Refuting misinformation

Gamage Palihapitiya

Dear Readers:

This refers to the explanation given by Mr. H.M.G.B.Kotakedeniya, representing the Jathika Hela Urumaya, in answer to Mr. Pandula Endagama's query regarding the contesting monks at the forthcoming election.

True Sinhala-Buddhist nationalism is gathering momentum, after the Parliament has been dissolved! If not for the dissolution, this so called Jathika Hela Urumaya, created hurriedly by some 'Sinhala-Buddhist patriots' would not have come to surface. (According to Mr. Kotakedeniya, (KD) those who are opposed to Jathika Hela Urumaya and the contesting monks are traitors!). This is a serious charge.

KD castigates every public servant as holding 'patronage' appointment. Didn't he try to get one of the 'patronage appointments', the post of the IGP!

Did he talk about Sinhala-Buddhist nationalism at any point of time as one of the police officers throughout his career! It is a well-known fact that after his failure to secure the highest post in the police force he decided to become a member of the Sihala Urumaya.

People know how he made derogatory remarks at press conferences, etc. against his superiors immediately after the UNP government came into power in 2001 and in fact he openly criticized his peers, brother officers, etc. and pointed out their shortcomings in dealing with narcotic raids, etc. Yet, he miserably failed to satisfy both the UNP Prime Minister and the SLFP President. In those instances, it appeared that he was not practicing four sublime states, such as Metta-Karuna-Muditha-Upekhkha though he now recites them loudly and regularly with the greeting ' Budu Saranai'.

That may be the reason, one of the contesting monks at a meeting had remarked, after their entry to this race, some people who never recited 'Buddham Saranam' etc. have now become Buddhists! At least, these monks have done some service to the country, even though they have set bad precedents in contesting the election. (I strongly support if they continue to defend the Sinhla Buddhist rights through the Jathika Sangha Sammelanaya as a lobby group without contesting the election). KD has become a true Sinhala-Buddhist patriot overnight appointed by the Sihala Urumaya/Jathika Hela Urumaya!

Public servants (I was also one of them) went on a one-day token strike against the Tamil Special Provisions Bill on January 8, 1966. Where were KD, his patriotic friends and contesting monks? Rev. Damabarawe Rathanasara was killed on that day. Rev. Matale Sasanathilaka Maha Thera, true patriot monk went on a hunger strike against the bill at the Independence Square. We went and paid our homage to this great Buddha Putra for his bravery.

Again as public servants at the instance of the Government and Local government Service Buddhist Association and backed by trade unions we boycotted attending government offices on POYA days during 1965-66. POYA Days were declared as holidays. We never heard a supporting word from these contesting monks or from KD for that struggle. Only Ven. Madihe Pannasiha Nayaka Maha Thera was consistently defending our Sinhala Buddhist rights. BJB leaders, L.H.Metthananda, K.H.M.Sumathipala, Premachandra de Silva, Gunaseela Vithanage, etc. were the only Buddhist leaders who supported that struggle.

Where were these self-proclaimed patriots during the UNP regime from 1977 to '94. Thousands of public servants went on an Island wide strike in July 1980 against the repressive regime of the UNP and they lost their jobs. I was one of them. No Buddhist monks or for that matter the so called patriots of the Sihala Urumaya had the courage to lift a finger against this brutal action of the government to safeguard the interests of the poor men and women who provide 'Sivu Pasaya' to monks regularly at temples. We are not new comers to this business. We are not 'born again nationalists' like some opportunists. We have been in this national struggle since our childhood, 1956.

The Jaffna Library was razed to the ground by the Sri Lanka police force in which KD was a member. Did he utter a word against this heinous crime against humanity? (Even Hitler had given specific instructions not to attack libraries during the Second World War.)

More than 700 police officers were brutally killed by the LTTE as the UNP government betrayed those innocent, true, brave police officers in the eastern province. Did KD utter a single word? Why didn't he resign and fight for the Sinhala-Buddhist nationalism had he been a serious follower of the national movement at that time? He should have shown his integrity and honesty, as a true Sinhala-Buddhist. But he has failed to practice what he has been preaching. You are judged, not by words, but by deeds. These people are trying to make hey when the sun shines.

When the Indu-Sri Lanka pact was signed in 1987, where were these contesting monks, KD and patriots of the Sihala Urumaya. The Police had killed one of my closed relatives as they protested against the pact. The nation overcame such difficult situations, through the sweat and blood of the youth and the sacrifices made by real patriots and not by those who lived in the lap of luxuries during the repressive regime during the period from 1977-1994.

The Jaffna Peninsula was regained after making much sacrifice. The territorial integrity of the country, law and order were maintained in the northern and eastern provinces after 1994 to a greater extent. KD must know this better than anyone else. Freedom of speech, freedom of thought, freedom of expression and the freedom of assembly were restored. So many mushroom organizations dedicated to speak about democracy, patriotism have now come up as a result of this. Anyway, We are not complacent with what we have today. But we gained something more than what we didn't have prior to 1994. There is lot to do to improve the situation. In every respect of the word, it is much better than before 1994 period.

Thilak Karunathne, thanks to the SLFP, was elected to Parliament, conspired against the leadership, suspended from party, challenged the decision in courts, joined the UNP, re-elected to Parliament from UNP, ousted from UNP, and later founded the Sihala Urumaya with S.L.Gunasekera, R.V.De.S. Indrarathne, etc.

When a bonus seat was offered to the party, after the election, S. L.Gunasekara was ousted realizing that SL was a Christian and not suitable to be sent to the Parliament. Thilak Karunarathne was selected and entered the Parliament. Later, the party offered that slot to Champika Ranawaka. According to Mrs. Bandaranayake, he had represented the JVP at a conference as disclosed by Walter Jayawardene in one of his articles in Daily News. 72 year old Professor, Indrarathne was beaten up by a gang supervised by Champika and S.L.Gunasekera had to rescue the professor. Thereafter, S.L.Gunasekera left the party and Gunadasa Amarasekeara wrote, 'KUPADI Politics' referring to this incident. This is the very same gang that converted the Sihala Urumaya to Jathika Hela Urumaya in one night and 'offered/donated' (PUJA KARANA LADA) to some monks. They are one step closer to the attainment of NIBBANA as a result of this meritorious deed! KD also joined this band- wagon. How can a political party be donated, is the question. They all are patriots and others who oppose them are traitors!

Sacred words such as, PARAMITA PERAHARA, MAHA SANGHA, BODU SAMULUWA, are being misused/abused for political purposes by this gang. The sacred Buddhist flag introduced by, Col. Henry Steel Olcott is being abused. It is not the property of the JHU. It belongs to the entire humanity. The JHU members have desecrated the Buddhist terminology and the Buddhist traditions. The electorate would say to this gang, 'physician heal thyself'.