Building Sri Lankan Identity is Our Duty in the Midst of this Failure — The Anglican Bishop of Colombo

An ADDRESS by the Bishop of Colombo, Anglican Diocese,

“… …. do not demonize the entire Muslim community because of the sins of a few warped minds”

Media Briefing on current situation in the country by the Bishop of Colombo, Diocese of Colombo … viz. Dhiloraj Canagasabey

 AN EMAIL COMMENT from a Sinhala Buddhist friend in Adelaide, 17 May 2019

Thanks Colin & Michael for sending this mail.

Hats off the Catholic & Christian leaders for coming forward to say what is true and what has been known for years on. When JVP problem cropped up the politicians made it a tool to stay in power at any cost. I was in the AF then and was aware what was happening. They did the same with the Tamil problem and when JR allowed their organised thugs in 1983 to go on shedding blood of innocent people I was in the AF and experienced how the political game was played giving us direct orders not to intervene. Now the same with the present problem. It is good to call upon educated/ peace loving leaders of the civil society to come forward and stand against the corrupt politicians but this will be a futile exercise as they face enormous problems if they do so – thuggery, intimidation, business blockages and ultimately bodily harm and death. Those in power has so much money (not their money but robbed loot) and possibly clout from foreign sources and can buy over those so called political opponents + especially the top Buddhist priests.  None of the top Buddhist monks have come forward publically like this Bishop to condemn the politicians for the present situation of the country because they are in the pockets of the politicians of all sides. As Lee Kwan said this country can move forward only when religion is made not part of the government. The biggest problem SL has is the Buddhist clergy. They are in every corner of government. There were photos of some Maha Nayakas blessing Gotabhaya recently saying that he should be the leader to make Sri Lanka great again, a few days later blessing MS, then MR and then RW. All these guys run to mahanayakes to get blessings. They never encourage the deserving lot who can do something to take the country forward.

The other problem is the corrupt judiciary, no respect for rule of law and breakdown of discipline at every level. It is sad but true.

How can a country progress at this rate?

 A RELEVANT EMAIL from a Friend in Colombo,17 May 2019

This report and its actualities allow one to conclude that Sinhala people are well capable of inflicting suffering on people without restraint and respect of law and order. ‘Terrorizing’ those considered fair game is rooted in the collective psyche.  I cannot but help thinking of Rwanda 1994.  Things happened quickly and the devastation was widely spread and moved from location to location with speed, egged on by clergy young and old.  Rwanda had the Roman Catholics, and Lanka has its “Buddhists”

http://www.dailymirror.lk/news-features/Outside-hand-suspected-in-Kuliyapitiya-violence/131-167152