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Buddhist monks’ fasting unto death is intended to inflame anti-Tamil sentiments

Attempts by Sinhala chauvinist political parties and groups to gain political mileage, using a joint mechanism that is yet undecided by the government, is not only laughable but also dangerous. The fast unto death started in the Thalatha Maligawa in Kandy against a yet undefined joint mechanism will create confusion and communal disharmony in the country.

A joint structure is proposed for the sole purpose of ensuring that the humanitarian work is carried out in an orderly manner. Although it is known that there is no other political motive behind it the Sinhala chauvinistic who are exploiting it for political gains and have started the fast unto death in Kandy are aiming to create the conditions to launch another inhumane war on the Tamils.

It is the Buddhist monks from the Jathika Hela Urumaya political party who have begun the fast unto death to whip up the emotions of the Sinhala people. One is tempted to think that the aim is to create anti-Tamil feelings among the Sinhala masses.

The politicians in south Sri Lanka have overtime identified and used Thalatha Maigawa as a symbol of Sinhala Buddhist ethnic hegemony. The politicians have used Thalatha Maligawa as the focal point for many of the anti-Tamil activities over a long period of time.

It ought to be remembered that J R Jayawardana’s so called pilgrimage against the Selvanayam-Bandaranayake pact was directed towards Thalatha Maligawa. This eventually led to the abrogation of the pact and to communal riots against Tamils and to the decades long inhuman war.

Constitutions and laws successively enacted to deny Tamils their political and civil rights were initially submitted to the people from the Octagon in Thalatha Maligawa after receiving the blessings of the Asgiriya – Malwatta Buddhist Chapters.

The Golden jubilee independence celebration on February 1998 was planned to be held in front of Thalatha Maligawa. The then assistant Defence Minister, Anurudha Ratwatta, proclaimed arrogantly that the Jeyasikuru operation will capture the A-9 road by then and a bus with the Sinhala flag will depart Jaffna and arrive at Thalatha on that day. It is a different matter that his proclamation ended as just empty words. One can observe that in this proclamation and planned celebration Thalatha Maligawa was identified as the symbol of Sinhala Buddhist hegemony. One can cite many more such examples. It is this same Thalatha Maligawa that has been chosen as the location for the fast unto death action by the Hela Urumaya monks.

Lord Buddha preached higher goals for human life through mercy, calm, peace, and love. The Buddhist monks pretending to follow Buddha’s preaching are fasting against a yet undecided structure that is intended for humanitarian work in front of a sacred place where Buddha’s remains are treasured. These contradictions could be laughed at but should also cause deep concern.

The conduct of these Buddhist monks brings disrepute to the yellow robe that they wear. However, there is nothing new or strange for the Tamils in this whole affair. The monks fast unto death may be threatening to the government. Such activities will not cause any ripple among the Tamils.

It must, however be noted that this fast unto death can turn into an action to deny human rights to the Tamils.

08 June 2005

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