Clerics- should they have a voice in Parliament
Posted on June 8th, 2012
By Garvin Karunaratne, Ph.D.former Government Agent, Matara District.
Member of Parliament Mr Wijedasa RajapaksaƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s proposal to stop clerics from Parliament has to be considered from what has happened toƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ the Sinhala nation and the Buddhists in particular.
We happen to be a country where the majority Sinhalese haveƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ a diminishing voice and the minorities have an ever increasing voice.
If the Sinhala people and the BuddhistsƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ had a due place there would not be any problem and there would not be any necessity for monks to enter Parliament.
Our historical records detail how Buddhist monks time and again stood up for the rights of the Sinhala people and the Buddhists. SomeƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ even sacrificed their lives.
The role played by Buddhist monks in recent years deserve praise.
It was Venerable Atureliya Ratna of the JHU that took up the cause of the Mavil Aru farmers who were deprived of water at the Mavil Aru Anicut by the LTTE that caused President Rajapaksa to spring to action. Ven Ratana was prepared to sacrifice his life for the cause of the farmers and bravely led the farmers even if they were to be sliced up by the LTTE.
In the 1956 Parliamentary Election, the victory for the Mahajana Eksath Peramuna led by Mr. SWRD Bandaranayake was mainly due to the part played by the Buddhist clergy. I was closely associated with Ven Henpitagedera Gnanasiha during the election. I happened to work in Ratnapura at that time and Ven Gnanavasa, Ven GnanasihaƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s brother was a fellow student of mine at the University. During that election for months Ven Gnanasiha took up the cause of the Buddhists and the Sinhalese. Ven Gnanasiha left his temple every day, in the very early hours of the morning, if I remember right in his Volkswagon and returned by midnight to be venerated by us. He was away again by four in the morning addressing political meetings and explaining why the people should vote with the Mahajana Eksath Peramuna. Ven Gnanasiha was a very forceful and convincing public speaker andƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ I am certain that he played a major role in bringing about the victory at the 1956 election for the common man.
I happened to be a student of Vajiraramaya and also a close student of VenƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Pannasiha. Many are not aware as to why Prime Minister Dudley Senanayake did not go ahead with the Dudley Chelvanayagam Pact.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Ven Pannasiha once told me that whenƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ the Dudley Chelvanayagam Pact was being finalized Mr Dudley Senanayake had inquired from him about the Pact when they met at a function.. Ven Pannasiha had replied that in his opinion the Pact was detrimental to the Sinhalese. Mr Senanayake had asked him to explain. The Ven. had replied that it was not possible to explain in a few minutes.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Mr Senanayake had given him an appointment. . On that day Ven Pannasiha had spoken for a few hours detailing why the provisions of the Dudley Chelvanayagam Pact were detrimental to the Sinhala people. It was this that made Mr Senanayaka drop that Pact.
Ven Pannasiha though he did not enter parliament played a major role to find a place for the Sinhala people and the Buddhists. The VenerableƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s message as expressed by Ven Bellanwila Wimalaratne in a speech on 21 st June 2007 was, for ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-all monks and lay persons to unite and work together to save the Sinhala Nation and BuddhismƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚. At times Ven Pannasiha was calledƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-the Military Buddhist LeaderƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚. He voiced himself whenever the interests of the Sinhala people and the Buddhists was at stake.
However, later it came to a pointƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ where it was only as a Member of Parliament that one can contribute and have a voice to reckon with.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ That portrays to me why monks have to be in Parliament.
It is sad that Buddhism is not the State religion of Sri Lanka and it is also sad that the place accorded to the Sinhala people is eroding fast.
It is this predicament that requires the presence of able monks to voice the cause of the Sinhala people and Buddhists in Parliament.
Garvin Karunaratne, former Government Agent, Matara District.
June 9 th, 2012
June 8th, 2012 at 4:51 pm
“That portrays to me why monks have to be in Parliament.”
Yes. It is undemocratic to prevent ANYONE from parliament due what he/she does in most waking hours (unless it is criminal).
Buddhist monks MUST be in parliament.
June 8th, 2012 at 6:08 pm
The first think, if a certain Buddhist monk wants to do politics, no one including the constitution can not stop that. Even in the past, Sri Lankan buddhist monks, there are so many examples inthe history books, have involved in saving the country. Because, out culture is Buddhist-culture. Once we are separated from that, then there is nothing else to say that we are Sinhala people.
Actually, Buddhist monks are doing what the civilian people should do. Besides, we can not expect from Sri Lankan politicians who have lot of connections to other religions.
Finally, since the beginning both the Christianity and Islam are political religions and they both influence he govt by many indirect ways.
Particularly see, how many MPs in the parliament are Christians.
My personal opinion is may be Wijedasa Rajapaske was influenced by such groups.
June 8th, 2012 at 7:01 pm
Although, i’ve my reservation about monks in politics generally. However in SL’s context Monks have contributed mostly positively in the past, in the very recent defeat of LTTE and hopefully in the future, too!
June 8th, 2012 at 7:53 pm
In my opinion, active politics by monks, Mullahs or any other religious clerics – not advisable in a democratic country. You see what is happening in PAKISTAN? Mullahs dominating politicians. Because of that, minorities such as Christians, Hindus, Ahmadiyyas suffers a lot. So, Wijedasa Rajapaksha’s move in Parliament is good.
June 8th, 2012 at 9:22 pm
It is the right of any Sri Lankan to enter parliament. On the other hand their is no one representing the interests of the Sinhala Buddhists. The parliamentarians have been a failure in representing their interests so have the mahanayakes. In spite of them been their the sinhalese are a discriminated Gp in the country, Economicaly they have been made powerless by a corrupt system who borrow in the name of all citizens and share the spoils between the corrupt and those who have capital which are the minorities.
June 9th, 2012 at 3:01 am
The problem with Pakistan is Islam. Not only politics, it has ruined Pakistan from all sides. When the Pakistan region was a Buddhist country none of these problems was there.
Buddhist monks were involved in politics in Sri Lanka for thousands of years. That is how it should remain.
Mullahs and Buddhist monks cannot be compared.
Dr Gavin, I thought Sri Lanka’s state religion is Buddhism. I’m sure it is. Please be kind enough to verify this fact.
June 9th, 2012 at 3:02 am
Actually there should be a few Buddhists monks in parliament on all occasions. Otherwise the corrupt and disgusting MPs will take the country for a ride.
June 9th, 2012 at 3:45 am
Nowhere in our constitution stipulates the status of monks or differentiate monks from laymen. As far s we re concerned, vinaya rules for monks are personal laws imposed by Buddha; it has nothing to do with the law of the country. Moreover, Buddhism is not the state religion of Sri Lanka. If that is the case, what right do we have as laymen to impose things that monks can and can’t dos.
Is Wijedasa saying monks should have less right than he or is it his aim to purify Buddha Sasanaya. If he wants to clean the sasanaya he will have to restrict monks being affiliated to political parties, participating in political rallies, taking part in marches etc and etc. He would have to restrict them doing jobs as well. He should also say, having devalaya in temples must be stopped as well. Does he intend to restrict all that? If not, what’s his game in just restricting monks going to parliament? We as Buddhists should ponder what this man is up to with his evangelist leader.
Besides, if monks can be tried in a court of law just like any other layman, is it not unfair to restrict them the rights that laymen enjoy. I say, Wijedasa is trying to use monks business for cheap politicking to attract minority votes. He will fail because common sense tells us that victimising a section of the society is unconstitutional.
President Rajapakse is a multi facet man. His model covers UNP type thinkers, the JVP type thinkers, JHU type thinkers, old left type thinkers and many others. That’s why all the said opposition parties are in disarray and even monk MPs are no longer in demand.
Leela
June 9th, 2012 at 4:31 am
In the 18th century, Buddhism had reached a low point in the country. Many priests had lost their yearning to achieve higher states of learning or teaching and preferred to become ‘Ganinnanses – managers of temple propery’ instead of ‘Therunnanses’ with a background of structured learning and a commitment to education and spiritual life of people.
Kings had Malabari wives, and Temples had to adjust with a Kovil by the side and Astrological services and Bali THovil services to make ends meet.
This situation was changed by the untiring services of Weliwita Sri Saranankara Sangaraja Thera who brought back ‘pindapatha’ tradition, with royal help re-established Upasampada tradition. But his efforts too were cut short by the allegations for supporting an effort to kill the King to place a Prince from Siam in his place. His reply was that he was not a spy and as a priest it was not his duty to report report rumours. Actually he had supported in an earlier situation KIng Narendrasimha’s wish to appoint a Malabari prince, his wife’s brother to succeed him
Buddhist priests always remained advisors to Kings for centuies – and those who propose changes like the said UNP member should spend tme to study history and constitutional practice in Sri Lanka over the centuries.
June 9th, 2012 at 4:29 pm
If the King wants advice there are plenty of Monks to be approached, no need to get advice from those who join parliament.
June 9th, 2012 at 7:09 pm
Dham: Perhaps you and the likes like to read ‘Sunday Divaina’, today. Nalin de Silva has written an apt article about this under his column, ‘dekma’.
Leela