In The Name of “Inter-Religious Harmony & Amity”- Different Yardsticks for Buddhists, Christians & Muslims-Why?
By Darmitha.
Article 9 of The Constitution of The Democratic Republic of Sri Lanka states that The State will give foremost place to Buddhism and that it is the duty of The State to nurture and foster The Buddha Sasana while assuring rights granted by Articles 10 and 14 (1)(e).
It is really questionable whether or not The State truly follows the above mentioned commitment towards Buddhism in this country. Through history it has been noted that Buddhists in this country have been overtly accommodating towards believers of other religions despite the fact that acts of atrocities and violence have been committed by them against Buddhists in this country in their fervent wish to convert citizens of this country into becoming Christians from the commencement of foreign invasions of colonial powers. However, in today’s context, it is quite evident that it is the Buddhist who is handicapped and in a disadvantageous position against Christians and Muslims in this country. Shrewd and subtly conspiracies of both Muslims and Catholics and Fundamentalist Christians against Buddhism and Buddhists in this country are far too many to name individually.
Christian Factor:
Today, all major media institutions and publications are controlled by Christians who wish to project the image of Sri Lanka as a Christian country and will censor and block most articles which are sent in by Buddhists which expose how Buddhists and Buddhism are being attacked and destroyed by anti-Buddhist forces operating in this country. At the same time, numerous are the news distortions promoted through international Christian websites which portray Buddhist Monks and Buddhist citizens of this country as being extremists and fanatics who harass and attack Christians. The truth is anything but what they profess but western Christian readers of these websites and publications naturally wish to believe that all other believers except Christians & Muslims -tend to be the aggressors!
In order to cover up the Christian conspiracies, they have through a period of 15 years coined “ inter-religious harmony and amity” as their slogan and used various methods to hoodwink unsuspecting Buddhists and Hindus in this country while simultaneously, carrying out their underhand plots to destroy Buddhist Monks, destroy temple property and archeological sites, create divisions in the country at village level under ethnic and religious separations, created publicity against Buddhists for their own vested interests. All the while, these anti-Buddhist elements “cry foul” to gain sympathy from State leaders who unfortunately tend to believe these liers.
Whether we like it or not, the majority religion and population of this country is Buddhist and our history is adequately adorned by Buddhist culture and heritage which spans over 2550 years. In any country, if there is evidence of a heritage that spans so long, naturally that becomes the accepted history of that country but in Sri Lanka vehement efforts are being made by these anti-Buddhist elements, to distort and insult our national heritage. Can a country prosper under these circumstances? How much does The State exercise it’s rightful obligations and duties? Where are the demarcations of decency and honesty in relation to religion and ethnicity in this country?
According to a highly respected & honest Catholic gentleman in this country, he states in his article which appeared in “Damsara” of 3rd January 2007 that there is now a concerted effort to distort the presence of Catholicism in Sri Lanka even before the arrival of Portuguese invaders. He also states that Catholic Fathers today are resorting to various methods of duping unsuspecting Buddhists by stating that Christianity and Buddhism have many common ethics and thereby insulting the Catholic religion in their bid to achieve their hidden agendas. These Fathers supposedly are involved in various NGO activities in this country. According to him, like in most countries where Catholicism is rampant even in Sri Lanka, the disciplines of these Reverend Fathers is visibly deteriorating and their actions are both insulting to Buddhists as well as Catholics- the two religions being as far apart as heaven and earth! What more truth does one need to understand the underlying hidden agendas of these Church Fathers?
On December 19th ,2006 a very active Buddhist Monk Ven.Rathmalane Seelawanse Thero who lived in Sri Rathanasara Buddhist Centre, Angunakolawewa, Thanamalwila was brutally tortured and murdered by paid thugs under the guidance/instructions of a Jesuit Father by the name of Father Ashley Samarasinghe. The late Monk just 2 months before his murder wrote an expose’ in which he detailed the activities of the above Catholic Father who went around calling himself “Pastor Ashley Samarasinghe” to hoodwink people into thinking he was an Evangelist. The first to fall victim to the plots of the above named Father was the late Ven.Rathanasara of the above mentioned Temple(which was later named after him)who was also mysteriously murdered inside the Temple and the killing was blamed on JVP activities. Subsequently, two other Monks who lived in this Temple were chased away or abducted and dumped on the roadside with threats that they were never to set foot in Thanamalwila! The last and most recent victim was the late Ven. Rathmalane Seelawanse Thero. In 2006 December 28th the day on which the late Monk’s body was interred at Borella Kanatte was the day on which Catholic Archbishop Rt.Reverend Oswild Gomis and members of The Bishop’s Conference invited Buddhist Clergy for lunch in lieu of Christmas, to have lunch with them-in the name of “inter-religious amity.” During the luncheon, photographs of our Buddhist Monks partaking of the meals offered together with the lay Catholic Fathers was splashed on the front page of “Gnanartha Pradeepa” which is the Sinhala edition of the weekly Catholic Paper with a caption as below: “ Katholica Sabhawa Ape Sanskruthiyate Maansagathawi Athayi Budhunu Himipano Pavasathi” (English translation “Catholic Church is engraved in our culture says Buddhist Monk”).To this day( in the year 2008), the criminals are very much at large and no conclusive investigations have been conducted nor the above mentioned Catholic Father Ashley Samarasinghe been taken in for questioning. To stall investigations ofcourse, it is very easy to spread negative rumours about the dead and departed late Ve.Seelawanse Thero. Only “a whimper” of this cruel murder was reported in the local newspapers. This is the inter-religious amity, that we see everyday.
6th April 2008 the Irida Lankadeepa carried a commercial advertisement for the proposed launching of a CD (which came out as a cassette in 1994) on Karma and Rebirth –a sermon by a Catholic Apostolic Father Lalith Aponso of the Apostolic Media Office, Katunayake and with insensitive audacity, he has photographed our Most Venerable late Aggamaha Panditha Balangoda Ananda Maithriya Thero as the eye-catching attraction to hoodwink readers into believing that there is Karma and Rebirth in Christianity! Nothing could be more insulting and further from the truth that Christianity and Buddhism have absolutely nothing in common. Together with the photograph of the above Monk, a small quote made by him is printed-however any intelligent person reading this quote knows full well that the late Monk would never agree to the interpretation given by the Apostolic Father in his sermon but merely stated irrespective of religious differences it is useful to listen to this cassette but this is used for commercial purposes to promote sales of the upcoming CD!
Contrary to the treatment given to the murder of the above named Buddhist Monks, an incident was reported in mid-February 2008 where a Christian Father Samson Neil Edirisinghe who was heavily involved in attempting to convert Buddhists in Ampara District was murdered and his wife also attacked by angry villagers whose limit of tolerance had snapped. All Sinhala and English newspapers carried reports of this incident for over 2 weeks and such reports even boasted of the fact that within 16 hours, the Police were able to accost the criminals! Afraid that far-reaching adverse reports would appear in the newspapers, the Bishop of the Anglican Church Rt.Reverend Father Duleep de Chickera made a statement to the press to state that irresponsible reporting on this matter should stop- and it did!
It has been proven beyond doubt how Evangelical Pastors and Catholic Fathers have been aiding and abetting with the LTTE terrorists to divide this country. During the past 2 months many reports appeared in the newspapers how Christian Pastors/Fathers have been arrested for storing suicide kits in their residences and how they have been using their vehicles to transport bombs and suicide kits from the Wanni to the South to attack scheduled targets. It is extremely revealing to read the following text which was issued by the President, International Church of Foursquare Gospel in relation to the above mentioned arrests–
(quote):
“President of Foursquare Gospel Church Rev.Jack Hayford has expressed his gratitude to Defence Secretary Gotabaya Rajapakse for providing assistance to release the two(02) pastors of the church who had been arrested recently. The two(02) pastors of the evangelist movement were arrested by the police on suspicion of having connections with the LTTE terrorists.
The International Church of the Foursquare Gospel would like to hereby express our deep gratitude for your assistance in expediting the release of our pastors. We are extremely appreciative for your involvement and petitioning on our behalf. Your willingness to meet with Reverends Leslie Keegel and Amos Dodge was very kind and your support was instrumental in bringing resolve to this situation.
The Foursquare Church looks forward to a bright future of cooperation and partnership as we strive to serve the wonderful people of Sri Lanka. The pastors who were released will now have the opportunity to assist people with physical needs, comport those with emotional trauma, love people who feel abandoned and promote reconciliation.
On behalf of our over 54,000 Foursquare Churches in 148 nations around the world we would like to again express our heartfelt thanks to you. May the Lord be with you as you serve your great country.
Rev. Jay Hayford, President, International Church of Foursquare Gospel
(end quote)
For aiding and abetting to destroy the sovereignty of our land, it is nothing but correct to ban the activities of this Church forthwith and expel from Sri Lanka. The hypocrisy engulfed in the entire text is typical of their mentality. How do we ever expect such crooks to”….. to assist people with physical needs, comport those with emotional trauma, love people who feel abandoned and promote reconciliation.” as stated by Rev. Jack Hayford? What and with whose authority were they interfering in the internal security matters of this country? Why this preferential treatment to these Evangelists? Where does Article 9 of The Constitution of Sri Lanka come into effect? With the same zeal and enthusiasm, why has it been difficult for our government, to punish the criminals who brutally murdered Ven. Rathmalane Seelawanse Thero whose case is mentioned above? Four years and two months after the murder, the criminals are still free in this land why? Because the conspirators are Catholics!
These fanatic missionaries enter 100% Buddhist and Hindu villages and think that it is their right, to use unethical methods of converting and dividing the goodwill within harmonious villages. It is their understanding that Buddhists or Hindus” have no rights” to protect their birthright or that of their off-springs. Even though the methods used by modern day fanatic missionaries are not as gory or gruesome as that of the Portuguese, Dutch and British in colonial times, there is hardly much difference between then and now in terms of their hidden agendas of splitting villages, separating Buddhists from visiting their village Temples and paying homage to Buddhist Monks, their unscrupulously paid workers who pose as Buddhist Monks and misbehave in society to bring discredit to meek and unsuspecting Buddhist Monks and Buddhist villagers in rural villages.
Muslim Factor:
Today in the scenario of an ongoing war with LTTE terrorists in the North and the “freed “ Eastern province, another simlar onslaught on Buddhists is taking place in Batticaloa,Ampare, Akkaraipattu and Pottuvil where vast extents of Buddhist archeological sites have been encroached on by Muslims, housing settlements being erected, Buddhist Monks being isolated and beaten up- most recently the Buddhist Monk at Muhudu Maha Vihara in Pottuvil was mercillously beaten up, sustained head injuries and was hospitalized by these Muslim extremists. The archeological demarcation lines in Deegavapi and Muhudu Maha Vihara have been bulldozed over with impunity, fences have come up right upto the doorstep of the Muhudu Maha Vihara Ancient Temple BUT the government authorities are turning a blind eye with a “see no evil, hear no evil and speak no evil “attitude to appease the Muslims and Muslim politicians of the area who are now trying hard to establish “their Muslim homeland in the East” which they like their LTTE counterparts are trying to establish with distorted history of their so called presence in the area. For over 4 years one Muslim politician has been prowling and marking time with documents which he distorted and prepared, to obtain approval from the UDA to demarcate a land area which would enable 35 Muslim Mosques to be erected in Samanthurai. This plan is still very much alive with Minister Ferial Ashroff making a statement in he newspapers recently that the East is the homeland of Muslims in this country! This is yet another myth like the LTTE claim of a traditional homeland for Tamils in the North while every historical and archeological evidence proves that those areas were historically inhabited by Sinhalese or Buddhists in this country! It is by no means a secret, that Muslims whom we may term as extreme and fanatic, have been destroying our treasured historical sites and artifacts to insult Sinhala Buddhists in this country. When we visit the East numerous are the cases where historical stone carvings, granite pillars and moonstones have been used for erecting toilets in areas inhabited by Muslims!
No doubt, having pushed out Sinhalese Buddhists out of these areas through a long period of time, it is possible for them to make such statements because the government authorities have done absolutely nothing to put matters in its true and historical perspective in order but be fair by other religions and ethnic groups. At no time do Sinhalese or Sinhala Buddhists request for unjust treatment of other religio-ethnic groups but there must be fairness, impartiality and direct handling of situations without allowing them to become concurred wounds for future generations to continue disharmony.
It is with deep regret that it needs to be stated that all Executive Presidents and their governments including the present one, is treating the Sinhala Buddhists and their grievances with step-motherly treatment while turning a blind eye to the atrocities committed by Christians and Muslims against helpless Sinhala Buddhists. It is highly ironic that it is the majority of this country that are expected to “bite their nails and watch” while every right of theirs is violated and the aggressors get away with it “scot-free”
Does it mean that the Sri Lankan Constitution is only a mere document in print form never to be honoured, never to be followed and never to be administered according to the laws of this land? May we ask humbly, “was it with the vote of the minority or majority, that those who hold high office in this country, have come on to take the mantle?” If the answer is that it is with the majority support, then may we ask whether there is anything called duty, gratitude and responsibility or national pride towards “that majority” who put them on the pedestal to ruin us to protect what is ours? To destroy the culture, archeological treasures and the culture of this land is a heinous crime committed against the entire nation called Sri Lanka.
Let us not talk or blame our leaders of bygone eras because it is too late now-some of them are senile, some dead and gone and some have no power at all now. However, can we honestly and truthfully ask the politicians of today, “how many of you whether in government or opposition it is immaterial, truly respect and protect the foremost place given to Buddhism, how many truly and honestly help to nurture and foster Buddhism in this country and how many of you are directly or indirectly aiding and abetting with the anti-Buddhist elements living or working in this country to destroy everything that is sacred and of value to Sri Lanka?” The honest answer will be an appalling and disgusting figure which exposes the true nature of our politicians! The ten fingers on our hands will be too much to count the number.
Celebrating the 2600th Sambuddhatva Jayanthi in Year 2011 & Mixing Inter-religious Activities:
In the build up to the anticipated Buddhist celebrations to commemorate the “2600th Sambuddhatva Jayanthi” in Sri Lanka there is no doubt or question that Sri Lanka has adequate Buddhists with a population of 70-75% who are completely capable of honouring and conducting Buddhist religious activities to honour The Lord Buddha and the immense & valuable philosophy He imparted to the entire universe. In the western world where Christianity took root, more and more westerners are turning towards Buddhist practices and meditation to gain peace of mind which they find, they cannot gain through Christianity. Sri Lanka is a country with a long history of Buddhism, Buddhist practices and heritage for which this country has become famous the world over.
It is extremely sad, to see the government efforts headed by our current Prime Minister who is also concurrently the Minister of Buddha Sasana, making every effort to insult The Lord Buddha and the Sambuddhatva Jayanthi Celebrations this year, by spearheading a “multi-religious agenda” around the country by establishing “multi-religious centres” around the country in the name of Sambuddhatva Jayanthi Celebrations. Is it possible for us to say that the Prime Minister is ignorant about the blatant and obvious difference in belief of the religions that believe in “a Creator God” as with Muslims, Christians including Catholics and Hindus and Buddhism where The Lord Buddha has categorically stated in no uncertain terms that there is NO CREATOR GOD and that human beings are supreme in guiding their life for their own emancipation if they chose to lead a righteous, principled and honest life according to the tenets of The Buddha Dhamma that He imparted to all of us? How on earth can a Prime Minister and Minister of Buddha Sasana state that “all religions are the same” when the differences are obvious to even uneducated innocent villagers in this country?
The Prime Minister is willfully undermining and insulting all Buddhists in Sri Lanka and the world, when he promotes representatives of other religions to join in celebrating Sambuddhatva Jayanthi in the year 2011 and playing into the conspiracies of anti-Buddhist enemy forces in this country! Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith is given more prominence and respect in this country today, than The Lord Buddha!
There is no problem with believers of other religions practicing their religions in Sri Lanka, but they must understand, that their place in this society is not on equal terms with Buddhists or Buddhism –the religion practiced by the majority of this country. Religious disharmony has come about during the last couple of decades due to their own insensitive activities of attempting to conduct unethical conversions in this country- it is not something that was initiated by Buddhists in this country. If all other religious institutions operating within Sri Lanka, learn to understand that they must accept that the foremost place given to Buddhism in Sri Lanka is due to the fact that this country has a very long history of the existence of Buddhism in this country and that 70-75% of the population are Buddhists!
Therefore let the current GOSL together with the Prime Minister, take note and draw the line when celebrating Sambuddhatva Jayanthi in Sri Lanka-Buddhists do not want a “multi-religious hotch-potch” mingling when Buddhists pay homage to The Lord Buddha. Let the politicians in this country learn to be honest and sincere & may they stop being double-tongued merely to obtain a few election votes. They must understand that those minority votes cannot get them into power because the majority of this country are still Buddhists! Respect for Buddhist sentiment must be shown by their deeds and examples rather than mere words!