The Existential Fears of Buddhists in Sri Lanka must be given high priority and addressed without delay
Posted on August 13th, 2013
Shenali D Waduge
A specter is haunting Sri Lanka. The specter of the country being overrun by Muslims. That something so unpleasant might happen in Sri Lanka virtually unopposed and unresisted by those who have been elected to power exclusively by the urban and rural Buddhist vote explains to a great extent the despair and sense of betrayal of Buddhism and the national interest by the powers that be which in turn is manifesting in the forms of suspicion and distancing between the two communities i.e. Buddhist and Islamic, in this country.
Thanks to Muslim obduracy and incursions into traditional Buddhist space through increasing construction of Mosques in sacred Buddhist citadels such as Anuradhapura, Dambulla, Mihintale, Mahiyangana and in numbers totally disproportionate to the actual numbers of believers in Islam, use of loudspeakers at Mosques in every nook and corner of the country blaring shrieking sounds in Arabic five times a day totally oblivious to the violation of the fundamental right to silence of every citizen, and the nuisance and disturbance it is causing to the vast majority of the people who wish to live in peace amidst a quiet and serene environment, brutal killing of cattle and other animals and display of slaughtered animal carcasses on main and side roads, irrespective of the disgust it is causing to the majority of the public weaned on principles of non ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢¢”š¬…” killing and compassion towards animals, animal sacrifice a practice repugnant to Buddhists and condemned by the Buddha,ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ opposition to the continuation of the historic identity of Sri Lanka as a Buddhist country, and promotion of the alien Arabic culture through unacceptable dress codes, food habits, arrogant behaviour and flaunting of wealth by members of this minority group in pre-dominant and traditional Buddhist areas of the country, have awakened the sleeping Sinhala Buddhists to the threat posed to their very survival in the country both in the short and the long term.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ This fear is also spreading right across Buddhist Asia in varying degrees.
Validity of Existential fears of Buddhists
One thousand years ago Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Malaysia, Kashmir, Indonesia and Maldives were all Buddhist. It is no more now. The very forces that have taken over these countries are now threatening the survival of Buddhism in Myanmar (Burma), and posing a challenge to the dominance of Buddhism in both Sri Lanka and Thailand. The existential fears are what the current Buddhist world is concerned about.
To understand the crux of the argument the following lines by the Indonesian Christian priest Father Daniel Byantoro is relevant:
ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-For thousands of years my country (Indonesia) was a Hindu-Buddhist kingdom.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ The last Hindu king was kind enough to give a tax exempt property for the first Muslim missionary to live and to preach his religion.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Slowly the followers of the new religion were growing, and after they became so strong the kingdom was attacked,ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ those who refused to become Muslims had to flee for their life to the neighboring island of BaliƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ or to a high mountain of Tengger, where they have been able to keep their religion until now.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Slowly from the Hindu Buddhist Kingdom, Indonesia became the largest Islamic country in the world.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ If there is any lesson to be learnt by Americans at all, the history of my country is worth pondering upon. We are not hate mongering, bigoted people; rather, we are freedom loving, democracy loving and human loving people.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ We just don’t want this freedom and democracy to be taken away from us by our ignorance and misguided ‘political correctness’, and the pretension of tolerance.ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚
Betrayal of Buddhism
This is the threat that all the current Buddhist nations fear especially the Buddhist populations who do not wish to experience what Buddhists in all the nations that had Buddhist populations experienced when they were wiped out or converted to ensure ONLY Islam prevailed. Buddhists have not gone to any country by force or taken over countries ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢¢”š¬…” the countries where Buddhists prevail are only trying to preserve their culture and identity. Leaders should not betray that for their personal and political benefit.
Media snubs on Buddhists, the tagging of Buddhists as extremists, fascists and racists are mere attempts to psychologically corner and dampen the Buddhists. The Buddhists refuse to be cornered into shunning their past ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢¢”š¬…” Buddhists wish to remain proud of their country, their heritage, their culture and religion and it should remind leaders that they need to be nationalists and not multiculturalists and secularists. Today, Hindus in India are a lost and abandoned group for it has become fashionable to not be proud of the once glorious Hindu heritage in India and the present lot of Indian leaders are totally to blame for this state of affairs.
Elsewhere the natives have awoken too. The British are now echoing the same sentiments, Australians are likewise echoing similar sentiments to their Governments while Governments like in Sri Lanka having resorted to bartering the space of the indigenous culture and their religion for the carrot of petro dollars from Arabia has created the current predicament whereas countries like Russia have said a firm no despite the carrot of a rich arms deals for giving up President Assad of Syria.
Contrary to the intolerance that is being conveniently projected let us not forget that the countryƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s tolerance and unprecedented religious accommodation has enabled 48 mosques to be built in a small township i.e. Katankudy, with less than 40,000 Muslims, some of these areas have been turned into ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-only Muslim zonesƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ no different to the ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-Shariah zonesƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ now prevalent in the UK to which the English Defense League is coming forward to object against ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢¢”š¬…” these zones obviously came about because British authorities allowed them and now social groups have to come forward to make the objections on behalf of the British majority. When UK issues statements against Sri Lanka citing the Bodu Bala Sena, we can in turn seek UKƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s response to the EDL and the attacks on Muslims following the killing of a British soldier in broad daylight resulting in scores of mosques being attacked and burnt through arson.
Buddhist citadels under threat
Over a period of time there has been a deliberate and planned effort to increase the number of mosques and prepare the ground for Islamisation of Sri Lanka. When non-Muslims cannot even place a foot in Mecca, Muslims claim a takaran shed is a mosque or Muslim shrine in the hallowed Mahamegha Uyana,ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ the former royal park to the south of the Buddhist holy city of Anuradhapura, which was gifted by King Devanampiyatissa to the Buddha Sasana after embracing Buddhism upon the arrival of Arahant Mahinda in 300 B. C.
InƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ other sacred Buddhist sites or in their vicinity shops and makeshift prayer centers eventually become ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-mosquesƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ and Muslim extremists end up plugging a fictitious historical element to stake claim while Government appointed Ministers and officials have even been tweaking with the countryƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s history text books while fraud in law entrance exams eventually end up expanding the batches without nullifying the fraudulent examination results enabling a disproportionate number of Muslims to probably push for Sharia law as a parallel law of the country. This is the next likely threat.
Buddha Gaya subject to continuous disturbance by Azan calls
Even Buddha Gaya the holiest place of all Buddhists has been disturbed by a new mosque that is playing azan 5 times a day disturbing the meditation of the priests and the daily worshippers. That the mosque was non-existent until of late and was strategically placed to disturb the Buddhists in prayer speaks louder than words ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢¢”š¬…” because calls to close the mosque is met with accusations that Buddhists are discriminating the Muslims ignoring that the incursion and provocation is what should matter. These incursions have been not exclusive to Sri Lanka but Sri Lanka has been far more alert than other countries as was seen by the manner that the halal issue forced the Government into action. Nevertheless, the Government cannot afford to be taking action on case by case basis and only when the masses begin to turn the heat on them because their eyes begin to open when they realize their block vote base is unhappy. This is not how the country can be run. This is why monk Wirathu of Mynamar has come forward.
It must be remembered that it was the deep sense of injustice and destruction of Buddhist Universities, and killing of innocent Tibetan Monks at Nalanda and other heritage sites in India by Islamic hordes ( Tibetans share the same DNA with Mongols and Burmese) that provoked the Mongols led by Genghis Khan and followed by his grandson Hulagu who went all the way from Mongolia to Iraq and destroyed the Islamic Caliphate and the Islamic library at Baghdad as sweet revenge for the destruction of Buddhist universities and libraries like Nalanda in India.
In Burma the monks are alert and they are taking control of the situation and they are not allowing their country to be usurped by later cultures.
Moratorium on building of new Mosques
The West with all its laws in place is under similar threats elevated by the fact that foreign politicians turn to immigrant vote bases to secure electoral wins. But now, US, UK, most of the EU nations are all calling for moratoriums on new mosques and stricter laws to govern Muslim incursions.
It is time that Sri LankaƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s Government does the same. France has gone a step further by banning the burka and niqab and even Human Rights Watch has not disagreed that the dress is not part of Islam but one that is associated with Arabic culture. Arabic culture is however not Islam. People in Sri Lanka certainly do not mind the Muslim women covering their head but they do not like to see black clothes which was not prevalent decades ago and questions what type of new Islam is being promoted with even the men now changing their attire to resemble tribal dress? It is also noteworthy that none of the elite Muslims adorn these garments and questions whether a monetary component is involved with lower middle class and poor only dressing in black given that billions are been thrown to spread this type of new culture throughout non-Muslim nations.
We must also wonder how far Raymond IbrahimƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s theory is also part of the problem: ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-What if an entire civilization developed an inferiority complex? What ramifications would that have on the rest of the world? How would such paranoia play itself out in the interaction of civilizations? Translating ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-The Broder Dilemma and Inferiority Complex,ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ written by Muslim intellectualƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Khaled Montaser, :
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-We Muslims have an inferiority complex and are terribly sensitive to the world, feeling that our Islamic religion needs constant, practically daily, confirmation by way of Europeans and Americans converting to Islam. What rapturous joy takes us when a European or American announces [their conversion to] IslamƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢¢”š¬‚proof that we are in a constant state of fear, alarm, and chronic anticipation for Western validation or American confirmation that our religion is ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-okay.ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ We are hostages of this anticipation, as if our victory hinges on itƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢¢”š¬‚forgetting that true victory is for us to create or to accomplish something, such as those [civilizations] that these converts to our faith abandonƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚¦.. ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-
http://www.raymondibrahim.com/from-the-arab-world/the-muslim-worlds-inferiority-complex/
Denial of religious freedoms in West Asia
Can Muslims demand what they do not wish to concede to non-Muslims?
Is the Islam being practiced by nations of the Muslim world tolerant of other religions?
Can non-Muslims put up a place of religious worship in the Arabian peninsula?
Did the Muslims not recently declare that Arabia should be ONLY for Muslims and all others should be chased out?
The territory and space of Islam is non-negotiable and if Islam is non-negotiable what is wrong with others saying the same?
Muslims clearly draw the line on what they tolerate and what they will not ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢¢”š¬…” whether we like it or not we have no choice but to accept. No one challenges the non-negotiable nature of religious space in majority Muslim nations and not a single international entity including NGOs or UN would even demand that their laws be changed to give equality to all faiths. Yet, the Muslims make these demands that they do not give in their lands. Buddhism is not a religion of the Book i.e. Quran. Therefore it is not recognized as a religion in Arabian countries. It is banned in Kuwait, Egypt, Iran and all other gulf and Arabian countries.
Dialogue of civilization impossible without mutual recognition
What dialogue can be had with those who do not recognize your existence as a legitimate world religion?
Whether we should believe in God or not is our religious choice. We expect Muslims to respect our choice and allow us to practice what we believe in. Unfortunately Buddhists in the whole of the Middle East are denied the fundamental religious freedoms that Muslims enjoy in almost every Buddhist majority country. The possession of citizenship is specious argument brought in to defend the denial of a basic human right.
We must also not forget that non-Muslims cannot even take a statue of the Buddha or book on Buddhism to Arabia and despite giving 300,000 Maldivians to work, live and study in Sri Lanka, Maldives will not allow Sri Lankans to carry a Buddha statue to Maldives ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢¢”š¬…” what a humiliation and slap on the face for Sri Lanka and does the Foreign Minister and other diplomats even object to such harassment of our people by people of a little country i.e. Maldives, that is eternally relying on Sri Lanka for most of their needs. Why is there no question of reciprocity as a basis of diplomatic relations between these two countries?
When is the Ministry of External Affairs going to stand up for the rights of our Sri Lankan people in the international arena?
The increasing friction between ethnic and religious communities is largely due to the failure of the Government to draw a clear line.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚
Immediate action
The Government must immediately address the following:
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚·ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Moratorium on mosques: In proportion to the Muslim population there are far too many mosques
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚·ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ No Loud Speakers: It continues to violate the fundamental right to silence of our people and made clear in the judgment of the Supreme Court on noise pollution and grant of an interim order placing limits on use ofƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ loudspeakers at Mosques.
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚·ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ No Cattle slaughter: There was no animal slaughter until the legalizing of such by the British after 1815. Majority of Buddhists are sensitive to killing animals and eating beef ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢¢”š¬…” why are these sensitivities not respected when Buddhists respect the Muslim abhorrence for pork?
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚·ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ No halal logo and no Shariah laws ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢¢”š¬…” while most believe the halal issue is resolved, there continues to be halal logos on food items on the excuse that the batch quantities are not over.
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚·ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Issue of conversions : Anti-Conversion bill is lying in limbo
Immediate Enactment of the Animal Welfare Bill prepared by the Law Commission. It is a national shame that fear of minorities i.e. Muslims, is preventing the Buddhists of this country from giving legislative and state protection to animals which every king and ruler since King Devanampiyatissa piously gave following the noble example set by Emperor Dharmasoka of India and taught by the Buddha. What a come down for the Buddhist heritage and unique animal friendly civilizational values of this country when our current politicians do not care for them!
In going behind the minority votes the politicians have bartered the space of the Buddhists and when these minorities are now beginning to demand their pound of flesh the majority realizes what the politicians have done and the reactions are what has taken place in the Grandpass area (how valid is a permit letter dated 10th August 2013 after building a mosque on the pretext of a ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-warehouseƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚).
We again question whether the Ministry of Buddha Sasana is functioning on behalf of the Buddhists or to preserve and promote every religion other than Buddhism for we have not forgotten that the Ministry did not issue a statement on the attacks on Buddhists and ancient Buddhist Temples in Bangladesh but was quick to issue a statement on a film trailer that most had not even seen but sparked riots across the Muslim world.
Status of Buddhism in Myanmar; Non – Negotiable
In Burma, the status of Buddhism is non-negotiable and in spite of Article 9 alongside a rich historical civilization the countryƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s politicians are bartering away Buddhism when all the while history is evidence of what happens to nations that gives up their identity whether willingly or by force. Every nation that Muslims have set foot upon has eventually turned into a Muslim nation unless proper laws are set in place. It is now time that the Sri Lankan Government also lays down its laws because the majority of Muslims in Sri Lanka have been living with the Buddhists adapting to the Sinhalese culture and customs and even dress as historical evidence will show. Many of these Muslims too do not like the present wave of new radical Islam sweeping across the nation but are too afraid to boldly come out and say so though silently they too wish that the Government puts these incursions to a halt.
If the Government is able to stop all these new incursions taking place on the ground that what exists more than suffices for the 9% Muslims, everyone in the country will be able to go on with their lives without fear.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ The Government cannot dither and needs to draw the lines safeguarding predominately Buddhist Sri Lanka and media needs to learn to relay the facts not according to their agendas.
August 13th, 2013 at 2:30 pm
We should all appreciate the great work of SW in telling the BITTER truth as it is.
Now the barbarians will call her a racist, chauvinist, etc. whereas they are the REAL racists.
e.g. Tamil national alliance
e.g. SL Muslim Congress
Sinhala Buddhists are highly civilized people ALWAYS looking for POLITICAL CORRECTNESS in what they say and do. But the MINORATIES are NOT so. They follow OPEN RACISM.
SL must do EVERYTHING to protect ENDAGERED SINHALA BUDDHISTS.
Muslims have ARABIA, Hindus have Hindia. Sinhalese ONLY have SL. Unless SLs learn from Indonesia, Pakistan, Bangladesh, MALDIVES, Afghanistan, it will happened in this country too. Arabic breeding machine is working very hard to breed to hell. NATO uses Muslims to kill Muslims so that they breeding will slow down. We cannot follow them. We have to have other means of STOPPING this ameba breeding curse.
August 13th, 2013 at 2:34 pm
The problem is not the power of the Muslims to convert for that is also shared with the Christian faith. the power lies in the concept of Secularism which is everything outside of belief or faith. Often one is reminded of the power of Secularism for it is the weapon used by journalists to condemn faith.
What happened to those nations centuries ago are the fault of those nations. They failed to know their enemy. The leaders failed to understand the meaning of the Koran. A classic example is Japan that has strict laws against Islam: Here are some of the facts: a) ‘Japan is the only Nation that does not give Citizenship to Muslims. b) In Japan permanent residency is not given to Muslims. c) There is a strong ban on the propagation of Islam in Japan .d) In the University of Japan, Arabic or any Islamic language is not taught.e) One cannot import the Koran published in Arabic language.f) According to data published by Japanese government, it has given temporary residency to only 2 lakhs,Muslims, who need to follow the Japanese Law of the Land. These Muslims should speak Japanese g) Japan is the only Country in the World that has a negligible number of embassies of Islamic Countries h) Japanese people are not attracted to Islam at all.and carry their religious rituals in their homes. i) Muslims residing in Japan are the employees of foreign companies. j) Even today visas are not granted to Muslim doctors, engineers or managers sent by foreign companies. k) In the majority of companies, it is stated in their regulations that no Muslims should apply for a job. l) The Japanese government is of the opinion that Muslims are fundamentalist and even in the era of globalization, they are not willing to change their Muslim laws. m) Muslims cannot even think about getting a rented house in Japan . n) If anyone comes to know that his neighbor is a Muslim then the whole neighborhood stays alert.o) No one can start an Islamic cell or Arabic Madrasa in Japan. p) There is no personal (Sharia) law in Japan .q) If a Japanese woman marries a Muslim then she is considered an outcast forever. r) According to Mr. Komico Yagi (Head of Department, Tokyo University ) There is a mind frame in Japan that Islam is a very narrow minded religion and one should stay away from it.s) Freelance journalist Mohammed Juber toured many Islamic countries after 9/11 including Japan . He found that the Japanese were confident that extremists could do no harm in Japan.
Japan has these regulations and no nation has accused Japan of human rights violations or being a bigoted nation. In addition the three jewels of Buddhism Buddham Saranam Gachami, Dhammam Saranam Gachami, Sangham Saranam Gachami or I take refuge in the Buddha, I take refuge in the Darhma, I take refuge in the Sanga. The Sanga is on equal par with the Buddha and the Darhma giving the Buddhist Sanga immense powers. In Tibet the Sanga has risen to such heights that the Dalai Lama is a reincarnation of the Buddha himself.
Buddhism has within herself the power to keep a Buddhist nation Buddhist. It does not even require that Buddhism be recognized as a state religion as Japan has proved it. But it would definitely help if Buddhism is made the state faith of Sri Lanka.
August 13th, 2013 at 3:05 pm
It is not conversion. It is multiplication. It is outbreeding and outnumbering. It takes only few hundred years.
That’s how all those countries lost to mossies. Once the numbers are high enough, they put non-believers to the sword!
That’s all. Job done for them.
In Sri Lanka they have the ideal grounds for breeding. UnPatriotic Party divide the Sinhalese. Greedy and selfish Tamils, who believe in mythical ancient kingdoms of theirs in Sri Lanka (nobody has ever seen any of them so far), want more and more of the cake and fighting. Mossies couldn’t ask for better environment to breed. There is the FREE EDUCATION, FREE HOSPITAS. No problem for the mossies. Keep breeding. Sri Lanka will be a mossie country soon.
August 13th, 2013 at 3:41 pm
Every government that came into power in Sri Lanka since Independence has been in the grip of Colombians and especially the Colombo Christians. Most of the heads of state are either Closet Christians or those who have been compromised through marriage. It is this Christian connection that has kept the Buddhists and Buddhism subjugated. Although they are the ones who bring these leaders to power, from the day after taking on power they go on to appease the whims and fancies of the Christians. It is in this space that Islam is making head way in Sri Lanka as a third force in a cancerous way.
Even President Rajapakse is compromised through marriage to the Christian Church. His children are probable baptised Catholics now masquerading as Buddhists. This was the same with Bandaranaike progeny. Since taking up the Presidency, the President has made his pilgrimage to the haven of the pedophiles the Vatican twice. Now to cap it all he is inviting the current incumbent pedophile protecting institution to visit Sri Lanka – apparently to show him “how beautiful Sri Lanka is”. The last time the Head of the Catholic Church visited Asian – he proclaimed 21st Century as the Century for the conversion of Asia. This agenda is in full swing in Sri Lanka and the Anti-Conversion bill is in limbo!
The so called Buddhasasana Ministry is usually given to the Prime Minister. The person chosen is usually an old toothless politicians who are easily swayed by outside forces – Christian and Islamic. The current incumbent is a walking mummy and is busy promoting multi-ethinic , multi-religious and muti-anything concept in Sri Lanka under the influence of the Colombian Christian and Islamic forces.
Shenali has brought up the issue. Bodu Bala Sena is trying to wake up the nation. All power to them.
August 13th, 2013 at 6:21 pm
Ratanapala is correct
August 13th, 2013 at 6:25 pm
when he was the prime minister this president said I will have to get permission from prabhakaran to go pilgrimage to madhu. why is he going there, Buddhists don’t go there. they are all catholics masquerading like Buddhists
August 14th, 2013 at 5:48 am
Some good news.
An explosion in an Endian submarine has sunk it killing 18 sailors. It was recently upgraded in Russia at $80 million.
Now Endia and Russia will be LESS friendly.
The explosion looks like an attack.
August 14th, 2013 at 6:17 am
Sri Lanka is small country with too much diversity and not enough UNIFYING FORCES. What unifies us ? It is our humanity and birth, Life & eventual death. The emotional pain felt and physical illnesses are the same. We all pretty much look the same, with some variations in skin tones & hair, height, weight, and facial features and abilities. The HUMAN FEELINGS are the SAME. ALL love a sense of SECURITY, ACCEPTANCE & HUMAN KINDNESS.
Instead of sliding into differences, we ought to slide into the Common Grounds of Human Feelings.
Those who are more affluent in Society, whatever their religious background or ethnicity, must help out with the Needs of the rest of society, in whatever way they can. Gifts given from the Heart are true givings, it blesses the Giver and the Receiver.
Take the CKD issue and the many thousands affected by polluted WATER. This is a good area for the entire country to come together and devise a Plan to get clean water to the affected areas and help out to ease the pain of the affected people too.
National Concern for any national tragedy/need is the best way to unify the country.
At present we are squandering away our lives in petty quarrels which enables outside powers gain control over us.
August 14th, 2013 at 7:02 am
This preaching is a complete opposite to what Buddha said. This amounts to inciting racial hatred. Gnasara the vicious cheevaraya should be locked up along with his NGO clan. Listen to a decent monk like Watareka Vijitha. Shame on Shenali
August 14th, 2013 at 7:03 am
Parliament must ban construction of any more religious structures such as Temples, churches, mosques etc. We have religion coming out of ears and not enough practice of the true religion. There is no need to construct any more places of worship. There are enough religious structures in Sri Lanka.
We ought to worship our own Life Force – God/Truth/Allah within us all. There is no need to construct outside religious structures anymore. The time has come for our true awakening where all feel safe and secure.
August 14th, 2013 at 8:16 am
Readers please watch this video. And see for yourself. http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=d1KOIZZYxKM&t=0
August 14th, 2013 at 8:21 am
We thank Shenali for pointing out ground realities so as to make us think about social issues in order to find solutions. Her well researched articles are highly appreciated by most of us. Her articles have shed much needed light on matters of great importance and brought facts out in the open for public debate.
In this instance of religious insecurity, may we suggest that we have common MEDITATION CENTRES all over the island, so that anyone can step in an learn the Journey Within to find God/Truth/Allah within us all ? Priests as well as lay folk could be the teachers of Meditation.
August 14th, 2013 at 8:58 am
If the current trend of Buddhist anxieties against other minority faiths are not addressed and resolved it could easily spill out into sectarian ethno religious violence, the last thing Sri Lanka needs today! While its not something that it hasn’t previously in the history of Sri Lanka where sadly little seems to have been done to correct it permanently and probably a tough ask today based on the over 20 million populace of a nation with varied ethno religious affiliations where the Bhumi Putras reign! ( to borrow a Malaysian adage).Yet a solution needs to be found as Ms. Waduge very prudently suggests where the world is ever watchful about the related goings on in Sri Lanka and could have dire ramifications hypothetically speaking at least!
Looking at it objectively, on one hand it seems to be paranoia and a matter of interpretation as the Buddhist faith has never been compromised by other religions to the extent it is made out by some yet some Buddhists in contravention of the Lord Buddha’s noble teachings tend to be intolerant and launch Quixotian attacks based mostly on unmitigated paranoia.This is not to say there aren’t provocations which need to be resolved through Government policy as the Quixotian attacks could easily be transformed into one where the victims aren’t mere windmills. History attests to this.
There is hardly a religion or philosophy which preaches acts of violence to promote man’s inhumanity to man although there can be skepticism about this rationale when it comes to Fundamental Islam! that is continuing to destroy parts of the world where decent human being live.
Sri Lanka must never fall into this category as it would be a tragedy that will affect all Sri Lankans.
TOLERANCE, PATIENCE, RESTRAINT, COMPASSION and COMMUNICATION needs to be spelled out in larger than capital letters to a predominantly Buddhist Nation that must never deny the foremost precepts of the religion they practice and the God’s they worship as otherwise it would be a useless effort.
August 14th, 2013 at 9:35 am
SHENALI’S write ups on various subjects, are factual, and devolves on reality. We greatly appreciate her input to this site.
August 14th, 2013 at 1:23 pm
Simply ban conversions by Muslims or Christians of Buddhists. This is the law of Japan. Please read my comment above of the list of regulations that Buddhist Japan keeps on her books. Sri Lanka can follow the same model and avoid international condemnation since Sri Lanka can claim she is following the Japanese model.
Sri Lanka’s history is replete with invasions by Hindus, attempts to destroy Buddhism by Europeans and yet Sri Lanka remains a majority Buddhist nation because the Buddhists fought back and it is time to fight back the Muslim scourge of conversions.
Laws can also be passed to the number of children a Muslim family can have including how many women a Muslim man can marry. Similar laws are being enacted by European nations at this very moment.
August 14th, 2013 at 1:44 pm
Fran,
“Take the CKD issue and the many thousands affected by polluted WATER. This is a good area for the entire country to come together and devise a Plan to get clean water to the affected areas and help out to ease the pain of the affected people too.”
It is just like Weliweriya!!
Water problems of SINHALESE will NEVER be resolved by this govt.
NOTHING has been done so far.
And don’t expect Tamils and Muslims to do ANYTHING for CKD. They are NOT affected and they are BLOODY SELFISH. They HAVE all the good water (PUMPED OUT FROM SINHALA AREAS).
August 14th, 2013 at 1:48 pm
callistus = Amarasiri = Muhandiram = Islamic extremist = Taliban = dead in drone attack
Thanks SW for smoking out HIDDEN Islamaniacs from their hiding places. :))
August 14th, 2013 at 1:57 pm
Sunil Mahattaya,
We should AVOID war. But not at all cost.
It is the MINORATIES that threaten violence.
I say BRING IT ON!
In 1981 Buddhist percentage of SL was 68%.
From 1983 to 2009 Tamilian minoraty started a war blaming the Sinhala Buddhists.
In 2012 Buddhist percentage of SL was 70%.
If you want peace, get ready for war.
If they threaten violence, war will condemn racist minoraties towards extinction.
e.g. If there was no war during Dutugemunu time, Tamilian Hindu population would have grown MASSIVELY and supported later Tamilian invasions too. That would have turned SL into another Endia where Buddhism disappeared.
But the wise king started war and saved the DHAMMA and the people.
Those religions that promote VIOLENE (e.g. fartwar, jihad, mujahidin, stoning, chopping off body parts) are ADHARMA. SL will have to confront them sooner or later. Better be sooner because it gets difficult as years pass.
August 14th, 2013 at 6:02 pm
The Daily Mirror has published what really happened re the Mosque event.
“THE DAILY MIRROR – Aug 14, 2013
Grandpass The true Story
Wednesday, 14 August 2013 01:49
It was only in May this year massive anti-Muslim protests were held in central London sending jitters through the spine of David Cameron’s government.
In France and the rest of Europe the Muslim community has come under regular attacks while the Denmark based Stop Islamisation of Europe (SIOE) moved to join hands with similar anti-Muslim groups in France, Germany, Norway, Poland, Romania, Hungary, Russia, Finland, and Sweden.
SIOE also has its support groups in the United States of America where it was only this June a college student was put behind bars for slashing the throat of a Bangladeshi taxi driver in an anti-Islamic frenzy in East Manhattan.
Sri Lanka may not be the best country in the world as regards the treatment meted out to Muslims. Still it is certainly not as bad as the West and all signs are there that, though still stumbling, some progressive steps are being taken to quell ethnic tensions.
Also closer to home, in India, the Kashmiris continue to live in a living hell and the thousands of mass graves found in Indian controlled Kashmir are evidence of a systematic ethnic cleansing which is going on. The latest bout of violence in the region has dashed any hope of redemption.
Amidst all this, the final solution reached over the Grandpass issue affords a beacon of inspiration despite initial hiccups.
Unfortunately the West rushed to fan the flames of ethnic tension even while the moves were made by concerned parties to bring about a solution to the dispute.
The US embassy in Colombo has yet to explain as to why it issued a misleading and an erroneous statement that a mosque in Grandpass had been attacked when the mosque remained intact.
It’s high time that the mission paid a visit to the mosque down Swarna chaitya road which is in close proximity to the Buddhist temple and verified the facts for themselves.
The dispute was over a store, temporary used as a prayer centre in the neighbourhood.
The international rights groups and media in no time picked up the erroneous release by the US embassy and pounced on Sri Lanka. The US owes a reply to Sri Lankans today as to how it’s going to compensate for the damage done to the image of Sri Lanka by the statement.
The Sinhalese and Muslims who live in Swarna Chaitya road area have been leading peaceful lives for decades.
A historic Buddhist temple Jayatilakaramaya is located in the area. In addition to the main temple, down the adjoining lane there’s another Viharaya and a Sinhala medium school.
The mosque is located under a Bo tree near the second temple. However, the existence of a mosque under a Bo tree was never an issue for the Buddhists and the Muslims who co-existed in the area.
The second temple and the mosque, however, had come under the jurisdiction of the Urban Development Authority (UDA) as per an order of 1987. The area had been ear-marked for a housing project by the UDA.
In 2010 a three-storied store was built by a person named Hassan Mubarak in between the two temples, about some 20 metres away from the mosque.
The Colombo Municipal Council (CMC), the Divisional Secretariat and Mr. Mubarak himself had admitted the fact that the building was originally constructed for the purpose of storage. Later gradually the place had been used for religious purposes as well. By then the property had been handed over to another party which in turn given it to the mosque trustee.
A circular dated June 21, 2010 issued by the Ministry of Religious Affairs banned the conversion of a store to a place of worship and prayers. It makes it mandatory to get the permission of the Divisional Secretariat or the local council for such a purpose.
The tension was created after the Ministry of Religious Affairs violated its own circular in June, 2013 under the influence of a politician and gave permission to use the store for a Sunday school and a mosque.
The green light to convert the store to a mosque while there’s already a mosque a few metres away and both in between two temples, certainly was a decision taken paying scant regard to the ethnic and religious sensitivities in the area.
The unrest in the area forced the Ministry of Religious Affairs to hold a meeting on July 10, with all parties concerned and it was agreed at this meeting that the use of store as a place of worship should be concluded after Ramazan fast. The devotees were advised to pray at the adjoining mosque afterwards.
The move to violate this agreement by continuing the prayers at the store triggered violence on August 10, resulting the store and property belonging to both communities coming under attack. The mosque, however, remained intact and not a single stone was pelted at it. The photos of the mosque taken after the incidents bear witness to this fact.
It came to light at the meeting held at the Religious Affairs Ministry on August 11 that the number of Muslim families in the area had risen from about 80 in 1987 to 400 in 2013. As such a request for a bigger space could be a rational demand. However, what they could have done was to hold talks with the rest of the villages and the temples and reach an amicable settlement as to how to increase prayer space rather than playing into the hands of opportunistic politicians.
At the meeting the Buddhist monks agreed to chop off the Bo tree so that the mosque trustees could use the space for building extensions to the mosque. Also in an unprecedented gesture of religious amity, the monks also invited the mosque trustees to use the temple Dharmasala any time they wanted extra space for prayers.
It is the wish of all peace loving citizens that this religious harmony is preserved and fostered for generations to come and that we in Sri Lanka set an example of religious amity for the rest of the world”.
August 14th, 2013 at 6:09 pm
Lorenzo,
The WATER problem at the 3 Provinces adjacent to the Central Province has existed for over 20 yrs. The present govt., after the war, has done what it can. More needs to be done.
The WATER problem at Weliweriya is as suspect (to us) as much as the 3 Provinces affected. Water has been used as weapon by the ltte earlier at Elephant Pass (over 1,000 soldiers died of dehydration during CBK/Ranil time) & at Mavilaru.
August 14th, 2013 at 7:12 pm
Fran,
Thanks for sharing the info. on Grandpass. Good ending BUT the pelting stones and violence was WRONG.
CKD
The govt. has done NOTHING to correct the situation. Plaster solutions given but that too not adequate. Agree previous govt.s didn’t give even plaster solutions.
LTTE used water as a wepon.
e.g. Mavil aru, EP, Welioya, Wedikantha, etc., etc.
Now TNA is doing the same thing and the govt. is unfortunately doing same.
e.g. Robbing water from Sinhala areas like Ampathalai, Labugama, etc. and pumping to Tamilian areas in Wellawatte, etc.
A solution should resolve these problems without temporary face save things.
August 15th, 2013 at 6:14 am
Lorenzo,
CKD :
Temporary solutions are all that ARE possible at this point in time. Long term solutions are in the pipelines, though not made public. Long term solutions to provide clean drinking water through pipes and clean up the water table in the 3 Provinces concerned are being handled by the COMMITTEES appointed by the President & GoSL.
What more can the GoSL do ? Govt. has to give wide scale PUBLICITY to whatever is done to meet demand for clean water.
It would be good if govt. and the entire Parliament (including the childish Jnt Opposition) goes on a WAR FOOTING to provide clean, pipe borne water to all areas in Lanka.
LTTE used water as weapon :
TNA ought to be banned. Their MPs break the law of the land with impunity. The TNA is not a registered political party. The TNA (per you, Lorenzo) is contesting elections in the North under ITAK. The actions of the TNA are counter productive to the Nation as a whole.
I fail to see how govt. is using water as a weapon. Water has to be shared by all ethnic groups, from areas of plenty to areas of want. Our populations have grown and must be catered to. There are new village areas growing and they must be looked after. India manages such action via their Indian Administrative Service, (IAS), acting together with the Indian Institute of Technology, and other bodies, private & public.
However, water disputes do happen in Tamil Nadu with their adjoining sub-states.
August 15th, 2013 at 2:15 pm
Fran,
“Long term solutions are in the pipelines, though not made public.”
That is like saying the invisible clothes of the king are glamorous!
August 16th, 2013 at 11:24 am
Lorenzo,
I am not a spokes person for govt. but I dislike injustice.
Re: Rathupaswela :
Bowsers deliver water at the moment. With the new evidence coming out, I have strange feeling that if some NEW wells are dug at Rathupaswela, then those wells may have clean water. Wells will have to be guarded and under high protection.
So we have to ask also the even more important question : WHO is SPOILING the WATERS OF LANKA ?
Re: 3 Provinces adjacent to Central Province :
In all the past years, Sri Lanka NEVER had such Water Problems, other than simple Water cuts during droughts. It is the ltte
that used Water as a Weapon. The Water Problems of Lanka started with Tamil Separatism.
Ask the right question for the right way to go.
———–
What solutions have the Public on the Water Problem re wells, etc. ?
August 17th, 2013 at 8:24 am
I refer to the scathing attack on this article by Shenali by another lady called Kamaya Jayatissa. The latter’s article in CT is titled: Before the spectre of idiocy takes over Sri Lanka.
I am not dealing with the truths of falsehoods of either of the two ladies. All I am concerned with is the INFIGHTING between factions of Sinhala Buddhists themselves in matters that concern the survival of the preponderantly Sinhala Buddhist nation. The Weliveriya incident, it must be recalled was a brutal murderous clash between the preponderantly Sinhala Buddhist army and a preponderantly Sinhala Buddhist village. The lady Kamaya Jayatissa calls herself ‘a Sinhala Buddhist’.
This situation is ominous and foreboding. At a most serious juncture of this nation’s history when the Sinhala Buddhist must stand together as a monolith, assailed by foes within and without, the monolith is crumbling into factions which is just what the enemies of the nation are living in anticipation of.
Needless to remind ourselves that it was the infighting between three Sinhala kingdoms that led to the creation of the so called kingdom of Jaffna, and enabled the Western powers to capture this country and impose their will on it. Indeed history repeats itself especially when people show off their brains in brainless fashion. Kamaya Jayatissa, is not what you are representing a promotion itself of the spectre of idiocy which you are trying to suppress?
This tragic situation brings to my mind the words of a song very much applicable to the Sinhala buddhists:
Oh when will they ever learn
Oh when will they ever learn
Mario Perera
Kadawata
August 17th, 2013 at 4:21 pm
Fran,
WATER is becoming a GLOBAL problem.
As you are concerned about Tamilian ILLGAL MIGRATION to SL, I have SHOCKING NEWS for you.
In another 10 years, TAMIL MADU will suffer MASSIVE water shortages. Then you know what happens.
We too are already feeling the impact of EXTREME WEATHER and FRESH WATER shortages. It was NOT there a few decades ago but it is there NOW.
With FRACKING for oil expanding fresh water is in even more danger. SOON some Endian junk will start it in SL.
August 17th, 2013 at 4:29 pm
Mario,
This is from Lankaweb quoting from Embassy of Sri Lanka in France.
“Delegation from Sri Lankan Embassy in Paris meets Che Guevara’s daughter
Posted on April 24th, 2012
Media Release -Embassy of Sri Lanka in France
On April 19, 2012, a Delegation of the Embassy of Sri Lanka in Paris attended “Death and Rebirth”, a symphony played on the occasion of the 45th death anniversary of the Cuban revolutionary Ernesto Che Guevara.
The event took place in presence of Dr. Aleida Guevara, the eldest daughter of Che. Also present for the occasion were: H.E. Orlando Requeijo Gual -Ambassador of Cuba to France, Orlando Requeijo Prof. Albert Jacquard, Jean Cornier, author of several books on the Guerrillero Heroico, Canadian astrophysicist Hubert Reeves and René Burri –whose photographs of Che Guevara are iconic.
Ambassador Dayan Jayatilleka, who was invited for the occasion by his Cuban counterpart H.E. Orlando Requeijo Gual, was unable to attend the event due to consultations in Sri Lanka. A delegation composed of Ms. Theruni Sebastiampillai and Ms. Kamaya Jayatissa was nominated by Dr. Jayatilleka to represent him on the occasion.
We are VERY GOOD at digging our OWN grave.
There is Kamaya with her photo.
Kithsiri RIGHTLY pointed out who this Kamaya is in a comment.
DJ is a media OCTAPUS. He has hit men and MOSTLY women at his disposal.
August 17th, 2013 at 4:42 pm
We must finance these people.
“A Sinhala Buddhist extremist ‘NGO’ named Helabima is being deployed by the occupying Colombo government to encourage the Sinhala people to occupy Tamil lands in the border villages between Batticaloa and Ampaa’rai. Major Bertie Perera, a Sinhala military official appointed by the Colombo government coordinates the structural genocide programme being carried out in the name of ‘development’. He collaborates with Helabima’s colonization operative Sunil Chandrakumara and the Buddhist prelate of the Batticaloa Mangalarama Vihara to enact Sinhalicisation of Kevu’liyamadu village in Paddip-pazhai division.”
– tamilnet