Cardinal Blunders Should Worry The Catholics – Reply To Shyamon Jayasinghe
By Reverend PJ Fernando –JUNE 12, 2019
Reverend Dr PJ Fernando
The recent article which appeared on Colombo Telegraph under the caption ‘Cardinal Blunders Should Worry The Catholics’ on the 5th June has shown very poor journalistic standers, and must be said, it was right at the gutter. It is nothing but a scathing personal attack on the Cardinal. It in some ways reflects the standard of journalism we have generally in the country, not to mention the comments that appear on the social media. I at times wonder how one could not feel ashamed of oneself, let alone the quality of communication in social media as a nation and country. The renowned journalism, if there is one, should take the lead in restoring the dignity and respect in the media, in reporting and commenting, setting an example and a standard to the easily accessible social media widely used today. The manner we write and comment, must avoid crossing decency and courtesy. We must rise above, as is said in age old Greek logic, argument ad baculum, it is the fallacy committing to arguing by the cane; ridiculing and insulting someone personally or threatening someone. I am sorry to state; I am appalled by the standard of journalism that the Telegraph has promoted through the article of Shyamon Jayasinghe.
I salute Cardinal Malcom Ranjith, on his bold standing taken in public in leading the country at a time of crisis. Since the victory against the Tamil Tigers who sought a bloody discriminating war, the Sri Lankan political leadership is in decadence with their personal, family’s or cronies’ ambitions raising their head reducing the state into a corrupt pariah regime. The lack of leadership in the country today has plunged it into its depths and has made it vulnerable to the fundamentalist, separatists and the extremists’ ideologies, be it religious or otherwise. Not too long ago, the people suffered the failure of leadership in the country when we were faced with the constitutional crisis. It was fortunately the judiciary that took the lead by taking a stand to save the day restoring the country back to near normalcy. I was wondering where were the religious leadership that should have guided and led the people. But unfortunately, the religious leaders too can be so divided succumbing to their political allegiances and so failing to guide the country and its leaders. With the Easter Massacre in the churches the Cardinal, whatever his allegiances have been in the past, fortunately took a firm and bold leadership uniting the country and all religions against violence and hatred. Which was remarkable. Well, very little could be said about the political leadership let alone, as Shyamon does praise, any political leader. Instead they must rightly be accountable to the people not just in mishandling the intelligence, but also how they dealt with the aftermath of the massacre and now, trying to help restore those broken lives, assuring security for normal ordinary people, making sure that such gross negligence is accounted and brought to justice, and guarantee that it shall not be repeated in the future. The least one would expect is creating a debate on some political ideology simply to score for one’s own advantage, and a coverup for one’s own negligence and failure.
I have tried, painstakingly, to read through carefully between the lines what Shyamon writes, to tease out the arguments that he wishes to put forward beyond a very personal attack on the Cardinal and a praising of the minister Mangala – for what?
To the contrary to what Shyamon writes, I find that Cardinal giving bold and courageous leadership, risking his own privileges as Shyamon says he should have enjoyed by keeping to his counsel as a Cardinal, by raising a critical issue with regards the future of our beloved country. It is much easier to say that Sri Lanka is not a Sinhala Buddhist Country appealing to the international community, for cheap popular, personal gain and political victory ransoming the country, the history, the culture and its people. Cardinal has taken the leadership in bringing to debate and discussion which we should have had long ago, soon after the war. As many have commented, yes we have fought a war and won so to say, as there are no winners in a war. But we have not had this debate and discussion defining the country and its future, settling the real score with the real separatists, and so letting us all play again roulette with the separatist movements and now with the new addition to the complex problem, the religious fundamentalism. One asking for a separate Tamil state and the other soon will be asking for an Islamic state. Both will use the same tack ticks; international isolationism – making Sri Lanka vulnerable in the international stage, human rights cases against Sinhalese Buddhist leaders. Targeting the Sinhalese Buddhists and so easily the Buddhist monks. Attacking trade and tourism – so that the countries economy will be at the mercy of foreign nations that could dictate and control the future of the country favouring the separatist’s agenda. Rewriting the historical identity of the country – defining the country as a multireligious, multicultural country. Dismantling any historical proofs – Remove Sinhalese language from being the official language, systematically destroying historical sights, records and books, and even rewriting them and creating their own. I cannot but applaud the Cardinal for his stand.
