By Anushka Kahandagama –
Anushka Kahandagama
Citizens enable the modern democratic State. With all its highs and lows and the complexity, democracy enables citizens to actively participate in the process of governing. Although democratic system allows citizens to actively participate in the governing process, it is up to the citizens to take that decision whether to participate in the governing or not. While social, political and economic ignorance of people can lead them to elect representatives who are incapable of representing citizens of the country and making accurate decisions, shallow identities created by the neo-liberal economic policies play a major role in democracy making the ‘ethno-religious’ majority powerful. While it is a given fact that democracy has its own structural weaknesses, citizens should be able to deal with it and expand the horizons of democracy. The relationship between the citizens and their representatives locate a legal system which enables sovereignty of the country.
According to Giorgio Agamben sovereignty is a paradox which plays outside the legal system of the country and at the same time proclaims that there is nothing outside the legal system (Agamben, G., (1998), Homo Sacer: Sovereign Power and Bare Life, Stanford University Press). Thus, the complexity of the phenomena should be dealt with carefully as otherwise it would lead to the insidious abuse of power.
Due to its paradoxical nature, sovereignty is influenced by many external factors and could present the ‘unfair’ legal system as ‘fair’ and ‘just’. According to the Article 9 of Sri Lankan Constitution, ‘The Republic of Sri Lanka shall give to Buddhism the foremost place and accordingly it shall be the duty of the State to protect and foster the Buddha Sasana, while assuring to all religions the rights granted by Articles 10 and 14(1) (e)’. The law of the country itself make distance minorities from the State as equal citizens. The status of second level citizenship is established through the law of the country. By giving the foremost place to Buddhism, the state which is responsible for its citizen’s protection discriminate against the minority ethno-religious groups who are also citizens of the country. The article 9 of the Constitution provides an invisible power to Buddhist religious institutions, which can be used to damage the sovereignty of the country. The relationship between the citizens and their representatives can be interfered by Buddhist religious institution without any obstruction or limitation from the State or otherwise, the interference is rather encouraged through the constitution itself. 
The recent statements by the Mahanayake of Asgiriya Chapter, earlier on how the Government should and should not perform the law and recently on constitutional reforms were disturbing. In the earlier statement, Mahanayakes’ focus on activities of minorities against Sinhala-Buddhist majority and the silence of the Government on those activities. Further, they states that, although they do not approve the aggressive behavior and speech of the Bhikku Galagoda Atte Gnanasara, the viewpoint expressed by him cannot be discarded. The Mahanayakes’ of Asgiriya chapter do not criticize Gnanasara Thero for taking law into his own hands. How one can separate behavior and ideology is a problem. Is not it possible for Gnanasara Thero to solve the problems he has through the law of the country other than provoking violence among ethno-religious groups against each other. The frustrating factor is that, Mahanayake Theros are in denial or pretend to be in denial of the violent behaviors of Gnanasara Thero. One could envisage what would happen if any minority group attacked a Buddhist temple. Would it there be silence or are we as ‘Sinhala-Buddhist’ majority with the foremost place offered to the Buddhism in the constitution going to overlook the attack. Taking the law into his own hands by Gnanasara Thero was normalized or neutralized by the Maha Sangha of Asgiri chapter by indirectly agreeing to the ideology of Gnanasara Thero.
If the Mahanayakes’ of Asgiriya Chapter accept the fact that Gnasara Thero is mis-behaving, Mahanayakes’ should have responded and taken appropriate action against Gnanasara Thero, as the most responsible and accountable groups of Buddhist religious authority in the country.
Mahanayake of Asgiri Chapter recently made a statement saying that, Sri Lanka is in no need of a new constitution. Two reasons were highlighted in support of the statement; it is unnecessary to reform the constitution at this hour and if there is any reform, foremost place should be accorded to Buddhism, the unitary character of the country should be retained, and the executive powers of the president should not be scrapped. The irony lies in the fact that, the statement itself is powered by the existing law on offering foremost place to Buddhism and the statement seeks Government not to reform the article, which in otherwise seeking of power to make similar statements and interference regarding Governing of the island in the future.
Buddhist religious institutions are not elected through votes of the citizens to advice the state. Thus, Buddhist religious institutions are not over the citizen’s power to represent the state. Further, religious interference in Governing is normalized in the mind of the people, as it is legitimized by the Constitution as well. Citizens of the country belong to various ethno-religious groups and could not be limited or reduced to Sinhala-Buddhists. Although it is reduced to Sinhala-Buddhists, they too represent different political views in the elections and elect members to the parliament to represent their political ideology. Against this background, the power held by the citizen is immense in a democratic system and it should be secured. However, in Sri Lanka, this power is interfered by Buddhist religious institutions. As Asgiriya Chapter is considered as the most important authority in Sri Lankan Buddhist religious institutions, the power it holds to influence State decisions is immense. Other than the direct impact on the State, the power Asgiriya Chapter holds to influence the Sinhala-Buddhist majority is irresistible.
The Buddhist clergy makes statement to prevent the Government from reforming the constitution. The Mahanayakes’ of Asgiriya Chapter claim that reforming the constitution of the country is not the top priority at the moment. The functioning of democracy is in serious question. If the Mahanayakes’ of Asgiriya Chapter are to decide what is good for the country or in other words, for the people, there is no rational of having a democratically elected body of people’s representatives to make decisions regarding the country. Buddhist monks of Asgiriya Chapter is already well aware of what is better for the people. Under this rationale, Sri Lankan politicians should resign from their positions and offer the ruling of the country to Mahanayakes’ of Asgiriya Chapter.
Public Representations Committee on Constitutional Reforms was appointed by the Cabinet of Ministers in early 2016 to seek the opinion of the people on constitutional reforms. Public Representation Committee on Constitutional Reforms considered large volume of written and oral submissions throughout the island. If Mahanayakes of Asgiriya Chapter disregard all the opinions offered by the people, there is nothing much left other than absolute rule of the Buddhists. Democracy is challenged by the Mahanayakes’ of Asgiriya Chapter by issuing a Statement addressing the Government that Constitutional Reforms are not necessary at the moment. In another way, Asgiriya Chapter provokes the Sinhala-Buddhist people against the constitutional Reforms. Going beyond the above two forms, further, the Mahanayakes’ of Asgiriya Chapter are in complete denial of the direct opinions given by the people before the Public Representations Committee on Constitutional Reforms regarding the making of the Constitution of the country. Democracy of the country is interfered by the Buddhist hegemony and sovereignty of the State is in question. It is not an utmost necessity of international involvement to dismantle the sovereignty of the country, rather it can be a influence of a hegemony of a group of people who seems internal and under the State. The irony is, when the influence is internal and the influential group is hegemonic one, majority of the people cannot see the harm attached to the influence.
Even after over 65 years of independence, Sri Lanka still suffers from bridging the distance/gap between the citizen and the state. Sadly, most of the citizens themselves do not believe in their power to elect representatives and participate in the process of decision making in the country, instead constant interference of Buddhism in state governance is sought. Against this background, the sovereignty of the country is dismantled and harmed by Buddhist religious institution and normalized in the Sri Lankan psyche with the support of the constitution, which gives more prominence to Buddhism over the other religions.
jehan / July 9, 2017
ban monks from politics. these thugs are the real terrorist . gnansaraya the pig with the asgiriya henchman.
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Marrikar / July 9, 2017
jehan the ISIS rep. toppi karaya mass murderer.
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Heysiri Fdo / July 9, 2017
Perhaps Sri Lanka can become like Maldives or Malaysia? Maldives prohibits anyone other than a SUNNI Muslim to become President.
Malaysia has an OFFICIAL STATE RELIGION and that is the only religion that is official: Islam.
Do your intellectual or pseudo intellectual arguments hold water for Malaysia? Yes or No? Can you show if religion has been banned in Ceylon? Are you aware how Mormons secretly threaten Catholics in Negombo by buying land and building a massive church or how they violated laws by buying a house down Anderson Road off of Dickman’s road and then made a CHURCH illegally in a strictly residential area? American money; American evangelicals,. American corporate Christians are coming in droves and the ones feeling most threatened are Catholics.
What about the Chinese Buddhists and the Hindu Indians in Malaysia? Isn’t having an OFFICIAL religion of the state far more deleterious than this small issue? Await your logic.
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Real Siva Sankaran Sharma / July 9, 2017
Vast difference Indigenous Eelam Tamils and their main religion Saivaism is also indigenous to the island and the north and east is their historic homeland. This was recognised by the British Dutch Portuguese colonial powers and by all Sinhalese led governments other than the Rajapakse government. Even the Indo Sri Lanka international agreement signed in 1987 by then Indian prime minister and Sri Lankan president Rajiv Gandhi and J R Jayawardene recognises this. Maldives in 100% Maldivian Muslim and in Malaysia the Indians and Chinese are recent immigrant communities. The South Indian Tamil Cholas did rule Malaysia for centuries but that is another story. Sinhalese are not the only indigenous and ancient people in the island and until 1948 they were confined to the south of the island and never in the north east and even the north west Puttalam area. Do not try to twist the truth
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Eagle Eye / July 9, 2017
Real Siva Sankaran Sharma,
Stop talking this humbug that Tamils, not Sinhalese lived in North and East. There are hundreds of archeological sites in the North and East to prove that Sinhala Buddhists lived in that area. Even in Jaffna Peninsula, there are Buddhist archeological sites. Now most of them are vandalized and destroyed by Kallathoni Tamils.
Dr. Muller who studied Rucaveli inscription says “Kucchuvelli, 22 miles north of Trincomalee on the sea side. This is a solitary rock close to the sea which bears a fragment of an inscription in the characters of the seventh century. The country is now inhabited almost exclusively by Tamils but at that time must have been Sinhalese as we can see not only from this inscription but also from the remains of a Buddhist temple found at Natrana Kovil about three miles west of Nilawelli (8 miles from Trincomalee) and close to the bund of the Periyanakulam Tank”
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John / July 9, 2017
Before buddhism arrived in Sri Lanka there was Hinduism. Use your common sense! It gets tiring trying to debate with Sinhala nationalists when their argument lacks logic. South India is just a stone throw away from Sri Lanka. Yet according to you ‘Sinhala Buddhism’ came all the way from northern india/nepal to the Island of Sri Lanka on the other end of the Indian subcontinent BEFORE Tamils from South India? The Buddha himself was a Hindu king so the whole world knows buddhism appeared AFTER hinduism. When buddhism landed in Sri Lanka, the first people to convert to buddhism were Tamil Hindus. That is how it spread across the island. According to your own Sinhala history deva nambeeya theesan was the first king to convert to buddhism on the island. Its quite obvious he was a Hindu before he converted. And the DNA studies have already proven Sinhalese are mostly dravidian descent from Southern India. They even took the dravidian culture and rebranded with a buddhist face. Just think about it for a minute! That is if you have the ability to look at things honestly, which many of you cant. If you want to keep playing that ‘Hinduism is an alien religion from India’ we can say the same thing about buddhism also. Buddhism is not an indigenous Sri Lankan religion.
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sach / July 10, 2017
1. There is no evidence to suggest a widespread Hinduism in SL before Buddhism take a foot hold. If you have any provide us. Hinduism itself is a very recent formation.
2. Of course SL is closer to South India and immigrants coming from North India might not be able to come here first…and that is why Sinhalese are not from North India but has genetic links to South Indians.
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sach / July 10, 2017
We are not talking about ‘Buddhism”, we are talking about ‘Sinhala Buddhism’ :) yes it is indegenous to here,…
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Sinhala_Man / July 10, 2017
Thanks for giving us so much of common sense.
I’m seriously thinking of doing my duty by getting my DNA analysed. Tell me somebody, can it be done for free in a government institution, or how much will it cost at a private laboratory. This should be made available to all citizens – must in some way ensure that mischief-makers don’t wreck any such scheme by going repeatedly for it – rather like spam on Internet or filibustering in Parliament.
I’m pretty sure that it will confirm what you say; yes, I know that most of my DNA will be proved to be South Indian.
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John / July 11, 2017
Muslim John,idiot–
Your whole comment is a lie.
Stop mentioning the low budget and unreliable DNA tests of Sri Lankans. —————————————————————————————————————————
Those days there weren’t a religion called Hinduism, it was called “Sanathana Dharma”. So many faiths, beliefs, philosophies, etc that have been originated in the Indian subcontinent are now collectively called “Hinduism”. The origin of word Hindu is Persian. To people in west of Hindu Kush; the land of east of Hindu Kush was Hindustan, people were Hindu, their religion was Hinduism, their language was Hindi.etc. —————————————————————————————————————————–
Marakkala Muslims in Sri Lanka are pure Tamils but they reject their Tamil identity, call themselves “Moors”, true Moors are Moroccans..
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sach / July 9, 2017
Vast difference Indigenous Eelam Tamils and their main religion Saivaism is also indigenous to the island and the north and east is their historic homeland. ////why there is NO evidence for this?
Sinhalese are not the only indigenous and ancient people in the island // but only sinhalese have evidence for this!
What do you have?
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Heliotis / July 10, 2017
taking the micky?
But Saiva engineers are respected by the Vaishnavites of the north it’s for millennia and the Americans still remember that they alone understand infinity.
Google came with so many tools that has kept the world smiling- just one man with cockroach theory of how to solve a problem of Miami Vice/mice.(american sitcom)- how is your kuddu kadde?? the working class english must be zombies down south of the land?
What did you my copycat to blunder there?
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Heysiri Fdo / July 9, 2017
What about Catholic nations like Ireland where religion bans woman’s right to choose?
Seeduwa is all Catholic no? so what about all the Cardinals who have been engaged in child abuse and been pedophiles covered by Church? Any attacks on them ? Or is your outrage because you hate Buddhists and Buddhism as a Catholic person?
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John / July 9, 2017
Anushka,—
You are very naive and silly. Sri Lanka is the only country in the world where minorities get too many rights. Minorities in Sri Lanka are represented on the national flag, get their religious days as public holidays (majoritarian native Sinhalese are made to take those days off as well), minority language Tamil is official language and, etc, etc. In giving minorities too many rights, made them spoiled, the only thing that is left to do is, take back the rights that minorities are given.
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Real Siva Sankaran Sharma / July 9, 2017
Tamil is an official language! Don’t make me laugh try going to any government department even in the north and east and conducting business in Tamil, especially at Police stations. You will be ignored or old very rudely that there is no one proficient in Tamil and if you want your work done to conduct it in Sinhalese. If Tamil is the official language , just like in Canada where all public servants have to be compulsorily fluent in English and French so that they can deal with either an English speaking or French speaking member of the public. All public servants police and armed forces, should be fluent in Sinhalese and Tamil. The few Tamil public servants are forced to learn Sinhalese but not the Sinhalese Tamil. Government business should be conducted in both languages not just Sinhalese. Tamil is a official language and so called Tamil rights are just on paper to hoodwink the world
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Shenal / July 9, 2017
The lack Tamil civil servants and police officers are not Sinhalese fault. It is Tamil people’s fault. You should accept that it’s because of the lack of commitment of Tamil people.
Canada is a federal country which was formed from two French and British enclaves. It’s not a unitary state. A good example should be England. You can’t expect to ask a English person to learn French to do civil works in England. Can you?
Rather than teaching Sinhalese the language of Tamil, Tamil people must learn the language of the majority. It will increase their chance of getting jobs and ease the communication barrier. There is no shame in learning one of your brethren language.
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stop20 / July 9, 2017
2″ A good example should be England. “2
English always used the wrong word but did the right thing- exceptions- so don’t put your thuttu dekke engreeese part ake!
If flying is so safe, why do they call the airport the terminal?
Only the english know english not any other ambude culture.- exception.
The English left Hong Kong a rich country and don’t look back- there are no friends but interest!
Modaya the english main export is arms and FOI act does not apply to any foreign contracts or arms sales.- both like america the pirate’s dream. that is exactly your line. But BoJo is begging for Diego Garcia so he might as well disown Lankwe to its mother now there goes your ambode culture. Main exports 55% to USA and UK. we can do without Lankwe imports.
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halifax / July 9, 2017
“”There is no shame in learning one of your brethren language.””
There is no shame there need not be any shame to shut all foreign office and learn the language of the motherland. jai hind! coming soon coming sweet.
No one of the three is going to have the cake see it and eat it. the world of the donald is great its great for make at lanka – there are only interest!
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Real Siva Sankaran Sharma / July 10, 2017
Oh really go and tell this tale to the fairies even they do not believe you. Why are the French native to England and is an official language . Do not post nonsense. For your information during the early Norman era and conquest of England French was the court language and even in your so called Kandyan kingdom both Sinhalese and Tamil were the court and official language. Just because you are the majority does not mean you impose your language culture and religion on the rest of the population, who are as indigenous to the island and had ruled their part of the land. In Switzerland the 70% German speaking Swiss are very fluent in French spoken by 25% of the French and also Italian spoken by around 4% of the population and the French and Italian speaking Swiss are also fluent in all three languages as well as English . This is how it should be. Understood brainwashed extremist.
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Shenal / July 10, 2017
Normans used French in the English court and the Nayakkar kings used Tamils in Sinhale courts. They didn’t impose it on the general public. What you suggesting is imposition of an foreign language on the majority citizen who won’t find it necessary for their day to day lives.
Whereas Tamils would get substantial benefits it they have learnt Sinhalese. I am not advocating to impose Sinhala on Tamil people. But in order to survive in Sri Lanka they must do it themselves. The realization must come from within not from outside.
Tamils are not indigenous to Sri Lanka. They are found amply in neighboring India also. There are no contrasting different between them.
Switzerland is a confederation. It is a collection of loosely bound independent kingdoms who has come together to ensure their survival from the rest of the low land Europeans. It’s no surprise that they learn the other language just to show their respect.
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stop20 / July 10, 2017
for 2 generations 100 years the kings of england spoke Latin and the subjects spoke old English therefore that portion of British constitution is still in latin.
Like Sanskrit by the scholarly Brahmins and the rest pali the unwritten language and rulers the lost language of the rajas..your mom and pop never learnt greek latin because you may have been tree climbers.- Latin was curtailed in 1968 by the Pope!
All treaties by the EEIC are in the United Kingdom and they are known as Treaties of London and placed in different places. patchwork cultures cannot pilfer or destroy- it starts with Treaty of London -Spain by Virgin Queen Elizabeth 1.
It was not the British government that seized India, but a private company, run by an unstable sociopath- Clive the Nabob.- The Loot- Kohinoor
Sinhalese cannot burn it or change it as it’s in 3 sets at 3 different places.
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Real Siva Sankaran Sharma / July 11, 2017
Shenal/Shenali unlike your migrant ,Sinhalese Karawa Salagama and Durawa and other Sinhalese castes whose low caste Tamil indentured labour ancestors were imported into the island by the Portuguese /Dutch , so were forced to assimilate and learn Sinhalese, the Eelam Tamils from the north and east are indigenous to the island and have been living and ruling their land for more than 2000 years. They have to need or be forced to learn Sinhalese, understood. Most probably you understand but pretend not to
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Real Siva Sankaran Sharma / July 11, 2017
Tamil are indigenous to Sri Lanka far more indigenous than many of the so called present day Sinhalese, like your Karawa ancestors , who are descended from recent South Indian immigrants. DNA also proves this. Sinhalese share a 70% DNA directly with Indian Tamils and Eelam Tamils only share a 17% DNA directly with Indian Tamils. You can lie but DNA never lies. Just because Tamil is spoken in neighboring Tamil Nadu does not mean the Eelam Tamils from the north and east of the island who have history of 2300 or more in the island and ruled their land are not indigenous to the island. As per you as Arabic is spoken in Saudi Arabia Syrian or Iraqi Arab are not indigenous to the land. As per you Austrians or Swiss Germans are not indigenous to their lands as Germany speaks German and takes the name German. Your arguments are bullshit and lacks sense. Good for patrons of Lanka Lies. Sinhalese will also benefit immensely as Tamil is spoken and understood by around 100 million in the region and the Sinhalese vocabulary is 40% Tamil with its alphabet grammar and syntax all derived from Tamil. Take Tamil out of Sinhalese and what is left is not Sinhalese but Pali and Sanskrit.
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Real Siva Sankaran Sharma / July 11, 2017
When Buddhism arrived in the island 2300 years ago approximately, the population down south in the west and central parts of the island embraced it and gradually corrupted their Tamil dialect by mixing it with the Pali and Sanskrit of Buddhism and Sinhalese evolved as a fully fledged language in the south of the island by around the 8TH century, however the population living in the north and east did not converted on a large scale, but largely remained Saivite Hindu or converted to Buddhism ( Theravadha and Mahayana as evidenced by the Buddhists ruins in the north and east) but by the 10Th century reconverted back to Hinduism. However these people never corrupted their Tamil speech even when they converted to Buddhism but remained as Tamils Hindus or Buddhists, therefore were considered outsiders or remaining outside the fold , by the population down south that had embraced Buddhism and were now evolving into a new identity called Sinhala( from Tamil Chingkalam ) by corrupting their Tamil . Old Sinhalese or Hela which is a mixture of the local semi Tamil dialect Elu and Prakrit, is very close to Tamil compared to modern Sinhalese.
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Real Siva Sankaran Sharma / July 11, 2017
contdIf you read the Mahavmasa you can see this prejudice. The largely Hindu Tamils of the north and east as outsiders not belonging and their allies the Tamil Cholas from India as the enemies, whereas the Tamil Pandians who despite being Hindu were the allies of the southern kings who married into them were considered good and their allies. This prejudice that the indigenous Eelam Tamils do not belong or should be forcibly brought into the Sinhalese Buddhist fold is still carried on as per comments , even by the descendants of the Sinhalised low caste Tamil imports from South India.
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Real Siva Sankaran Sharma / July 10, 2017
contd You were never a majority in the whole island or ruling the whole island. The Eelam Tamil nation were a 100% majority in their own land until the British annexed their lands with the Sinhalese lands in 1833 and made the Sinhalese a majority in the whole island. This does not give the right to trample on the Tamils or anyone. Sinhalese only became huge majority due to low caste Tamils imports from India , who imported into the island by the Portuguese and Dutch a few centuries ago and have now converted to Buddhism and Catholicism and call themselves Sinhalese. Understood. Lean history first and post sense. Shenal? Must be the nasty Jenali Borukiyanage whose Karawa ancestors were imported by the Portuguese from South India
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sach / July 10, 2017
Read the book by S.Pathmanada. will cure your mental disease that was started by GG POnna
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Garuda / July 10, 2017
sach; he is a southern villager not god
just a toad playing social engineering game for dalits in a village school Rudyard kipling wrote better at bombay and burma.
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sach / July 10, 2017
??
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Garuda / July 11, 2017
when you learn bombay looking calcutta you understand that we know boru katha bada gaggena (clues) you need to appreciate culture to learn a language.
this beauty- its where Hindu king Chandragupta Maurya (married Helen of Greece- Khajuraho- kama Sutra) left his foot print- Siri_pada- Now you see Sigiriya a Saivite Brahmins engineering feat.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2yhmSvWYD-c
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Shenal / July 10, 2017
Funny thing is that when English took control of this island they signed the cessation agreement with Sinhalese in Kandy. Not with the Tamils or there were no mention of any independent Tamil country. If we go further back in the history, when Portuguese took control of the Jaffna area they signed the treaty with the Kotte kingdom again not with the independent Tamil country.
So my friend you think both English, Dutch and Portuguese got it all wrong. Or the independent Tamil country miraculously appeared out of thin air in 1833?
My friend you should learn history before asking me to do it cuz even what you wrote about the Karawa and the rest of the emigrant population is entirely wrong.
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stop20 / July 10, 2017
“”Funny thing is that when English took control of this island they signed the cessation agreement with Sinhalese in Kandy.””
Toady talk never cooks rice because you are a village lout.
Toady how small the heavens are from the bottom of the well the seepage of the subcontinent Ceylon.
Toady the English East India Company did not eat rice neither do the Marathas who ruled Deccan and South India
Toady how small heaven is compared to the Governor General Hastings (no relation to Warren Hastings, the first Governor-General of Bengal) win over the whole of the subcontinent in 1818 and signing the Kandy agreement in Tamil.
The wholesale robber Clive the Nabob then starts a bank with the Loot.
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John / July 9, 2017
Take a close look at that Sri Lankan flag. The Sinhala lion is facing the minorities (shown by the green and orange bands) with a sword in its hand growling. In other words its a clever way of Sinhalese threatening minorities!
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John / July 11, 2017
Muslim John,–
Then you’d better behave yourself.
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Burning Issue / July 9, 2017
Brush the cobwebs as the bigots are out in numbers!
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nimal fernando / July 9, 2017
Anushka Kahandagama,
Great piece!
It’s encouraging to see, not all the Lankan youth, are hoodwinked by all this religion-crap. Religions have no place in governance/government.
It’s just the old farts that are hell bent on giving religion a special place in governance. I am sure a majority of the enlightened youth don’t give a rats behind about religions that no one practice.
More power to you gal. Don’t let any of these pipsqueaks intimidate you. Keep up the good work.
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sach / July 9, 2017
Oh the stupid UNPer! does not get anything right!
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nimal fernando / July 10, 2017
Oh man!
Is that the best you can do? I feel soooo sorry for you.
Just give it up buddy; I don’t want to hurt you anymore. I am not mean to trod on the mentally infirm. I am a good guy, even if I have to say so myself. :))))
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sach / July 10, 2017
As if you had answered me here…you are too stupid even to waste the space here
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nimal fernando / July 11, 2017
Ha ha ha ha ha I don’t think you realize I am just leading you on, eh? Every word you write just expose to the readership who you are!
And I do it without a single insult !!!! That’s talent bro. Watch and admire.
Buddy, if you are the epitome of Lankan “intelligence” God help us!
Just give up pal. Have a tall glass of water and go to sleep; you’ll feel better in the morning. :))))))
The truth is, I dont want to hurt you. But it’s up to you; it’s your choice.
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Heliotis / July 9, 2017
nimal fernando
smell the fish,
it’s part of your culture unlearned one. you are like libtard Corbyn who wants to get rid of royalty and the closer he gets he gets stuck by lightning.- such is the power of culture.
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nimal fernando / July 10, 2017
Heliotis,
I have no forced-fed “culture.”
I pick and choose what I want. That’s the highest form of independence; living an independent life.
If you don’t get it don’t worry too much. You live your life, I’ll live mine.
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Heliotis / July 10, 2017
nimal fernando
what you are forcing knowingly or unknowingly is shown by your fishtail-
pol ba moona, you can’t live with it or without it
cowards many a time.?
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nimal fernando / July 10, 2017
Hey Zorro buddy,
Hope you are feeling better. Anything I can do to help?
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Heliotis / July 10, 2017
You as cheap as laloo the fiddler in foreign affairs (a JVP drop out hiding behind sobita and native vaiko vedda)
When you are sad and blue and have nothing to do keep you keep calling names that are meaningless Call me Honey Jar ?
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Eagle Eye / July 9, 2017
Anushka,
“One could envisage what would happen if any minority group attacked a Buddhist temple”.
You have forgotten how Sinhala Buddhists tolerated when Tamil Terrorists attacked ‘Dalada Maligawa’ and Sri Maha Bodhiya; two places most sacred to Buddhists. Did Sinhala Buddhist went on a rampage killing Tamils? Many people use 1983 pogrom to tarnish the image of Sinhala Buddhists. Actually, Sinhala Buddhists had no role in that incident. Evidences are emerging that 1983 incident was planned and executed by RAW in order to destabilize JRJ’s government. India used that incident to impose Provincial Council system in Sri Lanka to make the Central Government weak. Worse kind of things were included in the Indo-Lanka Agreement.
We have a set of don***s at Diyawannawa who have been bought up by offering bribes and do not represent those who voted for them. So the people cannot expect much from them. In Sri Lankan history, whenever the nation faced a crisis Maha Sangha came forward to protect the nation. Ven. Wariyapola Sumangala and Ven Kadahapola Rahula took the lead in uprisings against colonial bastards. British bastards executed Ven. Kadahapola Rahula by a firing squad. Probably you Toiyas do not know the history of this country because of the decision taken by ‘Chaura Regina’ to stop teaching History in schools. Choura Regina also does not know the history of Sri Lanka. The only thing she knows well is ‘Green Backs’.
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Real Siva Sankaran Sharma / July 10, 2017
They did not go on a rampage as they were scared shit of the tigers and did not want their retribution , not because the Sinhalese Buddhist were a tolerant bunch . Prior to this at a drop of a hat on any flimsy excuse they used to burn loot rape and kill thousands of Tamils and destroy their homes properties and business. Now they are doing the same thing to their former allies the Tamil Muslims. Sinhalese Buddhists are very tolerant. If they were tolerant , there would have been no LTTE and the country in such a mess.
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Shyamon Jayasinghe / July 9, 2017
Well argued, Anushka. You have explored the logic of Article 9. Buddhists being the preponderant majority will automatically get the lion’s share of resources. One does not need any law like Article 9 for that. Article 9 is a political concession to Sinhala Buddhist nationalists. As you say, it reinforces such a narrow nationalism. No religion requires constitutional protection; if it does, it is weak and any such safeguard will not work to save it
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Halitosis / July 9, 2017
Shyamon, curious, what religion are you? And do you live in Sri Lanka or the west?
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K.Pillai / July 9, 2017
Halitosis.
Shyamon follows fundamentals of Buddhism in thoughts and deeds.
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Ela kolla / July 9, 2017
you are holding the peelam candle down under.
he is no buddhist just singing hosannas in his dotage.
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Emanuel Perumal / July 10, 2017
Shyamon Jayasinghe;
“”No religion requires constitutional protection; if it does, it is weak and any such safeguard will not work to save it””
Agricultural Protection Industrial protection you name it all have their ball guards not because they are weak in it but the world of idlers like you ` magnificent idler` like the would annex them like Romans desecrated the Greeks or the Chinese go on dumping toys that break very quickly for any asking price and destroy the local industry then take over like `shark Afghan pawn brokers of Ceylon` did.
A non resourceful without a nuclear deterrent cannot retain a culture of its own without a protection. there is nothing weak it is as strong as it can be.
US and UK governments have not separated from the church in practice and it is only seeming because the very culture is built on this foundation.
You don’t have the bollocks to have walked the length and breadth of say India and observe how the 2 crusaders are carrying out conversions and as a last resort to Buddhism. Now soldiers are going to Mali for peacekeeping see how the Catholic Church is converting and the Islamist are converting too.
The day the fathers of Ceylon learnt to wear the western pants they hid their bollocks in the crusaders and the so called educated of today have neatly followed them in hiding their bollocks to just belch and fart.
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K.Pillai / July 9, 2017
Unfortunately “democracy” has come to be interpreted on the results of very expensive elections.
Democracy based on rule “by majority for majority only” will in due course be high jacked by a group who prop themselves through nepotism which leads to open corruption.
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Jimsofty / July 9, 2017
Anushka Kahandagama: Are you writing for Tamils or You are Tamil or You have some connections to Tamils ?
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Ela kolla / July 10, 2017
[Edited out] Comments should not exceed 300 words.
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Sarath Weerasekara / July 11, 2017
No, She is Sinhalese Catholic
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Shyamon Jayasinghe / July 10, 2017
HALITOSIS AND K PILLAI
Halitosis has asked me a question difficult to answer. I am not a religionist of any sort. I am trained in philosophy and rational thinking. I believe in the empirical and natural explanation of all phenomena.If you like, you may call me a Buddhist minus rebirth. Culturally, yes, I am a Buddhist. K Pillai has given a close answer. There’s a lot in Buddhist philosophy (not the religion) that offers us insight and wisdom to live our lives. I try to incorporate that. Thanks K Pillai. Religious Buddhism divides; philosophical Buddhism unites.
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Ela kolla / July 10, 2017
“”trained in philosophy and rational thinking.””
little wonder then that you are not liked because you are not a monkey with a sense of imagination- a human.
Humanised thinking is just reasonable thinking!
The logical man is always self righteous and therefore inhuman and therefore wrong, while the reasonable man suspects that perhaps that he is wrong and is therefore always right.- Socrates as in hippias is one such incident.
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A W Abdulkany / July 10, 2017
Anushka, indeed a great piece. A very open minded article. Columnist like you are an asset to our Island Nation, who speak the truth bravely. Unbiased and Brave. Keep it up.
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Ela kolla / July 10, 2017
Anushka Kahandagama, pls go away!!
Life itself is a paradox – We don’t need western textbooks – the island was prosperous and picturesque when it was run from Madras presidency by Brahmins and whites
“”Taking the law into his own hands ……agreeing to the ideology of Gnanasara Thero. “
Win a lawsuit and lose your wealth – it is for the ignoble. Justice is for the wise.
You playing the minority fiddle is obnoxious.
Your knowledge comes from western text books as it was told but you are not aware of the invasion of the great culture that flourished in our sub-continent in 1600AD – Industrial GDP at 45% left shattered to 4% in 1948 when EEIC that came from the south left as it was blown apart by the Germans and Japanese. Simultaneously the Islamist came in via Khyber Pass destroying everything in sight and rebuilding their mosques with the same stone they were defeated by the Hindu/Sanskrit Bhosale Dynasty of the Deccan plateau in 150 years. Man to man the English and Afghans feared the Marathas. The loss of India and sub –continent was due to deception- the harem employed by the English. The Portuguese and Spanish applied this harem technique to defeat the 800 year Islamic rule.
Her Majesty is not just the head of the church but commander in chief nothing moves without her consent- she alone retains the culture of the kingdom.
The venerable is not from the western style of debating team like crusaders Clinton or Obama but said it straight off the cuff- he is not wrong by any standard to go after Goni billa that is seated on your head too. The silent Sanga has spoken about the plague that has hit the island you are stupid not to see it.
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sinhala_voice / July 10, 2017
Your interpretation that “Citizens enable the modern democratic State” applies to state that are ethnically HOMOGENEOUS or has a HOMOGENEOUS state narrative or a story……..
Let see what happens in so called liberal democracies and their reaction to Islamic Resurgence. Will they remain Liberal ?????
Have you heard about the Identitarian in Europe….Don’t JUST point the finger at the Sinhala Buddhist people.
Confused intellectuals like yourself can’t see the bleeding TRUTH right in front of you….
STOP trying to create a liberal state out of ETHNO-RELIGIOUS groups…Because , it’s NOT going to work…..simple….THis is CALLED SOCIAL ENGINEERING…….
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SWeerasekara / July 10, 2017
As far as I know this Catholic lady is a born Buddhism basher. If you go and search her Facebook you will see a lot of attacks on Buddhism and some sarcastic posts on Buddhist ideologies. However her views on Ghanasara are acceptable but not on Asgiriya Maha Nayaka. Some of her arguments here are quite contradictory. Asgiriya Thero clearly said Ghanasara behaviour is unacceptable. Isn’t that a critique on Ghanasara behaviour? I just wonder what Anushka wants Asgiriya Thero to tell. Even this poor lady is not able to understand the difference between behaviour and ideology. Not good for a sociology graduate from the University of Colombo. Muslim countries have given priority for Islam in their constitutions. Some of the Christian countries have done. So there shouldn’t be any problem for doing it for Buddhist countries.
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