Dr Sudath Gunasekara Ex Secretary to Prime Minister Sirimavo Bandaranayake

7^th April 2026.

                                        Dear Mr. Donald Trump the President of USA and

                                        Dear Mr. Benjamin Netanyahu Prime Minister of Israel

Guided by the enduring Buddhist principles of compassion, non-violence, and reverence for all forms of life, we Sri Lankans earnestly appeal to you, in the name of humanity and global peace, to give your earnest consideration toward an immediate cessation of hostilities in the Middle East. We make this appeal on behalf of all Sri Lankans and also the global Buddhist community and all those who uphold the values of peace, harmony, dignity, and the sanctity of human life.

Mr. President USA and Mr. Prime Minster of Israel, there is a maxim that reminds us of a famous classical Greek proverb “Whom the gods would destroy, they first make mad” It suggests that hubris (excessive pride) leads to self-destructive, irrational actions by some men in power.

This in brief, in our opinion, is exactly what has happened today in the Middle East.

Mr. President and Mr. Prime Minster, this tragic war began with your joint action targeting Iranian military command, air defenses, and missile sites from your war bases in Diago Garcia with B-2 stealth bombers, as well as B-1 Lancers and B-52 Stratofortresses, thereby violating two basic covenants of international law. That is firstly, violating the independence, the sovereignty and the security of Iran and secondly, the violation of the UN General Assembly Resolution 2832 (XXVI) passed on December 16, 1971, that had declared the Indian Ocean a “Zone of Peace,” aiming to eliminate military bases, nuclear weapons, and great-power rivalries. It is a tragedy that the UN has not made any provision to take the violators of such covenants of World Bodies in to task, specially, the great powers.

As a peace-loving nation we are proud as Sri Lankans, that it was proposed by our Prime Minister Mrs. Sirimavo Bandaranayaka. in 1971. It sought to protect the region’s security and sovereignty and peace.  With your Diago Garcia-Iran operation, you have not only broken that peace resolution in to pieces but also destroyed the sovereignty and self-respect of all the littoral states of the Indian Ocean, making the United Nation a big joke obsolete, keeps its eyes closed, ears deaf and mouths dumb .As such it  is not worthy of looking at as an international court of justice or a shrine worthy of worshiping any more.

Nevertheless, leaving aside, the pros and cons of this unfortunate war between you and Iran, we note that in addition to death, destruction, disaster, hunger, misery and displacement to millions of men women and innocent children and immense destruction to buildings, roads and bridges, property, land and institutions, ships, planes and machinery and to millennia old word civilizations have been brought under fire making it an irreplaceable loss to humanity.

 Although the direct victims of this war are Iran and Israel and its neighbors’ the broader implications are much wider. They have already affected the whole world by destabilizing their economies followed by chronic shortages of fuel accompanied by skyrocketing prices and shortages of all goods with spiraling costs of living, seriously affecting the day to day lives of millions of people all over the world due to the global fuel crisis in escalating cost and transport breakdown resulting from this war.

The disastrous effects of this war ignited by the USA and Israel, more by the personal vanity, power hunger and shortsightedness of these two leaders, as critics have pointed out, even disregarding massive public opinion within their own countries, which has now spread to the whole world, in its length and breadth, completely crimpling their economies and all their day to day living.

It was in this miserable and deplorable backdrop that even ‘His holiness Pope Leo in his address on this war has described Death and pain caused by wars as a scandal for entire human family” and called for an immediate ceasefire. In response, President Trump the main actor in this nemesis has said I don’t want to do a ceasefire.” He has only said he was open to dialogue. But, with whom, he has not mentioned.  This clearly displays the Presidents stubbornness and disregard to world opinion and even the religious admonition from his own religious hierarchy and above all his dismal disregard for human life.  The apparent isolation of these two leaders from the NATO and their refusal to be partners of this crime, and also other members of the QUAD, (Japan, India, Australia) and furthermore the silence of Russia and China has highlighted the isolation of these two men in global politics. Going by the latest development in the field we have evidence that President Trump will be isolated soon even by Israel. Moreover, even the American general public, all ready 69 % against the war will very soon rise against his insensible and clumsy actions in greater numbers.

As such the best option in our unanimous view is, for you to stop this disastrous war forthwith honoring world opinion and save the good name of the American people the world around. You may also take note of the fact that historically Iran claims a millennia old pristine and great civilization of UNESCO heritage level, a difficult thing  to wipe out as it had proved over time, whereas Amerikan nation has  only a short civilizational history  as it was found only in 1607 replacing its native red Indian civilization where a widely cited 2019 study by University College London researchers had estimated that approximately 55 to 56 million indigenous people died across America between 1492 and 1600. In waging war with Iran, one has to remember this black mark in American history as well.

Coming back to Israel, it was planted there only in 1948 after the second world war, to create a Homeland for the Jews displaced all over Europe. Israel was established on May 14, 1948, following a UN vote to partition British-mandated Palestine into Jewish and Arab states. David Ben-Gurion declared independence in Tel Aviv, immediately followed by U.S. recognition. The declaration marked the end of the British Mandate and sparked immediate conflict with neighboring Arab nations”

It is in this wider broad back drop that,

We, the people of Sri Lanka, the Home and Headquarters of the Theravada Buddhism in the world, have unanimously decided to call upon the two of you, named as aggressors by Iran and the rest of the world, and make this appeal to you, to stop this madness of internationally condemned mass destruction and human misery in Iran and the Middle East immediately, in the name of humanity, the most precious jewel in the world, ever created by nature or by the God as you all believe.  By doing that you don’t know that whom you are killing are the children created by your own God.

It is also high time for you to realize that the age of 15^th 20^th- century barbaric European colonization has died its natural death long time ago. Although they succeeded in wiping out all the previous civilizations in North and South America and replaced them with European civilization, ancient civilization of Asia and Africa managed to fight back and stop extinction and managed to Protect their ancient civilizations.

Now that the age of colonial supremacy of the sword, the gun, the bible, poison and exploitation has ended and even though its ugly practices are emerging in different forms of neocolonialism, such as international trade  financial institutions like the WB and IMF, let sanity and peace return to this beautiful world in the name of all religions, faithfully observed and practiced by billions of pious devotees all over the world, ushering in an atmosphere of love, loving-kindness (මෛත්‍රිය) and happiness to all, irrespective of their race, colour or religion not only humans but also to all other living beings, even with no legs, two footed, four footed or many footed, on this earth as you don’t seem to realize that  Lord Buddha had preached in the Kandaparitta sutta.

You may may not listen to your people or the world opinion and also may not listen to his holiness Pope Leo, due to hubris arising from ignorance and pride but, still you have to listen to your own conscience and try to look at the destruction  and the calamity  and human suffering this gamble of deplorable war has resulted in front of your own eyes that will end up with no victory for any but defeat and disaster only for everybody on this earth.  But please remember the devil will who follows you will definitely react very soon in retribution and take you to the otherworld before you take Iran back to the Stone age as you have threatened. As for me as a Buddhist I am wondering whether these leaders are human beings.

 Therefore,

Our main aim as Sri Lankans in this sincere joint effort is to restore your lost faculties of reasoning and sound judgment, destroyed by the angry god in order to prevent you from taking rational actions for the good of the many, and for the happiness of the many in this beautiful world. created by God as you people believe, but by nature, as we believe.

The Divine message from Sri Lanka to end this miserable and destructive war.

We now offer you this 2500-year-old divine message of salvation, the everlasting message of the Buddha we have brought to you from Sri Lanka, on behalf of our warm-hearted peace-loving people of Sri Lanka, and the fraternity of Sangha, the disciples of the Buddha all over the world who crave for world peace and happiness.

 THE BUUDDHA’S MESSAGE: THE DIVINE MEDICIN FOR WOLD PEACE AND HAPPYNESS

First, we take you back to a story where, how The Buddha settled a war between the Sakya and Koliya clans in the 6^th century BC, over the water of the Rohini River in North India, when the two clans were up in arms to wage war over the waters of Rohini river. The Buddha having heard of this Great war between two Kingdoms and two clans immediately visited the battle field and asked them, if water or blood was more valuable” and convinced them to realize the futility of conflict, proving that peace is constructed in the rational minds of men.

Sakyas and Koliyas accepted, whole heartedly, that blood is more valuable and gave up the war after good counselling by the Buddha

Therefore, we would also like the two of you leaders, who will definitely obey their God and their own conscience to take a break from vanity and pride and try to understand what medicine the Buddha, the Greatest human being ever born to this world, above the God and even brahmas have prescribed for this type of universal mental disorders among crazy humans.

Second, we further advise and request you to take your minds out this war mentality for one second, from this blind power-crazy war mongering dementia status in your polluted minds and try to understand the following advice given by Lord Buddha to all those whose eyes and minds are blind when they don’t see and understand the TRUTH.

Finally, please take your mind and heart out of this one month old  Iranian war created by you, for a second  or two and read the following TWO admonitions given by the Buddha, one by one very carefully, given in the Dhammapadha  (The Buddhas Path of Wisdom”)  (you don’t need to be a Buddhist at all to do that) and then close your eyes for a while after reading each stanza and think deeply for a while on each of them,  One by One  with your eyes closed.  and minds open

These two Jewels of all time sayings, by the Buddha, specially selected to suit this occasion

1.Nahiwerena werani -sammanthicha kudhaachanam.-

Avere nacha sammanthi -esa dhammo sananthano (Dhammapada Yamak vagga canto:5)

(Enmity is never ceased by enmity. Enmity is ceased only by love. This is the eternal law the Buddha has revealed).

2. Sabbe thasanthi dhadassa -sabbeithan jiivithan piyam- (Dhanda vaga canto:02)

    Attaanam upamankathvaa- nahaaneiyya nagaathaye

(All beings are afraid of punishment. Taking oneself as the example, refrain from torturing and killing) 

Now close your eyes tightly and think deeply for few seconds, of what madness you have been doing in the past few months, by killing millions of people and destroying billions of invaluable human assets earned over centuries and what you have won by this mad war by blind and deaf leaders.?

We are most certain; and fully confident too, that you will never go for any war in your lives thereafter

Furthermore, for further enlightenment on loving-kindness we would also like you to read the following admonitions by the Lord Buddha on loving kindness to all living beings, which you may, tread later in your life if you like. To enable you to be happy throughout your life and even thereafter.

Also now look at the benefits of practicing love and compassion in place of heartedness and anger.

 Mettanisansa sutta (Discourse on Benefits of lovingkindness)

Here the Buddha has preached that there are eleven advantages of practicing Loving-kindness to all beings as given in the Mettanisansa sutta (in the Book of Protection)

They are

‘1. Sukam supathi 2 Sukan patibujjati 3.na papakam supinan passati 4. Manussanan piyohoti

5. Amanussanan piyohoti 6 Devatha rakkanti. 7 naassa aggivaa visanvaa sattan va kamathi  8 tuwatan chittan samadiyati 9 mukavanno vippasiidati 10 asammulho kalankaroti 11uttarin appativijjantho brahma lokupago hoti

Translation.

“1He sleeps in comfort. 2. He awakes in comfort. 3. He sees no evil dreams. 4. He is dear to human beings. 5. He is dear to non-human beings. 6. Devas (gods) protect him. 7. Fire, poison, and sword cannot touch him. 8. His mind can concentrate quickly. 9. His countenance is serene. 10. He dies without being confused in mind. 11. If he fails to attain Arahant ship (the highest sanctity in Buddhism) here and now, he will be reborn in the brahma-world.

Finally, we also earnestly request you to see the following definition of Buddhism by all Buddhas born in to this world over time, for you to know, precisely what Buddhism is, if you are interested.

Sabba papassa akaranan-kusalassa upasampadaa

Sachitta pariyodapanam-etan buddhanusasanam

Translation

Abstain from all evils-ordain in meritorious deeds

Purify your mind-This is the admonition by all Buddhas.

This is the most precise definition of Buddhism preached by all Buddhas as well

                             May the Blessings of the Triple Gem be with you!

            sabbe sattaa bhavanthu sukithattaa (May all beings be well)

We are more than fully confident that having read and fully understood the message of eternal peace as preached by Lord Buddha, as we have given you here,

 First, you will immediately call for a complete cease fire and declare, the Middle East War is over, to the whole world. Then the whole world will, from North to South and West to East will celebrate and rejoice it with fireworks the world had never seen before, thanking you for ending the one month long miserable war, ending death, destruction and misery for the whole world. with no gain for any one of you.

Finally, we like to point out here that King Asoka the Emperor of Magadha from c. 268 BCE until his death, who was called the Greatest Emperor in the world by H.G wells, had achieved Greatness not by conquering the contemporary world by war, but only by spreading the noble message of Gauthama the Buddha, form Japan in the East to Iran in the West and Mongolia in the North to Sri Lanka in the South.

We are fully confident that here after, you will never dream of any war in future as long as you live.

 Furthermore, we would call upon all the nations in the world irrespective of the size of their land area or the economic power, not to invade any other free and sovereign country, using Kautilyan Mathsya Niyaaya in future. Any such conflict should be settled only by friendly negotiations between the two parties without affecting the freedom and sovereignty of each member. The UNO should provide provisions in a Charter adopted by the General Assembly ensuring that such a charter also should not meet he same fate of the Resolution 2832 (XXVI) on the Indian Ocean.

THE END