A 'timely and courageous book' that is also 'a call to conscience'

Western Province Governor Haniff Yusuf delivered a compelling speech at the launch of Muslims in the Dock, the latest work by author and human rights advocate Luqman Harees, on Sunday evening at the Lakshman Kadirgamar Institute.

- IFHAM NIZAM

Governor Yusuf described the book as "timely and courageous," noting that Muslims in the Dock was more than a literary work—it was a mirror held up to society, a "political action" and "a call to conscience." His remarks framed the book as a vital reckoning with the ways in which Islamophobia, both globally and locally, continues to shape and scar societies.

"This book is more than a personal reflection," he said. "It is also a political action. And in many ways, a social reckoning for all of us. But above all, it is a call to conscience." n his speech, Governor Yusuf did not shy away from confronting the realities of Sri Lanka's own troubled history with communal division and scapegoating.

Drawing parallels between international Islamophobia and domestic episodes of ethnic violence, he reminded the audience that the marginalisation of Muslims in the post-9/11 world has echoes in Sri Lanka's own past.