Summary 40-year-old left-handed batsman strongly condemned anti-Muslim riots.
(Web Desk) – Sri Lankan cricket legend and Multan Sultans’ opener Kumar Sangakara has finally opened his lips of community riots in Sri Lanka.
The 40-year-old left-handed batsman strongly condemned anti-Muslim riots and urged fellow countrymen to learn lessons from Sri Lankan troubled history marked by years of civil-war.
He said, “Have we learn nothing from our recent past? Have we lost sight of basic human decency and love? Are we so morally corrupt that how our mindless and thoughtless actions are endangering our common future? We are responsible for the safety and well-being of our opener. We are our sisters’ keepers. We are our brothers’ keepers. It is our responsibility to ensure and everyone in Sri Lanka is safe, is loved and accepted. When I looked into eyes of my fellow Sri Lankans, I don’t see a difference. I see myself in them”.
Sangakara urged his countrymen to say no to racism and violence. He also posted a message on his Twitter account.
No one in Sri Lanka can be marginalized or threatened or harmed due to their ethnicity or religion. We are One Country and One people. Love, trust and acceptance should be our common mantra. No place for racism and violence. STOP. Stand together and stand strong.
— Kumar Sangakkara (@KumarSanga2) March 7, 2018
Another Sri Lankan cricket legend, Mahela Jayawardena articulated similar thoughts. He also took to twitter to condemn the wave of violence against Muslims.
I strongly condemn the recent acts of violence & everyone involved must be brought to justice regardless of race/ religion or ethnicity. I grew up in a civil war which lasted 25 years and don’t want the next generation to go through that.
— Mahela Jayawardena (@MahelaJay) March 7, 2018
Meanwhile, religious violence flared anew in the hills of central Sri Lanka despite a state of emergency, with Buddhist mobs sweeping through towns and villages, burning Muslim homes and businesses and leaving victims barricaded inside mosques.
.jpg)
Muslims own many of the small businesses in Sri Lanka, a fact that many believe has helped make them targets as Buddhist-Muslim relations have worsened in recent years amid the rise of hard-line Buddhist groups, which accuse Muslims of forcing people to convert and destroying sacred Buddhist sites.
