History & Archeology of
Deegavapi Sacred City
Being Excavated Mercilessly for a Housing Project To Settle Muslims
By Darmitha-Kotte
Patriotism is not confined only to the Sinhalese or Sinhala Buddhists-
every son and daughter who has been born and bred in this country whether
they be Tamils, Muslims, Burghers, Sinhalese, Sinhala Buddhists, Sinhala,
Tamil & Burgher Christians, Tamil Hindus must all have even an aorta
of national pride about what the history & heritage of this country
called "Ceylon" or "Sri Lanka" holds for them and
their families. There is no point of forming Inter-religious or Inter-racial
Committees if citizens who belong to the different religions and races
all termed as "Sri Lankan " in this country cannot and do
not respect each other sincerely & genuinely. Harmony does not grow
just by mere words or committees but by sincere gestures.
Sri Lanka is surely a cursed nation when Tamil terrorists are mauling
down historical sites in the North in their fanatic search for justification
for their demand of a "Tamil Homeland" or when Muslims maul
down Buddhist Sacred Sites in the East to justify their existence in
the East. Fanaticism, nationalism or extremism must not be used against
the Sinhalese who upto date have not destroyed any sites which belong
to others. However, the same cannot be said of the Tamil terrorists
or the Muslims of this country anymore. The depth of Sinhala tolerance
has been tested to the maximum levels already.
During the lifetime of the late Mr. Aboosally when he was MP for Balangoda
destroyed the archeological site of Kuragala where clear archeological
demarcations and a notice of the Dept. of Archeology was visibly clear
to all- that Kuragala was a Sacred Buddhist Site. Over this Kuragala
Buddhist Archeological Site today stands the "masterpiece of vandalism"
done by the late Mr. Aboosally which is named " Jailani Mosque"
and is now a worshipping ground of Muslims!
The story of the Sacred City of Deegavapi is facing similar vandalism
right now. Our former President Chandrika Kumaratunga in her typical
style of wanting to insult the Sinhala Buddhists, went and opened a
Memorial in memory of the late Mr. Ashroff within the precincts of the
archeological site of Deegavapi during her tenure of Executive President
together Mrs. Ferial Ashroff to win over the Muslim support! That is
the lowest level to which Chandrika Kumaratunga could have stooped.
That has given added vigour to the Muslims of the East where there are
many Muslim MP of the likes of Mr. Athaulla, Mr. Hakeem and Mrs. Ferial
Ashroff.
They have master-minded a plan to excavate the Sacred Archeological
Site of Deegavapi and it is now underway for the last week or so. This
area comes under the purview of the Addalachcheni Divisional Secretariat
in Ampare District. During excavations many valuable artifacts are being
unearthed which the Dept. of Archeology is "meekly " coming
and clearing away in whatever vehicles they can get hold of! What is
being unearthed does not prove the existence of a Muslim heritage in
the area but a Sinhala - Buddhist heritage. The purpose of this current
excavation we hear is to build 100 houses to settle Muslims within the
demarcated Archeological Site of Deegavapi. Those who will be settled
there will undoubtedly be Muslims and not Sinhalese or Tamils for sure!
Is there absolutely no land in the area other than the Deegavapi Sacred
Site? From what we hear, it is Mrs. Ashroff who is spearheading this
latest onslaught on Deegavapi. No one dares to voice their opinions
in the region for fear of reprimands from Mrs Ashroff and her colleagues.
The next vandalism will be the plan they have to get Samanthurai demarcated
as a Sacred Muslim Site where the land extent would cover an area adequate
to house 35 Muslim Mosques- and that too will be done very soon and
used as a exchange bargain for their support to the GOSL. All plans
and the "distorted history" is all ready and waiting for the
opportune moment when it can be negotiated.
In the meantime, we beg to question what the Dept. of Archeology is
doing while politicians are destroying the history of this country?
Why have a Dept of Archeology, if they cannot protect what is under
their purview? Who has made politicians act in such high-handed manner
that they feel they are above the law of the land and should not be
any respecters of persons or properties which belong to Mother Lanka?
Finally, we beg to ask- what is the GOSL doing by turning a blind eye
to all these atrocities committed by their parliamentarians? In an era
when we hear loud calls from the International Communities and INGOs
for Human Rights, Child Rights, Worker's Rights, Fundamental Rights
etc., do the citizens of this country have any rights to protect their
country, their heritage and their history? Do we continue to permit
politicians to act in this obnoxious manner and destroy our country
completely? Is the ordinary citizen of this country ONLY A DOOR MAT
to be trampled? Farewell decency- there is nothing left!
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