Ravana Balaya threatens to invade Buddha Sasana Ministry
By Niranjala Ariyawansha
May 8, 2014
The Ravana Balaya threatened to take up residence at the Ministry of Buddha Sasana and Religious Affairs by force, unless the Special Police Unit set up to resolve problems related to religious conflicts is not shut down before Vesak Poya Day.
General Secretary of the organization, Ven Ittekande Saddhatissa Thera, has handed over two letters to Deputy Minister of the Ministry, M.K.A.D.S. Gunawardena, and to Secretary to the Ministry, M.K.B. Dissanayake, requesting the Unit be disbanded.
Saddhatissa Thera has mentioned in his letter that the Unit has an ordinary police team not trained to resolve religious disputes. "The police so far have failed to solve religious disputes. How will they now be able to do so? What is the earthly use of that police unit?" asked the Thera.
"As far as I know there isn't a single police unit to solve religious disputes in any country in the world. There are about 60 religions in India. At that rate, how many police units will be needed in India? By now Muslims have lodged about 1,000 complaints with the Unit.
What is the status of those complainants? We suspect this is a conspiracy. We suspect that when the Unit gets about 10,000 complaints, they will be sent in a file to the Geneva Human Rights Council, saying that no religious freedom prevails in Sri Lanka".
When Ceylon Today contacted Dissanayake, he confirmed that, Ravana Balaya had handed over such a letter.
"This Police Unit was set up on the instructions of the President. Neither the IGP nor we have the powers to disband the Unit. We can only inform the President's Secretariat about the letter," Dissanayake said.
This Special Police Unit was set up on 28 April with the aim of resolving religious disputes. But political parties and many religious organizations have opposed it.
By Niranjala Ariyawansha
May 8, 2014 The Ravana Balaya threatened to take up residence at the Ministry of Buddha Sasana and Religious Affairs by force, unless the Special Police Unit set up to resolve problems related to religious conflicts is not shut down before Vesak Poya Day.
General Secretary of the organization, Ven Ittekande Saddhatissa Thera, has handed over two letters to Deputy Minister of the Ministry, M.K.A.D.S. Gunawardena, and to Secretary to the Ministry, M.K.B. Dissanayake, requesting the Unit be disbanded.
Saddhatissa Thera has mentioned in his letter that the Unit has an ordinary police team not trained to resolve religious disputes. "The police so far have failed to solve religious disputes. How will they now be able to do so? What is the earthly use of that police unit?" asked the Thera.
"As far as I know there isn't a single police unit to solve religious disputes in any country in the world. There are about 60 religions in India. At that rate, how many police units will be needed in India? By now Muslims have lodged about 1,000 complaints with the Unit.
What is the status of those complainants? We suspect this is a conspiracy. We suspect that when the Unit gets about 10,000 complaints, they will be sent in a file to the Geneva Human Rights Council, saying that no religious freedom prevails in Sri Lanka".
When Ceylon Today contacted Dissanayake, he confirmed that, Ravana Balaya had handed over such a letter.
"This Police Unit was set up on the instructions of the President. Neither the IGP nor we have the powers to disband the Unit. We can only inform the President's Secretariat about the letter," Dissanayake said.
This Special Police Unit was set up on 28 April with the aim of resolving religious disputes. But political parties and many religious organizations have opposed it.
