Demands of the Sinhala Buddhists
Posted on July 14th, 2015
Shenali D Waduge
when missionaries came we had the land, they had the Bible.
We closed our eyes for prayer and opened them,
only to find they had the land and we had the Bible”. –Desmond Tutu
There are plenty of Tamil leaders who claim they represent the rights & grievances of the Tamils. There are Muslim leaders who do the same. There are religions from colonial invasions who fund and represent their flock’s even aspiring ones. Do Sinhalese Buddhists have any present day leaders that stand for and are proud of the Sinhala Buddhist heritage, who sincerely and genuinely wish to reverse the discriminations suffered by the Sinhalese? Do we have leaders to demand the return of the Sinhale nation that was taken over by colonial invaders while post-colonial systems are camouflaged to continue a neocolonial imperial drive that aims solely to replace Sinhala Buddhists in Sri Lanka marginalizing them through pro-Western rhetoric? It is only the patriotic few and the public who are today defending their nation. The Tamils have India, ever ready to come to their aid. The Muslims have over 50 nations of the Muslim world, the Christians/Catholic have the Vatican and a network of other establishments all connected and linked to Western Governments. Do the Sinhala Buddhists have such support to protect an ethnic population that evolved in Sri Lanka and lives only in Sri Lanka and a pristine religion that Sri Lanka has guarded for centuries? Sinhala Buddhists can’t be on politicians ‘want list’ only when elections come. The people who built this nation and are fighting to preserve it deserve far better.
- Protecting the status of the Sinhala Buddhist majority that built the Sinhale nation
a. Recognise Sri Lanka as a predominantly Buddhist country and uphold the Sinhala Buddhist civilization and its ethos constitutionally and legally. (for over 2600 years Buddhism was State religion invited by royal invitation and the compassionate nature of Buddhism ensured treatment of all citizens and even visitors with compassion)
b. Secure the foremost status of Buddhism and foster Buddhism both within and outside the country while ensuring the right to freedom of religious practice for all other religions (right to practice religion does not entitle the head offices of these religions to strategically change the pre- existing and current religious and cultural landscape of Sri Lanka to create one where their religion becomes majority with time)
c. Follow 70-30 representation – Majority Sinhala Buddhists must be assured of representation at all levels of Government, Legislature, Executive, Judiciary etc. and across all systems, that reflects the 70% demographic ratio of Sinhala Buddhists in the country while only 30% of places in any system should be allocated to religious and ethnic minorities. Allocation of time for public service by MPs must be according to ethnic ratio.
d. Allocation of housing (flats/housing schemes) & any state allocation to be based on the ethnic ratio of the country – 70% to Sinhalese & 30% to minorities to be divided at their discretion
e. Strive towards establishing a compassionate society in Sri Lanka which is all inclusive, protects all living beings and encourages peaceful co–existence between man and animal (a noble call no one can take objection to)
f. Protection of the rights of Sinhala Buddhists in particular the lower income groups and addressing their grievances on a priority basis. Tamils will have India to provide aid, Muslims have over 50 Muslim nations to provide aid, Christians/Catholics have Western Christian nations & Vatican – Sinhala Buddhists have only the State that built the nation.
g. No ethnic ghettos allowed anywhere in Sri Lanka to prevent potential uprisings in the future based on sectarian ideologies and separatist identities
h. No division or separatism to be allowed – legal action to be taken forthwith against any politician or person or entity advocating the division of Sri Lanka or laying the foundation for it under whatever nomenclature.
1. Recognize Ahimsa as a guiding principle in all endeavours of the State and discontinue state sponsorship of Buddhists to indulge in rearing animals for slaughter and export of meat products
- Protecting heritage, history and natural environment
a. Declare Buddhist heritage sites as National Heritage sites providing both State protection and funds for preservation. But an end to attempts to eliminate national heritage/history via bogey of multiculturalis/multifaith and internationalism
b. No other religion that can with evidence claim to have existed prior to 2600 Buddhist history can demand joint-heritage claim status Stop well planned moves to identify and declare historic Buddhist sites as multi faith sites e.g. Sri Pada. Kataragama, Dambulla etc.
c. Moratorium on construction of new places of religious worship via foreign funds coming from sources out to create ethnic/religious tension combined with their imperial expansion ideologies
d. Introduce anti-conversion bill and ensure foreign-funded conversion of Buddhists and Hindus are legally dealt with
e. Foremost place to Buddhism via Article 9 must require Buddha Sasana Minitry to task panels to regularly produce reports covering media distortions/other manipulations by western funded-NGOs (content analysis of current media to denigrate Buddhists), incursions of heritage areas/sites, brainwashing of children towards multiculturalism/multifaith in an effort to get them to abandon their links to heritage and denationalize them. Christianity has $170billion / Wahhabi slam has $87billion to promote their faith worldwide.
- Language
a. Sinhala to be only official language of Sri Lanka
b. Tamil to be secondary language and English link language
c. Mandatory for all citizens to speak and write basic Sinhalese
d. Curriculum for non-Sinhalese to be made practical and limited to use of every day Sinhala so as to generate simply dialogue between communities.
- Rights of citizens
a. Equal land rights & ownership in any part of Sri Lanka for its citizens. No law should deny the right of citizen to purchase land & live in any part of Sri Lanka (this will address current demands for only Tamil land / only Muslim land while Tamils and Muslims secure right to live in all parts of Sri Lanka while Sinhalese will not have right to land or right to live in North or East. It highlights dangers of Sinhalese losing land rights in the parts they currently live when using external money Tamils and Muslims will start purchasing land leaving Sinhalese a landless majority)
b. Special regulations for dual citizens/citizens marrying foreigners to ensure that land ownership (title deed) does not fall into hands of foreigners.
c. Illegal immigrants to be returned to their place of origin or wherever they came from
d. No ethnic based political parties as these represent only one ethnic group and are aligned to foreign sources that use these ethnic groups to cause communal and religious tension and discord in the country
e. No foods to be labelled according to the religious preference of one minority religion only and applicable to all. If export foods warrant labelling such should be done for export foods only. No consumer should have to pay for food preferences of a minority religion.
f. One law applicable to all – no two laws to be allowed (civil or criminal). No sub-laws per different religions to be entertained as such did not exist pre-colonial or even post-colonial.
- Education must give prominent place to National History
a. History of Sri Lanka (endorsed by a patriotic panel of educators/historians) must be taught in every school (public, private, semi-govt & international) as a compulsory subject in the syllabus from pre-school to O/L.
b. Foreign service and other public service must include briefings on the pre-colonial history and the real patriots/heroes of Sri Lanka
Today, there are western funded militant groups tasked to destroy histories in countries and remove artefacts that end up sold for millions as collector’s items. This was how colonial invaders looted nations of Asia and Africa. The multicultural / multifaith initiatives are movements funded by entities who wish to create people who have no roots to heritage and that jealousy inspires them to create systems to denationalize people and nations that are proud of their civilizational heritage and fighting to preserve what has been passed down from one generation to the other.
The nations that have civilizational histories cannot remove their histories just because some nations do not have history, heritage or cultures/value systems to be proud of.
Shenali D Waduge
July 14th, 2015 at 2:46 am
Sinhala Lanka always be Bhuddist Sinhala Land also TE always be Saiva Thamil Land !!!
Sinha theevukku oru balam amaippom ( for Sinhala island We will build a bridge) -Maha Kavi Bharathiyar !
Modi already started -kaptu my Chinhala sakotharam.
July 14th, 2015 at 4:07 am
I agree with you. We had a few leaders who voiced out the rights of Sinhala Buddhists in the past. In recent past we had Rev Soma Thero. The Hela Urumaya was formed to continue the theme that Rev Soma Thero had launched.
Sinhala Budhdhists voted Helaurumaya expecting them to lead the nation. Where are those Helaurumaya gangsters now?
We need a leader who is devoted to protect Sinhala Budhdhist’s rights in this country.
July 14th, 2015 at 4:14 am
Well said SW. Is there ANY leader or party to do these? NO!
IF any politician does AT LEAST ONE of SW’s demands, he is a GREAT patriot.
If the majority is SAFE and HAPPY, minorities will automatically be safe and happy.
July 14th, 2015 at 8:10 am
While I agree with most of what Shenali said, the association with Buddhism and race (any race) is problematic.
In the Buddha’s time, it was caste, and the Buddha made it quite plain in a number of suttas that character is what is makes one noble, not caste. Because race has been used in a similar way to caste in assigning rights to some people that are denied to others that are not part of the group, the Buddha’s teachings on a caste-less Sangha are instructive.
In the Assalayana Sutta (Majjhima Nikaya 93; PTS M ii 147), for example, the Buddha indicates that members of upper Brahmin castes are just as prone to do evil or good as any other caste members, including Outcasts. The teachings from the Kutadanta Sutta and Vasetta Sutta have similar anti-caste themes.
And when one considers the origin of caste and race from the Agganna Sutta, in which beings began to separate based on attributes that were thought to be more attractive as they took on courser bodies, it is clear that this is thought of as a defilement of beings, not something praiseworthy.
I think given Sri Lanka’s special place in Buddhist history, there is no need to associate the religion with race at all to protect it. What other country other than India did the Buddha visit? Where were the teachings of the Buddha written down for the first time after several hundred years of oral tradition? Where are the largest number of the Buddha’s remains currently stored? Where is the forest tradition of monks currently still thriving? What country has the largest percentage of Dhamma schools? What country has the largest percentage of meditation centers? All of this history makes Sri Lanka one of the most special places in Buddhism, and this history alone commands respect, honor, and preservation.
I think the 70/30 thing in Shenali’s article to ensure Sinhalese representation should be ‘aspirational’ as it is not quite practical to hit these numbers, certainly not yet. It also should extend to ALL ethnic groups (or religions) based on their respective percentage of the population, not just Sinhalese, and should include university admissions, government jobs, and certain ‘control’ positions in major news media, banking officers, top managers at major corporations, lawyers, doctors, engineers, professors, etc. In America, despite the election of Barack Obama, blacks and Latinos are virtually excluded (1% or less) from all control positions despite being 30% of the population, and Jews who are only 2% of the US population sometimes account for as much as 30% or more of the control positions in America. So you would think both the Sinhalese majority and all minorities would welcome representation in these important positions. It is important to note that any aspirational goal along these lines has to proceed gradually but deliberately to not sacrifice quality yet make steady progress toward the goal.
While I understand the history of ‘funded’ conversions, and this is a problem, especially with Christian conversions that seem to be more about materialism and economics than religion, there should be some protection for those who sincerely want to convert to another religion for personal reasons. For example, I was raised a Catholic by my parents, but at 13-years-old I decided I did not want to be confirmed as a Catholic, and later in life found Buddhism and adopted it as my personal religion. I believe I have grown spiritually by leaps and bounds based on this religious conversion, and would have found any impediment to this conversion personally offensive. I think the better approach is to place stricter limits on missionary activity, as religion should never be something that is ‘pushed’ on you, it should be something you discover and sincerely believe will help you become a better human being.
July 14th, 2015 at 1:14 pm
Somarama Sirisena’s way of “REMAINING NEUTRAL” is exemplified by the following news article in which he says he OPPOSES MR … STILL! Clearly, MR’s Nomination was IMPOSED by SLFP/UPFA MR supporters on Somarama Sirisena … and he could not stop it …. that is all!
This also gives LIE to Facebook Lorenzo’s claim that Somarama Sirisena has “joined hands ” with MR to contest the Election, the Patriots should not criticize him …. as an ELECTION strategy! More TRICKERY from the ARCH-TRICKSTER!
Lorenzo is STILL trying to defend and protect his DARLING Somarama Sirisena for whom he campagined VOCIFEROUSLY in the Presidential Election!
ONCE a BACKSTABBER, ALWAYS a BACKSTABBER ….. that goes for both Somarama Sirisena and Facebook Lorenzo!
…………….
I continue to stand against Mahinda Rajapaksa – Sri Lankan President
July 14, Colombo: Sri Lanka’s President Maithripala Sirisena today stressed that he was against giving nominations for the former president Mahinda Rajapaksa to contest the upcoming parliamentary elections under the United People’s Freedom Party (UPFA), of which he is the leader.
Making a special statement to media, the President said he informed the UPFA leaders including Dinesh Gunawardena and Vasudeva Nanayakkara that he was against granting nominations to the defeated president.
“I continue to stand against Mahinda Rajapaksa,” the President said. “He will be defeated again,” he asserted.
He noted that some have criticized him for taking the leadership of UPFA but all his government achieved was possible because he was the president of UPFA and its main constituent party, Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP).
The President added that if he resigned from the leadership of the party, anyone Mahinda Rajapaksa wanted would have received nominations for the elections.
If the SLFP wins the elections there are other SLFP seniors who could be appointed as the Prime Minister, the President said.
However, the UPFA has already indicated that Mahinda Rajapaksa will be the Prime Minister if they secure the parliament at the August 17th elections.
President Sirisena expressing his commitment to conduct a free and fair election said whoever wins the next election his sincere wish is that they would implement the wishes of those who voted for him on January 8th.
The President, who faced severe criticism for his decision to allow the party to nominate Rajapaksa, said during the past two weeks he was called every possible name and labelled him as a traitor.
President Sirisena said he applauds those who criticize him as criticism is an important aspect of a democracy.
However, he cautioned that although he was happy that he was able to restore the freedom of expression in the country, that freedom should be enjoyed with a sense of responsibility.
July 14th, 2015 at 2:08 pm
MB,
Elections come and go but Singhala people must get their share for SL to be STABLE and PEACEFUL. It was NOT Tamils who started violence crying DISCRIMINATION in 1971 – long before Tamils took up arms.
At the election Singhala people should vote for WHOEVER PROMISES THEM A BETTER SHARE of things without party politics.
IF England remains an English country,
IF France remains a French country,
IF Russia remains a Russian country,
IF Malaysia remains a Malay country,
IF Spain remains a Spanish country,
IF Japan remains a Japanese country,
SL should remain a Singhala Buddhist country.
SW DOES NOT advocate SL to be a Buddhist THEOCRACY. SW only says give to Buddhism the place it deserves. Give the Singhalese the place they deserve. That is the right thing to do.
July 14th, 2015 at 6:37 pm
Lorenzo,
Remaining a Sinhalese country and protecting Buddhism are two different things.
As mentioned above, you can effectively protect Buddhism in Sri Lanka without any reference to race.
You can also protect the Sinhalese race in Sri Lanka without any reference to Buddhism, and control of immigration laws is perhaps the best way to do this, which is what other countries like the ones you mentioned do.
I have never been a big fan of racism as a person of mixed-race ancestry. I never ‘chose’ my race, but I did choose Buddhism as my religion and Sri Lanka as my place of residence. I also chose a Sri Lankan wife because of her Buddhist values, even though she is Sinhalese. If there was a Tamil Buddhist with similar values, I may have chosen her instead, and certainly would have preferred her to a Sinhalese Christian. The overriding feature in this choice was Buddhism, not race.
July 14th, 2015 at 7:24 pm
Well said MB. I approve fully.
Who can be a big fan of racism ? LTTE.
IF England ……
(6 countries named)
SL should remain a Singhala Buddhist country.
Only Sri Lanka has been given a religion by Lorenzo. Why ? Even Malaysia is not given a religion. Still refuses to write Sinhala and Sinhala, instead of using Tamilzation of Sinhala as Sing-Hala.
Buddhism does not need a country to survive. It will survive even in USA ( MB’s motherland). As long as people with intelligence arise, Buddhism will survive.
Leave Buddhism alone. Leave Nibbaana alone. Leave Kamma alone. Call these words INDIAN if you wish.
July 14th, 2015 at 7:25 pm
MB,
Singhala is NOT a race. It is an ethnicity. There is only ONE RACE – human race.
ALL countries protec their MAJORITY ethnic group, its culture, language and values. SL also should.
To protect Buddhism in SL, it should be given the top most place. “Recognise Sri Lanka as a predominantly Buddhist country and uphold the Sinhala Buddhist civilization and its ethos constitutionally and legally.” It will NOT happen automatically!
To protect Singhala. Do the rest SW says. It will NOT happen automatically!
Without these, SL will end up like PAKISTAN or HINDUSTAN where people kill each other daily over petty differences where the MOST BARBARIC wins.
As my other examples, SL too must stand up for a SINHELA BUDDHIST identity. That is the BEST guarantee of minority rights.
e.g. Hindu and Christian rights in Pakistan is NON EXISTENT because it is NOT a Buddhist country.
e.g. Muslim and Christian rights in HINDUSTAN are NON EXISTENT.
July 15th, 2015 at 2:53 am
I agree with some points made by Shenali and disagree with others. MB has also made some very good points. Ethnicity and religion should not be mixed up. I am not sure if Sinhala Buddhists have any power to show of. If we have any power how can we sell our national anthem and also end up as the poorest group ? If the Sinhalese want to survive in Lanka, priority has to be given to productivity, efficiency and competitiveness. These are linked to education, skills and attitude. Please leave an Indian religion. As a politician has said that Sri Lanka does not belong to the Sinhalese, the rot and decline has to be stopped urgently.
July 15th, 2015 at 3:00 am
Independent
Leave Buddhism alone. Leave Nibbaana alone. Leave Kamma alone. Call these words INDIAN if you wish.- well said
Sina Lanka remain a Sinhala country ( Chinhala Theevukku oru balam amaippom – Said great Kavi Bharathiyar – said again in our parliment by Modi- We will build a bridge(Love bridge) to Sinha island) forever as for last 2,500 years or more !!!!
July 15th, 2015 at 5:16 am
Intention of LTTE is clear !
Erase “Sinhalese” as a race.
Intention of Ben Silva is clear !
Erase “Buddhism” being a religion.
Bloody fools !
July 15th, 2015 at 2:14 pm
Ben,
There is NO suggestion to DRIVE economic, military, etc. policy of the country through Buddhist principles. Please read what SW has written. As I said before, I’m totally against running SL on Buddhist or Islamic, Hindu or Christian or whatever religious principles.
What has been suggested are for the PEOPLE to protect the country’s IDENTITY. They have nothing to do with Buddhist principles.
So what you say REONCILES with what SW says to an extent.
Ancient SL leaders did NOT follow Buddhist principles to protect SL. They did the right thing. But it protected the PIOUS to practice their principles peacefully.
e.g. Ellalan was NOT spared.
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….
36 Buddhist monks contesting the election from UPFA – 2, UNP – 2, BJP – 15, JSP – 17.
This is a joke. NONE will get into parliament.
Strangely the 2 EVANGELICAL pastors are likely to get into parliament from UNP.
July 17th, 2015 at 11:35 am
I also support safeguarding Buddhism as cultural heritage. To respond to independent, it ps bloody fools that believe in Indian myths,now. Rejected by I medians. It is bloody fools who want to give up desires and seek extinction,Nirvana