Dr Sudath Gunasekara

27.9.2017.

I have noted with much concern some Prominent Cabinet Ministers of this Government openly and publicly denigrating Buddhist monks during the past few days. The first man to do that publicly was Sarath Fonseka who called them Chivaradhariyo. He was followed by Ranjan Ramanayaka. Today the foul mouthed Rajita Senaratna, adding insult to injury called them animals. But they call themselves Honourable MPP. Of cause they are all really honourable. There is no doubt at all about it.  It is a pity that all these people carry the prefix Honourable before their names.

In this backdrop, I have few questions to ask from the President and the Prime Minister on this serious and deplorable issue.

Firstly

Why are you silent on this type of uncivilized Ministers in your Cabinet? At least by now, you should have warned them and ask them to restrain their foul mouths.

Are we to take it for granted that your silence is tantamount to your conforming to what they have said on the Sangha

Is it your government’s open stand on Buddhist monks in this countr?

If the answer is no then why don’t you tender an open apology before the Mahasangha in this country on behalf of these fools and sack these mad men immediately as Ministers and unseat them as MPP as well forthwith as most of them are appointed as your favourite choice

Are you not ashamed to have such uncivilized babblers in your Cabinet or even in your Government?

Do you know where these hoodlums and foul mouthed ones, calling the Ven Sangha, the Guardian gods of this 2500 year old civilization, are taking your government?

Do you know the gravity of the damage these irresponsible public utterances are doing to your Government and to all of us as a nation and a civilization

Secondly

Is it a part of a well -designed conspiracy to run down the Buddhist monks in this country, the golden thread of the Sinhala Buddhist civilization. I remember a Muslim Minister from the upcountry also calling Buddhist Monks Hoodlums’ some time back, also getting away with impunity

This in my view is an extremely serious situation that might lead to a complete disintegration of the very underpinning of our civilization perhaps might be irretrievable if not arrested immediately.

Thirdly

I have a far more important request, to be made from the Ven Mahasangha, rather a plea more than a mere request.  This is an open plea, firstly from the Ven Mahanayaka Theras of the Three Nikayas, and secondly from all Buddhist monks of all Nikayas, living all over the Island, I am making on behalf of the whole nation.

Firstly,

To deplore and condemn these unruly and uncivilized statements made by these lowbred politicians

To ask the President and Prime Minister to sack them and de-seat them as MPP and disqualify them from holding any public position in future in this country or abroad on behalf of this country.

And then refuse to give any appointment for any member of this Government and boycott them for all intent and purposes from all audiences and refuse to accept any offerings as well, until they prove to your full satisfaction

First by making an open apology to all Mahasangha in this country, both individually and collectively, Secondly make a firm affirming that they will not talk or behave like this in future and that they have reformed and learned to respect the Mahasangha and they are worthy of being accepted to a temple court in this Land of the Buddha.