(UTV|COLOMBO) – Persons with extremist ideas engaging in terrorist activities are enemies of all peace-loving people. Those who indulged in the Easter Sunday bomb attacks in Sri Lanka are not true Muslims; Secretary-General of the Muslim World League, Dr. Mohammad Bin Abdulkarim Alissa, said.
He said the Easter Sunday bomb attacks should be considered as an act of terrorism which had no connection with true Muslim devotees.
Dr. Alissa; who has arrived in Sri Lanka to attend the National Conference on Peace, Harmony, and Co-existence to be held at the Nelum Pokuna; expressed these sentiments when he called on the Malwatte and Asgiriya prelates at their respective Aramayas on July 30, in Kandy.
Terrorism is the worst enemy of the world, he said, adding that he highly valued the part played by the Maha Sangha, who acted in a wise manner to restore and safeguard peace in the country in the aftermath of those tragic incidents.
The action taken by the Maha Sangha to maintain communal amity and peace should be praised by peace-loving people throughout the world. He said Muslims living in Sri Lanka with a Sinhala majority should always honour and respect the Sinhala Buddhist culture in the country.
He requested the Mahanayake Theras to assist the programme undertaken to forge world peace. Dr. Alissa said the Muslim community highly valued the dhammadesana delivered by the Mahanayake theras to promote peace.
Ven. Thibbotuwawe Sri Siddhartha Sumangala Mahanayake Thera of the Malwatte Chapter said the Sinhala, Tamil, and Muslim communities have lived in peace and harmony in Sri Lanka from times of yore, but certain politicians with petty motives were trying to create differences among communities.
The majority in Sri Lanka are Sinhala Buddhists and problems would not crop up if minorities acted with an understanding of this reality. Certain actions of minority groups incited violence among the majority and Muslim religious leaders have an important role to play in preventing such situations.
Ven. Warakagoda Sri Gnanaratane Mahanayake Thera of the Asgiriya Chapter said extremists were a misled section and Muslim leaders bore the duty to bring them to the correct path. He said the Governor of the Western Province and the Minister of Muslim Religious Affairs are acting in an exemplary manner to prepare the foundation for communal amity and peace by condemning acts of terrorism.
Dr. Alissa also met Diyawadana Nilame Pradeep Nilanga Dela and held discussions with him. Ven. Doranegama Ratanapala Thera, Ven. Muruddeniye Dhammaratana Thera, Central Province Governor Maithri Gunaratne, Western Province Governor M.J.M. Muzammil, and Minister M.H.A. Haleem were also present at the event.
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