{"id":120040,"date":"2021-11-05T16:31:46","date_gmt":"2021-11-05T23:31:46","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/?p=120040"},"modified":"2021-11-05T16:31:46","modified_gmt":"2021-11-05T23:31:46","slug":"ref-taskforce-headed-by-gnanasara-thera-pre-determined-objectives","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/2021\/11\/05\/ref-taskforce-headed-by-gnanasara-thera-pre-determined-objectives\/","title":{"rendered":"Ref. Taskforce headed by Gnanasara Thera; Pre-determined objectives"},"content":{"rendered":"

Dr Sudath Gunasekara<\/em><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n

Following comments are made on the article that appeared under the above heading in the media in the name of the 6.9million who voted the President in August 2019<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Task force headed by Gnanasara Thera;\nPre-determined objectives  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

(Yes. of cause, it was a set of\nunresolved burning objectives that remained unresolved for71 years since1948.\nThese were issues that had to be settled in 1948 as we got the so-called\nIndependence, Unfortunately, none of that sort took place. Instead, they only\ntransferred the administration to their lackeys to be carried out, on their\nbehalf within the British Commonwealth of Nations tightly tied under the\nSoulbury Constitution made by them to meet their colonial objectives. These\nissues had been simmering under the embers of nationalism until 2019 where\npeople made a firm resolution to elect a national leader to get this\nlong-awaited job done).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The appointment of Venerable\nGnanasara thero to head a Presidential Task Force (PTF   ) raises several issues  related to both governance and national\nreconciliation            <\/p>\n\n\n\n

(Not at all. It has only fired the\nfirst salvo towards proper governance and national reconciliation Therefore no\none should get perturbed, over the appointment of this PTF as it will lay the\nfoundation for political stability and good governance for years to come).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

(The only way for national\nreconciliation is to go back to the situation in 1815. Before 1815 we had only\none nation. That was the Sinhala nation. Tamils and Muslims were there even\nthen. But they all were part of the Sinhala nation. It was the Suddas who\nraised the T & M to the status of nations in order to destroy the Sinhala\nnation.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

An examination of the mandate of the\nnewly appointed PTF reveals that it is required and empowered to<\/p>\n\n\n\n

(1) Make a study of the\nimplementation of the concept \u2018One Country, One Law\u2019 within Sri Lanka and\nprepare a draft act for the said purpose and<\/p>\n\n\n\n

(2) To study the draft acts and\namendments already prepared by the Justice Ministry in relation to this subject\nand to submit suitable amendments where appropriate.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

(This Mandate is given meant to\nfulfil this target. And nothing short of it)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

While the \u2018One Country, One Law\u2019\nconcept was widely used in the 2019 Presidential election and the 2020\nParliamentary elections by the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) as a slogan\nto mobilise the Sinhala Buddhist votes, what it meant was never clearly\narticulated during the campaign nor has it been explained in the terms of\nreference of the new Presidential Task Force .<\/p>\n\n\n\n

(Above is the explanation)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

People are therefore left to figure\nout what it means. The utterances and actions of the chief theoretician of this\nconcept, the Ven. Galagodathe Gnanasara thero, can help to shed light on what\nis envisaged by him as the \u2018One Country, One Law\u2019 concept.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To him (as per his own utterances) it\nmeans, among other things, the repealing of the Muslim Marriage and Divorce Act\n(MMDA), including the Quazi system, the closing down of madrasas ,<\/p>\n\n\n\n

(Of cause yes they have to be\nrepealed as this is a Sinhala Buddhist country and not a Muslim country).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

 reinterpreting of the religious teachings of\nIslam, including the Quran, and compelling Muslims to practice their religion\naccording to his understanding of Islam .<\/p>\n\n\n\n

(Yes it also has to be in conformity\nwith the Law of the Land That is the Sinhala Law that was there from ancient\ntimes up to 1815)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Muslim representatives on this\nTask Force themselves are not described with the respect befitting a PTF member\nin the Gazette notification. One is described as Moulavi Mohamed without even\nhis initials mentioned, while another is simply described as a lecturer .<\/p>\n\n\n\n

(In the above context it is\nirrelevant whether a Muslim man is there or not in that Committee. Because this\nis not a Muslim country. In any case a Muslim or a Tamil in this Committee will\nnever agree with the Sinhala majority as it had always been at all the pas t<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Committees, They will write a dissent\nor a rider the most, disagreeing with the Sinhala members.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Therefore, it Is a big joke to have\nMuslims or Tamils in such Committees My strong contention on this matter is No\nPortuguese, Dutch or British, Muslim or Tamil will ever make Laws to protect\nthis Land of the Sinhala people or the Sinhala nation. Therefore, none other\nthan a patriotic Sinhala Buddhist should ever been appointed any Committee like\nthis that decides the destiny of the Sinhala nation or their historical\nMotherland<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Actually, there should not have been\na Muslim in this Committee As this is the Land of the Sinhala Nation. Because\nthey were the people who have found this land, built up its civilization and\nprotected against all invasions from India, the West and any other throughout\nhistory by all these alien forces)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In such a context one is somewhat\nbaffled by the cry that there is no representation of other communities, women\nor youth. One would have thought that no community would wish to be associated\nwith an exclusive process that seemingly has a pre-determined objective  that undermines national reconciliation  and national unity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

(Of cause This is exactly what should\nhave been done in 1948 when the white colonial men left the shores. The only\nway for national reconciliation is to accept that status quo  by the minority communities and reconcile\nwith the Sinhala nation .if they want to enjoy life in this country.. Excellent\nif they decline to accept the fact that this is the Land of the Sinhala nation\nfrom time immemorial and it had never been a Muslim Land.  All those The ancestors of present day Muslim\nwho live in this country were allowed to stay here only under the conditions\nthat they have agreed to abide by the ancient Sinhala Kings. So if now they\ncannot abide by that ancient tradition they have no right to live in this\ncountry. The Government should, therefore, take action to deport such people to\ntheir original lands.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There are also calls from some\nquarters for the Muslim representatives in the PTF to decline to participate in\nthe work  . <\/p>\n\n\n\n

(Excellent if they decline to accept\nthe fact that this is the Land of the Sinhala nation from time immemorial and\nit had never been a Muslim Land. The ancestors of presentday Muslim who live in\nthis country were allowed to stay here only under the conditions that they have\nagreed to abide by the ancient Sinhala Kings. So if now they cannot abide by\nthat ancient tradition they have no right to live in this country. The\nGovernment should, therefore, take action to deport such people to their\noriginal lands.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

(This does not arise as already all\nMuslim MPP are led by Ali Sabry have decline to do so. The only thing left for\nthem is to quit their seats in Parliament and forego all privileges enjoyed by\nthem as MPP. Why should the Sinhala public pay for their enemies out of their\ntax money?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What would be more appropriate ,\nhowever, is to call for all those Muslims who supported the Government at the\nlast elections  to take a stand and step\ndown from the positions they hold in Government as they have contributed to the\nplight the Muslim community is facing today. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

(No Muslim or Tamil supported this\nGovernment. Therefore, it does not arise. I ask How many Muslims supported this\ngovernment. The President clearly said that he did not get any at the Ruwanweli\nSeya address.).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Another task entrusted to the PTF is\nto study the draft acts and amendments that have already been prepared by the\nJustice Ministry in relation to this subject and to suggest suitable\namendments. This inevitably leads us to the conclusion that the Justice\nMinistry\u2019s MMDA Reforms are in fact in pursuance of the Gnanasara doctrine of\n\u2018One Country, One Law\u2019 although it has been presented as a response to demands\nof women\u2019s groups.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The rationale behind entrusting such\na task (however unacceptable) to a PTF is questionable . <\/p>\n\n\n\n

(You must understand that these laws\nare made for the Land of the Sinhalese and not for an Arabic State).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The elevation of Ven. Gnanasara thero\nto head the PTF sanitises all his actions and also indicates that the\nGovernment does not find his conduct objectionable.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Presidential Commission to probe\nthe Easter attacks (PCOI) passed several strictures on him and recommended that\nthe Attorney General should consider instituting legal action agains<\/p>\n\n\n\n

him and further recommended that the\nBodu Bala Sena (BBS) of which he is the leader be banned .<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If we concede to their demands next\ntime, they might ask the Government of this country to ban the yellow robe for\nBuddhist monks claiming that it is against the Quran)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It is interesting to note the\nqualities of the Ven. monk that prompted the President to appoint him as the\nchairperson of the PTF . <\/p>\n\n\n\n

(Do you people expect and want a\ncriminal   like Saharan or ,Badurdeen or\nan Ulama  who wants all people other than\nMuslims killed, entrusted with the task of making Laws for this land?)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Gazette Extraordinary dated\n26.10.2021 states as follows: Now, therefore, I, Gotabaya Rajapaksa, President\nof the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka, reposing great trust and\nconfidence in your prudence, ability and fidelity, appoint you the said \u2026..\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What is even more worrying is the\npowers given to the PTF by the President as set out in the Gazette where he\nstates I do hereby require and direct all public officers and other persons to\nwhom the said task force may issue instructions or from whom assistance for\nprovision of services may be requested, to comply with all such instructions,\nrender all such assistance and furnish all such information as may be properly\ncomplied with, rendered and furnished on that behalf. AND, I do hereby require\nand direct the said task force to report to me all instances where any\nGovernment employee or an officer in any ministry, government department, state\ncorporation or any such institution who delay the performance of duties and\nfulfillment of responsibilities or fail to perform such duties and\nresponsibilities to be entrusted by the said task force.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

While the appointment of the Ven.\nMonk to head the PTF has been criticised and questioned by all shades of\nopinion in the country, it also came in for considerable flak at the meeting of\nthe leaders of constituent parties of the Government presided by the President\nand Prime Minister.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The first to raise the matter was\nNational Congress Leader A. L. M. Athaullah, who stated the appointment was\ncriticised not only by minorities but also by Buddhists.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Gevindu Kumaratunge, the leader of\nthe nationalist Yuthukama organisation, questioned how a person who had broken\nthe law of the land could be appointed to a body which was entrusted the task\nof making new laws  .<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Finance Minister Basil Rajapaksa\nhowever struck a different note and pointed out that the President who had a\nmandate from 69 lakhs of voters did not need anyone\u2019s permission to make any\nappointment and was therefore entitled to appoint whom he wanted .<\/p>\n\n\n\n

(Although I do not agree with all\nwhat he did, including the abolition of the Kandyan Peasantry Commissioners\nDepartment and the Kandyan Peasantry Development Authority in Jan 2014, I\nfully  agree with his stand  on this issue)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The embarrassment of other ministers\nwith regard to the appointment was also quite evident when they avoided and\ndeclined to answer questions posed by journalists . <\/p>\n\n\n\n

(Not only Muslim MPP and Ministers\nbut even those Sinhalese Ministers and MPP who disagree with the President\u2019s\ndecision on this long delayed-almost by 75 years since 1948 \u2013 national issue\nshould immediately resign from all their present positions and say good bye to\npolitics in this country as no one who go against the Sinhala Buddhist\ntraditions in this country should take any active part in the country\u2019s\nnational politics Such traitors should be deported to a Muslim  country).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The embarrassment of other ministers\nwith regard to the appointment was also quite evident when they avoided and\ndeclined to answer questions posed by journalists. posts and say goodbye to\npolitics in this country.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

(In the light of the criticism made\nby the writer of this article and the comments I have made regarding them I\ndon\u2019t think a single Muslim including Ali Sabry who is not prepared to accept\nthat this was, is and will be the land of the Sinhala people in future and they\nhave no alternative option but to accept that gospel truth if they want to live\nand make their living on this Island and this is not an Arab land. If they are\nnot prepared accept that fact there is only one option. That is to pack up and\ngo back to their Motherlands where they can enjoy all extremist Muslim\nterrorism without conspiring and trying to capture this only land of the\nSinhala nation on this planet).<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Dr Sudath Gunasekara Following comments are made on the article that appeared under the above heading in the media in the name of the 6.9million who voted the President in August 2019 Task force headed by Gnanasara Thera; Pre-determined objectives  (Yes. of cause, it was a set of unresolved burning objectives that remained unresolved for71 […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":true,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[46],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-120040","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-dr-sudath-gunasekara"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/120040","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=120040"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/120040\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=120040"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=120040"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=120040"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}