On April 26, prominent leaders of the Muslim community in Russia, representing the State Duma of the Russian Federation, highest religious administrative organs of Russian Muslims, and the European Muslim Forum, which includes leaders and representatives of Muslim communities from 25 countries of Greater Europe, called on Ambassador of Sri Lanka in Moscow H. E. Dr. Dayan Jayatilleka to express their solidarity with and deepest sympathy for the people of Sri Lanka, following the tragic terrorist attacks on Easter Sunday.
Mufti of the city of Moscow, Ildar – Hazrat Aliyautdinov, who also chairs the Spiritual Board of the Muslims of Moscow and is Deputy Chair of the Spiritual Board of the Muslims of Russia together with the Chairman of Zakyan Foundation Mr. Rifat Izmailov visited Ambassador of Sri Lanka to express the heartfelt condolence on behalf of Muslims of Moscow to the people of Sri Lanka.
Imam of Moscow emphasized that those, who committed the terrorist attacks had an intention to escalate the clashes between different confessions, but this terrible act against innocent people united people instead, despite of their religious conviction.
Ambassador Jayatilleka explained that Sri Lanka had ethnic conflicts in its history but there was never a tension between the Christian and Muslim minorities. Ambassador Jayatilleka called for arranging international conferences on counterterrorism and a united global front of states against this evil.
After the meeting with Mufti of the city of Moscow, Ildar – Hazrat Aliyautdinov, H. E. Dr. Dayan Jaytilleka held discussions with H. E. Gadjumurad Omarov, Deputy head of A Just Russia faction at the State Duma of the Federal Assembly, member of Duma Committee for International Relations, a well-respected MP with over 20 years of experience in this Russian legislative organ, who expressed his condolences and stressed that there is no such thing as a Muslim, or any other religious terrorist. Terrorists are Godless people, whatever they claim as their religion. Whoever believes in God, would beautify God’s creation, not tear it down. “According to Islam, killing one man equals killing the entire humanity,” said Mr. Omarov.
Mr. Abdulwahid Niyazov, President of the European Muslim Forum, emphasized that the whole Muslim community strongly condemns such terrorist acts, and feels heartbroken over the recent attacks on the fraternal people of Sri Lanka. “The pain in our hearts can be soothed only if we embrace in our arms those, who suffered in these attacks,” said Mr. Niyazov. A delegation of the European Muslim Forum would like to make a visit to Sri Lanka to meet with the priests and parishioners of the attacked temples, to express their sincere words of sympathy and condolences. Mr. Niyazov asked for the administrative assistance of the Embassy to make such visit possible. He also invited the Ambassador Jayatilleka to take part in conferences and other public events on countering terrorism and propagating peaceful interconfessional dialogue, organized by the European Muslim Council in Moscow during the holy month of Ramadan.
Ambassador Jayatilleka thanked the representatives of the Russian Muslim community for this gesture of support and solidarity. He emphasized that terrorism must be stopped by using all available means – political, military, and ideological. The international community must take a strong stand against this increasingly dangerous poison, forums and conferences must be gathered to call for a truly global unified front against terrorism. On the other hand, World Muslim Youth Festivals should be held to promote healthy ideology among the young people. They must realize that killing innocent people is in no way acceptable, whatever their causes may be.
The parties pledged to continue their cooperation, providing every possible assistance for mutual initiatives on this subject.
