Save our wonderfully diverse society.

The eighteenth century Buhkary Thakiyya in Beruwala is a place where the purity of Islam and the Traditions of Islamic Culture has been maintained. Further It has been the Tradition of the Thakiyya to conduct the Grand Buhkary Kandhoori (For thirty days complete recitation and translation of Sahih Buhkary which is the oral relating to the words and deeds of the prophet Muhammad sallallahu alaihi wasallam annually since its inception. Thousands of people from all parts of the Island grace this grand kandhoori.

The 130th Annual kandhoori of the Thakiyya was held on Thursday the 23rd of July 2009 in a very grand manner. On Friday the 24th of July 2009, the cleric at the newly sprung Thou Mosque which is in close proximity to the Sheikh Musthafa Jumma Masjid at Elandagoda, delivered a sermon attacking the Buhkary Thakiyya and The Buhkary Kandhoori in a very bad uncivilized manner which hurt and aroused the feelings of all those who were present for Jumma prayers and all the Muslims of the area. The cleric in his sermon had compared Thakiyya for a Buddhist Temple, the Kandhoori for a Dansal and the archways erected to Wesak Pandals in other words ridiculing our brother Buddhist community in our country.

If we work in partnership with people, and this means people from all different groups in our society; There are challenges in government and for those in positions of responsibility in local areas. There are also challenges for the leaders of our many faith communities. Government can not succeed alone. None of us can stand back and do nothing. We must develop new ways of working. We need to ask ourselves whether we are doing enough to support communities themselves. We need to always ask ourselves whether we are working with the right groups in the right way.

There are core values which unite us all as Sri Lankan citizens. Many of the day-to-day concerns - about jobs and education - are the same regardless of where people live of what faith they come from. Building up understanding and respect between and within communities also enables those common threads to develop.

We live in an era where society is constantly changing. New groups are arriving, while others become established, thrive and disperse - and some do not. This leads to a complex background of relationships between different groups. Extremist factions are quick to drive wedges and exploit any gaps that appear. We must not allow that. That is why, among other things it is crucial for the Government to work with individuals and organizations across Muslim communities to build up a better understanding and wider knowledge of the traditions of our faith. And it is critical that we understand the issues that Muslim communities face, and put actions in place to address these challenges.

With that in mind, Regarding this sermon a complaint was lodged at Beruwala Police by the Moulavis of Buhkary Thakiyya and the Attorneys-at-Law. At the same time a request was made to summon him an inquire into the matter. At the masjid rahman the people who went to inquire were attacked by the thow. The police who were out side are witness to this incident. Even then the thakiyya followers returned home because the Trustees of the so called Thou mosque agreed to produce the cleric who had delivered the Friday sermon, to the Police within two hours.

Even after many hours these Trustees of the Thou Mosque failed to produce the cleric concerned. As such the feelings of the Muslim people of the area were aroused. Then the Moulavis of the Thakiyya who had lodged the complained went to the Thou Mosque to find out the just reasons for the delay and challenge the ideology of the extremists vocally. As they were entering the Thou Mosque premises some thugs came out from Thou Mosque carrying weapons to attack those who had gone there. Then the crowd that had gone with the Moulavis of the Thakiyya went forward to defend the Moulavis. This news spread all over the village and a crowd gathered and ended in a clash.

This so called Thou movement under the guise of fundamentalism are splitting the Muslims and the religion of Islam. History proves "The riot was planned and provoked by the thou extremism,

• Putting a halt to the Buhkary Majlis in Kattankudy.
• They are the cause for the non functioning of Buhkary Kandhoori at Kinniya.
• Attacking the Quadiriyya Thakiyya at Weligama.
• Encroaching and capturing the Beruwala China Fort Akkaragoda Masjid for a short period.
• Creating problems at Beruwala China Fort Pittawala Zaviya Buhkary Majlis.

A person from South India who claims the leadership of the Thou Movement having the complete backing of the extremist groups was identified as a trouble creator by The Sri Lankan Government and deported over night was a well known fact. In the same manner he was identified and banned from entering Dubai and Malaysia and many other Muslim nations as well.

These so called Thou trouble creators who have been trying to persuade the Muslims to give up their Traditional Culture, through this Friday sermon added fuel to the burning hearts of the Muslims which burst out in flames. All the Muslims of Sri Lanka too should take to heart and go all out to preserve the Traditional Customs and Rituals of the Muslims, which had been followed by our forefathers and prevent these trouble creating Thou group from disturbing the minds of the Muslims.

We also need to improve our capacity to fight extremism and the distortions that some people in Muslim communities and others try to spread. We must work together to protect our young people from recruitment to violence and help them reject forces that seek to destroy our wonderfully diverse society.