Whither Srilankan Youth?
Posted on March 9th, 2018
Dr. Mareena Thaha Reffai, Dehiwela
While watching the videos of the riots in our country within the last one week, I was absolutely devastated. Not only because of the destruction caused to the innocent poor people’s property and homes, but more so watching the youth who were causing these.
I am also a mother. It makes me wonder what the mothers of these rioting Sinhalese youths will be thinking if they actually saw the videos. Are they going to be proud? Would they condone the actions? Would they applaud them? Certainly not.
What are the Buddhist leaders thinking when they watch these? Are they proud of the youth society they are producing? I’m sure certainly not.
There’s something very sinister going on in our country. What makes the youth – hardly out of school – most of them appear to be within 18 to 25 years of age. how can a gang of such children cause the vandalism we see so clearly in the videos? I saw a video where about 10 of them stealing and setting fire to a shop. Another about a gang of about 25 roaming the roads armed with poles and picking up large stones and throwing at windows and CCTV. What struck me was – isn’t there a single son of our soil in this crowd who stops to think – Hey! This is not right! We are supposed to be Buddhists. Buddhism does not teach this?
I know herd mentality can set the crowd reaction – but that is usually on actions done at the spur of the moment, with anger or rage. But this looks perfectly pre medicated and everyone of them seems to be enjoying it. They don’t seem to have an iota of Buddhist sense – the religion of peace, selflessness, kindness in them.
How did this happen? What motivated them? Was it a promise of money? Or a hatred for fellow human beings? Jealousy of other people’s apparent success? Fear of being overcome in number – surely!
I am sorry to say this – but I think the Buddhist clergy – not the ones parading in robes but have no idea of true Buddhism, but – the ones with correct knowledge, the ones with correct Buddhist attitude and the ones who are in authoritative positions of guiding the society, has to shoulder the whole blame. If these youth have been given the simple teachings of Buddhism in their prime, they would have developed a conscience. They would have known that thanhawa – greed for worldly things is alien to Buddhism. They would have felt it in their bones that this action is wrong, wrong, wrong. All, about 1000 of them or more, for days continuing to cause havoc with no sense of remorse? Something is seriously wrong.
Having so many poya holidays and banning meat and alcohol on these poya days alone does not obviously imprint Buddhist principles in the young minds. These youths probably never attend any banas. This has to change. From childhood they must be inculcated with the correct moral codes of human life. Whose responsibility is that?
Where would these youngsters end up? What does the future hold for them? What sort of society that Srilanka is nurturing? How many thousands more with this mind set are out there?
It’s time someone gave serious thought to this matter.
Sent by:
Dr. Mareena Thaha Reffai,
Dehiwela
March 9th, 2018 at 6:24 pm
Marina,
Buddhism has nothing to do with youth behaviour. Islam has everything to do with terrorism in the world.
You cannot compare Buddhist monks with Muslim lebbeys. They are not the same.
You cannot compare Buddhist youths with civilian cloths when Muslim youth wear uniforms, specially Muslim women wear a black uniform.
As long as Muslims want to alienate from common society, you can expect common youth to treat you with kindness.
I will give you an example.
My wife used to go to a Muslim lady for preperation of a blowse. She was very happy about her workmanship and price. When she visited her home, her husband too cam and had a friendly talk with my wife and my two daughters ( youth). Whe I dorve my wife to check the final fitting and adjustments, I too went in and sat on a chair. They the Muslim seamstress came and saw me ( aged 56 with 3 dauthters) she cried loud and ran away. We were shocked and didn’t know why. Then she called my wife and told her I should not come in as I can see her which is not right according to Islam. Her husband can sit there and chit chant with my wife and girls for 1 hour but I cannot sit there for 10 minutes. What is this nonsence ? This nonsence was not there 20 years ago when we left the country.
March 9th, 2018 at 6:31 pm
Hey lady do not come to teach us buddhist principles or about buddhism as we know already what you are preaching. Better advise your own youths first before preaching others. Look at the world from east to west and see who makes problems and who kills who? It’s the Muslims who create problems all over the world even in their own Muslim countries. Who was responsible for 9/11 in America? That’s is only one. We can show you thousands of terror incidents around the world done by muslims so don’t come to preach our youths what is good and what is bad and specially about the religion Buddhism. It’s our sacred religion and no one can tarnish with lies. Sinhala buddhist population has a problem and someone must listen to them patiently without inciting violence or hatred. When country’s like Saudi Arabia,Qatar and others trying to control Muslim fanatics we too should control them and should be one law to all our citizens as we are all Sri lankans. We cannot allow thugs and murderers to roam in our streets whether Sinhalese or Muslims or Tamils or any other. We are a civilized country with civilized people not barbarians as foreign media describes. We should stand as a nation together to fight our enemies within and outside to save our motherland without blaming and threatening each other. Cruel war was over and time to rebuild our blessed nation together we walk hand in hand as brothers and sisters, son’s and daughters to fulfill our dreams.
March 9th, 2018 at 8:39 pm
Where on earth there is no racism. Japan, a homogeneous country may not have racial issues for it ban all Muslims unofficially. Opposite to Japan is the country with 100% Muslims, KSA bans from a simple cross to tiny idol to boast itself the Allah’s house of peace – daressalaam. Talking about those who export human rights & advice others on democracy, not a day pass by without several hate attacks against Muslims in their countries. Churches and mosques are burned or attacked daily in the US and EU and in the M E countries. We see everywhere war, terrorism or disorder is there today, ‘political Islam’ is a part of it. That cannot be untrue in Sri Lanka context as well.
Pundits must ask whether the law treat everyone equally in Sri Lanka. Muslims are free to ride motorbikes without helmets in all Muslim majority towns. Sinhalas and other riders are heavily fined if caught without helmets. National reservations for wild life are encroached en-mass and dished out to Muslims only by kingpins of ‘political Islam’. In the name of reconciliation (සංහිඳියාව) yahapalanaya let racists and bigots do as they please with impunity. But the Buddhist monk who adopt an elephant calf is remanded in custody. Invalid and severely maimed war veterans were attacked with water cannons and baton charges when they organized protests to demand pensions. Yahapalanaya has made the law deaf and blind for the minority but applied in full force for the majority. No wonder a Muslim gang dared to beatup a lone driver to death in the middle of the night for no reason.
Now who is to blame Dr Mrs Thaha?
Ordinary folks of the majority community think the law is being used by ‘yahapalanaya’ to subjugate them. And such ill feelings and sentiments could fling even simple issues towards heated communal conflicts or even mayhem.
In my opinion, things will be sorted out effortlessly if and when a firm government that respect our aged old Sinhala Buddhist culture and treat all citizens equal is in power. Let’s shove these yahapalana jokers out asap.
March 10th, 2018 at 4:36 am
The current government was put in place by alienating Muslim voters from Kahinda.
The job was done by BBS and JHU.
Both receiving money from Indians.
Please see what is happening in India where Dalit, Muslims and Natives are killed for no reason.
I saw a man in a video in this Forum praising Modi.
Buddhists are reconverted to Hinduism in India under Modi.
March 10th, 2018 at 4:37 am
Error: Mahinda not Kahinda.