Police and Bodu Bala Sena representatives blocked a peaceful candlelit vigil planned outside the BBS Headquarters to denounce hate speech and anti-minority campaigns by the monk led organisation at the Thummulla Junction in Colombo earlier this evening.
At least five demonstrators were taken in by police for questioning and released by the end of the evening.
Police dispersed the crowd before the vigil was begun, after strong protests were registered by Bodu Bala Sena representatives and monks who had stepped into the fray.
Long before 7 p.m. when the candlelit vigil was scheduled to begin, a battalion of Police and riot Squad personnel arrived on the scene. Security was beefed up and a row of Police Personnel stood guard before the entrance of the Sambuddha Jayanthi Mandiraya while five demonstrators from the crowd were arrested by the Police.
Meanwhile, Bodhu Bala Sena (BBS) Executive Committee member, Dilantha Withanage who stepped out of the Sambuddha Jayanthi building, started accusing the organisers of the vigil of distorting the national anthem and called for their arrest pointing at a chant sheet circulated by the ‘Buddhist Questioning Bodhu Bala Sena’ to be recited at the vigil.
“None of the demonstrators gathered here today are Buddhists; I can say that with certainty because I have not seen any of these people in temples,” he said.
Asked on what charges the demonstrators were arrest, police at the scene responded that they were not compelled to give reasons. A female demonstrator was also man-handled by a Police official at the site. Although the Police kept demanding that the demonstrators clear the site, a few of them remained before the Sambuddha Jayanthi Building, asking the Police personnel as to why they are not allowed to stage the vigil. In response, a top Police official at the site stated, “Buddhism should be given prime position among the religions in this country. This country is ablaze with tension because of this issue. Therefore, if you wish to continue the protest, please do so at Galle Face but not here. . .”
Dispersed demonstrators then re-assembled near Gower Street opposite Police Park but the vigil was disrupted once more after members and supporters of the BBS arrived at the spot and demanded the candles be doused immediately. “If you are Buddhists light lamps, not candles,” BBS Executive Committee member Dilantha Withanage shouted at the peaceful activists. Withanage and the BBS monks accused the protestors of being attached to NGOs and propagating an agenda to destroy Buddhism in the country. They refused to leave the premises until the demonstrators called off the event and dispersed from the area.
Eventually, the five persons arrested were brought back to Gower Street and upon obtaining statements, were released.
The candlelit vigil scheduled for 7 p.m. outside the Sambuddha Jayanthi Mandiraya that houses the BBS headquarters was organized by a Facebook group calling itself Buddhists Questioning Bodu Bala Sena. Police repeatedly asked those gathered for the vigil to give up the names of the organisers but the group’s administrators remained anonymous. Crowds of demonstrators told police to arrest everyone since the demonstrators did not recognize a leader. The Buddhists Questioning Bodu Bala Sena group called on peaceful activists to join them to stage a peaceful candlelit vigil for one hour against hatred propagated by certain Buddhist monks during which they would chant to remind Bhikkus about Buddha’s words on Right Speech.
‘What is the purpose of today’s vigil? To remind the Bhikkhus of Sri Lanka about the Buddha’s words on Right Speech. For wrong speech, speech which generates hate and creates enemies is extremely dangerous, and the Buddha spoke against wrong speech. Today well known Bhikkhus are holding rallies and sermons where they speak in language inspiring hate, anger, falsehoods, dividing friends, using foul, obscene words. Buddhist laymen following these monks, in turn use foul hateful speech, which then leads to violence. This is not what the Buddha wanted of his Bhikkhus and lay disciples,’ the group said on their Facebook page.
Pix by Lakna Paranamanna
Bodhu Bala Sena (BBS) Executive Committee member, Dilantha Withanage
Bodhu Bala Sena (BBS) Executive Committee member, Dilantha Withanage
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lERWwDANiZ0&feature=youtu.be
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uxfE0HOeDPI&feature=share
Almarz / April 13, 2013
Ha haaa it’s them that have NGO support……funded by zionists……and they preach Buddhism…..stupid much??
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sham / April 13, 2013
I salute u all for the courage and love for peace. Let us continue the struggle for the future of our generation. TRUTH will prevail. There is no question they (BBS) has the back up from high rank as it is evidence by the land of law applied.
Dilantha is the opportunist and well funded by NORWAY… utter same on him. Come on Dilantha, when did you start perching BUDDISHM
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Roza / April 13, 2013
These monks are having back up by Gota
That’s why they act like that
They can drink alcohol,watching pron move
Having sexlife extra ….. extra …. extra …
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ilyas / April 13, 2013
Sri-Lanka is a multi religious and multi national and multi cultural country,the Muslims lived with the Sinhalese and Tamils like brothers for the time immemorial.Our bond of co-existence and bridge building is still very -very strong. We realized that 98% of the sinhalese Buddhists dont welcome the”BBS,chauvinism,’who openly involved in militism against Muslims with saffrons.We believe that these saffrons,nottrue Buddhists,and are not coming from a good lineage and background, butfrom rotten. They are Taliban type extreme-fundamendalists, but using, the name Sinhala of Sinlala-Buddhists-yard stick and so.We respect all the respected Sanga of the Buddhists monks of this country , most of them are, very friendly with us,and against BBS.
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Jan / April 13, 2013
Come on Sri Lankan Police force! Your doing a great injustice for the people who was doing peaceful protest agaist extremist grop
Budu – Balu Sena
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Eelam / April 13, 2013
J Muthu; All the tamils (including you) have already been castrated by LTTE.He..he…heeee.
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ArunaRW / April 13, 2013
It is time for all Buddhists in Sri Lanka to take a clear stand against the teaching and actions of the BBS. Otherwise, the world would mistake what the BBS preaches to be the particular form of Theravada Buddhism that we Sri Lankan’s subscribe to.
Please don’t let this extremist group hijack Buddhism, which we Sri Lankans have been recognized to practice in its pure form. Unless good Buddhists around the country stand up in each of their temples, we will not be able to get rid of this scourge from our land!
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m.a.wafa / April 13, 2013
What a shame and funny.
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Dhaksha / April 13, 2013
It seems with the top rogue monks of the BBS out of the country, the remaining scumbags still get there orders from the top, to continue their reign of terror and harassment.
How quickly they acted to stifle this peaceful candlelight vigil, which it is so obvious there was NO similar action taken during the horrible attack of Fashion Bug, and no one stops the hate speeches.
Gota must think we are all fools.
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sarath fernando / April 13, 2013
sir pl expose this dilantha withanage.. i know him this man works under ranil wicks. after that he change vhis tie thes he got computer adviser for malabe inf tecnology. he works for wordview his good friend is arny fortje ;;solhiems friend this dilantha send a ravaya man to norway his name is sunil gamininow in france forged docuement provide by dilantha we got all the docuement now bodubalasena funded by arne fortege
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DODU / April 13, 2013
He became friendly with that Norwegian when he worked for late mr. Hameed. A MUSLIM!
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Peace Wallah / April 13, 2013
Norwegians first supported the Muslims through ACS Hammed and his brothers, Nhuman and others who ran Arne Fjoroft’s World View Foundation NGO in SL.The Norwegians next supported some Buddhist organisations and set them up against Muslims.Was it because of disappointment that Hameed’s brothers pocketed most of the money from early 1980s.They expanded their father’s old itinerant ‘pottani’ business in Harispattuwa into a Fashion Empire. Hameed used his position as Minister to get important foreign links like franchise for well known brands of garments.
The Norwegians, for some reason shifted emphasis to some Buddhists and temples. They were responsible for setting up the Bodu Bala Sena after an organised visit for six monks and two laymen to Norway, Sweden and France in 2011. it was also linked to Geneva, to deny Islamic country support for SL by creating an anti-Muslim atmosphere in the country.BBS campaign reached its peak on the eve of Geneva 2013.Still 7 Muslim countries voted against the US resolution in favour of SL. The attempt now is to break the link at international level and deny Muslim support to the govt, locally. This cannot be dismissed as conspiracy theory.
These Internet critics should go deep into this history to understand why all this rumpus is created at this particular time. Isn’t the idea to create confusiopn all round and prepare ground for an Arab Spring like situation here, a regime change?
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Nabil / April 16, 2013
Peace Wallah,
The Norwegians and a German are the main Benefactors . They are housed in a government building.
why can’t it be a quid pro quo to interested vvip’s?
also the visit to the USA is to lobby the Jews for funds. The Sinhalese in the US are spread too far and wide for them to make an impact.
Connect the dots now will you………
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TRN / April 16, 2013
Peace Wallah,
So what do you think? Why is GR is supportive of BBS? you think he wants to topple his borther with the help of BBS?
So GR too is part of the conspiracy ?
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manel fonseka / April 13, 2013
Let me add a seemingly irrelevant suggestion to this present blog.
1) Get the new 16 storey (?) Buddhist Cultural Centre which, we are told houses the BBS HQ along with a branch of the Bank of Ceylon, to change all its utterly COLD external electrical lights to WARM ones. It is not at all conducive to calm and meditation to have those cold lights shining around the statues of the Blessed One etc.
2) STOP decorating our ancient stupas with costly electric lights every poya day or any other festival opportunity that offers. This will not only help to conserve power resources (WHY on EARTH religious establishments have the benefit of lower power charges beats me). Why deny to the present generation the wonderful experience that some of us are old enough to have been blessed by — walking around a great old stupa in the dead of night, in the light of a full moon — and ONLY that light. That was the kind of experience Buddhists of another era grew up on, treasured, kept in their hearts. But, alas, as Heraclitus said: “All things are a-flowing.” Yesterday peace and grace and tranquility flowed from our great “religion” – and all this was available without vast outlays of money, energy, resources, manpower,. what have you. Today, the worship of show, superficiality, resource waste/consumption, loudspeakers, etc., have the upper hand. And the more roads we confer religious sounding names upon, with great pomp and ceremony, the more future sites of conflict, tragedy and violence we seem to be setting in place. Thank ????? someone like myself has not much longer left to see the next round of combat.
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Probono Publico / April 13, 2013
It warms peoples hearts to see so many Buddhists standing up against the Facist and racist BBS hats off to you all
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Daham / April 14, 2013
Well, next time when you (BQBBS)organise or call for people to come for anything, if you are truly driven by buddhist philosophy please organise these events at a Temple. Organising these to provoke another in a location that could create further trouble is not acceptable. What you need to prove to the world is that BBS is not driven by the Buddhist philosophy. That’s the only way that you can protect Buddhism and image of buddhist. If your intentions are sincere you don’t have to rally people for vigils but rally people to protect peace in society and to respect others of different nationalities, races, religions and etc. Rally Buddhist for equal rights of all ethnicities that live in Sri Lanka.
Fanaticism or extremism in any form should not be harboured in any society. Any protest to antagonise another party or public stuns by publicity craving (in robes or not) should also not be entertained. Just because one is against the behaviour and anti social activities of BBS it also does not mean that they should be on the side of others that work with ulterior motives. Stand for the right cause.
Prove to the world that One being proud of the race and religion of which he/she belongs to can also be a person that accepts and a proponent of a multi ethnic and multi religious society.
I too vehemently disagree of rhetorics and the unruly behaviour of BBS. But don’t play in to the hands of other unscrupulous powers that is eyeing to destabilise our Country.
Stand for the Country and stand to protect the reputation of the Nation. It doesn’t mean that you need to agree with those who act with blind faith in the name of the country, race, religion or any other cause. Stand against those who wants to brand the nation based on unruly few.
Do what is right for the Country and what is right for the Society, then you will not be causing any harm to the rightful living of anyone.
What is important is to agree to disagree with respect and coexist. I believe this is what is needed for a multi cultural, multi ethnic society. I stand to be corrected.
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kamal nissanka / April 14, 2013
If “Dhamma” to survive these Buddhist monks should leave the temples and go back to caves (lena) in the jungle and do start meditating. They are eligible for “dhana”
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Native Vedda / April 14, 2013
kamal nissanka
“should leave the temples and go back to caves (lena) in the jungle”
We have a peaceful life in homestead, please don’t destroy it.
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Peace Wallah / April 14, 2013
Thank you Daham. This is a view I myself have been trying to project. BQBBS vigil in front of BBS HQ was a provocative action and the timing was dangerous.Its objective was not to send a message but create mischief knowing very well that there would be a response, and not a pleasant one.The Police thankfully acted wisely and avoided an eruption at this crucial New Years eve.
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mahesh fernando / April 14, 2013
my self from paris . everyweek apersoncame toparis buddist temple his name is sunil gamini this man send by dilantha withanage prof g.l peris support this,,, sunil gamini now expose he said australian anti tiger moment org.a seminar in oslo that time dilantha send him to spy the seminar. at the seminar defence writer keerthi warnakulasuriya saw him then he left the place sunil gamini never expect keerthi was at the seminar after that sunil came to france
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Jamal / April 14, 2013
No BBS that time, it is an old news – CT
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Don Quixote / April 15, 2013
This is total bullshit, just a performance for the buffaloes to lap up !
It looks like both sides are jokers.
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siddeek / April 15, 2013
This time in age PEACE IS PELTED WITH STONES AND EXTREMISM IS UPHELD. You can notice this from all the videos you see the reaction of the so called puppet POLICE of SL. Where were these cowards during the time of the WAR. The solution for this is, that the peace loving friendly sinhalese general public should rise against the BODU BALU SENA.The main reason for the bbs to get to this level is to be blamed on the ACJU. They shouldn’t have given in to there demand to remove the HALLAL STICKER. This gave horns to hairless GOONS AND GONNS.
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Leela / April 16, 2013
Reading through the comments, I see that it is the same frustrated lot that lay hopes on ‘Haltsdorf spring’ and before that ‘FUTA spring’ and before that ‘Fonseka spring’ to change the regime pinned some hope to thaw out on a ‘Candle light spring’. I am glad at least if you are satisfied your ego writing filth, rubbish and gibberish here. Good luck.
Leela
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Muhammad Abdullah Al -Sheik / April 16, 2013
BBS Please …….
DON’T BE A SPIRITUAL DONKEY !
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HOW TO BE FREE FROM EGO (DON’T BE A SPIRITUAL DONKEY !)
Idol of a goddess
Once a sculptor in a village made a beautiful idol of a goddess and thought of selling it at a good price in the city. So he loaded the idol on his donkey and started towards the city. When he was going through the village, the villagers bowed in front of the idol as it looked like a real goddess. Whichever street he crossed, a crowd would bow in front of the idol.
Thrilled with the newfound respect
But a strange thing happened. TheDonkey, which was carrying the idol, thought that he was special and that was the reason why people were bowing to him. He was thrilled with his newfound respect.
Angry people
Soon the sculptor returned after selling the idol. While he was crossing the village, the donkey stopped in the middle of the road, expecting a warm welcome. But nobody paid attention to him. The donkey felt insulted and started braying, so much so, that the villagers drove him away.
Realized the truth
The same mistake, what the donkey did, is what most of us do. When we are on the divine path of self – realization, with God’s grace, a glow enters our demeanor and we stand out in the crowd. People respect such persons and often bow in respect. But we should realize that people are bowing not to us but to that glimpse of God whom they realize resides within us. So the credit of this respect goes, solely to God, not to us. If we start taking the credit, we cross the thin line of demarcation and enter into an area of false ego, which God dislikes most.
The basic difference between material and devotional lifestyle is that, in material life the more we progress, the more ego we develop. In a devotional lifestyle, the more we progress, the more ego we shed.
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Muhammad Abdullah Al -Sheik / April 16, 2013
B B S …
DON’T BE A SPIRITUAL DONKEY !
HOW TO BE FREE FROM EGO (DON’T BE A SPIRITUAL DONKEY !)
Idol of a goddess
Once a sculptor in a village made a beautiful idol of a goddess and thought of selling it at a good price in the city. So he loaded the idol on his donkey and started towards the city. When he was going through the village, the villagers bowed in front of the idol as it looked like a real goddess. Whichever street he crossed, a crowd would bow in front of the idol.
Thrilled with the newfound respect
But a strange thing happened. TheDonkey, which was carrying the idol, thought that he was special and that was the reason why people were bowing to him. He was thrilled with his newfound respect.
Angry people
Soon the sculptor returned after selling the idol. While he was crossing the village, the donkey stopped in the middle of the road, expecting a warm welcome. But nobody paid attention to him. The donkey felt insulted and started braying, so much so, that the villagers drove him away.
Realized the truth
The same mistake, what the donkey did, is what most of us do. When we are on the divine path of self – realization, with God’s grace, a glow enters our demeanor and we stand out in the crowd. People respect such persons and often bow in respect. But we should realize that people are bowing not to us but to that glimpse of God whom they realize resides within us. So the credit of this respect goes, solely to God, not to us. If we start taking the credit, we cross the thin line of demarcation and enter into an area of false ego, which God dislikes most.
The basic difference between material and devotional lifestyle is that, in material life the more we progress, the more ego we develop. In a devotional lifestyle, the more we progress, the more ego we shed.
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PEACELOVER.. / April 16, 2013
PLEASE LISTEN THE RESPONSE GIVEN MY DAMBARA AMILA THERO ON THIS ISSUE …
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=DXHPZW58wR0#!
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Jayantha / April 17, 2013
I think both BBS, Rawaya and Rawana are the victims of Rajapakse Brothers Political power play.
It is Cunning Rajapakses who created, nourished and used them for their benefit to stay in power by destabilising the minority communities, similar to what JVP and VP did to Sinhala and Tamil youth.
Very soon they will realise the truth and will start to take revenge from Rajapakses.
Rajapakse days could be numbered.
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