EFFECTS OF GROWING ISLAMIC AND BUDDHIST FUNDAMENTALISM IN SRI LANKA

Abstract

Sri Lanka, ever since gaining independence from British colonial rule, has experienced sporadic communal violence from time to time. Timely unresolved friction and mistrust between the two major communities, Sinhalese and Tamils, during the immediate post-independence period, Sri Lankan society pushed the nation into a brutal internal conflict lasting nearly thirty years. With the termination of the conflict in 2009, the post-conflict socio-political landscape is rapidly transforming Sri Lanka into a country with a fresh identity in the region. In this period of transformation, development, and social reconciliation, the internal and external threats faced by the country are enormous in terms of nation-building capacities. In reviewing the prevailing politico-religious behavior of the Sri Lankan society, one such visibly possible threat to the sustainment of peace, stability, and nation-building capacity of the country is the emerging signs of Islamic and Buddhist extremism in Sri Lanka. The prevailing signs of rising Islamic and Buddhist extremism in Sri Lanka have a very strong likelihood of being transformed into social violence, which in turn would be a serious threat to nation-building of Sri Lanka in post-war scenario. The research draws on secondary data sources, including academic literature, government reports, NGO publications, books, articles, newspapers, and internet sources to analyze the socio-economic and cultural factors contributing to the growing Islamic and Buddhist fundamentalism in Sri Lanka. The facts about Islamic and Buddhist extremism with recent violence were discussed to understand the context of Islamic and Buddhist radicalization and expand the situation to avoid such occurrences in the future. Through the analysis of findings, this research suggests that there is a growing Islamic and Buddhist fundamentalism leading to religious clashes. It is also suggested that there is a strong possibility of such Islamic extremist elements getting the ideological and material support from regional or global Islamic fundamentalist groups, so that they can go radical and launch violence. The paper discusses some viable countermeasures to deny the existing threat to the nation-building capacity of Sri Lanka.