Senaka Weeraratna The Buddhist World lacks an effective mechanism to help save a Buddhist Nation in Danger https://www.vifindia.org/article/2017/may/27/the-crisis-facing-the-buddhist-world Colombo, Sri Lanka — The crisis facing the Buddhist world is neither a decline in religious conviction nor an apprehension that truth underpinned by rational argument and new scientific discoveries will one day overtake and outstrip the core […]

Senaka Weeraratna The World Fellowship of Buddhists (WFB) the premier international Buddhist organization must establish a Commission of Inquiry to investigate and report on the infringement of Human Rights of the Buddhist communities during the Western Colonial Rule of countries of Buddhist Asia. It is anticipated that there will be recommendations demanding an Apology and Reparations. The […]

Senaka Weeraratna The number of abstentions (20) and the number of ‘No’ votes (7) add up to 27 whereas the ‘Yes’  votes totaled 20.  In the previous year, the same type of Resolution had 22 countries voting in favour. This time the ‘YES’ vote had come down to 20. Last year 25 countries did not […]

Senaka Weeraratna The Great Fire of Lisbon of 1755 shattered the myth of a loving God and set Europe on the path to modern Atheism. Voltaire’s book Candide espoused public disillusionment with ‘God’  and it led to later-day books like ‘ God Delusion by Richard Dawkins. At the end of the Second World War in 1945 with […]

Senaka Weeraratna Sri Lanka has a strong case for demanding and obtaining reparations from all three Western colonial powers i.e., the Portuguese, Dutch, and the British. We were victims under Colonial Rule. This is indisputable. This is the Message that the Sri Lanka Human Rights Commission must convey to the World instead of appearing shamelessly […]

Senaka Weeraratna The German Dharmaduta Society will mark its 70th Anniversary (1952-2022) commencing with a talk on ‘Buddhism in Germany’ by Ven. Pandit Thalpawila Kusalagnana Thero on Wednesday, September 21, 2022, from 4.00 – 5.00 p.m., at the Siri Vajirarama Temple in Bambalapitiya. The talk will be relayed on the Zoom platform and YouTube. Join […]

Senaka Weeraratna I wish the British were as kind to the Kings of other countries that they conquered in South Asia as they are to their current Monarch today.  We lost our King Sri Wickrama Rajasinghe, the last King of the Kingdom of Kandy in Ceylon because the British captured him and exiled him to […]

Senaka Weeraratna  Watch “PM Modi unveils statue of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose at India Gate” on The narrative on WW2 is being rewritten in India. The unveiling of a huge sculptured statue of the Liberator of India, Netaji Subash Chandra Bose by the Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi, is a water shed moment for […]

by Senaka Weeraratna Attorney-at-Law 29th August 2022 The Buddhist Revival was one of the great landmarks in the history of Sri Lanka during the 19th and 20th centuries. It was followed by a Buddhist Renaissance in the Post-Independence period when the state machinery was regained by the downtrodden people after nearly 500 years of Euro-Christian colonial […]

Senaka Weeraratna The greatest impact of Buddhism in Europe is seen in the growth of Atheists (and Atheism) and sharp decline in Monotheism among Europeans of Christian origin.  The Buddha rejected the idea of an external saviour from the very inception of his mission and advocated self reliance and self – effort for your personal […]

Senaka Weeraratna  It is said that freedom is never given but grabbed. Grabbing was possible in many parts of Asia because the Japanese had given hell for leather to the Imperial Western colonial countries occupying a vast swathe of Asian territory before 1939. At the end of the war in 1945 the Victors were tired, […]

Senaka Weeraratna Courtesy The Daily Mirror This is an edited version of an address delivered by Senaka Weeraratna, Hony. Secretary of the German Dharmaduta Society, on September 28, 2016 in support of his resolution entitled ‘Recognition of Buddhism as an official religion in non – Buddhist countries’ at the First Plenary Session of the 28th […]

Senaka Weeraratna ‘Human Rights’ mercenaries are those who unceasingly vilify the ethnic majority until almost the last pound of flesh is extracted, and are constantly promoting the anti-majoritarian propaganda rhetoric of Multi-Culturalism, Secularism, Reconciliation, and whatnot, and now the Division of the country on Ethnic and Religious lines. The greatest victory in recent times was […]

Senaka Weeraratna 1. Animal Welfare Bill – Lobby strongly for the enactment of the Animal Welfare Bill which is long overdue since its release by the Law Commission in 2006 2. Animal Protection Education in Schools – Promote animal protection education and see it take root in Sri Lanka’s system of school education beginning from […]

Senaka Weeraratna A critical comment Japanese leaders have unfortunately paid the supreme penalty for their defiance of the West. They were brought before Tribunals which in the words of their own American judges were nothing but ‘ high grade lynch mobs’. In a sense, these Tribunals were nothing but ‘ Kangaroo Courts’. A survey of […]

Senaka Weeraratna This particular discussion was commenced by objecting to the use of inappropriate and humiliating language ‘ Buddhist Terrorism’. It was in that context that Kalinga Seneviratne’s article becomes relevant https://www.indepthnews.net/index.php/the-world/asia-pacific/2588-why-a-white-christian-isn-t-called-a-terrorist  ‘ Why are Christians not called Terrorists by the International Media while all others belonging to non – Christian religions are called Terrorists?’  […]

Senaka Weeraratna The recently concluded Sri Lanka – Australia Test series though it brought joy to Sri Lanka due to the magnificent performance of our cricketers also produced recriminations in Australia. Both Steve Smith and David Warner were subject to heavy criticism  for  wasting a pair of reviews on clear-cut lbw decisions in the second innings of Australia.  […]

Senaka Weeraratna Give Aussies a Ticker Tape parade as a farewell gesture by driving them through the streets of Colombo (Galle Road near Galle Face Green) once this popular Australian cricket tour is over. This is exactly what the Australians did in Melbourne on February 17, 1961 when they bid goodbye to the West Indian […]

Senaka Weeraratna A just God must give a hearing to the prayers and cries of all species Prayers are offered by believers on the assumption that these prayers will be heard by God (or Providence) and  accordingly will be responded with relief. With what assumption do animals in slaughter houses scream prior to death? If […]

Senaka Weeraratna In the name of Justice what is taught in Law Schools is a form of compartmentalized Justice totally focused on the wrongs done to one species I e. Human Species, and the manner of remedying these  wrongs. The teaching of law in law schools desensitizes the student to wrongs done to non human […]

Senaka Weeraratna Maithri Panagoda has led an exceptional life, worthy of being narrated as a story, from the perspective of Maithri himself and from the perspective of others providing fascinating biographical details of their encounters with Maithri at various stages of his remarkable life journey. Maithri’s autobiographical sketch ‘ Along the Dusty Road’ is a […]

Senaka Weeraratna The transition from a colony to political freedom was a peaceful one in Ceylon unlike in a  large majority of Asian countries. Independence was attained by Ceylon relatively painlessly as a by product of India’s Freedom Struggles that were assisted by Japan through its support to Netaji Subash Chandra Bose and his Indian […]

Senaka Weeraratna Trustee German Dharmaduta Society Vesak was celebrated at the Berlin Buddhist Vihara on Sunday May 15, 2022 in a fitting manner. The Vesak ceremony was conducted outdoors in bright weather conditions against the backdrop of a picturesque natural setting that is the hallmark of this Temple which is called ‘ Das Buddhistische Haus’ […]

Senaka Weeraratna The British decimated the elephants and their habitats to plant cash crops and made resounding profits at the expense of the local Kandyan Sinhalese and the wild animals. The wild animals especially the Elephants who were well protected by the Sinhalese Rulers in their natural habitat in the hill country of Ceylon, were […]

Senaka Weeraratna Is the manner of calling for proper  investigation of the Bloody Easter Sunday Tragedy a true pursuit of Justice or an invidious attempt to side track the focus and instead indulge in blame games in step with the religio – political loyalties and leanings of the callers for ‘Justice’? Eight suicide bombers died […]

Senaka Weeraratna The Portuguese landed in Sri Lanka in 1505 and after a couple of decades in occupation started the inhumane Portuguese Inquisition intending to destroy Buddhism Temples and the Buddhist Civilization, and convert Buddhists to Christianity. Its inspiration was the Goa Inquisition which led to the Inquisition being conducted in almost all territories of […]

Senaka Weeraratna Both Gandhi and Nehru betrayed the Hindus at the time of partition of India. When Mohammed Ali Jinnah sought a separate nation for Muslims by partitioning India, the leaders of the Hindu community should have demanded likewise for the Hindus. All Muslims in one part and the Hindus in the other part, would […]

Ven Dr Omalpe Sobhitha Thero President Justice for Animals and Nature Minister-in-Charge,Department of National Zoological Gardens,Anagarika Dharmapala Mawatha,DehiwalaHon Minister, SHUTDOWN THE ZOOS IN SRI LANKA – GIVE FREEDOM TO CAGED ANIMALS Animals are made to serve a life sentence in miserable conditions in zoos without havingcommitted a single crime. Had any human being been placed […]

Senaka Weeraratna Close down the Dehiwala Zoo – wrongful imprisonment of innocent animals for life who have done no wrong and away from their natural habitat, is a blot on our moral conscience.  Animals cannot speak for themselves. We have to give Voice for the Voiceless. That is the test of our humanity and moral […]

Senaka Weeraratna Shashi Tharoor, the celebrated Indian writer, and author, recently expressed his views on the impact that the Decision Review System (DRS) has had on the modern game, and he stated unequivocally that it has been one of cricket’s best innovations. Tharoor further said that international cricket should never be without DRS in the […]