while Sri Lanka is struggling to come out from the remnants of its brutal ethnicconflict, its ethnic harmony

after the war is slowly fading away and likely to slip into jeopardy. Once the war is over the government should have taken serious measures to reconcile the differences between ethnicities within her country. but in contrary to this, government had turned mute over this matter while remaining silence over the emergence of Buddhist !tremist "roup which is posing a critical threat to the basic fabric of the ethnic communities and their harmoney. #his status $uo causing racism all over the country specially on the minorities- particularly %uslim minority which has become more vulnerable to racism in Sri Lanka in recent years. &t is very sad to see &slam and %uslims are being targeted all over the country and #heir religious and cultural values $uestioned and ridiculed by these elements. &n line of these events %oratuwa 'niversity of Sri Lanka duly created by and under (ct )o *+ of *,-., has banned the muslim female students from wearing )i$ab /%uslim face veil0 . #his ban has come in the dawn of 12O"% 34*5 and a time where the government is under immense pressure by the international community for its alleged war crimes and 2uman right abuses. #hese e!tremist element are creating &slam phobia. #his racist syndrome is widespread all over the country nowadays. %oratuwa 'niversity is one of the main national 'niversities in the country with high profile of professionals -as they claim. But it is something strange to see these intellectuals are also victimi6ed by the above mentioned syndrome. On 7ecember * 34*5 the 81 of %oratuwa 'niversity of Sri Lanka 9rof. was interviewed by the BB1 . :hen & listened to his interview & reali6ed how an innocent nvjfd mind was duped to believe an unnecessary issue. #here were only three %uslim students -a tiny minority out of thousands of students in the %oratuwa 'niversity were wearing the ;ace 8eil. #wo of them have been wearing this inside the 'niversity for well over two years and a first year student had been wearing for the last four months without any issues. (s mentioned in the appeal letter they wrote to the 81, #hese girls were very cooperative to the security checkings in the university especially at the main entrance. (pparently one girl with full face veil had graduated from the same 'niversity in 34**. #he 81 in his interview outlined following reasons for the ban, *. 2indrance to inter-culture 3. Security threat. :hen it comes to security threats, there is no way to say that those students pose security threats to the university. %uslim :omen have been wearing face veil even when the country was under the most crucial threat by the terrorist. & remember

them were wearing this even during the time suicide attackes were more fre$uent in 1olombo. no security threats have arisen at that time. But it is a ridiculous to say that this small piece of cloth on a university student<s face has caused a security threat to a university. ;reedom of a citi6en can not be restricted in the name of bogus security threats. &f wearing face veil poses any security threats, it can be further discussed and sorted out. 2ave the 9rof. or the 'niversity administration encountered any security problems so far because of this face veil= :hat they claim is completely hypothetical. ven if there is any offence committed related to this here and there, we have 9olice to in$uire and take legal action. :e have enough provisions in Law to punish people who are committing wrongs. &n contrast, a way of dressing is being criminali6ed inside a state- run university. Let me collaborate the ;> violation later but for now it is general knowledge to know that everyone has their own way of dressing. another argument put forward by the 81 is that the 'niversity is a mi!ed cultured, multi-religious and multi-ethnical. So #here must be lot of interactions and cohesion between the 'niversity students. & totally agree with his view but what & & disagree with him is his view that this face veil is a barrier for interaction among students. &t is ama6ing to see interpretation of interaction in the modern technological world. )ow people are heavily depended on social media, and telecommunication. #his ban on veil is seriously violating the provisions of the constitution. 1hapter 5 of the *,-. constitution titled as ;undamental >ights provide various fundamental rights for the citi6ens. #he following rights, among others are violated by this ban. *. $ual before law.

3. ;reedom of e!pression. 5. ;reedom of >eligion and conscience. ven the media he uses to e!press his position did not show his lively e!pression but just his view as his voiced and written letters on the digested screen and paper. On the other hand the most influential media are also using the same way when people chat or talking over the phone they don<t even see each other. &t doesn<t mean that those people are encountered problem in involving in interaction and cohesion. /make it more clear0 :hen you talk about &nter- culture in the 'niversity, then everyone should be allowed to e!press and practice their culture and belief freely . #hat is the core of a multi society. &ronically when you ban the face veil you neglet a minority of women. if your purpose of banning the veil is in fact to increase the interaction between students and allow them to enjoy their multicultural values, then it is also invalidated by way of your rejecting these tiny minority women. &f you feel that this

woman /& cudnt get0 then let them come to the 'niversity and learn aboit the so called modern dressing and interactions. ;or those who are shouting out there that ni$ab was an (rabian culture and it should not be allowed in Sri Lanka, & could tell them that almost all Sri Lankans are wearing dresses not related our Sri Lankan culture. &t might either be &ndian or :estern. but no one objects to it as it is against cultural dress code. :e may have our own whims and fancies but it should not go into violating others rights and freedom. Specially when it comes to education we should be more careful. )ot only :e are denying a tiny minority<s right to education but also causing harm to generations to come. One may wonder why their intellectual minds are fully to see this reality and getting encouraged by the e!tremist elements. &t is the 'niversity which should teach tolerance to the society. but it is sad to see that these universities are just three students dress code as the huge issue on the planet.