WHY CARDINAL MALCOLM RANJITH PRESSING PANIC BUTTON?
Posted on October 5th, 2020

By M D P DISSANAYAKE

In regard to last year Easter Sunday terror attacks, the President Gotabaya Rajapakse has initiated two separate bodies to investigate the incident.

The traditional investigations by the Colombo Crime Division, Criminal Investigation Department and the Terrorism Investigation Department  combined to nail down the culprits, so far it is reported more than 200 suspects have been arrested.

 In addition to this ongoing investigation, the new President Gotabaya Rajapakse has appointed a Presidential Commission with the widest terms of reference to determine the circumstances, culprits, financers  and gather a larger picture of this incident and make recommendations.

What did Ranil Wickremasinghe do immediately after the Easter Attack? He appointed a Parliamentary Select Committee headed by Ananda Kumarasiri, Rajitha Senaratne, Rauf Hakeem, Ravi Karunanayake, Sarath Fonseka, Jayampathy Wickremaratne, Sumanthiran and Nalinda Jayatissa.  Some of these guys have the lost the election, some others left the country and few others selected Sajith Premadasa as a safe heaven, leaving Ranil Wickremasinghe.

Couple of weeks ago, three Bishops named, Maxwell Silva, Anthony Jayakody and Anton Ranjith were recalled at the Presidential Commission and the Commission had issued a stern warning to them to   refraining  from making comments on the proceedings of the Commission.

The enthusiasm displayed by the Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith since the incident varies widely between the two periods under Ranil Wickremasinghe vs Gotabaya Rajapakse. Why?

Sri Lanka had many terrorists attacks against Buddhists, Catholic and Muslim places of worship and devotees.   As a government, the President has not pressed the panic button.      Neither the President nor the Prime Minister running an unorthodox Special Investigation Squad from  the Temple Trees.  They have no short-list of persons to be arrested.

It is a fact finding mission, those in high office should not create conflicting situations in the society.

The Dalada Maligawa was attacked by Tamil Terrorists, killing hundreds of men and women observing Ata Sil on full moon day   at the  Anuradhapura Sri Maha Bodhi and      Aranthalawa massacre, 33 buddhist monks were killed by LTTE. The list is endless.   Did Malwatte-Asgiri Chapter Maha Nayake theros called for a summit of the  Buddhist members of the parliament to meet the monks.  Could that be interpreted as an act of provocation and create further unrest.

The Cardinal has now called for a meeting or a summit of all catholic MPs to meet him.  (It is hoped that the Rt Hon Harin Fernando, a national list MP will also be present at the proposed summit).

Acknowledgements:

CROSS-WALK.COM.BIBLE:

1. Romans 8:25

“But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience.”

2. Romans 12:12

“Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer.”

DHAMMAPADA VERSE 184

Khanti paramam tapo titikkha
nibbanam paramam vadanti buddha
na hi pabbajito parupaghati

na samano hoti param vihethayanto.

Patience’s the austerity supreme,
Nibbana’s supreme the Buddhas say.
One who irks or others harms
is not ordained or monk become.

Explanation: Enduring patience is the highest asceticism. The Buddhas say that imperturbability (Nibbana) is the most supreme. One is not a renunciate if he hurts another. Only one who does not harm others is a true saint (samana).

2 Responses to “WHY CARDINAL MALCOLM RANJITH PRESSING PANIC BUTTON?”

  1. Ratanapala Says:

    The problem is that Catholics think that they are special creations who should be treated ‘well above’ others. So many massacres of innocents happened during the Tamil Terrorist Eelam wars. The Catholic Church played a double game of ‘running with the hares in the South and hunting with the hounds in the North. When hundreds were murdered in ‘broad daylight’ during these times the Catholic Church was not there to wipe our tears. nor cry on our shoulders.

    Once the war against Tamil Terrorist War was over the Catholic Church changed their stance. Kapanna Bari Ata Imbinna wage!

    However when the Easter Sunday Massacres took place it was the Sinhalese Buddhists mostly who came to wipe the tears of the Catholics. Even then the Catholics of Negombo voted to bring back to power the UNP in the Negombo District during the Presidential Election in Nov 2019.

    The drama played by the Cardinal tantamounts to ‘hitting below the belt’!

  2. Sarath W Says:

    The priority of the Catholic church is money. It must have cost them a lot of money to repair the churches. Also when the churches were closed they lost a lot of income. The first collection, the second collection etc. Also the Covid19 restrictions must have hit them hard. As Ratnapala says the Cardinal was not worried when the Sinhala Buddhist lives were lost. He should just shut up and let the government do the job.

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