28 March, 2024

Blog

United Nations Special Rapporteur On Minority Issues: Statement On Sri Lanka

By Asoka Bandarage

Dr. Asoka Bandarage

Dr. Asoka Bandarage

The United Nations Special Rapporteur on Minority Issues, Rita Izsak-Ndiaye released a Statement on Sri Lanka on October 20, 2016 following a ten day visit to the island. Representing the position of the ‘international community’, her Statement identifies ‘Sinhala-Buddhist majoritarian leadership’ as the main reason behind minority grievances and Sri Lanka’s ‘long civil war’. The Rapporteur expresses fears that keeping Article 9 of the Sri Lankan Constitution which refers to the primacy of Buddhism, ‘could lead to further suppression of and discrimination against minority religions and communities’.

The mandate of the U.N. Rapporteur on Minority Issues is to ‘promote and protect the rights of persons belonging to national or ethnic, religious and linguistic minorities’, is a laudable one. This mandate, however, does not grant the Rapporteur freedom to curtail the rights of those belonging to majority communities using conceptually and factually flawed approaches. The Rapporteur is deemed an ‘independent expert’ by the United Nations. Unfortunately, her recent Statement on Sri Lanka which is built on a narrow majority vs. minority concept and a lack of understanding of historical, regional and international contexts, exhibits neither independence nor expertise.

Majority Aggressor vs. Minority Victims

Like the dominant international perspective on Sri Lanka, the Rapporteur’s Statement is based on a simplistic dualism: Sinhala Buddhist majority aggressor vs. Tamil, Muslim, Christian and other minority victims. This monolithic characterization ignores basic incongruent realities. For instance, although Article 9 the Sri Lankan Constitution gives ‘foremost place’ to Buddhism (the religion of 70% of the island’s population) and refers to the duty of the state to protect and foster Buddhism, Article 10 asserts that “Every person is entitled to freedom of thought, conscience and religion, including the freedom to have or to adopt a religion or belief of his choice”.

Rita Izsák-Ndiaye

Rita Izsák-Ndiaye

Unlike most other pluralistic countries in the world, Sri Lanka has Cabinet level Ministries each to protect and foster Hindu, Islamic and Christian Affairs in addition to Buddhism. The critics of Article 9, including the U.N. Rapporteur, fail to acknowledge that Article 9 has not prevented Sri Lanka from allowing widespread Christian evangelical and Islamic Wahabi proselytization and conversion which are not permitted in Islamic and many other nations. In contrast, international attempts to sever the historical link between Buddhism and the Sri Lankan state, is sowing seeds of disharmony, aggravating tensions, resistance and inter-religious conflict.

While the U.N. Rapporteur enumerates extensive mechanisms to be put in place to promote and protect minorities, she does not acknowledge minority dominance in the Sri Lankan economy and the influential and strategic Cabinet Ministerships, in Investment Promotion, Urban Development, Disaster Management, Industry and Commerce, Tourism, etc. held by persons from minority communities, especially the Muslims. She also fails to recognize the powerful government positions recently acquired by members of the Tamil community and the ethical and legal controversies surrounding some of those appointments. In a seeming return to the ‘dominant minority’ position they enjoyed during the British colonial period, Tamil elites have been appointed as the Chief Justice and the Governor of the Central Bank. A Tamil politician was appointed as the Leader of the Parliamentary Opposition even though his Tamil National Alliance party won only 16 seats as opposed to the much larger number of seats gained by the United People’s Freedom Alliance of the Sinhalese.

The U.N. Rapporteur’s Statement brings strong charges against the Buddhist majority for construction of Buddhist places of worship ‘in areas that were traditionally non-Buddhist’. It blames ‘Buddhist extremists’ for inciting ‘violence and hatred against religious and other minorities while proclaiming the racial superiority of Sinhala Buddhists’. The widespread destruction of Buddhist places of worship in the island’s north and the east and incidences of aggression, extremism and violence by members of other religious groups towards the Buddhists, however, are not mentioned in the Rapporteur’s Statement.

The Rapporteur’s Statement ignores the grievances of the Sinhalese even where they are a minority, as in the Sri Lankan capital of Colombo and in the Tamil majority Northern Province. It does not mention the plight of Buddhist monks who have been ordered to remove their historic temples from the Northern Province by Tamil politicians. It does not address the case of Sinhala students at the University in Jaffna who were attacked and compelled to leave the campus for seeking to include a Sinhala dance form at a campus ceremony. Nor does the Statement address the Special Gazette notification of 21 August 2015 which allegedly transferred the only remaining Sinhala village of Bogaswewa in the north, from the Northern Province to the North Central Province. Failure of the ‘international community’ to condemn ethnic cleansing of Sinhalese from the Northern Province helps the creation of an exclusive Tamil separate state.

Regional, International and Historical Contexts

Neither Sri Lanka, nor any other country exists in a vacuum. Local realities are shaped by regional and international forces. Notwithstanding the U.N. Rapporteur’s mandate which is restricted to the local state level, minority and majority identities and grievances have to be understood in relation to regional and international demographic realities and political and cultural pressures. Although the majority in Sri Lanka, Sinhalese are a small minority in the South Indian and global contexts (some 60 million Tamils in Tamil Nadu and a total 76 million globally in contrast to 15 million Sinhalese in Sri Lanka and 18 million globally). Although the majority in Sri Lanka, Buddhists are a small minority in the global context (about 5% in contrast to 32% Christians and 22% Muslims). Any serious attempt to address majority-minority relations in Sri Lanka must grapple with the complexities of India’s role in Sri Lanka’s separatist conflict and the fears and resistance generated among Buddhists by evangelical Christian and Wahabi Islamic expansion. These issues are not recognized in the U.N. Rapporteur’s Statement.

According to the U.N. Rapporteur, ‘Since independence, ethnic and religious identity has come to be of a huge significance in Sri Lankan society’. Sri Lankan history does not begin with independence from British colonial rule. Ethnic and religious identities evolved over centuries in the pre-colonial and colonial periods. Historical evidence shows that in the regions in the north and the east of Sri Lanka which the U.N. Rapporteur assumes as ‘traditionally non-Buddhist’, Buddhist civilization flourished prior to Hindu and Islamic settlements. As Buddhism began to be wiped out of India, the challenge of safeguarding the Buddha’s teaching and Buddhist culture was taken up by Sri Lanka and other neighboring Buddhist countries. Support from the state and the monarchy was crucial for the survival of Buddhism in these lands. The foremost place given to Buddhism in Sri Lanka’s Constitution (as well as in the Constitutions of Myanmar and Thailand) is a homage to that historical and continuing challenge. Many are asking: is the attempt to change that historical relationship between Buddhism and the state through international intervention, a deliberate attempt to destabilize and control these countries?

The United Nations today has little political legitimacy and moral authority given its many failures across the world. The U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon himself has admitted the failure of the United Nations in averting the humanitarian crisis at the end of the armed conflict between the Sri Lankan government and the LTTE. To rebuild global acceptance and respect for the United Nations, its representatives, such as, the Special Rapporteur on Minority Issues must provide accurate and balanced accounts that build unity and harmony instead of division and conflict between majority and minority communities.

 

Print Friendly, PDF & Email

Latest comments

  • 19
    6

    ms.asoka bandarage,
    do you sincerely think that the hindu and muslim ministers are that powerful?can they decide things independently? you are talking about a few minority members holding some good positions. correct. there are more than 60 secretaries to the jumbo cabinet. how many are from minority communities?what about foreign missions?constitutional council. not a single upcountry tamil is there. education commission and NIE council-there are no muslims. if you say there are a few, we can say hundreds of institutions are without minority representation. moreover whatever representations they have in a few institutions is TEMPORARY.
    -DAYAL

    • 21
      11

      An elephant has labored quite hard to deliver a stillborn mouse! An absolutely wasted effort by a professor serving in a US University!

      Dr.RN

      • 19
        6

        Is this the standard of the professors in the US universities?
        SHAME!!!

        • 17
          3

          Ranjan Rajaratnam

          “Is this the standard of the professors in the US universities?
          SHAME!!!”

          Look here, what did you expect from a bigot who types:

          “Unlike most other pluralistic countries in the world, Sri Lanka has Cabinet level Ministries each to protect and foster Hindu, Islamic and Christian Affairs in addition to Buddhism.”

          She believes having ministries for each religion makes the country a pluralist society.

          These ministries are underfunded and under-manned. I would be most grateful if she could let us with a list of what these ministries have accomplished since they were established, and what powers and privileges they enjoy compared to the all powerful Ministry of Buddha Sasana?

          These are cosmetic ministries good for public relation not good for minority religions.

          When Muslims were attacked by Sinhala/Buddhists and the saffron clad thugs what did Muslim affairs ministry do to stop the riots?

          Have you ever heard of any minorities holding powerful ministries such as Finance, Defence, Policy Planning, Economics Affairs, Buddha Sasana, ….?

          • 4
            17

            I did not know that there were Tamil/ Muslim Veddas! You all talk about the rights of minorities, what about the rights of the majorities. Have you lived in places like Maldives? How many Christian churches,Buddhist or Hindu temples! Muslims only ……

            • 11
              3

              Lanka

              “Have you lived in places like Maldives? How many Christian churches,Buddhist or Hindu temples! Muslims only ……”

              Are we discussing about this island or thousands of islands which is called Maldive? Confine yourself to Sri Lanka. This is my ancestral land of which I am concerned about and not any other country which doesn’t concern me.

              If you really want us to comment on Maldives, please type a piece about Maldives and publish here, so that we can discuss the island.

              What is your problem?

              Are you a friend of Dr. Asoka Bandarage?

            • 6
              0

              Hope this will enlighten you the sufferings of the minorities in Sri Lanka
              Importance of an Independent Homeland for Tamils in Sri Lanka
              Genocide of Tamils in Sri Lanka:
              The process of genocide was initiated in 1956 and has been progressing effectively [structurally culturally religiously].
              1956 – Sinhala Only Act which demoted the Tamil Language
              1958 – Racial Riots targeting the Tamils [Ref: Emergency ’58 – Book written by Tarzie Vittachi page 117 –
              Conclusion “The terror and hate that the people of Ceylon [Now Sri Lanka] experienced in May
              and June 1958 were the outcome of that fundamental error. What are we left with? A nation in
              in ruins, some grim lessons which we cannot to afford to forget and momentous question: Have
              the Sinhalese and the Tamils reached the parting of the ways?’
              1961 – Military forcefully crushed the non-violent Satyagraha campaign by the Tamil Leaders
              1971 – Standardization in Education – Tamil students discriminated, denied admission to universities
              1972 – Republican Constitution – The 1972 constitution marked the crucial decisive stage in the
              disintegration of the nation. Sinhalese Language and Buddhism given ‘foremost place’.
              1974 – Breaking and disrupting the International Tamil Research Conference in Jaffna
              1977 – State aided pogroms against the Tamils [Ref; Wikipedia The 1977 anti-Tamil pogrom in Sri Lanka[1][2][3] followed the 1977 general elections in Sri Lanka where the Sri Lankan Tamil nationalistic Tamil United Liberation Front won a plurality of minority Sri Lankan Tamil votes in which it stood for secession. Around 300 Tamils were killed in the riots[4] and thousands of Leftists were driven from their homes. The massacres were initiated and actively backed by the Sri Lankan government in power.
              1981 – Burning down of the Jaffna Public Library [Ref Wikipedia The burning of the Jaffna library (Tamil: யாழ் பொது நூலகம் எரிப்பு, Yāḻ potu nūlakam erippu) was an important event in theSri Lankan civil war. An organized mob of Sinhalese origin went on a rampage on the night of June 1, 1981, burning the Jaffna Public Library. It was one of the most violent examples of ethnic biblioclasm of the 20th century.Term[›][1] At the time of its destruction, the library was one of the biggest in Asia, containing over 97,000 books and manuscripts.
              1983 – State sponsored pogroms against the Tamils – Tamils were targeted and all over the Island and their properties looted and burnt: The President of Sri Lanka J.R. Jayawardene said, “The more you put pressure in the north, the happier the Sinhala people will be here. Really, if I starve the Tamils out, the Sinhala people will be happy.”
              This clearly shows the mindset of Sinhalese leaders since Independence.
              2008 – 2009 May 18th Killings and disappearances of 146,579 [accounted] in the North and East during the war.
              In addition to this: Various massacres numbering 156 in the North and East were committed by the Sri Lankan Sinhalese armed forces from 1983-1995 in selected spots and places
              In view of the above perilous situation facing the Eelam[North & East of Sri Lanka]Tamils it would be naive for anyone to hope peaceful life and existence in the North and East under any Sinhalese Governments.
              The above acts cumulatively prove the intent of Sri Lankan Governments [Sinhalese dominated] to destroy a national ethnical group, the Eelam Tamils.
              Justice:- It would be pertinent a quote with reference to the judiciary from Australia’s Chief Justice Gerard Brennan, AC, KBE: “The reason why judicial independence is of such public importance is that a free society exists only so long as it is governed by the rule of law – the rule which binds the governors and the governed, administered impartially and treating equally all those who seek its remedies or against whom its remedies are sought. However vaguely it may be perceived, however unarticulated may be the thought, there is an aspiration in the hearts of all men and women for the rule of law. That aspiration depends for its fulfilment on the competent and impartial application of the law by judges.” This statement, meant to relate narrowly to the Judiciary is applicable in spirit to all independent commissions.
              Report of the United Nations Secretary General’s Internal Review Panel on UN Action in Sri Lanka, released November 14th, 2012. This internal review, undertaken by Charles Petrie, reveals UN involvement in Sri Lanka to be a “grave failure” in preventing the mass atrocities that occurred at the end of the civil war in 2009 http://www.un.org/News/dh/infocus/Sri_Lanka/The_Internal_Review_Panel_report_on_Sri_Lanka.pd

              International Truth & Justice Project Sri Lanka
              http://www.itjpsl.com/

              Silenced: survivors of torture and sexual violence in 2015
              http://www.itjpsl.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/Silenced_jan%202016.pdf
              Findings of Oakland Institute – Genocide of Tamils in Sri Lanka
              http://www.oaklandinstitute.org/sites/oaklandinstitute.org/files/OI_The_Long_Shadow_of_War_0.pdf
              Sri Lanka’s killing fields: here shoes still lie on the ground
              https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5_twRbOlkdw
              Francis Boyle Interview: Justice for Tamil Genocide by Sri Lanka
              https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hkdryGF0wzQ

              Tamil Killing Fields in Sri Lanka. Most of them are Hindus.Sri Lanka: Rape, Murder, Fear and Death under the UNHRC Microscope
              http://hinduexistence.org/tamil-hindu-killing-fields-in-sri-lanka/

              https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xrtnx6DkWEs
              Many in the international community have been intrigued with Trevor Grant’s book, “Sri Lanka’s Secrets: How The Rajapaksa Regime Gets Away With Murder”. An interview with Trevor R. Grant as he discusses crucial details pertaining to the history of the ongoing human rights violations in Sri Lanka.

              Sri Lanka’s Killing Fields: War Crimes Unpunished
              https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k3Pn6GRKXLo

              • 0
                0

                There are millions of poor Sinhalese suffering in Sri Lanka but they belong to the majority. Does that mean they are well off? NO they are not.The most well off community in Sri Lanka is the Muslim

            • 0
              0

              Maldives used to be a Buddhist Nation. Today not even a little Buddha statue is prohibited even if you bring it as a souvenir. It is a 100% Islamic nation and all other religions are prohibited.

          • 2
            19

            Dumb Native Veddo:

            When Muslims were attacked by Sinhala/Buddhists and the saffron clad thugs what did Muslim affairs ministry do to stop the riots?

            Good idea, hand over the Muslim Affiars ministery to the Army.

            ANOTHER FIRST.

            Have you ever heard of any minorities holding powerful ministries such as Finance, Defence, Policy Planning, Economics Affairs, Buddha Sasana, ….?

            Sinhale does not have minorities. they want to be equal to the majority. So, why there should be preference to so called minorities.

            These ministries are underfunded and under-manned.

            May be Tamils hand over Marihuana profits to the govt and muslims hand over kudu profits to the govt.

          • 0
            0

            We have governments one after another to protect the rights of the minorities in Sri Lankia. When can we expect to have a government that protects the rights of the majority Sinhalese? Minority Muslims are building Mosques at every street corner and producing children one after another.The entire economiy is in their hands while the poor Sinhalese Buddhists have to work under them.The world is silent. We need another Donald Trump

        • 18
          0

          She plans to join the `Buddha Sasana` “Di Mu” at John’s Hopkins to eat specially made manioc.

          Angoda escapee.- her subject is impulsive neither an art or science.

        • 10
          1

          The Worst is that she teaches about ethnic and religious conflicts in Asia.. oh poor students…

          • 14
            0

            Banditchi got the loony blues.
            It’s a loonytown of Jesuits where education is free (bursary) for 55% and she is just an affiliated associate professor- 9-12 month contracts. Wait a minute they have branches at Doha and Qatar so that speaks much about it.
            They are political lib/dem but desisted Kerry and Obama speaking about LGBT.

            Between 1996 and 1999, the administration added crucifixes to many classroom walls, a change that attracted national attention.[47] Before 1996, crucifixes had hung only in hospital rooms and historic classrooms.[48] Some of these crucifixes are historic works of art, and are noted as such.[49] According to Imam Yahya Hendi, the school’s on-campus Muslim cleric, pressure to remove the crucifixes comes from within the Catholic community, while he and other campus faith leaders have defended their placement

            Although it is a Jesuit university, only 41% of the student body identify as Roman Catholic, while 22% identify as Protestant as of 2009.[137] Georgetown employs a full-time rabbi, as 6.5% of undergraduates are Jewish.[137] It was the first U.S. college to have a full-time imam, to serve the over four-hundred Muslims on campus,[138] and in 2014, they appointed their first Hindu priest to serve a weekly community of around one hundred.[139] Georgetown also sponsors student groups for Bahá’i, Buddhist, and Mormon traditions.[140] The student body consists of both religious and non-religious students, and more than four-hundred freshmen and transfer students attend a nonreligious Ignatian retreat annually, called ESCAPE.[141][142]
            A 2007 survey of undergraduates also suggests that 62.8% are sexually active, while 6.2% identify as LGBTQ.[137][143] Discrimination can be an issue on campus, and three-fourths of a 2009 survey considered homophobia a campus problem.

      • 16
        0

        Weather it is a Sinhala elite educated in Royal/Ananda, Vishaka/Devi Balika, Peradeniya/Colombo, Oxford/Cambridge, Harvard/Yale, etc or the uneducated Sinhala village coconut plucker/toddy taper, Vatti amma, or trishaw driver, there is hardly any difference when it comes to habits, attitude, behavior, and thinking. They all have the same low mentality and narrow mindedness. Sometimes I feel that the coconut pluckers are much more intelligent than these so called ‘Educated’. It is their inherent nature.

        • 5
          0

          Prof. Chandre Dharmawardana, Prof. Nalin Silva, Dr. Dayan Jayathilake, Prof. Asoka Bandarage et al are some of the Best examples of this kind (so called ‘Educated’).

          • 5
            0

            Educated racists

            You are being honest for naming yourself “Educated racists”.

            Tell us about the rest of the uneducated people (on the last count the population estimates stood at 21 million).

        • 3
          1

          Dear SCE,

          you are spot on.

          That seems to have lot to do the country and society of their origin.

          If they are buddhists, make it even more difficult to be away from myths fed into their mind sets from the kindergarten on. As some sihala literitureknown japanese researchers believe, lankens could achieve everything thing if they could be away from their SUPERIORITY COMPLEX.

          They have no space left eitehr in their hard disks to see it let alone little bit different.

          Please read the tabloids, and what that Nalin De Silva has to say about almost everything
          top of all ” western meidince ” and ” invenstions” are not acceptable. Audience are more

          • 1
            1

            contd.

            audience knows nothing but to nod their both ends as usual.

    • 14
      2

      dayal

      “if you say there are a few, we can say hundreds of institutions are without minority representation. moreover whatever representations they have in a few institutions is TEMPORARY.”

      Visit Ministry of Hindu affairs, the security guard at the door and receptionists inside speak neither Tamil nor English. This was the experience of a Tamil friend.

      Tamil widows living overseas are being denied their Sri Lankan pensions for years. Their husbands contributed to widows pension from their meager income. The widows are being encouraged to pay a substantial bribe to the subject clerk through respective agents. In some cases the crooks at the department demand half of the arrears (cumulated over 10 or more years) or Rs 100,000.

      Well this is the patetic Sri Lanka we have in this island.

      • 1
        19

        Tamil Widows pensions are to be paid in Sri Lanka not abroad! Their children in these countries took on the responsibility when they sponsored them! Who knows if they are alive or dead!

        • 15
          1

          you are fascist kappan kakka . all the non existent obstacles like living abroad- by design by carer – all pensioners live abroad.

        • 9
          1

          Lankie

          “Tamil Widows pensions are to be paid in Sri Lanka not abroad!”

          Are you sure you know what you are talking about?

          Go back and do your own research. Then come back and tell us what you learnt about widow’s pension.

          You must be the only ignorant moron who does not keep up with International Agreements.

      • 6
        1

        ” In some cases the crooks at the department demand half of the arrears (cumulated over 10 or more years) or Rs 100,000. ” Yes this is very true.
        I know of a Medical Officer whose files have been claimed lost, but can
        be traced if a substantial sum is paid!

        The bribing situation is worst under Hon. Navin Dissanaykes I/E Dept. Now, those children born to SL parents overseas have to return to SL to
        obtain a SL Passport, if they apply at the age of 20-21 yr. –
        as a new interpretation has crept into the Officials of this Dept.! In
        every case Bribes are gladly handed to them as these children come all
        the way (on an NMRP Emergency one Travel doc.) and do not want to face any hassle in such matters. This idea was created for the sole purpose of
        harvesting bribes, in the guise that the children have obtained citizenship of the resident country and need verification!. In fact this does not hold true, as they carry an identity card, which proves otherwise and even the Overseas Consular Offices are guided by this doc. for the issue of a Passport, and has been the practice. The change is not
        mentioned in the I/E website, for an obvious reason. Personal interview
        was a past Def. Secy. idea to harrass one community and this goes on.

      • 1
        11

        To collect social security in the uS you need to present in the country. By extension that means a permanent resident or citizen.

        I dont think H1B who did not become PR or citizens will ever be able to collect social security even though they paid into it.

        If the widows lived in SL for a few months, and also be able to prove they are SL citizens they should have no problem collecting. It is now direct deposit to bank.

        >demand half of the arrears (cumulated over 10 or
        >more years) or Rs 100,000.
        Even a laborer gets about LKR 20,000/month because of COL adjustments etc. So 10 year arrears is about LKR 2,400,000 (uSD 16,783).

        • 8
          1

          fool he is discussing pensions- English pensioners live all over the world and receive it.
          Have you heard of Canadian Florida birds? Pensioners.

          • 1
            10

            I guess you dont get the logic, not much grey matter eh?

            English/uK Pensioners are uK citizens and have a permanent address in the uK
            Ditto for Canadians.

            So both Canadians and English have permanent addresses in their home/pension country, though doing extended vacations all over the world.

            So to repeat
            If the widows lived in SL for a few months (permanent addresses in SL), and also be able to prove they are SL citizens they should have no problem collecting. It is now direct deposit to bank.

            • 6
              1

              “”I guess you dont get the logic, not much grey matter eh?”

              you have no blood in the west but are stupid boat people trying to scrape a living- you dare not reason why we have more than one pension fund because and those who dare not reason, are slaves.

              stay there porriki kalu_kadde.

              • 1
                11

                >you have no blood in the west

                See jumping to (hmm what do you call it; stupid) conclusions.

                I live in rural Sri Lanka.

                • 5
                  1

                  “”See jumping to (hmm what do you call it; stupid) conclusions.”2

                  amused by your slippery attitude- rice from the moon morons who grew up on baath guli.?

                  `The Jungle Book`- Rudyard Kipling was born at Bombay.

                  So read `The village in the jungle`- Baddegama by a British civil servant.

                  provided you stop being a armchair leech bandit.

                  • 1
                    12

                    I think we have established that your grasp of reading comprehension and logic is not up to to par.

                    Now with more posts you prove that your knowledge is not that great either.

                    > The village in the jungle`- Baddegama.
                    Its not Baddegama, its Beddegama.
                    Its is a big difference in meaning Badde (බද්ද) versus (බැද්ද).

                    You can also look up Maha Badda (මහා බද්ද).

                    So are you Afraid of Virginia Woolf, or is it just an illusion of knowledge, wit and comprehension.

                    >provided you stop being a armchair leech bandit.

                    so what are you, a moralfag milquetoast analyst

                    • 5
                      1

                      “”Now with more posts you prove that your knowledge is not that great either.””

                      Village buffoon Pukka Digga rural pipsqueak.

                      The greatest eloquence is stuttering!

                      “”I live in rural Sri Lanka. “”

                      A leech that will not leave the skin until it is gorged with blood.

                      “”so what are you, a moralfag milquetoast analyst””
                      Pukka Digga rural pipsqueak the other way around please.

                      An angel in disguise who finds the shortest route.

                    • 5
                      1

                      “”> The village in the jungle`- Baddegama.
                      Its not Baddegama, its Beddegama.
                      Its is a big difference in meaning Badde (බද්ද) versus (බැද්ද).

                      You can also look up Maha Badda (මහා බද්ද).””

                      Aren’t you an illicit immigrant in the USA??
                      Watch out Trump is wining and he would kick your ass.

                      In the native English speaking world.- ඹෙඩ්ඩගම Beddagama (Sinhalese) in English means ‘The Village in the Jungle’. This play is MacIntyre’s adaptation for the stage of Leonard Woolf’s 1913 novel

                      ඹෙඩ්ඩෙගම Beddegama. (you and lakawe 2nd language English)

                • 4
                  4

                  sbarrkum

                  Sri Lankan state pensioners (including widows) have had the right to draw their pensions from any part of the world. This had been the practice for many decades until the department changed it rules twice in the recent past without the pensioners were being informed.

                  Would you send your mum in her mid-seventies or early eighties to Sri Lanka on a monthly basis to draw her pension, say from USA?

                  I have known another very old women whose pension was stopped many years ago. She had already written more than 35 letters to pension department. As usual, the department never replied to any of her letters.

                  Are you suggesting the employees of pension department should be rewarded (under the table) in order to process legitimate payments to the widows?

                  Please leave the contact details of all such employees in this forum so that the widows could make the deal by themselves.

                  The pension department owes nearly Rs 1 million to an old lady which cumulated over more than 12 years.

                  • 1
                    9

                    >Sri Lankan state pensioners (including widows)
                    >have had the right to draw their pensions
                    >from any part of the worlld

                    Dont think that could be ever done in the recent past.
                    For that to happen
                    a) Dollar/Sterling denominated check has to be issued
                    by pension dept.
                    Cant happen, at the very least since 1971 when we
                    became a republic.
                    May be British Ceylon time, like Gurkhas.

                    b) Should be able to deposit a Rupee check in a
                    Foreign bank, and collect Dollars/Sterling.
                    Does not happen either.

                    >Would you send your mum in her mid-seventies
                    >or early eighties to Sri Lanka on a monthly
                    >basis to draw her pension, say from USA?

                    I (as a son) would be a cheap bas..d, if
                    while living in uSA, want my mother to collect
                    uSD 120 or so.

                    Anyway does not have to come on a monthly basis.
                    a) Get back SL citizenship (dual citizen)
                    b) Get a SL bank account.
                    c) Arrange direct deposit of pension
                    d) (This is the most difficult) Have a trusted
                    person take out money and send it.

                    >She had already written more than 35 letters
                    >to pension department

                    I would assume she is writing from an foreign address.
                    So she wont get a reply.

                    >department should be rewarded (under the table)
                    >in order to process legitimate payments to the widows?

                    A payment/pension to an non Sri Lankan cannot be made legitimately.
                    If you pay a bribe you loose bribe and pension arrears.
                    What are you going to do complain to police, that you paid a bribe.

                    >The pension department owes nearly Rs 1 million
                    >to an old lady which cumulated over more than 12 years.

                    Has to be more than 2 million, unless he/she worked
                    in a position less than a laborer.

                    I feel sorry for these pensioners. unhappily their
                    children were ignorant of the laws, or is it
                    they have got too stingy to support their parents.

                    The consequences of renouncing SL citizenship
                    is pretty mild. See what happens when you
                    renounce uS citizenship.

                    http://www.forbes.com/sites/robertwood/2015/05/08/new-un-american-record-renouncing-u-s-citizenship/
                    http://money.cnn.com/2014/12/10/pf/taxes/expat-passport-citizenship-renounce/index.html

                    • 7
                      1

                      The desire of knowledge in excess caused a sbarrkum to fall.
                      But he is thickheaded Hingannage Thuwale

                      You have no brain!! Síndrome Looking For Pigs.
                      You never get the message- your use by date has expired.

                      National Pensions are paid overseas on request :
                      It is the hardest thing to explain because it is self-evident.

                      Aren’t you the classic village toad that goes back to spawn??

                      300,000 British pensioners live in the coast of Spain alone.
                      3 million British pensioners live overseas for ages.

                    • 1
                      5

                      >300,000 British pensioners live in the coast of Spain alone.
                      >3 million British pensioners live overseas for ages

                      You still dont get it do you, comprehension and logic beyond
                      your abilities?

                      British Pensioners = British Citizens with uK addresses
                      British pensioners in Spain are not Spanish Citizens
                      (specially now since Brexit)

                      Tamil/Sinhalese British Citizens are NOT Sri Lankan citizens.
                      (unless they are dual citizens)

                      >Aren’t you an illicit immigrant in the USA??
                      >Watch out Trump is wining and he would kick your ass.

                      I do drink illicit liquor out here in the village.
                      I like Trump and do think he will win.

                      I am the fool now, trying to logically explain to a
                      moron with little knowledge.

                    • 2
                      0

                      sbarrkum ,
                      “”I am the fool now, trying to logically explain to a
                      moron with little knowledge. “”

                      Go back to night school stupid illicit invertebrate if you do not want to refer dept of works and pensions.

                      you won’t get the links from me you fing rascal.

                    • 2
                      0

                      “”British Pensioners = British Citizens with uK addresses
                      British pensioners in Spain are not Spanish Citizens
                      (specially now since Brexit)””

                      There are enough of spanish citizens who are british pensioners from 2nd WW and living at spain too. same with portugese citizens living at portugal – mainly cleaners like you in the usa.

                      UK government:Claim State Pension abroad
                      There has been no change to the rights and status of EU nationals in the UK, and UK nationals in the EU, as a result of the referendum.

                    • 0
                      0

                      [Edited out]

                  • 1
                    1

                    [Edited out]

                    • 1
                      5

                      Because I feel sorry for you I will try one more time.

                      How many British who have renounced their UK citizenship are still collecting their pensions.

                      Capice, eh.

                      Foreign nationals who served in the British army (WW2 and others) can collect their pension anywhere. Dont need Spanish, there were Ceylonese who collected British army pensions. Also Nepalese Gurkhas.

                      And finally even for UK citizens (not those who renounced
                      their UK citizenship)
                      >I think you will find that Government pensions,
                      >i.e. Military,Police, etc cannot be paid overseas
                      >anyway. I have a RAF pension which must be paid into
                      >a UK bank account.

                      http://www.telegraph.co.uk/expat/expatnews/11102557/Big-decisions-looming-for-expats-as-UK-pensions-rules-change.html

  • 15
    4

    Asoka Bandarage,
    “Historical evidence shows that in the regions in the north and the east of Sri Lanka which the U.N. Rapporteur assumes as ‘traditionally non-Buddhist’, Buddhist civilization flourished prior to Hindu and Islamic settlements.”

    Not Sinhalese Buddhism. Tamil Buddhism.

    Study the history properly.

    • 9
      0

      Anpu

      “Study the history properly.”

      You are insane.

      If she had the urge to study/learn/research she would not have typed this rotten piece of trash.

      Garbage in garbage out.

      There exist Tamil-Brahmi inscriptions in the East dated 2nd Century BC in Jain caves/caverns, and in Hindu temples (800 AD) as well.

      Probably she has written this piece to impress herself.

  • 13
    5

    ” It does not mention the plight of Buddhist monks who have been ordered to remove their historic temples from the Northern Province by Tamil politicians.”

    Which temple you are talking about?
    These temples were built and are being built illegally.
    http://tamilsforum.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/Land-grab-and-cultural-colonisation-of-the-Tamil-land-in-Sri-Lankav-v7.pdf

  • 13
    4

    Study the local history properly.

    “The LTTE did not come into being or grow into a world-class terror outfit in a vacuum. Without the Sinhala Only, the Tiger may have remained unborn. Without the Black July, the Tiger may not have grown exponentially. If the B-C Pact and the D-C Pact did not miscarry (thanks to the midwifery of Sinhala extremism), the LTTE, even if it was born, would have remained a fringe group” Tisaranee Gunasekara

  • 12
    3

    “For instance, although Article 9 the Sri Lankan Constitution gives ‘foremost place’ to Buddhism (the religion of 70% of the island’s population) and refers to the duty of the state to protect and foster Buddhism, Article 10 asserts that “Every person is entitled to freedom of thought, conscience and religion, including the freedom to have or to adopt a religion or belief of his choice”.”

    What does the constitution say about Tamil Language?

    NPC governor write letters to Tamils in Sinhala
    http://www.tamilguardian.com/content/governor-responds-jaffna-uni-petition-sinhalese

    It shows pure arrogance of him.

    • 2
      11

      Anpu:

      What does the constitution say about Tamil Language?

      What do you want ?

      Make the Tamils full 100% ?

  • 23
    7

    Asoka Bandarage had better face up to the truth, however unpalatable it is, rather than write a whole rigmarole on how wrong the Special Rapporteur is in her observations – launching on a futile exercise, labouring on points to convince all and sundry that it’s the Sinhalese Buddhists who are the victims of a conspiracy and the lady had failed to raise the pathetic plight of the majority community under a minority stranglehold!

    Asoka’s arguments border on contempt for the Tamil community whom he thinks should be quite content with their lot – i.e. small mercies: a ministerial post or two and “leader of the opposition status” – that mind you for a people demanding recognition as a distinct nation, sovereignty vested in it, equality of status and self governance based on self-determination in their historical habitats under a new federal constitution.

    Asoka concludes by being dismissive of the UN and blaming Ms. Rita Izsák-Ndiaye for not promoting unity among communities, taking lightly the fact that she very correctly raised some very legitimate concerns that needed to be addressed including, “the expectations” people have “from the Constitutional reform process” seeing, “it as the critical moment to codifying and guaranteeing their rights.”

    And as to the UN Secretary General’s comments as to UN’s failure, it’s also true the Sri Lanka experience, i.e., “the killings at the end of Sri Lanka’s civil war seven years ago, prompted him to launch an initiative to focus early attention on human rights violations.”

    http://www.morningjournal.com/article/MJ/20160902/NEWS/160909928

    • 1
      20

      Comes back to talk of her separatist goals from the time of her support for LTTE terrorist vermin! Dogs can bark but the mountain will not fall.
      Similarly Tamils like you can stand on their heads and demand ‘recognition as a distinct nation, sovereignty vested in it, and self governance based on self-determination’. Please remember that Sri Lanka is one sovereign nation, motherland to all ‘SRI LANKANS’ irrespective of ethnicity or religion etc.

      People like Ms. Rita Izsák-Ndiaye from the UN have to sing for their supper from the western sponsors of the UN. What a great job they have done in places like Iraq, Libya, Syria etc. What is the UN doing when US UK and EU have bombed thousands of civilians in foreign countries?
      NOThING. Sri Lanka fought the most ruthless terrorist murderers (LTTE Tamil terrorists) in the world in our own soil! War crimes, my foot!

      • 14
        0

        “”Dogs can bark but the mountain will not fall.”
        it crumbles with the rain and you stretch the begging bowl further- Ganwatura Galuvo. robbery by minority sinhala buddhist fascist.

        The the kunnu mountain at kollanawe is in the lap of hiruknickers- does it bark?? Why papa no Kuddu No?

        Victory attained by violence is tantamount to a defeat, for it is momentary.

        The poverty status $4 billion due don’t where to go but sell to india the only buyer of parts. Jan 2017 $4.5 billion due.

        You are fascist kappan kakka on the prowl in smelly wowlas?

      • 10
        0

        Lankie

        “my foot!”

        Yes we can see you have put your foot in your mouth.

  • 30
    5

    “”This mandate, however, does not grant the Rapporteur freedom to curtail the rights of those belonging to majority communities using conceptually and factually flawed approaches.2”

    P R O N O I A.! PUDDHU.

    Japan : After World War II, Shinto and the state were separated.
    While Lankan fascist gay skinheads and followers hugged the begging bowl.

    “”to Buddhism (the religion of 70% of the island’s population) 2”

    P U D D H U I S M the favoured method of survival by begging bowl Lanka what next GSP++ then boat people once more??

    maximum Buddhist are at Communist China, 30 years of extreme left shape, shape Lanka begging bowl from stupid western socialism.

    Once you attempt legislation upon religious grounds, you open the way for every kind of intolerance and religious persecution. – William Butler Yeats

    INSCRIPTION ON JEFFERSON MEMORIAL:
    Jefferson indeed wrote “I have sworn upon the altar of God, eternal hostility against every form of tyranny over the mind of man.””The clergy … believe that any portion of power confided to me [as President] will be exerted in opposition to their schemes. And they believe rightly: for I have sworn upon the altar of God, eternal hostility against every form of tyranny over the mind of man. But this is all they have to fear from me: and enough, too, in their opinion.”
    Source: Letter of Thomas Jefferson to Dr. Benjamin Rush, Sept. 23, 1800.

  • 10
    3

    Is this woman a disciple of Prof. Chandra Dharmawadane or other way around?

    If the educated Sinhala Buddhist bigots publicly spew such lies what chance the likes of such, Euse, Vibhushana, Softy et al have!

    • 9
      0

      “If the educated Sinhala Buddhist bigots publicly spew such lies what chance the likes of such, Euse, Vibhushana, Softy et al have”

      There is no such thing as an educated bigot. If one is really educated, one cannot be a bigot.
      Asoka Bandarage spews lies because she is only half-educated and sees only what she wants to see. Pity her as you would a blind person.

      • 5
        0

        old codger,

        I take your point somewhat. But I think that even well educated people can be bigots as a result of chronic insecurity. Sri Lanka is full of such examples! Starting with Senerath Parnawitharana to some of modern day scholars suffer from such a condition!

        • 4
          0

          ” In some cases the crooks at the department demand half of the arrears (cumulated over 10 or more years) or Rs 100,000. ” Yes this is very true.
          I know of a Medical Officer whose files have been claimed lost, but can
          be traced if a substantial sum is paid!

          The bribing situation is worst under Hon. Navin Dissanaykes I/E Dept. Now, those children born to SL parents overseas have to return to SL to
          obtain a SL Passport, if they apply at the age of 20-21 yr. –
          as a new interpretation has crept into the Officials of this Dept.! In
          every case Bribes are gladly handed to them as these children come all
          the way (on an NMRP Emergency one Travel doc.) and do not want to face any hassle in such matters. This idea was created for the sole purpose of
          harvesting bribes, in the guise that the children have obtained citizenship of the resident country and need verification!. In fact this does not hold true, as they carry an identity card, which proves otherwise and even the Overseas Consular Offices are guided by this doc. for the issue of a Passport, and has been the practice. The change is not
          mentioned in the I/E website, for an obvious reason. Personal interview
          was a past Def. Secy. idea to harrass one community and this goes on.

    • 7
      0

      Burning Issue

      “If the educated Sinhala Buddhist bigots publicly spew such lies what chance the likes of such, Euse, Vibhushana, Softy et al have!”

      My Elders tell me education has nothing to do with wisdom and compassion towards others. I agree with them.

      In regard to Nuisance, such,Vibhushana, Softy, and others, you must remember they have personal, mental and physical problems.

      Nuisance suffers from second childhood, she can’t even find her padikkam (spitoon), Vibhushana hears different voices in his head sometimes many at the same time, the Dimwit Jim Softy can’t stop playing with his willi while typing, such likes to fit in with stupidest commentators of this forum.

      With out their contribution of comic relief, this forum would become too boring.

      Please bear with them.

      Don’t deprive me of distraction.

  • 6
    10

    Besides the notable reference to an ‘ethnic group of African origin’ this UN Special Rapporteur has conveniently disgorged the views of the racist fringe of the minorities in her ten day visit, and especially the views of those hell bent on denigrating the country to earn Dollars. As indicated in this valuable article the likes of this ‘Special Rapporteur’ works contrary to the original objectives of the UN and therefore contribute largely to the cause of the dwindling reputation and authority of the UN in the eyes of the world.

    • 11
      1

      “original objectives of the UN …”
      What is the objective of BUDDHISM?

  • 13
    2

    In every country there is an issue between the majority and minorities. These UN officers prepare reports in every country. Asoka Bandrage is acting like child. She feels only Sri Lanka is targeted.What is the point in the her education qualifications.

    • 7
      0

      Coins

      “What is the point in the her education qualifications.”

      What is the point in Dayans education?

      What is the point in GL Peris’s education?

      What is the point in Champika’s education?

      What is the point in Nalin de Silva’s education?

      ….

      Where do I stop?

      The education and literary rate have nothing do with wisdom.

      However I find more wise and compassionate people among the “uneducated” than those who claim to have achieved excellence in “education”.

      The “Educated” excel in their duplicity, bigotry, criminal activity, raiding the treasury in one way or another, …. and get away with murder, all because of their close affiliation with fellow “educated” crooks.

      • 1
        11

        Tamil Widows pensions are to be paid in Sri Lanka not abroad! Their children in these countries took on the responsibility when they sponsored them! Who knows if they are alive or dead!

        • 4
          0

          Simple, the Consular Offices overseas – which are growing with Hon.
          Consuls, (political supporters) can check on the residency permit they hold and pass it down to the Pension Dept. which is being computerised?

      • 3
        0

        This goes to emphasise the bane of Sri Lanka has been the Sinhala
        Intelligentsia, since Independence?

      • 0
        0

        Native Vedda

        You have missed the former diplomut, Bandu de Silva. Why?
        Is it because he offered you a job?

        • 4
          0

          diplomut

          “You have missed the former diplomut, Bandu de Silva. Why? Is it because he offered you a job?”

          I am still awaiting for my appointment letter.

          Poor chap, I and worried about his health.

  • 11
    2

    Western Governments have made Grave Misjudgments on the Tamil issue, by their Misinterpretations based on Misinformations that were supplied by the Sri Lankan Government.

    If one has to resolve this crisis, there is a need to reverse these two concepts
    (1) The unification of the country in 1833 by the British.
    (2) The belief by the Sinhala people that this land was given to them by Lord Buddha himself and he wanted them to preserve it as a Sinhala Buddhist country.

    How do we do that????

    History has shown “It is blatantly obvious that the pledges and assurances once given by the Sinhalese leaders were now nothing but an illusion.”
    The Donoughmore Commission in the 1930’s prepared the constitution for the Legislative Councils which functioned until 1947. This constitution created further dissension between the two communities on the issue of representation and sharing of power in the Legislative Council.
    The Soulbury Commission in 1946 which prepared the constitution for majority rule (a copy of the British parliament) rejected the Minority suggestions that were placed before it. The Tamils agitated for 50% of the seats in parliament to be reserved for the minority groups as a whole, so as to have equal say after independence.
    Clause 29A in this Constitution was the only safeguard given for the minorities against the tyranny of the majority. Independence was handed over to the majority community in 1948. Tamils unwillingly went along to share the Independence from the British.
    The Sinhala “mindset,” which was based on their nationalism, was bent on creating a “Sinhala Buddhist” state. Their first agenda was to change the eastern province’s demography. This started soon after Independence, as the idea had been already mapped out by D.S Senanyake, the first Prime Minister.
    After the 1958 communal violence,, the author of the constitution, Lord Soulbury regretted that he had failed to give sufficient safeguards to the minorities in Ceylon as he did for the Malaysians and Nigerians in their constitutions.
    The present British High Commissioner for Sri Lanka, Mr. Dominic John Chilcott, in July 2006 gave an interview to the media; I quote
    “Britain considered the Soulbury Constitution as having the necessary arrangements to provide safeguards for minorities. Britain thought that the rights of the Tamils in particular would be safeguarded by these arrangements. However history has proved otherwise that these safeguards were inadequate and not robust enough. I regret that Britain’s policies have to such an extent been the cause for the problems.”
    And
    One of the essential ingredients that must be kept in mind to understand the Sri Lankan ethnic conflict is that, since the 1950’s, Sinhala politicians have resorted to ethnic outbidding as a means to attain power and, in doing so, systematically marginalized the Tamils. The institutional decay which was produced by the dialectic between majority rule and ethnic outbidding, was what led to Tamil mobilization and an ethnic conflict that has killed nearly 70,000 people over the past twenty years says- (Neil Devotta of Hartwick College, USA in 2005).

    • 9
      0

      In a multi-cultural society, if one particular race, religion or culture is given the foremost place, then that particular race, religion or culture becomes the first class citizens and all others will automatically become second class.

      The Tamil struggle in Sri Lanka started officially only after SWRD Bandaranayake came up with ‘Sinhala Only’ in 1956 and eventually turned into a bitter war for 30 years. One of their most important demand right from the beginning was, everybody in Sri Lanka should be equal, and nobody should be considered 2nd class. By giving Buddhism the foremost place, Buddhism is made the first class religion in Sri Lanka and all others automatically becomes second class.

      Colvin, who once professed the famous dictum “one language two nations, two languages one nation” made the Tamil people second class citizens through the 1972 constitution of which he was the architect. By introducing the 1972 Republican Constitution, it was the Sinhalese leadership, and no one else, who are to blame for inspiring the Tamil regional majority to officially demand a separate Tamil state (Tamil Eelam) in 1977. This was further influenced by their denial of equal rights (It robbed the minorities of even the scanty safeguards against discrimination) under the law to the minorities, evidenced by their deliberate exclusion of the provisions of Section 29 of the Soulbury Constitution (introduced at independence in 1948).

      Are we going back to square one (the 1956 – 1972 era) to restart the struggle again? This time, not only Wigneswaran but all the Tamil politicians and the entire Tamil community (tens of thousands) will rise and protest. The government cannot simply fool the people saying equal status to all and then give foremost place to one religion only.

      The new constitution should guarantee equal status for all ethnic groups that live in Sri Lanka as its citizens, and equal status for all religions that are practiced by the Sri Lankan citizen. There shouldn’t be any foremost place for majority religion or majority race. All religions should be equal and should be independent of politics. This is the most fundamental thing that a constitution in a country with a multi-society should have. If this basic concept is not adopted in the new constitution, then what is the point in changing it?

    • 1
      14

      Do not waste time by trying to promote your opinion on past events. The author of the constitution, Lord Soulbury nor the previous British High Commissioner for Sri Lanka, Dominic John Chilcott has any semblance to the current situation.
      When the minorities integrate and live in harmony with the majority community and learn to live like SRI LANKANS in our one sovereign motherland there will be no conflict.

      • 15
        0

        “” and learn to live like SRI LANKANS in our one sovereign motherland there will be no conflict. “”

        Until scum lanka shows a semblance of civilization you would need to see the katadiya as tradition dictates.

        Keep worrying about your lot because the immigrants nor boat people are dependent on your oil but its you selling your mother and sister niece in the middle east sex trade. As a sovereign nation you are fascist corrupt murderous beggar of the world. Not accepted by Mahayana Dali lama but chinese communist Buddhist.

        The tamils have no balls to bring about an economic embargo they are your underdogs and fight for your stupid soul. Fool them and self marauding fascist skinhead.

  • 15
    0

    The UN Special Rapporteur calls it, as she has gathered information to support and has observed the facts,figures and the situation on the ground.

    I think Asoka B doesn’t seem to get it, or refuses to accept the facts, that is, if Sri Lanka doesn’t change its attitude, the IC will make a change.

    If Asoka B wants accurate and balanced accounts to built unity and harmony instead of division and conflict between majority and minority communities, can she explaine:

    Why is 70% controlling 99% of political power?, (1% superficial Tamil and Muslim) lackeys.
    How many are Tamils in the police and army?
    Why is there 1:5 ratio of army to Tamils in Tamil homeland ?
    How many are Tamils in the public service and how many of them are Tamil women?
    How many Buddhist temples were build in the N&E since May 2009?

    If the majority Tamils are discriminating and subjugating the minority Singhalese in Colombo, why didn’t she complain to the SR ???

    Hope that the lease agreement of a united unitary undivided Sri Lanka ends soon.

  • 0
    9

    ?United nations is a world govt. Because of that, Sinhala buddhists are the minority in the world’s standard. Otherwise, how she decides that !00 million Tamils, @ billion Muslims or @ billion christians are minorities in Sri lanka among about 14 million Sinhala – buddhists ?

    It is compeltely discrmination by United Nations.

  • 13
    1

    The state religion of Sri Lanka should be both Hindu-Buddhist (Buddhism/Buddhagama and Hinduism/Devagama) or do not have any state religion at all.

    Sri Lanka is a Hindu-Buddhist society/culture and civilization right from ancient time. Buddhism and Hinduism/Brahmanism are the two main religions that existed and flourished in Sri Lanka from the very early period. Even today if they excavate the archaeological sites they will find not only Buddhist but also Hindu artifacts. The Buddhist archaeological sites in the Tamil speaking North & East, or the Hindu archaeological sites in the Sinhala speaking south are not strange phenomena in the island because both Sinhalese and Tamils practiced Buddhism and Hinduism.

    It is interesting to note that the Sinhala-English Kandyan Treaty of 1815 refers to Buddhagama (Buddhism) and Devagama (Hinduism/Brahmanism). Buddhagama and Devagama can be considered the forerunner of present day Sinhala-Buddhism, which has a history going back to more than two thousand. Devale in the Sinhala language is called Kovil in the Tamil language. For example, Katharagama Devale in Sinhala is called Kathirgaama Kovil in Tamil. The language is different but the meaning is same. Similarly, Devagam in Sinhala is Vedam in Tamil or Hinduism/Brahmanism in other Indian languages.

    Prof. N.K. (Nira) Wickramasinghe from the History and Political Science Department of the Colombo University in her article titled “Some Comments on Dress in Sri Lanka” explains about the puritanical influences that came with Western colonial rule and the imposition of Judeo-Christian culture on the liberal tradition of Hindu-Buddhist culture that prevailed in ancient Lanka.

    Even today, if we visit any Buddhist temple in Sri Lanka, there is always a Hindu Devale/temple with Hindu Gods inside the Buddhist temple. Many Sinhalese are still practicing Hindu religious traditions openly. For example, auspicious times is a Hindu concept, Buddhism has no concept of auspicious times. The Hindu element is patent in the lifestyle of every Sinhala-Buddhist. They pray with great piety to Hindu gods, perform rituals, break coconuts, tie the pirith noola, surei, do important things at auspicious times, light the khoodu for Bhairava, hang ash pumpkins in a newly built house to avoid evil befalling any member of the house-hold, carry kavadi, walk on red hot cinders, chant Seth and Vas kavi, etc. Even on poya days, Buddhists offer poojas at Kataragama to God Murugan, and offer poojas to goddess Saraswaty. They observe Hindu New Year Day, April 14, (according to Hindu Solar and not Buddhist Lunar calendar) as their New Year Day. All those deities (Devas) worshipped by the Sinhalese are Hindu deities. If you go to any Hindu temple (Kovil) in either Sri Lanka or South India, you will find all of them.

    The hill of Kathirkaamam is known as Kathiramalai in the Tamil traditions of Sri Lanka. An ancient capital of Jaffna was also called Kathiramalai. Kataragama Deviyo or the deity/cult of Kataragama or Kathirkaamam is known to the Tamils by many names (every Hindu God is known by many names) such as Murukan, Karthikeya, Vealan, Arumugam (6 faces), Kathiradevan, Kandasami, Skndaswami, Subrahmanya, Palaniandava and so on who had two wives Valli and Thevani (both Hindu Goddesses).

    The strong hereditary Hindu element in Dutugemunu (present even today in all Sri Lankan Buddhists) made him a devotee of the Dravidian God Murukan at Katharagama. It is said in the Mahawamsa that Dutugemunu invoked the blessings of the God Murukan to endow him with strength to defeat King Elara in battle. The Mahawamsa also says there were Hindu temples for Lord Ishwera in Lanka from pre-Buddha times (623 B.C.) such as Nakulesweram in the North, Thirukketheesweram and Munnesweram in the West and Konesweram in the East. Hindu kovils in the deep south for Lord Murukan at Katharagama and for Lord Vishnu at Devi Nuwara still exist due to continued patronage by Sinhala-Buddhists.

    Nuguleswaram temple (Keerimalai Kovil) is located in Northern part of Jaffna close to Kankeasanthurai. It was destroyed by Portuguese and reconstructed after four hundred years in about 1894 C.E. It was reconstructed again after destroyed again by fire in 1918. Munneswaram Kovil is situated in Chilaw in the Puttalam District. Many Sinhala Buddhist devotees go on pilgrimage to this temple. This temple is mentioned in the Kokila Sandeshaya during the time of the Sinhala King Parakramabahu VI in Kotte. It was also destroyed by the Portuguese completely in 1578 and reconstructed in 1875. Improvements were done again in 1919 and in 1963. Koneswaram temple also known as Thirukoneswaram is located in Trincomalee town. This temple is believed to have been a major religious shrine even before the arrival of Prince Vijaya, 2500 years ago. Tondeswaram Kovil is situated in Galle town in Dondra head, which is also known as Dewinuwara located in a Sinhalese Buddhist oriented area, an important port in medieval time. After the destruction by the Portuguese, it was rebuilt by the locals. Devoted later to God Vishnu, it is now worshipped mostly by Buddhists. Katheeswaram – Temple is situated 7 miles away from the Mannar town. The history of this temple goes back to 2,500 years in the history. This was also destroyed by the Portuguese in their campaign to exterminate Hindu and Buddhist temples. It was renovated again in 1976.
    A potsherd inscription in Tamil Brahmi found some times back in an archaeological excavation by a German team at Tissamaharama in the Southern Province of Sri Lanka can be interpreted as evidence of the presence of ordinary Tamil speaking people in the population of that region. The German scholars who undertook the excavation provisionally dated it to around 200 BCE.

    Hinduism is much older than Buddhism in Sri Lanka and is still followed by not only Tamils but also Sinhalese and Veddas. Tamils, Sinhalese and Veddas worship the Kataragama God Murugan at the ancient Hindu temple in Kataragama. At every Buddhist temple (including the Dalada Maligawa) you find Hindu Gods (according to Buddhism, a Buddhist should not pray to any god). If you go to the Hindu temples like Katharagama or Muneshwaram, you find more Sinhala devotees than Tamil. On the other hand, even today if you go to the Naga Vihara Buddhist temple in Jaffna town (not the Nagadveepa), you will be able to see some locals (Tamils) worship the Buddha/Dagoba, it is a practice among some Tamils.

    There are Hindu temples from ancient days in Kandy, testifying to a high concentration of Hindus in the Central part of Lanka. The temple for Nath (Siva), according to H.W. Codrington, is over 600 years old. The other temples, being for Murukan, Vishnu and Goddess Pattini, Robert Knox was of the view that Maha Esala Perahera in Kandy was celebrated from ancient times exclusively in honor of the Hindu deities. The Tooth Relic was taken in the Perahera for the first time during the reign of King Kirthi Sri Raja Singha at the request of the Siamese Monk Upali, to give a Buddhist touch to the festival. That practice was later stopped. These days only the empty casket is mounted on the elephant.

    It may not be incorrect to assume that in the hoary past, Lanka was, from North to South, East to West and the Central highlands the homeland of Tamils of the Hindu faith. With the arrival of Arahat Mahinda, thousands of Tamils of the Hindu faith embraced Buddhism. With the mixture of Tamil, Pali and Sanskrit languages, evolved the Sinhala language during 8 A.D. Though more than 80 generations have rolled by, these converts have not given up their Tamil Hindu culture and practices. They still indulge in Hindu prayers and rituals.

    Today the Sri Lankan Buddhists are Sinhalese and Sri Lankan Hindus are Tamils but that was not the case in the ancient past. In the past, not only there were Tamil Buddhists but also Hindu Sinhalese. The Buddhist archaeological sites in the Tamil North & East, or the Hindu archaeological sites in the Sinhala South are not strange phenomena in the island. The Sri Lankan Tamils had been living in all parts of Sri Lanka for many centuries. It was only after the Jaffna kingdom was formed in the 13th century, the Tamils were confined to the North and East. However, the Sri Lankan Tamils do not go and demographically claim Anuradhapura, Polonnaruwa (a capital built by the Cholas), Padaviya, Kurunegala, Kandy, Kotte (Colombo) or the Dondra Head (the southernmost point in the island), citing the presence of Saiva (Hindu) sites there like the Sinhalese claiming the North & East citing the presence of Buddhist sites.

    • 4
      2

      Nadaraja,

      Though not directly relevant, I want to present here an instance where Islam and Saivaism find common grounds in the Eastern Province, through Tamil. Listen to the song being sung by a Muslim scholar at a Tamil literary festival in Tamil, in praise of Siva.

      http://www.tamilwin.com/special/01/122477?ref=left_popular.

      Despite the gloom around, there are streaks of light breaking through.

      Dr.RN

  • 7
    0

    Dr. Asoka Bandarage, and all Participants,
    Thank you for an open minded showing of your racism, and religious bias. This is an opportunity for the UN and International Community to further understand why there is genocide being committed in Sri Lanka. She is fully aware and is fully supportive of all the unholy majoritarian violence taking place in Sri Lanka. The reasons are now obvious to all who has any doubt. Like in Myanmar, Sri Lanka has all the chance to commit further genocide until they achieve their goal as described and for Sri Lanka to become a Sinhala Buddhist Country. She is also giving the opportunity for other major Religions around the region to be aware of Sri Lanka and take similar measures to safeguard their Religion.

  • 2
    0

    To solve the problem either party need to borrow the latest atomic missile from Putin pawning their respective lands in Lanka.

  • 2
    8

    There are lot of Muslim countries which does not allow any other religion to practice openly like in Saudi Arabia. In Australia before parliament start every day they bless christian god. Tamil Muslim and other minorities can practice there religion any where in Sri Lanka.
    Problem with tamil culture is it religion is liked to ethnicity and society is divided by cast system and they find it difficult to cohabitate with other groups.
    Best place for them to live is in Tamilnadu in India so there minimum contact with other ethnic groups.Then they can fight themselves on cast basis.
    They have become major hindrance of true democratic process in Sri Lanka. they induce ethnic feeling in Sinhalese in south on which southern politician can capitalize on violation peoples rights

    • 7
      1

      silva

      “There are lot of Muslim countries which does not allow any other religion to practice openly like in Saudi Arabia.”

      The Tamils, Sinhalese, Hindus, Muslims, Christians, … don’t live in Saudi Arabia. They live here and they want to live in peace with dignity.

      Come on you seriously believe following Saudi Arabia as model country? Good let us introduce sharia law, medieval practices, multiple and child marriages, slavery, chopping hands for theft and head for other crimes.

  • 1
    9

    this UN LADY is real joke what ABOUT Malaysia .Indonesia ,saudi Arabia Iran Pakistani and many other country are they members of UN ??? do not act like fool from UN office.UN has no role making constitution of any country. do not misunderstand the role of UN CHARTER. it is better this lady first carry out such studies before visiting and giving lecture to others.

  • 6
    3

    Previously we chucked this woman out of this forum because she does not fit here. She comes back again and again unashemedly. Go away Asoka go away; please. Find your another forum, not this one

  • 3
    8

    All these commentators think Sinhala buddhists, educated or not are fools, racists, extremists, killers and so on. Only Tamils are wise, beautiful, pluralists, unbias, savours and so on.
    All these mean that they (stooges of terrorist Prabhakaran) nothing else but Eelam. Wait, we never give you!

    • 9
      1

      The Tamils are clever, ready to learn, industrious, honest and hardworking (the Tamil work ethics – work is worship). The Tamil speaking Muslims were also honest and very good at business. On the other hand, the Sinhala race was very foolish, lazy, violent, racist, hateful, jealous and mean spirited. This is the reason why, when it came to white collar jobs in the Ceylon Civil Service the colonials gave preference to Ceylon Tamils of North and East. The Tamils were holding top positions in the government service whereas the Sinhalese were working as peons and drivers. In 1948, the British handed over the entire country to the Sinhalese with the second highest GNP per capita in Asia and today it is one of the worst, they ruined it. It is like giving a garland to the monkeys.

      • 1
        6

        Tamils are honest ?

        Ask Raj Rajarathnam who is in Jauil.

        Ask Arjun Mahendran, continuously has stolen in 23 bond scandles.

        there are many more like that.

  • 3
    13

    Even though the Sinhalese are the majority community in Sri Lanka, in regional and global terms, the Sinhalese are demographically, politically, economically and culturally insignificant. This is not the case with minority communities in Sri Lanka like the Tamils or the Muslims who are spread over the world in large numbers and politically, economically and culturally influential. The Sinhalese are aware of this reality and that is why the Sinhalese even though a majority in Sri Lanka has a minority complex. This is the reason why they are scared (a Panic Disorder or fear Psychosis) of the minorities (Tamils and Muslims). It is an unfounded fear or suspicion instilled in the minds of the Sinhalese. It is a kind of mental illness that many of them suffer.

    • 10
      0

      “”It is a kind of mental illness that many of them suffer. “”

      That is your very own inferiority complex and more so of a village psyche.

      P R E J U D I C E.

      The intelligent can reason unlike trolls/stupid, follow public opinion.

  • 4
    1

    For Bandarage the UN has become ineffective and irrelevant.Perhaps, but it has one important role to play, yet: It has the capacity to agitate and cause a sense of panic among various chauvinists and sundry racists all over the world including Sri Lanka. Indeed in many of the recent writings of the defenders of the Sinhala supremacist state– both in CT and in the Island newspaper– one see an increase of this sense of panic soon after the election of the Northern Provincial Council leading to a thorough-going distortions of historical detail, illogical arguments and specious claims.
    This movement is in fact lead by trained historians, geographers, sociologists and lawyers and dentists — not to speak of scurrilous journalists–etc! And I am not sure whether the Sinhala masses are too concerned about this.
    Will they succeed in establishing a pure Arya-Sinhala-Buddhist hegemonic state by subordinating/exterminating all the minorities?
    Indeed there was a chance that they would have and the only force that would prevent it is the light that the UN and other international agencies are able shine on the problem. However one must add it may not be enough.

  • 2
    7

    Thank you Dr. Bandarage for responding to the UN Rapporteur’s simplistic statement obviously fed by the Tamil diaspora as part of their international propaganda machine. The usual Tamil writers who dominate Col Telegraph have slammed you. It is not the Tamils who are a minority. It is the Sinhalese who are a minority next to the Tamil homeland of 22 million Tamil Dalits only 12 miles away. The Tamils were brought from there by the Dutch and the British who gave them an English education and gave their leaders an elitist status in a country where the Sinhalese are a majority. There is absolutely no proof that there was a traditional Tamil homeland in the North or the East. When the Portuguese started harassing the Muslims it was a Sinhala King who settled the Muslims in the East. It so happened a lot of them were also Tamils. During the 30 year war, the LTTE damaged a number of the Buddhist places of worship that existed. The GoSL were only trying to repair these temples. When the LTTE indulged in Sinhala Genocide in the North and East where was the UN? Where was the UN when India trained the LTTE and unleashed them on Sri Lanka. Where was UN when India sent in IPKF forces which ended in a fiasco for the Tamils where the women were raped and the LTTE slaughtered. Does the UN blame GoSL for IPKF misdemeanors too? Where was the UN when small Samanera’s and entire Sinhalese villagers in the East were killed by machete-wielding LTTE thugs. Where was the UN when these same thugs cut open pregnant women and slammed babies on the floor to kill them. They want to do war crimes of the Sinhala soldiers, how about the 30 years of crimes committed by the LTTE and their supporters which include the Tamil diaspora and the current TNA. A lot of Tamils were killed by the LTTE itself when the 300,000 Tamil civilians captured by their SunGod tried to escape him and run to the army lines. Who rescued them from the LTTE? In this Kali Yuga truth is hidden and black is made to look white. Just because the Western politicians have succumbed to the money from Tamil diaspora and are willing to speak any untruth for the sake of the money does not mean that it is the truth that they speak. India may take over Sri Lanka using the Tamils as a cat’s paw. If that happens the Tamils will lose their Vellala status and become low caste with their caste on the birth certificate like in India. The Tamils have been given so much by the Sinhalese, much more than the Tamils in Tamil Nadu. Is there an iota of gratitude?

    • 3
      0

      Zeus

      ” It is not the Tamils who are a minority. It is the Sinhalese who are a minority next to the Tamil homeland of 22 million Tamil Dalits only 12 miles away.”

      1. When did Tamil Tamil Nadu become Tamil homeland?

      2. When did Tamil Nadu population shrink from 72 to 21 million mere dalits (the numbers of your lost cousins over say 1000 years)?

      3. You conveniently forgot mention the other people who speak other languages Telugu 8.65%, Kannada 5.68%, Urdu 1.51% and Malayalam 2.63%, Marathi 0.1%.

      What is your point if there is one?

  • 2
    6

    Dr Bandarage has covered the salient points of the UN Rapporteur’s comments.
    Personally, I found the UNR’s comments unfair and highly biased.

    Tamil people ought to realise that their Homeland is in Tamil Nadu. Make conditions good for themselves in Tamil Nadu. Go to Tamil Nadu and let matters be examined why it is that a large number of Tamils flee Tamil Nadu, the Homeland of Tamil people.

    • 4
      0

      Sinhalese extremist( many of them purely descended from recently Sinhalised immigrants from Tamil Nadu) are now trying to falesely distort history and make out to the world that just because different dialects of the same Tamil language is spoken in north and east of Sri Lanka and in Tamil Nadu, that Tamils belong to Tamil Nadu as there are around 80 million Tamil living there compared to the 2.27 indigenous Tamils from the north and east of the island. This is like stating Austrians belong to Germany as they speak German or vice versa. Old Tamil/proto Dravidian was at one time widely spoken throught the entire Indian subcontinent and the island. The Tamils of Sri Lanka and South India are the remnants of these ancient Old Tamil/Proto Dravidian speakers of pre historic India. Most of them now speak other languages due invasions and the influence of other religions.

      In fact it is not the indigenous Sri Lankan Tamils but most of the present day Sinhalese who are descended from immigrants from Tamil Nadu and then Tamil Kerala. Many of them only arrived here a few centuries ago. DNA has also proved that the Sinhalese are largely of Tamil descent. Modern day Sinhalese is a mixture of Tamil Pali Sanskrit and Prakrit. The Tamil people and the Tamil language are the biggest contributors to the evolution of the Sinhalese language and people. Sinhalese are largely descended from Tamil converts to Buddhism and 40% of the Sinhalese vocabulary and 100% of the Sinhalese lexicon grammar syntax and alphabet is derived from the Tamil language. Take all the Tamil derived words from Sinhalese and there will be no Sinhalese. Yet they dare to state Tamils do not belong to the island but only them, when they themselves are largely a mixture of various immigrants from India largely from the Tamil country, from ancient to modern times and their language may have evolved in the island and only spoken in the island but it evolved from three languages out of which only Tamil belongs to the region. The other two are from the plains of northern India. Yet they state they are indigenous. Lots of Tamil Pandarar arrived from South India and gradually over the centuries became Sinhalese and their names changed to Bandara Banda Bandranaicke Bandarage. All Sinhalised versions of the original Tamil caste name Pandarar.

      http://www.multimatrimony.com/hindu-matrimony/andipandaram-matrimony
      All the Sinhalese Banda/Bandara and other variations can see their close cousins in Tamil Nadu advertising for partners. Choose one

      • 1
        0

        Very true,Siva Sankaran Sarma, the real.One becomes a true Ariya-Sinhala by dropping the last consonant from one’s name!
        We could also mention the many Sinhalese with Portuguese names who are descended
        from Cinna Cutty snd Peria Cutty(Paul Peiris) etc, immigrants from Tamil Nadu who were brought to peel cinnamon.
        Strangely enough (or not so strangely) they are some of those who suffer from extreme Dammila-phobia!

  • 4
    1

    fortunately he have some rational personalities among majority:jehan perera, prof.hettige, prof.j.uyangoda who are different kettle of fish compared to asoka and nalin , another hate tamil prof. pl. note most of the discriminatory legislations such citizenship acts, sinhala only act and even standardization of marks based on medium for university admission-all were brainchild of highly english educated people. again note the failure of the above actions: now upcountry tamils somewhat enjoy citizenship rights after some legislation, sinhala only is now changed- both languages are official languages and standardization was given up and now a different admission policy in place. tamils at least dont’ complain. it took several decades for the majority leadership to understand their own acts of discrimination!
    -DAYAL

  • 4
    1

    Hello Asoka Madam,

    There is really nothing much left for me to say here since you deservedly got it from left / right / top and even bottom, sadly.

    My piece of advice is that you don’t share this URL with your students, or they might start to judge the whole country’s educated people, and who knows if they have included your name in the ‘educated **dayas list’ by now?

    Damn, US lifestyle + a Phd can’t change that mindset, forget about Ambanthota lifestyles + O-Levels doing the miracles..LOL

    Thanks

  • 0
    0

    [Edited out]

  • 1
    0

    [Edited out]

  • 2
    0

    Facts about the Tamil Pandaram caste ancestors of the Sinhalese Bandara

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Desikar

    • 0
      0

      Sri Lankan Tamils and Sinhalese are closely related. So are their customs, belief, way of life, language and features.

  • 1
    0

    Minorities have no rights in majority Islamic countries. But Muslims minorities enjoy a lot of rights in majority non Muslims countries.

Leave A Comment

Comments should not exceed 200 words. Embedding external links and writing in capital letters are discouraged. Commenting is automatically disabled after 5 days and approval may take up to 24 hours. Please read our Comments Policy for further details. Your email address will not be published.