Lakshan Wanigasooriya
Dear Friends,
As the author of the article ‘Sobitha Proposals, Ranil, Mahinda And The BBS‘ let me please add some in ….. post script.
Firstly thanks for all of you in taking the time to comment both in agreement and disagreement I thank you to you all equally. Of course I don’t agree with some of the views expressed here I agree to disagree and would on to my death protect the right you have to hold to express and promote these views. There is a saying that your rights end where my nose beings!
Through your comments I now see further points/issues related to this subject and I am working towards my second article on the subject also looking at the sudden change of heart by the UNP to now agree to abolish the executive presidency (a point I made that if we the sovereign of the country demand the government and opposition at some point reluctantly will have to heed to us)
World history has shown at some point all dictators, tyrants, deports will be overcome by the will of the people this is a universal truth we cannot escape.
While in my next article I will try to deal with some of the issues and points noted in your comments in detail and engage with you in more dialog about the UNP and Sobitha proposals; unlike the question about the chicken and the egg at least we know what came first! but here just like to make three important points before I move on to the next article ;-
Firstly – let us not mix constitution change with regime change these are two different things I think the constitution change is more important to Sri Lanka than regime change, of course if the current regime refuse to heed to this growing demand from the masses this will come about on them rather than being brought about. What is a constitution of country, what should it be? The best definition I believe comes from Patrick Henry, a symbol of American struggle for liberty “The Constitution is not an instrument for the government to restrain the people, it is an instrument for the people to restrain the government – lest it come to dominate our lives and interests.” Please look around you can you see this in our constitution? If not it is time to change.
Second – the notion that Buddhism is under threat from the Muslim and Christianity religions. Even as a student of Buddhism I can say this argument does not hold water for one Buddhism is not a religion it is a philosophy or a way of life as I understand, so how can it become a threatened by a religion thinking about it isn’t this argument as ridicules as saying “that increase in the number of cars on the road will increase congestion on runways at Airports”. Secondly the principal of Buddhism my learned friend’s is it not to break down the cycle of “Sansara”. Does this not mean one needing to get rid of the shadow – the dark side of one’s culture, race, caste, tribe, etc. So indeed a secular society contributes towards the development of the Buddhist rather than being an obstacle to it. That is also the reason learned friends that even after the rule of over 300 years by the Portuguese, Dutch and English Sri Lanka still maintained a Buddhist majority then and to date. I think the real corner stone’s of Buddhism Metta, Muditha, Kuruna and Upekka can never be de valued as long as the ability to reason remains with the human race (which makes us different from animals).
However like in the time of the colonist rule what has got effected / threatened over the last 20 years in Sri Lanka is the Buddhist establishment this is different from Buddhism. Likewise the traditional church establishment has also been under more severe threat from the new business churches who’s main aim is help foreign business get tax relief this is a completely different subject. In my opinion best way to tackle this is through a inter religious approach.
The third and final point which I do Like to note is that many of you which saying the NMSJ proposals to be good have pointed if ever can become reality or be implemented …….the good signs are that the UNP has now come out with a new constitution would this have ever happen if not for the NMSJ proposals? I doubt it very much. The beauty of these proposals are that once implemented the function of the democracy under this would not be in the hand of one individual like today it will be a system which will move any issue to the next step which will make it impossible for one person to put a spoke in the wheel of justice, freedoms and rights, much like the UK system. History gives us many examples where the impossible has been achieved by the collective strength of the sovereign the people…… I am sure when Dr King made his famous speech “I have a dream….” many would have said it will always be a dream……but today we all agree this dream has come through not all of it…..the fight for freedom , rights and justices is a evolving continues process. Fitting that on the headstone of Dr King is marked,
“Free Free Free at last thank god almighty I am free at last”
Thank you all.
MNZ / June 4, 2013
As long as Ranil is under the yoke of MR, can we expect change?
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Dinuk / June 4, 2013
Good ideas here. one point we must be clear on:
Ranil Wickramasighe’s proposals are a bunch of garbled trash! Sobith’s et al.s proposal to abolish the EP and plan of action are far more logical, coherent and consistent.
Lakshan, we need a people’s agenda to REFORM ALL THE CORRUPT POLITICAL PARTIES. This is where the rot in democracy starts in Lanka. Today the rot is deep in the political parties which are run by geriatric dictators. We need a set of rules for GOOD GOVERNANCE IN ALL political parties – that anyone who looses 2 consecutive elections should step down. Limited number of terms/ years for one individual to hold party leadership etc. This would be part of the people’s agenda to Reform Democracy in Lanka. EDUCATING VOTERS ON THIS AND WRITING IN SINHALA AND TAMIL IS A MUST FOR THIS.
Ranil the UNP DICTATOR is once again trying to distract people from his ILLEGAL DICTATORSHIP in the UNP established with the help of the RAJAPASSA DICTATORSHIP by bullshitting about a new constitution – so let us consign Ranil’s proposals (it is not the UNP) to the DUSTBIN OF HISTORY and move to abolish dictatorship in the UNP and all political parties is a must.
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Amarasiri / June 4, 2013
Lakshman Wanigasooriya,
1.) Very good. Rome was not built in a day!
Keep hacking at this PROBLEM or CURSE of 1978, Courtesy of J R Jayawardane of the UNP, and UNP should help expunge thus curse.The good Thero Ven. Maduluwawe Sobhitha Thero is very much part of this, and should be heading this issue.
2.) Citizens! Not Subjects – Ven. Maduluwawe Sobhitha Thero
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PbmqoaQ7okA
To build a nation that respects law and order, that was his dream.
True, if there is regime change accompanying this change is a secondary issue.
3.) There is also another Curse, the curse of Monk Mahanama Myths, that also needs to be expunged, the same way Copernicus and Galileo expunged the Curse of Aristotle, of the Sun going around the Earth, but it will take time.
4.) Small correction,and addition within ( )
“That is also the reason learned friends that even after the rule of over 300 ( 443 years) years by the Portuguese, Dutch and English Sri Lanka still maintained a Buddhist majority then and to date, (because the Kandyan Kingdom survived the Portuguese and the Dutch, and the Dutch and English were Protestants and were more interested in Commerce than Converting the people to the Papal Faith, unlike the Portuguese)
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Michelle / June 4, 2013
Could someone please upload a link where the full Sobitha Proposals can be read?
Thanks
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Safa / June 4, 2013
Ven Sobhitha can carry the majority with him, but he cannot do it alone. At some time before the elections, once they are announced, he will have to reveal the dark horse.
RW and UNP have jumped the gun. Instead of supporting Ven Sobhitha and the NMSJ, they have hurriedly put together a set of proposals for a new constitution and attempted to draw the NMSJ into their net.
A new constitution is years away and needs national debate and consensus. It cannot be foisted on the nation like the 1978 Constitution and all its 18 amendments.
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Amarasiri / June 4, 2013
Safa,
Yes, the Good Ven, Sobhitha Thereo cannot do it alone, has to be team effort.
Of course RW and others, UNP and even many elements of the present regime will try to gain advantage, as they are called POLITICIANS.
Changing the whole constitution is too much of a hurdle to jump. Remember, Rome was not built in a day. Even Europe took 20 Centuries to be civilized, and is still meddling in Iraq, Syria and at other places. Furthermore, Lanka took 66 years to get to this stage, after 443 years of Western Colonial Imperial occupation, and therefore will take some time to untangle things back to a just society from the Sinhala racism and Buddhist religious bigotry, courtesy of 5th Century Racist MONK MAHANAMA and his MYTHS, embedded in Mahawamsa. How long did it take Europe to get to the European Union, from the Dark Ages, through the Inquisition, through the barbecuing of people, yes the so-called heretics? All the way to World War II, the Second Great Colonial War!
So keep hacking at it. Keep hacking at it…
DS, John K, SWRD, SRIMA,DUDLEY.SRIMA,NM PERERA, COLVIN, JR, PREMADASA, etc., are all history, but the Problem LIVES. It is kind of inverted. We were expecting the problem to be gone, but these above characters became part of the PROBLEM, bur now gone for good. We ALL are dealing with their Ghosts, the Avatars.
DeJa Vu….
The answer is blowing in the wind, the answer is blowing in the wind…..
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JimSofty / June 4, 2013
Mr. Wanigasooriya.
I also agree that Buddhism can not be eliminated in Sri Lanka for some centuries to come. Elimination, marginalization and any effects to come with that are different things.
Yet, what Sri Lanka has is a Sinhala-buddhist civilization and there is much to lose with the marginalization of that civilization. Study, how many kovils, churches and mosques have been built on buddhist sites. If you investigate Sri lankan peoples’ day to day to life, it has lot of influence from buddhism yet, it is highly polluted with non-buddhist thinking. You won’t understand these things right away. and need to carefully observe and see it.
Do you deny that there is a competition to convert Asia into Islam and Christianity ?
I don’t agree that the so-called Democracy is the only workable thing. The west believes the Romans began the democracy. Yet, there was another kingdom, Byzanthian, East to the Roman Kingdom it lived longer. You can read there had been Chinese, Indian and Sri Lankan rulers and they truly cared for their people than any of the democracies in the world. Have you heard the word called Dasa Raja dhamra ?
Church is all about business. European church is non-exiting now. North american church is fast dwindling. SO, they need devotees in Asia where the other religions are still reigning. For example, George bush who was BORN-AGAIN CHRISTIAN, even though he was not the authority to the Evangelical church, had given permission to convert India.
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JimSofty / June 4, 2013
Once Sinhala – buddhists are marginalized, then the repercussions of that is completely a different thing.
You can find examples all over the world how muslims are treating other religions. It is not just one country, all over the world.
In Sri Lanka, the best example would be the 1915 sinhala Buddhist-Muslims riots or what ever occurred in 1915. Luckily, the British Colonial master was fair at that moment.
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Senguttuvan / June 5, 2013
Dear Lakshan,
I seriously doubt if the vast mass of the people here yearn for the
final freedom of MLK you refer to here in your concluding para or the peace of the burial grounds – both of which the Rajapakses are quite
capable of delivering – judging from their performances so far. What the people want – and in this case the vast majority of the Sinhala people who appear only to matter – are the finer things in the economy,
more jobs for all and for the graduates, better quality of education, improved health facilities, a safer and happier society supported by a benign security system among other things assured in that Chinthana.
Remember Bertolt Brechts “Waiting for Godot”
Senguttuvan
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