Skip to content
Search

Latest Stories

Slaying Sri Lanka’s dragon

by AMIT ROY

WHAT happened in Sri Lanka on Easter Sunday is utterly alien to the culture of the island.


To get some sort of understanding of the massacre, in which at least 321 people were killed and 500 injured in coordinated attacks on three churches and three hotels, one needs to go back to the epic, the Ramayana. This sets out the rules of engagement, not only in India, Sri Lanka and Nepal, but across much of south Asia.

Ravana, the demon king of Lanka who has kidnapped Prince Rama’s wife, Sita, is the villain of the Ramayana. The epic has had a considerable influence in shaping the culture of the region. Ravana, who is depicted with 10 heads and 20 arms to signify his strength, is ultimately defeated and killed by Rama. The latter crosses into Lanka across a narrow strip of sea from India, accompanied by an army of monkeys.

But even Ravana, a great scholar who played the veena well and was an able administrator, had his virtues, which is more than can be said

for the group which carried out the suicide bomb attacks on the island’s Christian community. That it was targeted when the victims were at prayer transgresses all the cultural values set out in the Ramayana.

When I first went to Sri Lanka, the conflict was between the Tamil Tigers and the Sinhala-dominated army. According to the 2011 census, Buddhists made up 70.2 per cent of Sri Lanka’s population (now estimated to be 21 million); Hindus 12.6 per cent; Muslims 9.7 per cent; and Christians, who are mainly Catholic, 7.4 per cent.

The use of suicide bombers should make it easier for the Sri Lankan government to track down those responsible. But beyond that, can anything be done to protect the vulnerable Christian communities, not only in Sri Lanka, but also in the Middle East, Pakistan (where the blasphemy laws present a particular problem as witnessed in the case of Asia Bibi), Egypt, India and other countries?

From my experience of Christians in India, they have done only good through the running of excellent schools, for example.

In Britain, the government has announced it will act in defence of Christians. It estimates that 215 million Christians worldwide face persecution and that 250 are killed every month.

Theresa May’s Easter message, even though the prime minister did not have Sri Lanka in mind, was uncannily prescient: “Churches have been attacked. Christians murdered. Families forced to flee their homes. That is why the government has launched a global review into the persecution of Christians. We must stand up for the rights of everyone, no matter what their religion, to practise their faith in peace.”

That privilege must not be abused in Britain.

After the carnage, May – like heads of government all over the world – expressed her horror at the “appalling” violence which has returned to Sri Lanka after a relatively peaceful decade.

More For You

Column: How much longer will Rachel Reeves stay on as chancellor?

Keir Starmer and Rachel Reeves

Column: How much longer will Rachel Reeves stay on as chancellor?

THERE are a few Labour MPs who think “Rachel from accounts will be gone sooner than you think”.

She has certainly outdone Liz Truss in trashing the economy, but the prime minister, Sir Keir Starmer, will be loath to sack Rachel Reeves as chancellor because his own future is tied up with hers.

Keep ReadingShow less
​Himesh Reshammiya's silly quest for acting stardom

Himesh Reshammiya

​Himesh Reshammiya's silly quest for acting stardom

IN THE early 1950s, legendary music icon Mukesh was so desperate to become a leading man that he stopped singing for major movies to focus on making an acting breakthrough.

Decades later, Sonu Nigam also tried his hand at acting by starring in a few films. What these two singing stars had in common was that they both failed as actors and quickly realised when to stop. Both quit acting, concentrated on music, and went on to have incredible singing careers.

Keep ReadingShow less
Reeves set to revise non-doms tax rules

Rachel Reeves

Reeves set to revise non-doms tax rules

ANY day now Rachel Reeves will be sending a “cease and desist” letter to Liz Truss, demanding that the former prime minister stop saying she has “crashed the economy”.

Such “false and defamatory” allegations were harming her political reputation, the chancellor will probably add.

Keep ReadingShow less
Eye Spy: Top stories from the world of entertainment
Saif Ali Khan
Saif Ali Khan

Eye Spy: Top stories from the world of entertainment

COMIC SINGH IN UK

PUNJABI-language stand-up comedian Manpreet Singh will return to the UK in March for a series of shows at Midlands Arts Centre in Birmingham (21), The Urban Building in Slough (22), and Chutney Ivy in Leicester (23). Affectionately known as Comic Singh, the top Indian talent promises a performance powered by family-friendly humour. He will follow up the UK tour with his first-ever shows in Germany and Holland in April.

Keep ReadingShow less
Football with Faris: Arsenal see red after shocking dismissal

The Gunners have now been awarded the most red cards this season, and those decisions were fairly debatable as to whether they should’ve stood. (Photo: Getty Images)

Football with Faris: Arsenal see red after shocking dismissal

Faris Gohir

With the Premier League producing yet another controversial refereeing decision, it is about time the PGMOL are held accountable.

Bizarre red card dished out at Molineux

Keep ReadingShow less