In a strange twist of events, Athuraliye Rathana thera’s protest fast which kick started yesterday morning, has found an ally in an unlikely place. TNA MP S. Viyalendiran today pledged his support to Rathana thera and began his own protest fast at the Gandhi Park in Batticaloa today.
Although this act may seem like the merging of strange bedfellows on the surface – the mystery solves itself when taking a look at political events during the Constitutional coup in October – November, 2018.
Viyalendiran was among the MPs who pledged support to the Maithripala Sirisena – Mahinda Rajapaksa nexus during the Constitutional Coup along with Rathana thera. He was even sworn in as the Minister of Regional Development for the Eastern Province.
If there was ever a doubt on Rathana thera’s motivations for this protest fast, it has now been made clear.
The protest fast that began yesterday morning in front of the Kandy Dalada Temple, is continuing and the demand is for President to oust Muslim politicos Rishard Bathiudeen, M L A M Hizbullah and Azath Salley from their positions and for a Presidential Committee to be appointed to probe into allegations of Doctor Shafi Siyabdeen of Kurunegala Teaching Hospital performing unconsented tubal ligations on some 4000 Sinhalese women.
Robert Fernando / June 2, 2019
Athureliya Ratna Thera’s ‘desire’ is against the teachings of the Buddha. He wants the President to remove one representative of the people and two others appointed by the President without following any due process – Minister Rishad Badhurdeen on one hand and Governors Sally and Hisbullah on the other. He has supposed to have submitted a memorandum to the President against them. These government ‘office holders’ can be removed only if they are given an opportunity to respond to any allegations leveled against them. If Athureliya thinks that the President should remove them because Athureliya has given the memorandum, he is sadly mistaken not only about the law of the land, but also about the tenets of Buddhism. This so-called monk, who disregards all principles of good governance and religious core values has taken steps to threaten the President impliedly.
If he has any evidence against these three ‘officials’ that they are responsible for the commission of any offence, it is his duty to hand over the evidence to the Police and make a request to them to deal it with it in accordance with the law. Instead, engaging in a fast in a public place is nothing but an act of taking the law into his own had to force the lawfully elected official – the Head of the State – to succumb to moral and psychological intimidation. We have not heard of any news that he had handed over any evidence to the Police so far. Mere belief or hope is not evidence; it is nothing but rank prejudice! That is what Athureliya is presently displaying!
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Hariharan Wicks / June 3, 2019
Then how were the IGP and Secretary of Defense removed?
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Mark / June 3, 2019
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Emil van der Poorten / June 3, 2019
Robert Fernando;
The tragedy of your eminently sensible words is that, as I write this, they are being ignored and the stage set for chaos and mayhem with goodness knows what’s in store for this land!
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Tamil from the north / June 3, 2019
Is this scoundrel dead? Remove the biscuits under his pillow and he will move onto the other side of the universe……………….HELL!
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SRIKIT GUNAWARDANA / June 3, 2019
He was killed in May 2009
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Edgar / June 4, 2019
So you believe in hell. You had it here when Prabhakaran was running the North.
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Colombo man / June 3, 2019
Politics is a place where strange bedfellows are accepted
This is not a new thing
Why is Ranil still protecting his Muslim allies at the risk of jeopardizing the National Security?
This is the natural course of events
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Sr Lankan Diaspora UK / June 3, 2019
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dingiri / June 3, 2019
This is a bad precedent. Clergy should not have any right to remove elected representatives unless there is clear evidence that they have indulged in malpractices, and but then too it will be the role of the law enforcement agencies. But having said that I have little sympathy for Rishard Bathuideen. For Azath Salley I have only admiration particularly for how he fearlessly takes on Sinhala Nationalist bullies in the media.
This may be the time for Rishard Bathuideen to step down and accept accountability for one of the gravest crimes against our natural heritage. The destruction and settlement (with his supporters) of the North Western part of one of our premier wilderness preserves. Bathuideen and Basil Rajapakse who conspired in secret to inflict this travesty on the land and people of this country should pay in one way or another.
There are also allegations that he used his political power to pressure police to release or suspend investigations into extremists. The spectre of a buddhist monk demanding resignations is not a good one but in a blindly religious country with a spineless police force this sort of crazy maneuvering is to be expected.
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charles / June 4, 2019
The Spineless MY3 and ball less Ranil was not doing any thing. We are in this situation because of these politicians. They have been protecting criminals. Some body has to come out and do some thing. There few people who do not agree with that. But they are the ones who give their a##e to people for money and do not love the country.Do not worry about them. Specially internet heroes.
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Saurus / June 4, 2019
Outcome achieved, the honorable venerable Rathana Apey Hamuduruwos fast unto ICU has succeeded in forcing the resignation of suspected Mohommedan Terrorism supporting ministers (other non terrorism can be termed as collateral damage: cannot be helped when the mob takes matters unto their own hands)
This enacted drama now opens the way for the honorable venerable Galagoda Aththey Apey Hamuduruwo to conduct a 6 day weight loss program in 2020 and force the banning of halal slaughter, so kudos for ven Rathana for showing the way. And very nice of the nobel peace prize winning cardinal to pay a visit
It is clear that the current government has failed the nation. It is time for sinhala buddhists to unite and vote for a strong government with a backbone.
Once Gota comes the country has a very good opportunity to push through and ban stone arab and Mohommedan practices. I’m sure Gota will get some good advice from venerable Galagoda Aththey Apey Hamuduruwo. The following must be banned ASAP
-Ban Halal slaughter (not required in a sinhala buddhist country)
-Ban mohommedan mosques in the holy budhist city of Kandy (after all Kafirs are banned in the Mohommedan holy cities)
-Ban Shari Uni (already in place)
-Ban Mohommedan marriage law, child marriage and ploygamy (one law for all Sri Lankanks)
-Ban mohommedan mosques screaming Allah Allah Rabadallah and disturbing the peace especially at dawn
-Ban circumsicion and female genital mutilation of Sri Lankan children
Once the honorable venerable Galagoda Aththey Apey conducts some fasts a lot of racist dangerous Mohommedan stone age rituals and practices can get banned.
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