muslim world. At the UN led human rights meet in Geneva in March, the Muslim nations stood solidly behind Sri Lanka and voted against the US sponsored censure motion.

Already several Muslim leaders are hinting at inviting the ire of Muslim world.

Hasen Ali, lawmaker from Sri Lanka Muslim Congress, (SLMC), which is a member of the ruling alliance, voiced his anguish over the role of security forces in the Dambulla incident. “The saddest part is that this incident had occurred before the presence of the security forces who are supposed to uphold law and order in this country. They have become spectators.”

Echoing the view of his community, Hasen Ali has come down heavily on the Rajapaksa government. “From their attitude”, he said, “it becomes evident how this country has suffered on ethnic lines. These incidents will further polarize the ethnic population in this country”. He asked the government not to come up with any stale reasons but find out a solution.  

Hasen Ali reminded the government that Muslim nations voted for Sri Lanka at the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva, when the country faced a censure over Human Rights issues’. If the government doesn’t act now, the goodwill will disappear, the lawmaker cautioned   even as Muslim ministers in the Rajapaksa government came under flak at a meeting held by The All-Ceylon Jammiyathul Ulema (ACJU) at its Headquarters at Orabi Pasha Mawatha, Maradana in Colombo on Saturday, April 21 to draft a memorandum to the government seeking justice to the Muslim community.

The meeting was marred by unruly scenes and anti-government5 slogans. Insults were hurled at Muslim ministers A.H.M. Fowzie, Rauff Hakeem, Rishath Badiutheen and Deputy Minister Basheer Dawood; even former Minister A.R. Munsoor was not spared. ACJU Leader Moulavi Rizvi Mufthi was taken to task for going to Geneva to help the Sri Lankan government’s cause. As the leaders were disbursing after the meeting, they were almost manhandled by unruly elements, some reports said.

Appeals also went out against inciting the Muslims. UPFA national list MP A.H.M. Azwer said in a statement later that a group, which he did not identify, was really inciting the Muslims against the others

The Muslim Council of Sri Lanka, the main umbrella group of Sri Lankan Muslims, however, has blamed radical Buddhists and said radical Buddhist elements are trying to damage peaceful co-existence between the country’s main ethnic communities

Opposition UNP parliamentarian Kabir Hashim saw the mosque attack as infringement of religious freedom. “This is infringing on the religious freedom of the Muslim community. This will create an issue for the goodwill of the Sinhala, Tamil and Muslim people. If the mosque was built illegally, discussions could have been held to seek a solution, instead of staging a violent protest.”

How things shape over the next few days will depend on how the government responds to the demand of Mahanayaka (chief priest) of the Rangiri Dambula chapter, Inamaluwe Sri Sumangala Thera. Whatever action the government contemplates should appear to uphold the multi-ethnic, multi-religious and multi-lingual character of the island nation. Yielding to radicalism of any kind, as history bears witness to, ends up in creating a Frankenstein monster.