The Need to Develop Links for Reconciliation

Since the end of the  thirty year war in May 2009, Sri Lanka has been at a stagnant point vis-a-vis reconciliation.  Whilst infrastructural development has taken off, the larger political and social components of post war reconciliation have yet to gain much momentum.

A lot of this inertia can be attributed to a reactionary impulse of the government to deflect widespread international criticism about how the last stages of the war was handled coming from many Western governments and institutions, perceived to be  largely pressurised by a vocal and influential Tamil Diaspora largely affiliated with the LTTE. As a consequence, much needed concerted and focussed engagement with members of the Sri Lankan expatriate community has been at best patchy.

The recently released report of the Sri Lankan government appointed LLRC (Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission) alluded to this, when it recommended that the Government engage with and encourage those expatriate groups interested in redevelopment and reconciliation efforts. 

This is a significant milestone in Sri Lanka’s recent history as there is now a window of opportunity to work on a comprehensive package of reconciliation that could not only meet political aspirations but also grass roots needs, providing a space for them to express themselves.

Creating this secure environment of equity and social justice is one of the current needs of the hour. However creating that space is not easy.  It will have to be done organically and will need to entail developing alliances which reach out to the other and which take responsibility to move beyond victimhood by acknowledging each other’s narrative, empathising and hearing the other’s stories and ultimately working with each other in order to provide a safe space where special programmes of social engineering to build bridges, facilitate cross faith interactions and regain inter community trust can be rebuilt and the past can be acknowledged in a way that does not negate it but allows one to move forward.

 

For the last 30 years or more, suspicion and distrust between and among the different communities have been displayed openly, and the perception of the “other”- the Sinhalese of the Tamils, the Tamils of the Sinhalese, the Tamils and Sinhalese of the Muslims; has been fed on hate and insensitivities for varying beliefs. This is even more exacerbated in the UK, where the lenses with which different communities are viewed are coloured by old narratives.

So the question becomes how can the Sri Lankan expat community be mobilised and empowered to play a role to bring out about reconciliation that moves away from apportioning blame for deceit and destruction?  Rebuilding trust will mean honouring unity and celebrating diversity, working towards equity and justice and ensuring the eradication of social prejudices in building a collective identity. 

In short, we must learn to listen closely to one another, not simply because it is polite, but because it is just possible that we might learn something important about ourselves, become better human beings, and build a better world in the process.

The first step in doing this is to open a space where members of all Sri Lankan ethnicities within the UK can come and openly talk, understand and ultimately address issues of mutual concern.  The second step is to jointly identify projects which bring mutual benefit to both sides.  It is in this that BUILD as an organisation can play a facilitation role.  Through its linking programs and its partners involved in linking particularly in Sri Lanka, it can offer opportunities and safe spaces for second and third generation British of Sri Lankan heritage to rediscover their roots, to realign the narrative whilst contributing to helping communities and the country build back better.  Second and third generations do not have the same baggage as their forefathers, but they often have a skewered lens with which they view their countries of heritage.  This prevents them from providing much needed skills and advice towards bettering these countries.  By seeing things on the ground first hand, these opinions can be changed.  Linking provides opportunities for this.  This is now the project that I am working on with regards encouraging this new generation of ‘Sri Lankans’ to revisit the country and discover for themselves the realities on the ground, in the hope that they can play positive roles and change the country for the better.

Sri Lanka is now at the cross roads of moving forward, cleansed of the past and with a chance to develop a common vision shared by all towards collective nation building and prosperity or to plunge back into another unknown era of bitter interethnic rivalries fanned by divisive politics. 

Given the space, Sri Lanka can reconcile and hold people to account.  The Sri Lankan expat community and Diaspora have a unique opportunity to facilitate this. 

Understanding the Lessons of the Feast

On Sunday 6th November, it will be the Great Feast of Islam and Muslims (Eid al-Adha) symbolizing the culmination of the pilgrimage to Mecca; a few days of light, fraternity and love intended to symbolize meditation, a return back to the Creator, blessings and prayers for peace.

Yet, we are observing that this noblest of occasions has seen custom transform into duty and practice, descend into commercialization and waste: waste of money, waste of meat and waste of food.

Over the last three weeks, you would have been bombarded with emails, text messages and adverts on who offers the better deal on doing one’s Udhiyah (sacrifice) or Qurban at a competitive price. The hadith (sayings) of the Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him) to “compete to outdo one another for the good things” has become symbolized by market forces as ‘charities’ around the world outbid each other to offer the best price to slaughter a cow, sheep or goat. And so, the most noblest and holiest of acts of worship has been denigrated to shopping around like buying a car: ‘What is the best price for a cow, goat or sheep that I can get, so that I can get a happier recipient and thus a better reward in the Hereafter?’

And so like any market system, there are problems such as the manipulation of prices, corruption and abuse as suppliers try to meet the demands for slaughter.

So in the essence of rushing to seek that instant satisfaction of redemption, we trivialize the essence of the need on the ground. Yes the poor, vulnerable and needy do not have meat, but no one stops to ask whether simply giving them meat for a day would help improve their lives.

Therein lies the problem, the closure of the space for reasoning, debate and rational thinking about faith, spirituality and practice. A symbolic and recommended (not obligatory) act of worship in remembrance of the Prophet Abraham’s (Peace be upon him) sacrifice becomes a literal obligation of animal sacrifice, so that the blood flows deep and the distribution of meat becomes the anchor for the duty.

We have forgotten what the sacrifice is supposed to symbolize. The story and lesson of the Prophets Abraham and Ishmael (Peace be upon them) deserves to be shared, remembered and celebrated. The conversation between father and son, on the hardest of scenarios bears serious contemplation. In the height of challenging circumstance, the consultation of a parent with his child and the firm but soft acceptance of a parent’s wish by a child highlights a dying relationship in the world today. Very often, as older people, we neglect to pay those younger than us the respect of equal treatment, often speaking down to them or dismissing their views. As younger people, we are often quick to rebel against the wishes of the older (and often wiser) generation. Though such relationships can be open to abuse, this story reminds us of the delicate balance that is necessary in human relationships to ensure respect, understanding and acceptance. Through showing the ultimate sacrifice of a parent’s closest and most beloved possession for the sake of the God to whom you will eventually return, we are taught that whatever we own and are close to pales in comparison to the ultimate possession that we have: Our relationship with The One Most High. This sacrifice coming at the end of the Hajj pilgrimage to Mecca is the very essence of the celebration. In our journey back to the beginning, how much will we be able to sacrifice?

This sacrifice not only reminds us to be thankful for all the blessings that we have, but to be content with them. We are asked to keep in check our greed as whatever excess; we share with those who deserve special attention - the poor and needy, as well as the orphans. This is the true meaning of the sacrifice that we make so that those in need will benefit. So the question becomes, is it the principle or the actual act of sacrifice that we need to be thinking about during this time?

The message of the Hajj is the principle of the sacrifice and the message: ‘to serve humanity, those in need; those without... to awaken your conscience in the proximity of the wounds and the injustices people face... to move away from your heart, your bad thoughts… to distance yourself from the darkest dimensions of your being, your violence, your jealousies [and] your superficialities.’

By not allowing space for discussion to examine these ideas and principles, we negate the very concept of our heritage and teachings.

For the benefit of the voiceless, it is imperative not to lose our way by being driven blindly by traditional practices or by commercialization, and to come back to the very essence of the message that is part of all Abrahamic faiths: respect and love of human beings (especially those who are vulnerable and have been unjustly treated) is a manifestation of the love for the Almighty.

So this festive season, let us come back to the essential. Let us remember that this more than anything is a feast of fraternal atmosphere that is shared by all and thus in reaching out to address the true objective of spirituality through prayers and good deeds, let us remember the right that the poor have on us. Let us avoid the waste and more importantly the wasted sacrifices.

May the Almighty, who loves you, guide and protect you. May there be peace and respite for all those who are suffering. May you spend time with your loved ones in an atmosphere of happiness; Happy Feast!

Originally published here

In memoriam of Fred Shuttlesworth

Reverend Fred Shuttlesworth died as he had lived, fighting strongly yet always in the shadows. His death on October 5, 2011 was not only overshadowed by the passing of another transformational American icon, Apple founder Steve Jobs, but was also later overshadowed by the unveiling of the Martin Luther King Memorial in Washington on October 16,a scene that is reminiscent of his confrontations with the charismatic civil rights leader. But those who knew Reverend Shuttlesworth say he was not out for recognition, and preferred to play the part of courageous warrior for the civil rights movement.

Yet, it was this blunt-talking preacher who braved beatings, bombings and fire-hosings to propel the town of Birmingham, Ala., to become a beacon of the civil rights movement. In a magazine article in 1988 he famously declared his desire to shatter the walls of segregation in Birmingham and throughout the South even if it cost him his life: “I tried to widow my wife and my children for God`s sake, because I literally believed that scripture that says `...whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it.` I had no fear, you understand.”

Many prominent African Americans believe that without Shuttlesworth, the civil rights movement would not have achieved what it did. In fact, although not a household name, Shuttlesworth was as important to the movement as King was, acting as one of the two major axes of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC). He led the campaign to desegregate Birmingham long before the arrival of King and was instrumental in bringing him to the city, which along with the town of Selma provided a backbone for the civil rights struggle. Despite being allies, there was a difference between Shuttlesworth and King, the former being a proponent for direct action and pushing towards confrontation and the latter being perceived as more conciliatory and someone who could deal with white Americans. Nevertheless, the two of them together formed a dialectic that drove the movement forward.

Shuttlesworth's efforts were not without a price. By his own count, Shuttlesworth had been bombed twice, beaten into unconsciousness and jailed more than 35 times. On Christmas night in 1956, Shuttlesworth was laying plans to lead a group into the white sections of buses when approximately 15 sticks of dynamite exploded outside the parsonage. The blast destroyed his humble quarters but he emerged unscathed. The next day he led 200 people onto Birmingham's buses.

With the bombing of the 16^th Street Church by the Ku Klux Klan and the unleashing of police dogs and firehoses on demonstrators, the civil rights movement gained international prominence. The events led to the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965 after the historic Alabama marches from Selma to Montgomery that year that Shuttlesworth also helped organize. These laws were the bedrock of civil rights legislation.

I never had the honour of meeting Shuttlesworth, but a few weeks ago, I visited Birmingham, Ala., and the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute (BCRI) where I encountered his story through people who had worked and marched with him and King. For me, as an outsider and non-American, the focus has always been on the legacy of King. This is what we are taught and this is what the media tends to portray. Yet as I learned the civil rights movement story, I began to appreciate that the perserverence of the fight was due in part to Shuttlesworth’s humility. Despite being in the shadows, he remained determined to break through the barriers.

The story of the civil rights movement is the story of individuals like Rosa Parks, Myrna Jackson, King and Shuttlesworth, who all sacrificed personal freedoms and privileges at great risk to their lives in order to improve the common good.

The story of Shuttlesworth in particular is one of a single man who stood up for principled change and persevered inspite of the lack of public awareness. This lack of public recognition has since been rectified as his name is immortalized in Birmingham. A street is named in his honor, a statue of him stands in front of the BCRI and three years ago, the airport was renamed the Birmingham-Shuttlesworth International Airport.

Shuttlesworth was the last of the civil rights movement's “Big Three,” with King and Reverend Ralph David Abernathy making up the other two. His passing symbolizes the closure of a certain chapter of the movement, but by no means marks its demise.

America today is much different to the America of the 60’s, but there is still a lot to be done. Thecivil rights movement has new challenges to overcome especially with anti-immigrant rhetoric and Islamiphobia sentiments on the rise. In addition, as we consider the present, the current Arab Spring and “Occupy” protests are a testimony to the notion that the movement of people for civil rights and social justice is not dead, but perhaps has evolved into a different form. With the added advantage of social media, the movements now have the unprecedented ability to recruit and capture attention and mobilize for change more effectively than before.

Current protagonists would do well to look at the life stories of people like Shuttlesworth to understand not only the true sacrifices that are needed for success but also the humility and attitude in which to conduct their actions. What these stories teach us is that not only can change come from a single man, but also from individuals working together, striving to make a change collectively. This has to be done regardless of personal glory or ego. Ultimately a world which makes sense is a world in which we connect with other people, often beyond our immediate communities and experience, working together towards that one single goal of fulfilment and well being in an atmosphere of peace, compassion and justice.

This was originally published here