Which Buddhism Will The Government Support?

By Jehan Perera -August 12, 2013

Jehan Perera

The latest attack on a Muslim mosque in Colombo is a further sign that the Buddhist nationalist upsurge is continuing to grow and not diminish with the passing of time.  While the police belatedly acted to bring the situation under control, its lax approach to apprehending the aggressors indicates the continuation of an apparent government policy to treat them with deference.  The six Muslim ministers of the government have appealed to it to take effective action noting the “lukewarm and ineffective measures taken by the law enforcement agencies on previous occasions.” In the latest attack on a mosque in Grandpass, the attackers had gathered as a mob, thrown stones, shattered windows, and also attacked adjoining Muslim houses in the same way.  Although the attackers were clearly identifiable there are no reports of any deterrent action by the police in regard to apprehending the aggressors.  The pattern of incidents that have taken place in the recent past is an indication of the threat to pluralism, multi-culturalism and religious tolerance in the country.

The attitude on the part of those who are aggressors that they can disrupt the activities of others is a violation of the freedom of assembly and freedom of religion guaranteed in the Constitution.  The attitude of the law enforcement agencies to permit those who break the law and get away without legal sanction undermines the credibility of the government as a secular one.  This lack of commitment has led to the fomenting of religious and ethnic tensions in post-war Sri Lanka.    It is ironic that the Buddhist nationalists to whom the government is paying so much deference, perhaps on account of their claim that they are protecting Buddhism in the country, are engaging in behavior that is the antithesis of what is found in the ancient Buddhist texts of Sri Lanka during that period of time regarded as the golden period of Sri Lankan Buddhism.  Some gleanings of this are available in the Sanghasarana, which was part of the classical Sinhalese texts translations of the Ministry of Cultural Affairs and National Heritage.Read More