CLASSIFIED | POLITICS | TERRORISM | OPINION | VIEWS

Contempt of mandate

By Senarath Kossinhala.

The day was Tuesday 8th June 2004. The 4th session of the 13th Parliament began at 10.00am as pre-determined, but soon the atmosphere turned a complete fiasco.

At the Speaker?s call for taking oath to the newly nominated MPs, A JHU Bhikku - who was barred from taking oaths as a Member of Parliament, until further notice by District Courts - on his way to the Speakers platform to take oath as a MP. The act is a stark ridicule to the judiciary and its process that no citizen with dignity will ever approve it. Half of the members who were elected by the law-abiding citizens in the country were watching the scenario with joyous. Objections raised by some members fell on deaf years. The aftermath is history. Now the communal fighting is at its resting period, so some elements adding fuel to the fire, deliberately taking efforts to create unrest within the community. This is a dangerous precedence that everybody should be aware of.

The other day Ven. Kathaluwe Rathanaseeha thero went before the law, seeking a writ against the decision taken by the JHU leaders naming another Bhikku, Ven. Akmeemana Dayarathana, to stand for him in the parliament seat that he won convincingly. The reason, Ven. Ratnaseeha says that the letter, which was submitted to the Gen. Secretary of the Parliament in the presence of the Speaker (in a jiffy the letter was in the hands of the Election Commissioner!), announcing his resignation, alas, was signed by him not in natural or clear conscience but under threat to do so.

Further, Ven. thero points out, three of the most seniors among the JHU?s supreme council suddenly appeared in his temple with a van load of other robe clads and civilians abducted him (this time for real), taken to SU/JHU?s head office and forced him to sign papers the contents of which he was not permitted to read and understand. If the story went public, Ven. Rathaneseeha further says, one bhikku among the gang threatened to kill himself blasting a bomb which was in his person at that moment. (Dear Mr. Law Enforcement, please take note.)

Whilst the frontline JHU superstar Bhikkus are busy with implementing plans - at Devramvehera and Sulaiman Terrace, Colombo 07 - to build a Dharma Rajjya, hopefully before the next General Election, again this Ven. Rathanaseeha fellow is trying to spoil the soup. This time give him no chance. Hire the best lawyers money can buy. Fight to the tooth and nail, inside and outside the courts. Launch Satyagraha unto death. You get ample coverage from all-powerful ?free? media. The occupants of Lanka Ji Vihara too are firmly behind you. Do not let Rathanaseeha anymore to have meals @ Rs.15 per serve at the Diyawanna canteen. He is a great sinner. He voted for a Communist on 4/22.

Ven. Rathanaseeha?s ?Abduction II? brought in to the light immediately after the day which turned my grand Ma?s stomach hearing the year?s spiciest news that of Kumari the Juliet spilled beans over her Romeo Rauf?s untimely desertion, which Kumari thinks a great betrayal second only to that of Mr. Quisling?s (pardon me, Norwegians). Both, abduction and infidelity cases led to a tug-of-war between government and private media in you-accuse-I-deny way. The abduction fiercely highlighted by the Govt media and equally opposed by the private media. Kumari-Rauf saga too was given huge propaganda by government media and private media categorized it is as of fabricated (go boutique, folks, make your masters happy).

Ven. Rathanaseeha, during his ordeal under abduction by his fellow JHUers, came before the media camera, (it was apparent that if he was under the gun point from behind) and declared, to the amazement of the general public that he isn?t a victim. He appeared-disappeared-appeared during those period. Whenever he appeared he never was alone. Now he surfaced from underground (underworld?) and asking for the justice to be done for him. Also points out, for the resignation papers he signed with a bogus signature!

Before they were elected these JHU Bhikkus named the Parliament a ?cesspit? surrounded by Diyawanna Oya, and they needed to be elected only to clean it. Slinging the contents in the cesspit at each other isn?t the way to clean or empty it. Now its crystal clear, these Bhikkus are not their own. There is a hidden force behind them deciding and measuring their every move. This hidden force?s principle aim is to bring a complete destruction to our social structure based on the Immaculate Buddhism that exists in our country for centuries. These national and non-national forces comprised with opportunistic rejected politicians use these Bhikkus as a cat?s paw in order to bring disunity to the Sanga society as well as amongst the Buddhists in whole. Some of those traitors of the great religion and its background are well within us in the guise of the saviours of the Buddhism. How many dishonest politicians, personnel or organizations are labouring away these days involving in Buddhist cause? They take charge proceedings lavishly, what ever in nature, in pretence of genuine helpers, but prevent in having a solid and lasting result secretly, that you may never know about, which in the long run causing a systematical undermining of the existence of our culture and religion. Remember about the fiberglass statue donated to Nagadeepa and Kathaluwa temple filthy and nude art works done free?

In our near past we had several Bhikkus who rose to the top in popularity in preaching Bana with great beauty. Ven. Panadura Ariyadhamma, for instance, had immense popularity in chanting it in a poetical way while Ven. Pitakotte Somananda and Ven. Kotikawatte Saddhatissa were two un-matched super preachers with fluency, clarity and with great profundity that Buddhists will remember for generations. Ven. Gangodawila Soma, mean while, surfaced as a preacher and the latter part of his life he leaned more towards to nationalistic ideals. He is purely a creation of the necessity of the era. The era that the rulers forgot the importance of the Sinhala Buddhists. The era that the separatists and the politicians reciprocal only for their survival - politicians by hiding the truth from the public and separatists by cleansing the Sinhala Buddhist from North and East. This environment created an ideal platform for someone to voice the grievances of Sinhala Buddhists. Ven. Soma launched a lone battle, without much help even from the fellow Bhikkus of his Nikaya (Some of them are now enjoying Parliamentary immunity). On his journey Ven. Soma made many friends and enemies alike. His sudden and tragic demise in an unexpected place, mystery and the conspiracy theory in the way it had happened made Sinhala Buddhists dumbfounded. The Government?s inefficiency or intentional negligence to intervene in solving the puzzle of his death, directly or indirectly cost their re-election. Then cultural Minister who repeatedly refused, till the last minute the venue for the burial (which was the largest gathering of people in decades) even lost his Parliamentary seat.

This is the situation those scoundrel politicians planned to cash-in and succeeded, using Ven. Soma?s name, his portrait and Buddhist Flag.

The first-time voters, who cast their maiden vote for the JHU and elders who switched to the JHU hoping to see and feel the immaculate Dharma Rajjya during their life time, are innocently awaiting in the corner believing their promised land will soon be erected by Bhikku MPs strengthening the unity among already divided Nikaya based Maha Sangas, advising the society to strictly adhere to Buddha?s teachings thus not to gather filthy lucre by gambling or intoxicants, guiding the rulers to conduct themselves in accordance with Buddha?s principles, and fill the void left open by Ven. Soma?s death giving the much-needed leadership to the alienated nation.

But within the elected nine Bhikkus clear division of two factions appeared right from the beginning making voters silent prayers to a divine hand to patch the cracks up persuading all nine to go on the same path. Prayers seemed gone unheard and cracks widened. Wide enough to drive a Montero through the cracks! But ultimately they are going in a common path. The path that leads to Hultsdorf.

Do the Buddhist ethics permit these Bhikkus to behave in this way? Aren?t these unending faux pas making them a laughing-stocks to other religious folks?

Modern day politics is so complex, probably the most exasperating, stressful business whereas longevity or endurance of the participants are guaranteed only for those who tolerance-enough to accept brickbats and flowers alike. This is a job that clergy must not enter into. No matter what religion he or she is from. The Islamic Mullahs are well in engaging in politics in Muslim countries because Islam religion and Islam nation is one institution. The only difference seen is between masculinity and feminism. The Maha Sanga?s entry in to the tricky and competitive politics is totally unacceptable. In ancient Lanka Maha Sanga administered justice in the society. Their teaching and exemplary lifestyle taught the first lessons of the discipline and code of ethics to the followers. For many Buddhists religion is a part of their everyday life in joy or sorrow. Monks are their guardians who carefully guide them for the betterment of their life. Even today many Buddhists are not accustomed to believe that monks should play the same role that present day politicians play skillfully and cunningly.

Maha Sanga in our country encountered their bitterest yet nightmare in 1959 when a couple of severely corrupted Monks have had their hand in the cold-blooded assassination of the then citizen no.1, widowing a mother of 3 children. The mother later became the first women PM in the World and no retaliatory measures were taken against the culprits but the independent judicial process. The bitter incident brought the credibility of the Sanga society to zero. Only a business related matter caused these mad assassins to decide the fate of the country by eliminating the giant of the common man who just began to change the entire structure of the Westminster idealism deeply penetrated in to the ruling class while making peasant communities and suburban working class actively participation in the politics. It took several decades to recover the lost reputation after committing this shameful act that tarnished the good image of Sanga society that has built for centuries. But the scars were not completely disappeared. Even after a catastrophe of that nature some members of the Sanga society have not learned the weirdness of the lesson of politics. Some occupants of well-to-do urban temples openly showed their partiality to the party politics.

The single most important reason for all the problems prevailing in our country today is the poverty. Sri Lanka is one of a poorest countries with half of the population is economically and emotionally deprived. Immediate and comprehensive measures should be implemented for poverty alleviation while food, shelter and clothing, the basic necessities of the mankind - at least for the Third World country dwellers ? are the problems that should be attend and addressed in urgency.

The only correct and acceptable decision made by JHUers after being elected is the decision not to contest in the forthcoming PC election. They rightly feel that the popularity and the public appeal are gradually eroding under their feet. It may become an earth-slip if they not realize sooner rather than later that the country is in need of a strong government, not a strong opposition.

End.

BACK TO LATEST NEWS

DISCLAIMER