Let’s March Onward, All as One
July 26, 2023by Charani LCM Patabendige
Published on Ceylon Today on 21st June 2023.
Sri Lanka is a multi-ethnic, multicultural and multi-lingual country, located strategically in the Indian Ocean. Sri Lanka had a hard past, when the Sri Lankan Government had to fight the gruesome separatist group called the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) and finally accomplished harmony and freedom. Sri Lanka then underwent an unforeseen brutal terror attack in 2019, which is popularly known as the Easter Sunday Attack. Sri Lanka also faced an ‘Aragalaya 2022’, when people took to the streets due to a plethora of reasons such as an economic crisis, debt trap and political instability. Even today, Sri Lanka grapples with economic hardships that include high prices of commodities and taxation. In parallel to these financial stresses, there is a different storm escalating which needs to be quashed in infancy. This threat is none other than violent extremism. This article aims to look at how ‘diversity’ is both a challenge to the peace process and also how it can be utilised as a plus factor to promote peace and harmony.
There is no universal definition of extremism and violent extremism. However, verdicts, resolutions and scholars have defined it in numerous ways. (Attorney General’s Department, 2011), has defined violent extremism as “beliefs and actions of people who support or use violence to achieve their ideological, religious, or political goals. Further, it includes terrorism, politically motivated violence, and types of communal violence.” (UNDP, 2016) has stated that “extremist ideologies, whether based on religion, ethnicity, or politics, exalt the superiority of a specific group and reject the principles of tolerance and inclusivity in society.” It is important to understand the push and pull factors of extremism. As per (INEE, 2017), ‘Push factors’ are things that can push individuals towards violent extremism. These factors are the feeling of marginalisation, discrimination, being prosecuted, and denial of rights and also includes socioeconomic grievances. Pull factors are the factors which entice people to violent extremism at both personal and social levels. For example, hope, acceptance, feeling of belonging or monetary and other benefits.
Diversity as a challenge
Even though there is a famous saying as to ‘opposites attract’ it is not always true. The reason is the differences can be a platform for disagreements and inconsistencies as well. When looking at the world history this is clear. Nonetheless, it is the differences between us which create uniqueness. According to Mahatma Gandhi, “Our ability to reach unity in diversity will be the beauty and the test of our civilisation.” This showcases a hard truth which is the importance of balancing differences and reaching harmony.
So why does diversity become a challenge? There are many reasons why diversity can be a challenge. One of the key reasons is exclusivism. Which is the “belief or doctrine that only one particular religion or worldview is true or valid to the exclusion of all others.” An example of this is Wahhabism where there is a strict interpretation of the same in Saudi Arabia. Another reason is marginalisation or discrimination. One of the major examples of discrimination is South Africa’s issue of colour discrimination. There can also be identified conflicts such as in the case of Guatemala. There can also be clashes due to cultural differences as well as different political ideologies.
Lessons learnt
When looking at the Sri Lankan context, it is evident that there are acts of extremism such as cases of separatist ideologies by the LTTE, Islamist extremism, Buddhist Nationalism and acts of certain groups in the final stages of ‘Aragalaya 2022.’ To elaborate, LTTE claimed a separate State threatening the democracy and territorial integrity of Sri Lanka. Even though the Sri Lankan Government militarily defeated the LTTE in 2009, still there are disinformation campaigns carried out by the remnants of the terrorist outfits living abroad to tarnish the good name of the country. Thus, there is a dire need to strengthen reconciliation efforts between the Sinhalese and Tamil communities and also to counter false claims by the LTTE, its sympathisers, and front and cover organisations. Easter Sunday bombings in 2019 is also a notable example where jihadist extremists subjected this peace-loving country to a devastating situation. The Easter Sunday Attack was perpetrated by the local extremist organisation named National Thowheed Jama’ath (NTJ). An example of extremist Buddhist Nationalism is, groups such as the Bodu Bala Sena (BBS). The later part of ‘Aragalaya 2022’ is another example of when peaceful protests turned into violence where houses were burnt by certain groups of ill-willed individuals.
Diversity as a strength
On the other hand, diversity can be utilised as a tool to accomplish reconciliation. The reason is differences in ethnicity, culture and religion can bring harmony, togetherness, cohesiveness, and knowledge which is the uniqueness that heterogenous societies lack. For example, diverse ethnicities mean diverse cultures, languages and visions. This is a platform to create understanding, share knowledge and expertise. Since many ethnicities are present, innovative skills are high with diverse talents. Living in a diverse society also provides individuals with opportunities for personal growth and enhance problem-solving skills. Since society is diverse, people engage with different communities from different backgrounds which prevents them from stereotyping or generalising habits. In addition, diversity paves the way towards empathy which will prevent extremist activities. Further, diversity promotes social cohesion and reconciliation.
Measures taken towards reconciliation
In the aftermath of the war, the Sri Lankan Government took several measures to achieve reconciliation and harmony. These measures include constitutional reforms, Office on Missing Persons, Office for Reparations, National Policy Framework for Reconciliation and Coexistence which outline a strategic roadmap, reintegration of the displaced, rehabilitation of ex-combatants, awareness programmes, reparation mechanisms, land distribution, religious interfaith programmes and so on.
Conclusion and way forward
The truth is that the prevention of extremism cannot be done single-handedly. Extremism prevention should be a collaborative effort of each individual living in this island and is one which cannot be accomplished or achieved overnight. Therefore, as the title suggests, ‘Let’s March Onward, All as One’. Civil society has a crucial role to play in preventing extremism. Various measures can be utilised such as, including women and youth who are known to be excellent mediators, and building cohesiveness through sports, art and culture. Another mechanism that can be employed is to groom and support local leaders. Religious authorities also have a key role in balancing conflict and promoting harmony. In addition, educators should inculcate good practices, empathy and harmony among individuals. Individuals should be given awareness to understand extremist behaviour, early warning signs and to notice exclusivist activities. If it is in an uncontrollable state which needs intervention, individuals must be given the liberty and a platform to report such an act. Another important matter is to instill critical thinking ability. This should be done from the family level itself. Individuals should always know that there is another side to the story and how to respond. It is crucial to foster media literacy in individuals. On the other hand, the media should be responsible and accountable for the content they share. Community reporters should be taught to check the content and verify it before reporting and disseminating.
* Ms. Charani LCM Patabendige is a Research Assistant and an Acting Research Analyst at the Institute of National Security Studies (INSS), the premier think tank on National Security established under the Ministry of Defence. This article was published in a European website called Modern Diplomacy which is an invaluable platform for assessing and evaluating complex international issues that are often outside the boundaries of mainstream Western media and academia.
-The Ministry of Defence bears no responsibility for the ideas and views expressed by the contributors to the Opinion section of this web site-