Shenali D Waduge

Secular tab is another western slogan flogged to take away, denigrate and dilute countries that have historical past and are trying their best to protect that past. The very countries preaching secularism take oaths holding the Bible and sing national anthem ‘God Save the Queen’ while their politicians make no bones about protecting Christianity. Islamic countries do not come into the equation because none of the 50 majority Muslim countries will budge from giving any place other than to Islam in their countries which leaves India with the majority Hindus who have got a raw deal as India’s political leaders have foolishly agreed to undermine Hinduism for Secularism and this is a mistake that the remaining majority Buddhist nations should not do.

Where is the logic of changing a constitution to give it a ‘secular’ flavour when at the other end both minorities are seeking separate states and living in self-segregation?

Asian countries are hypnotized into accepting terminologies without understanding the context or questioning the insistence of using these western invented terms. Probably those parroting the secular slogan are themselves clueless and do so only because they are paid to promote the notion.

Let us first understand that that the terminologies, the systems and all the mechanisms have a historical legacy. They are all derived from colonial rule where after invasion and occupation native systems were thrown into the dustbin and replaced by Western White Christian Systems that used education to mentally shape non-whites to accept all that the whites were delivering as what was in ‘their’ best interest which was invariably to suit the West. Western education system is intertwined in Christianity. Therefore the separation of Church & State omits to mention Education! Realization of this is a must.

Until and unless people’s minds are decolonized, we will continue to worship all that has been passed down since colonial rule as being the best solution to all problems when in reality these are neither solutions nor options in our best interest.

Therefore we need to at all times put things in correct historical context. The countries before the Age of Discovery were living following their own indigenous systems – they had no prisons, they had no thieves, there was no need for lawyers or police, their doors did not have locks, there were no need for cctvs, surveillance or even counter terrorist mechanisms. Everything changed when the Western Christian Explorers came with a mission to ‘civilize’ these uncivilized people and their effort to Christianize and Civilize natives became the white man’s burden. Lets also not forget that systematic brutality and murder was invented by colonial Christian/Catholic explorers – the Inquisitions, the murders, the plunder, setting fire to crops and livelihoods were all on orders and constitute what these very nations call ‘war crimes’ today. The crimes they committed are never taken to equation for accountability though and these were beyond those that they define as war crimes.

There were certainly wars but the wars were on policy, the two sides honoured each other and there was chivalry. Both Christian and Islamic invasions had none of these ingredients. Jews sought and continues to get compensation why are countries victims of both Islam and Christianity not doing the same and instead accommodating their demands over and above those that built the nations?

Secularism is being used to downgrade non-Christian/Islam so that Christians/Islam are brought in par making it easier to influence the decision making through a network of external influencers under their control (NGOs, media, civil society, UN etc)

The separation of State from Church is what secularism in reality means. However, how far it is practiced as it is preached is questionable. The West has all the mechanisms in place that guarantees the superiority of the Church – German constitution guarantees Christian doctrine is taught in government schools, look at the questions in the British citizenship test, mandatory church tax to citizens prevails in Germany, Austria, Croatia, Denmark, Finland, Switzerland, Italy, Sweden & Iceland.

Roman Catholic faith is the only religion to be in the UN and has diplomatic status as a nation. Roman Catholic faith is the only religion to have a separate state carved out – how secular is this?

Most appointees by US Presidents are staunch Catholics. Here is a comparison how the Reagan agenda and the Vatican agenda were virtually the same http://churchandstate.org.uk/2012/03/how-the-vatican-influences-us-policy/ We saw during the UK elections how candidates vouched to protect Christianity. Therefore, secularism is but in name only however when Third World countries agree to accept it what happens is that all its historical past gets annihilated to be overtaken by either Islam or Christianity.

The West offers a secular model – but what is that in terms of virtues – it is capitalism overdrive. People are depressed, unhappy, dissatisfied, angry, violent, on drugs, on alcohol, in a rat-race, in debt but they have no solace. The East though made to follow and copy the Western living model can when they do realize these are valueless turn to the dharmic compassion that the civilizations of the East was built on. The secular promoters cannot stand this eventuality which is why they wish to destroy the history and heritage using the bogus ‘secular’ mantra. The aim is to remove the historical identity of the nation and to plug a modern identity in keeping with external aims and objectives.

India’s Hindus have become victims – inspite of 82% Hindus there is nothing to protect Hindu rights, safety of Hindu temples, Hindu pilgrimages and traditional Hindu way of life. Secularism in India has meant appeasing or tolerating others while there is little reciprocity. Bihar has even banned yoga day while Sri Lanka’s Port Minister on the excuse of reconciliation has planted a Christmas Tree in the middle of the Galle Face Green which is a public area for all to play and enjoy the evening. Why only a Christmas Tree for reconciliation? Bangladeshi writer Taslima Nazreen questioned the double standards of writers protesting against ‘growing intolerance’ in India says that said most secular people are anti-Hindu isnt this the same of the secular people in Sri Lanka – all are anti-Sinhala Buddhists!

They protest against the acts of Hindu fundamentalists and defend the heinous acts of Muslim fundamentalists. Politicians appease Muslims for votes. This annoys many Hindus. In Canning, a Hindu village in West Bengal, was burnt down by Muslim fanatics in 2013. If Muslims were brutally persecuted in India, they would have left India for neighbouring Muslim countries like Hindu minorities have been leaving Bangladesh and Pakistan since Partition,”

Just replace the Hindus with Sinhala Buddhists and insert a village in Sri Lanka to understand the gist of the message!

In seeing secularism in action in a country as large as India, it automatically should caution Sri Lanka where pseudo-secularism is being promoted where everything is blamed on the majority and a false projection of the minorities being weak is promoted. As a result of the hype and propaganda gone into a bogus impression that the minorities are weak the government is forced to appease to the minority will to the extent of even joining to publicly fault the majority. This divisiveness does not bring out any of the other norms being simultaneously promoted by the same parties that are fanning the majority-rules minority-weak slogans. It does not help to form any national identity either especially when steps are afoot to change Sri Lanka’s national anthem, flag and even map!  All these are well-funded efforts to denationalize people (devaluing both nation and nationality).

What a lot of people tend to forget is that there is no Sri Lankan identity since the name Sri Lanka came in 1972. What we also forget is that the nation was called Sinhale from ancient times upto ceding powers to the British. Sinhale is the identity that we need to identify ourselves with. Historical facts cannot be constitutionally droned just because it is unpalatable for a handful! Well-funded indoctrination through history and social science in efforts to de-root people of its cultural past is underway. First open salvo has come a series of free history courses now been publicised targeting Buddhism! Quite a number of pseudo secular academic historians have been coopted for this exercise. Why should a country’s history be written by people who are not proud of their country! The secular and multicultural slogans have even ended up with State banks in Sri Lanka and private banks promoting Sharia banking (Islamic banking) if so why are they not promoting Buddhist Economics? There are madrassas springing everywhere, look at the number of evangelical churches also mushrooming, Arabic has entered when Muslims speak Tamil, there are Muslim universities, Islamic montesooris – how secular are these and the Sinhala Buddhist schools end up having to be open to multiculturalism only!

Why are educational texts written by those who do not have a sense of pride and respect for the cultural heritage and national heroes? Isn’t this why the curriculum has failed to produce youth proud of their past?

Much of the trouble stems from politicians vying for cheap votes giving unfair political mileage to minority demands. If citizens are treated equally before the law why should there be any special rights for minorities? No minorities can demand or be given separate minority laws above the state law using the ‘secular’ mantra.

Secular will seal the fate of the majority who will be castigated as communalists with every move to safeguard their historical past. The Pope in his capacity as a foreign head can land on any country and openly declare that his mission is to convert people!

The history of a country is its evolution. This is why it kills the created countries who have nothing to boast of its evolution and wishes to destroy the historical evolution of countries that have a solid past. Precision bombing of Iraq’s ancient sites is a case in point during all Gulf Wars.

We are at a critical juncture. Suddenly we see open chants for separatism using virtually the same demands as those of terrorists. Why are secularists in denial and refusing to accept that terrorism is leading to secession? This is a key point relevant to the broad changes being taken to introduce one word which has dangerous ramifications.

If minorities have the right to practice their faith what else do they want? Religious freedom does not afford the right to have their religion rule the nation! Religious freedom does not constitute demanding the removal of Buddhist sites that have been located for thousands of years! Religious freedom doesn’t mean that the voice of the Sinhala Buddhists have to be shut up.

Secular Sri Lanka will end up with minorities become worst racists than they are and the torch bearers of the racism will helped by external influence contribute to great social calamities. Probably this is what is being intended with the sweeping changes to the constitution.

Sambanthan is the TNA leader and the Leader of the Opposition.

Wijayakala Maheswaran is in the UNP

It is very clear that the minorities have exploited their rights and external sources for their own agendas are using the minority as a smokescreen. Things in Sri Lanka are turning into a social apartheid-like situation that prevailed in Africa when the white ‘minority’ enjoyed all state privileges and discriminated against the majority blacks – the same is happening to the Sinhala Buddhists even before Secular has been inserted into the new constitution so these examples should suffice to refuse to include Secular into the new constitution.

The demands to remove the Prevention of Terrorism Act is identical to when the Sonia-Government removed the PTA as soon as it came into power in 2004 citing it was ‘communal’ – Yahapalana will sing same song.

The Jihadists increased attacks during UPA rule knowing they would not take action – the same is happening with the revival of the LTTE and the open separatist racism by Tamil politicians. UPA government did nothing about the missionaries increasing conversions and the same appears to be happening with evangelical ministers appointed to government in Sri Lanka. Not understanding the mathematics of demography the present government enjoys rallying round the minorities and openly ridiculing the majority while getting funds to divide the majority.

Every time the majority rallies nationalism it is immediate shot down as communal and media is used to denigrate them. There are churches even depicting false history and paying artwork to uphold lies.

The current proposed changes to Sri Lanka’s constitution is certainly not coming from demands by the public. It is the work of people who are working to agendas (local and foreign). NGOs are today drafting what should and should not be included. These players are on payroll and dictated to do what their paymasters demand of them. They have no love or concern for the country, its people or its past. They are only carrying out orders. These orders come from nations who have no historical past, the only past they have is of confiscating other people’s lands, murdering their natives and then expanding their empires. Nothing they can be proud of.

However, it is time that people realize that all these changes are also linked with other countries who have also experienced regime change and in turn have had their internal structures raped and replace with what suits parties waiting to devour those nations.

Should we sit silent and watch a 2600 history be annihilated?

Shenali D Waduge

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/nigel-barber/why-religion-rules-americ_b_1690433.html