I believe that the general public would be interested to know whether the views expressed by Ven. Galagoda Atte Gnansara Thero of Bodu Bala Sena at a recent media address is only a personal opinion of his or he represented the views of the President and the entire government. Whatever that is, the views so expressed by the Ven Thero may have brought some relief to every member of the government.
Nevertheless, a public discussion on some of the salient points could be a timely contribution for those who seek enlightenment of public matters.
For him the investigations into the Easter Sunday Attack are carried out in a satisfactory manner by the government. Thus, the protests launched by the cardinal and the Catholic Church are quite unwarranted. He goes further and throws accusation at the Church that the protests organized by the Cardinal and the Catholic community are only meeting a demand of a foreign hand.
It was quite remarkable that the Ven. Thero appeared quite disturbed and was emotional in his expressions during the media meeting. In bringing the above accusation before the media, he clearly exposed his lack of sensitivity to the message that the Catholic community wanted to convey to the President by means of the protests.
Raising his powerful voice he reiterated but without evidence that proper investigations into the Easter attack are going on, whereas the representatives of the victim community repeatedly complained that the investigations were incomplete and they have no confidence in the way it is done on the ground that certain key issues are not taken into account in the investigations. Therefore, they during their protests persistently appealed to the President to bring the Presidential Inquiry into completion.
The firmly held view of the Catholic community is that any decision or any judgement declared that is not based on the properly completed Presidential Inquiry has no legal binding.
Ven. Ganasara Thero placed the sole blame of the Easter attack on the Muslim extremists. Undoubtedly, the involvement of the Muslim extremists in the Easter attack cannot be ignored altogether. However, there should not be any attempt to hide the fact that there has also been a major culprit (Maha Molakaru) behind the attack. Any attempt to remove him or her from the scene cannot be accepted and justified.
When the address of Ven. Ganasara Thero is taken as a whole, it appears that he has made a vain attempt to distract the general public from the actual scenario and to hide the role played by the “hidden arm” in this act of genocide.
It is well known that the Cardinal on behalf of the Catholic community played a major role in the protest campaign but he is not the only person who has the desire to identify the “hidden hand” behind the attack. The victims of the attack and everyone else who is interested in the national security of the nation are equally involved in the campaign. Indeed, who can deny the fact that hiding the real culprit is an imminent threat to national security?
Some of the contents of the address of the Ven. Monk challenge us to examine the appalling state of national politics in our country. The address contains seeds of extremism which can provoke religious disharmony among the communities.
Indeed from the very start of independent rule the parties which took over power and even the radical political parties to our dismay adopted political strategies based on racism and religious prejudices. It is this racist and religious politics which dragged Sri Lanka into a deep abyss. Over the last few decades, innocent blood has been shed on this land as a result.
Following the series of bloody conflicts in our land, the Easter Attack is perhaps the latest in history. In this current political climate it would not be the last such event either.
As regards this issue I have no difficulty in agreeing with the view that the racist clashes in 1958 and 1983, violence and killings of thousands of youth in 1971 and 1989/1990 in the Southern part of Sri Lanka and the option for war as the only solution rather than decentralization of power for North and East occurred as a result of above policies. It is an irony that even after a so called “victorious war”, a political solution is still not forthcoming.
Thousands of lives of young men and women of both communities had to be sacrificed and hundred thousand civilians were disappeared due to the ethnic war. Those precious lives could have been saved if not for the racial arrogance of some politicians.
Moreover, those who took over power in the country whipping up racial sentiments were responsible for the assassination of a number of young men, journalists, political activists, Buddhist monks and Christian priests.
It was always a small number of power hungry individuals who either to gain power or to stabilize themselves in their seats of power fuelled racial tensions in the country, causing economic and political decadence and insecurity for the majority.
Once these political gangs gain access to power they acquire also the freedom without restraints to decide over the economy of the country and its natural resources as they like. Thus, they have quickly become the wealthiest families in the country dragging the majority into a state of extreme poverty and marginalization.
According to the present scenario the current political system has formed a mechanism which allows the corrupt politicians who are influenced by racism and religious prejudices to come to power. This has given way to a very dangerous situation as manifested over the years in the recent history of our land that is soaked with the blood of innocent men and women. The most recent example of violent rule prevailing in our country is the arrogant refusal to complete the Presidential Inquiry into the Easter Attack.
Therefore enough is enough. The need of the hour is to develop a strategy which enables the public to eliminate this dominant and immoral political culture. Every citizen in the country ought to take up this responsibility that history has called them to undertake as a way of ensuring economic and political security of all people and their human dignity.
Thiru / September 9, 2021
Well said Fr. Sarath Iddamalgoda,
Without a moral non-racial political culture Sri Lanka will descend further into an abyss. There will be no peace or prosperity either, only misery and poverty will prevail.
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leelagemalli / September 10, 2021
“””Therefore enough is enough. The need of the hour is to develop a strategy which enables the public to eliminate this dominant and immoral political culture. Every citizen in the country ought to take up this responsibility that history has called them to undertake as a way of ensuring economic and political security of all people and their human dignity.”””””
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National policies should be introduced by a multi party committee. Experts representing each party could add their thoughts. First of all law and order should be kept above. Uni dons should wake from their long slumber; senior professionals too should wake up..
:
This is how Germany reacted after WWII:
:
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old codger / September 12, 2021
They did the Burghers in 1956.
They did the Tamils in 1983
They did the Muslims in 2013
The Cardinal kept quiet.
Now they will do the Catholics.
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davidthegood / September 9, 2021
Easter commission found fault with prez. Sirisena who released Gnanasara thera from prison. So he attacks the Cardinal
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Indi / September 9, 2021
The 1958 and 1983, violence, the killings of thousands of youth in 1971 and 1989 and the most recent murder of innocent Christians at worship are all exhibitions of the soul and the spirit of the nation sullied with thoughts of self survival and selfish self centered interests. As a nation we do not have respect or acceptance of the other; the other who holds different views to mine cannot be accepted or respected. It is this selfish, self centered mindset of the majority that drives these periodic bursts of violence in our country. Instead of feeling enriched and being nourished by the diversity, the majority feels threatened by them and develops an inferiority mindset. We look for a victim in the other; be it the other who holds a different belief set, a difference in culture, mother tongue spoken, up country or low country; look for some difference and ……Attack follows in self defense and for power grab.
How do we account for a majority 6.9 million voting a person with so many known cases against him as the leader of the nation? Shouldn’t we be questioning ourselves on our own religious and spiritual values and our basic respect for human life? The soul of the nation has been wounded and continues to be wounded on several fronts. Healing has to take place for the nation to rebuild itself and prosper.
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GATAM / September 10, 2021
How about 1939?
The island cannot remain as one nation peacefully. Only solution split it into 3 nations equitably and relocate people. Until then regular riots, wars, bomb attacks, etc. will continue.
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Lasantha Pethiyagoda / September 9, 2021
I remember a 10,000 page commission report on the Easter attack was produced. Thereafter, a parliamentary sub-committee produced a version of it for the public. Now there is another inquiry. However, vital clues and evidence in connection with the bombing will probably have been erased by now. That includes the communications between one of the bombers and a member of the state intelligence service (Sonic-Sonic) and the statements by the main bomber’s wife who was said to be in India. The main police investigators are also in jail. An international investigation will now be way too late as wasted time is a harsh element that benefits the culprits and masterminds and greatly undermines any prospect of justice for the victims or punishment for the people who masterminded the attacks from behind the scenes.
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Simon / September 10, 2021
Lasantha Pethiyagoda: A “Parliamentary Committee” was appointed to study the “Presidential Commission” report. Could you please let me know: (1) What was the composition of the “Parliamentary Committee” and who were the members. (2) What was the “Task” assigned to the “Committee” (3) Where is the “Committee Report” and was it tabled at the Parliament?
Thank you.
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Muhandiram / September 9, 2021
Interesting article and hard to disagree but for one sentence which reads:
“Thousands of lives of young men and women of both communities had to be sacrificed and hundred thousand civilians were disappeared due to the ethnic war.”
Why only “both communities.”? What about the 3rd community which also suffered a lot with thousands killed while praying inside mosques and returning after Haj Pilgrimage, not to mention others killed in their homes, paddy fields, business places etc.? Can any one forget the Merciless Expulsion of this ENTIRE Community from the North with a few hours notice with just the clothes they were wearing almost 31 years ago, in October 1990, almost all of them being still refugees even now?
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Simon / September 10, 2021
Please watch this link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZDWgsMD53ac
This Rev. Gananasara gets a good response.
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GATAM / September 10, 2021
If Gota wants to come clean he must punish all arrested for the attack. Punishment for terrorism is the death penalty. If not, he is guilty as hell.
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leelagemalli / September 10, 2021
GATAM,
.
Gota to punish them ? How can he do so ? He can be the mastermind behind it…. there should be something fishy.. else, the bugger et al would have worked on serving justice as promised to the nation…. the reason bugger et al to pay a blind eye their beloved Rev. Malcom Ranjith……. is not just being forgotten….. nor has Ghanakka asked him to do so….. time will pave the way truths to come out …. wait and see..
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Eagle Eye / September 10, 2021
Fr. Sarath Iddamalgoda
“Indeed from the very start of independent rule the parties which took over power and even the radical political parties to our dismay adopted political strategies based on racism and religious prejudices.”
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You are making a very serious allegation. Can you please provide few examples to support this allegation that the parties which took over power and even the radical political parties to our dismay adopted political strategies based on racism and religious prejudices?
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Eagle Eye / September 12, 2021
Fr. Sarath Iddamalgoda,
I am waiting for your response. Please do not evade answering the question.
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chiv / September 10, 2021
This thug is not venerable but a VENEREAL Thero . Rajapaksas have given green signal to Ape Man who stood by side post Easter, to now tame Malcom Ranjith. From now we will see this thug relentlessly attacking Malcom. In the mean time Mahinda goes to Italy hoping to meet the pope, the usual Rajapaksa game plan. .
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Eagle Eye / September 10, 2021
“Those precious lives could have been saved if not for the racial arrogance of some politicians.”
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I couldn’t agree with you more. Due to arrogance of Tamil politicians who did not want to live peacefully with Native Sinhalayo in their county, thousands of precious lives from all communities were lost. In addition to the loss of lives, the damage done to the economy and infrastructure is also huge.
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GATAM / September 10, 2021
EE,
Do you still want to share the same nation with them? Still?
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Eagle Eye / September 10, 2021
“…he is not the only person who has the desire to identify the “hidden hand” behind the attack.”
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If the Catholic community keep on insisting to identify the ‘hidden hand’ behind the attack, Sinhalayo also should insist to find out the ‘hidden hands’ behind the Tamil terrorists who massacred Sinhalayo for three decades.
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GATAM / September 10, 2021
EE,
Hold on a second. Why are you getting excited? Looks like you also want to hide the hidden hand of the massacre. That is further proof that Gota is behind this.
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Eagle Eye / September 10, 2021
GATAM,
We should look not only the ‘Hidden Hands’ behind LTTE but those who helped them as well. Then Catholic Church also might get into an embarrassing situation because they too have few skeletons hidden in their cupboards.
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justice / September 10, 2021
GATAM, Massacres have been happening for a long time. This one will not be the last.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_massacres_in_Sri_Lanka
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Humble / September 12, 2021
Easter attack was an illuminati (masonic) operation.
It involved muslim leaders, sinhala leaders, maybe some tamil leaders and foreign agents also.
An international masonic operation like 9/11.
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Ajith / September 10, 2021
Excellent article which summarises the fate of the country in the hands of opportunistic politicians with immoral racial political culture with the influence of Buddhist Sinhala Fundamentalism. There is no doubt that Easter Sunday suicide bombing was executed by Muslim identities in a particular day in Catholic Churches. There was no bombings before or after the day. If the Bombing happened in a Hindu Temple or Buddhist Temple or Islamic Mosques you can find reasons for that. Within a week or two the security forces have completed their operation successfully but did not took actions even though they had full information about these bombings. The military or police intelligence did not attempt to find the murderer of Lasantha, similarly they did not bother to find the master mind of the Easter Bombing.
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Eagle Eye / September 11, 2021
Ajith,
“There is no doubt that Easter Sunday suicide bombing was executed by Muslim identities in a particular day in Catholic Churches.”
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This was done to take revenge from LTTE led by Catholics or those who pretended as Catholics to get sympathy from Western Countries by saying Sinhala Buddhists are persecuting Catholic Tamils for kicking out Muslims from Yapanaya giving 48 hours notice and killing hundreds of Muslims praying in a Mosque.
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Ajith / September 11, 2021
EE,
Majority of Sinhala now strongly believe that this is the work of …………
I know it is difficult time for you because you cannot hide the truth forever and you cannot cheat Sinhalese any more.
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Fred / September 11, 2021
I find the first words of the heading to this article very interesting ‘The Public Address Of Ven. Gnanasara Thero ‘. I remember that until not so long ago, his public address was care of a certain state institution, – the type that the Americans describe as a penitentiary. And that address will have still been the same except that former President Sirisena, in his infinite wisdom, saw fit to grant him a Presidential pardon. What a shame! The man seemed so comfortable there, is there any chance we can get him back to that place?
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