Remove terms 'Muslim and Islam terrorism' from Parliament

A lawmaker from the eastern Digamadulla District has requested that steps be taken to stop the use of terms ‘Muslim terrorism’ and ‘Islam terrorism’ in the Parliament when discussing matters pertaining to religious terrorism.

Addressing the Parliament on 12 July, All Ceylon Makkal Congress (ACMC) Digamadulla District Parliamentarian, attorney S.M.M. Muszhaaraff, said that he had observed an increased use of the said terms in the Parliament on that day.

The Parliamentarian questioned as to why those who talk about Muslim terrorism during discussions on the Easter Sunday attack do not identify the act of unleashing violence on Muslims as ‘Sinhala terrorism’.

“I observed that every time we talk about terrorism that takes place in the name of religion, most of those speaking in the Parliament today talked more about Muslim terrorism. First and foremost, the terms Islam terrorism and Muslim terrorism should be removed from high-level assemblies such as the Parliament.”

Adding that he is engaged in a peaceful struggle against the use of the term Muslim terrorism, the Parliamentarian emphasised that various countries in the world use the term Muslim terrorism to work against Islam in order to fulfil political needs, and that Muslims are not terrorists.

“Today, terrorism is a conspiracy. We are engaged in a peaceful struggle against the term Muslim terrorism. Muslims were not considered terrorists until the Second World War. Muslims in Palestine are an obstacle to settle Jews in Palestine and give them refugee status, and therefore, the concept of Islamophobia was created within a political conspiracy aimed at dividing Palestine while portraying Muslims as terrorists in front of the whole world.”

He added that many studies have claimed that there was a national, international and political conspiracy behind the Easter Sunday bombings that took place on 21 April, 2019, in Sri Lanka.

“We highlight the Easter Sunday attack and talk about Muslim terrorism. All reports claim that the masterminds of the Easter Sunday attack are not Muslims. There is someone behind this. Many studies say that there is a national, international and political conspiracy. That is what we are also saying. There are attempts to create chaos in the country using Muslim people. In the same manner Muslims are used throughout the world, several groups in Sri Lanka have also used them.”

Asking the Parliament whether it identified Sinhala terrorism when Sinhala mobs launched violent attacks targeting Sri Lanka’s Muslim people, Parliamentarian Muszhaaraff emphasized that a number of laws need to be enacted through the Parliament in order to eradicate terrorism committed in the name of religion.

“We ask openly – when acts of violence were committed against Muslim people in Ampara, Digana, and Aluthgama, did anyone say that it was Sinhala terrorism? We should first stop talking about Muslims with a focus on Muslim terrorism or Islam terrorism, and enact a number of proper laws to eradicate terrorism in the name of religion.”