To My dear Muslim brothers and sisters,
Posted on May 23rd, 2013
From Your Buddhist brothers and sisters
I hope you are well and good.
I am writing this letter to you so that you may perceive what lies in the hearts of many Sri Lankan Buddhists, and in the hope that it will provide some measure of comfort to you, if by chance your hearts are heavy with melancholy over the recent course of events that have occasioned themselves in our island home.
Many of you may be understandably perturbed, perhaps angry, and also hurt over the poisoned chalice that has been offered to and partaken of by certain members of the Sinhalese community. You may have asked why now? Why after the conclusion of a long and terrible war, and the dawn of a long wished for peace, have dark clouds once again gathered over us?
I cannot pretend to know the answers to these questions and I cannot offer an adequate explanation. For that, I apologize. But what I can tell you with measured confidence is that by standing together side by side we can, through our own effort and vigour, banish the darkness that threatens the peace and harmony that has for so long prevailed between our communities.
It is as if a ship sailing through blue seas and sunny skies were to enter a great tempest. Here, given the unity and percipient actions of those on board, the ship will yet defeat treacherous surf and howling wind and once again enter calm and clear waters with abiding confidence.
It of great importance that the trouble and fear occasioned by a few who falsely claim to speak for Buddhists must not be allowed to break the bonds of friendship and brotherhood forged over the course of our long history, and cemented by the many trials and tribulations visited upon us by outside forces. This is a time and tested relationship of ours; yes it is. We are a people who were born together, have lived together, and died together for very many generations.
You belong here on this island. This is your home, as it is ours. The fruits and flowers of this beautiful island are your bounty as well. We have the same mother, and her loving hands have long provided shade and freedom to her sons and daughters regardless of who they are. We are islanders and our special bond echoes clear through the mountains and valleys, the rivers and forests, and the villages and towns of our motherland.
If anything, I pray you to remember this: you have brothers and sisters in this great Sri Lankan family of ours who may not belong to your ethnicity, or follow your religion, but who yet care for you. Do not retire cold tonight, or any other night without perceiving this as sure as the sun is to rise tomorrow. You are not alone and you will never be alone, for we are there by your side as your friends and family – as it as always been.
May you be happy, healthy and well, and may Allah’s blessings be with you.
With much love,
Your Buddhist brothers and sisters
May 23rd, 2013 at 4:21 pm
How about Tamil brothers and sisters?
We should ALSO be part of this peace between Sinhalese and Muslims.
May 23rd, 2013 at 4:36 pm
so called buddhist bro & sis
be prepared to say “”SAADU SAADU…'”‘ when muslims come with a buldozer to demolish your temples…..etc
the whole world knows about the soldier who preached killing non islam beleivers except u all…. so allah might bless u soon
May 23rd, 2013 at 5:17 pm
Lorenzo and Senevirath
The tone of this looks a lot like Taqqiya. There isn’t a single thing about compassion, non-violence etc. or any core content of Buddhism. Its just something anyone can say….. my hunch is its either the very people writing to “themselves” or someone from the “candle light brigade”.
May 23rd, 2013 at 9:12 pm
Very good sentiments.
But please also add Hindu and Christian brothers and sisters. Most probably all minorities are peturbed by the recent turn of events from the majority. All this hullaballoo and possibly disparaging comments about “all Abrahamic religions”, “all Hindu castes”, etc could hurt the feelings just as much as comments interpreted/misinterpreted by some Buddhists as hurting their “feelings”.
May 26th, 2013 at 11:18 am
finally it’s revealed…lorenzo is a tamil, look at his comments”How about Tamil brothers and sisters?
WE should ALSO be part of this peace between Sinhalese and Muslims.”…
did u note he mentioning “We should be part of….”- which refers to tamils (now read his comment again)….most of the time he is pretending like a buddhist by supporting articles against muslims of sri lanka and also by commeting like a patriot ..so he is willing to create a problem inbetween muslims and sinhalese…do not trust him..finally dog jumps out of the bag…