KAMALIKA PIERIS

Tamil objections to Buddhist temples in the north-east are not confined to Kurundi. Tamil Separatist Movement   is attacking all the Buddhist temples in key locations in the northeast. Therefore a   strong Buddhist lobby is urgently needed, to fight on behalf of the   Buddhist temples which are under threat all over the north and east.

There should be two lobbies for the Buddhistization” of the north and east, one by the Maha Sangha and the other by the lay Buddhists. These two lobbies   must deal firmly and strongly with the many anti-Buddhist activities in the north and east. They are a) objecting to conservaton of ancient Buddhist temples in north and east, b) opposition to building of new Buddhist temples in the north and east, c) opposition to the presence of the Sangha in those temples, d), vandalizing   Buddhist statues and   Buddhist ruins and d) building kovils on the sites of ancient Buddhist temples.

There is evidence of an informal lobby. Surveyor General Ariyaratne Dissanayake told Daily News in February 2022 that a total of 484 requests have been received for surveying of archeological sites in the Eastern Province. Surveying of 64 of them have been completed and plans are being prepared for 22 sites. Derana news of19.2.22 announced that requests for measuring religious places in north have been received and 48 are being looked into.

There is also silent resistance. Kurundi team informed us that Forest officers were working very eagerly and with much dedication to stop the illegal occupation of Nagacholai forest reserve.   

The Department of Archaeology had two encounters with President Ranil Wickremesinghe. The first was in Colombo with the Director of Archaeology. The second was at Anuradhapura where President met the Archaeology Department officials based in Anuradhapura.

Derana news of 23.7.23 showed a clip of the second meeting.  President Ranil Wickremesinghe clearly wanted archaeological attention transferred to Mahavihara in Anuradhapura. The most important archaeology project should now be Mahavihara, he said. He compared Mahavihara to Taxila and Nalanda and added that we did not know our past.

Archaeology Department officials were asked, has the Department done any excavation on Mahavihara. What have you found. Officers stated  firmly and unapologetically that  they have only marked out the ruins visible above ground. President wanted to know how many archaeology officers were at work in Anuradhapura and how many have been assigned to Mahavihara .  Answer after checking was 4 officers and 18  workers.

The attitude of the Archaeology Department officers at this meeting was visibly different to the  trusting attitude  shown by D/Archaeology,  Manatunga  at  the historic Colombo meeting with TNA watching. The  Anuradhapura officers were confident  and firm and answered  only after openly checking facts on their laptops.  They knew that this  sudden emphasis on Mahavihara was an artificial one. Jetavana and Abhayagiri were already  done.  Jetavana was part of Mahavihara.

The Buddhist lobby does not  confine itself to silent resistance alone. Whenever  they  belatedly  realize what is  taking place, they try  to stop it. The first thing they do is  ‘go to court’,  they institute  legal proceedings.

.A Fundamental Rights petition has been filed in the Supreme Court, in May 2023,  seeking an order directing the authorities to take immediate action to secure and protect the Vadunagala Pabbatha Viharaya Archaeological site in Vavuniya District.  
The petitioners Ven. Galgamuwe Santhabodhi  Brig. (Rtd) Athula De Silva, journalist Shenali D. Waduge, businesswoman Jihan Hameed, Nilhan Paul Fernando and Upali Jayasinghe Bandara filed this petition through their lawyer Dharshana Weraduwage. 

 Vaddamana Parvatha (Pabbatha) Viharaya Vedikinnarimalai Archaeological site is located in the Nainayamadu Forest in the district of Vavuniya. The petitioners stated that Vaddamana Pabbatha Viharaya, a Buddhist monastic complex, dates back to the early Anuradhapura era. According to the inscriptions these caves were gifted (Saangika) to the Maha Sangha. 

The petitioners stated that this ancient Buddhist monastery has a long history. In 2010 this place was rediscovered and re-identified by the Department of Archaeology and was suggested to be gazetted as an archaeological protected monument. The petitioners alleged that in 2018, acts of vandalism occurred in this place, where the floor of one of the caves with Brahmi inscriptions was filled with soil brought from outside and levelled. The bricks from the brick stupa were removed and an image of a God has been inserted. 

The Petitioners further stated that the actions or inactions of the respondents, including IGP Chandana Wickramaratne, Minister of Public Security Tiran Alles, Senior DIG Vijitha Gunaratne, DIG Ampawila, SSP Chamika Wickremasinghe and others are wilful, negligent and unreasonable and have vehemently violated the fundamental rights of the Buddhist Citizenry duly guaranteed under Article 10, Article 12.1 and Article 14 (1) (e) of Sri Lanka’s Constitution.  The petitioners alleged that in 2018, acts of vandalism occurred in this  place, where the floor of one of the caves with Brahmi inscriptions was  filled with soil brought from outside and leveled.[1]

At present  Buddhists have nowhere to direct their observations and grievances  to.  They have collected a bunch of observations and do not know what to do with them. They need direction. There must be a  formal Buddhist lobby with an address , an office and somebody to  write down   the facts.

The Sangha has provided two   such places, at Pepiliyana and Kelaniya. They have the capacity to provide more centers if they wish. Among the many lay Buddhist organizations, obviously, it is  the All Ceylon Buddhist Association which should come forward   to lead the Buddhist lobby.

ACBC is not new to this. It is already supporting  Kurundi.  Well before that ACBC made a complaint    when a branch of the  Sri Maha Bodhi was cut down  in 1970 under the pretext of providing telephone lines to the residence of Mr. Thangadorai, Federal party MP for Muttur.

ACBC is  aware  of the new role they have to play. They have adjusted their image accordingly. ACBC announced  in May 2024 that  views put forward by the ACBC have been discussed and developed in international discussions at various times in the world.

ACBC  has seen the need for high visibility .The  2024 Vesak programme of the ACBC  was officially released at Temple Trees under the patronage of Prime Minister Dinesh Gunawardena. Members of the All Ceylon Buddhist Congress and a group of donors participated in this event and posed for a photograph.

Chandra Nimal Wakishta, the President of the Buddhist Congress,  said it was a  privilege to officially announce our Vesak festival programme for the first time in the presence of the country’s leadership. Bauddhaloka Vesak Zone,   organized by the All Ceylon Buddhist Congress under the theme Protect Our Identity”, will have the fullest support of  the three armed forces, police and Civil Security Force, added ACBC. 

There is also a new  organization  which is  going to act as a lobby. An Act to Incorporate the  Sri Shakyasinghe Foundation for perpetuating of Sri Sambuddha Sasana  was announced in May 2024, by Udaya Gammanpila.  Its objectives   include propagation of Buddhism,  development of  Buddhist education, protection of  Buddhist heritage,   prevent religious conflicts  and create a society based on Buddhist philosophy. Critics observed that the name of the association does not   carry the word Buddhist. The title did not sound  like a Buddhist organization  either.

Lawyers for Buddhist Rights” will be providing  an  app  which provides a streamlined platform for reporting  anti Buddhist incidents. This is announced in a You Tube  presentation, posted on April 1st, 2024   titled, Empowering Buddhists: New App Aims to Safeguard Rights in Sri Lanka”. Using these app users can swiftly document and report violations. May this app serve as a powerful tool in protecting Buddhist rights and promoting understanding ,  said Palitha Ariyaratne

https://youtu.be/eu-GtB2_h7E

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[1] https://www.dailymirror.lk/print/front_page/Vandalising-of-Vadunnagala-Pabbatha-Viharaya-Activists-go-before-SC/238-258535