19 March, 2024

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Lunatic Lankan Left Liberals: Does Laksiri Fernando Want The Asgiriya Mahanayake Arrested?

By Dayan Jayatilleka – 

Dr. Dayan Jayatilleka

“This is exactly what DJ is subtly doing in Sri Lanka today. Gnanasara is culpable, but Asgiriya escapes.”-Prof Laksiri Fernando

The operative passages of Prof Laksiri Fernando’s critique of my recent writing are as follows:

“When ‘incitement’ is linked only to violence, Islamophobia escapes. This is exactly what DJ is subtly doing in Sri Lanka today. Gnanasara is culpable, but Asgiriya escapes. To fudge the whole effort, he also defends all other extremists including himself. The following statement epitomize his ideology or enterprise.

‘It is with this experience and achievement that I make the point that what we should focus upon is not Sinhala and Tamil racism, chauvinism or extremism, but precisely and specifically the incitement to violence, i.e. the rousing of mob violence or individual attacks.’

To him, Sinhala racism, Tamil racism, chauvinism and extremism are all fine, what is wrong (or should focus upon) is only incitement to violence and rousing mob violence. He cannot understand the connection. He cannot or pretend not to understand the cause and effect, or the root causes behind violence and incitement to violence.” 

To my critic’s charge that according to my argumentation “Gnanasara is culpable, but Asgiriya escapes” my short, spontaneous answer is: What’s your alternative? What is the opposite of Asgiriya “escaping”? Investigating and arrest the Asgiriya Mahanayaka who signed the statement? 

Let us unpack this logically. If it is wrong for Gnanasara to be “culpable” and Asgiriya to “escape”, what is Prof Fernando really saying?  That both Ven. Gnanasara and Asgiriya should “escape”? Obviously not. So it is that both Ven. Gnanasara and Asgiriya should be “culpable”. Culpable of what and culpable before what authority? I have suggested that Ven. Gnanasara can be found culpable before the existing law provided the issue of incitement to violence can be bracketed off. If the charges are broadened they are open to elasticity of interpretation, cannot be made to stick and would also be polarizing in a manner that is unfavorable to social stability. If the charges are narrowed to the most egregious offenses they can be made to stick.

If the suggestion is that both Ven Gnanasara and the hierarchs of the Asgiriya Chapter should be held culpable in a moral-ethical or ideological sense, it is one thing, but that means the law would not be brought to bear upon Ven. Gnanasara and his like. The alternative explanation is that the law, i.e. the state, should be brought to bear against the hierarchy of the Asgiriya chapter, including the Mahanayaka, on the basis of its statement.

Such a suggestion or implication indicates a serious loss of reason. It means state action against the apex of the Asgiriya Chapter, which is the kind of crass stupidity that even British colonialism never engaged in when it ruled most of the world. The British were careful to be seen to bow, if not bend the knee and tug the forelock, before the established Buddhist hierarchy.            

No government of Ceylon or Sri Lanka has clashed head-on with either the Asgiriya or the Malwatte Chapters as a collective entity. Even the redoubtable JR Jayewardene limited himself to an exchange of letters with the Ven. Palipane Chandananda thero, combined with a strategy of cooptation. From the British onward, governments cracked down, coercively, legally or ideologically, only on individual monks, often rebellious mavericks or dissentient outliers, who did not have the imprimatur of the hierarchs, i.e. of the Sinhala Buddhist Establishment; the clerico-elite.

From the British Governors down to Yahapalana, the State power on this island has known that if it came to an open, frontal clash involving legal coercion, between itself and the Sinhala Buddhist establishment, it is the State power that would not prove sustainable.

Any attempt to hold the Asgiriya Establishment collectively “culpable” in a legal sense—which is the specific sense I suggested that Ven. Gnanasara and others can and should be held culpable—is a recipe for the kind of upheaval that can only result in a bloodbath. Can one even imagine the scene of senior monks being taken to courts? Curfew would have to be declared. Which Attorney-General would file a case against and which Court would actually indict a senior prelate or powerful ranking monk? The only agencies that can be deployed in a situation of mass protest involving large numbers of bhikkhus and laypersons, namely the Police, the STF and the armed forces, are composed of personnel who would not dare go against the Buddhist hierarchy (as distinct from campus activist monks) that they have as individuals and communities, have paid obeisance to for generations.

Any student of conflict, let alone author of teaching manuals of the subject, should know that a main principle is to separate the radicals or extremists from the mainstream. True, the Asgiriya statement does establish an ideological continuum of sorts with Ven. Gnanasara, but the fact is that Asgiriya is the mainstream, while the BBS is a lunatic fringe. If one can draw a distinction between the terrorist Tigers and the mainstream Tamil leadership which called them “our boys”, and still refuses to criticize them, their Fuhrer Prabhakaran, their war and their ideas, why cannot the same distinction be observed between the BBS and the mainstream Establishment of the Buddhism adhered to by 70% of this country’s populace? Do the Lankan liberals and liberal left (as represented by Prof Laksiri Fernando), wish to alienate, nay, to frontally confront, the deeply emotive ties of loyalty and affinity of 70% of this country? Do they want the Government, any Government, to do so? Do they think that any Government with a sense of basic self-preservation will?    

Let us get real. Why do the Yahapalana (or ex-Yahapalana) liberals think that Minister Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe has gone out on a limb and taken the stance he has? He is not a member of the SLFP (pro-MR or MS) but precisely a ranking UNPer. He has done so because he senses that it is the Govt. and his party which is out on a limb. He has figured which way the wind is blowing, in society; in the public domain. He is shrewdly positioning himself as R. Premadasa did for decades—including during the Dudley-Chelvanayakam Pact and the resignation of M Tiruchelvam, as did DB Wijetunga– before he finally clinched the Presidency.

Why did Ven. Gnanasara waltz (or rapidly lumber) through the courts in one day? It was in the aftermath of the Asgiriya statement, but also indicated the power of that caucus on the State itself, under any administration, especially one that does not have the Sinhala nationalist credibility and legitimacy of the Mahinda Rajapaksa dispensation. 

What I have sought to do is to square the circle. I have suggested a basis on which the state may identify and isolate the violence prone discourse and political behavior of the extreme and crack down on it legally, while retaining legitimacy within this society as it has historically evolved and is constituted. This cannot be achieved by insisting that the BBS and the Asgiriya Establishment be regarded, still less treated, on an equal footing.

Anyone (especially a political scientist) who advocates that Ven. Gnanasara and Asgiriya be both regarded as “culpable” and neither allowed to “escape” by the State should be sent back to a political science course on Machiavelli who emphasized the need for the ruler/s to be seen to respect the beliefs of the majority of the common people. Antonio Gramsci, who was jailed for decades and released just weeks before he died, by Italian fascism which was heavily backed by the Catholic Church, wrote extensively (even admiringly) about the Church, its cadre formation and its ideological hegemony, but never engaged in a frontal confrontation with it or its doctrine in his writings or recommended such a course to his readers and fellow Communists. This is because the Modern Prince, a collective vanguard, had also to learn from The Prince.   

Prof Laksiri Fernando indulges in a dangerous quibble. Usually quibbling isn’t dangerous, but this one is. He faults me for suggesting a focus on “incitement” rather than hatred or extremism. His first move is to suggest that the UN Durban Review text of the Intergovernmental Working group I chaired, talked about incitement to hatred rather than incitement of violence. That’s not a debate worth getting into. What’s basic is the focus on incitement.

As Lenin emphasized, what is most important is “the concrete analysis of the concrete situation”. I used my Durban Review praxis to pin point a way out a dangerous situation we are in today, here, in Sri Lanka. Firstly I identified, as a responsible citizen who lives here, unlike Laksiri Fernando, an émigré, the main danger we face and must avoid. I identified that as the danger of ethnic/ethno-religious violence: of another 1983, 1958 or 1915. On the one hand we do nothing about those who incite violence against this or that collective, and on the other hand we hear proposals such as that of Prof. Fernando that we treat all forms of extremism and hate speech as we would incitement to violence. These are two extremes both of which are wrong and seriously counterproductive.

My recommended formula was based on my international experience. My contribution has been acknowledged as follows in the Report of the Intergovernmental Working Group on the Effective Implementation of the Durban Declaration and Programme of Action’s Seventh Session, adopted by the UNHRC and presented at the UNGA, dated Feb 10th 2010.

“The Chief of the Rule of Law, Equality and Non-Discrimination Branch, OHCHR, Mona Rishmawi opened the first meeting of the seventh session on 5 October 2009. She noted that the meeting took place six months after the successful conclusion of the Durban Review Conference. A tribute was paid to the former Chairperson-Rapporteur Dayan Jayatilleka, Permanent Representative of Sri Lanka, who guided the sixth session of the Working Group. Ms. Rishmawi pointed out that the outcome document of the Durban Review Conference contained important action points that open new horizons for States to act at the national, regional and international levels.” 

We were caught in between two equally passionate contentions, of “defamation of religions/ Islamophobia” and “freedom of expression”. Several earlier chairpersons, the last being the Chilean ambassador, a veteran diplomat who dated back to the Allende presidency, had resigned because the deadlock was so heavy, wearisome, frustrating and stressful a personal experience. What the IWG under my chairpersonship and with the input of our expert, Special Rapporteur on Racism, Prof Doudou Dienne of Senegal did, was to shift the approach and its representative keyword to “incitement”.

Prof Fernando exults that I have omitted the terms “hatred” etc. My emphasis was on the main shift we made so as to effect a breakthrough—the adoption of the keyword “incitement”. I am attempting to adapt the lessons of the IWG to our situation in Sri Lanka today; not imitate it. What is crucial is the shift. Prof Fernando does not seem to know that the adoption of “incitement” derives from the legal concept of ‘incitement to national, racial and religious hatred, hostility and violence’ contained in Article 20 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. (My underscore- DJ)

It is impossible to interpret “hostility” legally and for the State to act on it in today’s Sri Lanka without indicting people as diverse as the Asgiriya hierarchs, Azad Sally and Wigneswaran, which can trigger multiple agitations and riots in many parts of the island. But it is perfectly possible for the courts to engage in an evidence-based identification and indictment of “incitement to…violence”. Thus my suggestion that we shift to “incitement to violence” is not only perfectly in order, it is the only one that can prevent or punish violence without igniting mass violence which would make the original, offending episodes of violence (e.g. Aluthgama) look like a walk through Disneyworld.

As to Laksiri Fernando’s charge that I am proposing a return to “Rajapaksa family rule”, I wonder what he would have called Cuba during the leadership of Fidel and Raul Castro, or Sandinista Nicaragua under Daniel and Humberto Ortega (and now Daniel Ortega and Rosario Murillo).

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Latest comments

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    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/

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      There is no sense or logic in Laksri’s article. He is playing to the gallery. Cheap.

      I saw an article appeared in an English National Weekend Newspaper. Disgusting. There is an abominable attempt to tarnish the image of the Most Venerable Chief Prelate Thero of Asgiriya Chapter. This is clearly orchestrated by Ranil’s Government. I saw few other similar.

      Attacking the Chief Prelate of Asgiriya Chapter is repugnant. The Extraordinary Statement was long overdue. There is a despicable attempt to present an abhorrent insinuation as fact that there was a connection between the Statement issued by the Chief Prelate Thero and Gnanasara Thero’s appearance before the Courts, a plot. This is a gross distortion of the truth. I am shocked beyond words.

      This Government doesn’t even know the basics of Buddhism. Buddhism is compassion. The Chief Prelate Thero didn’t condemn Gnanasara Thero as everybody expected. Instead the Chief Prelate Thero compassionately guided Gnanasara Thero to the right direction and with right action to safeguard the rights of Gnanasara Thero, the Chief Prelate transformed Gnanasara Thero completely. Sinhalese Buddhists tolerated all the insults, slanders and defamation to Buddhism for two years. We tolerated all racist, extremist minority politicians. Why can’t we tolerate Gnanasara Thero who is not a racist or an extremist?

      There is NO WAY we let anybody “publicly insinuating” that Chief Prelate’s statement is not honourable. This is the end.

      Sinhalese Buddhists should come forward to express their utter disgust for discrediting the Chief Prelate Thero.

      “This despicable smearing campaign against the Chief Prelate Thero should be stopped. How dare they”?

      There is no need for Buddhists to tolerate anymore. This is it.

      This Government should step down. Ranil should step down. Let’s teach Ranil the last lesson – how to inculcate respect for Buddhism.

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        Dear Champa,
        “There is no need for Buddhists to tolerate anymore. This is it.

        This Government should step down. Ranil should step down. Let’s teach Ranil the last lesson – how to inculcate respect for Buddhism.”

        Are you seriously suggesting that this robe-worshipping / tree-ordaining cult is Buddhism? It’s time we gave the Dalai Lama a visa to come and teach this conceited clique about true Buddhism.

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          Old Codger,
          This particular Champa seems to know nothing but to work for FORMER brutal men.

          For him, he does nt want to consider anything as facts. The man loves Ghansara or or anyone to please Rajaakshes.
          Rantional thinking is far from his behaviours.
          Let just ignore the boy can give us PEACE at least on this platform.

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          We want a Buddhist Prime Minister. Period.

          The attack on the Chief Prelate of Asgiriya Chapter is unprecedented. This is the first time in the history a Statement issued by the Apex body of the Buddhist Hierarchy in Sri Lanka is criticised. This is a very painful situation for Sinhalese Buddhists.

          Government abused Buddhist votes from its inception. They politically victimized Buddhist Monks. The most integral part of traditional Temple processions were elephants who carried Sacred Relics. These elephants were never used for any other purposes but regarded as sacred. Government took elephants away from Temples and imprisoned Buddhist Monks for keeping them. After that they ordered Temples to rent elephants from Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage for 1 million. Sickening.

          The latest is Government’s greediness in taking over Ancient Temples and turning them as money generating business ventures.. Their newest prey is “Rangiri Dambulu Viharaya which was built by King Walagamba in the First Century BC”. Buddhist Prelates were the Trustees of these Ancient Temples since their inception, not Politicians. Even Sinhalese Kings didn’t touch Temples. After robbing the Central Bank, now Government want to rob Temples.

          Until January 8, people never cast their votes based on religion or race. Sinhalese voted Muslims and vice versa. Sinhalese in the North may have voted for Tamils.

          This Government suppressed the rights of Buddhists to such an extreme, today even the Statement of Asgiriya Chapter is criticized. Government openly declared that minority parties helped them to come to power. They need their votes to pass the Federal Constitution at an upcoming Referendum. Very well. Let’s see how they pass it without a single vote of Sinhalese Buddhists. Idiots.

          The next Leader should definitely be chosen by Sinhalese Buddhists which should then be a precedent. We will correct the mistake once and for all.

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            1)Who are these ” we” CHAMPA the backlickers of Rajapakshe kalliya represenative ?

            Only those lilke you Champa represent – are Rajapakshe extremists, that have across the country with Muslim Srilankens. If there are illegal issues, the state and their authorities should work on them. Why thuggish men to be sent as ones that add fire ? For Rajaakshes, no matter even innocient people would have been the prey, they should now work with GMOA supporters thining their comeback. Rajapakshe can get back to power only through promotion of the kind of violence- we perfectly know it how BBS led groupd worked in Aluthgama riots 4 years ago.
            DJ or any others have no whatsoever, feeling about the communal violence against Minorities, since his idiosyncrasy is to please Rajapakshe back sides.

            Answer:
            This is the first time in the history, buddhist Chief prelate publicly ignored the issue so that the real buddhist adherents became shocked as no time in the past..We thought it was the gentleness of them, looked as if they spent it as long slumber to act. They should react accordingly, if not today when ? All the attacks being made by a rabid dog style- pseudo Monks Ghanasara to betray us the buddhists (not sinhala buddhists but buddhist born into the religions which makes up 99,9999999%)

            2) Champa how would you explain your young ones if they would raise the issue why SO CALLED SINHALA BUDDHISTs are against their minorities this way ? Why they are not entitled to be treated by the state, to the manner we the sinhalayas are treated ? What would you say to them ?

            We can only ask Gods to help with the situation back in my home country.

          • 4
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            So Champa seems to like them punk monks with guns more than humanity and peace…

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          Old Codger

          Go ahead, do it in your country, not in my country!

          I shall reply to the rest later. No time now.

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            My country ? my foot !!

            Whose country is that ?

            This is Bold textIs that not of ALL SRILANKENS (Native Veddas, Sinaha, Tamils, Muslims, Burghers) ?

            When would you start your Kindergarten again ? If you dont have places, we can easily arrange it for you Champa.

          • 5
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            Champa—-“Go ahead, do it in your country, not in my country!” ————Alright old codger won’t do it. I think you should pressure the Sinhala/Buddhists to issue visa for Dalai Lama and invite him on a long term preaching/teaching visa in order to convert all those Sinhala/Buddhist fascists into Buddhism.

          • 4
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            Champa,
            This is my country even more than it is yours. I have lived in it much longer than you . I have seen Buddhist monks kill the Prime Minister. Now they have the nerve to demand respect. Did the Buddha give permission for monks to handle money /get drunk/ speak filth/ carry guns/ travel in limousines?
            The biggest desecrator of Buddhist monuments is the chief monk of Rangiri Dambulla Vihara. Is he a Muslim?

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              old codger ——–Please read this, a note from the very horses mouth : ————————————————————————- Dr Dayan Jayatilleka / February 1, 2013 03:01———————————————–
              Oh I do recall Kanatte, where I was stripped and almost beaten to death by a mob of a few hundred. That was the time that the army was divided within, while society was divided by vicious Opposition propaganda that President Premadasa killed Gen Kobbekaduwa. That hysteria generated by psychological warfare, cost us several years of confusion and earned the Tigers several years of success. Despite the near-lynching, as I emerged from the Intensive Care Unit at Navaloka I resumed my public support for President Premadasa. Today, much of what I said about him then, and shed my blood in defence of, is accepted by the majority of citizens including his critics and opponents of yesteryear. Go check the public opinion polls.

              https://www.colombotelegraph.com/index.php/strategy-for-democratic-resistance-manifesto-for-change/

              • 1
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                Whatever one might say about his politics, Dr. DJ. is quite open about his past. It is rumoured that he was the famous Anuruddha Tilakasiri, HLD Mahindapala’s sidekick and Premadsa’s equivalent of Hudson Samarasingha.

          • 0
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            Old Codger
            Native Vedda
            Punchi Burampi
            Bunjappu
            Seelawathie
            Simon
            Aku

            and All other Lunatics (as per the caption) who know nothing about Buddhism but slander, defame and denigrate Buddhists in various ways including calling us a “tree ordaining cult”.

            Let’s meet at another forum!!!

            This has almost disappeared with new articles. I hope CT publish something under news which is relevant to our debate.

            I reiterate the fact that I represent Sinhalese Buddhists on CT.

            I am the only Sinhalese Buddhist here.

            I saw PM’s new “realization” about Buddhism. He says “Buddhism should be protected from extremists”. This is insulting. There are no Buddhist extremists in Sri Lanka. In actual terms, Buddhism should be protected from PM and the Government!!!

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              Old Codger
              Native Vedda
              Punchi Burampi
              Bunjappu
              Seelawathie
              Simon
              Aku

              and All other Lunatics
              Poor Champa has finally flipped ,it seems. Please, people, don’t give her/him/it too much of a hard time. Ask only questions that she/he/it can answer.

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                old codger———–If you press Champa too hard she/he/it will start using another pseudonym, the one she/he/it used earlier.

            • 0
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              champa, a lunatic calls others lunatics. Bloody hilarious, look at all your postings and how many thumbs down you get foolish mutt.

          • 0
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            Champo,
            you should trully be a born idiot to call it that way. How can it be your country ? Can you show us OPPUWA ? Not even a lad on the street may have the audacity to call it mine but it is ” ours”. This rather prove your intelligence levels. When would you guys learn it to sense the ground facts about the folks ?
            For me, those who belong to the category of srilankens should all be treated with a the same spoon. If Europeans would behave the way you are upto, they would have been fighting with our kind of differences to date. Fortunately, migration communities have been given all the chances in those soils, even if some elements due to their own failures have been facing the problems on the west today. Like for example, almsot every rapists found in UK today belong to migrants- particularly with higher probability they are pakistanies coming from ghetto corners. That is the reason why they are called ” not pakies but fakies” in vernacular in UK.

            • 0
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              Rarityminds

              This is my country.

              Your inability to grasp the meaning only shows your intelligence level not mine.

          • 0
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            Hey champa not in my country? where Orissa India? You don’t own SL and you never will. This country is to be shared between whoever lives there……………Sinhalese, Tamils, Muslims, Burghers, Boras, Sindhis, Chinese, and all others. So shut up and keep quiet you foolish man.

      • 14
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        Champa,
        you have been back to business usual. we know that you have to, since you have been appointed by Rajapakshe back licker group for their strength… ohoma yang !!!1

        Your cesspit permits to stand against Prof. Lakshiri Fernando, who has been calling a spade a spade, whil ein the time, to support a Katussa, rabblerouser number of the nation to divide the nation further:

        Anyone with a bird brain would see it in and out of lanka that – Asgiriya or any other heads if they stood supportive to a RABID dog Ghanasara and his actions against the minorities intending unexpected kind of communal crashes, we the buddhists .. passive buddhists but love non-violence promotions than all aggressions have to protest against any high men.
        That is what Great SON of Nation – Prof. L Fernando did IT by his explanations.
        He requested there a few questions, but rabble rouser DJ failed to respond him.
        Nevertheless he the bugger of the nation, continued to be silent but boasted about a man of his choice for his articles.

        Latter is the grand feature of DJ from his articles. He is the most abusive lanken man inlanken political decoction.

        Dr Fernando, responds to everyone s questions humbly as he can.

        But DJ the most abusive man in lanken crisis would never care about the questions being raised by CT readership – he is so obnoxious person in current day political discussions

      • 11
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        Champa———–Here is a story you must have conveniently forgotten. Read the excerpts:
        {Mahanayakes Threatened With Temple Bomb Attack” — Prelate
        Uduwe Dhammaloka Thero Refutes Bomb Allegations
        By Nirmala Kannangara in Kandy

        The proposed Sangha Convention that was scheduled for last Thursday had to be postponed by the Mahanayakes after a group of pro-government Buddhist monks threatened to bomb the Dalada Maligawa in Kandy, the most venerated Buddhist shrine in the country.
        Executive Committee Member of the Sangha Convention, the Chief Incumbent, Mihintale Rajamaha Viharaya, Ven. Walawahengunuwewe Dhammarathana Thero alleged that a group of 45 Buddhist monks had visited the Malwathu Viharaya on February 16 and urged the Malwatte Mahanayaka Thera to cancel the convention that was to be held on February 18.
        The Mahanayakes called the Convention to discuss the establishment of democracy and good governance. The pro-government group warned that failing to cancel it would mean the Mahanayake Thera would have to take the responsibility if two or three bombs went off within the premises of the Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic.
        “Chancellor of Kelaniya University, Ven. Dr. Welamitiyawe Kusaladhamma Thero, former Parliamentarian Ven. Uduwe Dhammaloka Thero, Ven. Diviyagaha Yasassi Thero and Ven. Rekhawa Jinarathana Thero were among the 45 monks who wanted the Mahanayake to cancel the Sangha Convention,” Dhammarathana Thero told The Sunday Leader.
        The group of monks initially threatened the Mahanayake by saying that they would leave the sect if the convention was not cancelled.
        “The Mahanayake said that it was nothing new, and that in the past monks have left the sect,” Dhammarathana Thera claimed.
        “Realising that such threats will not get the Mahanayake to cancel the convention, this group telephoned the President, who personally spoke to the Mahanayake, urging him to cancel the convention, but the Mahanayake had been adamant about holding the convention,” Dhammarathana Thero – thesundayleader.lk
        Now tell us what was going on then and what is happening now?

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          Dearest Native VEDDA (hoffe es geht Dir gut – mir geht es gut, but I got fainted, reading Champas comments again) As we thought it was the only remedy to help Champa, I have now posted few kgs of Punnaku to CHAMPA lately,

          Once the reactions would turn out to positive only I will post the next parcel of Punnaku.

          I am not sure, whether the parcel came into the place he is locating in Medamulana toiletting area.

          If you have any signs of him to have received it please lt me know. We are just worried of him being caught by the overflowing toilet pits in MEDAMULANA grounds.

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        It does not matter whether is true or not.Asgiriya jokers are a menance.The Govt must dissolve the Agiriya group of jokers.

      • 0
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        Champa: I totally agree with you. It is annihilation by them or survival for Sinhala buddhists.

    • 12
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      DJ, Aren’t you a prominent Loony Lankan Left Liberal yourself or is it just an act? I have nothing against putting Asgiriye Hypocrite behind bars. Personally I couldn’t care less. As long as Asgiriye Hypocrite takes Wahabi Hakeem, Gandasara, Qatari Rishard, Hambantota Gota, TNA Siva, Mariakade Sajith et al inside with him. The list is long. Cheers!

    • 1
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      Why isn’t there any accountability when it come to monks?

      Why cannot Gnanasara be controlled and booked?

      How come Rs 2.5 million daily income at Dambulla or approx Rs 600 million unaccounted ? Why aren’t poor temples given aid from this vast amount of income?

      Are they above the law of the land?

      How come Road in Kandy is closed and creates huge traffic jams simply because not bothered about inconvenience?

  • 16
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    Dr.D.J.
    “From the British Governors down to Yahapalana, the State power on this island has known that if it came to an open, frontal clash involving legal coercion, between itself and the Sinhala Buddhist establishment, it is the State power that would not prove sustainable.”
    Wrong. British governors did not have to. The ‘Unnanses’ were great lickers of British Boots. Read up the Higher Ordination declarations of the Siam Nikaya that paid homage to Empress Victoria. The British Governor was able to hold a Perehera in Kandy for the amusement of visiting British royalty. The Mahanayakes obliged.
    Sri Rohana Janaranjan Mahinda Rajapakse tamed the Malwatte High Priest by getting Uduwe Dhammaloka to threaten physical violence.
    This government more than MR has bent over backwards to get the ‘Sinhala Buddhist Establishment” on their side. Yes. They call it ‘Sasana’. The fools do not realize that the Sangha have medieval minds. They see the ruler as the Chakkvatti good bad or ugly. . They have contempt for the Upasaka and they respect the Tyrant. Tyranny is second nature to this species.
    Sirisena sincerely believes that Arahat Mahinda came by Air, Buddha Visited Lanka and left a foot print on Adams peak etc. Mahinda will not dispute these claims but I don’t think he gives damn either way.
    The Sangha can be tamed. Now that you have raised the issue , I may even agree to try your ‘ Putin’ to put this Sangha in their place.

    • 1
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      Sarath de Alwis,

      Dayan Jayathilaka has presented a beautifully argued rebuttal to Dr. Laksiri addressing a larger audience cautioning all who are likely to get on an anti Mahanayake bandwagon ( I didn’t expect YOU to join this parade of mad dogs). He has presented a logical way out of the logjam of punishing Gnanasara. He is appealing to common sense. He says let us be practical. Every Tom, Jack and Harry is involved in hate speech in Sri Lanka. Judges will be hard pressed to define it legally. In an analogous situation, hate speech against Rajapaksa by likes of you, Vishvamitra, Tisaranee and a host of others was deafening before the elections and still continuing ( wasting valuable social space which could be better utilised for advancement in positive direction.) You people are trying to push Yahapalanaya over a precipice. True, Rajapaksa could threaten Mahanayakas. But let Ranil and Sirisena try the same stunts and see the reaction. It would be interesting to ponder over the question if Rajapaksa could why Ranil cannot. If you are struggling with the answer it shows how far away you are from the reality. Read this again and see succinctly how DJ has put it: “If the charges are broadened they are open to elasticity of interpretation, cannot be made to stick and would also be polarizing in a manner that is unfavorable to social stability. If the charges are narrowed to the most egregious offenses they can be made to stick”. In fact I feel thankful to DJ for taking trouble to pen this long write-up………….Soma

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        soma ji—–Dayan never had any argument leave alone beautiful ones. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. —————If your vision is impaired this what you get from Dayan or anyone else. Hope you visit your local eye hospital, optician or the local medicine man.

        How is your progress in Hindi/Sanskrit learning? You need those languages in about twenty years from now. Here is a fine old song from Sangam. Are you familiar with it? Can you translate the song for the benefit of others?

        Dost dost na raha, pyar pyar na raha
        Zindagi hamein tera, aitbar na raha, aitbar na raha
        Dost dost na raha, pyar pyar na raha
        Zindagi hamein tera, aitbar na raha, aitbar na raha
        Amanatein main pyar ki, gaya tha jisko somp kar
        Woh mere dost tum hi the, tumhi
        Jo zindagi ki rah me bane the mere hamsafar
        Woh mere dost tum hi the, tumhi
        Sare bhed khul gaye, razdar na raha
        Zindagi hamein tera, aitbar na raha, aitbar na raha
        gale lagi sehem sehem
        bhare gale se bolti
        voh tum nathee thi to kaun tha tumhi tho thi
        Safar ke waqt mein palak pe motiyo ko taulti
        Woh tum na thi to kaun tha tumhi to thi
        Nashe ki rat dhhal gayi ab khumar na raha
        Zindagi hamein tera, aitbar na raha, aitbar na raha
        Dost dost na raha, pyar pyar na raha
        Zindagi hamein tera, aitbar na raha, aitbar na raha

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        Somass ji ———–Here is the translation for the Sangam song..

        Friend did not remain a friend, love did not remain love.
        Oh Life, I did not get your affection, I did not get your affection
        Friend did not remain a friend, love did not remain love
        Oh Life, I did not get your affection, I did not get your affection
        with whom I left my treasures of love
        to the My friend, it was you, only you
        In the way of life, who became a companion
        to the My friend, it was you, only you
        All the secrets are now open, leaving nothing to hide
        Oh Life, I did not get your affection, I did not get your affection
        hugging fondly around my neck
        with a full throat you used to say
        at the time of my departure shedding pearl like tears
        if it was not you then who else, it was you
        the night of intoxication is over, now there is no fragrance left
        Oh Life, I did not get your affection, I did not get your affection
        Friend did not remain a friend, love did not remain love
        Oh Life, I did not get your affection, I did not get your affection

        Do you find some emotional connection between the Sangam song and Eda Re – by Milton Mallawarachchi? If you don’t you are a typical Sinhala/Buddhist fascist. Since both songs speak about human feelings. Will you then ban Eda Re in your Sinhala/Buddhists fascist ghetto where there is no place human feelings?

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          NV,
          Really thankful for giving me the lyrics and the meaning of one of my favorite songs. ……Soma

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            somaji———————–“Really thankful for giving me the lyrics and the meaning of one of my favorite songs. ……” ——–Are you in your 80s? Man you should take rest.——-Alas there is something we share. ——— By the way think(?) about it.

            alas – used to express grief, pity, or concern.

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        Soma, are you mad ?
        beautifully ? He had instead added his usual verbal diarrhea… that is it.
        He has always been comparing lanken issues with that of CUBA. The boy being caught and isolated to his 4 walls in Colombo, he just lives his dream.
        He would never be able to achieve an inch of his thinking to be applied to the lost island any time in the future either.

        So, instead of beautiful, i would call it is an another usual rubbhish – koheda yanne malle pol style.

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    There is no point in arguing with Dayan Jayatilleka (or C A Chandraprema of The Island) as there is no world to him (them) without Rajapakses

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    The public racist——“Lunatic Lankan Left Liberals: Does Laksiri Fernando Want The Asgiriya Mahanayake Arrested?”————————————————————————————————————————————— Do we have a choice?——— If we do I would recommend the state to deport/exile Asgiriya Mahanayake to Myanmar on condition that he lives with Virathu for the rest of his life. ——————On the other hand I also demand that Dayan the war monger be appointed the Sri Lankan ambassador to Hindia where you may have to explain your position 24/7/52 to Hindian South block at Delhi Sultanate. I was told Hindians are good at catch you by the b***s and drag you to hell. By the way the post is permanent and Dayan will be the ambassador for life. The good news is that Wimal Sangilige Karruppan Weerawansa will be appointed Dayan’s deputy.

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    In Sinhala there is a saying ‘Ballage wede buuruwa karanna giya wagei kiyala. The dog is supposed to alarm when robbers enter the house but as it was not doing the job donkey tried to alarm the boss and got into trouble. Similarly, in case of Sri Lanka, there is a set of people (d*gs) who have been given the responsibility to protect the country but those guys are eating subsidized good food, running around in luxury SUVs and sleeping comfortably in nicely air conditioned houses thanks to poor tax payers without doing the job they have been entrusted by the people. Since these guys who are supposed to take care of the country are not doing the job, Gnanasara Thera tried to alert that a set of robbers are vandalizing national treasures. That is why Gnanasara Thera got into trouble. Now instead of paying attention to the robbers, the guys who are supposed to protect the country are going after Ghanasara Thera (to kill the donkey) because he disturbed the guys who were sleeping comfortably.

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      Eagle Eye, Dr Clean, SL Citizen, …… ————“Gnanasara Thera tried to alert that a set of robbers are vandalizing national treasures. “————– Did he? On the contrary the saffron clad thug protected the robbers who were vandalizing national treasures and looting the national coffers. ……………………. Is it true “Patriotism is the last refuge of a scoundrel”?

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      “Gnanasara Thera tried to alert that a set of robbers are vandalizing national treasures. That is why Gnanasara Thera got into trouble.”

      You traitors keep telling yourself… He got in trouble because he hurt the sentiments of Muslims by insulting our God.

      How would Sinhala Buddhists feel if we talked about Buddha’s labba? Or about Buddha urinating all over the place? Wouldn’t your blood boil? Because those are a few of the things this man in robe said about our God…

      We are also human beings, with the same blood, and it boils the same way.

      I wonder if you people don’t get the same video clips that we do… Muslims have ample evidence for our claims, but you seem to be blinded by racism, which can easily be cured if you ACTUALLY practiced Buddhism.

      We have said time and again to implement the law against those Muslims whom this man in robe is accusing if there is any truth in it. If there is a problem with the law being implemented then why don’t you go and protest against the authorities who are responsible? What does injustice have to do with attacking our mosques and businesses, or insulting out religion?

      You know i could keep on writing a lot more and open minded people would probably understand while racists are just a waste of my time, i only started writing because my blood got a bit hot, but i’m calm now, so i’m gonna stop writing…

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    Does Laksiri Fernando Want The Asgiriya Mahanayake Arrested?

    I don’t think the Ayatollah would take the walking stick Thero is offring him to stand up. Did even Old Royals look from or take the walking sticks Thero spend time to cut, skin, polish and paint before hand them over it? Thero thinks this question going to re-energize(embolden) the Asgiriya Ayatollah and raise him up more. But If Thero is near to him, he would have beaten back thero with this stick. This guy has reduced him as outcaste by his outcaste opinions. Ayatollah, the Buddhist Brahmin, would not even touch on this.

  • 8
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    Is this not the sort of logic that I heard from Velupillai Piraphakharan…? His violence was it seems quite justifiable just like the violence of the BBS and its supporters…are we then witnesing the birth of another terrorist movement…

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    People in Kandy know very well what Asgiriya is up to. They want to bring back MR since he has showered them with a lot of money. In fact they have large pictures of MR hanging out from their temple walls. He used to send them to Singapore for medical treatment even for minor ailments like Cold and cough. It is his instigation which prevents the reopening of the public road in front of Maligawa.. One possible scenario is that MR told Asgiriya to issue this statement to time just before Gnanasaara thero was produced in courts.

  • 9
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    So Dayan Jayatileke is telling might is right and that is his version of socialism. The might is USA and Sri Lanka should subdue and as he says we have no alternative. That will be fine and I really love that theory.. The rich Muslim states and Powerful USA and other powerful nations, let them have Sri Lanka as a battle field and words of wisdom of Dayan as we know he will support as he believes might is right. That will certainly be good for Muslims and also for the others, you know who. So Dayan is on our side, the side of power and the real power not the small Asgiriya power.

    One thing Dayan knows to write stylishly and survives on that. But he does not realize they do not have any substance. He does not have any fixed ideas and ideas are like dreams while asleep which are merely fantasies. He was once supporting Eelam and what the bloody heck was he doing.

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    In Myanmar the charlatan monk Wirathu preaches violence against Rohingyas. The Myanmarese Buddhist hierarchy censured and has disowned Wirathu but he has continued the incitement to violence. Wirathu is protected by the Burmese Junta who control the Myanmar armed services and police.
    Prof Laksiri faulted the Lankan Buddhist hierarchy and no more. Dayan is misinterpreting Laksiri by provocatively posing the question “Does Laksiri Fernando want the Asgiriya Mahanayake arrested?”. The next step is for DJ to shout at a meeting “Lanksiri demands arrest of Mahanayakes” and the next step “Let us set fire to a few shops in protest”.
    Dayan, we do not wish to see character certificates issued in good faith. It is what they say in confidence that matters. You are rapidly moving from Extremist territory to Incitement region. Accept your bankruptcy and get lost.

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    The [Edited out]Dayan trying to play the famous Buddhist fundamentalists weapon which is that Laksiri is asking for a legal action against Asgiriya Malwatha and to put him inside bars. We all can remember Mahinda’s propaganda of electric chair drama. These venomous propaganda of Buddhist Fundamentalists with lies since 1948 caused this Nation a lot of innocent lives, loss of properties, loss of peace, loss of unity through continuous bloodbath of innocents and the loss true.indepenence. The Srilankan constitution gives a special status to Buddhism. So, the Asgiriya Mahanayake has a responsibility to bring peace and harmony among citizens, speak against creators hatred against comminities and enhance the Buddhist principles to its highest level. If they fail to do that there is no purpose in giving a special status in the constitution. Of course politicians do not want to go against Asgiriya chapter when they are doing the wrong because they are afraid to loose the power but that does not mean they are right to defend violence of Buddhist extremism. I am 100 percent sure that what Laksiri asked is to Asgiriya chapter to condemn the BBS extremism and BBS violence becuase that is the way to protect Buddhism. Buddha’s teachings should be given higher priority than the race. What Dayan is telling is that Asgiriya chapter should encourage BBS in order to bring back Mahinda family to bring back to power and eliminate Muslims as they did to Tamils.

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    The victims of Gotabhaya’s white van thuggery should try to give a taste of the same medicine to him and his sycophants like DJ.

    Laksiri was someone who proposed doctorates to the Rajapaksas, the assassins, by the University of Colombo, and deserves some verbal opprobrium for that, but he is no sycophant of the Rajapaksa family mafia.

    All Putinists in SL should get the same Putinist treatment that Sarath de Alwis is talking about. To those who don’t know, Putin’s repertoire includes imprisonment under harsh conditions of his critics, using assassins to kill them by using radioactive substances in foreign countries, or by pushing them out of their balconies to their death, or befriending them in the guise of journalists in countries like Ukraine and then pulling a gun at close range.

    In other words, Putin is not a “political leader” by any stretch of the imagination, but a mafia leader and a pure KGB assassin, and those who openly advocate Putinism in Sri Lanka are themselves assassins in journalist, monkish or other garb; the current government should take serious consideration of the doctrine of preemption by any means necessary. If the government fails to prevent such assassins, private citizens may be forced to act in self-defense, resulting in chaos for Sri Lanka. It is time for action.

  • 2
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    In the recent history there is no known event in that the Sinhala Buddhist stood up to protect with smart Patriotism. I don’t want get into full history that is not my stick. Here Thero is pushing up Ayatollah to rise up. But what will happen if he rises up? He can beat his bare back of the earth as many times as he wants, but nothing will happen. Now, there is around 20 million the Sinhala Buddhist race. With all the effort of Yahapalanaya to honor its race, only about 180 people identified and honored as their heroes took arms against the White. But they wiped out 150,000 in Vanni alone for fight them. That is the fame of the smart patriotic Sinhala race fought on the freedom war. In Reality, their national Father took the Whites side and fought with LSSP, who one time wanted to stage protests against Whites. The Smart Patriot Don Stephen is the traitor on that matter. The double comic is, then, that time SWRD launched his rebel against the National father, but worked with National father on buttering Whites. There is no history ever a Sinhalese fighting for right to trying protecting for his country with the foreign power.

    Just with computer hacking, Colombo Pong Cing land was obtained. With a phone call, the biggest preparation to the coup on the night of January 9th, 2015 was thwarted. Russia and North Korea created the JVP. It indulged in sex and violence and took the beating of Sirimavo’ and Richard P’ s bullets to their chests. When the Indian army came into the land, they needed LTTE to get it out.

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      Mallaiyuran,

      do you know anything about Edwin Rodrigo `?

      We got to know that IH is no more there.

      But what happened to your REBEL Edwin Rodrigo ?

  • 2
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    If one there to give an order to the defense to kick on the back of the Ayatollahs’, there won’t be any soul to take the kick; even their soul will be evaporated. But in the foolish, dupe mater is framing so many colorful pictures to force artificially the Asgiriya Ayatulloh. He only concede that all their game is with their country and asking the enemy if can say that coming to their country; obviously because they the white van master minders .

    Sinhala Buddhist voter votes for the Biryani and arrack. Sinhala Buddhists did not rise up against arrest of Don Stephen. Whites, without any concerns, put all the Sinhala Buddhist leaders inside. After all of that our picture framing con-artist is drawing new picture that it would have been a different story if the Whites had arrested an Ayatollahs. Come on man, the Muslims stopped the Ayatollahs’ parade and it was the Sinhala Buddhist national leaders went into prison. Whom does this guy fooling?

    Sinhala Buddhist never protested against the chase of Old King from Temple Tree House. The rests, the 1958, 1977, 1983 et al are not Sinhala upraising, but the government’s organized pogroms. It is because the government is never investigating the instigators. The Yahapalanaya is not investigating war crimes not because it is afraid of Sinhala Buddhist. It is not even investigating internal murders and corruption. Even the biggest robbery in Hambantota Help was not investigated; which has no connection with Ayatollahs. Yahapalanaya doesn’t want the CB looting investigated; the how is that connected to Sinhala Buddhism? Did they file a case against the Indian army’s murders in Lankawe? Is IPKF too Smart Patriotic Sinhala Buddhist Rapist Army?

  • 3
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    Dulanjalee sued somebody else but not Old King who the one is publicly claiming that he who saved her on her counterfeit money case. Banker gave her the money; but whose money was that? Why the source was not punished? But when Old King said that, neither any of the Old Royal Family members or New Royal Family Members were sued. It is after the Batalanda and Chemani like Northern cases, Ranil refused to sign Rome Treaty. This is not connected to Sinhala Buddhist uprising. It is only about Sinhala Buddhist Leaders providing impunity to them.

    The basic truth is if the Saudi King pays the 40% price to protect his new Colony, the Lankawe, not just the Kandy Ayatollah’s even Ranil’s wife or New King’s daughter will be standing in the court. We know Kashiyappah’s father, Dutugemunu’s father, Vijaya’s wife and children, Ehelepola’s extended family and many other homicides within the ruling families described in the Mahavamsa tell that anybody can get sacrificed when there if money and power are on the plate.

    The road on the front of Dalada Maligawa was closed and race tracks were opened there. Where were these Ayatollahs that time? Old Royals were planning to even removing these inertia guys from their chairs. If these guy wants to bring Old Royals let them bring back, so these inertia people will chased to run on the public roads by Old Royals.

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    Whether it be the Mahanayake or the Cardinal should not be above the law. This time around the people are fed-up and they have sounded their displeasure through other sources that the state cannot control.

    Yes we will have still a good number of uneducated idiots from the interior and the educated racists from the cities still harping the religious horn defeating the basic purpose of religion.

  • 3
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    mr knew how to tackle them
    paid obeisance, gave them the perks, but never bothered to take their advicee, e.g. kandy motor races
    sira is too weak and lacks his cunning as to how to act in the circumstances

  • 2
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    Let it be Mahanayake or any one else, if that person has violated the laws of Sri Lanka he or she has to be put in jail. Including you Dayan for the lies you told at UN which resulted in Sri Lanka loosing the GSP+ in the first place.

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    Dayan. This is not Cuba or Nicaragua. There are no racist Buddhist monks there. That Cubans are 60% RC, 25% unaffiliated, 17 % folk religion and almost all speak Spanish with a local mixture. In the case of Nicaragua most of the population are RC and all speak Spanish with a local mix.

  • 1
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    “Lunatic Lankan Left Liberals: Does Laksiri Fernando Want The Asgiriya Mahanayake Arrested?”

    Yes he should be.He is a idiot.

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