KAMALIKA PIERIS

The opposition to Buddhist temples has extended also to cremation of chief priests on the temple premises in the north. Two such protests are on record.

The first was in 2017.  In 2017, a group of 12    Jaffna-based lawyers had gone to courts to prevent the last rites of the late chief incumbent of the Naga Vihara, Ven. Meegahajandure Gnanaratana, being performed at the Jaffna Fort Sports Ground. The restraining order had been sought on two grounds. Permission had not been obtained from Jaffna Municipal Council and secondly, the cremation of bodies could damage the environment.  Jaffna Magistrate Katheeswaran did not agree. He refused to issue a restraining order.  Last rites were conducted with the participation of the armed forces and the police.

 Hindu Religious Affairs Minister D. M. Swaminathan strongly condemned the bid to prevent the last rites of the late chief incumbent of the Jaffna Sri Naga Vihara, Ven. Meegahajandure Gnanaratana being performed at the Jaffna Fort Sports Ground.Such a move cannot be justified under any circumstances, Minister Swaminathan said, adding that he regretted the latest development. Jaffna Magistrate S. Katheeswaran had averted a major crisis quite rightly turning down a group of lawyers’ plea to prohibit the conducting of the late monk’s last rites at the Jaffna Fort Sports Ground.

The second   protest was at Gurukanda Raja Maha Vihara in September 2019. The chief priest of Gurukanda, Ven. Colomba Medhalankara, passed away in Colombo.  Neeraavi Pillaiyar Temple promptly filed a police complaint that that if the body of the priest is brought to the Gurukanda temple,   while a court case is going on, there will be trouble.  

Mullaitivu Police informed Magistrate’s Court. The magistrate ordered that the body of the deceased priest should not be cremated or buried in Gurukanda temple, until a final order was granted in the court matter.

Court was informed that the Buddhist temple was willing to conduct the cremation ceremony at another location and that the Hindu temple was agreeable to this. Court then ordered that the cremation be conducted at the second location.  Maritimepattu Predeshiya Sabha intervened to say that arrangements were made for the cremation at that location without obtaining permission in terms of the Cemeteries and Burial grounds Ordinance.

However, a group of monks led by Ven. Galagodatte Gnanasara of Colombo took the body of the deceased chief priest to the Gurukanda temple premises and cremated the body there. The cremation was attended by several monks   and took place amidst sadukara from a large crowd.

An equally large or possibly larger crowd were there to oppose the cremation, observed the media.  Television cameras showed heated arguments.  Police were there.A clash occurred and the priest of the Hindu temple was severely injured. A lawyer appearing for the Hindu Temple was assaulted.

Several monks spoke to Derana television after the cremation. It is a Buddhist tradition to cremate a monk in the temple premises.     If Gnanasara did not go this cremation would not have taken place, they said.

Regarding the ownership dispute, the monks told Derana, that Gurukanda is on protected territory. Three acres at Gurukanda belong to the Archaeological   Department. Court should be told this. Ven. Polonnaruwe Thilnakara said there was no kovil there earlier.

 TNA is behind this the monks said.   They scolded Yahapalana as well.  We sacrificed ourselves to establish these temples. We went into jungles. It is we who looked after Buddhism in the north, the monks told Derana, with emotion. 

After the cremation Former Northern Province Chief Minister C.V. Wigneswaran, led a protest opposite the Mullaitivu Divisional Secretariat against the cremation in the temple premises while a court decision was pending. Several politicians, both national and local    as well as lawyers, civil society activists and the public in Mullaitivu joined the protest. Some, including lawyers, wore black arm bands.

The protestors demanded legal action against the cremation. It was violation of a court ruling.  Violating a court ruling constitutes Contempt of Court. They demanded the immediate arrest of Galagodaatte Gnanasara and others responsible for cremation. They were extremely critical of Gnanasara thera’s involvement in the matter, and wanted to know whether the country has a separate law for Buddhist monks.  They burnt an effigy of Ven.Gnanasara.  

The Attorney General should take legal action within three days against all those who are involved in the incident including Ven.Galagoda Aththe Gananasara along with the other Buddhist monk who had openly protested against the court order.   Attorney General must assure them in writing that he will do so.  Unless swift action was taken, the protest would continue.

The demonstrators then marched from Mullaitivu Divisional Secretariat to Mullaitivu District Secretariat and handed over a memorandum to the District Secretary to be forwarded to the UN envoy in Sri Lanka. They also protested opposite the Mullaitivu Magistrate’s court.

All the lawyers of Northern and Eastern provinces led by Batticaloa Bar Association President K.Narayanapillai boycotted court duties in a black arm band protest outside the Batticaloa court premises. The Mullaitivu Trade Association closed shops and carried out a hartal in support of the demonstration.

TNA’s R. Sampanthan wrote to the President Sirisena,  saying, the corpse was cremated in close proximity to the “Theerthakerni” tank in the Hindu temple premises containing holy water for use by the Deity. The temple and the premises were thus desecrated.   He urged President Sirisena to ensure that those who cremated a Buddhist prelate’s remains at Chemmalai, Mullaitivu in violation of a court order are brought to justice. (continued)