{"id":105189,"date":"2020-08-02T17:27:59","date_gmt":"2020-08-03T00:27:59","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/?p=105189"},"modified":"2020-08-02T17:27:59","modified_gmt":"2020-08-03T00:27:59","slug":"buddhism-in-the-northern-province-1990-2019-part-3","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/2020\/08\/02\/buddhism-in-the-northern-province-1990-2019-part-3\/","title":{"rendered":"BUDDHISM IN THE NORTHERN PROVINCE (1990-2019) PART 3"},"content":{"rendered":"

KAMALIKA PIERIS<\/em><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n

Buddhist shrines and temples are not accepted\nby the non-Buddhists in the north .Here is an example. In 2009 57 Buddhist\nfamilies were brought in and settled in Navatkuli.  They\nwere Sinhala families that had been driven out of Jaffna in 1984 and 1990.\nNavatkuli is located 6 km from Jaffna.\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There\nwas a fairly large Sinhalese community in Jaffna at the time. The Jaffna\nSinhala Vidyalaya had 250 students. Life was pleasant with the Tamils and\nSinhalese getting along like one family. Our family had roots in Maniyamthottam\nand Kankesanthurai and I knew Jaffna district like the back of my hand,\u201d said one returnee.  Eight generations of her family had lived in\nJaffna. The public had now turned\nagainst this community. Demonstrations were organized against the settlers.   Two Tamil politicians S.Sritharan and Suresh\nPremachandran said this was government-sponsored\nSinhala colonization.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Navatkuliya\nSri Samiddhi Sumana Viharaya was constructed in 2013. It was promptly bombed.  In 2017  \nthe residents wanted to start work on a new stupa. The Chavakachcheri\nPradeshiya Sabha refused permission. The Chavakachcheri Pradeshiya Sabha filed\nthe case against the construction of the Chaitya. It was taken up for hearing at the\nChavakachcheri Magistrate’s Court. Chavakachcheri Magistrate S. Chandrasekeran\nordered the Chavakachcheri Pradeshiya Sabha to permit the construction of the\ntemple’s stupa without any hindrance. Her\nverdict was publicly applauded by the Sangha. The Magistrate has said that she\nrespects Buddhism even though she is a Hindu devotee, reported Ven. Sooriyawewa Sumedha.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A Buddhist priest from Anuradhapura,\nVen.Tissapura Gunaratana has started constructing a temple in the Kokkilai\nregion,  on a piece of property owned by\nlocal Tamils, complained Tamilnet in 2011 and again in 2015. He justifies his\nproject pointing towards a Bodhi tree in the plot. A local Tamil says the\nproject has displaced at least five families. The monk is adamant that he will\nbuild the temple here in our land. He has offered money to buy the premises,\nbut the owners do not want to sell. This is their family land and they want to\nstay here.\u201d Tamilnet\ncomplained thereafter that the same monk, \nwas also building another Buddhist temple nearby.\nLand belonging to the post office, the base hospital, a Hindu temple and a\npublic road have been taken for the temple, said Tamilnet. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The\nSupreme Court issued re-notice on the Vice Chancellor and several other\nofficials of the Jaffna University, in 2018 over a complaint made by five\nBuddhist students of the Faculty of Business studies. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

 The\npetitioner students said they were prevented from entering the campus premises\nbecause they had attempted to install an enclosure to house a Buddha statue in\ntheir hostel premises. They had been suspended. They have alleged\narbitrary treatment and a denial of their right to abide by the religion of\ntheir choice and asserted a violation of Article 12(1), 12(1), and 14(1) (a) of\nthe Constitution of Sri Lanka. They have requested the Court to direct the\nVC to allow them to enter the university premises and declare that their\nfundamental rights have been violated by the respondent university authorities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Buddhist places of worship have been attacked\nand vandalized. A Buddhist   shrine room\nerected by the army in its camp at Kanagaarayakulam, Mankulam, was vandalized\nin 2016 and Buddha statue broken into pieces. There is no camp there at\npresent, said the media. The shrine room at Mankulam had also been vandalized\nin 2016. It was erected by the army in\nits camp at Mankulam.  This was not an\nisolated incident, said the media.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

A Fundamental Rights application was lodged in\n2016 challenging the vandalizing of Buddhist statues in north.  There was specific reference to the shrine\nroom at Mankulam but the petitioner stated that this was not an isolated\ninstance. Over the past few months there have been constant demands for the\nremoval of   Buddhist statues from Northern Province.   The\nBuddhist archaeological sites in Northern Province are also under threat said\nthe petitioner. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

In January\n2019 a group of about 200 persons led by northern politicians stormed the\nprecincts of Gurukanda Raja Maha Viharaya in Nayaru, claiming that the temple\nhad been built on a land belonging to Hindu devotees, reported the media. The\ngroup included local politicians and devotees of the adjoining Neeraviadi\nKovil.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

There was a\nclash between the Chief Incumbent of the temple and the intruders. They\ndemanded the deeds of the temple. The Buddhists could complain to any one they\nliked but they would not allow the Gurukanda temple to function, said the intruders.\nThe intruders threatened to cause bodily harm to the temple\u2019s Chief\nIncumbent.  If the chief priest disturbed\nthe day to day affairs of the kovil, he would be killed, together with all\npresent there.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The mob was\nso strong that the police found it extremely difficult to bring the situation\nunder control. The intruders attempted to snatch the mobile phones of  those who were videoing the scene.  Mullaitivu police filed action in the courts\nagainst both parties for breach of peace.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The\nMullaitivu police dismantled the CCTV cameras installed at the Viharaya .the\nCCTV system had been installed by a private company as a security measure since\nthe Chief Incumbent of the temple Ven. Mihindupura Ratanadevakitti didn\u2019t live\nin the temple most of the time. Police said that there was a court order to the\neffect no constructions or installations would be allowed in both the temple\nand the adjacent kovil premises.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The matter\nwent to courts, Director General of Archeology, stated in court that Gurukanda\nRaja Maha Viharaya in Nayaru, had a history of over 2,000 years with so many\nBuddhist artifacts and an ancient monastery. \nAlso that it was against the law to build a Hindu place of worship in\nthe place where there was an ancient Buddhist temple.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Officers of\nthe Archaeological Department M.V.G.K. Asanga and I.P.S. Nishantha had   visited Gurukanda Raja Maha Viharaya. They\nfound ruins of a monastery, remains of a stupa, bricks, roof tiles and  pot shards. They dated the temple to\nAnuradhapura period. A road has been built bifurcating the temple premises  and land plots have been demarcated. Several\nBuddhist  artifacts were found during the\nroad building. A stupa which had been bulldozed, had a diameter of 10 meters.\nThere was a new temple there at present. A small Hindu temple,  Neeravi Pillaiyar  temple \nis also located on same site, the report said. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

TNA\nleader R.Sampanthan made a statement in Parliament on the matter. Neeraavi\nPillaiyar Temple at Chemmalai in the Mullaitivu District was a site of\ncontroversy as the Sinhalese in the area tried to take over a Saivite temple,\nhe said. Gurukande Viharaya had been forcibly constructed between 2004 and 2009\nwhen no civilian was permitted to visit the area. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

 “More recently an attempt was made to\nrestore that temple. This led to unrest in that area between the people who are\nall non-Buddhists and the monks who had come there. Upon this matter being\nreported to the relevant Magistrate, an order was made prohibiting the\nreconstruction of the temple. The Chief\nincumbent of the temple filed an application in the Provincial High Court of\nthe Northern Province district of Vavuniya and the matter is still pending,\nSampanthan said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Suren\nRaghavan said that the boundary of the temple was under dispute. Though  the Gazette notification of 2016 said the\ntemple was an archaeological site, the boundary was not mentioned. A problem\narose when new measurements were taken to mark the boundary. While the measuring was going on, \u2018both parties\nhad a debate  regarding their historical\nheritages.\u201d There was an army camp there during the war.  They had a set of buildings which they had\nhanded over to the chief priest, added \nRaghavan. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The\nopposition to Buddhist temples has extended also to cremation of chief priests\non  temple premises. Two such protests\nare on record. The first was in 2017. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

 In 2017, a group of 12 lawyers   had\ngone to courts to prevent the last rites of the late chief\nincumbent of the Naga Vihara, Ven. Meegahajandure Gnanaratana, being performed\nat the Jaffna Fort Sports Ground.\nThe\nrestraining order had been sought on two grounds. Permission had not been\nobtained from Jaffna Municipal Council and secondly,  the cremation of bodies could damage the\nenvironment. Jaffna Magistrate Katheeswaran  did\nnot agree. He refused to issue a restraining order. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The\nsecond   protest was  at Gurukanda Raja Maha Viharaya. The chief\npriest of Gurukanda, Ven. Colomba Medhalankara ,passed away in Colombo. Neeraavi Pillaiyar Temple promptly filed a police\ncomplaint that that if the body of the priest is brought to the  Gurukanda temple,   while a court case is going on, there will\nbe trouble..  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mullaitivu\nPolice informed  Magistrate\u2019s Court. The\nmagistrate ordered that the  body of the\ndeceased priest should not be cremated or buried in  Gurukanda temple, until a final order was\ngranted in the  court matter. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Court\nwas informed that the  Buddhist  temple was willing to conduct the cremation ceremony\nat another location and  that the  Hindu temple was agreeable to this. Court  then ordered that the cremation  be conducted at the second location. Maritimepattu Predeshiya Sabha intervened to\nsay  that arrangements were made for the cremation\nwithout obtaining permission in terms of the Cemeteries and Burial grounds Ordinance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

After the order was made a group of monks led\nby Ven. Galagodatte Gnanasara of Colombo,  took the body of the deceased chief priest to\nthe  temple premises and cremated the body\nthere. The cremation was attended by several monks   and\ntook place amidst sadukara from a large crowd. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

An equally large or possible larger crowd were\nthere to oppose the cremation, observed the media. Television cameras showed heated arguments. Police were there. A clash occurred and the\npriest of the Hindu temple was severely injured. A lawyer appearing for\nthe  Hindu Temple was  assaulted. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Several\nmonks spoke to  Derana television  after the cremation. It is a Buddhist\ntradition to cremate a monk in the temple premises.     If\nGnanasara did not go this cremation would not have taken place, they said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Regarding\nthe ownership dispute, the monks told Derana, that the Archaeological  Department should   point out that Gurukanda is on  protected territory. 3 acres at Gurukanda\nbelong to the  Archaeological   Department. Court should be told this. Ven.\nPolonnaruwe Thilnakara  said there was no\nkovil there earlier.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This\ntemple matter can escalate,  said  Bellanwila Dammaratana. Foreign forces are wanting\nto intervene and incidents such as this will be used for this.    TNA is behind this the monks said.  They scolded Yahapalana as well. We\nsacrificed ourselves to establish these temples. We went into jungles. It is we\nwho looked after Buddhism in the north, the monks  told Derana, with emotion. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Former\nNorthern Province Chief Minister C.V. Wigneswaran,  then led a protest opposite the Mullaitivu\nDivisional Secretariat against the cremation in the temple premises while a\ncourt  decision was pending. Several\npoliticians, both national and local,\n   <\/em>as well as lawyers, civil\nsociety activists and the public in Mullaitivu joined the protest. Some,\nincluding lawyers, wore black arm bands.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The\nprotestors demanded legal action against the \ncremation. It was violation of a court ruling.  Violating a court ruling  constitutes Contempt of Court. They  demanded the immediate arrest of Galagodaatte\nGnanasara and others responsible for cremation. They were extremely critical of\nGnanasara Thera\u2019s involvement in the matter, and wanted to know  whether the country has a separate law for\nBuddhist monks. They  burnt an effigy of  Ven.Gnanasara .  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Attorney\nGeneral should take legal action within three days against all those who are\ninvolved in the incident including Ven.Galagoda Aththe Gananasara along with\nthe other Buddhist monk who had openly protested against the court order.  Attorney\nGeneral must assure them in writing that he will  do so. Unless swift\naction was taken, the demonstrations would continue, said protestors.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The\ndemonstration then marched from Mullaitivu Divisional Secretariat to Mullaitivu\nDistrict Secretariat and  handed over a\nmemorandum to the District Secretary to be forwarded to the UN envoy in Sri\nLanka. They also\nprotested opposite the Mullaitivu Magistrate\u2019s court.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

All the\nlawyers of Northern and Eastern provinces led by Batticaloa Bar Association\nPresident K.Narayanapillai boycotted court duties in a black arm band protest\noutside the Batticaloa court premises. The Mullaitivu Trade Association closed\nshops and carried out a hartal in support of the demonstration. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

TNA\u2019s\nR. Sampanthan wrote to the President Sirisena,\nsaying, the corpse was cremated in close proximity to the\n“Theerthakerni” tank in the Hindu temple premises containing Holy\nwater for use by the Deity. The temple and the premises were  thus desecrated. .” He urged  President Sirisena to ensure that those who\ncremated a Buddhist prelate\u2019s remains at Chemmalai, Mullaitivu in violation of\na court order are brought to justice.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In this ding dong battle there is a\nslim ray of hope. Ven. Meegahajathure Siriwimala, the Chief Incumbent of Naga\nViharaya in Jaffna said that over 100 persons, including the Buddhist and Hindu\nclergy, gathered in Jaffna on 30th January \n2020  to discuss problems faced by\nthem and find mutual solutions. During the discussions, a committee to protect\nthe Buddhists and Hindus was formed. Ven. Thirikunamale Ananda of the Amarapura\nChapter, Ven. Dr. Omalpe Sobhita, Prof. Agalagala Sirisumana from the\nUniversity of Colombo, President of the Buddhist Monks\u2019 Association Ven.\nVengamuwe Nalaka participated in the meeting. Three Tamil Buddhist monks from\nChennai as well as Ven. Bagawanthalawe Rahula, who was initially a Hindu\nKurukkal, as well as Somasundara Paramacharya, the Chief Kurukkal of Jaffna\nwere among those present. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

It\nwas suggested at a talk I attended, in 2019, that Tamil should be taught in the\nPirivenas, so that they can teach Buddhism to Tamil speakers.  Ethnic discord may not have\narisen,  if in the 30s and 40s monks\nlearnt Tamil and preached the Buddha\u2019s words in the North and East. The present objection to temples is because\nthere is a distrust of Buddhist temples in Jaffna. Sponsoring Buddhism in the north east\nwithout enforcing Sinhala colonization could go a long way.  The presence of more Buddhists may have\ndiffused the situation and prevented a war. So it should be Buddhisation and\nnot Sinhalisation. ( continued)<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

KAMALIKA PIERIS Buddhist shrines and temples are not accepted by the non-Buddhists in the north .Here is an example. In 2009 57 Buddhist families were brought in and settled in Navatkuli.  They were Sinhala families that had been driven out of Jaffna in 1984 and 1990. Navatkuli is located 6 km from Jaffna. There was […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":true,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[104],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-105189","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-kamalika-pieris"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/105189","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=105189"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/105189\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=105189"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=105189"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=105189"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}