Don de Silva 

The Editor 
Adaderana Sri Lanka

Dear Editor, 

Thank you very much for your daily TV news bulletin, through your Youtube Channel. 

They are useful in obtaining news and information about Sri Lanka. 

However, I was very concerned with your  English News Bulletin on 16.08. 2019.

The news clip, which begins from 2.30, refers to the Amarapura and Ramanna Nikayas as sects”. 

Please see the attached picture of the clip, which also uses the term sect” in its caption. 

The use of the term sect” is extremely unfortunate. 

The term sect” is often used as a group of people with somewhat different religious beliefs — typically regarded as heretical —  from those of a larger group to which they belong. The term is often synonymous with cult” and used to describe a philosophical or political group, especially one regarded as extreme or dangerous. 

The Amarapura and Ramanna communities are distinguished Buddhist traditions”, established by Venerable Sri Lankan monks, who spent considerable time in Burma. 

The reference in the Adaderana news clip to the Amarapura and Ramanna Buddhist traditions as sects” is derogatory. 

Another way of referring to different Buddhist traditions is to describe them as schools” of Buddhism. Please see the way the Victoria and Albert Museum in London refers to different Buddhist traditions: http://www.vam.ac.uk/content/articles/b/buddhist-schools/

In your website, in the About Us” section, you describe your news channel as probably the most unbiased and comprehensive news property on offer”. I would be very grateful if you could review your news clip, against this ethos. 

I look forward to your early response. 

With best regards

Don de Silva