Is racism dead, dying or alive and kicking?

AS citizens, we must realise that this country will never develop into a state of peace and prosperity so long as the evil of racism and racist attitudes persist among the people.

- By Mass L. Usuf

Sociological and anthropological studies show that prejudice against “others” is an innate human trait in its crude form. Therefore, to single out the Sinhala people alone as racists will be unfair because these attitudes are prevalent even among the Tamils and Muslims. The difference is the scope and extent of such attitudes appear more pronounced within certain segments of the Sinhalese people. Unlike the crude form, modern day racism is different as it is built on power, inequalities, domination and discrimination. The reasons are multiple and interrelated. These include the Sinhalese population being in the majority, Sinhalese ethno-nationalism, the “Sinhala Buddhist” narrative, competing “historical” claims made by them, the use and abuse of monks and temples, the servile political mindset.

President Anura Dissanayake’s speeches on racism before and after elections is beyond reproach. We believe in his sincere desire to take the bull by the horn - a cancer that has retrogressed this nation by several decades. However, mere speeches and sincerity alone will not suffice. These have to be backed by measurable affirmative action and consistent enforcement to feel the change.

The prevalence of racism and racist attitudes is not unique to Sri Lanka.

Racism in its different variations have been seen in the United States, Europe, Australia and in the Asian continent — particularly, worst in India. The evil precursors were the institutionalised slavery and segregation in the United States, apartheid era in South Africa and racial hierarchies created by the colonialist British empire.