DR.OMALPE SOBHITHA TELLS MINISTER WHO CHALLENGED HIM ON PROSELYTIZING TO COME TO A PUBLIC DEBATE ON THE ISSUE

The Venerable Dr. Pandith Omalpe Sobhitha Thero

By Walter Jayawardhana reporting from Los Angeles

Dr. Omalpe Sobhitha Thero, executive Committee member of the Jathika Sangha Sammelenaya (JSS) challenged a powerful UNP Minister, Vajera Abeywardena of the Ranil Wickremesinghe government who challenged the Buddhist leader on proselytizing earlier, to come to a public debate with him.

In an obvious reference to UNF government’s State Administration, Management and Reconstruction, Minister Vajera Abeywardena, Venerable Dr. Pandith Omalpe Sobhitha Thero also said now it was coming to light that certain puppet like leaders who do not have even an iota of knowledge about the reality of what is happening in the country could cause immense damage to the nation.

Dr. Omalpe Sobhitha Thero spoke thus, replying to the government Minister about the politician’s obvious attack on the Buddhist monk leader at a recent prize giving in the port city of Galle. He called the issues of unethical and immoral conversions of Buddhists in to Fundamentalist Christianity that the monk raised as “childish slogans”.

Dr. Omalpe Sobhitha Thero, who started a fast unto death demanding legislation against such proselytizing with the Venerable Rajawatte Wappa in front of the Ministry of Buddhist Affairs, ended the fast after government accepted the demands to be granted, but Vajera Abeywardena, a protégé of the Prime Minister attacked the Buddhist leaders at a public meeting raising doubts about the sincerity of the government, believed to be under the influence, of rich church groups of the United States.

Dr. Omalpe Sobhitha while attacking politicians like Vajera Abeywardena said he was even ready for a public debate on the issue with the minister

He said it was not the question of changing the religions that bothered the conscience of the just in the country as the minister misinterpreted but it was proselytizing by unethical allurements that bothered them.. The allegations have been substantiated, Dr. Omalpe Thero said, against certain Christian Missionary organizations. Such organizations , as World Vision, in the guise of performing social services have found to be proselytizing. Very clear evidence has been exposed regarding this by the report of the Buddha Sasana commission appointed by the President. Apart from that hundreds of instances of such evidence had been recorded by Buddhist organizations, the Venerable Omalpe said.

In an obvious reference to Vajera Abeywardena , Dr. Omalpe Sobhitha Thero said , it was now clear the immense damage caused by puppet leaders who do not have an iota of knowledge about the reality of what is happening in this country.

He asked how the Indian states like Orissa and Thamil Nadu had stopped such unethical conversions if laws cannot stop such immoral deeds as the UNP minister claimed.

He said the illogical statements of politicians like Vajera Abeywardena, he was sure, would not mislead fair-minded impartial readers.

The Venerable Dr. Omalpe Sobhitha Thero said that Vajera Abeywardena was a man holding a responsible office in the country. If the Minister further thought that what Dr. Omalpe Thero held were erroneous opinions he wanted to challenge the Minister to a public debate. During such a public discussion, Dr. Omalpe Sobhitha Thero said, he would be able to expose those very people who were masquerading in Buddhist circles but actually engaged in anti-Buddhist activities working for extremist fundamentalist Christian terrorists and their anti-national activities.