The UNP, Pro-Christian Agendas and Praise for Buddhist Philosophy

By Darmitha-Kotte

Dream of an election, and it is time to pamper the majority Buddhists in this country. This has been the modus-operandi of most politicians in this country-especially for the likes of Chandrika Kumaratunge and Ranil Wickramasinghe-the leader of the UNP. Who voted him into power? Was it the 7.5% Christian population or the 70% Buddhists, is the prize question we should ask him? During his Premiership during 2001-2003 we have already witnessed his strong anti-Buddhist agenda-now he has the audacity to extol the virtues of Buddhism and Buddhist philosophy at the book launch of Mr.Tilak Marapane's " Mechanics of Buddhism."

The Anti-Buddhist Agenda of The UNP Under Ranil Wickramasinghe:

Lest we Sri Lankans have short memories like Mr. Ranil Wickramasinghe, let us list out a few land mark decisions he took to prove his anti-Buddhist agenda when he was Prime Minister from 2001-2003:

(1)The Buddha Statue that was placed in front of Sirikotha from the time of the late Mr.Dudley Senanayake and his father the late D.S.Senanayake was moved to the backwoods of Sirikotha no sooner Ranil Wickramasinghe became Prime Minister in 2001;

(2)for the first time in recent history, even before he won the elections and became Prime Minister in 2001 we are aware that he held discussions with the Catholic & Protestant Clergy and was prepared with a list of Cabinet Ministers he would appoint once in power-over 60% of his Cabinet were Christians in this Buddhist country he represents;

(3) yet another first- for the 7.5% Christians and 8% Muslims in this country, he created a Ministry of Christian Affairs and a Ministry for Muslim Affairs(check out any country in the world whether this has been done for minority religions-even in the "names-sake democracies" of UK and USA);

(4) to help unethical conversions and free entry for Evangelists to enter Sri Lanka, he appointed one and the same Catholic Minister to overlook the Ministries of Public Security, Immigration and Emigration and Christian Affairs;

(5) he visited Portugal and personally invited the Prime Minister of Portugal to visit Sri Lanka in 2005 to celebrate the 500th Anniversary of Portuguese colonization of Sri Lanka (and entry of Christianity to this country);

(6) unheard of even in the Christian western countries, he permitted his Minister of Christian Affairs to create an impression that Sri Lanka was a Christian country by instructing the Police to light up the streets of Colombo and the main cities through the whole month of December;

(7) no sooner than he took office, he signed the CFA which was drafted by the Church-backed LTTE-endorsed by Norway and agreed to fragment this tiny island of 65,000sq.kilometers to appease terrorists and comply with their plans of a mythical "homeland";

(8) his Minister of Christian Affairs instructed the Police to ban Buddhist temples from using loudspeakers in their temples during Wesak and Poson Celebrations which happens to be the most important Buddhist events in this country;

(9) his Minister of Christian Affairs provided police protection for all the illegal Evangelical prayer centers(conducted in houses) which were mushrooming in predominantly Buddhist residential areas;

(10) paid no attention to the excavations, thefts of Buddhist artifacts and destruction to Buddhist archeological sites with a venom and nothing was done to bring the criminals to book (can we expect anything else when the same Minister of Christian Affairs was also in charge of Public Security?);

(11) hand picked and appointed a Director-General and Chairman to act concurrently for Sri Lanka Rupavahini and Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation(SLBC) with specific instructions that all feelings of nationalism as well as predominantly Buddhist sentiments must be wiped out from this country;

(12) To representing Sri Lanka, UNP was made a member of the Far Right Christian Body of Christian countries called "International Democratic Union(IDU)" of which Ranil Wickramasinghe himself, is the President for the Asia-Pacific Region! This list would suffice, but what more is needed, for us to understand the mentality of Mr. Ranil Wickramasinghe and his pro-Christian agenda.

The Hypocrisy of Ranil Wickramasinghe:

In this backdrop of events, it is highly hypocritical and ironic that Ranil Wickramasinghe should state in the presence of a large gathering of Buddhist Prelates which included Ven.Madulawe Sobhitha Thero and Ven. Bellanvila Wimalaratne Thero and Anunayake of Malwatte Chapter Ven. Niyangoda Vijithasiri Thero at the book launch of Mr. Tilak Marapane's "Mechanics of Buddhism" held at BMICH on 21st March 2007, "Buddha Sasane Rake Ganeema Ada Yugaye Pramuka Kaarybarayak (The Foremost Responsibility of This Era is To Protect Buddhism)"-(Dinamina-24th March) and as reported in the Lankadeepa of 23rd March he says "Ratak Paalanayate Thanpath Shakthimath Manasak Thibiya Yuthuyi, Mei Thathwaye Athikaranne Budhu Dahame Loku Pituwahalak" (To Govern A Country One Must Have a Stable and Strong Mental Level and Buddhism Can Help to Obtain This Condition).

In his speech, he has also mentioned that the above stated mental condition is required especially to govern the UNP. We are all aware of how he exceptionally well he has governed the UNP in the very recent past, to the extent that led to a major breakaway of predominantly Buddhist membership who crossed over to the Government. In his speech, he has mixed up the development of Buddhism in Asia, the Nestorian Cross which he states as Nestorian Christian Doctrine, Islamic religious wars, Confucianism and Mahayanism. One needs to get one's facts in order, before making sweeping comments on matters with which one is not familiar with.

Just before the Presidential Elections of 2005, we do remember that Ranil Wickramasinghe himself (supposedly wrote it himself) launched a book on Buddhism. At the time, Rajitha Senaratne while stating that his leader had a profound knowledge of The Buddha Dhamma, challenged anyone to come forward for an open discussion with Ranil Wickramasinghe on Buddhism-Ven. Omalpe Sobhitha Thero took up the challenge but Ranil Wickramasinghe "chickened out" as he did not have the guts to face Ven.Sobhitha Thero in an open discussion! For a man who does not know what "Pasdun Korale" is, can we expect him to understand a philosophy as deep as The Buddha Dhamma?

No amount of "Pirith Nool" tied around his wrist or speeches extolling the virtues of Buddhism when an election is envisaged, can hide the true colours of the UNP, Ranil Wickramasinghe and their anti-Buddhist agenda which has one aim- that is to give equality of status to Christianity (7.5% population) in a predominantly Buddhist country(70%) like ours!