Terrorism and the alleged 'Sinhalese Buddhist Extremism'

by Rear Admiral Sarath Weerasekera

The common definition of terrorism is "unleashing violence on civilians or destroying public property, to achieve a political aim". The LTTE, categorised as the "most ruthless terrorist organisation in the world", have resorted to terrorism to separate the motherland. They justify their acts of terrorism in the eyes of the international community by propagating the massage that the "Sinhalese Buddhists" are an extremist lot and the Tamils can never expect justice from them. The LTTE, hence, portray themselves as "freedom fighters" trying to "free' the Tamils from the "clutches" of the " Sinhalese Buddhist Extremists".

The terrorists, in order to achieve their objective, forcibly enter houses of unguarded villages and cut and chop innocent Sinhalese mothers and infants. The harmless farmers are ruthlessly massacred in the field. They resort to "Ethnic cleansing" and at the same time engage in a heinous International propaganda campaign to portray Sinhalese as "barbarians" to "justify" their brutal acts.

As a citizen of the country if anyone pretends not to know the above "reality" he/she is a cynic/nihilist. If someone is not aware of this reality even after two decades, he/she is a moron. If anyone, knowing this reality, supports or contributes directly or indirectly towards the above LTTE propaganda, he/she definitely is a contemptuous traitor to the motherland.

In this state of affairs, we see some regular articles appearing in Sunday Newspapers, very clearly mentioning about the presence of Sinhalese Buddhist extremists in the country and discrimination against Tamils by same, whilst occasionally and very mildly touching on LTTE violence. When reading through the lines, one can easily understand the motive behind such articles. Pretending as writing in good faith the heinous attempt of the writer is to very convincingly inform the reader and thus the international community, that there are Sinhalese supremacists in this country who see a lurking Tiger in every Tamil man/woman, and that there are ethno centric atrocities towards Tamils which is unthinkable in it's inhumanity and unbelievable in it's inanity.

The massage given by these articles, written by the so called Sinhalese, is exactly what Pirapaharan is trying very hard to convey to the international community. It is high time that we identify such personalities even at this latter stage. (in this article the word "Sinhalese Buddhist" is not used in any communal sense but as a phrase which is been highly "misused" by both LTTE and its sympathizers).

We could remember the series of articles following the incident at the 'Shah Ruk Khan show" which appeared to have given a "Golden opportunity" for "some" writers to accelerate their "onslaught" on Sinhalese Buddhists and the Buddhist monks. Being fully aware that such incidents are totally condemned by everyone in this country except the thugs who were involved in it, these writers grab and blow them out of proportion and condemn the conduct of the entire Sinhalese Buddhists in the country, there by doing exactly what the LTTE needed.

The obvious implication is to inform and brainwash the reader that the Tamil minority of Sri Lanka are being discriminated against by the Sinhalese Buddhist majority who claims that this is a "Sinhalese Buddhist country". One article said that if the Sinhalese Buddhists riot and kill against a mere concert, one could imagine the reaction of such Sinhalese Buddhists when it came to minority rights. A group of monks sitting on the road has been interpreted as "full horror of religious extremism" and it also mentioned about church burning and anti conversion legislature and said that the Christian minority of the country also are ill treated by the Sinhalese Buddhists of this country.

Is it the true picture of the Sinhalese Buddhists in this country that the writer tries to paint in the eyes of the world? Or, are these type of articles a part of a diabolical conspiracy to indirectly help the LTTE who tells the world that they have no alternative other than Elam/ ISGA due to the continuous chauvinistic attitude of the Sinhalese Buddhists towards Tamils in Sri Lanka? These few writers never talk about the great restraint , patience or the tolerance exercised by the Sinhalese Buddhists when Sri Dalada maligawa, the Temple of the Tooth, which is considered the Crest Jewel of not only Sinhalese Buddhists but of the Buddhists all over the world, was viciously attacked. They write about the Buddhists religious extremists in Sri lanka but where were these fanatics when scores of innocent Sinhalese Buddhist devotees (mostly old women) were cold bloodedly massacred at Sri Maha Bodhi?

What was the reaction of the so called Buddhist religious maniacs, if there were any, to the inhuman massacre of innocent novice Buddhist monks (mostly under 13 years) at Arantalawa by LTTE? Informing the "Christian world" about the existence of the Sinhalese Buddhists in this country is the very thing LTTE wants in order to obtain international sympathy. If this particular writer goes to a country of religious fanatics and talk about the "extremists" or against their religion, she would be chopped to death. In Sri Lanka there were incidents of tourist women posing for photographs sitting on the lap of Buddha statues and getting away without even a scratch.

Where are these Sinhalese Buddhist religious extremists the writer is talking about? If this writer who appears to shiver/faint at the so called "full horror of religious extremism" prevalent in Sri Lanka, would definitely disintegrate into pieces if she saw how, in another country, a religious fanatic cut the neck of a man of another sect of the same religion, in broad day light!

Citing an isolated incident and trying to draw parallels between such "extremists" and a group of disillusioned monks who sit on the road in protest or a bunch of unruly rioters who run for their lives at the first canister of tear gas, is not only hilarious if not contemptuous, but also amounts to treachery as it effects the good name and the image of the whole nation.

Religious extremists are the maniacs who massacre/destroy without even the slightest provocation. Sometimes the only provocation is seeing another observing a religion other than their own. The Taliban destroyed the Bhamian Buddha statues, the world's Buddhist heritage, without any provocation.

There are unruly elements in any society, and the government of Sri Lanka is doing well in controlling such men in our country. There are certain States and State sponsored groups who act as religious extremists who not only discriminate but persecute people of other religions. Do we have such men in Sri Lanka? The Tamils in Colombo, for the last many decades, celebrate "veil", marching in Colombo roads in thousands without any interruption and most of the time with the support and blessings of the Sinhalese Buddhists.

There are more than fifty kovils in Colombo alone and even the Sinhalese Buddhists do patronise same. By grossly exaggerating and blowing out of proportion a single incident, if someone tries to show that there are religious extremists in Sri Lanka, such a person has to be either a mental patient or on the payroll of the LTTE.

Mainly referring to the war against terrorists, these writers now come up with articles stating that Buddhism is a religion that is premised on loving kindness to all living beings, Buddhism has no concept of martyrdom, there are no militant Buddhists and self immolation has no place in Buddhism etc. etc. Even a child who attends the Sunday school knows that. Non violence is the most prominent aspect in Buddhism and Buddha has said "hatred never ends by hatred but by compassion alone". However even though that is what the writer knows about Dhamma, what she does'nt know is the absurdity or the stupidity of dragging the basic elements of Dhamma into the behaviours/acts of individuals under "all" circumstances.

As per the writer, who believes in loving kindness, a husband (a good Buddhist) violently reacting to prevent an intruder trying to rape his wife, is acting against Buddhism as he displays anger and hatred and not Karuna and Maithri. These writers should be educated in this respect further, for, tomorrow they might start a campaign stating that the Sinhalese Buddhist soldiers should not even fight the terrorists because killing is against Buddhism.

As patriots we must be cognizant of the fact that the motherland is being raped by the terrorists and the government, the brave soldiers react to it in a manner it deserves to protect the country. Those who try to compare Dhamma with the behaviour of those who rise up for the protection of the nation, are the people who are clueless in both Dhamma and the aspect called national security. Sinhalese live with Tamils in unity and harmony. In July '83 riots, which was the work of none other than hooligans/thugs/thieves, how many Sinhalese Buddhists sacrificed / risked their lives to protect innocent Tamils? The writers who put the blame on the '83 riots on the entire Sinhalese nation do not blame the entire Tamil community for the cold blooded massacres perpetrated on Sinhalese by LTTE.

This is most unfortunate. There are Sinhalese film directors who repeatedly produce films based on '83 riots but never a single film based on LTTE atrocities towards innocent Sinhalese. These people, as Sinhalese, produce films based on war and in that always depict the Sinhalese soldier as an undisciplined morose and win international awards. Same way, these writers too, seem to feel that condemning Sinhalese Buddhists, whilst being one of them, is generally viewed with respect and that they would be hailed as " balance minded' and "accomplished" writers.

The irony is that, in the process of this "balancing ", they either ignorantly or deliberately play into the hands of terrorists. Is'nt it a shame? People who always try to tarnish the image of the Sinhalese Buddhists must hide in shame if they saw how the so called Sinhalese Buddhists all over Sri Lanka helped the victims of Tsunami irrespective of their race. In Trincomalee District, mostly effected were the Tamils and the Muslims and it were the Sinhalese Buddhists and the Buddhist monks who volunteered and helped the Tamils/Muslims who were in danger/distress.

A Sinhalese Buddhist sailor was rewarded for having rescued 17 Muslim children from death. All schools in Tholankadu, Jamalia, Namagal, Linganagar etc. in Trincomalee district, full of victimized Tamil families, were looked after initially by the Sinhalese Buddhists before the government aid arrived. The loving kindness taught in the religion was so apparent that 99% of the lorry loads full of food and other relief items that came from South to Trinco and distributed mainly amongst Tamils and Muslims were from Sinhalese Buddhists. The LTTE had to remove their uniform and hide in shame. How unfortunate, we have'nt seen a single article by these "accomplished" and " balance minded" writers who regularly complain about the inhuman attitude of Sinhalese Buddhists towards Tamils, appreciating the response of the Sinhalese Buddhists towards the Tamils during Tsunami. Doesn't that give rise to suspicion about the real motive behind referred articles? These writers played havoc and wrote very powerful articles on the eviction of 300 Tamils from the lodges, who, as per the police, could not give a valid reason for their occupation. Shouting of human right violations, one article said, hundreds of citizens were deported from their own capitol city simply because of their "ethnicity".

This was a blatant lie as the writer herself very well knew that only a minute percentage of Tamils in lodges were evicted purely on "security reasons" and the rest of the people and 50% of the total Tamil population live in Colombo without being driven away as alleged. Isn't that statement a sinister exaggeration? Also the writer knows very well that "ethnicity" is not an excuse to get away when it comes to national security, as proved by the manner in which the Sinhalese Buddhist youth were treated by the then government during JVP insurrection. This is ample evidence about the dubious character of these writers who seem to be waiting impatiently for an "incident" to happen to show the world that the Tamils are being harassed at the hands of the Sinhalese majority, the very thing the LTTE is propagating worldwide.

The Sinhalese at Ethawetunuwewa, Kiri ibbanwewa, Kalyanapura etc in Welioya district are being pounded by LTTE mortars even today. The children in these villages cannot attend school as the school is shifted to different places. Most of the time the men/women live in bunkers and those who sleep in houses die/ get injured at regular intervals due to mortar attacks. These writers who wait like vultures until an incident happen to complain about the human right violations of the Tamils do not have the heart to lift the pen to tell the world about the gross and consistent human right violations of the above villagers by the LTTE.

Is it because the victims are Sinhalese Buddhists? The latest attempt of these writers is to drag Mahawansa and King Dutu Gemunu into the scenario. The writer quotes from Mahawamsa and says that the Arahats have told King Gemunu, who was lamenting over the slaughter of thousands of men in war with Elara, that his way to heaven is not obstructed since only one and a half human beings (one who had come unto the three refuges and the other taken on five precepts) have been slain. Thus, as per the writer, the religion that is premised on loving kindness to all living beings is made to stand on it's head.

Little that this writer realizes that Buddhist literature/history and Dhamma are two different aspects although interwoven. If the writer wants to learn Buddhism she should read Tripitaka and not Mahawamsa. By citing from Mahawamsa and trying to prove that Sinhalese Buddhists have been slaughtering innumerable humans in the name of faith is again a deplorable attempt of holding hands with LTTE to tarnish the image of Sinhalese Buddhists in the eyes of the International community.

King Gemunu waged war against Elara the invader, to unite the country and protect the nation and the Sasana. In the said incident the attempt of the Mahawamsa author was to motivate the future kings by expelling any fear of retribution, for actions taken with good intention, to protect the country and the nation. What is so justified was not an invasion or the killing of innocent but waging war against an intruder who tries to destroy the motherland and bring disaster and agony to the countrymen.

The duty of the king is to protect his people and nothing, not even his religious belief, must deter his endeavour in that regard. Ven Rahula in his book "The heritage of the Bikkhu", referring to the above statement of Arahats of Piyangu, concludes that " although the said record is diametrically opposed to the teaching of the Buddha, working for the freedom of the people and upliftment of religion was recognized as so noble by both laity and Sanga". He further says that "if there was no violent reaction to the repeated aggressions by the enemy, Buddhism in our country would have suffered an irreparable blow".

Motivating the soldier who fights for the country was regarded as one of the duties of the artists/literarians in the ancient past. Shanthi Deva Pada, in his book "Bodhicharyavapada", says that a soldier becomes more and more jubilant by the increase of injuries on his body during war, and when the wounds are healed, he gets pleasure in counting the scars because he would be born in heaven repeatedly for a number of times equivalent to the number of scars on his body! No one in India has challenged that statement stating that Hinduism that is premised on non violence towards all living beings is thus made to stand on its head!

Bagawat Geetha was composed to motivate the Kshathriya warriors to move into the battle field. Shri Krishna called Arjuna an "eunuch" when the latter was reluctant to go to the war front. No one in India writes that these literature has made Indians war mongers! In the famous Weeragala carving master piece of the 12th century (now placed at Anuradhapura), what the Sinhalese artist has tried to show was how the soldier who fights for the country and grievously hurt, was born in heaven as Dhyani Buddha surrounded by angels, soon after his death! This was how the ancient artists, poets, historians, writers motivated the soldier who sacrificed his life to protect the motherland it is hilarious if someone tries to compare such aspects with the norms of a religion.

Today, in our country we haven't still come across an artist who has created a single cinema to motivate the present valiant soldier. On the other hand in all the war cinemas produced to date, the soldier and his wife are scoffed at, the Sinhalese culture is disgraced and the nation as a whole is denigrated. What a pity! Now we see articles about the prevalence of Sinhalese Buddhist extremists, Buddhist religious fanatics brainwashed by Mahawamsa and inhuman discrimination against the minority by the majority community. What better friends Pirapaharan could have other than these "Sinhalese" artists and writers to achieve his aim?