Pro-Christian Constitution aimed at stripping Sri Lanka’s Buddhist Land & Heritage
Posted on June 1st, 2016
Shenali D Waduge
When out of 19 members selected by the Prime Minister only two (Kushan de Alwis & M K Nadeeka Damayanthi opposes the removal of Article 9 it revealed beyond doubt the objective. 70% comprise Buddhists in Sri Lanka and only 2 stood for the sacrosanct status of the country’s historical ethos. The composition of the committee was clearly aimed to be a transit constitution enroute to fulfilling the unfulfilled goal of Christian colonial rulers. This constitution is nothing but a betrayal of our history, it is a conspiracy against Buddhism and the proposals to change the flag, the anthem, the Buddhist history, culture destined to be wiped out. Even LTTE would not have gone this far. Is this the outcome that the ranaviro fought and died for? What right do people who played no role in protecting and standing up for the sovereignty of the country have to use their pen to remove centuries of history and heritage? It is upto true patriots to come forward to stop these satanic forces from turning our country towards another South Korea or Philippines.
Why is it that only non-Abrahamic countries are being targeted with the multicultural, multifaith, secular gavel? Why is it only Dharmic countries that must wipe out their historical past and give equal status. How many of these members in the constitutional committee are aware that only Russia and Austria have given Buddhism equal status as a religion?
Has a single Muslim majority nation been tasked to change their constitutions to give equal status to non-Muslims?
Isn’t the Vatican City the only nation that has been created for a religion?
When colonials arrived their main objective was to Christianize all of the territories they forcibly held and wipe out the ancient cultures, values, traditions, customs and systems that were practiced. Decolonization has only meant the creation of a Euro-centric Anglo-American set of rules and laws that are viewed from the spectrum of what the West believes to be right. No respect or due diligence has been given to the ancient laws, customs or values of the Eastern civilizations. How right is this? Now with the strength of the West’s power yielded over politics, trade, AID, human rights and across the floor of the UN, nations that follow Dharmic faiths are being targeted to lay to rest whatever remaining of their historical pride they are trying their best to preserve. It is shocking when local agents of these sinister motives are pushing the neo-colonial agenda of late.
The new constitutional amendments in Sri Lanka is nothing to be surprised about. We knew that the attempt was clearly to remove the colonial objective of wiping out the historical hold Sri Lanka had to preserve the Sinhala Buddhist identity. Clothed in decorated jargon of ‘equality’ the gavel is set to remove the history of Sri Lanka an unfulfilled objective by all 3 colonial invaders. What is never argued is why Sri Lanka cannot maintain equality by law without removing the historical place that must be due to the Sinhalese who built the civilization and the Buddhist faith that was the State religion. All Kings including Indian invader Elara followed the dasa raja dhamma. In fact Elara killed his own son who had killed a calf as the royal decree was that all sentient beings had a right to life. Can anyone argue against the compassion of allowing an animal the right of life?
From North to South, East to West it is only the remnants of the Sinhala Buddhist civilization that exists and affords tourist value. Artefacts clearly showcase the magnitude of the civilization that prevailed. This rich past cannot be matched by any other ethnic group claiming to have a homeland. Those claiming to have had a homeland cannot even prove how they survived and lived when the man-made reservoirs and irrigation works by the Sinhala kings are evidence of how the Sinhalese occupied and ruled the entire island nation.
If a country has a judicial system that any citizen can take their grievance to and be equally treated before the law that is all that should matter. No Western-liberal thinkers tasked with changing the constitution can touch the historical place that the Sinhalese Buddhists have a right to preserve.
The Vatican City was created on 11 February 1911. It is the only religion to be given a whole state to call its own. It is the only official religion that has a member status in the UN. Wherever the Pope travels to he is propagating the Roman Catholic faith. How equal is this? Thousands of non-Roman Catholics visit the Vatican City but will the Vatican City ever consider becoming multicultural or multifaith?
Islam is the State religion in Afghanistan, Algeria, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Brunei, Egypt, Iran, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Libya, Malaysia, Maldives, Mauritiana, Morocco, Oman, Pakistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, Tunisia, UAE and Yemen.
In 6 Muslim countries, Islam is the declared state religion, provide no constitutional provision at all concerning religious freedom specifically. Article 8(1A) of the Bangladesh constitution provides that Absolute trust and faith in the Almighty Allah shall be the basis of all actions.”
Yet, more than half of the world’s Muslim population (estimated at over 1.3 billion) lives in countries that are neither Islamic republics nor that have declared Islam to be the state religion.
Sri Lanka is faulted for fostering and protecting Buddhism while Germany and other European countries deduct Church tax which goes to the upkeep of the Church. €5 billion (us$6.4 billion) was collected by taxpayers in 2011. https://www.thetrumpet.com/article/9936.19.0.0/religion/why-is-germany-collecting-taxes-for-the-catholic-church In 2010 the UK Government gave £5million to the Church of England.
French MP Nadine Morano a member of Nicolas Sarkozy ’s opposition Republican party, said on TV: We’re a Judeo-Christian country of white race”.
Germany’s leader Angela Merkel, TIME Magazine’s 2015 Person of the Year belongs to the political party, CHRISTIAN Democratic Union. In a 2010 speech, Merkel denounced multiculturalism in no uncertain terms, saying, Of course the tendency had been to say, ‘Let’s adopt the multicultural concept and live happily side by side, and be happy to be living with each other.’ But this concept has failed, and failed utterly.”
It was in 2015 that Angela Merkel announced without reservation that ‘Multiculturalism is a sham’ “Multiculturalism leads to parallel societies and therefore remains a ‘life lie,’ ” She reiterated that anyone who wished to live in Germany must assimilate to German values and culture, and respect the country’s laws.
David Cameron’s 2015 Christmas message “As a Christian country, we must remember what his birth represents: peace, mercy, goodwill and, above all, hope. “I believe that we should also reflect on the fact that it is because of these important religious roots and Christian values that Britain has been such a successful home to people of all faiths and none.”
In 2016 Cameron declared Britain must defend its Christian values against terrorism and went on to say Christianity had helped make Britain what it is today http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/david-cameron-easter-message-2016-christian-values-christian-country-a6954996.html So if Cameron can say that about Christianity why cannot Sri Lanka speak the same about Buddhism’s place that has a history of over 2600 years? Why should constitutional amendments remove that pride of place?
In 2012 Russia’s Putin argued Multiculturalism elevates the (idea of the) ‘right of minorities to be different’ to the absolute and, at the same time, insufficiently balances this right with civil, behavioral, and cultural obligations in regard to the indigenous population and society as a whole,” …This civilizational identity is based on preservation of Russian cultural dominance, which is not only carried by ethnic Russians, but all carriers of this identity regardless of nationality,” He went on to say that multiculturalism creates closed national and religious communities…which not only refuse to assimilate, but [do not] even adapt.” This is amply seen by the Muslim new dress code which never existed decades earlier and is a means of self-segregation for which they cannot find fault with others. When people cannot see the person they are talking to how can relationships be built?
Constitutional drafters in Sri Lanka have conveniently overlooked ground realities. They ignore that both the Church and Islam are multibillion dollar fundraising entities. The Church has its own military, it has investments in real estate even companies, its assets are worth billions, it is active in the New York Stock Exchange. Its Vatican Bank has assets worth over $8billion. http://money.cnn.com/2015/09/24/news/pope-francis-visit-vatican-catholic-church/
What can the secularists say when the Popes through the churches and local churches are asked to increase their flocks by any means and the work of missionaries in the past are now done through faith-based organizations that are funded by Western-Governments? Bulk of US Government funds are channelled to faith-based organizations. This means the US tax payers most of whom are not Christian are paying to promote Christianity in other parts of the world! http://www.alternet.org/how-religious-organizations-abuse-government-programs-and-duck-taxes
Extremist wahabbi faith is promoted in similar fashion. . Indian intelligence says that in India alone, from 2011 to 2013, some 25,000 Saudi clerics arrived bearing more than $250 million to build mosques and universities and hold seminars. The Wahhabi faith is responsible for the jihadism that is being propagate the world over of late.
Against this backdrop of billions being thrown by Church, the network of mosques, Christian countries, Islamic countries, their institutions etc what does Sri Lanka and 5 other Theravada Buddhist countries have?
They have only their government to foster and protect a religion on whose compassionate concepts their countries were built on. The Buddhists in these countries do not have billions across investments and other assets like Islam and the Church has, this is why Sri Lanka and fellow Theravada Buddhist nations need state patronage. Is it so much to ask that these nations be allowed to continue their identity when clearly what happens the moment that identity is removed can be seen in the examples of two countries – Maldives and South Korea eventually to become Philippines which is named after King Philip II of Spain.
Maldives was once a Buddhist nation. Today the Buddhist history has been expunged from its history books and whatever remains of Buddhist architecture is being targeted and destroyed even by attacking the museum where these relics are kept. Everywhere ground is dug some Buddhist remain appears and each time that historical monument is destroyed. They have effectively erased all evidence of our Buddhist past,” a senior museum official told
http://www.lankaweb.com/news/items/2014/06/30/the-maldives-a-forgotten-buddhist-past/
South Korea was once a Buddhist majority nation. Today it is the den of evangelical fanaticism where locals who have been converted want to display their allegiance by even urinating on the Buddha. http://www.koreabang.com/2012/stories/protestant-priest-urinates-on-and-defaces-buddhist-shrine.html
Name a single country that has given ethno-religious minorities privileges as Sri Lanka has done?
Minorities do not appreciate what they enjoy. Not even India has given 76milion Tamils a Tamil word in India’s national anthem but Sri Lanka’s national flag even gives a place but minorities keep demanding more but what are they giving in return? Tamils enjoy national/public holidays as do Muslims & Christians. What do Buddhists enjoy in other countries? There are stamps issued for minority holidays, minority leaders and various other minority events. Can any other minority build churches, prayer centres, madrassas, kovils as minorities are presently doing if they were living as minorities in other countries? We have never had minorities appreciate or even acknowledge what they enjoy, it is always a case of not having enough or demanding more. The Buddhist space has diminished so much as a result of these demands. Buddhists are fighting to preserve the little they have left and then come a bunch of local sepoys ready to hand over that remaining part also.
In 1926 the golden words of Anagarika Dharmapalathuma must echo in our mind always.
http://www.lankaweb.com/news/items/2013/03/10/what-anagarika-dharmapalathuma-said-in-1926/
Shenali D Waduge
New Constitutional recommendations – https://www.colombotelegraph.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/PRC-Report-English-Final.pdf
June 1st, 2016 at 11:02 am
Thank you Shenali for once again raising alarm about the disaster being plotted by the Yamapalanaya government for the majority Sinhala Buddhist community of Sri Lanka.
I too have repeatedly warned about the creeping disenfranchisement of the Sinhala Buddhists and the need to install and empower a PATRIOTIC government in our Motherland without delay.
It is TIME for the Sinhala Buddhists to come together in this hour of great peril to save their inalienable rights as the BOOMIPUTHRAYAS of Sri Lanka!
June 1st, 2016 at 3:30 pm
Even in the UK, the Queen is the “The Defender of the Faith” and is the Head of the Church of England the STATE RELIGION.
But in Sri Lanka the 70% Buddhist majority is DENIED that level of Protection from the State.
Religious freedom must be guaranteed to all, but PRIMACY must be guaranteed to Buddhism!
This is what happens when a REGIME CHANGE orchestrated by FOREIGNERS, internal minorities is ALLOWED TO SUCCEED by a few Sinhala Buddhist TURNCOATS!
200 years after we lost our sovereignty to the British because of ONE SET of SINHALA TRAITORS, we are losing our sovereignty to Foreign and Minority Puppets hell bent on permanently transforming our Motherland into a SLAVE STATE due to another set of SINHALA TRAITORS.
WAKE UP, UNITE & FIGHT BACK, Patriots of Lanka!
June 1st, 2016 at 6:06 pm
CAN WE EXPECT EVEN A MILD PROTEST FROM THE TWO CHRISTIAN ACOLYTES AT ASGIRIYA AND MALWATTE? THEY ARE NEXT TO USELESS AND DO LITTLE OTHER THAN ACCEPTING PIRIKARA AND TYING PIRITH NOOL WHILE BUDDHISM IS DENIGRATED, BUDDHISM’S DUE PLACE AND POSITION DENIED AND BUDDHISTS IS THROWN HITHER THITHER AND SENT FROM PILLAR TO POST.
NOBODY HEARS ANYTHING FROM THE CHRISTIAN / CATHOLIC HIERARCHIES, BECAUSE THEY ARE SILENTLY WORKING TO ACHIEVE THEIR MILLENNIUM GOAL OF EVANGELISING ASIA. CHRISTIAN /CATHOLIC ADMINISTRATION IS DOING ALL IT CAN TO TAKE AWAY FROM BUDDHISM THE LAST VESTIGES OF PRIDE AS THE COUNTRY’S MORAL AUTHORITY. DOZENS OF BUDDHIST PRIESTS ARE TAKEN AND PUT AWAY IN REMAND AND PRISON WITHOUT A WHIMPER FROM THE SO CALLED BUDDHIST NATION WHO ARE MOSTLY COWED DOWN INTO SUBMISSION.
OLCOTT BUDDHISTS (MOSTLY THE PRODUCE OF ANANDA, NALANDA, AND OHTER SIMILAR FORMER (BTS) BUDDHIST THEOSOPHICAL SOCIETY SCHOOLS, WHOSE MAIN AMBITION IN LIFE IS TO IMITATE THE ROYAL /THOMIAN LOT AND THEIR ETHOS, JUSTIFIES ALL WHAT HAPPENS AS DEMOCRACY AND HUMAN RIGHTS.
JIHADISTS ARE BUSY BUYING LAND AND CONSOLIDATING THEIR FOOT PRINT ALL OVER SRI LANKA, WHILE TAMIL RACISTS ARE WORKING TOWARDS CREATING EELAM.
AAPPAYA HAS TOUCHED A FEW MORE HANDS AND HAVE RETURNED FROM THE G7. IT WAS A JOKE TO SEE HIM SITTING BETWEEN PREMIER ABE AND CAMERON HIS HANDLER WINCING LIKE A MONKEY! IT WAS A SET STAGE TO CROWN A MONKEY.
June 1st, 2016 at 6:54 pm
Shenali, what about Hinduism? Look at all the Hindu Temples almost all built after the arrival of Indian colonial parasites.
Mahinda, Sirisena and Ranil all ……
June 1st, 2016 at 7:29 pm
It is obvious from the report that the panel is predisposition to come up with secularism. Who gave them that terms of reference? This is unacceptable. The panel has only randomly selected some submissions. Just like the debacle LLRC panel, my submissions have been totally disregarded. I’m sure this is the case with most submissions by ethnic Sinhalese.
People have lost faith in these gimmicks. Irrespective of this report, Buddhism must be made the state religion or at least given the supreme place. Any attempt to do otherwise must be defeated at a referendum. Trying to bypass the referendum requirement by the Constitution Assembly gimmick will not work.
I’m appalled by the deadly silence of the JVP and JO that supposedly stand for Sinhala interests and get almost entirety of their votes from Sinhalas. They only enjoy the perks, police protection, free foreign trips, corruption and nepotism but when it comes to giving something back to Sinhala voters that put them there, they always abscond. It is the silence of few good men that is worrying. The fact that they went there with our votes is even more disgusting.
Did the government actually intent on winning the war or did India and USA force it to get rid of the LTTE so that they can turn the north and east into their playground with Tamil Diaspora sponsored chief ministers, tunnels, bridges, foreign military bases, Indian High Commission offices and US consulates in the north and constant interference.
Tamils have the TNA and UNP, Muslims the SLMC and UNP but Sinhalas have no party to take up even the minimum requirements of us.
June 1st, 2016 at 8:50 pm
At the moment Mahinda Rajapakse is only visiting Buddhist Temples. He did not make any visits to the Vatican nor to the Monkey Temple in India since divested of power. MR is visiting Buddhist Temples because they and the Buddhist form the bedrock and foundation of his political base. Now he is out of power the minorities, the Christians, the Muslims and the Estate Tamils have no use of him for the time being. Just look at how Rauf Hakeem, Rishard Badiudeen and similar others behave. How many sides they have crossed always getting the plum ministries, only serving the Muslims and deceiving the Sinhalese.
However will MR betray that trust and the shelter he is receiving from the Buddhist establishment, once again no one can ascertain? All politicians know they have to have the minority votes and go after them in the certainty that the Buddhist vote base is assured.
Many things that MR could have done after the Eelam War, 13 A, Provincial Councils, Anti Conversion Bill, etc,. he neglected and let go to appease the minorities. Minorities continue to bleed the majority of all what they possess and hold close and dear to their hearts.
Democracy is a death trap to majority bhumi putras! Sri Lanka needs an Intifadah from the Buddhists. Large wide scale civil disobedience for the way they are being treated by the UNP now and SLFP before.
June 2nd, 2016 at 2:53 am
It is wrong to have allowed this government to wrte a new constitution. This government is not a popular government. They were able to form a government because of the Tamil and Muslim votes. Hence they are bound to write a Constitution favourable to Tamls and Muslims to keep their votes. UNP is not a patriotic government. Sinhala Language, Sinhala Culture, Buddhist Religion, National Flag, and the National Anthem are not their concern. They will mutiliate all that to satisfy the Tamils,Muslims and the International Commuity. Therefore the people should have opposed the attempt to write a new Constitution by this so called Yahapalanaya Government. Maithripala Sirisena is just a puppet it is Ranil Wickramasinghe and the UNP which are running the show there is no doubt.
The strange thing is Ranil and his UNP goons say that they have made Sri Lanka a country popular with the USA and the West who were againt Sri Lanka under Rajapakses. But to share their friendship the USA and the West have not withdrawn its Geneva resolution against Sri Lanka. Why are these new friends of Sri Lanka proposing a hybrid court to prosecute the Sri Lanka Armed forces ? Is that for their friendly concern ?
June 2nd, 2016 at 3:01 am
Ratnapala Well there were many things that Rajapakses could not do. After all he came at a difficult time in the history of Sri Lanka. Even what he had done during the five years after 2009 is fantastic and credible and no one had been able to do so much until his coming.
Instead of harping on what MR did not do we have to comdemn what this Yahapalanaya is doing. By the time they leave Sri Lanka will be unrecongnisably change from what it was at the end of 2014. We can be proud of what Sri Lanka was at the end of 2014. Can’t we ?
June 2nd, 2016 at 3:41 am
Christian west has been working with the catholic-run UNPatriotic party in Sri Lanka for a long time to destroy
Buddhism and make it a catholic country. They tried so hard with catholic tigers of tamil drealam aka ltte. All the
staunchly catholic countries like norway, us, uk, france, germany etc. etc. did their very best to try to break up
Sri Lanka. Unfortunately for them, MR came forward and scuppered their plan.
Their job has been easier with a lot of traitor Sinhalese donkeys supporting this Buddhism-destroying, Buddhist-
killing, Sri Lanka destroying catholic-run UNPatriotic party. Even the supposed to be the guardians of Buddhism
in Sri Lanka malwatte and asgiriye kapu ralalas are die hard UNPatriotic party supporters. Can you believe these
people’s treachery? MR saved their backsides from the catholic tigers of tamil drealam bombs. Still traitors supporting
pol pot ponil wickramasinhalakiller’s party. That’s the biggest joke in Sri Lanka. Pol pot ponil wickramasinhalakiller
is a born catholic. His father, esmund, started catholic propaganda newspapers gnartha pradipaya and messenger.
His uncle was bishop of Kurunegala. Biggest joke is pol pot ponil wickramasinhalakiller is a Buddhist, religion of
convenience of course. But for some traitor Sinhala modayas he is a die hard Buddhist, when infact he is a die
hard catholic and a token Buddhist. Proof? Read Batalanda report, millennium city massacre, cease fire
agreement to give half the country to catholic buddy hitler pira(mala)paharan, appointment of top governement positions etc. etc.
Sri Lanka navy at the moment building a new church in kachchathiev. I’m sure pol pot ponil initiated this with
the full blessing of puppet vairapala sorrysena. Sri Lanka, Sinhalese race and Buddhism are being destroyed
by the west with the whole hearted support of catholic-run UNPatriotic party.
Catholic-run UNPatirotic party is always for the destruction of Buddhism and the Sinhalese race to please the
catholic west. You can see plenty of evidence. UNPatriotics brutally killed more than 60,000 Sinhalese during
the BHEESHANA SAMAYA. Then dragged the war for another 30 years sacrificing Buddhist tri forces personnel,
Buddhist police and Buddhist civilians, including Buddhist monks. Catholic tigers of tamil drealam never harmed
a single priest or damaged a single church. But for a lot Sinhala modayas the UNPatriotic party is the real thing.
Look at some of catholic-run UNPatriotic party’s big wigs.
ravi karunkanayagam,
minister of permanent erection john mara,
arjun mahendren,
harin xxxx fernando,
gonja ramanayaka,
eastern province governor austin fernando (was defence sec during previous UNP regime, no wonder
no terrorists were killed),
northern province governor reginald cooray
chief of army etc. etc. Main qualification for the jobs is being catholic to qualify pol pot ponil wickramasinhalakiller’s
criteria. Catholic-run UNPatriotic party systematically has been destroying Buddhism, Sri Lanka and Sinhalese
race with the support of some traitor Sinhalese, with full blessing of the two sets foreigners tamils and mussies
who are waiting like vultures to get their own countries.
MR scuppered the grand plan of creation of a catholic country in Sri Lanka with the catholic tigers of tamil drealam.
Since then catholic-run UNHCR is after him to take revenge. Just look at the countries after MR’s blood and who isn’t.
Norway, us, uk, france, germany, brasil, argentina etc. including archbishop two three of south africa for blood. Muslim countries against. See the connection? Meanwhile UNHCR never heard a country on this planet called
syria. Double standards? Who will report it since all the media are run by them!
June 2nd, 2016 at 4:49 am
” This constitution is nothing but a betrayal of our history, it is a conspiracy against Buddhism and the proposals to change the flag, the anthem, the Buddhist history, culture destined to be wiped out. Even LTTE would not have gone this far. Is this the outcome that the ranaviro fought and died for? ”
Indeed, even far more dangerous than the past terrorists. Thanks to Shenali again for your tremendous contribution in defence of the Sinhela Nation in their ONLY indigenous national motherland Island country of the world.
” Christie Says:
June 1st, 2016 at 6:54 pm
Shenali, what about Hinduism? Look at all the Hindu Temples almost all built after the arrival of Indian colonial parasites. ”
Thanks to Christie too for reminding of the havoc caused by the pioneer parasite.
June 2nd, 2016 at 5:16 am
The atapirikaras are sold to the muslim mudalalis. Not a single atapirikara can be bought by Sinhala business people.
June 2nd, 2016 at 5:28 am
Mr.Ratnapala, you have hit the nail on the head! Although I spent my last four years at Nalanda I keep aloof with them as I am ashamed of how they insult those institutions with their none Buddhist conduct. Little they know that they set a very poor example to the future generation.
I cannot agree more in your description of OLCOTT BUDDHISTS (MOSTLY THE PRODUCE OF ANANDA, NALANDA, AND OHTER SIMILAR FORMER (BTS) BUDDHIST THEOSOPHICAL SOCIETY SCHOOLS, WHOSE MAIN AMBITION IN LIFE IS TO IMITATE THE ROYAL /THOMIAN LOT AND THEIR ETHOS, JUSTIFIES ALL WHAT HAPPENS AS DEMOCRACY AND HUMAN RIGHTS.
These guys are clueless of the principles on which early founder forefathers created these institutions! I have commented recently on their cheap imitations in competition with God based Schools after Sanjiva Senanayake delivered the keynote address at this year’s P De S Kularatne commemoration day to the only sensible Anandian I have come across!
You have omitted the one who occupies the coveted chair in the Parliament the spineless Anadian Karu Jayasuriya the puppet, I commented recently on this guy too as an insult to “suriya’s”seated like “zombie” amidst denigrating the faith he believes.
Professionally BTS products have achieved great heights and done proud to the community but what they lack is in maintaining the humility with glory so that they can command respect from the community! Through ignorance they exhibit the acquired status at the wrong place at the wrong time so obvious to the rest. This is where they differ to the products of God believing faiths!
June 2nd, 2016 at 7:54 am
OLCOTT BUDDHISTS OF ANANDA COLLEGE IGNORE METTANANDA’S LEGACY
L.H. Mettananda was the leading figure of the post – independence Buddhist Renaissance of Sri Lanka. He was the architect of the Buddhist Revolution of 1956. He played a critical role in drafting the Buddhist Commission Report of 1956 which led to the Eksath Bhikkshu Peramuna coming on to the streets and monks going from house to house to campaign for the victory of S.W.R.D. Bandaranaike and his MEP.
The Buddhist Commission Report titled ‘ The Betrayal of Buddhism ‘ galvanized the Buddhist public and made them think of ‘ Rata, Jathiya, Agama’ before anything else. At the April 1956 General Elections UNP was reduced to eight (8) seats. The rest is history.
In the early 1960s Mettananda led the Bauddha Jathika Balavegaya (BJB) which exposed Catholic Action which planned the abortive 1962 Coup with disgruntled Army Officers. Today Sri Lanka lacks Buddhist leaders of the caliber of Anagarika Dharmapala and L.H. Mettananda.
Buddhist nationalism is no longer the environment in Olcott schools. Unfortunately they look up to the leadership of products of Christian missionary schools and try to imitate them within and outside Sri Lanka, without any originality rooted in Buddhist culture and heritage.
Most of the Old Anandians hardly know about Mettananda’s (a former Principal of Ananda College) contributions to the protection of Buddhism in Sri Lanka. This is best exemplified by the lack of a statue, a postage stamp and public road named after L.H. Mettananda.
The 50th anniversary of the death of L.H. Mettananda falls in November 2017. This opportunity should not be missed to bestow posthumous honour on L.H. Mettananda by Olcott Buddhists (old boys of Ananda College).
June 2nd, 2016 at 9:19 am
Sri Lanka had been for over 2500 years and still is a Sinhala Buddhist nation, practising Buddhist values, such as giving equal rights to all citizens to follow their own faith. Removing the constitutional protection given to Buddhism as the state religion, could be considered an act of treachery, which could only happen under a sinner and a stooge of the international evangelical movement supported by powerful Christian nations. Attempts to destroy Buddhism under Ranil’s and Chandrika’s rule, should not be a surprise, considering their past actions, but what on earth are those who claim to be great Sinhala Buddhists, such as Sirisena, Ranawaka, Ratana Thero and others within the ruling coalition, doin to protect the status of Buddhism in Sri Lanka? If I remember right, the evangelical nations engineered the changes to the Thai constitution, to remove Buddhism as the Thailand’s state religion, several years ago. Before this happens in Sri Lanka, the country needs to elect a patriot with a backbone and a progressive vision to take over the nation asap.
June 2nd, 2016 at 1:39 pm
I am of the view that the JO should form a NEW PATRIOTIC PARTY for the Sinhala Buddhists to rally to with any further CONFUSION as to who represents their interests.
Maithripala depends on the UNP for his survival and fears to let go in case he gets punished for his treachery by the Patriots in the SLFP. Meanwhile, the BATHGOTTAS of the SLFP who support him for ministerial jobs and a government pay check cannot let go either…knowing very well they will be torn apart by the Sinhala Buddhists if they lose power. So they hang on as well.
The JO hangs on to the SLFP label because they don’t want to split the grand old party in the hope they can somehow negate Sirisena, jury rig a Parliamentary majority and oust Ranil and the UNPATRITIC party from power.
In the meantime, the UNP is hammering nails into the coffin of the Sinhala Buddhists every day in every way, while all the countries who supported Tamil Eelam are visiting SL, urging Reconciliation, bribing the government with funds conditioned on toeing their line, and creating FACTS on the GROUND in the North and East in cahoots with the Tamil Separatists.
The Patriots have to act now; there is NO TIME FOR DELAY; the enemy is at the gates breaking down our defenses!
June 2nd, 2016 at 2:34 pm
JO has both people who have been consistent Nationalists and anti-nationalist multi-faith multi-race beleivers, strong Federalists , Kade Yannos, political God worshipping fools as we except from all Sri Lankan politicians. Problem is a lot of them are hiding behind the “nationalists” banner but trying to escape prosecution with by teaming with MR. They don’t have ” pure , ideal , patriotic ” intentions most commentators expect in this forum ( honestly or pretending).
UNP are know evil except a very few good people.
MS + team too have very few good people but most MR’s crooks have joined MS to avoid prosecution.
MS is cunningly trying to take more and more people to his side by giving “ලොසින්ජර” as well as with the prosecution threat.
I cannot judge the ultimate intentions of MS ( except his usual politician desires and personal desires) regarding Nationalism. I don’t write him off at this moment, it may change with time.
Take out handful of good people ( mostly younger lot) all others are only suitable for “මස්කඩේ”.
There is no problem I see with the know evil, there are a lot of opposition ( including JVP,JHU, JO) to fight them, we don’t have to bang keyboard too much.
Take my word, the greatest danger exist is MR group of JO negotiating with MS to vote for the proposed new constitution as a trade off to avoid prosecution. Few real nationalist votes will not be able to prevent it
This is why it is of utmost importance to press these people hard, very very hard , at least to keep them in opposition until the constitutional changes to suit UNP is prevented, they can comeback without selling Nationalism at any moment. People should show they doubt this.
June 2nd, 2016 at 2:39 pm
don’t pretend to be a political analyst Dham. You are just trying to make big sounds for all to hear.
June 2nd, 2016 at 7:16 pm
Irrespective of these commissions not giving due regard to all submissions, we must write to them. Such disregard can be attributed when rejecting their report. If a sufficient number wrote to it demanding the due place for Buddhism, removal of 13A, upholding unitary status and centralising important government functions, the panel will be compelled to pay more attention than they have. It was the same case with LLRC.
Sadly, only few people writing and commenting here have taken the trouble to write to the panel. It is not a good sign if we are to actively uphold the above.
June 2nd, 2016 at 7:25 pm
Dham said
[Quote] the greatest danger exist is MR group of JO negotiating with MS to vote for the proposed new constitution as a trade off to avoid prosecution. [Unquote]
That will be total betrayal of Sinhala voters. If they do it, all Sinhala voters must boycott (at the very least) voting for them and their kith and kin. It probably is what Sirisena is trying to achieve. It has failed so far. But it did succeed in relation to 19A (only Weerasekera voted against it because he has nothing to fear). Even Weerawansa and Dinesh didn’t vote against 19A for fear of persecution. Mahinda and Udaya were not MPs then.
However, 19A is harmless in comparison to proposed constitutional amendments.
June 3rd, 2016 at 2:00 am
Charles,
We are mostly patriots who wish the best for our motherland. We have been bitten time and again by uncouth politicians who have betrayed our trust. See how Patali Champaka Ranawaka mislead the entire Sinhala Buddhist population. We do not hear even a whimper from him now about Sinhala Buddhist affairs. No sooner he got the opportunity for higher office all our hopes were dropped like a hot coal!
MR is the only hope we Sinhalese have as far as the eye can see. He has everything a patriot a leader should have, by birth, by accomplishment but he is not taking the leadership role that is required at this stage. He should lead from the front and not let others carry him. This sets a dangerous precedent and obligations for there are some unsavory characters who will ultimately push him towards further devolution and dismemberment of Sri Lanka. What he needs is a clear ideology. Then he has to sell it to the people at grass root level. The strategy of appeasing the minorities to get power has not done any good for the majority Sinhalese.
Text book democracy doesn’t work in Sri Lanka. Democracy is for the gullible and the ignorant. It is just a catch word to hoodwink the masses. It is not to be found anywhere in the world. From the current goings in the US, it is obvious that US is the last place democracy can be found. If not how can the 1% end up owning the 99%?
Standing for the majority Sinhala Buddhists should not make him a lesser person in the eyes of the world. We need unambiguous leadership from him with clear convictions of who he is leading. Any hope that he has that the minorities will support his political efforts is only a pipe dream. If not he will once again betray the Sinhala majority after getting all the necessary support, succour and sustenance from them!
May MR live long and prove to be a leader for all Sri Lanka while representing the majority interests and concerns at the right place and right time!
June 3rd, 2016 at 2:11 am
Charles,
One thing for sure is I am not pretending, you are DEAD wrong there..
I am predicting, same as what you did in the past. I may be wrong, same as what happened to your predictions.
Dilrook,
Sirisena might be successful one day with his tightening of screws deeper, that is my fear.
June 3rd, 2016 at 2:27 am
Shall be keep our “blind faith” and hope for the best or be pro active and earn the bargaining point than passing the bargaining point to politician ? It is you choice.
June 3rd, 2016 at 2:28 am
Critical typo Shall “we” not “be”.
June 3rd, 2016 at 7:07 am
We do not need provincial councils which only promote separatism. The provincial councils only duplicate the already existing system of ministry, district secretary, divisional secretaries, grama niladhari system which has functioned for decades. In addition, there are the municipal, urban councils and pradeshiya sabhas who elect their officials to ensure that there is local government representation and to ensure that local matters are dealt with effectively. The ministry, district secretary, divisional secretaries, grama niladhari system is how government plans get implemented at the district, divisional and the grama niladhari level. The only thing the provincial councils do is duplicate this already existing system and is totally unnecessary. Since Sri Lanka is a small country, what is agreed at the parliamentary level in terms of plans can be implemented islandwide via the ministries. If anyone in any province wants to suggest anything innovative, they can do so via their MP at the parliamentary level. A small country such as Sri Lanka needs a strong central government and just one plan for the entire island to move forward. For this to happen, the existing ministry, district secretary, divisional secretaries, grama niladhari system is sufficient. At the local level there are the municipal, urban councils and the pradeshiya sabhas to take care of local matters. The provincial councils are a huge waste of money and only promote separatism.
Sri Lanka has been a Buddhist country since 300BC. Sri Lanka has provided an enormous service in the preservation and propagation of Buddhism around the world, especially to other Asian countries centuries ago, even millennia ago. Therefore, the state religion should be Buddhism for the foreseeable future. The unique identity of Sri Lanka is precisely due to Buddhism which is the prevalent religion of the country. The US, UK, the EU, Norway, Sweden and Canada who do not like this or the TNA separatist terrorists who do not accept this should be told these facts. If the TNA separatist terrorists want an alternative law to prevail, they can kindly leave and go live in any other country which is more to their liking.