Most Ven. Maduluwawe Sobitha Thero; An Icon Of Excellence Is No More
By Lukman Harees –November 8, 2015
Lukman Harees
“Great minds discuss ideas; average minds discuss events; small minds discuss people.”- Eleanor Roosevelt
Most Rev. Maduluwawe Sobitha Thero , a national charismatic Icon and the fatherly figure behind the democratic changes which put Sri Lanka back into the map of civilized nations, is no more. Whether the changes ensued in the expected dose was a different matter; but there is general consensus around that today the nation is breathing the air of emancipation and freedom , having being delivered from the dictatorial, aristocratic and the racist rule of Mahinda Rajapaksa who took Sri Lanka into a limbo-land and made it into a pariah state, in the eyes of the world. For this constructive change , both the country as well as the world should credit this great man in robes, who inspired and initiated the process of socio-political change and the courageous silent revolution which Sri Lanka witnessed in very recent times. When the Ven. Thero breathed his last, the nation was undoubtedly thrown into a state of utter confusion; not knowing who can take his place to ensure that the ‘Yahapalanaya’ will in-fact be a reality in Sri Lanka. How do we start and end the eulogy of a great personality who is widely regarded as the ‘Desmond Tutu’ of Sri Lanka?
Well ! When a panic-stricken MR announced in November 2014 that he would call the presidential election two years earlier than he needed to, seeking a third term in office as the President, and as Maithripala Sirisena’s candidacy sent ripples of disbelief, hope and elation around the Sri Lankan nation, the world did not seriously expect the many changes which came about subsequently, to occur. A Constitutional Dictator he was, MR virtually closed off the last remaining paths to Democracy, set up a rule run by his family and aides, and changed the laws of the land to best secure this situation. Extremist Sinhala Buddhist hate groups emerged and grew under his rule, acting without fear or sanction, which raised majoritarian cries and instilled mortal fear into the minds of the minorities- Tamils, Muslims and even the Sinhala Christians. BBS and Sinhala Ravaya became the ‘unofficial Police’ and Gnanasara attempted to become a ’reborn Anagarika’ and not very many Buddhist monks and intellectuals were able to raise their voice of resent due to fear , as it was an open secret that it was MR’s brother Gota who was widely known to be their patron saint. Read More