Personal Appeal for Peace from Thai Buddhist Sulak Sivaraksa
By Sulak Sivaraksa –
We would like to appeal to the Sinhala Buddhists first of all to acknowledge the crimes that they committed against their own Tamil sisters and brothers and ask for forgiveness from the Tamils. Rejoicing at the war victories, when thousands have been killed, ‘disappeared’, maimed, raped and hundreds of thousands of people have been displaced and detained, is totally against the dhamma.
Thai Buddhist Sulak Sivaraksa
After all, forgiveness in Pali is apaya – no fear – we should cultivate spiritual fearlessness. Fear arises from construction of the other. Construction of the other arises from separation of self and other. This is ignorance. The enemy is, in fact, greed, hatred and ignorance. In order to be fearless one needs to break the fetters of ignorance and greed. It is the ideological attachment to a majority dominated state that has caused the war and led to enormous suffering. The notions of minority and majority are wrong perceptions. We are interrelated or ‘interbeing’. One who realizes interbeing is fearless. It is this fearlessness that can help transform the colonial construction of the Sri Lankan unitary state. This construction is based on greed and hatred.
Through deep Buddhist meditation we can realize our interbeing. In reality we all are friends, who may have different ethnicities. But with right-mindfulness (samma smadhi), we can see that they are all our friends, not enemies. The words war heroes and terrorists are misconceptions. We can live together, acknowledging each other’s dignity. Tamils are human beings and they should live their basic human rights as we do. They aspire to live in their own land just like the Sinhalese. The government of Sri Lanka should follow Emperor Asoka who transformed violence into loving kindness treating all diverse ethnicities in his empire with dignity and equal respect, upholding different cultures and religions. We need to follow the great Buddhist emperor in order to uphold the world in the twenty- first century in peace, truth and compassion. The Sri Lankan state needs a transformation.
The Machiavellian approach of exploitation and imperialism is coming to an end, as the Buddhist teaching of anicca, impermanency has implied and as evidenced by the fact that the Roman and British empires have come to their ends and the American one is on the decline. The future of humankind depends on ahimsa and satyagraha. The power of the truth was not only expressed by Gandhi, but it was proclaimed by the Buddha. Once we confront the Noble Truth of Suffering ? not only individually but socially; we can then find out the causes of suffering, which link directly with greed lobha (capitalism and consumerism), hatred dosa (nationalism, militarism, pseudo-democracy), and delusion moha (mainstream education stressing on the head without cultivating the heart and mainstream mass media).
Then we can overcome social suffering through the Noble Eightfold Path of Sila not exploitative of oneself and others, samadhi, deep meditative practice of self-awareness, and panna, that is wisdom or true understanding, seeing that we are all interconnected. The Tamils and Sinhalese need to be brother and sister. If this is taken seriously as a reality not as a far-fetched ideal Sri Lanka can really be a land of the Buddha, with a small ?b?. Tamils and Sinhala could be side by side in unity and diversity. This will indeed be a good example of the country in the twenty-first century. It will be a century marked by the strength of spirituality beyond hypocrisy and mediocrity.
*Sulak Sivaraksa –Honouring seventy years if living and working for justice, peace, democracy and sustainable livelihoods. Sulak Sivaraksa, born 1933, is a prominent and outspoken Thai intellectual and social critic. He is a teacher, a scholar, a publisher, an activist, the founder of many organisations, and the author of more than a hundred books and monographs in both Thai and English.
Thaha Muzammil / February 2, 2012
Wise words from a Buddhist Monk. Hope it enters through the thick heads of so called Sinhala Buddhists.
Thaha Muzammil
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Peter Casie Chetty / February 2, 2012
Do you know that the Sinhalese forces were defending Muslims so you xxxx go over and see what happened to the Muslims in Kathankudi. This is the most ignorant comment made but the point is that you suit the type of ignorant articles that appears on this racist site.
There were more Christians involved in the killings of Sinhalese Buddhists innocent civilians than the legitimate self defence practiced by the State Forces. You cannot deny that many Muslims were involved in the looting and murder of the Tamils in Black July. Your faith has people are behaving like animals all over the world “honour killing” and all that. How can you point fingers at the Buddhists who have a legitimate role to defend the Sinhalese and ever unfortunately people like you.
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len / February 3, 2012
Bravo Bravo its always the fault of the Christian crusaders.Hey Pete how about the West? did you miss that never mind can use it next time.
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Sam Gonwa / February 2, 2012
I have seen this subtle but sinister move by many to tarnish Buddhists and Buddhism by diabolically twining/coining the term “Sinhala Buddhist” in discussing this conflict. One should know the related history before drawing conclusions from this type of ignorant or perhaps calculated statements. Under British rule the minority Tamils received privileges and preferential treatment over the majority Sinhalese; a tactic adopted by many colonial rulers to perpetuate their hold to the colonies. This situation had similarities (as far as the outcome was considered) to the apartheid era in South Africa where the minority called the shots over the majority. After independence the situation changed with democracy coming into play and the majority Sinhalese finally receiving “equal rights” (similar to what was enjoyed by the Tamil minority before under the British rule) and a proportional saying in the affairs of the country. With the Tamil minority losing their privileged status under the democratic system, some Tamil extremists started interpreting this status as “discrimination” against Tamils whereas it was actually an act of removing discrimination against the Sinhalese that prevailed under the British rule. These ambitious Tamil extremists used this situation to create a culture based on racism and hatred and used to give a racist undertone to each and every problem a Tamil faced; whereas such problems were faced by all communities. This eventually led to a brutal terrorist movement which successive elected governments tried to control. These elected governments were not “Sinhala Buddhist” governments but consisted of Sinhala Buddhists, Sinhala Catholics, Sinhala Christians, Tamil Hindus, Tamil Catholics, Tamil Christians, Muslims of various denominations of Islam, Burgers of various denominations of Christianity etc. etc. in proportion to their numbers in the country as a result of the democratic system. These successive governments tired to settle the conflict through various peace initiatives, even involving external parties, but the LTTE terrorists used these initiatives to their own advantage which finally led to their total annihilation which is history now. When the LTTE terrorists were active they killed hundreds of Buddhist monks, attacked sacred Buddhist monuments like the Sri Maha Bodhi, The Temple of the Tooth Relic etc. etc. but the successive Sri Lankan Governments never termed these attacks as attacks against “Sinhala Buddhists” but considered them as attacks against the whole Sri Lankan nation. Similarly, if you look at the numbers, I am sure that a majority of LTTE terrorists were “Tamil Hindus” but Sri Lankans were not naïve to term the LTTE terrorists as “Tamil Hindu Terrorists”. Going further, I am sure that no sane person would be naïve enough to coin the term “Thai Buddhist Corruptionists” to describe the actors of the events of that unfolded in your country in the recent past. It is not the “Sinhala Buddhists” that should ask for forgiveness from anyone but you the “Thai Buddhist” from all the Buddhists in the world for uttering unenlightened statements detrimental to Buddhists and Buddhism.
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Smiller / February 2, 2012
The present Buddhism in Sri Lanka is no pure Buddhism, it’s nothing other than nationalism, whereas, we had the most pure Buddhist in the ancient Island. The latter Buddhists have inserted nationalism into Buddhism to use the religion as a tool for their own profit. You can clearly observed these from the recent history of the island. On the other hand, Sinhalese claim Sri Lanka to be Dhammadipa, without knowing properly what is meant by Dhammadipa.
I would suggest Sam Gonwa to put away your extreme Sinhala nationalism first, without negatively reacting to the eminent scholars and also Buddhists, like Sulak Sivaraksa. You must see to yourself that the government of SL is said to have committed war crimes, which it denies strongly and does not want to present evidences to the international community. However, gradually everything is coming out, and you can see them in the whistle blowing WikiLeaks, which is revealing everything – even your own ministers are uttering in their own mouths that the SL government had committed war crimes. If the government had not committed crimes, why not allow the international community to come and see for themselves and tell the world that the SL government had not committed war crimes.
It is very saddening by what the Sinhalese people claim themselves to be rel Buddhists not knowing well the outer world. Until the Sinhalese people get rid of their extreme clinging to their own selves and their Sinhala nationalism, which is very racist, they will never realize their mistakes, but would only keep committing more mistakes.
You also must understand that Sulak Sivaraksa states his ideas from Buddhist perspectives, not from Sinhala Buddhism, which is a nationalist religion.
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Sam Gonwa / February 2, 2012
It is sad to note that you are totally ignorant of the facts and cannot stand and face them. It is you who are negatively reacting to my comments. Your apparent racist mind (?) has totally missed the context of my comments. I reiterate that there were no “Sinhala Buddhist” governments but they consisted of Sinhala Buddhists, Sinhala Catholics, Sinhala Christians, Tamil Hindus, Tamil Catholics, Tamil Christians, Muslims of various denominations of Islam, Burgers of various denominations of Christianity etc. etc. in proportion to their numbers in the country (as a result of the democratic system) and Sulak Sivaraksa’s attempt to drag in the “Sinhala Buddhist” subset into the equation is similar to branding LTTE terrorists as “Tamil Hindu Terrorists”. You talk of International Community, but please remember that there are more than 200 countries out there in the world and all the people in these countries constitute of the international community, not only those living in some western countries like UK, US, Canada etc. If you take population vice the western world is a minority as against the total world population. Yet they want to run the majority world according to their minority whims and fancies. The whole world is now seeing the double standards of the so called western world and they are well documented. I do not wish to deal more on this as this is out of context to the points I raised in my earlier comment and sadly you have not been able to refute any of those. I also wish to point out to “Smiller” that I am net a Sinhalese to harbor “Sinhala nationalism” of any sort; whether extreme or mediocre (as you try to establish) but wish to assure you that no amount of intimidation on your part or the so called “international community” could force me to disown my views based on true facts. In closing I reiterate that It is not the “Sinhala Buddhists” that should ask for forgiveness from anyone but Sulak Sivaraksa the “Thai Buddhist” from all the Buddhists in the world for uttering unenlightened statements detrimental to Buddhists and Buddhism.
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Walter / February 3, 2012
There is no Sinhala Buddhism. It has been created by so called Buddhists who actually do not know what Buddhism is. Where can you find any sort of violence in Buddha’s teachings? Actions of ‘Sinhala Buddhists’ is an insult to the great teacher and His teachings.
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NAK / February 3, 2012
“You must see to yourself that the government of SL is said to have committed war crimes, which it denies strongly and does not want to present evidences to the international community “
since when the accused is supposed to present the evidence?
It is quite apparent that sulak Sivaraksha writing on some thing without proper knowledge of it or with wrong information or both.
Buddhists also have the right to self defence and it is not against buddhism.
I feel sorry for Mr.Sulak who is potrayed here as a buddhist scholar, when he refer to gandhi and the Buddha in the same sentence.It is pathetic if someone duped him to write piece.
and Mr. smiller I am also not a sinhalese but a buddhist.
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Peter Casie Chetty / February 2, 2012
We have to remember that this site is one for the Communists and everything is done to insult people who are too decent to reply. You have done the right thing standing up for the Buddhists. The LTTE as you have said were always described by anti Buddhists as “rebels”…
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Chandra Goonewardene / February 3, 2012
Hey Chetty. What do you mean by talking of ‘decent’, you indecent and ignorant nincompoop, whose language is so vulgar as to shame even the sarong swinging rowdies? You do not even know the meaning of the term. ‘This site is for Communists’?!!
Get your head checked, man! Or start singing again at the railway stations for coins. Thats a better way of spending your time! And ours!
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Gamunu / February 3, 2012
@Chandra , well said. don’t give any coins to this man. bugger now in UK. In London you cant beg like France. lol
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Ano / March 5, 2012
No they weren’t, in Hinduism buddah is refered as Buddthar (Tamil Pronunciation) is another avatar of our lord Vishnu, Buddhism is not just a Sinhalese or Chinese thing, it even evolved from Hinduism, so its a Tamil thing as well. i hate it when Sinhalese people dont accept that there are Tamil Buddhist. and another point Hinduism does not believe there is only one way to god so it respects all religions unlike Christianity and Muslim. Tamils and Sinhalese people are like brothers but its corruption from both sides that has parted us
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kumar / February 3, 2012
Well, sam. Hon.S.Banadranayake, PM srilanka was killed by a Sinhala Buddist Monk, JR’s anti-tamil walk to Kandy was supported by Sinhala Buddist Monks, JVP insurgents were supported by Sinhala Buddist Monks, 1983 Anti-Tamil riots were lead by Sinhala Buddist Monks …. the list is long. Mahinda Rajapakse does not know he is playing with fire … you can run but can’t hide. Good luck and face the problem.
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sam / February 3, 2012
Mate how about his,
Fr.Rayappu Joshpe
Rr. Emanuel are they saits???? It is crear that Church supported LTTE, if not ask the church to expell those two dickheads.
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Sam Gonwa / February 3, 2012
Hello Mr. Kumar, I think you should have at least some basic history knowledge before venturing into this type of a serious discussion.
Please note the following.
1. Hon. .SWRD Banadranayake, PM of Ceylon was killed not by a Sinhala Buddhist Monk but by a person of a different religion (until a few weeks before!!!) who posed as a Buddhist Monk to gain access to the PM. Read the history and the book on the Bandaranayake Assassination to be enlightened on the subject.
2. JR’s walk to Kandy was not an anti-Tamil walk but a walk against the Bandaranaike–Chelvanayakam Pact. This pact was strongly opposed by certain sections of both the Sinhalese and Tamil communities including people like All Ceylon Tamil Congress’ G. G. Ponnambalam and Member of Parliament C Suntheralingham. Hence, while your basic facts are wrong, your diabolical attempt to single out Sinhala Buddhist Monks is a deliberate distortion.
3. JVP insurgents were supported not only by a few by Sinhala Buddhist Monks but by some Sinhala Buddhist non-monks (i.e. some Sinhala Buddhists), some Sinhala Catholics, some Sinhala Christians, some Tamil Hindus, some Tamil Catholics, some Tamil Christians, some Muslims of various denominations of Islam and also some Burgers of various denominations of Christianity. The full details are well documented and are available in sources like the Commission Report on the 1971 Insurrection and other books written on the subject.
4. Anti-Tamil riots were not lead by Sinhala Buddhist Monks but by some mobs that included a few opportunists of Sinhala and other origins. Independent details on this are well documented and are available in the public domain.
5. To take the discussion a little further, starting from July 27th 1975 a number of prominent Tamils (and I presume mostly “Tamil Hindus”) were killed including (to name a few) Mayor of Jaffna Alfred Duraiappah, Former Leader of the Opposition and leader of the TULF A. Amirthalingam, Minister of Foreign Affairs Lakshman Kadirgamar, MPs K. T. Pulendran, Kingsley Rasanayagam, Nimalan Soundaranayagam, Arunasalam Thangathurai, Neelan Tiruchelvam (probably the only Sri Lankan Harvard PhD), V. K. Yogasangari, V. Yogeswaran, heap of other Tamil politicians like S. Gopallapillai, Karavai Kandasamy, Pon Mathimukarajah, S. J. Muttiah, Kumaraswamy Nandagopan, Kanapathipillai Navaratnarajah, John Pulle, etc. etc., civil servants like Samanturai Anthonimuttu the Government Agent Batticaloa, S. S. Jeganathan again another Government Agent Batticaloa, V. M. Panachalingam the Government Agent Jaffna, Journalists like Balanadarajah Iyer (Lead editor, Thinamurasu newspaper), Relangi Selvaraj (TV announcer; freelance producer), I. Shanmugalingam (Staff Reporter, Eelanaadu & Eelamurasu newspapers) etc. etc., Principals of St. John’s College, Jaffna, Palugamam Maha Vidyalaya, Jaffna Central College, Vigneswara Vidyalaya, Trincomalee, religious figures like Venerable Sivashri Kungaraja Kurukkal (Chief Priest, Koneswaram Temple, Trincomalee), Venerable Selliah Parameswaran Kurukkal (Chief Priest, Santhiveli Pilleyar Kovil, Batticaloa) and others like Maheswary Velautham (Lawyer; human rights activist) AND ALL THIS KILLINGS WERE DONE BY NOT “SINHALA BUDDHISTS” OR “SINHALA BUDDHIST MONKS” BUT BY THE LTTE TERRORISTS (“TAMIL HINDU TERRORISTS” ACCORDING TO SULAK’S LOGIC WHICH OF COURSE I TOTALLY REJECT).
6. It is also ironical to point out that the former Minister of Foreign Affairs Lakshman Kadirgamar (a Tamil) was living only with a single kidney that was donated by a “Sinhala Buddhist Monk” whereas he was assassinated by the LTTE (“TAMIL HINDU TERRORISTS” ACCORDING TO SULAK’S LOGIC WHICH OF COURSE I TOTALLY REJECT).
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Gamunu / February 3, 2012
Hello Sam Gona, dont lie man,
1. Hon. .SWRD Banadranayake, PM of Ceylon was killed not by a Sinhala Buddhist Monk but by a person of a different religion (until a few weeks before!!!) who posed as a Buddhist Monk to gain access to the PM. Read the history and the book on the Bandaranayake Assassination to be enlightened on the subject.
SWRD was killed by Talduve Somarama/ with Buddharakitha :)))) are u buddhits? Pansil aranda boru kiyanne? :)
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Gamunu / February 3, 2012
*Gonwahanse oh sorry again Gonwa
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anonymous / February 6, 2012
The LTTE was formed to protect the Tamils from atrocities by the Sinhala forces.
Do you want to see the record of such atrocities, prior to the period of forming LTTE
Go to the link:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_attacks_attributed_to_Sri_Lankan_government_forces
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GM / February 2, 2012
”Fear arises from construction of the other. Construction of the other arises from separation of self and other. This is ignorance. The enemy is, in fact, greed, hatred and ignorance.”
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Smiller / February 3, 2012
Hello Gamunu, you are wrong; read the Sri Lankan history carefully. He was killed by a real Buddhist monks who supported him to win the elections, not by a non-Buddhist who posed as a monk.
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chris silva / February 2, 2012
This writer,Sulak-I’m not sure when he last visited Lanka but,as for me I’ve got Sinhalese & Tamils living side by side in unity here in Colombo.I returned from Jaffna (friend opened a business there)and there appears to be more of an importance attached to economic advancement,education than issues raised by Sulak.
It’s like after JVP rebellions were over we did not go after them,jail them etc instead JVP rebels are now in the mainstream of live,happy and living with their families.
ex-LTTE and simmilar in time to come will be the same,living normal lives amongst us.We don’t punish as in the western concept,we forgive and carry on.
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Bodinayaka / February 2, 2012
yes. You remind me of that point too. what’s wrong with this people.
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sumana / February 2, 2012
Who should accept the crime committed against innocent Sinhalese people? Not only for sinhalese, Prabhakaran and LTTE destroyed their own activists, leaders, politicians who criticised LTTE and its leader. When your leader is doing wrong to you and your country, it is your responsibility to wake up and fight against the injustice until justice is seen. Those so called Tamil community never went against when the crimes were done against sinhalese and their own people. Always it is only sinhalese who fought against terrorism. Why don’t you cry against the assassination of Rajini Thiranagama (nee Rajasingham), Amirthalingam, Yogaraja, etc. The absolute reality is we rescued you from your own devil who was believed to be your god once.
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anonymous / February 6, 2012
Unfortunately hte Tamils could not rein on the LTTE, just like the Sinhalese now are afraid to point out to the familial rulers due to fear of white van, abduction, disappearance etc..
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Priyanhar Suhathasan / February 3, 2012
What was in your mind, is so clear that you had an idea to give a kind of bad picture for the Sinhalese Buddhists.I am not very fluent in English ,but do you think that Sinhalese Buddhists are mad people like Tamil terrorists? I think it’s much better for you to come and see what has-really happened here,I am so sorry about you as a Buddhist monk who is trying to tarnish the good name of the Sinhalese Buddhists.
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Bandara / February 3, 2012
This argument that Sinhalese Buddhists should treat enemy as a friend and bear whatever evil they do upon them is a myth that is being promoted by opportunitists to their advantage. Sinhalese are also humans and will fight to the end against their enemies, now and through out the future. Do not misunderstand them.
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Smiller / February 3, 2012
Mr. Bandara, I would like to ask you who is your enemy? The Tamils or the LTTE?
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sam / February 3, 2012
Mate all the LTTEs are Tamils, (but all the tamils are not LTTEes) and both Tamils and LTTE have similarities such as
1. No backbone/balls to get their homeland from India (which is Tamilnadu)
2. Dreaming/living in dreams thinking they have speciall priviledges in Sri Lanka (just becasue they represent 8%, even less than Muslims now)
3. Never learn a lesson (inability to learn lesson from the past)
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Dammika / February 3, 2012
According to this article Tamil Tigers (LTTE) has not committed any crimes, but the Sinhala Buddhists who has committed those crimes and we have to accept it … well Tamil Tigers (LTTE) are accordingly innocent bunch of FREEDOM FIGHTERS.
Can someone explain who killed Aranthalawa Buddhist Monks?, Who Killed innocent Children, mothers & fathers in Villages? Who attached and killed Buddhist followers and monks at SRI MAHA BODHI in Anuradhapura? ALSO who killed some innocent SRI LANKAN TAMILS who lived side by side with Sinhala and Muslim People? ….. and many if someone wants to list.
Who will take the blame for those crimes? Apparently as well all see, read & hear is about the crimes committed by Sinhalese. Some quarters in the world (whether it is a country or organisation) cannot believe TERRORIST OUTFIT (Sri Lanka consider them as TERRORISTS) or accept that it is no longer exist or liquidated. Well that is the reality …. Please let us know WHO WILL ACCEPT THE CRIMES COMMITTED BY TAMIL TIGERS (LTTE)?
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Don Sarath / February 3, 2012
This Thai guy is talking through his Hat. He has picked up the concocted stories of Tamil LTTE Diaspora.
All what he has mentioned as Rape and Killing are the stuff that Tamil Terrorists did to hundred thousands of Sinhalese & Muslims. They even killed babies by dashing them on floor, Raped and killed women Children & Old people by wiping out Sinhala Villeges and film those and sent to overseas to show that those were done by Sinhalese to Tamils. These gullible fools like Sulak Sivaraksha, without even checking the truth make wiled statements like this, probably because he may be funded by this terrorist group.
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lankaley / February 3, 2012
NO ONE IS TALKING ABOUT SUFFERINGS OF SINHALESE SINCE 1505 TO 2009 IN THEIR OWN COUNTRY. STARTING WITH SO CALLED WESTERN DEMOCRACIES TO LTTE TERRORISTS TRAINED BY INDIA. IN THE LAST CONFLICT 23000 SOLDIERS DIED IN THE LAST BATTLE; OVER 9000 SINHALESE CIVILLIANS DIED THROUGH OUT THE COUNTRY BY LTTE SUCIDE BOMBS.WE DON’T HATE TAMILS FOR THAT WE FORGIVE THEM. NOT ONLY THAT WE INVITE THEM TO BE SRI LANKANS AND LIVE ANY WHERE THEY LIKE. BUT WE WILL NOT ALLOW SRI LANKA TO BE DEVIDED. SINHALESE ARE A GROUP OF PEOPLE WITH HIGH DEGREE OF TOLERENCE. THAT IS WHY WE SEE THESE KIND OF CHARGES AGAINST US.
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Smiller / February 3, 2012
What I see here is that you have not made a distinction between the Tamils and LTTE. You must understand that LTTE is very different from the ordinary Tamils. Sulak is not talking about the LTTE, he is rather talking about the ordinary Tamils who had to go through such a bloody moment of war waged by both the SL government and the LTTE.
I would also like to ask you whether the Sri Lankan armies did not commit war crimes? We already have enough evidences, and more are on the way. And remember these evidences are provided by the Sri Lankan government itself. For this, are you going to come with the same answer that the SL government might have committed war crimes unintentionally? O please come on, people, spit out the truth, why keep it secret?
I would like to mention also that I am not taking the side of either the Sinhalese or LTTE and Tamils. I am just speaking how I see the problem.
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NAK / February 3, 2012
Dear smiller,
You are not seeing the problem or the answer.What you are doing is just parroting something you heard elsewhere. If you have enough evidence, as you claim,it should be presented at the upcoming human rights commission in Geneva and the problem will be addressed there,provided they are evidence and not the credible allegations.(hope you know the difference)And when will the next instalment of evindence( that are on the way) be availble and will that be presented to the world? or kept secret for the safty of the Nameless,faceless witnesses who provide this so called evidence?
Wars cannot be faught with the human rights convention in one hand. The soldier who faces the enemy is also fighting for his life. So in that kind of situation anything can happen,but if you have evidence of any one or the government for that matter willfuly, purposely violating any kind of law you must present or publish it without delay.
Otherwise you will be guilty of withholding evidence of a crime.
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Smiller / February 3, 2012
Hello Nak, I am sorry to say that I am not parroting; I am in Sri Lanka since long ago, and I am still in the island. So, I am speaking what I saw and found.
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Hansan / February 3, 2012
You Thero where were you when Tamils killed our Buddist Priests, Buddist Villagers. Why did you wake up now.We never heard about you for the last 30 years. How much did you charge to appier and make comment on witch you have not seen. Be a good Buddists and protect Buddism.
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Smiller / February 3, 2012
Mr. Hansan, who killed your priests and villagers? The Tamils or the LTTE?
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Sam Gonwa / February 3, 2012
The LTTE.
Not “Tamil Hindu Terrorists” going by Sulak’s calculated logic!
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Nimal / February 3, 2012
What is wrong with this person? Why did he select this kind of title? This is purely racist comment, and directly insulting a nation. We are a multicultural society, and everyone is defending themselves from ruthless terrorists. We never have racist mind or we never asked for separate land. We purely protected the defenceless civilians including children from the blood thirsty racist tamil terrorists. I want this person look after their people, “THAI GIRLS including CHILDREN” from sexual predators.
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sam / February 3, 2012
First of all all Tamils should accept that their Homeland is in India (Tamilnadu) and then the Sinhalies will take a step backwords.
This homeland myth has killed large number of Tamils and the whole look at Tamils as Terorists (thank to LTTE). Come clean and accept that your homeland is in Indian and you do not have a backbone to fight with India(high cast)
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NAK / February 3, 2012
Sam,
I am a Tamil and I am a Sri Lanakan. And proud to be Sri Lankan. I have no place in tamil nadu or a desire to go there. So please don’t put all the Tamils in one tamil nadu homeland.
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Sam Gonwa / February 3, 2012
Well said brother, I salute you!
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Caeser / February 3, 2012
This is a diabolical lie, and wrong view by the writer not knowing the real scenarios and history of the Sri Lanka as well as the Tamil issue.
This is biased probably due to the fundamental Tamil groups active in Thailand. The real case is other way. It’s a Sinhela Buddhists that were being harassed all these days by Tamils and Muslims, now demanding part of the country, where they are the aliens and we Sinhela are the owners of this land.
Such people can separate this land after the last Sinhela has been annihilated, if any one wants a separate state, please go to your country of origin and ask for it. Not in our land, we have given you to live here freely and now taking that kindness to a weakness?
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Chandana / February 3, 2012
Smiller! you can comment on any issue. but don’t comment on the issues you are not aware. LTTE was a group of terrorists represent tamil community. if they didn’t get support from tamils how could they survived for such a long period. even Indian tamils helped LTTE terrorists. that is the bitter truth. LTTE has done so many terrorist acts aganist buddhist and buddhism which no any other terrorist group ever done against any relegious group in the world. so as they killed muslims in mosques. tamils in kovils. TERRORISTS ARE TERRORISTS DON’T even think to feed milk to them
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Hari / February 3, 2012
Looks like some LTTe supporter gave him a gold bar or something. This guy talks about something he has no clue about.
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Kumara Perera / February 3, 2012
Hon. Ven Sulak Sivaraksa, I do not endorse or accept Sinhala Buddhists should accept the crimes they committed against Tamils. But the Sri Lanka State possibly should. I am sure you knew of the crimes LTTE committed against Sinhala Buddhist, including buddihist monks for some 30 years. Were you brave enough to say the same thing during that time, If you did, pardon me, if not do not open your mouth without knowing facts, that’s against the Buddhist philosophy you ought to be preaching.
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Nimal / February 4, 2012
How about crimes commited by LTTE tamils for Thirty years.Sulak Were you sleeping those Thirty Years?
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fan / February 4, 2012
Thai Buddhism is a commercial enterprise… When Thai’s start Pirith foreigners are not allowed and this happen few times to me… Thai temples run as business and they close it around 3 pm.. The whole Thai Buddhism is nothing but fake idea and most of the monks are corrupt and run prostitution.
SL Buddhist can have their head high since Island countries Buddhism is based on compassion and respect to others. All these Tamil racist survive due to Sinhalese Buddhist compassion and any other country those racist should have been on bottom of the sea.
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Swarna / February 4, 2012
Mr.Thai Buddhist Sulak Sivaraksa… you are making a far cry….How do u you say these things with full confidence. How do you get the full perception about the post war of this land while you live in Thailand…
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rw / February 4, 2012
”The government of Sri Lanka should follow Emperor Asoka who transformed violence into loving kindness treating all diverse ethnicities in his empire with dignity and equal respect, upholding different cultures and religions. We need to follow the great Buddhist emperor in order to uphold the world in the twenty- first century in peace, truth and compassion. The Sri Lankan state needs a transformation.”
Interesting observation by Thai buddhist, Sulak Sivaraksha, in regard to Emperor Asoka’s tolerance and fairness. It has always amazed me that a Buddhist country like Sri Lanka –a country that purports to uphold the Dhamma– can have in it so many so-called buddhists who pay no heed to the Dhamma and the teachings of the Buddha and ahimsa. Devilry and sub-human behaviour is something practised by the goondas and their bosses on both sides, Sinhala and Tamil. Good Sinhalese buddhists have for too long lived in fear of these devils. Today, the voice of moderation and the Middle Path is being ruthlessly suppressed by a regime which is bent on using violence, repression and thuggery against both the Tamil and Sinhala people. A great darkness has fallen over the Dhamma.
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Nihal P / February 4, 2012
Can the Sinhalese-Buddhist side admit they are guilty of certain war crimes? That is the main thing.
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David Blacker / February 23, 2012
I didn’t know there was a Sinhalese-Buddhist side. So is there also a Tamil side?
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Chaaminda / February 10, 2012
In my view, this man does not know what he is talking about.
While calling himself a Buddhist and while preaching others about ignorance, he himself appears to dwell in total ignorance about the conflict in Sri Lanka, as if he learned about it from BBC news.
Otherwise, how can we expect such sweeping generalizations from a Thai about what certain Sinhalese and Tamils have done? The overwhelming oversimplications clearly resembles those of western corporate media.
His interpretations of the principles greed, hatred, and ignorence, themselves stem from his own ignorence.
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Nihal P / February 17, 2012
Sinhala-Buddhism is a failure from start to finish. One should put it on the same pedestal as Bolshevism, fascism, and homosexuality.
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