Sinhala Buddhist Nationalism and Shrinking Space for Muslims in Sri Lanka

Abstract

This chapter first traces the historical development of Sri Lankan Muslim identity in the context of 20th-century Sri Lankan nationalism and the South Indian Dravidian movement. It then examines the recent anti-Sufi violence that threatens to divide the Sri Lankan Muslim community today. The main aim of this chapter is to explore how Islam is depicted and Muslim identities are constructed in a newly emerged post-Tamil Elam war and post-9/11 situation in Sri Lanka. It traces the socio-historical and political roots of the conflict between the Sinhalese and Muslims, and cites religion as a surface manifestation of socio-economic and political competition. This chapter intends to examine the intensity of present Sinhala Muslim rivalry with its historical roots that is formation of ethnic identity and the emergence of Sinhala Buddhist nationalism and Muslim identity in the late 19th century and the early phase of the conflict that culminated in the 1915 anti-Muslim riots that were brutally suppressed by the British. But the core intention of this chapter is to explore the level of anti-Muslim sentiment and violence and new phase of Sinhala Buddhist nationalism and Muslim identity in post-Tamil Elam war and post-9/11 attacks.