This first week of February has been declared by the United Nations (UN) as the World Interfaith Harmony Week, regarding which the UN General Assembly has said that mutual understanding and interreligious dialogue constitute important dimensions of a culture of peace. Recognising the imperative need for dialogue among different faiths and religions to enhance mutual understanding, harmony, and co-operation among people, it encourages all States to spread the message of interfaith harmony and goodwill in places of worship.

Sri Lanka has an unpleasant history as far as interfaith harmony is concerned. On the one hand, many view people of different religions or other faiths as adversaries, and that has resulted in serious disputes and conflicts. On the other hand, such hostility is being fuelled by a number of parties and very little seems to be happening to address it. 

The country’s rulers play a pivotal, influential role in this process. To a considerable extent, Sri Lanka’s existing political culture involves dividing the people on ethnoreligious grounds and spreading aversion among people of various ethnoreligious identities, labelling each other’s beliefs as a “threat”. This shameful tradition is aimed at garnering votes in favour of certain politicians who claim to be the saviour of those “threatened” ethnoreligious groups. Unfortunately, especially given the history of faith-based divisions and conflicts in Sri Lanka, that tactic has worked to the politicians’ benefit considerably. What is more unfortunate is that this tradition is observable in politicians that represent almost all ethnoreligious backgrounds.

If Sri Lanka is to establish interfaith harmony, which it has been trying to achieve even before the end of the war, eradicating the aforesaid disgraceful tradition is necessary. Politicians’ role in this regard is not limited to that. They have a massive responsibility to form laws, policies, and practices that support such an endeavour, which successive governments have failed to do despite a number of initiatives and proposals by various local and international actors.

However, while such laws, policies, and practices are crucial, what such steps alone could achieve with regard to interfaith harmony is limited, because treating a fellow citizen fairly and humanely regardless of different faiths is something that has to come from within the people. Therefore, it is essential that religious leaders, social activists, civil society organisations, policymakers, and authorities also make it a priority to instil harmony in the people. Sensitising the people on interfaith harmony, discussing faith-related misconceptions, establishing practices that unite people of different faiths, and removing various obstacles such as language and communication and geographic barriers are of great importance. That is a process that is going to take a very long time. Yet, it is an undeniable need.

Sri Lanka has dealt with a plethora of issues emanating from ethnic, religious, and faith-related factors, and these issues have cost the country a lot. These losses range from losing trust among people of different faiths to losing scores of human lives, and their impacts are long term. Establishing interfaith harmony should therefore be at the centre of all forms of reform-related plans.