 |
| Dr.
Syedna Mohammed Barhanuddin Saheb, spiritual leader of the International
Dawoodi Bohra Community with his devotees in Colombo. |
Bohra
boost for Lanka tourism
Over
30,000 devotees to attend Ashara Mubaraka Ceremony this month
By
Ayesha Wijeratne
Despite increased hostilities between security forces and LTTE leading
to sporadic attacks around the country including Colombo, the country’s
tourism arrivals has seen an increase of 16% last year in tourist
arrivals.
Deputy Minister of Tourism Faiszer Musthapha addressing the media
yesterday also disclosed that this year too the Ministry is envisaging
a similar growth of around 16% despite mounting terrorist attacks
in the country.
While attempting to play down the ongoing insecure environment in
the country, the Deputy Minister noted that the tourism industry
would not be affected severely by the terrorism in the country,
despite adverse publicity, as the world today has learned to live
with terrorism.
The Tourism Ministry is also expecting around 30, 000 devotees to
arrive in Sri Lanka to attend the Ashara Mubaraka Ceremony which
will kick off today and will conclude on January 18.
The Ashara Mubaraka Ceremony marks the martyrdom of Prophet Mohammed’s
grandson, Imam Hussain, and is the most important event of the Dawoodi
Bohra Islamic religious calendar.
Musthapha said that the government was very confident about organising
the ceremony successfully here, despite adverse publicity that Sri
Lanka is unsafe due to the terrorism problem.
“Already 10, 000 Muharram pilgrims including Dr. Syedna Mohammed
Barhanuddin Saheb, spiritual leader of the International Dawoodi
Bohra Community have arrived for the 10 day ceremony. Sri Lanka
is blessed to have the Ashara ceremony for the second consecutive
year, which shows the world’s confidence in the country despite
the terrorism problem,” he said.
He however disclosed that after the Anuradhapura air base attack
in October tourism arrivals dropped by 40 percent. “However
unlike in certain countries, tourists were not targeted by terrorists
in Sri Lanka,” the Deputy Minister emphasised.
Saifiuddin Patel, Committee Member of the International Dawoodi
Bohra Community said that they had decided to hold the ceremony
in Sri Lanka again this year as they were very comfortable with
the safety measures adopted by the authorities. He also expressed
gratitude to the government for showing unprecedented concern to
the Bohra community.
He added that Sri Lanka was fortunate to win the bid among the 15
countries contested to have the ceremony in their countries as the
High Priest was very affectionate of Sri Lanka. “We have been
provided with enough security and we also hope to hold next year’s
ceremony also in the island,” he added.
|
