By Ameer Ali –
Dr. Ameer Ali
The unrestrained freedom extended by the current regime to a bunch of saffron-clad street vendors of Sinhala Buddhist zealotry is pushing Sri Lanka once again into a cauldron of ethnic and religious convulsion. The nationwide spread and virulence of these hate mongers is jeopardising the very survival of the nation’s democratic polity, economic recovery – especially after the failed constitutional coup of October 2018 and worsened by the April Easter carnage – social cohesion, religious pluralism and international image. A land where Thervada Buddhism is supposed to spread compassion and love for everyone, zealous warriors from the Buddhist sangha is spreading hatred, and the language they use in public is so uncultured and un-Buddhist, which makes one wonder whether these monks actually belong to that noble Buddhist order. ‘Slapping’, ‘stoning’, ‘expelling’ and ‘exterminating’, for instance, are terminologies certainly not those of Siddhartha, whose universal message was compassion, tolerance, peace and love. Sri Lanka remained an exemplary embodiment of this message for millennia. It is therefore shocking that this message is now twisted, corrupted and sacrificed by militant priests at the altar of political aspirations.
It is in this disturbing and gloomy atmosphere that one comes across a voice of calm, hope, serenity and compassion, in the figure of an unassuming but dignified spiritual personality, Ven. Galkande Dhammananda Thero (Ven. Thero), who is tirelessly working from within and outside the quiet precincts of the Walpola Rahula Institute (WRI) in which he is the Director of Buddhist Studies. Little I knew about this great soul when I first met him a couple of years ago. With a few dignified words of welcome and short and friendly chat in English (because my Sinhala is too poor), his kindness, sincerity, composure and intellect melted my heart, and made me realise that Sri Lanka has produced another Buddhist scholar-son on the footsteps of such spiritual and intellectual luminaries like Ven. Velivitta Sarankara, Walpola Rahula Thero and Maduluwawe Sobitha Thero.
Ven. Galkande Dhammananda
While being attached to WRI, he is also a full time lecturer in history at the University of Kelaniya. With a B.A. degree from the same university, M.Phil degree from the prestigious Jawaharlal Nehru University in India and currently working to complete a thesis for PhD, Ven. Thero’s academic credentials are impeccable. More than his academic achievements it is his utter dedication to work for peace in the country and betterment of its people irrespective of their ethnicity, religion and social status that won my admiration to this venerable personality.
In all his public speeches, which are available electronically, he interweaves methodically and expresses intelligently the noble principles of Buddhist love (metta), compassion (karuna), joy (muditha) and equanimity (upekka), which have been thrown out of the window by the zealots. Like his master, Sir Walpola Rahula, Ven. Thero sees the emptiness of Buddhist cultural practices and rituals without an inner commitment to those principles. One should be a Buddhist by heart and action rather than by words and appearance, is his simple message, which in fact is applicable to followers of all religions. It was this belief in the inner cleanliness of heart that must have impelled Ven. Theo to publish Rahula’s Sathyodaya, both in its original Sinhala and translated English versions. I had the privilege of reviewing this invaluable and timely publication (Colombo Telegraph, 22 March 2019). It is time the street vendors of Buddhist supremacy reads this wonderful critical piece on Buddhist practices.
One area in which Ven. Thero is spending much of his time is social healing. Given the current troubling social climate in the country, caused by the pestering wounds of a bloody civil war and its collective trauma, and the ongoing religious and ethnic restlessness, social healing has become a priority need if the nation were to preserve its plural identity and cultural heritage to achieve any progress. It is on this realisation that the “Rahula Dialogue: An Interreligious Dialogue Programme on Social Healing”, has been initiated under Ven. Thero’s leadership and guidance. In this initiative he has been inspired by Lord Buddha’s teaching of Bahujana Hitaya or betterment of all. Striving for social justice in support of society’s vulnerable, marginalised and discriminated is one of Ven. Theo’s lifelong commitments and towards which he is constantly in touch with other religious leaders. Through modalities of truth, reconciliation, forgiveness and restorative justice, social healing helps to build trust, confidence and hope amongst people, without which no nation can enjoy peace and prosperity. However, Ven. Dhammananda is realistic enough to admit the limitations of this project and the many hurdles to cross.
There is no better illustration to Ven. Dhammananda’s commitment to social healing than when he lost no time in visiting Digana after the anti-Muslim riots in 2018 and Negombo after the Easter bombing this year. It is no exaggeration to assert that it was his very physical presence in those trouble spots that prevented further escalation of violence to Muslims. While political leaders were dragging their feet to even console the victims this great soul was there on the spot to show his concern to the affected.
Apart from or in addition to social healing he is also associated with the project, Religion for Responsible Government (RRG), in which his essential message to rulers is to adhere to the fundamental principles of all world religion. Since Sri Lanka is the home for four such religions it is imperative for rulers to promote the positive commonalities among them while respecting the differences. WRI under Ven. Thero’s directorship has provided a safe haven for all religions, and without much fanfare is performing yeoman service to peace in the country. Ven. Dhammanada’s is a fearless voice of sublimity and humanism amid deafening howls of hatred and venom spread by some Buddhist supremacists.
It is in this fearless voice of humanism that I see an opportunity for minorities and the neutral minded to rally behind Ven. Dhammananda to work for peaceful coexistence with dignity. One of the drawbacks of the strategies that minority communities have adopted so far in trying to find solutions to their problems is to avoid discussing their issues with civic forums and religious leaders within the majority community. By concentrating entirely to talk about their grievances through their own political platforms and political leaders, minorities have isolated themselves and neglected the fora of neutral voices from the majority community. This has been a historic blunder. Unless the majority is made to understand the ethical and moral rationale behind minorities’ grievances and the need for justice, it will be difficult to find permanent solutions to the nation’s pestering issues. Politicians have a vested interest in keeping the majority prejudiced and continue with their empty promises to the minorities.
It is in this context the activities of WRI and the voice of its Director Ven. Dhammananda Thero receive extra significance and weight. With unlimited compassion, and unfailing commitment to social justice to achieve betterment for all, there is hope for redemption to communities that are facing existential crisis in this country. Under his moral leadership and guidance, minorities have an opportunity to speak to the heart of Buddhist Sri Lanka to win its sympathy and comfort so that a powerful moral force can be built to achieve national reconciliation. To go behind politicians to achieve this objective is to chase after a mirage.
There is one problem however, that this great man of compassion, understanding and love faces in the current climate of Sri Lanka. That is, he and the dedicated team that works with him are an endangered species that need be protected. This is where the silent majority in the country can show its support to the work his team is engaged in. Networking is the art of popularising and strengthening modern day social movements. It is through such networking that Ven. Thero’s true Buddhist ideas should and could be spread within the grassroots and that a powerful moral force be gathered to save the nation from the evil propaganda and poisonous preachings of the unscrupulous, dishonest and un-Buddhist zealots.
SarathP / July 21, 2019
Thanks for this article, Dr. Ali. A relief to know more about a Buddhist monk who advocates harmony at a time of chaos in SL.
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Rishard / July 21, 2019
In an interview, Talk with Chatura, where Chatura asked the monk about the violent monks and their behavior. Ven. Galkande Dhammananda said that such monks want to become “Jathiya Beraganemey Veerayo”, (heroes who protect the race) among the masses with a real reason or by creating a fake reason giving an example incident of a Muslim woman ended up in jail for wearing a dress with Dharma Chakraya on it.
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Then he indirectly, softly blamed the media for giving storm of hype to one sided heroes, and asked why can’t we create heroes of the opposite?
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It is true, media has made overall all Buddhist monks look ugly in front of people by biased reporting for rating, viewership and advertisement advantages. Why can’t the media give publicity to the monks who live up to true Buddhist principles?
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JD / July 22, 2019
RISHAD: How about a buddhist youth wearing Mohommad’s Photo on a TEA SHIRT. Or In Denmark publishing a photo in a paper saying it was the Mohommad’s photo. You were guys were trying to kill him.
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Rishard / July 22, 2019
JD – While admitting it is a stupidity & extreme to kill someone for such a simple mistake, I have to say that even a Muslim youth wearing a T’ shirt depicting prophet’s photo is prohibited in Islam, because prophet Mohammed is not a god but a simiple human just like you and me, and doing so might encourage followers to worship this figure one day. So, it is clearly prohibited in Islam. Does Buddhism prohibit wearing dresses with Dharma Chakraya on it?
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Roman Leslie / July 22, 2019
JD it’s the same effect that we prefer to avoid. So you mean to say those Muslim terrorists extremists and the Buddhist of SL think on the same line. Grow up, look around there’s more to the picture than meets the eye
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Mohamed Faleel / July 22, 2019
It’s well known our beloved Prophet’s photo is not available in any form. So there doesn’t arise anyone publishing it or wearing it printed on a Tee Shirt. We need to respect each others Religions and Cultures and to live as one NATION. Our NATIONALITY as Sri Lankans is first and foremost, Religion, Language, Ethnicity, Caste, Creed etc are all secondary. We need to understand this please.
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Muhandiram / July 23, 2019
JD
The first photo was taken ONLY in the early 19th century. How can there be a photo of a person who lived 12 centuries prior to that?
So, any so-called photo is, Most Certainly a FAKE produced by Vicious Hate Mongers bent on Creating Turmoil and Unrest.
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JD / July 22, 2019
SarathP: Who are the people behind this bhikku that influenced him to take over the control of this Institiute ?
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Justice and Fairplay / July 23, 2019
Ven. Galkande Dhammananda Thero is one of the few truly enlightened priests we hve in our midst who could make a difference. The gulf between him and the likes of some BBS men and others who are hunger strikers is unfathomable. It is only fitting that the picture carries Imtiaz Bakeer Marker who is the finest living advertisement for peaceful cohabitation between the sinhalese and the Muslims. Together in harness they would be the finest combination this government is destined never to use in any drive towards peaceful co-existence of the races.
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Terrence Rodrigo / July 21, 2019
Truly, this is getting ridiculous!
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How can an adherent of Islam (to what ever degree) complain of ‘zealotry’ of Buddhists, monks or laypeople, or modern Christianity for that matter.
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How much ever he tries, Mr Ameer will not be able to show black as white and vice versa.
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Themis / July 21, 2019
He is first a human being gifted with faculties to judge and decide for himself, what is right from wrong. Secondly, a citizen of this country who has the freedom to express his unbiased views, be it favorable or otherwise to some. Thirdly, he just happened to be a Muslim who writes with eloquence, and has the talent to drive home an unbiased point, sometimes even to the detriment of his own denomination. Just read the message and not judge the messenger.
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Justice and Fairplay / July 23, 2019
Themis, very well stated!
The bigotry of Terrence Rodrigo is unbelievable! But that (sadly) is Sri Lanka!!!
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Shafeek / July 21, 2019
Terrence Rodrigo,
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“Mr Ameer will not be able to show black as white and vice versa” – But, whether you are ready to accept black as black, and white as white is the big question here.
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Roman Leslie / July 22, 2019
TR, did you know Jesus himself was a Zelot. He stood against the corruption of the Jewish clergy at that time which resulted in his crucifixion. I am not trying to imply Jesus a savour and a respected lord of many and the prophet of many is the same as these zelots Ali is talking about. What’s wrong in a man saying a zelot a zelot it’s always about ones religion not his opinion that’s why you are stuck where you are
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Sinhala_Man / July 21, 2019
Dear Dr. Ameer Ali,
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I’m so glad that you are putting your enormous writing talents at the service of bringing to the public the seemingly tireless work that Ven. Galkande Dhammananda is putting in at this crucial moment in our history.
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There are some of us doing our best, but what gets exchanged on WhatsApp and Youtube sites we have no idea of. I wonder how we can popularise the Sinhala Section of Colombo Telegraph:
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https://www.colombotelegraph.com/index.php/manel-fonseka-18-july-2019/
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I have some inkling of the efforts that went into a comment of the sort above. I have as yet no idea of how that article got translated into Sinhala. I hope that it marks the beginning of an innovation by Colombo Telegraph.
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soma / July 22, 2019
Nothing makes me feel ashamed like a Buddhist priest talking in favour of death penalty.
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Soma
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Native Vedda / July 22, 2019
somass
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“Nothing makes me feel ashamed like a Buddhist priest talking in favour of death penalty.”
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Nothing to be ashamed of being a Sinhala/Buddhist fascist he speaks your language, Sunday Sil Monday kill.
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Sinhala_Man / July 22, 2019
Pardon me, Soma.
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Your comment (which appears as a response to my comment) is rather a non-sequitur. Who is the Buddhist monk who is talking in favour of the death penalty? Certainly not Ven Dhammananda.
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It may be that I must explain my remarks here which are somewhat cryptic, but it’s difficult to find the time – and long comments get boring, don’t they?
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soma / July 23, 2019
Dear Sinhala_man
Thousand pardons if my poor English implied this most gracious Ven. Galkande Dhammananda – the subject in the article. Who on his senses would utter such a thing. I have personally come across Bikkhus who support death penalty which is abominable to me. I mentioned it to demonstrate the contrast.
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Soma
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Venn / July 21, 2019
So Ameer, where is the Muslim compassion amid the howls of Islamic zealotry?
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Tara / July 21, 2019
You must have selective memory. We saw the compassion and outrage when the Muslims warned the government of these extremist activities, and nothing was done, when they protested these criminals, when Muslim politicians and leaders condemned this terrorist act, and we have seen the compassion when wealthy Muslim businessmen donated a large hospital wing equipped with medical equipment for ALL Sri Lankans to get help and treatment, when meals are given freely to those who go to get treatment, and when they help people of all religions and walks of life, by donating generously to various causes. Right now, they are the victims of harassment by people who think like you.
You don’t have to look very hard to see it, you willfully pretending to be blind.
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Lanka Perera / July 22, 2019
Tara the Islamic bigoted apologist, why are you telling lies. Except for a few Muslim politicians in the mainstream parties, none of the others said anything. Can you forward the condemnation issued by Muslim Congress or other Muslim parties. Did extremists like Hisbullah, Bthurdeen, Azath Sally, Mujibur Rahuman, Ameer Ali or Harris condemn it. What nonsense it is to build a hospital and then kill 250 people. People are not going to lie low for long, when your idiots are continuing their run.
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Roman Leslie / July 22, 2019
Perera Lanka, show me one condemnation the Asgiri, Malwathu, UNP, SLFP, SLPP and the Hela Urumaya put forward against the persecution and disappearance of Tamils in the North and muslims in south and the up country. These are all politicians. Why aren’t you talking about the actual peoples struggle who came forward and warned the government YOU KNOW WHY BECAUSE YOU ARE PART OF THE PROBLEM NOT SOLUTION THE HATE YOU SPHEW HAVE NO BOUNDARIES
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Lanka / July 22, 2019
Roman Leslie, show me one condemnation from the TNA and other Tamil politicians who licked the boots of mass murderer Prabhakaran for 20/30 years! When Muslims were kicked out of the North within 24 hrs! When 250/300 lives were massacred by Muslim fanatics! You talk of Tamil disappearances what about the mass murder of armed forces personnel who surrendered? It is jokers like you supported by NGO’s who are to be blamed for the these problems.
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soma / July 22, 2019
Tara
You must be ashamed of your comment. Let a man talk good of another man despite the fact that there are lot of other good men in the world.
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Soma
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Native Vedda / July 22, 2019
somass
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“Let a man talk good of another man despite the fact that there are lot of other good men in the world.”
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I can’t take this anymore.
You are degenerating into a humanist or at least using words from humanists.
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If true please stop it.
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Mohamed Faleel / July 22, 2019
ZEALOTRY in ISLAM is unthinkable and is something alien. May be there are a few who are gone astray. ISLAM is a Religion of PEACE & COMPASSION.
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nalmen / July 21, 2019
there are a few like him crying in the wilderness
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rbh / July 21, 2019
Why did the world called sri lanka as paradise because of flashing
spiritual and intellectual luminaries like Ven. Velivitta Sarankara, Walpola Rahula Thero and Maduluwawe Sobitha Thero.
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Lankan / July 21, 2019
Sri Lanka is full of good people like this venerable monks, 99% Sinhalese are good people. Ven. Galkande Dhammananda is one of those rare Buddhist monks who stand for peace and justice. I happened to listen to his talks. He speaks with wisdom and logic. He speaks with compassion and social reality. Today, the problem is not Buddhist monks but they have been used by some politicians. that is sad side of all these chaotic conditions. Sinhalese are wonderful people. I have worked with many nationalities in Europe. I never see any good race like Sinhalese. They are kinds and compassionate and yet, some politicians incite hatred into minds of young youths…
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Boothaya2 / July 21, 2019
IBoothaya2.
Lankan
99% of sinhalese are wonderful kindhearted people. I am a non sinhala srilankan.
I have lived with them for more than 8 decades. I should know!
Boothaya2
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Jay Chambers / July 21, 2019
The author totally distinguishes himself with almost impeccable piece of Taqqia writing. What a beauty! If the reader does not read between the lines and gets carried away with the profusion of compliments then the whole meaning is lost. This is how rabid, Sharia fanatics respond when cornered and temporarily unable to defend their poison against an impatient, bleeding and suffering people like the Lankan Kafffir Christians, Buddhists and Hindus. Select one lone voice that fits their agenda for the moment and heap praise on the target, to the extend where usually emotional Lankan reader begins to lose sight of the hidden Jihadi agenda.
Lankans should beware of these snakes. They just want to buy time until they completely buy out the politicians, grow their numbers to explosive levels and by 2030 achieve enough votes to control Lanka directly through polls themselves. They will then shed the cloak of dishonestly, wear the ISIS fez and suddenly attack everyone who is a Kaffir with the ultimate threat of convert or die. Lankan Kaffirs will for the most part convert, and will themselves destroy their culture and heritage turning Lanka into a Third World Moslem hellhole like Somalia. There is no return thereafter.
Watch out reader, the writer is not honest. He is wading Jihad through Taqqia. Find out more about Moslem Taqqia deception. Many innocents world over have died through centuries from Taqqia induced docility towards Moslems until its too late.
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Shafeek / July 22, 2019
Jay Chambers,
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Inflaming hatred & violence between 2 communities always starts with estimating or underestimating the intelligence of people by targeting their weaknesses – in this case, you’re trying your level best to create fear among the majority that Sinhala race is going to go extinct.
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But to an intelligent mind, there are no logical values in your argument other than openly expressing your own fancy seeing Sri Lanka, a country full of religious violence, tensions and an overall failed & a poor country in front of the world. Interestingly, those who hate SL, use religious sentiments to fence any progress, if not destroy, because it’s the easiest they can achieve with high availability of local contributors. But the fact is Sinhalese will not only survive, but thrive without the hatred inciting venomous snakes around them.
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Just an example from your other childish uttering, you said, “grow their numbers to explosive levels and by 2030…” – How stupid, (Or, making others stupid) it is to expect a community of mere 10% to grow in just 10 years time to control a country through polls?
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Not sure if there is a penal code to punish perpetrators underestimating others’ intelligence…
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Jay Chambers / July 22, 2019
Shafeek, you are obviously a gifted Taqqia acrobat! You seem to be from the Shogun class of Taqqia deception.
Let me add a few more facts to this. The Moslem explosion is in the currently newborn to 10 year old group in Lanka. Having bred like vermin, living like rats with multiple extended families in urban locations, the exploding Moslem numbers across the island in this group will come of age around 2030. And they will vote en masse for their chosen leader, no dissent allowed under Sharia for emerging Islamic Republics.
The educated reader who is smart enough to overcome Taqqia would have noticed that the Kattankudi Moslems set the world record for fecundity (check Guinness Book of World records, 1978-79 edition) with the most explosive human growth ever recorded, 8-10 children per family. They never let that slow down and over the past 40 years, with the disastrous Tamil Tiger rebellion as a distraction, they were able to bump up their numbers to overwhelm the poor Tamils of the Eastern Province except in a few places. Now they want to do the same across the entire country.
And Shafeek and Amir Ali, brave soldiers of Taqqia, want to silence me so that this can be accomplished while the Kaffir Buddhist, Christians and Hindus sing songs of love and compassion, like retard monks of the Galkande Dammanand ilk. The ancient monks of Taxila and Nalanda in India also sang such songs to spread love to Baktiar Kilji, until the Moslems monsters of Kilji massacred the monks and utterly destroyed all Buddhist and Hindu places of worship and threw North India into a dark age, from which it is still recovering.
Sinhalese and Tamils should fight back and fight back now. Allow zero commerce with these monsters, utterly deny them one cent of business, watch they with hawkish eyes and pounce on them at the first sight of suspicious behavior and destroy them.
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Shafeek / July 22, 2019
Jay Chambers:
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Funny, you have no idea of what Taqqiya is, and you talk about it. You seem to justify present day racism because hundreds, if not thousands of years back ancient Muslim invaders destroyed non-Muslim settlements and countries, WOW. A weak strategy to create religious violence and programs – a petty joker.
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No matter even if you try to make your point standing on your head and legs up, it has the same effect as I described in earlier comment – an empty vessel
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You don’t have a message, and all your comment has is childishly crafted hatred, anger, and venom that is making you a racist troll who is increasingly being rebuked in a modern society – pathetic, you are victimizing your own self. A case clearly needs some counselling help – Good Luck!
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Jay Chambers / July 23, 2019
Shafeek, which race am I against that makes me a racist? Did you create a Moslem race? At a minimum try to understand that you are a member of the cult created by the most barbaric man humanity ever saw, Mohamed, who you call a prophet. I am against those who follow the Hadith’s of Mohamed to the letter and who want to destroy innocent, unsuspecting and naïve people like the Lankan Buddhist, Christian and Hindu people.
You are tying yourself into multiple knots, trying the most vile Taqqia deception and trying to fool the readers until your cult grows big enough to subjugate the Lankan Kaffirs. That is your plan. I urge Lankans to fight back, right now!! Do not engage in ANY commerce with the monsters, deny your cents and rupiah to the Moslems, deny they the social discourse. Completely ignore the monsters and stop all even talking to them. BUT watch them, be thoroughly attentive to their activities. They WILL strike again, and next time the attack with make the Easter Sunday look like a summer camp. The evil and barbarism that runs in their heads, the hatred towards Kaffirs, and the desire to destroy and watch the ogre of destroyed bodies, blood and gore as they see their heaven is well known to those who study them. Lankans have never done such studies and probably never will. Docile, cowardly monks and men singing songs and appealing to Moslems will be a total failure. Kaffir Lankans must know that you are fighting the Devil himself, Satan in fez and head to toe black hoods. I urge Lankans to fight back with valor and with the same cunning they use against you.
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Isharath / July 23, 2019
Jay Chambers,
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“by the most barbaric man humanity ever saw, Mohamed, who you call a prophet” – Anyway, that is your personal opinion. Read below & do some research before judging any human not just Prophet Mohamed (PBUH).
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Please ready “100 most influential people in the world” by Michael H. Hart.
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First 4 places for your quick reference:
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1: Muhammad (570 – 632 AD) Prophet of Islam.
2: Isaac Newton (1642 – 1727) – British mathematician and scientist.
3:Jesus Christ (c.5BC – 30 AD) Spiritual teacher and central figure of Christianity.
4:Buddha (c 563 – 483 BC) Spiritual Teacher and founder of Buddhism.
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This work is not an out come of some huge bribe to the author like we do, but a through thorough research and studies. Grow up bro.
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Jay Chambers / July 24, 2019
Yes, Mohamed the barbaric, rapist, child molester (married a 9 year old girl) and created a cult that destroyed multiple civilizations is indeed an influential person. So is Zahran, who is perhaps the most influential Moslem ever in Lanka. That does not take away the barbarism, the sheer rage against humanity, the depth of depravity where only blood and gore is acceptable from those who are Kaffirs.
So I grant you, yes, Mohamed is no doubt the most influential man. No one can hold a candle to this barbaric monster.
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Isharath / July 24, 2019
Jay Chambers – Your behavior & uttering remind me of a highly intoxicated drunkard I used to see him shouting absolute filth in the middle of a public road. From president to his own father, no matter the guy calls them “Wesigep…” – In your case, are you okay when you write comments to CT?
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Shafeek / July 23, 2019
Jay Chambers,
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(Mallita pissu double wela wage?) There is no point in rattling me or others on this forum childishly, rather try this more effective strategy if willing: Get an old van like the ones used in selling Idiyappa or a three-wheeler with hood rack, then fix loud-speakers on it. Go village by village, street by street and announce what you type here in all 3 languages. Once again, Good Luck!
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Jay Chambers / July 24, 2019
Shafeek, the Lanka Taqqia master, please note that I am very comfortable with a long, slow process of educating and converting every reader here at CT and other forums. I also have a more aggressive and practical strategy and it will bear fruit in near future. If you find me provocative or ineffective, ignore me and move on. You wont be missed. Just remember that if I see Taqqia I will respond.
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Menik / July 22, 2019
A typical Muslim hater, who shows his hatred, comment after comment.
Where did you get trained, Israel?
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Roman Leslie / July 22, 2019
Gas Chambers your imagination has no bounds such a but case living with paranoia
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Muhandiram / July 22, 2019
“Lankans should beware of these snakes.”
Yeah. Mossad Coolies like you are the Worst and Most Dangerous of these Snakes.
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JD / July 21, 2019
Ameer ALI: I say Walpola Rahula Institute superficially is a very good idea. But, underneath all these inter religious harmony, there is a TROJAN HORSE. Thun Sinhale aka Sivu Hele Sinhala people what ever religion they practice need to understand that. Buddhists have Mahavamsa Mindset. so, they are very slow to react. Al Bagdadi who are very smart is not like LTTE. This new concept can be like Devadaththa”s Samsaric journey with Almighty Buddha.
I know Even Evangelsits have Islamic – Evengelism to teach Muslims the modern way of practising and Evangelist Buddhism to bring the THEREVADA Buddhism (because Mahayana Buddhism can be controlled easily) to mainstream religions which are just businesses in the name of providing happiness to people.
Anyway, it looks United Nations are going to introduce a New NGO GOING TO BE A DollAR kAAKKAA- RELIGION FOR RESPONSIBLE GOVT. It is a better option than govt creating Ministries for every religion. Now, this completes the govt control of religion which does not have a human leader.
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JD / July 21, 2019
Only thing I know, they created Al Qaeda and OSama bin LAden and those turned out eventually to something else. Simply Ditta Dhamma Vedaneeya kamma. They created ISIS and I think Israel is also very active in Srilanka Because, they go behind USA to those countries.
Sri Lanka is an agricultural country which exported Rice from Mannarama to other countries. Now, Sri lanka cannot grow rice. Besides wild type Genetic Material and GMO – seeds have business potential and Indians are crying out loud about the destruction of their agriculture by MONSANTO. Anyway, ISRAEL wants to help us in Agriculture I heard.
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JD / July 21, 2019
Muslims in some countries try similar institutes. Unlike, Buddhists, muslims won’t allow those and supposedly “WAHHABIS” phone and say we blow up you if you tomorrow have the meeting. So, they complain and cry in the web saying what really had happened.
I am pretty sure, In the case of Zaharan, no one in the net work knew the whole story. they were, just the way JVP did, explained only their role. Finally once it happened, they all think, that is why I involved but I did not know what was going to happen or I did not know it was going to be this serious.
It is like Dambara Amila ? wanted to be MAduluwawe Sobhtha thero. But, once he was caught his face looked like that of a child who put the hand inside the Cookie jar and got caught.
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JD / July 21, 2019
I was thinking why Muslim writers do not explain the truth about Aluthgama, Digana and they do not mention many other Muslim Aggression towards Sinhala people. I heard foreigners are behind those all these anti-Muslim Bigotry stuff. I am pretty sure, that is why govt stayed silent.
Anyway, People should defeat Ranil and his UNP/UNF because Ranil and his UNP is very anti-Sinhala. Ranil destroyed ?Intelligence by releasing Millennium city affair. foreign media says Ranil arrest 500 Intelligence personnel during his Yahapalana govt. Now, after his PSD affair Ranil wants to Restructure Intelligence structure probably he wants some foreign secret agents to make clear. what the net work is. The other point is Where is Maithripala sirisena why Intelligence is i under Ranil. It is like handing over chicken coup to the Fox.
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OMG / July 22, 2019
Yo ! Look IS terrorists pointing finger at Buddhists after IS suicide bombers killed 300 innocent worshippers in churches. It’s now all about Buddhist zealotry is it ??? Saffron robed street vendors indeed ! If not for those saffron robes of yore donating land for Muslim traders to set up mosques probably SL would not have had to face this tragedy. And the Sinhalese king relocating the Muslims to the Eastern province for safety after the Portuguese started murdering and harassing them. What a load of gratitude from the Muslims for all the hospitality granted, allowing to marry the local women and able to settle down as locals. Great ! And of course spreading and expanding Islam with mosques in every corner with loud blaring of Allahullala five times a day causing noise polution and irrespective of hospitals and schools nearby getting bothered by it. It is only because of the Buddhists that Muslim and other religions were able to thrive freely in SL, something which would not happen even in th Muslim countries in the Middleast. And if you go to the root of incidents between Muslims and Sinhalese, it is almost always started by Muslim violence. In Digana, four Muslims attacked and killed a van driver for not allowing their car to overtake randomly, in Beruwala, Muslims just attacked a Buddhist priest who was walking along the road minding his own business, to quote two examples. So just go boil you silly head Mr Ali and stop your illgotten attempt at distracting the attention away from Islamic terrorism !
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lanka / July 22, 2019
Amir Ali the unrestrained freedom extended by the current regime to a bunch of Muslim MP’s, ministers and people like you who will do their bidding on various bribes offered. These Muslim zealots must be quarantined without any delay. Special laws for Muslims only must be scrapped. Muslim or religious and ethnic based parties must be scrapped. Wearing of any religious attire to distinguish and show that they are of a ethnic or religious group must be abolished. Special robes could be worn only at Mosques, Temples and churches. ONE LAW for all Sr Lankan citizens. Amir Ali give this message out your fellow Muslims.
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Sinhala_Man / July 23, 2019
It is true that the Muslims seem regularly to come up with a host of unsavoury politicians, but even here there are exceptions. Imtiaz Bakeer Markar in particular; also Kabir Hasheem.
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About 2017, there were lots of articles by brave Muslim women demanding equality with men. CT provided a useful medium. To look for them, don’t search within the website. I put thes words in the Googel bowser and got lenty of results: “Colombo Telegraph articles by Muslim women.” Here’s one:
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https://www.colombotelegraph.com/index.php/muslim-feminists-anti-reformists-the-mmda-the-ground-realities/
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Scroll down the comments. You’ll find that I, and some of the others whom you’d expect have done what we could to cautiously, but firmly support their causes. We were careful not to make war on Islam as a whole. Here’s another article.:
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https://www.colombotelegraph.com/index.php/muslim-women-second-class-rights-holders-in-sri-lankas-quazi-system/
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Apart from the consistent Dr Amir Ali, there was the formidable late Izzeth Hussain:
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https://www.colombotelegraph.com/index.php/muslim-womens-lib-liberal-islam/
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I’m glad that I took pains to contact him, and actually paid him a visit in his Hill Street, Dehiwela home.
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“lanka”, I find fault with you for lumping all Muslims together. We were interacting with the more reasonable Muslims, and sometimes attacking the bigots. “People like you” (your expression!) were making no attempt to recognise the issues until Easter 2019. I used to have heated arguments with some Muslim men whom I came across during my daily rounds. They refused to listen. It is true that they have now changed, but they have also begun to trust guys like me who were consistent.
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Eagle Eye / July 22, 2019
“The unrestrained freedom extended by the current regime to a bunch of saffron-clad street vendors of Sinhala Buddhist zealotry…”
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How dare you talk like this?
Compassion and tolerance shown by King Senerath and Sinhala Buddhists when Muslims faced persecusion by Portuguese are backfiring on Sinhalayo. Forget Buddhism for the time being and save the country and Sinhala nation. There should be a country for Sinhalayo to practice Buddhism.
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Native Vedda / July 22, 2019
EE
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Go Home.
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soma / July 23, 2019
Dear Sinhala_man
Thousand pardons if my poor English implied this most gracious Ven. Galkande Dhammananda – the subject in the article. Who on his senses would utter such a thing. I have personally come across Bikkhus who support death penalty which is abominable to me. I mentioned it to demonstrate the contrast.
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Soma
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Ranjith(SPRRW) / July 23, 2019
The Writer Amir Ali trying hard to teach lanken Muslims exact meaning of one koranic verse that says ” stay calm until you are strong enough to attack and kill all none believers and get whole country submitted to their almighty God ” That is what Amir Ali’s preach of peace. If actually he is for peace & reconciliation he could have condemn Koran & enlighten his fellow Islamist unsuitability of following koranic sarcastic verses. Suicide bombers were created by those sarcastic verses of Koran. No question about it. Government should remove official recognizance given to this sarcastic religion by our constitution under the section 9 and force governing bodies of Islamism here in the country to remove those sarcastic verses from its literature that make suicide bombers like Saharan. Muslim scholars & ,politicians buying time for appropriate time in order to make Jihad I suppose. As such our few monks actions should be commended & appreciated. Otherwise in few years time our nation & religion here is no more.People like Writer Amir Ali & clan May engulf it like greedy Somali refugees engulf piece of beef no sooner get them into their hand..
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