‘Thug monks’ reconciliation

May 20, 2017

A group of ‘thug monks’ including Bodu Bala Sena secretary Galagodaatte Gnanasara on the 17th went to meet national reconciliation,

dialogues and state languages minister Mano Ganeshan, purportedly to discuss national coexistence and reconciliation. Those who know them need not be told how it should have turned out to be. But, if one takes a look at the news and videos relating to Gnanasara’s reconciliation journey, it appears that they had gone there to meet a minister from the minorities, give him a piece of their thuggery and play a media hype. There is a reason for everything, and what made him do that?

First of all, let’s take a look at Gnanasara’s big reconciliation dialogue. He and the other ‘thug monks’ stormed the place by showing their thuggery to the personal secretary to the minister. That is the example they set about reconciliation and coexistence. Gnanasara threateningly asked the secretary if the minister would come to him or not. He might have had a slip of words, but he showed his real self by saying, “Tell the minister to come here, before we do something.” The key weapon he has to do something there is his robe. From the first floor of the ministry building, he said, “When a monk comes, one should show his modesty by coming down. Is this his reconciliation?” The many millions of virtue needed to become a monk are lost there. “These are puppets playing to the tunes of America and the West.” While addressing people as ‘Un, Mun, Yakko’, he demands modesty from them. As long as such robed thugs exist, Buddhism will have no future.

Another video shows how Gnanasara advised Ganeshan on reconciliation. In it, Gnanasara said, “It is because we practice reconciliation that we accommodated everyone and now have to complain about it.” What he meant by that is that problems have arisen due to the Sinhalese having allowed the minorities into the country. Then he said, “Don’t say a word about reconciliation hereafter.  Do not speak to relevant Sinhala, Buddhist organizations.” What he meant by that was that if the minister has to say something about reconciliation, he will first have to obtain permission from BBS and its affiliates. If such advice is to be followed, such a minister and a government will have no existence.

Everything climaxed when he said, “How can reconciliation be created without recognizing this as a country of Sinhala Buddhists?” That is not new, but something Sinhala racists have been repeating over and over again for many decades now. It says others should recognize them to be the majority and learn to accept whatever is given them, or else, there will be a disaster. “Extremists are asking for it. If they ask for it, they can have it.” Anything is tolerable as long as it does not cross the limit. The problem here is that what the Gnanasaras are saying now has already claimed thousands of human lives. If robed persons are allowed do whatever they want, such a country will have no existence.

The court of appeal on the 16th decided to fix dates to hear a charge of contempt of court against Gnanasara over his having stormed Homagama courts on 25 January 2016 as it was taking up the case pertaining to the enforced disappearance of Prageeth Ekneligoda and disrupted the proceedings. That is not the only court case pending against him. According to sources, he will soon be arrested over a charge of contempt of court or having caused communal riots at Darga Town. The latest act by Gnanasara is one aimed at preparing himself for such an eventuality.

We recently saw how he spoke about Buddhist places in the east and made hate speeches. It is such a person who comes to advise the national reconciliation, dialogues and state languages minister about reconciliation. What he wants to do is to frighten the government into not enforcing the law against him, or else, to make himself a national hero when he is sent to prison due to his own faults. He wants to egg on his racist henchmen.

There was a time when the Gnanasaras prevailed over the country’s law. That is in this so called island of Dhamma, and not anywhere else. That was not now, but when the Rajapaksas ruled the country with the law of the jungle. That tribal period ended around two and a half years ago. But, in a backward society, racism can do many things. By hiding behind the robe of the Buddha, who preached that the world has one race, the human race, they are trying to resort to tribalism. As a country, first of all, the law should be enforced against the Gnanasaras. The Sasana should know how to protect the non-violent Buddhism from such butchers. Gnanasaras should learn one day that for the people, who had driven away a ruling family that had ordained them in thuggery, the Rajapaksa minions are nonentities in whatever form they come.

-Sunith Arunashantha-