Have they no shame?
We, Sinhala Buddhists, should be ashamed of ourselves even if a single innocent Muslim is attacked. After all, we follow a path of non-violence and self-responsibility shown by the great Gautama Buddha and there is not a word in any Buddhist text to justify violence. However, being human, we have behaved badly at times, but have mastered the art of restraint since falling into the trap of ‘Black July 1983’, laid by the goons of JRJ government. Following the Easter Sunday bomb attacks, restrain was shown on all sides. Into the vacuum created by the infighting of our President and the Prime Minister, in-stepped Malcolm Cardinal Ranjith, whose voice of reason contributing, in great measure, to this calm, which enabled our police and security forces to speedily carry-out the process of exposing the vast terrorist network and apprehending the suspects.
Much has been written about the conduct of the President and the Prime Minister, who should have forgotten their political and personal differences, and worked as a team to move things forward, in spite of intelligence failures for which both are responsible. They are elected to shoulder responsibility, not enjoy the perks of office only. They have failed miserably and top the list to be shamed!
What is bewildering is the apparent extension of their support and protection to Muslim politicians who are accused of links to the terrorist attacks. It looks as if the President was shielding the Governor of the Eastern Province, M. L. A. M. Hizbullah, who had been brazen enough to construct a ‘Sharia University’ without any approval, which the President wants to convert to a private university! Similarly, the Prime Minister seems to be shielding Minister Rishad Bathiudeen. How come they have not even been questioned by the police? Is this Yahapalana type of government?
Though some previous Army Commanders lack diplomacy, the present Army Commander is a refreshing exception. Lt. Gen. Mahesh Senanayake’s press briefings are a joy to watch and his explanation of the Bathiudeen affair left a lot for interpretation. He agreed that Minister Bathiudeen had rung him a number of times and revealed that, on the last occasion, he told the Minister to ring him in one and half year’s time to inquire about the suspect the Minister was interested in! A revelation of this magnitude would have led to the immediate resignation of the Minister in any other country, but this is ‘the land like no other’! The Minister, obviously, is sans any sense of shame! But, what about the President and the Prime Minister: should they not demand his resignation for interference in a terrorist investigation? Well, what can we expect from this shameless duo!
Two weeks of quiet, following the bomb blasts, was broken by a few attacks which seem, increasingly likely, to have been masterminded by politicians with ulterior motives, the quick responses from woken-up NGO chappies adding to this suspicion. A number of suspects have been taken into custody, quite rightly, but the rapidity of this action is in sharp contrast to the lack of any action regarding errant politicians who may be the root cause of the problem. Selective justice, perhaps, is synonymous with Yahapalanaya!
Sensitive, though vital, issues need discussion but there is a time and a place. To have got it completely wrong is well illustrated by the speech of Justice Minister, Thalatha Atukorale, who chose Vesak Poya Day to castigate Buddhist Priests in front of pardoned criminals! Even without that, it was shameful enough her attempt, with the President, to make political capital out of a compassionate act to honour the Buddha, at a time like this.
Then of course, there was Rosy Senanayaka, Mayor of Colombo, referring to Sinhala terrorists. I wonder where she finds Sinhala terrorists being responsible for anything at the moment!
My fellow Matara-man, Mangala takes the cake for thoughtlessness and shamelessness! His remark that Sri Lanka is not a Sinhala Buddhist country has been countered even by his own party members, not least by the Assistant Leader of the UNP, Ravi Karunanayaka. We should applaud Malcolm Cardinal Ranjith for stating that Buddhism is the backbone of Sri Lanka. His Eminence has brains and common sense. Not so long ago, Mangala made a statement that he could state with authority that the kingpins of the drug trade were high rankers of movements like Lions and Rotarians as well as Buddhist Associations but issued a statement, the following day, that the reference to Lions and Rotarians had been a mistake. Therefore, we could conclude that the attack on Buddhists is deliberate.
Mangala destroyed the reputation of our country whilst being Foreign Minister and now has destroyed the economy. He should resign but will not, as he has no sense of shame!
It is no secret where Mangala’s allegiance lies; warm reception by John Kerry followed by Samantha Power’s visit for his 30th anniversary in politics tamasha, wherein her speech let the cat out of the bag!
It is also no secret the US wants to have a base in Sri Lanka to counter China and the best way to establish is by fostering unrest, as had been done in numerous countries. Let us not fall into this trap but stay united. An unintended consequence of the terrorist attack is the fostering of religious harmony demonstrated during Vesak, a day which would have been a day of great significance and celebrations, as it coincided with the 10th anniversary of defeating terrorism, unfortunately denied by the dastardly acts of another terrorist outfit.
Let us build on this harmony but this can only be done by facing the facts, as well expounded by the brilliant speech made by Venerable Mawarale Bhaddiya thera to the Jathika Maga foundation, available on YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=stgK-AmoFj8).
It is 29 minutes of ‘pure gold’ viewing and he starts his speech, made in front of religious dignitaries and politicians headed by the Speaker, by telling that he received over 100 telephone calls requesting him not to attend for reasons of safety because "people suspect politicians and have disgust for you politicians". He makes a critical but compassionate analysis, delivered in masterful oratory.
Our politicians, unfortunately, are a self-serving shameless lot, exploiting even a grave tragedy, but we are fortunate to have religious dignitaries like Ven. Mawarale Bhaddiya and Malcolm Cardinal Ranjith, who have the ability to lead us through this crisis for a better Sri Lanka. Let us listen to them, not to shameless politicians!
