| Some time ago, the Anglican Archbishop of South | | | | village as I was in the Singhalese village. I agreed to |
| Africa, Desmond Tuto was interviewed by Gyles | | | | take them within walking distance of Uhana if there |
| Brandreth of the Telegraph Newspaper. Tutu while | | | | were no crowd. |
| welcoming Nelson Mandela as the Brand New State | | | | On my return trip to the ferry, I encountered a lorry |
| president of South Africa said, "We of many cultures, | | | | with about 30 Singhalese men with guns and clubs on |
| languages and races have become one nation. We | | | | the prowl to catch the Tamils escaping into the Muslim |
| are the rainbow people of God." I can say the same | | | | village. My escape from them was another episode of |
| thing today. We are from different cultures, languages | | | | daring and luck. |
| and races and we have become one people ready to | | | | This incident was the best thing that happened to me. I |
| eliminate hatred, war, oppression and racial persecution. | | | | decided to leave Sri Lanka and searched the world |
| Tutu said that God has many sides and he reveals | | | | over for opportunities and Canada said come over. If it |
| one at a time to each one seeking him. God has | | | | had not happened, I would have remained in Sri Lanka |
| revealed one new side to founders of each religion. | | | | for ever after. |
| It is like the story of the six blind men who went to see | | | | When I say that the clash between the Sinhalese and |
| the elephant and each one felt one part and thought | | | | Tamils made me to migrate to Canada and the |
| that part was the whole elephant.. | | | | troubles in Sri Lanka turned out to be blessings, I have |
| When all religions assemble together we see the great | | | | to say one more thing about calamity becoming |
| creator in all his glory. We affirm that almighty God's | | | | blessings. |
| expressions are fulfilled.. | | | | When my father died I was one and a half years old. |
| Gyles asked Tutu, "what will you ask God when you | | | | Widows have very little claim over their husband's |
| see him in heaven. And his answer was " I will ask " | | | | property. We were caught up in a family intrigue |
| Why did you make suffering central to everything, | | | | where my uncles claimed the property and the |
| Why Why, Why?" | | | | children.and wanted my mother to go back to her |
| He answered the question with the following | | | | parents. When mother refused, they made 17 |
| examples. | | | | attempts to murder her. To get away from the family, |
| When his only much loved son Trevor, under the | | | | mother left the Jacobite Syrian church and went to |
| influence of alcohol, was making wrong turns and | | | | worship with the Marthomites and later with the |
| causing pain and anguish, Tutu says he learnt | | | | Salvation Army then the Baptists and Pentecostals. |
| something of the impotence God feels, as he watches | | | | This gave me an early training to worship with |
| his children making the wrong choices. | | | | different congregations and I became comfortable with |
| Of Nelson Mandela's 27 years in jail, he said, "We may | | | | different religious organizations. Every Sunday I |
| think it was a waste of time. No. Those years and all | | | | worshiped in different churches, Catholics, the |
| the suffering they entailed were the fires that | | | | Protestants, the Hindus, and Muslims. I believe |
| tempered his steel, that removed the dross." | | | | worshipping with different religious groups gave me a |
| To Gyles, Tutu said, "Don't be afraid, be as you | | | | rapport to accommodate their views and to be friendly |
| are.God says I made you as you are, because I love | | | | with them. |
| you. I create only master- pieces" | | | | This early training helped me to study many religions |
| I, too, have experienced the suffering caused by racial | | | | and their philosophies. I loved Hinduism for their intensity |
| and religious intolerance. | | | | of divine adoration, renunciation of the worldly status |
| In 1956, when there was a racial uprising in Sri Lanka I | | | | and comfort. I love Bahaism, because they believe in |
| was caught between the Tamil and Singhalese groups. | | | | one god, one religion and one humanity. They are the |
| Simon is a common name among the Singhalese. | | | | most tolerant of all religions in toleration of other |
| Therefore the Tamils thought that I was a Singhalese. | | | | religions. They advocate to learn with others, respect |
| But I could not speak the Singhalese language fluently. | | | | others rights, adjust the global and local rights, between |
| Therefore the Singhalese thought that I was Tamil. | | | | being a world citizen and a local citizen. They desire |
| Thus, I was the target from both groups. | | | | that education should promote understanding, tolerance, |
| I was in an isolated area and Singhalese mobs were | | | | peace and friendly relations between racial and |
| wandering all over Gal Oya area looking for Tamils. My | | | | religious groups. All children should be taught universal |
| friend, who was the administrator, thought it unsafe ro | | | | declaration of human rights in all languages to children |
| me to stay in an isolated area. So I, my wife and four | | | | in all corners of the globe at an early age before they |
| children moved in with him. | | | | develop a restricted view. We should hold public |
| The rioting continued for a few days and the news | | | | meetings and explain Universal human rights to the |
| spread that some Singhalese officers were harboring | | | | public |
| Tamil officers. One day at nightfall a crowd of about | | | | All religions originated from the intuitive information |
| 200 people came towards our house to take me as | | | | granted by the Creator to individuals according to their |
| hostage or murder me if it came to that. They were | | | | understanding and their ability to cope with the new |
| not looking for women and children. | | | | information. The information was conveyed through |
| So I ran out into the the forest in the back of the | | | | word of mouth as in the case of Quaran and |
| house. During my blind hurry in the dark, I fell into a ditch | | | | Mohammad, through writing as in the case of Moses |
| and hurt my leg and could not get up. That was my | | | | and ten commandments. |
| luck. | | | | Mohammad a Ummi (Uneducated) man was able to |
| The leader of the group happened to be one whose | | | | pronounce such exhilarating, rich, forceful language that |
| son I had saved a few months earlier from drowning in | | | | listening to a skilled reciter of the QUARAN will reduce |
| a lake. He recognized my wife and told the crowd | | | | an Arabic crowd to tears. The words contained such |
| how I risked my life to save his son and he made the | | | | boldness, such power, and emotional effects. They |
| crowd disburse. | | | | were so persuasive, beautiful, compelling that its |
| After a while my host, came in search of me, told me | | | | flashing images and inexorable measures would go |
| that everything was safe and I went into the house. | | | | directly to the brain and intoxicate it. |
| The next morning I found the crowd gathering and | | | | But what is the answer for preventing racial and |
| considered it was unsafe to stay in the village. I | | | | religious trouble? |
| decided to make a dash for safety because at any | | | | 1. I think inter-marriages will bring better understanding |
| moment the situation could change and I was | | | | 2. Teaching beliefs, history and biography of founders |
| endangering the lives of my friends and our own. Local | | | | of religions as part of the social studies curriculum of |
| officers may not be able to protect us from a crowd. | | | | the public school system will provide an understanding |
| I got my family in the Land Rover, put the blinds down | | | | 3. Race and religion based schools should be |
| to avoid being seen. The roads were crowded. I drove | | | | discouraged |
| slowly with determination to go through the crowd at a | | | | 4. A common language for the whole world may help |
| steady slow speed giving time for the reluctant crowd | | | | to eliminate suspicion in some instances. |
| to move and give room. I was out of the village and | | | | 5. Attend religious services of different religions as |
| free from crowd. Still I had to go about 15 miles to | | | | frequently as possible |
| reach the safety of the Muslim village across a river. I | | | | 6. Organize lectures and visits to diverse places of |
| reached the river, took my family across in a canoe, | | | | worship for groups from the community at large via |
| and settled them in the house of a Muslim friend. | | | | night school or multi-cultural societies. |
| There were some Singhalese people in the Muslim | | | | 7. publish articles about various faiths in local |
| village who were afraid for their lives from Tamil | | | | newspapers and other popular publications |
| marauders. They begged me to save them and | | | | All these measures would help to bring about |
| transport them to Uhana from where I was escaping. | | | | understanding between the various segments of |
| They were in the same predicament in this Muslim | | | | society. |