7 December, 2024

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Buddhists Challenged To Respect Their Buddhist Religion

By Kusal Perera –

Kusal Perara

Kusal Perara

The third resolution on Sri Lanka to be taken up for vote at the 25th Sessions of the UNHRC now in progress, saw even Galaboda Gnanissara Thera, the “Gangarama podi hamuduruwo” as some call him, getting on the street in ugly protests. Gangarama Podi Hamuduruwo was not considered the type to have behaved as such. Before the protest, he is reported to have told his lay committee that President and MoD Secretary wish to see him lead the protest. For reasons never discussed, he had to oblige. That says many things beyond party politics. It says that traditional, temple based Buddhist monks are vulnerable to State power and not the other way round as often argued. That also says, the other band of monks who run around protesting at street corners have a different lustre. They base themselves on violent racist interventions, pushing out possible people’s protests on daily issues. A political necessity therefore, for the regime.

This select band of aggressive Buddhist monks have in the recent past become formidable decision makers in society. with the ruling Rajapaksa regime acceding to their aggressive intrusions into policy making. They have perhaps cut across traditional “Orders” (Nikayas) within the monk society that strictly maintain organised “caste” divisions. Their brand of Buddhist politics has turned them into violent political street fighters, a completely different type of person though still clad in saffron robes to what Buddhists generally perceived as monks a decade or two ago.

Changes in urban middle class life that helped shape Sinhala mindsets and attitudes catered to changes in monkhood and Buddhist religion too. They have in fact helped a new breed of young monks who have moved out of temples and into luxury city “Ashrams” to gain a novel, holy reputation with heavily market oriented rituals. But these had little influence in rural society. There it was still the traditional temple and the old rituals that dominated life. Thereafter, moving towards commercial centres in the provinces, traditional Buddhist religion gradually gained a commercial lift. Temple premises at times were rented out for commercial purposes, or the monks got into not so sophisticated small time business to have a comfortable life and luxury in the temple. Such was often tolerated by the laity there. They were also in their own way, getting into a competitive consumerist lifestyle.

The recent violent trend within monks was very much Colombo centred. Except for a few, most monks take to politics that provide access to the ruling alliance for wealth and comfort that come only with political power. This political link between Buddhist monks and modern politics had to be theorised and justified. Political ideology for such indulgence was first discoursed about two and a half decades ago by Nalin de Silva, popularly termed as “Jathika Chinthanaya” – nationalist ideology. His interpretation of nationalism was the 2,500 year old “Sinhala” heritage that dominated history. Such heritage, he argued, justified the right for Sinhala dominance in State power. His interpretation had been previously qualified by giving Buddhist religion the status of the only religion with State privilege since 1972, under the first republican constitution crafted by Dr. Colvin R. de Silva. Thus, no lesser person than a Sinhala Buddhist, preferably from the nobility could fit into their project of governing this island nation. This was proven without doubt when senior lawyer S.L. Gunasekera an avowed Sinhala racist was booted out on grounds he was Christian by faith, for Chamipka Ranawaka to be appointed the first national list MP from Hela Urumaya.

Over the years, Nalin de Silva’s Sinhala nationalist ideology became JVP’s clarion call for  Sinhala youth and then was taken to its extreme vulgar end by the JHU that fielded Buddhist monks as candidates for parliamentary elections. Nalin perhaps did not foresee nor expect such abuse of his philosophy, when he argued for Sinhala Buddhist dominance in the Sri Lankan State and government. Yet, that was what it had to be. Young monks who were not much in demand for traditional religious rituals but politically exposed at some time in their early monkhood, were mobilised against minority rights, first by fringe Sinhala extremists and then used by this regime for its own political ends, with Nalin’s “Jathika Chinthanaya” justifying such political abuse

The fault line in Nalin’s theory was that, he overlooked the role of extreme nationalism in a post WW II global order that left no nation on its own. The fact that in modern politics the State and government are both mechanism for implementation and a custodial designer of the national economy. Therefore when the market economy which was basically restricted to Southern social activity did not progress enough to accommodate healthy competition in daily urban life, the middle level trader and business community was compelled to seek a way out. The way out for the Sinhala Buddhist trader and business community was there in Nalin’s ideology. They needed access to State and the political process that governs the State to exclusively control the market. This explains why Sinhala trader associations in the suburbs of Colombo city are politically aligned to Sinhala groups and extremists like the JHU, JVP and even Weerawansa. Why such businesses keep backing this regime for patriotism, that is Sinhala. This also explains why Muslim businesses are targeted. This again explains why this brand of Sinhala extremism invariably rolls over to champion the types like Bodu Bala Sena (BBS) and Sihala Ravaya (SR). And why they become violent on streets and in public, raising anti Muslim slogans  forcibly sticking conditions on society that intends to shift trade in favour of Sinhala business community.

Though politically patronised by Sinhala extremism and perhaps by this regime that caters to Sinhala sentiments, this nevertheless has now crossed the accepted and tolerable limits within Sangha society and its elders. A clear contradiction between political activism and disciplined monkhood. Recent discourses and then the final decision on how far a Buddhist monk could go political in public life, taken by the Amarapura Sri Saddhammawansikha Maha Nikaya, one among the 22 chapters in the Amarapura Order, reflects this contradiction and growing sanity in sections of the Sangha society.

Chief prelate of this Amarapura chapter, Ahungalle Siriseela Visuddhi Thera discussing the issue with the news website “LankaHerald” had a long explanation as to why their chapter decided to ban political activism and this is just a short quote from that explanation, literally translated into English. “In the present situation as you know, monks come on the streets and create violent incidents. That even visually is not a good one. (They) Fight with people. Police drag them off. Take them by their necks. Put them in jeeps. Now that does not suit our monkhood in any way…..Now you can see, what has happened. You can see what had happened to Hela Urumaya also. Finally they ended up in fights……Now if these happen with the lay people and they happen with the monks also, there is no difference between a lay person and a monk….”

Addressing the media after the decision was taken on 24 February, 2014 to ban political activism for monks in their chapter, Joint Registrar of the chapter Balapitiye Siriseevali Thera said, the issue was extensively discussed and argued within the Committee of Monks in their chapter before a decision was taken. The Reverend Thera also said the decision was unanimous. Explaining the decision, Siriseevali Thera said, contesting elections, participating publicly in political agitations, taking part in protest marches and rallies, getting into fights with the police and such indecent acts that degrade and insult monkhood, are banned.

Two weeks later, another Amarapura chapter, Amarapura Dharma Rakshitha Maha Nikaya announced they would also decide on banning politics for their monks. Making this decision public, the chapter’s chief prelate Thirukunamalaye Ananda Thera said, “Even during ancient time, monks did not take to ruling the people in saffron robes. There is mention of one or two, who left the robe and took up State roles.”  Amarapura seems to lead a comeback to saner and disciplined life in saffron robes. In today’s terms, this decision is a historic decision. The origin of the Amarapura Order by itself was a dissenting intervention in monkdom and was a historic decision.

In 1753 the Shyamopali Siyam nikaya was established with King Keerthi Sri Rajasinghe facilitating the arrival of Thai monk Upali, on a request made by Welivita Saranankara Thera. In 1764, the heads of this Order by then divided as Asgiriya and Malwathu chapters decided, this ordination brought from Siam was exclusively for the Kandyan nobility. The Low Country monks were thus denied higher ordination from Siyam nikaya. There were two attempts made by the Southern monks in gaining ordination from the Shyamopali Siam Order in 1772 and 1798 by organising ordination festivals in Thotagamuwa Viharaya and in Tangalle respectively, that were totally disregarded.

A dissenting group of monks led by one from Balapitiya, Welithota Gnanawimalatissa Thera, broke all norms and went on their own to Burma to receive ordination from the chief monk in Amarapura. In 1803 Gnanawimalatissa Thera arrived and established the Amarapura nikaya on Wesak full moon day with a festival held on a platform of rafters in Maadhu river. This broke all traditions. This was the first time in our history, the monks broke off from the Sinhala crown. They were funded by a group of Southern traders, against the will of the then maritime ruler, the British. Amarapura Order thus began as a dissenting Order, not recognised by the Upcountry king and the Shyamopali Siyam nikaya monks. But accepted in the South among low country lay Buddhists in the maritime provinces.

Now, almost 2011 years after, with this decision to discipline monks against the wish of the ruling regime and its Sinhala political allies, the two Amarapura chapters have thrown a challenge at all those who claim they are “good Buddhists”.

One, if they would take the call from these chief prelates and their chapters in demanding monks leave politics, for the secular society to decide politics. Will the laity now tell their Temple chief to stop dabbling in politics ? This does not require a political leadership and is outside the potency of direct opposition politics. If the lay Buddhist society don’t intervene, it now means, the lay Buddhists don’t respect their own religion and don’t even bother how decent and discipline their monks are.

Two, how will those “Left” political shades that totally disagree with the Sinhala tribes like JHU, JVP and Weerawansa, canvas support for Maduluwave Sobhitha Thera as a common presidential candidate ? How will they make the difference between their choice of Sobhitha Thera as a presidential candidate and other political monks who are now told, politics is taboo for monkhood ?

Three, what is Sobhitha Thera’s stand on this taboo laid on politics for Buddhist monks ? Sobhitha Thera made it public he is prepared to be the “common” presidential candidate, at the next hustings. Will he therefore discard the decision banning politics for Buddhist monks ? If he does, he would also contribute to the violent politics of the street fighting saffron robes by accepting monks could be in politics, while the brand of politics for each can then be different.

In short, this decision by the two Amarapura chapters have thrown out a challenge to the Budhists in Sinhala South. Will they respect their own religion, if they are Buddhists ? If they take up this challenge positively, it would certainly mark a new phase in Sri Lankan politics, not only in the South, but in the whole country as well. For that essentially deforms the Sinhala extremist platform.

Latest comments

  • 4
    12

    The agent of Tamil nationalism and a known apologist of separatist violence spouts nonsense again. He make it sound like monks and JHU control the politics of south. The rise of JHU was a result of two main political parties been hijacked by internationalists and agents of the enemy and they been insensitive to needs of common people. The popularity of JHU and JVP is long gone after MR realigned SLFP more with national interests.

    JHU won’t be able to win more than 2 seats if they contest alone in a parliamentary election and a monk contesting against Mahinda would not be able to recieve more than 40% of votes in a presidential election. Such is the platform of extremism that the writer talks about. No wonder these dishonest propagandists have zero credibility among common people.

    • 10
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      Illiberal One

      “a monk contesting against Mahinda would not be able to recieve more than 40% of votes in a presidential election.”

      Thanks for your forecast.

      Is this prediction based on Lunar or Solar calendar?

      • 9
        2

        Kusal, Buddhism does NOT exist in Sri Lanka today – in the public-political sphere. There are only empty Buddhist RITUALS – bana, pinkamas, bodhi pujas etc. done by criminal politicians, military men and corrupt business cronies of the Mahinda Jarapassa regime. Time has come to CLEAN UP Sri Lankan Buddhism which is putrid and rotten at the CORE.
        Time has come for the Head monks of the various Buddhist Nikkayas – Siam, Amarapura, Ramanya etc. to take disciplinary action against BBS saffron thugs and its leader and SAVE SRI LANKAN Buddhism from DISGRACE IN the WORLD!

        BBS is an insult to TRUE Buddhists in Sri Lanka who are peaceful and get along well with people of ALL FAITHS. BBS saffron thugs are NOT Buddhist or BIKKHU. They are THUGS who are bringing a bad reputation to Buddhism in Sri Lanka and destroying and polluting the vinnaya in Lanka.

        There is need for internal reform of the Buddhist Sangha and sects which today cannot provide any leadership because riddled with CORRUPTION and CRIMINAL and dependent on MONEY POLITICS and political patronage.

        • 3
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          I agree other Buddhist nikayas should take action to ban BBS – surely under “vinya” rules this can be done ? what Nikaya does BBS belong to ? I think siam nikaya monks are more prone to corruption where as amarapura and rammagnya nikaya have better discipline.

      • 12
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        Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s strategy to consolidate the Rajapaksa DEEP STATE AND MILITARY DICTATORSHIP in Sri Lanka is to DIVIDE, DISTRACT and RULE Sinhalaya Modayas by attacking minorities.
        Since the Jarapassa regime has NO EXIT STRATEGY and wants to be in power forever, the plan is to turn Sri Lanka into a Syria type war zone situation, by dividing the communities and setting them to fight each other while the CORRUPT and CRIMINAL Rajapaksa family clings to power – like Assad..
        This policy is in place and Gota the Goon who is BBS patron is running the BBS Balu Sena to attack minorities, distract Sinhalaya Modayas and cover up the DEEP STATE military dictatorship in the country..
        In Sri Lanka and other countries CORRUPT AND CRIMINAL dictators rule by dividing multi-religious local communities..

      • 3
        6

        Based on reality around me. Not sure whether your paymasters would be able to convince all opposition factions to agree on Sobhitha thero’s candidacy. But if they do you will see the results yourself. Then don’t forget to insult the voters as stupid.

        • 5
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          This is Raja´s typical mentality.

          Anyone that would criticise against their thoughts are branded as NGO lover, worker, betrayed person etc. while you guys go on behaving totally intolerant.. And other terms I just fogot was imperialists. Westerners are aware of all these and that is the reason that you buddy to feel cornered when coming to Europe next. He will learn good lessions in the next arrival to CW meeting to London soon.
          Here CW states to stay calm putting the crown on a proved evil – is still a puzzle to me.

      • 1
        2

        CBK and NOT Sobitha should be the joint opposition candidate.. sworn to abolish the executive presidency.

        Before she is made joint opposition candidate CBK should be made to sign a public oath /agreement with the joint opposition parties that abolition of the Presidency will be her first action once elected for a third presidential term. The public should see this oath and if she fails to abolish the presidency once elected there will be protests…

        • 6
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          My dear Dilhara, YOU are almost 20 years behind time. CBK made a written promise to abolish presidency under her signature, in 1994 September. On that written promise JVP withdrew their candidate to support her. It was published in every media and the news was carried even in international media.
          NOW 20 years later, you want the same CBK to do the same thing again.
          What a beggars’ world this Lanka is.
          AS

        • 1
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          The suggestion of CBK for President, again, has to be viewed as a collective insult on all decent people in the four corners of the land. She was only slightly less mendacious than the incomparable Rajapakse liars but just as bad in treating the country as her private property. One of her “collectors” used the Temple Trees address and her name, when necessary, to make money. A male concubine was living within TT for all to see – for many years. Principles is not a word that comes in the same sentence with the CBK name. The best she can do is eat into the entrenched Rajapakse vote bank from old SLFP loyalists. The country is fated to suffer and be ruined beyond redemption under the present regime for many years. By the time the Rajapakses are done the country could be divided in a multitude of ways.

          Hooker

          • 0
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            She would not become the president. She has not made any remarks about that.
            But if you are given two wrong candidates. I would go for CBK.

            My Choice is to help Rev. Sobitha- great son of mother lanka to come forward in the mamooth task of abolishing executive presidency and restore democracy in our island.

            Here, all walks of people will rally round to him – if media plays a big role. People are literate but their knowledge is empty.

            Idiots that keep posting hatreds painting wrong pictures about CBK and others may not help anyone.
            They just want situation to be stagnated.

          • 1
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            Tell me if she was not there, could the country have recovered from tsunami disaster ? Some degree of respect should be given to her. In today´context, if an another tsunami would destroy the nation and the country, not many from EU countries stand by to the current regime. People have got short memories. Immediately after the 89 insurgency that killed over 50k was normalized by CBK administration. At the beginning hers was really recoganized by enitre world, but with the time, that the idiots surrounded by her did not allow her anything. It was all because she was female leader. Lankens can only be governed by men.
            People are noow tired of seeing how one family enjoys country´s assets, now the next step – they should finally give the contry to RW so that he can boom the economy AND bring income to the country.

      • 1
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        Is his name Kusal or [Edited out]
        This comment was removed by a moderator because it didn’t abide by our Comment policy.For more detail see our Comment policy https://www.colombotelegraph.com/index.php/comments-policy-2/

        • 2
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          Pena;
          May be you are one of the Shit eating PIGS????????.

          • 3
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            How are u Amare ?

            Hope everyhting is going well for you.

            Long time no see, the country is driven to ruins by the cattle driver to this day.
            Did you read that .. they have made close ties with myanmar… what a development ? Next week it may be with NORTH KOREA….

            • 0
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              SL has always had very close relations with Myanmar even when they were very anti US (now tune has changed to my best friend US and not China), Thailand and all other Buddhist countries in south Asia. from pre colonial times. hopefully will continue to have in future too.

        • 6
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          Pena Kiyanna

          “Is his name Kusal or [Edited out]”

          His name is Kusal Perera and not Kumar Ponnambalam.

          Kusal Perera is not related to VP clan nor was he born in VVT.

        • 5
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          As CT exposed twice this Pena Kiyanna has 100+ names, he/she thinks Kusal also like him/her

          https://www.colombotelegraph.com/index.php/jayaratne-says-dhanapala-will-stand-by-best-practices-dhanapala-pussyfoots-on-illegal-web-blocking/

          @Pena Kyanna; Our internal audit shows that you are using following pseudonyms. Anyone can see what you have written in this forum using those pseudonyms. We advice you to use one name – CT and all those comments can categories as – anti-CT and attacks on writers who are critical on Rajapaksa regime. Any reader can find out them. This is the second request; https://www.colombotelegraph.com/index.php/rajpal-abeynayake-controversially-escapes-contempt-of-sc-charges/ Your pseudonyms; Tamil patriot, Pena Kiyanna, Pu Basher, David Basher, Lakbooru, Koti Meruwa, Used Condom, Physician, Lansi agonist, Rattaran, Disappointed?, Uththare, Fangdang, Pucka Master, Danna Kena, Wet puss, Pansi Lanka, On the Pillion, Pronto, Wisecrack, L master, Javis, L Maruwa, Your Nemesis, Rajathuma, Gum boot, Aththa Kiyanna, Sudath Paranagama, Ane appochchi, Ex-Islander, Retort, Proof reader, Truth teller, Niemöller continues, Sovereignty for ever, Durai, Diaspora agent, Godage, Vedi descender, Retorter, cameron hater, Equality for all, YYY, Raymond, Randy Willie, Quixote, Random Guess, Randy, Galagedara Modaya, Anticonversion, Hela claimant, Iseesee, Umpire, Rattaran, Jesu putha, Poo watcher, Uthure kolla, Pol Arakku, Rum and Coke, Point Blank, Jim Beam, Counter- retort, True Christian, Congolese, Taraki’s ghost, Darlene, Anthropos, Nikan beheth, Mandy, Arlene,Truth seeker, Irene, Gajamutu, Adamant, Bodu helaya, Meghdut, Dimuthu, Jaganath, Rana Viry, Preethi, Adaikkan, Curious, Adam, Kavatam, Pena Kiyanna, Jeremy, Henda, Summer Kakka, Bungaroo, Goni Billa, Therapist, Kavan Tissa, Swifty, Little Lion, Lion cub, Ambalawanar, Konde bandapu Cheena, Little Peeved, Ketheeswaran, Lawyer, Gamiya, GIGO, Kurundu dealer, Chandiya, Winter Blues, Gupta prince, Chelliah, Rate Badu, Lankapuwath, Baron, Lex Regis, Island Gamma, Agonist, Agun, Kiri Menika, G. Weerakoon, Piyakaru, Kiri Banda, Reasonable, Cynic, Poo ten, Maradankadawala Yakaday, Halfbright, Bobgbong, Justinian, Ranjaya, Galagedara Appu, Soothsayer, Alberta Failure, Real Truth, Confused, Sandanam, Loku Putha, Reviewer, Watching Brief, Dandy Warhol, Michael Achilios, Always on your back, The coroner, Jayaweera, Bellylaughs,Lance the boil, JanakiRam, Equanimous, Psych-healer, Menna aththa, Mahal, Old Friend, Wanagatha, Mithura, Yagnawalka, Juliagone, Ranaviru, Lankan Mustafa, Udeshi, Listener, Cunniling, Bangawewa, Ruwan, Raman, Ambalavanar, Dogwatcher, Pin bath, Real thing, Confused, Ajit Randeniya, Vidiya Bandara, Lanka Watcher, Quotesick, Scaptic, Berty, Karunaratna Wijesundara, Sudu Banda, Arun Wimalaratne, Jagatj Jayaweera, Andrew Cohen,Jagath Jayaweera, Pera rebel, Saman Fernando,Rizvi Mustafa, Really Transparent, Pol Tokka, Ratavesiya, Karunadasa Wijesinghe, Show and tell, Deshapremiya, Psycho, Nallatamby,Really Transparent, Realist, Transparent Lawyer, Hithawatha, Daya Master, Solhheim, Legal practitioner, Spectator, THe critic,Randeniya, Rizv Azad, Investigator, Sandgroper, Serving Colonel, L.Shanmugadasan,Gordon, Susantha Liyanage, Selva,Rata venuwen api, Anam Manam, Karalliadde, Rambanda, Lanka power, Anticommonwealth, Sanitiser, Rakshaka, Prawn on the barbie,Watcher, Konappu, Pub servant, G.Perera, Amirthalingam, Scrum-Half,Lakhanda, Traction, As it is, Reasonable,Mathew, Karalliadde and another commentator’s pseudonym “Off the Cuff

    • 3
      0

      It is not about Monks contesting election. It is about which politician is more capable of killing more Tamils and who can make this land for Sinhala only. What the author says that the monks should not be part of racist politics. They should behave like true representatives of Lord Buddha who sacrificed his life for better quality of life free from violent, free from corruption, free from racism.

      You don’t understand the real Buddhism. You only understand racism, white van abductions and unlawful, inhumane acts of criminals.

      • 2
        5

        Why should I understand Buddhism? I understand pretty clearly what the defeated terror supporters and their agents are up to.

        • 2
          3

          Illiberal,

          ” understand pretty clearly what the defeated terror supporters and their agents are up to.”

          You understand zero zilt; you exhibit absolute paranoia doing overtime on these forums in support of the bankrupt MR regime! From the west to the USA; From the Chinese to the Russians; from Indians to the vast majority of the Tamils do neither seek not advocate separatism in Sri Lanka. However, all mentioned before and the Sinhala moderate alike seek justice and accommodation of the Tamils on equal basis. Sri Lanka should be a secular and diverse country that respects religious and language freedoms. The Sinhala Buddhist hardliners like you are obstacle to such quest!

          • 2
            5

            We are already a diverse country with religious and language freedoms. Only a minority of extremists make up trouble.

            1) Sri Lanka is one of the only two nations that have tamil as a national language.
            2) Sri Lanka’s constitution treats all religions and ethnic group equally. There are implementation issues, I agree.

            If no one is advocating Separatism what does the name “Tamil eelam” really mean? Did we invent that name? What was LTTE doing fighting the army?

            • 2
              0

              Can you at all call it as ” F R E E D O M ” ?

              Now they are appeared to be a minoirty but it seems that their rise would not stop unless the govt would take due actions with provisions of the prevailing law.

            • 2
              0

              Illiberal,

              Please do not insult the intelligence of the Tamil people and the moderate Sinhala for that matter. The Tamil is an official language only on paper; the Sinhala regimes have no political will to implement the language policy sincerely. If indeed the Tamil language is an official language why the hell the police in Jaffna take down statements from the Tamil in Sinhala? What is the proportion of the police personnel in Colombo 3 to 7 who are proficient in Tamil given that grater percentage of the population is Tamil speaking?

              The Sri Lamkan constitution does not treat all religions equal; this is exactly why the those hard line Buddhist elements get away with impunity after attacking other religious places. They do these attacks while police standby and watch. The SL Constitution gives prominence to Buddhism and the state is duty bound to protect the Buddha Sana.

              All over the N&E the state erected Buddha statues spending state funds; where is the equality? It is basically a lopsided majoritarian hegemony is what you have in Sri Lanka. You need to remove your set of blinkers and see the reality for a change. The Tamils are not stupid and they will not abuse genuine goodwill from the Sinhala; instead, the Sinhala, since independence dished out majoritarian arrogance recklessly!

            • 4
              0

              Liberal One

              “1) Sri Lanka is one of the only two nations that have tamil as a national language.”

              Singapore too treat Tamil as a national language.

              “2) Sri Lanka’s constitution treats all religions and ethnic group equally. There are implementation issues, I agree.”

              No the constitution safe guard only Buddha Sasana but not other religions.

              The constitution does not protect minorities from tyranny of the majority, including my people’s way of life.

              The constitution does not provide mechanism for the strict implementation of rights that should have been equally enjoyed by the minorities.

              “There are implementation issues, I agree.”

              It is not only not implementing constitution but deliberately avoiding implementation. One ought to question the intentions of the bureaucracy and state institution although their judgement and abilities too should be scrutinize.

              “If no one is advocating Separatism what does the name “Tamil eelam” really mean?”

              The entire island is known to Tamils as Eelam. Tamil Eelam is a political idea which gained currency in the past four decades due to long period of Sinhala/Buddhist state’s intransigency.

              “What was LTTE doing fighting the army?”

              Terrorists organisations such as JVP and LTTE are the historical product of Sinhala/Buddhist greed and stupidity, a majoritarian by product.

              If you really want answers and see the entire picture, please learn to shed your Aryan Sinhala/Buddhist, racist, majoritarian, one nation, Mahawamsa mindset.

        • 3
          0

          I know you don’t like Buddha’s teachings because you are a Sinhala terrorist.

    • 4
      2

      How liberal are You???.
      As you are a Looting Jarapassa’s propagandists;
      Can you forecast,
      How many Votes Mahinda Jarapassa would be able to receive from votes in a forthcoming presidential election, With out Jarapassa Election Jilmarts .
      And How many candidates[ Including, Kudu and Drug dealers, Rapists, Whores, Part time T V prostitutes, Hired Killers, Abductors, Synthetic Lawyers, Kasippu dealers], will they Float to parliament in Next Provincial elections in Western prov and Southern Prov.

      • 3
        3

        If you go through all my comments you will see that I have criticized MR where he deserves it just like I criticize Ranil, Mangala or Kusal Perera when they deserve it. Unlike you we don’t have masters to protect other than the allegiance to the country we live in.

        Kusal is a known apologist of violent separatism and have even gone far as stating he will aid creating a separate tamil nation. All his anti sri lankan, anti Sinhalese articles come out with that agenda. When I simply point out his lack of credibility and inaccuracy of his assumptions you go all haywire. I am not an idiot like you to side with separatists and terrorists just because I don’t agree with the elected government.

        • 1
          0

          Why you stay mum when MR get on to stage in supporting his party candidates these days ? Within the law – limited books it is an eleciton violation.

          But I never read you criticising him there.

          • 0
            0

            I’m not sure whether that is an election violation but certainly I don’t approve the head of state campaigning for one party. There you go.

            Now I have never seen you criticize this agent of tamil racism who is openly saying he will support the tamil separatists to secede if we don’t agree to their demands.

    • 1
      1

      Kusul Perera,

      “This select band of aggressive Buddhist monks have in the recent past become formidable decision makers in society. with the ruling Rajapaksa regime acceding to their aggressive intrusions into policy making. They have perhaps cut across traditional “Orders” (Nikayas) within the monk society that strictly maintain organised “caste” divisions. Their brand of Buddhist politics has turned them into violent political street fighters, a completely different type of person though still clad in saffron robes to what Buddhists generally perceived as monks a decade or two ago.”

      You need to get the facts out and make challenges based on facts, not Myths. It is like convincing the 25% of the Americans, Europeans and others, 400 years after Copernicus, Galileo and Kepler, who STILL think that the Earth goes around the Sun, Myths, just like the Monk Mahanama Myth. Do a survey on Monk Mahanama imaginations and the Sun going around the Earth Myths. It will tell you a lot.

      So, they are NOT following what is in the Tripitaka and the egalitarian teachings of Buddha. So what kind of Buddhism are they following? Buddhist Racism? Did Buddha teach that? Sri Lanka Buddhist Racism and Sinhala “Buddhist” Mahawansa fascism is being exposed globally, just like the Wahhabi Terror of the Jihadi Militants. Looks like the Mahanama Sinhala Buddist Racists taught the LTTE, and the LTTE taught the Jihadi, and the Jihadis recycled it back to the Sinhala Monk Mahanama “Buddhists”.

      DeJa Vu… Have seen it before.

      Yes, this is a exposure of a lie. You need to look at one of the BIGGEST SINHALA BUDDIST lies. The Monk Mahanama Imaginations of Mahawansa. Given below is a summary of the real facts. Remember Somarama who killed SWRD. They were ALL Sinhala Mahanama “Buddhist” Racists . “Buddhist” because they are NOT Buddhist. They are racists. So we had a situation where the Paradeshis. the Para-Sinhala killing Para-Tamil based on Mahanama racism. That is NOT True Buddhism. This is what the True Natives, Native Veddas have to say about the Para- Sinhala and other Paras-, the Paradeshis or foreigners. 1. All the above descriptions support the Sinhala and Tamil as Para-Sinhala and Para-Tamil, like Para-deshi, Foreigners, as far a the Native Veddah are concerned, who walked at least 16,000 years ago when Lanka and India were connected by a land bridge as the sea levels were low. So, the Sinhala and Tamil Nationalism need to be identified as, Racism, Para-Sinhala Nationalism and Para-Tamil Nationalism.

      Monk Mahanama imaginations of Mahawansa need to be exposed and discarded. Why?

      Non- Confirmation bias of Mahawansa. Did Dr. Para-nawithana, the noted Sri Lankan Archaeologist believe the Imaginations of monk Mahanama of 5th Century such as:

      a) Grandfather of Para-Vijaya was a lion? Any DNA data in support of this imagination?

      b) Buddha visited Lanka three-times in 500 BC? any support for the Imagination.

      c) During one visit, Buddha left his giant footprint on top of Mount Samanala Kanda, “Adams Peak”. Did he fly by the Dandu Monera Yanthraya, Giant Bird, and parachute?

      d) The Veddah are the offspring of Para-Vijaya and Kuveni. Is there any DNA data to support this? No. Another Monk Mahanama Imagination.

      http://www.lankanewspapers.com/news/2007/6/15923_space.html

      The Genetic affinities of Sri Lankan populations – [Reproduced here on a special request made by our LNP friend MURU, this article (web site) was first found by our friend MAGHA.]

      Genetic affinities of Sri Lankan populations Human Biology, by Kshatriya, Gautam Kumar Genetic Admixture. Table 9 presents the estimated values of admixture for the two hybrid populations (the Sinhalese and the Tamils) based on 13 polymorphic loci, fitting a trihybrid model using the ancestral frequencies shown in Table 10. (Tables 9 and 10 omitted).

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      ”The agent of Tamil nationalism and a known apologist of separatist violence”
      Any body who criticises government supports separatism ?

      Read the author’s other articles: he is against separatism but strongly for federalism.

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        No he has quite clearly said that he will even support the tamil nationalists to secede if we don’t budge down to their demands. We all know what their demands are which are merging north and east, accepting north and east as the tamil homeland and accepting that Tamil is a nation.

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    Roman Catholic Clergy need to be challenged to be Missionaries and NOT Mercenaries who have hijacked Jesus Christ to expand the Holy Roman Empire and gather Intel for the CIA & pass them through the Vatican Intel office.

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    Shows how the criminal Rajapaksa brothers are using the saffron robed thugs to stay in power. The country will be like North Korea if the Rajapaksas are allowed to carry on like this.

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    Food for thought, Kusal. Political Buddhism is at the bottom of most of our socio-political conundrums is beyond debate. By that I do not mean 1956 – which I think was inevitable and would have
    showed up even later. That fizz that was kept under pressure for 450 years of anti-Buddhist European Colonialism was going to manifest in fury. Some of the excesses of Lankan politicised Buddhists that began with Apey Anduwa has to be understood in context.

    Men of the Cloth In Buddhism and other major religions, individually and organisationally, entering the political arena is nothing new and will probably continue in earnest. One of the features that can check this is a truly mature and educated democratic society. In the USA, Germany, England and other Western countries that separation of Church from the State – that began during the Decades of Reason and Enlightenment – remains. This has served their democracy well. The presence and leadership of Archbishop Makarios was inevitable in the Greek-Turkey tussle in Cyprus. Desmond Tutu played a welcome role in the South African anti-Apartheid struggle that eventually brought in Majority rule. Cardinal Sin held with the people against Marcos in the Phillipines. These examples cannot be seen as aberrations of good governance under the democratic banner. There can be several dozen cases in modern history where men of the Cloth entered the political fray – to challenge specific issues and advance the cause of their people. Not to structure political space for them to rule.

    In Sri Lanka the Kandyan and Low Country divide cannot be kept covered forever. Kandyans remain as dissatisfied and feel as second-class as the Tamils are made to feel. Although, since they are smaller in number, this proud and cultured community momentarily bides its time.

    The role played by that thug of a monk in robes, Elle Gunawansa, in the only instance in recent times where the Kandyan Prelates showed bile and came out on behalf of the people a few years ago is remembered by any serious student of the country’s recent political history. That was after Mahinda R came to power. It is likely the fissures within the competing Sinhala Buddhist religious divide will manifest itself in various forms in the future. And this tussle will be marked by the Kandyan and Low Country political divide that now remains dormant.

    The policy of the Amarapura Sect to keep priests under the order from the snake pit of competitive politics is a welcome move that can gain back lost prestige of the Sangha by the Sinhala Nation.

    2014 is not the time of the Sinhala Kings. That political reality the last Colonial power – the British created for “administrative convenience” has come to stay and the country – for better or worse – has been brought together from the hitherto Sinhala Kingdoms and the Tamil Kingdom. In recent times, Muslims – in much larger numbers they were than before – apparently lay claim to parts of the country. I avoid using the term “United” deliberately and instead chose “brought together” for obvious reasons.

    The Rajapakses enjoy untramelled Parliamentary and other populist power. It is up to them to lead the country towards early and meaningful reconciliation by making it up with the Tamils. Having a trilingual Wigneswaren – from the South and unconnected with the LTTE -is the best time to do this. This invoking Prabakaran 24×7 and drumming up the May 2009 triumphalism has lost its fire. The new strategy appears to be to turn the mind of the people by attacks on Tamils, Muslims and Christians in various part of the country so that, it may be perceived by the ruling clique, the pangs of hunger in the mass of the urban people, unable to carry the heavy burden of a punishing Cost of Living menace, will be forgotten. Even working the mobs lead by such sorry figures like Weerawansa, Kudu Mervin and Ranwaka against the USA, Britain and India will, at best, be counter-productive. The Rajapakses may escape extreme action by OUNCHR on this occasion but they will have to come within the whip within 12 months.

    The TNA are unlikely to get trapped into this PSC – the last Rajapakse hope. Nalin de Silva, Gunadasa Amerasekera and the lot are washed out. Their raison d’etre is upping the ante against the Tamils and India – a strategy that has lost its venom. If the BJP gets a workable majority in May this year the Rajapakses nightmares will be exacerbated – despite whatever clout their Broker Subramaniam Swamy might gain in supporting Narendra Modi during the campaign.

    The Rajapakses are well advised to smell the Coffee – sooner than later. This is a much better option than the spectre of the Electric Chair that MR often refers to now. Why even the fear of sanctions on
    travel, freezing of foreign bank accounts will be apolepxic.

    Senguttuvan

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