Sinhala Buddhist Bigotry Root Cause Of Strife In Sri Lanka

By Usha S Sri-Skanda-Rajah -March 16, 2014

Usha S Sri-Skanda-Rajah

Bringing Lord Buddha’s Philosophy to shame and Disrepute

I believe Sinhala Buddhist bigotry is the root cause of strife in Sri Lanka. If it were not, there will be recognition and respect for everyone’s rights, not a denial of those rights. This bigotry in the name of Sinhala Buddhism, no doubt bringing disrepute and shame to Lord Buddha’s philosophy and causing yet more strife in this beautiful island is a vexing question true Buddhists must now address.

The island would have been spared an ethnic conflict that has still not been resolved, due to years of deception, procrastination and bluff on the part of Sinhala Buddhist governments, with no end in sight- all because of Sinhala Buddhist bigotry.

Sinhala Buddhist governments have shown us that they have absolutely no will to act. What is keeping this conflict from being resolved? It is this bigotry..

If not for this bigotry, the Tamil and the Sinhala nation, with Muslims happy where ever they choose to belong, will be prospering. Imagine the advancement each country would be making helping each other.

Sinhala Buddhism is two faced, it is a paradox that puzzles me.

Take Sinhala Buddhists, the polity and their leaders, they pray to Hindu Gods very religiously, but unashamedly demonstrate Sinhala Buddhist characteristics of intolerance and hegemony over Tamils influenced by ultranationalists and Buddhist fundamentalists that are here, and those that have come and gone like Anangarika Dharmapala who thrived on messages of hate towards Tamils and Moors.

Keep in mind that this bigotry prevails in an island where great statesmen like Ponnambalam Ramanathan, true patriots of the soil, were born of Thamil ilk. Sir Ponnambalam though a devout Hindu, was it is said, responsible for the “revival of Buddhism” and he treated all “Ceylonese” alike.        Read More