The vilification of Muslims is not simply base intolerance; it also serves a convenient purpose for Sri Lankas largely Sinhalese powerbrokers. Five years after the end of the civil war with the Tamil Tigers, President Mahinda Rajapaksas political machine needs a new scapegoat for the everyday frustrations of their constituents, many of whom have grown unhappy with the governments heavy-handed security policies and its failure to deliver robust growth. The government seems to be tacitly encouraging, and in some cases directly supporting, the anti-Muslim campaigns led by militant and often violent Buddhist organizations, according to a November 2013 Crisis Group report.
Posted on: Mon, 10 Mar 2014 09:20:18 +0000
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