Shenali D Waduge

Andrew Sparkes the British envoy to Nepal sparked controversy in demanding the right to convert be included into Nepals new constitution. The Pope has vowed to convert 100million non-Christians to Christianity by 2025. Both West’s & the Vaticans objectives compliment a ‘Look East Policy’ mirroring colonial rule with gun in one hand and Bible in the other. Do non-Christians have a right to worry when Theravada Buddhist Asia is now targeted? Yes but slogans of reconciliation, multiculturalism, multi-faith using international agencies/envoys shoot down these concerns. However secularism is no license for conversion. The statistics are alarming. The Centre for the Study of Global Christianity declares Nepal to be the fastest Christianity growing country in the world, followed by China, UAE, Saudi Arabia & Qatar. How has the UNP contributed to realization of Christianizing/Evangelizing Sri Lanka?

The role of the Church in Sri Lanka

From the time the Portuguese landed in Sinhale in 1505 the Church’s mission was anti-Sinhala Buddhist and anti-national. The Church together with the Portuguese, Dutch and the British set out to oppress indigenous religions – Buddhism and Hinduism. Compulsory conversions was a form of terrorism used that led to converting or facing death and destructions to kovils and temples. Portuguese historian Queroyz lists down the temples that were destroyed and on top of which Churches are erected. Colonialism and conversions became trojan horses to plunder continents of Asia, Africa, Middle East and Latin America with the goal to indoctrinate followers to look down on local traditions, values, national heritage, indigenous religion and look at history from the prism of the benefits that the West delivered. Indigenous heroes and patriots were taught to be despised.

The Church succeeded in alienating a chunk of the native populace away from their heritage steering them to function as surrogates & fifth columnists and not showing the qualities of kshatriyas (patriotic warriors). They have been turned into sepoys or mercenaries of the Church/West. The question of where the allegiance of these converted Catholics lies whether to the State or to the wishes of the Vatican is often shrouded in controversy.

In China, local Catholics are debarred from dealing with the Vatican to ensure Chinese Catholics integrate with Chinese culture/nationalism. In Sri Lanka we can recall the Catholic Action that led to the failed military coup by Christian military officers in 1962. The allegations of the Church links to the LTTE on behalf of the West through Christian NGOs as well as LTTE front heads who are Fathers and have openly compared Prabakaran with Jesus without any objections from the Vatican.

The US Govt through the USAID allocates billions to over 50,000 faith-based organizations with the specific task to convert.

UK-linked Wahhabi Islam uses $100billon to export extremist Wahhabi Islam to purposely cause disharmony and give West a foothold.

UNP – anti-Sinhala/anti-Buddhist

The oldest national political party in Sri Lanka is the United National Party. Its leader D S Senanayake is fondly known as the Father of the Nation. Immediate post-independent leaders of Sri Lanka were virtually all Christian/Catholic. English education was only for the converted and missionary education was able to create natives loyal to Western dogma/ideology/values and even dress! Thus the absence of calls to reverse discrimination to the Sinhale nation/Sinhala Buddhists.

The UK’s unwritten constitution follows a political tradition that makes the Queen the Head of the Church of England who appoints 15 representatives of the Church of England to the House of Lords. If so, why are efforts being made to subtly remove the foremost place given to Buddhism and right to reclaim Sri Lanka as a Buddhist nation? When Tony Blair a Catholic became Prime Minister the first thing he did was to convert to Protestant which is moreorless what the Catholic UNP leaders did in converting or pretending to be Buddhists for political relevance. One month before he left office Blair reconverted to Catholicism again and questions the ceremonial Buddhist politicians of Sri Lanka! Bands of pirith nool tied around wrists do not make politicians Buddhists.

Evidence of UNP’s pro-Christian links

• UNP leader unchallenged since 1994 is a Christian and only a Buddhist for cosmetic purposes.
• His preferred advisors and close friends are all evangelists and pro-Christians
• Ranil Wickremasinghe is the Vice Chairmen of the IDU and Chairman of the Asia Pacific Democratic Union. The International Democrat Union(IDU) is an international grouping of conservative and Christian democratic political parties. Formed in 1983, the IDU provides a forum in which political parties holding similar beliefs can come together and exchange views on matters of policy and organizational interest, in order that they might act cooperatively, establish contacts, and present a unified voice toward the promotion of center-right policies across the globe
• No sooner the UNP Leader became Prime Minister in 2001 the Buddha Statue that was placed in front of Sirikotha from the time of the late Senanayakes was relocated.
• His first achievement after taking office was to sign a ceasefire agreement on 22 Feb 2002 drafted by Evangelical Norway endorsed by LTTE placing these terrorists on par with a legitimate elected Government and giving territory to these terrorists and claiming he had done a wonderful achievement!
• When Ranil Wickramasinghe became Prime Minister in 2001 he appointed a Cabinet of Ministers of whom over 60% were Christians by faith in a country where over 70% were Buddhists and by the same equation how he came into power!
• In 2001 for the 7.5% Christians and 8% Muslims, Ministry of Christian Affairs & Ministry for Muslim Affairs was created. The same has been done in his 2015 manifesto. No country in the world has such Ministries for such numbers!
• In 2001 he appointed John Amaratunga as Minister in charge of Interior Affairs under whom Public Security and Police, as well as the Dept of Immigration & Emigration came so Visas were freely granted to inbound Evangelists to spread the faith. He was also made the Minister of Christian Affairs.
• Under this Minister, the Police were instructed to ensure that the whole month of December was celebrated for Christmas with lighting. The same portfolio has been given in 2015.
• Under Ranil’s rule in 2001 Buddhist ceremonies were given step-motherly treatment and in some cases directives were given not to issue permits for loudspeakers even for important Buddhist functions like Wesak and Poson
• In 2001 illegal prayer centers around the country were given police protection in residential areas – Police were instructed to ignore complaints made by Buddhists when they complained about illegal religious activities
• During this same period no attention was paid to excavation thefts of Buddhist artifacts and destruction of Buddhist archaeological sites as the Minister of Christian Affairs was also in charge of Public Security and no surprise fast forward to 2015 the UNP leader has appointed the same person as Minister for both portfolios once again!
• The pattern continued with the appointments to the State Rupavahini & Radio station to ensure Buddhist opinion and voice was drowned in 2001 with the same occurring now in 2015 and with each year the incursions gained a success to the Christian bloc and a loss to the Buddhists! Enumerate that into future and lack of opposition to foretell what the ultimate outcome is targeted to be!
• In 2002 the Prime Minister, the Media Minister and the Lakehouse had to extend an apology to the Maha Sangha for a mischievous attempt to challenge the authenticity of the relics enshrined in the sacred Temple of the Tooth with a group of non-Buddhist writers preparing an article issued under a Muslim writer who was fired from his post later. http://archives.dailynews.lk/2002/01/21/new14.html numerous attempts have been made using Christian/Muslim writers to denigrate Buddhists/Buddhism in both state & private print & electronic media. Virtually all editors are non-Buddhists and regular columnists are non-Buddhists as well. None of the published news is in proportion to the 70% Buddhist populace.
• The present editor of the Sunday Observer was the same editor in 2002 that published the article under a Muslim journalist! Present editors of Sunday Observer and Daily News are Christians. We can previously recall another editor who forced Lakehouse staff to attend Bible classes!
• Catholic Archbishop Rt.Rev. Oswild Gomis was appointed Chancellor of Colombo University; permission was granted for Christian Evangelical groups to conduct “Open Air Prayer Healing ” sessions in close proximity to Buddhist temples so that Buddhist ceremonies would be drowned by the loudspeaker noises of the healing sessions
• In 2005 possibly to prop up his vote, the UNP Leader launched a book on Buddhism which was challenged to a debate by JHU Ven. Omalpe Sobhitha Thero which the UNP leader did not accept and not surprisingly for someone who does not know what ‘pasdun korale’ is!
• Then in 2005, the Archbishop of Colombo Rev. Oswald Gomis and the Golden Key crook Lalith Kotelawala inserted an advertisement titled ‘Christians Awake’ making a veiled request for Christians and Catholics not to vote for Mahinda Rajapakse at the Presidential Election. This same Mahinda Rajapakse inspite of requests not to, invited the Pope to bless Sri Lanka but was not President to accept the invitee because the Catholics/Christians did not vote for him! The Church has come out again subtly telling Christians/Catholics who to vote!
• Numerous other Catholic priests openly side with the LTTE and have joined LTTE supporters to write to UN to press for war crimes charges against those who liberated the nation from terrorism.
• Ranils selected Minister of Women & Children’s Affairs was distributing Bibles to a school in Maligakanda where the students were almost entirely Buddhist and Muslim The same minister is soliciting funds to convert as ‘Born Again’ many
• UNP Leader visited Portugal and personally invited the Prime Minister to  to visit Sri Lanka in 2005 to celebrate the 500th Anniversary of Portuguese colonization of Sri Lanka (and entry of Christianity to this country); totally ignoring the murders  committed by the Portuguese in Sri Lanka and the destruction of temples & kovils on top of which churches are today erected.
• In 2007 Jeyraj Fernandopulle said Like me, Ranil Wickremesinghe and Ravi karunanayaka were born Christians. It is wrong for them to use the accusing finger at a priest of a different religion and call him names.” When Ranil attacked Venerable Ellawela Medhananda over a vehicle registration.
• In 2010 the All Island Monks Organisation accused Ranil W of insulting Buddhism
• In 2012 Ranil Wickremasinghe claimed that the Kapilavasthu relics were those of Sariputta and Moggallana (the 2 disciples of Buddha) though Buddhists believe the relics are those of Buddha!
• Key UNP MPs openly denounce Buddhism going so far as to publicly declare that the Buddhist identity of Sri Lanka needs to be replaced. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lJ2WYlfjm-E
• UNP has paid only lip service to occasions where Buddhists have faced attack ex: Bangladesh, Thailand, Myanmar and even in India
• UNP has never been the voice for the Buddhist heritage/history of Sri Lanka though majority of UNP supporters are Sinhala Buddhists
• Sri Lanka media is in the hands of pro-Christian editors who all take pains to promote UNP policies and politicians and denigrate Buddhists/Buddhism (content analysis of editorials / selected writers and their writings / themes etc will reveal this clearly though examples have been given in the Press Commission Report of 1964 and warrants a fresh commission)
• Majority of influential middle class Catholics extend support to UNP whatever policies it holds in view of their allegiance to the Church neglecting the risk
• The Christian Law & Order Minister seeking Rs.300m from China in exchange for review of Port City to renovate the Thewatte Church that has been long accused of distorting history. http://www.lankaweb.com/news/items/2015/07/27/distortion-of-buddhists-history-in-sri-lanka-by-thewatta-church-in-ragama-is-just-a-tip-of-a-huge-ice-burg/

This cartoon sealed the fate of the UNP in 1956

It depicted Sir John Kotelawala riding an elephant (the symbol of the UNP) pointing a spear at the Buddha statue. Accompanying Sir John was people dressed in western garb drinking and dancing (Western Liberalism slowly attempting to remove the Buddhist cultural heritage of Sri Lanka) in the foreground was a calf killed and ready to be barbecued…(Buddhists have been appealing against animal slaughter in keeping with Buddhas preaching to treat Man and Animal equally) – the characters can easily be replaced by present day UNP leaders and the message hasn’t changed much! This cartoon shook the Sinhala Buddhists

The West are now using UNP to evangelize Sri Lanka in a larger Asian plan that is targeting the Theravada Buddhist nations that are covering China. This requires that Sri Lanka be alert as well as project the plans in place and expose the West-Church links and their puppets in Sri Lanka. What Buddhists and converted Christians must understand is that these imperialistic efforts have nothing to do with teachings of Christianity (in whatever form) but Christianity is being used as a tool to firstly enrich the Church and create loyal Asian/African foot soldiers loyal to Western Christian hegemony out of the Third World.

Not many countries can boast of a civilizational history as long as Sri Lanka. The glorious past seen in monumental ancient relics/artefacts/archaeological sites cannot be allowed to be destroyed or its history distorted because other faiths do not have such rich past to be proud of and a religion not based on myths but scientifically proven. For jealousy and spite our country cannot become victim for ethno-religious demographic change or become the ground to destroy fellow nations!

Devo vassatu kalena – May gods give rain in due season

Sasa sampatti hotuca  – May the crops be bountiful

Pito bhavatu lokoca – May the people be happy

Raja bhavatu dhammiko – May the king be righteous

 Only those who value & wish to preserve the nations historical past will foresee the dangers and endeavour to protect it from destruction

Shenali D Waduge

Further reading :

• Report of the All Ceylon Buddhist Congress on Unethical Conversions
  http://www.acbc.lk/images/stories/pdf/chapter%202.pdf
• http://www.lankaweb.com/news/items/2012/11/17/manipulative-christian-conversions-in-sri-lanka-some-perspectives/
• http://www.boston.com/news/special/faith_based/faith_based_organizations.htm