Those who participated or wanted to participate in the candle-light vigil organized by a set of people calling themselves ‘Buddhists Questioning Bodu Bala Sena’, those who witnessed what happened or part of what happened, those who saw
images and footage, and others who generally comment on issues such as religious tolerance, democracy, human rights etc, will no doubt articulate their respective versions. This is mine, but to illustrate the point of multiple narrative/interpretation, I will weave into my narrative some narrative comments of a friend.
This person, a Muslim, I have never met. I have communicated with him for several years though and I would not hesitate to claim that a more patriotic Sri Lankan is hard to find. In his writings I’ve noticed a humanity that is congruent with the best sentiments on the subject in any religious doctrine. He is strong in his faith but is respectful of other faiths and has the wisdom to note the commonalities and learn the differences if only to understand his fellow-creatures of different religious persuasion.
He stated on Facebook, ‘On my way to the vigil’. It was just after 7.00pm when I left my office. I was disappointed that I would get late [I was planning to hold a lit candle, which is why I ‘shared’ more than once on Facebook the notice regarding the event]. Just as I left, the person who informed me about the event, a Muslim who knows as much or more about Buddhism as I do called me. He informed me that the Police had moved in to stop the vigil. I thought I would go home, but a minute later, another friend called to say, ‘they are arresting people’. I was upset and a tad angry, and decided I would go there anyway. Another colleague called and said he had called a mutual friend who was planning to attend the vigil and that she had quickly said ‘they are coming to arrest us’. I called her and found that those who had turned up for the vigil were not outside the Sambuddhatva Jayanthi Mandiraya (the venue) but opposite the Police Park. I parked my car on Keppetipola Mawatha and ran all the way to where two clearly identifiable groups (event attendees and members/supporters of the
Bodu Bala Sena) with half a dozen or more police officers.
Dilantha Vithanage, spokesperson for the BBS did a lot of talking –with the police, to the cameras and to his political opponents
Among those who were opposed to the vigil, I recognized two, a young man who was associated with the Sihala Urumaya way back in 2000 and another young man whom I’ve had on occasion associated with professionally. I also found out that Dilanthe Withanage, spokesperson for the BBS was also present (he did a lot of talking –with the police, to the cameras and to his political opponents). There were also several bikkhus who did a lot of talking. They were agitated, but not more and not less than their opposites were agitated. If I were to caricature, I would say the only difference was that the former spoke in Sinhala and the latter in English (I heard the F-word, several times).
I was more surprised, I must admit, when I took in the ‘attendees’. I had expected the crowd, even if it was small, to be made up of a majority of Buddhists from all walks of life. I can’t be blamed for expecting this because this was supposed to be an event organized by ‘Buddhists’. There must have been Buddhists. Some claimed they were and I have no reason to doubt them. But there were non-Buddhists in proportions that were a fair distance away from national ratios. There is nothing wrong in non-Buddhists taking part in such a vigil. In fact, even if one counted out legitimate fears of and opposition to the BBS as reason to attend, it is certainly legitimate (and laudable) that non-Buddhists decided to stand with Buddhists on an issue like this.
I was disappointed that there was little to tell me that the group was made up of people outside of the ‘facebooking’, English-speaking middle and upper-middle class. I was less disappointed than perturbed when I noticed that in that group there were individuals who have been violently
anti-Buddhist and
anti-Sinhala, including those who have cheered the
LTTE at times or white-washed that outfit as ‘logical’ necessity of being against the party/leadership they did not support in various elections since 2004. There were identifiable NGO activists and others who regularly put their names on political petitions and attend political rallies of a particular political persuasion. Nothing wrong there, but this is not the picture I expected to see and it is not a picture I would have enjoyed being part of.
What’s the ugliest thing in uniform? – a biased cop
All that mattered, from this point on, was to do what I could (precious little, I know) to stop things from getting worse. I spoke to the two young men I knew, who were not ‘talkers’. I said something to the following effect: ‘Look, I recognize that these people (pointing to the event-attendees) have their ideological and political agenda, that some of them are not as innocent as they claim to be. I do recognize that among them are people who knew that organizing this at the Sambuddhatva Jayanthi Mandiraya was provocative and bound to elicit a response (I had believed, when noting the venue, that all necessary sanctions had been obtained), but regardless of all this, they just came to light a candle. It was not violence. Tell the haamuduruwo to let it go. This is not helping anyone.’
I was accosted at one point by a person who had come to hold a candle. I recognized her as a former employee at the Peace Secretariate in the good old CFA days, an individual who has cosy relations with the notorious National Peace Council. She wanted to know why the Police had stopped a peaceful vigil. I told her that she should ask that from the Police, but told her also to look around the ‘crowd’. I told her that I believed that it was an event organized deliberately to provoke (even if some or even most of the participants were unaware of the fact or did not or did not want to believe it). She said, ‘If the Bodu Bala Sena can attack
Fashion Bug, what’s wrong with us protesting peacefully outside the Sambuddha Jayanthi Mandiraya?’ The BBS did not attack Fashion Bug, but the
BBS did actively incite, true. What is important here is that she certainly wasn’t there to be a ‘Better Buddhist’, but had a political agenda that had little to do with peace, reconciliation and tolerance.
The BBS goons were screaming NGO kaarayo!
In that crowd of people I recognized individuals whom I have never associated with the pernicious politics of the NGO Mafia; decent, good-hearted, law-abiding individuals of different faiths, who were probably as dismayed and agitated by recent developments, individuals who probably shared by antipathies towards the BBS, with whom I would never feel ashamed to stand. It was my error to assume that they were the people I was planning to stand with. Just as I will not stand with the BBS, neither will I stand with some of the operators who, in hindsight, orchestrated the whole event.
Several persons had been arrested just before I got there and I later found out that they had been quickly released. There was no reason to arrest anyone. I believe that the Police acted in a highhanded manner and although there is relief that they were released, the act of arrest was wrong and is unreservedly condemned.
My Muslim friend wrote, ‘What’s the ugliest thing in uniform? – a biased cop. I saw one today declaring pompously that everyone gathered at the vigil was either Muslim, Catholic or Tamil. My foot ached to give him a well-directed kick in that sweet spot right in the groove!’ I heard that too. The Police Officer can’t be faulted if he wondered how a ‘Buddhists against BBS’ event had so many non-Buddhists. It was a sweeping generalization nevertheless and the ethno-religious composition is anyway not relevant to the matter of peaceful, democratic action, even if there was nothing innocent in intent and design.
Police at the scene disallowing peaceful protest. A new one for our democracy
He also commented, ‘The BBS goons were screaming NGO kaarayo!’ I heard that too. Correct description (in part at least), but that does not de-legitimize action. He also observed, wryly, ‘Police at the scene disallowing peaceful protest. A new one for our democracy.’ It could have got worse, though, not because of him and others like him, but because ‘making it worse’ would have suited a lot of people. On both sides. A point I made to one of the Police Officers.
He may have not heard this, but someone referred to the anti-BBS ‘Buddhists’ as ‘Nightclub Buddhists’. Strange juxtaposition and descriptive, yes, but it also raised questions of social status, class, lifestyle etc. A Buddhist is a Buddhist, whether he/she wears white or black, a sil redda or jeans, but clothes mark and they mark well. This was no Buddhist Cross-section, that much was apparent to me.
Then he said, ‘Never felt so much about a cause. Never participated in something like this. Outrage of decent people was vented against those who were trying to demonize and degrade their religion.’ I identify with the cause. I do not agree with the description of those he stood with, though.
There were good people there. There were people who were angry. There were people talking past each other. There were people who refused to see the make-up of who they stood with. I came to stand with a certain group against the BBS. Had I come earlier, I am pretty sure I would not have lit a candle, because people make the cause and that too is something I take into account. I would have gone away.
As it turned out, I got there late and stayed until the two groups went their separate ways. I didn’t see and hear everything, but I’ve reported what I did see and hear and have shared my observations. That’s all.
My Muslim friend concluded, ‘One unused candle: for another day and another time.’ That is the saddest and yet most empowering line I heard tonight.
peebee / April 13, 2013
When even supposedly peaceloving educated Buddhists like this author are struggling to understand the real menace of Bbs and cohorts, there is very little to be said about any other Buddhists. It is not surprising that not many real Buddhists turned out. They all share more or less the same views as the BBS. They silently applaud this fascist group because they are mostly fascists at heart.
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Scrotumovich / April 18, 2013
How can you say that? I appreciate your ability (if you have one) of reading peoples hearts (Thousands of them). Or are you just generalizing? Generalizing is a bad thing friend.
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Farthu Meas / April 13, 2013
Malinda – Your contributions are only helping to
make the communal divide wider and wider. Has
the Government given you the contract for ethnic
cleansing to start? If that happens, you will also
have blood in your hands.
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Farting Mess / April 13, 2013
Monthlies?
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nelumvila / April 14, 2013
yes. blood on your hands.
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Nabil / April 13, 2013
Dear Malinda,
I write because I am appalled at the events unfolding in our country. I am frustrated that the vast majority who could do something are unmoved; I write in the hope that I can propel even a small group among the apathetic majority of concerned and responsible citizens of this country to standup for what is just and right.
I don’t know your motivations, perhaps not for your daily bread? Whatever it is that drives you, what is abundantly clear is that your brand of journalism is repugnant to the vast majority of your audience, who according to you are “made up of the ‘facebooking’, English-speaking middle and upper-middle class” readers. I cannot for a moment fathom why you are being obnoxious to them, but if yours is a deliberate ploy to provoke readers, and thereby show the world that there is an anti-Sinhala-Buddhist, anti-government NGO Mafia operating here, then your brief and motivations make perfect sense.
There was a time I used to ignore your writing, but then I realized that you needed to be countered. The one simple reason being, unfettered, your racist vitriol will become pervasive; and hence another attempt to counter you.
So you were there in order to bring us a broader perspective of what happened and in your own words to articulate your version of the events “…….. will no doubt articulate their respective versions. This is mine…” Now, I am not sure which hat you were wearing, because your stated objective was to report.
I don’t know how you interweaved this gem into your “reporting”, “’I was more surprised, I must admit, when I took in the ‘attendees’. I had expected the crowd, even if it was small, to be made up of a majority of Buddhists from all walks of life. I can’t be blamed for expecting this because this was supposed to be an event organized by ‘Buddhists”’.
As Mihiri Weerasena pointedly asks you, how did you come to these conclusions? Getting the facts for a story is a basic tenet in journalism I am told, not being fully appraised of the facts, you go on to distort them as well. When I looked up the Facebook page, their invite was not limited to Buddhists. Perhaps you are disappointed that enough Buddhists didn’t come forward so that you could lambaste them?
And what were you doing talking to the BBS activists? You say, and I quote ‘Look, I recognize that these people (pointing to the event-attendees) have their ideological and political agenda, that some of them are not as innocent as they claim to be. What do you want us readers to take in? Forget reporting events, that you are taking sides? Or are you telling us that you could approve of the vigil only if “innocent” Buddhists took part? Or that you endorse the BBS agenda because you disagree with the intentions of the “not so innocent”?
If I have to agree with you I would do so on one count and I endorse you here; “I do recognize that among them are people who knew that organizing this at the Sambuddhatva Jayanthi Mandiraya was provocative and bound to elicit a response (I had believed, when noting the venue, that all necessary sanctions had been obtained),”. The venue could have been the Independence Square.
I cannot dislike you, because disliking a man as pathetic as you is not congruent with my values. But when writing please do avoid your condescending platitude, because I must venture to say that it is something we could do without. By the way you are welcome to run with the hare and hunt with the fox; that my dear Malinda is your prerogative.
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Wickramasiri / April 13, 2013
Agree with you. Malinda does not realize that his standing as a journalist is measured by what he writes. He is writing to an intelligent readership who see transparent bias is his articles. I think he is torn between good and evil and needs to examine his conscience and make a call before long.
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Wick Burns Sticks / April 14, 2013
i.e. Answer to the Call of Nature, purging the burritos with an ignominous fart.
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nelumvila / April 14, 2013
journalist? what are his credentials? humbug.
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The Professional / April 17, 2013
Nabil,
Why waste valuable time by writing lengthy comments? You can always drown the sorrows in the evenings with your colleagues.
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File eps manawadu / April 13, 2013
Hi Malinda,
How do u define a Buddhist from a non Buddhist? Is it by what one is born into?
Lord Buddhas words were never meant to be for a few. So it really doesn’t matter what ur birth defines. A true Buddhist is certainly not defined by birth alone( if it should ever be done that way at all) . So I urge u with such writing skills, u should also attempt to discuss what Buddhism really stands for. There is a lot of judgement u are passing here by mentioning the usual referring to ltte and usual terms associated to shame the defying groups.
It’s a shame this article makes it sound like a political movement when it was far from it.
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commando695 / April 13, 2013
Perhaps Malinda would be able to enlighten us of the difference between a Night Club Buddhist – a Hit-and Run Buddhist and a Drunken Buddhist.
NOTE: This guy is singing for his supper.
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sham / April 13, 2013
Malinda u r confused… no no… u didn’t get the truth on the report.
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Dingiri / April 13, 2013
Are “night club Buddhists” worse than “go all out and carpet bomb” Buddhists?
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nelumvila / April 14, 2013
exactly my question.
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MMR / April 13, 2013
dear malinda we knw you are government supporter and so do your news paper.this was told my government minister sisrisena.so your explanatioms ate bias and void
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colombo girl / April 13, 2013
Hi, I’m curious. How did you just glance at the crowd and figure out that the majority were non-Buddhists? Did you know most of them personally? How well? I’m curious because most people who know me think I’m a Buddhist, even some of my colleagues who seem to know me pretty well. And every time I mention Christmas or church they are shocked to realize I’m not. Similarly, you could be mistaken? Just asking.
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Scrotumovich / April 18, 2013
I guess he is as talented as “peebee ” who commented above that the majority are fascist by heart.
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fonx / April 13, 2013
The bottom line is BBS worship and venerate an Indian and Hindu who started the philosophy of Buddhism named after him. In short Sinhalese are worshipping an Indian.
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Jayasinghe / April 13, 2013
This fellow Malinda is an amazing guy and deserves to get a better billet from his hero MR and his party the JHU than what he has been able to get,namely,an editor position of a little-read online paper called Nation. I hardly read it because I know Malinda writes there.
Malinda’s special talent is to be able to spot the demographics (as Peter says) of a crowd of thousands in an instant flash. He could not have gone round interviewing the crowd as he would have ended up in the Accident Ward.
Katamai has exposed all his contradictions and if he has some selfrespect he will defend himself. Let it be known to him at least now, that he shouldn’t underestimate the intelligence of his audience.
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lulu1 / April 13, 2013
Omg radical,fundamentals,moderate,extreme,now night club definition,also where do the sons of the president,sons of ministers and want fit in,night club Buddhist?
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PranKo Nero / April 15, 2013
They’ll join the Owls club, The Bohemian.
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Kiri Yakka / April 13, 2013
Malinda does not have to guess. He has got the list. When he is in a good mood, he occasionally mentions the once that top that list.
He claims : “This is mine, but to illustrate the point of multiple narrative/interpretation “
Malinda you cannot narrate. You can only pour Sinhala Buddhist Bile on an audience that despises you.
The positive side of this, that you are demonstrating the like of you are in the diminishing minority. You are able to demonstrate here, that you are a waste of taxpayers money. I hope they don’t deploy you in the native press where you can swim in the bile of Sinhala Buddhist racism without having to make the pretense that you are so inept at.
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amden / April 13, 2013
So tell us will you malinda, how can you really tell a non buddhist from a buddhist????what are these special deductive powers that you seem to possess ah???
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I.C / April 13, 2013
TO THE WRITER OF THIS ARTICLE,
Just to show how equal minded and unbiased and how tolerant you are in religious ideals…dont speak like a AWAJATHAKAYA. YOU ARE a Sinhalese and a Buddhist.Even Washington was a patriot and his religion.
Know where your job ends and your duty to the society you were born in begins.
This doesn’t mean to support sectarian ideals.
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Peace Wallah / April 13, 2013
Anyone can start a protest in a democratic society but this vigil in front of Sambuddhatava Jayanthi Mandiraya was provocative. Despite the intention of it being against BBS as claimed, it could have led to a serious backlash not just by BBS but many Buddhists on the eve of the Sinhalese-Hindu New Year.The Police acted wisely.Those who planned the vigil shd have beeb sensitive.
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nelumvila / April 14, 2013
can you itemize here the “provocations” you speak of sir/madam? just list them. who did what? who said what? list the facts.
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Ivory / April 13, 2013
Malinda is A wolf in sheep clothing. Especially women please be aware!
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Kshama Ranawana / April 13, 2013
Here is the best reply I can find to people such as Malinda.
(A Personal Response to the quashing of the first anti BBS protest on Havelock Road)
This evening (Friday, April 12th 2013) around 7.15pm on Havelock Road in front of the Sambuddhatva Jayanthi Building adjoining Laurie’s Road, I was reminded anew that there is no freedom in our land.
I am nearly 45 years old now, and for 30 long years, I have been reminded over and over again in different places, at different times that in many ways the citizens of Sri Lanka are trapped. We have been and still are, in fact increasingly so, trapped by our fear, our intolerance, our ignorance, our sheep like obedience, either to the powers that be or to our own desperate need to play safe and stay safe.
I am not a lawyer, a journalist, an academic or an activist. I am just an ordinary citizen who is sick of being intimidated by the forces that are empowered by us to protect us. I am tired of our short sighted, nepotistic governments, our corrupt politicians, our arrogant law enforcement officers, our extremist religious leaders, and our ignorant, complacent citizenry. I am just plain tired.
This evening I walked onto Havelock Road with my husband and two children to join my sister, her husband and some friends in gathering with the many who had come to symbolically light a candle in the darkness of our land, to protest through a silent vigil, the extremist politics of the now notorious Bodu Bala Sena who were at that moment in a meeting at their headquarters in the Sambuddhatva Jayanthi Building. I was almost immediately flung into a flurry of aggressive policemen, chasing us off, shouting at us to get rid of our candles, threatening us with arrest if we did not immediately obey and disperse! Across the street two Bhikkhus were shouting and inciting the Police. Some thugs appeared to be with them, yelling and gesturing wildly at us all. We were stunned. We had expected police and Bhikkhus, but not hatred; not violence; not such flagrant abuse of power, of position. In a minute my sister received a call from her husband, still across the street near the petrol shed. He had been arrested for standing there holding a candle in his hand! He had just walked up Laurie’s road and joined the crowd. Before he could figure out what was happening, he was in the jeep with a couple of others. No one would listen to him. They took him to the Bambalapitiya Police Station. An hour later he was released, but not before my husband was accused by a Policeman whom he went to talk to regarding my brother in law’s arrest, of being, because of his rather confusing name, wait for it – a Muslim! At one time being Tamil was pretty unsafe to say the least, now it is being Muslim! Others who had come earlier for the vigil had already been dispersed, threatened, a few arrested and later released. I am terribly sad, angry, above all tired. My dear fellow citizens, if you have not realized this already, let me tell you, democracy is dead in our land.
My children, nearly 10 and nearly 15 were with me. We live nearby, it was a lovely evening, a candlelight peace vigil, and we thought it would be safe. We were wrong. My son was afraid. My teenage daughter bemused. They asked if we should migrate! I remember being 15 in 1983. A year later everyone around me migrated to Canada or elsewhere. We didn’t. My dad said this was our country, we could not, would not, be chased away. Only rats leave a sinking ship he said. He didn’t mean those who had been affected by the riots, only those who took advantage of the moment to seek greener pastures. I thought he was too harsh in his estimate. I still think he was. We were fortunate; our Sinhalese neighbours’ protected us and kept us from being burnt. Others were not so lucky. Fear was everywhere. Many felt displaced, dispossessed. Were they Sri Lankan they wondered? Did they belong? So they left. Who can blame them? But I have never forgotten my father’s words. I understood what he meant. He meant, don’t run away when the going gets tough, stay and fight. He meant find a way to give to this land so that it will progress and prosper. He meant be proud to be Sri Lankan: In spite of everything, we are a good and able people.
But today Daddy, I wondered if you were right at all. The war is over. Though I don’t believe the means justified the end, I am glad it is over. I feel safe. I don’t wake up wondering if my children will come home from school today. I don’t hear a car backfire or hear a cracker go off and think ‘Dear God, another bomb!’ Well, almost I don’t. Peace takes getting used to for those of us who have spent most of our lives in a battle scarred land!
But there are signs of peace all around us or so we are told. Roads are being built, new ports and airports, cricket stadiums, shopping malls, the works! Never mind the land grabbing and homelessness in the North; never mind the water holes being filled to keep the errant wild animals away in the South. Forget the politicisation of sports; the skirmishes caused by ministers’ sons’, the biased, state controlled media and judiciary; forget the cost of living, the petrol prices, the electricity tariffs, disease causing garbage dumps being forcibly filled under Police cover amidst protests by the community; the incredible increase in rape and abuse, a testament to the lawlessness in the land. Forget it all. The war is over. We’ll forgive our government anything.
Harassment of Muslims? Well they should really be more careful. After all this is not really their land right? Intimidation by Police? Just doing their jobs men! They have to keep the peace even if it takes force! The Bodu Bala Sena? Oh just harmless Bhikkhus. Ignore them. This is all just media hype! State sponsored violence? So paranoid! They saved us from the terrorists remember? Give them time. Watch them take us forward. Just give them… time.
We are sheep. What do we have in common with New Zealand? There too sheep outnumber humans! Yet people came to protest today. Not many, but we came. We were dispersed aggressively. Never mind. We saw firsthand that the Bodu Bala Sena is backed by the forces which are controlled by the State. We saw truth. Oh, we have known it all along. But today it could not be denied. Our government is behind terror. It is behind extremist Buddhist chauvinism. It needs another cause to keep our people fear ridden, to condone military presence. This is how dictatorships are built.
The story goes a teacher once asked his students, ‘what is a democracy?’ and the reply: ‘a democracy is the freedom to elect our own dictators!’ This of course is what we’ve done. But who was it who said ‘you can fool some of the people all of the time, and all of the people some of the time, but you cannot fool all of the people all of the time.’ Ah, yes, Abraham Lincoln. So sheep no more! There are amongst us people who are good and able. Unafraid. So perhaps you were right Daddy. People came today. People who will stay and fight. The Police and the Bhikkhus made a mistake. They forgot that not all are always afraid. Sometimes aggression fuels the fire of protest. May it be so. May more of us ordinary, everyday citizens, rise up and protest. Forget our past? Forgive our governments? Give them time? No bl–dy way!
SCT – an ordinary citizen
groundviews.org/2013/04/13/sheep-no-more/
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Wickramasiri / April 14, 2013
Well said. You have spoken the mind of the good people. Every one will come out soon including good Buddhist priests. Have courage to face the violence of the BBS and the Government.
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nelumvila / April 14, 2013
agreed.
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ThE HaLuK / April 13, 2013
Malinda,you are a stupid prixk,How on earth can you identify which religion people attended the event.you are a d.ck head and should be shot with shit like the rest of the Booru Bebadu Senawa.
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Leela / April 13, 2013
I like muddleheaded Colombians and WOGS or the so-called ‘true’ Buddhists organise more bungled up candle-light or any other vigils for that matter. Why? For one, that’s the way we can know the faces of ‘true’ Buddhists that oppose the BBS and our war heroes. For another, we can gauge you strength and counter you lot accordingly.
It is obvious that this is not the way BBS want. BBS kept saying, it does not promote violence. BBS is trying to promote confidence and self-assurance to those that took part in the war that defeated the terrorists and brought peace to this country but are now being condemned as war criminals by separatists and their backers. And what’s wrong with that?
Leela
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nelumvila / April 14, 2013
the word wogs is usually used by racists.
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Samuel / April 14, 2013
Leela is rather teenager like personality- trying to know nothing but being apologetic to the ruling bunch no matter even if her /his family would have been whitevanned, abducted, raped or even threatened. So no point of adding anything to her or his comments.
Leela is Leela.
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Louise Jameson / April 15, 2013
Leelo, ‘a tot of rum’, a bum lot of gum.
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Leela / April 15, 2013
nelumvila,
I do not speak or write Aussie English. Besides, since we are all black, WOG cannot be construed as an Aussie slang ‘black’. You should have noted that ‘WOG’ was written in capital letters, meaning, it is an acronym for ‘Western Oriental Gentleman.’ It is a common knowledge.
Leela
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Swaggart / April 15, 2013
Offense deemed…..
Prr..wäg(n.) offensive slang. 1925-30, from ‘Golliwogg’:
A 19th century blackface doll; or alternately, an acronym of ‘(W)orthy (O)riental (G)entleman’.
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stupid_leela / April 15, 2013
Reilly? you coined a racist term and when nelumvia pointed it out you did a quick Google search for the term and come up with that stupid explanation of “Western Oriental Gentleman???(first part about Aussie slang from Wikipedia 2nd is from Facebook)is that the best you can do and no it is Not common knowledge the is no acronym
it is racist !!! period.
don’t dig yourself further in to a hole like malinda did
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Samuel / April 15, 2013
FYI
British English
Wog in the UK is usually regarded as a racially offensive slang word referring to a dark-skinned or olive-skinned person from Africa or Asia. It can be applied to any darker-skinned people, but is used generally to refer to peoples of the East Indies and India, as well as immigrants from the Middle-East and Mediterranean. Most dictionaries refer to the word as derogatory and offensive.
The origin of the term may be unknown, but it was first noted by lexicographer F.C. Bowen, who recorded it in 1929 in his Sea slang: a dictionary of the old-timers’ expressions and epithets, where he defines wogs as “lower class Babu shipping clerks on the Indian coast.”[6] Unsupported folk etymology has long explained it as being an acronym for “Westernised (or “Wily”) Oriental Gentlemen”[7] used by the British in India and Pakistan, referring to the educated indigenous populace. Many dictionaries say “wog” derives from the golliwog, a blackface minstrel doll character from a children’s book published in 1895, or from pollywog, a maritime term for someone who has not crossed the equator.
The saying “The wogs begin at Calais” (implying that everyone who is not British is a wog) appears to date from the First World War, but was popularised by George Wigg, Labour MP for Dudley, in 1949 when in a parliamentary debate concerning the Burmese, Wigg shouted at the Conservative benches, “The Honourable Gentleman and his friends think they are all ‘wogs’. Indeed, the Right Honourable Member for Woodford [i.e. Winston Churchill] thinks that the ‘wogs’ begin at Calais.”[8]
[edit]Other meanings
The “Wog”, short for Killawog, New York. Generally this is only used by local residents or people who once lived in the region.
“Wog”, short for “wogglebug”, extraterrestrials in Philip Jose Farmer’s 1952 novella, The Lovers. (This name is in turn derived from Professor Woggle-Bug, a character in L. Frank Baum’s Oz book series.)
In David Drake’s RCN Series, wog is used by citizens of the Republic of Cinnabar as a derogatory term for anyone not from Cinnabar, paralleling the British use of the term to describe non-Britons.
WOG, is also used as slang in the Canadian Army, meaning “Without Guts”, or “Without Guns”. Used as a derogatory term by the infantry towards support trades.
In Naval tradition, a “Wog” short for “Pollywog”, is one who has not crossed the equator. Once across the equator and properly initiated, the wog is pronounced a shell back.
Can refer to a combination of walking and jogging; for instance, interval jogging (30 seconds jog, 30 seconds walk), or a fast bouncing walk that resembles a jog.
This list is incomplete; you can help by expanding it.
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Sledgehammer / April 15, 2013
So, does the Ordo Sicarius speaks… from the hearts of Imperium of Man.
‘We’ can know the faces = cadere sternere
‘We’ can gauge you lot and ‘counter’ accordingly = cadaver axis interficio
Is this ‘We’ the Culexus, an acolyte & inquisitor funded by the Officio Assassinorum.
You seem to be threatening the reader in CT, Leelo.
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stupid_leela / April 15, 2013
M dear child leela “Wogs” is a racist term usually used against south Asians like us and black people
before opening ones filthy mouth at least try to find out what the word actually mean, you show your values by what you write
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Nabil / April 16, 2013
if so why say spew Goebbelian lies Here’s what BBS said in Kandy; Muslims spit three times on the food served to Sinhalese?
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Daham / April 13, 2013
Well, next time when you (BQBBS)organise or call for people to come for anything, if you are truly driven by buddhist philosophy please organise these events at a Temple. Organising these to provoke another in a location that could create further trouble is not acceptable. What you need to prove to the world is that BBS is not driven by the Buddhist philosophy. That’s the only way that you can protect Buddhism and image of buddhist. If your intentions are sincere you don’t have to rally people for vigils but rally people to protect peace in society and to respect others of different nationalities, races, religions and etc. Rally Buddhist for equal rights of all ethnicities that live in Sri Lanka.
Fanaticism or extremism in any form should not be harboured in any society. Any protest to antagonise another party or public stuns by publicity craving (in robes or not) should also not be entertained. Just because one is against the behaviour and anti social activities of BBS it also does not mean that they should be on the side of others that work with ulterior motives. Stand for the right cause.
Prove to the world that One being proud of the race and religion of which he/she belongs to can also be a person that accepts and a proponent of a multi ethnic and multi religious society.
I too vehemently disagree of rhetorics and the unruly behaviour of BBS. But don’t play in to the hands of other unscrupulous powers that is eyeing to destabilise our Country.
Stand for the Country and stand to protect the reputation of the Nation. It doesn’t mean that you need to agree with those who act with blind faith in the name of the country, race, religion or any other cause. Stand against those who wants to brand the nation based on unruly few.
Do what is right for the Country and what is right for the Society, then you will not be causing any harm to the rightful living of anyone.
What is important is to agree to disagree with respect and coexist. I believe this is what is needed for a multi cultural, multi ethnic society. I stand to be corrected.
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Saner view / April 14, 2013
Kshama Ranawana,
It was a provovative act that you joined in with your family. The place chosen for your protest was definitely one that would invite a response.Police actted wisely to avoid another eruption on the eve of the national holiday. you were foolish to be guided by the foreign subversive wave which is trying to destabilise the country.Don’t think this is mere conspiracy theory. You shd have acted more responsibly, not thinking of your rights to protest.This R2P craze has gone too much to your head.You are not the innocent, ant-national person you pretend to be. you are an emerging anti-Buddhist internet heroine.
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Kshama Ranawana / April 14, 2013
Unfortunately, Saner view, I was reposting an article written by someone who attended the vigil, which I found to be a very good response for those who think and act like Malinda. That writer of the article I posted is like most ordinary Sri Lankans’ who believe in tolerance and despair the direction Sr Lanka is heading in.
If you had read the article to the very end you would have noticed that I am not the author.
The Police should have been with the attendees of the vigil, not taking direction from the other side. Vigils are peaceful. People do not gather for vigils with violence on their minds.
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Kshama Ranawana / April 14, 2013
PS. I did not attend the vigil. I do salute the courage of those who did.
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nelumvila / April 14, 2013
me too!
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Saner view / April 14, 2013
Dear Kshama,
True you were not the writer of what you quoted but you published it because you endorsed it. Re police action, I beg to disagree. The Police does not have to take direction from anyone. It has enough wisdom to see a grave situation developing when a misdirected group leads a protest in front of Sambuddha Jayanthi Mandiraya on the eve of the National festival. Don’t you see the implications? Your saying that the Police shd have been with the Vigils exposes your bona fides.
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Leela / April 14, 2013
Kshama,
You salute those who attend the vigil but I salute those who attend BBS rally. And we both think we are in the right. For one thing, we both live in this country and express our opinion freely without being harassed. I call that is true freedom.
Now, imagine the scenario if Muslims are to replace Sinhala Buddhists as 70% of the population here for a change. Would you be able criticize Islam then like you do criticize Buddhism now? No. You and most of the writers here would be tried for blasphemy. We will be like the minorities in Egypt, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Maldives and etc. And the signs are already here. That’s what we are worried about.
Anyway, I am happy at least you said; “I am glad it (war) is over. I feel safe. I don’t wake up wondering if my children will come home from school today.” Now that I know your mindset, I am not surprised you have failed to even mention a word of thank for those who risk their life for you to ‘feel safe’ today.
You should know that 99% of those who fought terrorists are Sinhala Buddhist lads from villages like I live now. They risked their lives and joined the forces with one aim; to rid of the terrorists and bring peace to Sri Lanka. My nephew is one of them. He nearly got killed in an early operation to retake the Madu church. That was the time when LTTE had being blasting many human bombs in Colombo and many a soldier came back in stretchers and body bags. Those were the days that we had soldier funerals in all our villages on daily basis. But no true Buddhists variety of Colombians and WOGs who hold Candle light vigil against BBS today did the same to boost the moral of our soldiers. It was we who organised our traditional ‘Bodi Puja’ on behalf of our soldiers in each and every temple at the time. But I remember very well that, the so called ‘true’ Buddhist variety of the Colombians and the WOGs had joined the evangelists, NGOs and separatist backers to issue statements to highlight the value of peace and futility of the war. I remember some peace nicks even carried a coffin in a procession to Viharamaha Devi Park to highlight repercussions of war. Like you they all enjoy peace but accuse peace givers war criminals. That is an anathema to me.
Now that merits the war meaning the peace is firmly entrenched throughout Sri Lanka, hordes Colombians and WOGs capitalized the situation to grab more and more wealth for them and enjoy it. That’s ok if they carry at least a bit of gratitude for those who brought peace for them to thrive. That’s ok if they hadn’t gone on to start hidden religious agendas through Halaal and Niqab invasions. Pity, WOGs never educated us as to why Niqab and even minarets are banned in enlightened Europe and demand Muslims there to assimilate with majority society.
But I noticed that swollen-headed WOGs got muddleheaded after that resolution being passed at UNHRC. Needless to say, WOGs and co got energised every time when real war criminals accuse Sinhala Buddhists soldiers and those who led them as war criminals. To add salt to injury, some WOGs had gone so far as to portray themselves as true Buddhists and condemn aged old customs and values of Sinhala Buddhist as ‘Sinhala Buddhism’.. They have invented a ‘Sinhala Buddhism’ attribute wickedness to it to demoralize Sinhala Buddhists. But they have never uttered a word to condemn racist Tamil Nadu thugs attacking our monks and pilgrims. But, they talked about troubles of Rohingya Muslims in Myanmar again to condemn Sinhala Buddhists. Surely, this is a planned and deliberate assault on Sinhala Buddhists if not a coordinated one.
It is in these tiring circumstances that BBS has come forward to be a solace for Sinhala Buddhists. Like Hikkaduwe Sumangala who had come forward to save Sinhala Buddhists in the 18th century from the onslaught on Buddhism by the Christian evangelists Galabodaaththe Gnanasara has come forward to promote acceptability, and give confidence and self-assurance for Sinhala Buddhists in general and those who took part in the war that defeated the terrorists and brought peace to this country but are now being condemned as war criminals by separatists and their backers in particular.
More candle light or any other vigil anti Sinhala Buddhists has more followers BBS will get. At least, that’s what I perceive.
Leela
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Samuel / April 14, 2013
Leela,
Please open your eyes. Let peace loving fellow lankens to hold their vigils peacefully. Atleast before becoming 70 year old woman or man or transe, try to realize the need of the hour – unlike you and your ilk, those who gathered there were, realized the that BBS and the like perpetrators work on their schedule to create new form of violence preaching palatable to innocent buddhists in the country.
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sbarrkum / April 15, 2013
Not a reply but a comment I made in another location
When you see the big Evangelical Christian organizations in the US criticize the US invasion of Iraq, Afghanistan and support for attack of Libya then I will start wondering why the Mahanayakes are not criticizing the Govt.
Big Religion and Big Govt are big Establishment (thats any religion, govt/country). You want to change that better get into a trench, forget about family and start fighting. Even then all you would do is change to a new big Establishment, maybe one that supports your view (for a little while).
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Langoty Langur / April 15, 2013
Inasmuch as you seeing the aura, the Black aura, you grasp the extreme skepticism in the topical Nihilism.
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Dr.Rajasingham Narendran / April 17, 2013
Leela,
If the alternative ‘ If’ scenario is totally unlikely to happen in this country, why make comparisons between what is a reality here now, with what could possibly never be! Further, what is important is to strive towards something better than we have now, than be content that we are in a better position than it exists – a worse case scenario- elsewhere. In fact, what worries many here, is that we are sliding backwards at an accelerating pace.
Dr.Rajasingham Narendran
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amden / April 14, 2013
Ah leela is back with his usual lets whitewash the regime /BBS gibberish! Ignore him kshama.
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nelumvila / April 14, 2013
leela who thinks its ok to call people “wogs.”
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Leela / April 15, 2013
nelumvila
I have no argument that your stand alone word ‘wog’, written in simple letters mean Aussie slang ‘black’. But I wrote WOGs in combination of capital and simple letters; meaning, capital letters are for an acronym for ‘Western Oriental Gentleman.’ Since all Sri Lankans are black, question of a black (me) insulting you lot as blacks doesn’t arise. WOG has been an aged old and a well known reference to whitened blacks. There is one other thing; referring to Dictionaries and snatch a meaning for word after word is not the way to learn English comprehension. There is a lot more to it than that. Follow some English classes at the British Council.
Leela
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Fowler&Fowler / April 15, 2013
Foolhardy, you advocate comprehending the British Council for English glossary or just felt around apprehending that British Council is the only institution in Lanka to perceive Queen’s English?
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Leela / April 16, 2013
I just cannot understand what you were trying to say. Leela
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Wrangler / April 16, 2013
It isn’t worthwhile an assay when you feel obtuse.
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Jamal / April 14, 2013
No BBS that time, it is an old news – CT
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Maestro / April 14, 2013
BBS should contain the trend towards murders, robberies,political thuggery & help in reducing CRIME & produce a DHARMISTA SOCIETY
Has any one taken statistics re Crime rate & which religion rates very high in Crime Rates?
We are Sri Lankans Why discriminate communities & religions?
In other countries with a variety of communities they say we are BRITISH/
Indians/ Italians/ AUSTRALIANS / Russians Etc Etc ???? But they all
belong to a COUNTRY.
Only in Sri Lanka ” Me Rate Minissu Karrenneme Pissu !!
Que Vadis?
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Pandora / April 15, 2013
It couldn’t be achieved when all these episodes are committed by the same BBS in isolation in the nethermost alleys, with the complicity of VP and the idle Wehrmacht of the Regime.
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NAK / April 16, 2013
Another(attempted)Spring ended in faliure.
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Holmung / April 18, 2013
Leela,
FREEDOM?!?
Perhaps your head is really stuck way up yours or someone else’ Orphic – to think such…
There is NO such freedom. Only the BBS have freedom, ‘cos of the apparent state patronage.
Malinda,
You sure do have the thickest of skins my friend.
Doc Rajan,
Interesting point you make about ‘true’ Buddhism being a philosophy and not really a religion. If we subscribe to the thinking of the founder teacher and attempt to attain nibbana- those are they who follow ‘Buddhism’. You are spot on, when you say it is a religion to those who follow it WITHOUT thinking!
Na antalikkhe na samuddamajihe
na pabbatanam vivaram pavissa
na vijjati so jagatippadeso
yatthatthito mucceyya papakamma (Dhammapada 127)
Jack Dee
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laptop / April 23, 2013
looks like he has had a drink and gone for the protest or he had been drinking when writing this article
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