USA, UK and their Democracy.

Inquiry into UK's War Crimes in Iraq

USA has a history of only  238 years  where as the indigenous Americans lived their with a history of  thousands of years.  The European settlers  from Spain, France and  UK  eliminated large numbers of the indigenous population and displaced them from their homelands to infertile arid zones  and occupied their rich fertile land.  

After several separatist wars they finally united and declared Independence of USA on 4 July 1776.  The wars leading to independence was called the wars of the Patriots- a term of ridicule. USA is a republic it is argued that it is not a democracy. The framers of the USA Constitution  were said to have been altogether fearful of pure democracy. They saw pure democracies, “ have ever been  spectacles of turbulence and contention; have ever been found incompatible with personal security or the rights of property, and have in general been as short in their lives  as they have been violent in their deaths.”

“What the authors are able to find, despite the deficiencies of the data, is important: the first-ever scientific analysis of whether the U.S. is a democracy, or is instead an oligarchy, or some combination of the two. The clear finding is that the U.S. is an oligarchy, no democratic country, at all. American democracy is a sham, no matter how much it’s pumped by the oligarchs who run the country (and who control the nation’s “news” media). The U.S., in other words, is basically similar to Russia or most other dubious “electoral” “democratic” countries. We weren’t formerly, but we clearly are now. Today, after this exhaustive analysis of the data, “the preferences of the average American appear to have only a minuscule, near-zero, statistically non-significant impact upon public policy.” That’s it, in a nutshell “. (Eric Zuesse in Global research.)

Researchers Martin Gilens and Benjamin I. Page argue that over the past few decades America's political system has slowly transformed from a democracy into an oligarchy, where wealthy elites wield most power. ‘(Princeton Study).

That shows that Sri Lanka is a pure democracy compared to its "troublemakers" the USA, UK, or Canada.   Sri Lanka did not go outside violating the human rights of other nations to ensure peace and security to its own people without distinction of race, or religion. It is the interference of undemocratic USA and its allies that divide the people of Sri Lanka.

The President of USA Barrack Obama failed to pass a people friendly Health Care Law as he proposed, nor was he able to close the Guantanamo Prison.  Presidents of USA have not been able to contribute for the development of any Country in Africa,  Asia or Middle East, though USA has been able to make developing countries poorer, and divide undivided countries.

But yet the USA  Assistant Secretary Nisha Desai Biswal  had said , “ while we are disappointed that the government has failed over the past four years to take adequate and meaningful steps to support accountability and reconciliation , the United States is Committed to  working with the people and the government of Sri Lanka to strengthen its democracy  and to help the country move towards  a more durable peace.” 

Have any one heard of USA working with the people and the government  of any country in Asia or Africa  to strengthen democracy  and help the countries to move towards a more durable peace  ?

We have not heard of such generosity of  the Government of USA. Though we know how USA and its allies moved  countries like Libya, Iraq,  Afghanistan and Serbia towards “  a more durable peace”.  

USA  with its  big talk about democracy cannot even send to Sri Lanka an Ambassador who does the work of an Ambassador to develop friendly relations between Sri Lanka and America.  We have seen from  USA Ambassadors Robert O’Blake to Michele Sission that they have only been able to distance relations between USA and Sri Lanka and interfere unconcerned into the internal affairs of Sri Lanka.

If USA is a real democracy and if it wants to be reckoned as such,  it should  seek  not only the  peace and security  of the American people,  and its unchallenged leadership in the world, but, it should also assist  for  peace and Security in every country in the world,  without interfering into their  internal affairs but allowing them to solve their internal problems  by their democratically elected Governments.

America and its allies by their interference make “peace and security” more difficult in countries such as Sri Lanka.  If Sri Lanka is left to itself to solve its problems, the country will find  peace and security with its own efforts.

The USA passing a resolution in coordination with the Tamil Terrorist supporting UNHCHR Navi Pillai had acted  contrary to the democratic right of Sri Lanka to find its own solutions for its internal problems.   What  sort of democracy is USA trying to  promote when the USA Assistant Secretary Biswal says , “ USA is committed to working with the people and the government of Sri Lanka  to strengthen its democracy” ?

Sri Lanka is already a democracy, though it may not be the sort of democracy USA speaks about.  How can USA strengthen the democracy of Sri Lanka when it has no inkling into the sort of Government Sri Lanka has ? 

Did USA  strengthened the democracy in Iraq and Afghanistan and provided those countries with durable peace and security ?  Even in Ukraine USA was unable to bring the people together , but got involved in a  politico ideological war with Russia failing to have a democratically inspired dialogue with the people to unite them despite their diversity.  Of course  uniting communities in countries is not within the competence of USA but divide the Communities and Countries is its strong point. Kosovo is and example.  Is USA trying to do the same in Sri Lanka ?

USA and its allies have completely failed as democratically governmed countries and confine their democracy within, becoming “terror” states in their foreign relations. UK is failed democracy having confined democracy to the Westminster Parliament. They have instead embraced a new form of democracy of their own in dealing with developing countries, which is to accuse developing nations for human rights violations. Violation of human rights to assert one’s right to space had been practiced from the beginning of mankind.  So why make it an issue to thwart the development of developing nations.

Have not  USA and its allies  pretending to be the protectors of human rights in the world,  themselves  violate human rights in a larger measure than Sri Lanka ?  But why then single out Sri Lanka against which country  Navi Pillai the Tamil UNCHR encouraged by USA and its allies uses up all their energies to interfere into Sri Lanka by appointing Commitess of investigation for violation of human rights during its war against terrorism ?

Is Sri Lanka a country where democratic institutions have collapsed, and is  ruled by unlawful elements like some countries in Africa ?  Sri Lanka after 30 years of terrorism has risen up from the ashes like the mythical Phoenix, and forging ahead towards peace and development , trying to heal the wounds of conflict.  It is still the rump of terrorism that retards its process of reconciliation and development . 

USA and its allies should take an intelligent view of the problem of Sri Lanka without giving into the Tamils of the Diaspora who promise their votes in return for disrupting development and reconciliation efforts , and become respectful democracies helping Sri Lanka in its effort of reconciliation without putting spokes in its wheels.

The British Foreign Secretary William Hague had said that he welcomes  Navi Pillai’s announcement   on the appointment of  experts to the Sri Lanka investigation  established by the  March Human Rights Council.  He had said that the  UK has always supported calls for this investigation and played a key role in securing it…..”

Of course William Hague is happy as this helps take away the steam over the still unpublished  Chilcot Report of 2003, on UK’s own violation of Human Rights in Iraq. These should be called for by the UNHRCouncil instead of accusing Sri Lanka for fighting against a group of terrorists in its own soil perhaps with inevitable loss of civilian lives.

With regard to  not publishing of the UK Chilcot Report  Philippe Sand QC professor of law at University College London had said ,  that the delay in publication of the report is “rather disgraceful”.  

He had added  that, “ the situation in Iraq today is terrible and tragic , but it’s a futile exercise to speculate as the exact connection with decision taken in 2003. It would be more sensible to reflect on what might be learnt from the mistakes of the past.”  That is a more sensible view of a learned English professor than William Hagues rejoicing on the appointment of  a team to investigate into what happened during the elimination of terrorists in Sri Lanka five years ago.

It is shameful for  USA  and UK to support the  investigation into Sri Lanka’s war against the terrorists, which is only  a Tamil woman- Navi Pillai’s personal revenge against the Government of Sri Lanka for eliminating  her childhood hero the Sri Lanka Terrorist Prabhakaran.

Tony Blair was questioned for four hours  during the Chilcot Inquiry

In fact it should be USA and UK  that  should  be  asked to address outstanding concerns  related to human rights, justice and accountability in view of the fact that it  was on  UK Prime Minster Tony Blair’s false documents regarding Iraq’s stock of Arms of Mass destruction that George Bush declared war on Iraq and ended up assassinating Saddam Husain,  and killing nearly half a million people in Iraq. UK is democratic within its own boarders but promotes dissention, war  and conflict amoung the people of  other Sovereign States. 

David Cameron the Prime Minster of UK came to Sri Lanka and went to meet the Tamil people in the north and asserted their rights as Tamils without considering that in that undemocratic intervention he was dividing the people of Sri Lanka, making the reconciliation of Communities difficult.  David  Cameron not meeting the Sinhala people of the South showed his discrimination of  one community, in preference to another. Is that British Democracy ?  David Cameron should answer .

What is this justice  that is called  for  when the Deputy Spokesperson of the US State Department  said , “….we strongly urge  the Government of Sri Lanka to cooperate  fully with the office of the High Commissioner and its investigation.  We continue to urge the government of Sri Lanka  to fulfil its obligations  to its own people and to take meaningful , concrete steps to address outstanding concerns related to democratic governance, human rights , reconciliation, justice and accountability.  The United States stands ready to assist Sri Lanka in facilitating  progress  on these issues.”

This is USA the champion of exerting its rights over other nations threatening them with sanctions if they do not fall in line with its demands.  That is USA’s democratic foreign policy.

USA, UK and Canada please stop being hypocrites, and leave Sri Lanka alone allowing it to solve its problems the way it had solved more destructive problems in the past. Sri Lanka is a great democracy and knows best how to bring the communities together despite their differences.  No multiethnic country is free of sometimes violent disagreements, but Sri Lanka has wise people who love peace and ready to make sacrifices for the unity of the people .

USA which moved the shameful resolution against Sri Lanka should re-think of its error and honourably  request UNHRC to withdraw Navi Pillai’s  Investigating Committee.

Muslim fundamentalism and lessons to learn from events in Aluthgama.

It has been reported that a 31 year old Muslim PhD Student Nahid Almanea died of  16 stab wounds in Colchester, Essex, UK.  She was wearing a Muslim dress-an Abaya robe and a hijab scarf at the time.  Police has warned  the public not to go to isolated places  by themselves.  It is dangerous in Essex.

The incident has sent shock waves among Muslims in Britain. "This isn't the first attack on a Muslim student and certainly is not the last on a member of the Muslim community in the UK. We will naturally wait for all evidence to become clear.  However, If the attack turns out to be Islamophobic in nature because of her Muslim appearance, then it will correlate with the disturbing exponential increase in hate crimes against Muslims here in the UK." Omar Ali, the president of Fosis, told the Times.

UNHCR and the West high light Sinhala Muslim attacks in Sri Lanka where as number of  attacks against Muslims in the West go unreported. There is no reason to be unconcerned about this deterioration of human relations be it in Sri Lanka or elsewhere in the world. 

It is not surprising that it is the Muslims who are now under attach every where in the world.  It is not a phenomena that started with the 11 September Al Qaeda attacks in USA.  Could it be put to Muslim attempt to bring religious values into the public  with least respect to the sentiments of others.

A Muslim scarf  over the head may be of religious significance but why impose it in schools, and in public ?  Old religious customs should be adopted to evolving situations. But Muslims seem to have become more “religious” in recent times than they were ever before.  At least they did not exteriorise their religion before as they do it now. Sharia Law and halal was not an issue before, it is going back to the old fashioned religious worship, without taking into consideration that Muslims live with other Communities who have their own religious beliefs and customs.

When the Sinhala happen to be the majority any  situation involving physical attacks and death  amoung the minority the focus is immediately on the majority Community as responsible. The minority Community becomes the sympathised victim, and every one jumps to accuse the majority Community, without examining the causes that led to those situations. 

A  terrorist moment started by a group of Indian trained terrorist from the Tamil Community lasted thirty years without any foreign intervention to stop it, but when the majority Community did the best it could and eliminated terrorism the West rises up from nowhere to accuse the majority community for violation of human rights and war crimes.  The patriotism –the love of the country and the willingness to die for it, in the case of  the Sinhala  springs from Buddhism, where as the patriotism is secondary to those of other faiths.  Rome is the sacred city of the Catholics, the Muslims turn towards Mecca in their daily worship,  and Tamils look to India, demanding separatism.

Hence the West cannot understand why the Sinhala are so protective about Buddhism. Protecting Buddhism for the Sinhala  is protecting Sri Lanka.   In Sri Lanka Buddhism remains  a pristine sacred philosophy since its introduction 2300 years ago. There is no fear of it being contaminated from external forces like Islamism. The Islamic fundamentalism contaminates the age old Islamic faith of the Sri Lanka Muslims. 

It manifests in seemingly innocent ways, first by issuing  hallal certificates, establish Sharia law, and precipitate into Wahabism, Salafism, Takfir, Muslim brother hood, Tawheed Jihadis,Taliban, Al Qaeda and Boko Haram.  These are dangerous  manifestations of Islamic fundamentalism, uncomparable in the least to Bodu Bala Sena despite its use of strong language to denounce Muslim extremism. Bodu Bala Sena speaks out to defend not only the Buddhist Sri Lanka but  also for the welfare of all Communities who want Sri Lanka free from  terrorism and anti social religious fanatism.

Therefore our Sri Lanka Muslims should protect their belief system from these fundamentalist ideas eroding into it.  The inter communal relations have got deeply affected by these new trends in Islam.  The Muslims outside the Arabic Nations had a different Muslim culture, that allowed them for centuries to live in complete peace in villages side by side with those of  Sinhala Buddhists.  Why has it taken a different turn now ?  Should the Sinhala Buddhists  be  blamed for that  or is it the new Islamic views seeping into the Muslim Society in Sri Lanka from outside ?

These views that are coming from outside are not just  Islamic religious views, but sadly they are initiated with a  secret political motive.  Therefore those who blindly defend  religious extremism  amoung the Muslims in  Sri Lanka , are indirectly inviting what happened in Afghanistan, and then in America on the infamous 11 September. 

Therefore the Muslims in Sri Lanka before criticising  what they call the “Buddhist Extremism’” should  look into their own back yards where the problems really lie.

Rauf Hakeem the Muslim Minister of Sri Lanka is not an innocent Muslim who loves Allah and his Muslim Community. He is  not a man with an ambition to protect  the  religious faith of the Sri Lanka Muslims,  but out there promoting someone else’s political ambition for a global Muslim Nation.

Jehadists in Mali

 

Jehadists

The Arab States are promoting Muslim extremism like in Myanmar in support of  the Rohingya.  “We reported an article from Tunisian media in April 2013, that Qatar is funding 3,500 jihadist to travel to Myanmar (Burma) and slaughter Buddhists. Do you think this is only a reaction by muslims for the protective violence Myanmar has meeted on the Rohingya?Rohingya, by the way,  is synonym of alien Chittagonian separatists or jihadist Mujtahid. They are not some friendly little muslims who are victims of Buddhist violence. The Buddhist have described the Rohingya’s in the following terms: “They are not human. They are satanic”. That is indeed an apt description. ”

(http://themuslimissue.wordpress.com/2013/07/19/arabs-send-more-terrorists-to-burma-to-create-an-islamic-state-many-attempts-have-been-made-to-send-jihadists-to-myanmar/)

The people of Sri Lanka has not forgotten the role Rauf Hakeem played during terrorism. Though he speaks of patriotism today he was willing to help the terrorist leader Prabhakaran divide Seri Lanka. He signed a MOU with Prabhakaran for a separate Muslim State in Sri Lanka if the terrorists were to form a Tamil Eelam. 

Rauf Hakeem Shaking hands with Terroris Prabhakaran after signing  an MoU with him before a terrorist flag.  What a hypocrite  ?

That is Rauf Hakeem who says today that he is fighting for the freedom of the Muslims, and accuses the Sri Lanka government for not punishing the Sinhala Buddhist Bikkhus who he accuses as responsible for the Aluthgama Sinhala –Muslim conflict.

Rauf Hakeem is the most unreliable Muslim Minister in the Government.  When Navi Pillai visited Sri Lanka Hakeem is said to have handed over to her a report against the Government, and  today it is reported that Rauf Hakeem had met the visiting UN Assistant Secretary General for Political Affairs Oscar Fernandez-Taranco to explain to him the Aluthgama Beruwala incident without informing the government.

High level UN Officials visit Sri Lanka , but unfortunately the  UN System that was set up to free the world of  conflict situation that would lead to wars, is unable to take a balanced view of  situations arising in different countries with different Cultural backgrounds and find solutions, not to fulfil personal agendas or agendas of those countries that seek world power, but to ease communal tension and bring understanding between  parties for peaceful existence, and stop the interference of countries into the internal affairs of other countries.

Sri Lanka has a long history. Like all other nations in the world Sri Lanka also had its share of political upheavals, natural catastrophes and above all a  debilitating ruthless terrorism.  Through all that Sri Lanka was able to come out victorious, and provide the people peace and hope.

To-day for Sri Lanka, providence has given it a dynamic President who has been able to bring peace and prosperity to the country giving its people new hope. The President of Sri Lanka is a fearless warrior for the independence and peaceful existence of the country and its people without distinction.  He had traversed new paths, and brought Sri Lanka closer to other Nations, for the first time since Independence. He moves slowly but surely to give Sri Lanka a new face.  His antagonists are ready to criticise without getting anywhere near to give him credit for  his political acumen.

Those qualities have brought him the ire of the  Western forces duped by the Tamil diaspora an extension of the terrorism Sri Lanka had eliminated locally.  The West is now all out to steal that victory and the hope of  the people for a  better life, and thwart their aspiration.  They are rallying round Navi Pillai the UNCHR imputing blame and accusations to implicate the President  as a violator of human rights. 

While the West is preparing to accuse Sri Lanka for violation of human rights and war crimes over the elimination of terrorism five years ago, the Islamic terrorists in other parts of the world are continuing to doom the progress of developing countries  through barbaric forms of terror. The West drawing charge sheets against Sri Lanka is blind to the peril of different Muslim extremism that raises its ugly head like  Boko Haram in Nigeria, Al-Shabab of Kenya, Islamic Extremists in Somalia, Moro Islamic in Philipines, Islamic Extremism in Indonesia.

Abubakar Shekau  Boko Haram Leader

 

Young Nigerian School Girls taken as hostage by Boko Haram

The  Boda Bala Sena may seem an anti Muslim Organisation.  But  Budu Bala Sena raises its voice as a   warning of what would happen if we the Sri Lankans- the Buddhists, Hindus, Christians and Muslims do not pay attention to the danger of infiltration of Muslim Fundamentalism, Wahabism, Jihad etc., Sri Lanka too would  end up being in the hands of Muslim extremism which has nothing to do with the religion of the Muslims in Sri Lanka.

What happened in Aluthgama is sad but it should  open our eyes to dangers seeping into our Muslim Community, which would result in further disintegration of Communities.   It is best that the UN and the West keep away from Sri Lanka allowing Sri Lanka to sort out its problems and find solutions within in a calm atmosphere in a healthy dialogue between the parties to the conflict. 

Immediately after the Aluthgama Beruwala  incident American Emabassy issued a stament, . “The U.S.  Embassy condemns the violence that has spread over the weekend in Aluthgama and Beruwela. We urge the government to ensure that order is preserved and the lives of all citizens, places of worship, and property are protected.   We urge the authorities to investigate these attacks and bring those responsible to justice. We also urge all sides to refrain from violence, exercise restraint, and respect the rule of law. “

American Emabassy in Sri Lanka issuing such  orders to Sri Lanka Government, is acting irresponsibly.  A situation has to be evaluated and those responsible  identified  before the government could find  a satisfactory solution without allowing the incident to get out of hand making it difficult to  unite the Communities despite the sad events . 

Therefore, it is far better that the uninformed outsiders do not interfere to make it difficult for the government to find internal solutions. That is a democratic principle which the West should respect.

Casinos, Tourism, and the Buddhist Monks.

Minister Lakshman Yapa Abeywardhana and James Parker

So much is being said about Casinos these days that one begins to wander whether Casinos are the only thing that will mar the peace and serenity of the well disciplined, very Buddhist Sri Lanka, where every thing is being happening according to the teachings of the Buddha.  

One is made to come to that conclusion as it is the very Buddhist JHU and Wimal Weerawansa that seem to be anxious about the danger to Buddhist morals by the introduction of Casinos.  Casinos spell gambling , games of chance. But in case of a Buddhist it is not forbidden in the five  precepts, though it is against a right livelihood in  the noble eight fold path.

If Casinos are condemned for making it another marketable addition to make Sri Lanka  attractive to tourists as a place for pleasure and entertainment. Why only Casinos ? Nobody seems to complain that putting  all cards for economic development and financial stability on tourism, is by itself an issue that needs rethinking as it is tourism that keeps increasing entertainment projects, and with them  that come all evil, such as sex, drugs, crimes and gambling. The fear perhaps is because this reminds of pre Castro Cuba which was a gambling den controlled by the American Mafia.

But unfortunately tourism is an  all  important item for Sri Lanka’s economic growth as  industries and even agriculture as potential foreign exchange earners are limited and slow in development. Hence tourism and foreign  employment are the primary foreign exchange earning industries in Sri Lanka.

Monte Carlo Casino

There are three types of Casinos.  The Casinos open to the public at large, Casinos in Hotels which are open to the clients of the Hotels, and on line Casinos which are open to any one using computers with internet connection.  The Casinos in Hotels cater for the tourists for whom the Hotel industry is being developed. 

Is James Parker’s 400 million Dollar  Casino complex open to any one or just to tourists  and others who are clients of the Hotels ?  In the news item it only says , “ once constructed, the resort will have  450 rooms , restaurants and gambling spaces.”  It seems to be restricted to the clients of the Hotel and restaurant complex.

Casino inside a Hotel

If it is open only to clients of the hotels and not to any Dick, Tom and Harry, that would not affect the morality of the Buddhists.  If that factor is not considered, those who manifest against Casinos should then manifest against tourism itself, which would be like biting the hand that feeds you. If it is a case of ordinary Citizens of Sri Lanka getting ruined playing in James Parker’s casinos, then we will also  have to consider blocking  internet online  Casinos.

Then why is all this furore about.  If its only to preserve the sanctity of the Buddhist Sri Lanka, the priests who have taken to roads to protest against Casinos should rethink what they the Buddhist monks as the protectors of the Buddha Sasana should do to stop the declining morality of the Buddhist laity without seeking to make Sri Lanka commit  economic suicide by not developing  the country to attract foreigners as a place for entertainment and thus get the much needed foreign exchange for development projects. 

The Monks may for instance demand that the tourist industry should  give foreign tourist a Sri Lanka style vacation with attractions such  as  sight seeing tours, restful beaches, enjoy Sri Lankan peace and serenity by visiting Buddhist and other religious places of worship, provide them with entertainment respecting Sri Lanka’s cultural values. Provide the tourists with Sri Lankan fruit juices, or Sri Lankan beer instead of  other alcoholic drinks such as wines that are available in plenty in their own home countries. The tourists love health resorts, therefore encourage opening Ayurvedic health centres and bath spas etc.

But yet that is not the role of the Buddhist monks, there are the laymen qualified to make tourism in Sri Lanka a different experience for foreign tourists.  But  those who are in charge of developing tourism in Sri Lanka are trying to make tourist entertainment in Sri Lanka an overbearing  imitation of  what it is  in  the countries from where the tourists  come. 

There are night racing.  Normally car racing are in automobile producing countries to compete with different marks of automobiles  produced by different producers.  There are very few  car racing courses outside  automobile producing countries.  Sri Lanka should not go all out to make car racing a  Sri Lankan experience. Even Golf links are not a profitable venture.  There is even a proposal to set ice rinks and even making an artificial island for a racecourse.  There is also a proposal to invest on a cable car service to Adma’s Peak.  Where is this madness going to end ?

These are excessive considering that while main roads, bridges and flyovers have been constructed  certainly for the greater benefit of the country, the village roads have been neglected. The transport board has no suitable small  buses to ply on small village roads and roads linking towns in the interior of Sri Lanka.  The big Leyland buses plying on village roads not only damage the roads, but also become a dangerous nuisance to villagers who have to take the same roads to move from one place to another.

Therefore, Casinos within Hotels are not that much of a danger to the life of the people of Sri Lanka if they are properly controlled.  But the role of the monks is to teach the people to live a Buddhist way of life without seeking  activities that is not in keeping with their effort to follow the noble eightfold path to purity and emancipation from the bonds of Samsara. 

The Buddhist laymen should be taught to keep away from vice, as  vice by itself cannot be removed. During the life time of the Buddha, pigs were slaughtered outside the Jetawanaramaya.  The Buddha did not ask the King to stop the butchers from killing pigs, but taught the people why it is wrong to eat the meat of slaughtered animals.  In the discourses of the Buddha we note that there had been liquor addicts. But the Buddha taught the monks to be an example for others, and  required lay Buddhists to refrain from taking intoxicating drinks.

It is an indisciplined mind that seeks out vice, therefore the duty of the Buddhist monk is not to manifest on public roads to make people good Buddhists, but to teach them what is good and what is bad in their temples by making the temple a place of sanctity where the monks practice meditation, and conduct retreats or meditation sessions to the people. The monks should make their temple where people come not only to worship, but also to seek  solace and advice.

While our learned Buddhist Monks who have donned the yellow robes, are dabbling in matters that are outside their vocation as monks, some demand driving licences, and employment in the public administration,  others get into politics even seeking to be candidates for the Presidential elections, it was announced that 450 Buddhist temples are to be closed for lack of Buddhist Monks.

Buddhist culture is entwined with the temple and the people.  If the temple gets away from the people or the people gets away from the temple it would be to the disadvantage of the existence of the Buddha Sasana.  Therefore the Buddhist monk should cultivate closer contact with the people to be their guide and protector.  Today what we see is that a greater number of  Buddhist Monks  is preoccupied with matters that are best left for the laity, becoming thus laymen in yellow robes.

Buddhism had a smooth uninterrupted  existence in Sri Lanka for 2300 years since Buddhism was introduced to Sri Lanka by Venerable Mahinda Thera.  Therefore , Buddha Sasana as much as the Sinhala Buddhists have to be protected  from religions which do not  teach their followers ways to get away from suffering, but make use of  them to assure their existence,  are spreading like weeds. 

Therefore, the Buddhist Monks associating to fight against these enemies as protectors of the Buddha Sasana cannot be condemned.  But they should not be divided as Budu Bala Sena, Sihala Ravaya, and Ravana Balakaya, but  should form into one large Association. They should conduct themselves as the  disciples of the Great teacher the  Buddha, disciplined in their thoughts, words and actions according to the Dhamma.

Protecting the Buddha Sasana is a greater issue on which the Buddhist monks should take an active interest, leaving aside manifesting against setting up Casinos, abolition of the Executive Presidency , or presenting themselves as common candidates for Presidential elections.

Modi Euphoria in Sri Lanka

When N Modi was elected the new Prime Minsiter of India, there was a pandemonium amoung the writers in e-mail forums and Sri Lanka media.  It was as if it was the appearance in India of a  man  equal to that of King Asoka.

No doubt it was the end of Nehru era.  But not an occasion for euphoria.   Little by little we come to realise that though  things are not the same,  the actors in India who manipulated the Sonia-Manmohan Singh Indian Central government to make  Sri Lanka which eliminated  a most ruthless and a well financed, well equipped terrorism a simple violator of human rights a war criminal, are back at work.

While Narendra Modi became the acclaimed Prime Minister of India, Jayalalitha became the acclaimed Chief Minister of Tamilnadu. Jayalalitha has begun her hate campaign against Sri Lanka and to what extent she will be able to influence Narendra Modi to be at her beck and call for fear of a break away of TamilNadu from greater India is yet to be seen.

However, Narendra Modi’s first contact with the President of Sri Lanka Mahinda Rajapakse had been to ask him to give the Tamil people of Sri Lanka their aspirations for a life of equality, justice, peace and dignity in a united Sri Lanka. This, immediate reaction of Prime Minister Modi on meeting the President of Sri Lanka was the indication of the falsity of the Modi euphoria.

It should have put into the block heads of Sri Lankans in no uncertain terms that  though India has changed its political leadership the bureaucratic state behind the state functions unabated and that Narendra Modi has already been put in the designated path of administration  making him demand the President of Sri Lanka Mahinda Rajapakse  for an early and full implementation of the 13^th Amendment  and plus.

Narendra Modi has already been put into an administrative “box” as far as Sri Lanka is concerned and his thinking  would be limited to what his administration may “feed” him.

 

Varanasi Aarti which Narendra Modi attended at the Banks of River Ganga on 11 May,2014

Gujarat from where Nrendra Modi comes  has strong connection with Buddhism, and numerous ruins of ancient monasteries and caves with signs of their occupation by  Buddhist monks are evidence of the presence of Buddhisms.  That alone does not make Narendra Modi a Buddhist and willing to uphold Buddhism against his Hindu belief.  That would therefore not be a reason for him to have greater sympathy towards the cause of  Buddhist Sri Lanka.

Narendra Modi is more acceptable a leader as far as Sri Lanka’s cultural background  is concerned, as Gandhis’ were highly westernised and merely paid lip service to Buddhism.  Late Jawaharlal Nehru was described as a Hindu agnostic and about religion he had said,

“The spectacle of what is called religion, or at any rate organised religion, in India and elsewhere, has filled me with horror and I have frequently condemned it and wished to make a clean sweep of it. Almost always it seemed to stand for blind belief and reaction, dogma and bigotry, superstition, exploitation and the preservation of vested interests. Nehru considered that his afterlife was not in some mystical heaven or reincarnation but in the practical achievements of a life lived fully with and for his fellow human beings: “...Nor am I greatly interested in life after death. I find the problems of this life sufficiently absorbing to fill my mind,” he wrote.

Hence Modi is a more acceptable Indian to Buddhists.  He started the day he was to take his oath as the Prime Minister of India not with a Hindu Pooja but  by a visit to Raj Ghat the mausoleum of late Gandhiji.  He paid respect to a picture of Gandhi in his office.  Therefore politically Sri Lanka cannot expect special treatment because of Modi’s state connection with the ancient ruins of Buddhist presence.

It is therefore important  for Sri Lanka to take actions independently as a Sovereign State  whether such action is acceptable or not to India.  Politically India my not change its present relations with Sri Lanka which it had with India under Manmohan Singh  regime.

It is already late for Sri Lanka to await evolution of  attitudinal changes amoung the Indian politicians. Sri Lanka should have removed the 13 Amendment which serves no purpose along with the departure of the Indian Peace Keeping Forces.  Five years after the elimination of terrorism Sri Lanka is still burdened with the obnoxious 13 Amendment. Some one in the governing System in Sri Lanka should think of changing the present Provincial Council system, by substituting it with a  more people friendly system beginning the political power development from village level- the ancient Gamsabha System.

Dayan Jayatillekes, Vasudeva Nanayakkaras, Dew Gunasekara and the rest have nothing to propose hanging onto  the tail of end of the 13 Amendment written and presented by Indian bureaucrats and imposed on us by the Indian Government of late Rajiv Gandhi.  It is a shame for the Sri Lanka politicians and intellectuals, who seem to have gone  bankrupt of progressive political ideas to be adopted for the post terrorist-evolution of Sri Lanka.

All the difficulties with regard to reconciliation of communities come from this absurd Amendment 13 to the Constitution of Sri Lanka.  Sri Lanka is not short of  Sinhala pandits who want to do away with the executive Presidency but none to propose a system without the 13 Amendment.  Ranil Wickramasinghe who has just returned after learning how to dump governments from MIT is only attacking the Rajapakse family Regime without proposing an alternative to it.  Ranil Wickramasinghe is a specialist in appointing Committees, and now proposing  writing new constitutions.

The former Commander of the Armed Forces Sarath Fonseka went to America, and came back a rabid politician without even learning to speak the respectable language of a politician calling his adversaries  by anima names. Ranil Wickramasinghe after his  month’s training in MIT  seems to have learnt that  personal attacks  of the Rajapakse Regime,  which he now compares to  a loose tooth about to fall, could bring about the expected fall of the Regime. He insists that his supporters should concentrate only on toppling the Rajapakse Regime.

That means neither the leader Ranil Wickrmasinghe nor its Party has put forward a practical means for a regime change.  Modi euphoria has not come to UNP as they depend more on the West for a regime change in Sri Lanka rather than  through a possible Indian intervention. 

Ranil Wickramasinghe and UNP were more close to Sonia Gandhi and Manmohan Singh  whose  connection with America, UNP expected more appropriate to destabilise the Rajapakse regime.  Hence election of Modi whose relations with America cannot still be evaluated, was no reason for euphoria in the UNP camp.

USA is moving more and more towards being a Global Dictatorship.

signing of the Constitution of the USA

In Ukraine America supports the extreme right wing  neo-nazi groups. It wanted to bomb Syria and put an end to the conflict which USA and  its allies themselves  aggravated by arming those rebel against Bashar Al Assad Government, but it was the good sense of Russia  that averted a Syrian massacre and raising Damascus to rubble as they did Libya using the  NATO Forces.

America is egocentric.  It seeks its own safety, its own leadership in the world and in that ambition it is least concerned about other developing nations and their people.  Its concern fro the wellbeing of other people of other nations is a false pretence. What does it care about the Tamil people of Sri Lanka other than to destabilise the country and divide it, as it did to separate Kosovo from Serbia ?

United Nations was set up to avoid wars between countries and solve their problems in dialogue.  But America today has along with its Western allies set up a second force to work outside the UN System.  

USA has its Council on Foreign Relations. “ It convenes meetings at which government officials, global leaders and prominent members of the foreign policy community discuss major international issues. Its think tank, the David Rockefeller Studies Program, is composed of about fifty adjunct and full-time scholars, as well as ten in-residence recipients of year-long fellowships, who cover the major regions and significant issues shaping today's international agenda. These scholars contribute to the foreign policy debate by making recommendations to the presidential administration, testifying before Congress, serving as a resource to the diplomatic community, interacting with the media, authoring books, reports, articles, and op-eds on foreign policy issues…..”

There is also a USA Senate Committee on Foreign Relations and its subcommittees.  The US State Department submits reports on foreign Countries to the Senate Committee which decides on  USA’s relations with other countries.  These are all governments within government interfering  into the internal affairs of  Sovereign States of  developing Nations.  UNO has no control over these Committees but they could over ride the decisions of the UN Security Council by misrepresentations, and false information as it happened in the War against Iraq, and NATO bombardment of Libya and the murder of the Libyan Leader.

The Chairman of the US Senate Committee Robert Menendez has recently written about the concerns of the US Senate Committee on Sri Lanka to  Navi Pillai the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, who is  a person biased towards the Tamils and therefore unable to take  independent decisions on problems in Sri Lanka concerned with the Tamil Community. 

Senator Menendez writes, “ that the Committee is concerned  with the deteriorating  environment for the democratic process and human rights in Sri Lanka. Until the Sri Lankan Government engages in genuine reconciliation that serves to strengthen the long term stability of the country, I will support international effort to promote accountability, political reconciliation and reform. Over the past year, this committee has noted with concern the deteriorating environment for the democratic process and human rights in Sri Lanka. While this is particularly acute in the north, there are also disturbing reports of an increasingly authoritarian approach across the South and East.”

These are interferences into the internal affairs of a sovereign state without knowing the ground realities dependent solely on bureaucratic reports made without understanding  a countries cultural and historical sentiments.  These statements only make reconciliation difficult as the Communities concerned instead of discussing and coming to an understanding amoung themselves, are distracted by the proposals suggested and anxieties expressed by foreign State Committees without a clear understanding of the situation,  and  seek alternative solutions.

USA and even the UN Commissioner of Human Rights whose interest is divided on issues concerning the Communities in Sri Lanka  should leave Sri Lanka to solve its own problems.  No USA Senate Committee came to help Sri Lanka during the thirty long  years of its suffering under terrorism, therefore they are now  a barrier and make the reconciliation process in Sri Lanka still more difficult.

In the Meantime the Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asian Affairs  Nisha Desai Biswal had said, " While we are disappointed that the government has failed over the past four years to take adequate and meaningful steps to support accountability and reconciliation, the United States is committed to working with the people and the government of Sri Lanka to strengthen its democracy and to help the country move towards a more durable peace."

The problem in Sri Lanka needs no advice from USA or UN,  it can settle its own problem if Sri Lanka is left alone.   There is a more vibrant democracy in Sri Lanka, and it is USA itself which has to put its own house in Order.   Unfortunately USA had not been a constructive influence to developing Nations as it is more often a destructive and a destabilising force.  There is no developing  country in the world that USA had helped to develop and become independent.  USA and its allies interferes into the developing countries to fortify their own  political strategic interests. 

It is China and Russia that have come forward to help developing nations without interfering in to the governments or destabilising communities within the countries.  It is China and Russia who could “strengthen Sri Lanka’s democracy and help the country move towards a more durable peace.”, and not USA or its Western Allies.

KKK

USA which speaks for the Tamil people of Sri Lanka should know that the Tamils are not a hate group, nor are the Sinhala.  They are each a part and parcel of the larger Sri Lankan people. The Tamil people of Sri Lanka are being manipulated by the Tamils racist politicians.  There are no hate groups in Sri Lanka.

On the contrary in USA there are more than 1000 hate groups , such as the White Aryan Resistance led by Tom Metzger.  There are neo-Nazy groups, such as the Supreme Nazi Alliance. There are villages exclusively for the whites.  Leonardo Blair of Christian Post reports, “More than 1,000 active hate groups are operating across America and California has more of them than any other state, according to a controversial list produced by the Alabama-based Southern Poverty Law Center.

From church groups opposing homosexuality, to groups that promote racial superiority, the SPLC's hate map has identified and included 1,007 organizations on their hate list based on beliefs or practices they conclude "attack or malign an entire class of people, typically for their immutable characteristics."

There are from time to time psychologically ill  Americans who shoots into crowds or gun down children in schools.  This is the USA that is propounding democracy and peace in the world.


It is time that US State Department stops this masquerade playing the role of  an exemplary state of morality, peace and democracy, and allow developing nations to find  peace, security, and democracy, in their own way, at their own pace.