Laws and religion - some concerns of Sinhala Buddhists

[sustharapuncha]

Laws and religion - some concerns of Sinhala Buddhists

Shenali Waduge
Yes, the Sinhalese Buddhists are concerned. Do they have reason to be? Yet the concerns of Buddhists are never given an unbiased voice in the mainstream media and instead Sinhalese Buddhists are labeled as “racist”, “extremist” and even “militant”. Their version also needs to be heard.
There is little debate to overrule or challenge the historical place of Sinhalese evident in the population demographics through history. It was the Sinhalese patriots and the Buddhist kings who had protected the nation from enemies (except for Don Juan Dharmapala who betrayed the nation, the Sinhalese and Buddhism). With over 74 percent Sinhalese – 14.8 million people of a total 20 million it is unfair to undermine and overrule the place of the Sinhalese Buddhists in Sri Lanka. There is little to challenge that freedoms and rights have been enjoyed by Tamils 11 percent and Muslims 9 percent and it is because of the rights they enjoy that minorities have been able to openly bring up issues.

Living in harmony​

Every person born as citizens of Sri Lanka has to abide by the law of the land which applies to all equally. The Sinhalese Buddhists are concerned because of a new wave of “isms” attempting to dislodge the peace that prevailed historically.
For attempting to ward off these radical elements, to warn the natives of the ultimate outcomes has left Sinhalese being branded as “extremists” and “racists”.
The question is - on what grounds should a parallel law suddenly emerge to be accepted by all when it is not applicable or relevant to over 90 percent of the Sri Lankan populace? This clearly conflicts with the legal decisions of the laws relevant to all citizens. No society can function effectively with a parallel quasi-legal system with some people having in practice, diminished legal rights because of their religion.
Buddhist cultural heritage

Sinhalese Buddhists are concerned because Buddhist cultural heritage is being destroyed, Buddhist archeological and historical cultural monuments are being destroyed.
Sinhalese Buddhists are concerned because the Muslims they were peacefully living with are being radicalized and transformed into adopting a new wave of “exclusivity” evident by the increasing numbers of women in black attire, exclusive Muslims schools springing up.
* We are concerned because Islam is a system of life combining legal, social, economic, religious, political and military components. Challenging one means all forces of this system are engaged to attack those that challenge.
* We are concerned because there is an emerging conflict in Islamic laws with country/international laws.
* We are concerned because there is clear dualism in the law – one rule for Muslims and another for non-believers.
* We are concerned because the growing number of Sharia Law courts that were never present in Sri Lanka previously. When Muslims had been following the Sri Lankan laws for decades, why should there be a sudden need for a Muslim only law? Why should 9 percent of the population have a separate law when as citizens of Sri Lanka, Muslims must abide by Sri Lanka’s laws?
* We are concerned because every freedom stops the moment it inflicts harm on another (be it man or animal)
* We are concerned about extremist demands like loud speakers which does not constitute a fundamental right – speakers are only an electronic tools, a recent phenomenon.
If Muslims claim to want to live “peacefully” why are they undermining this by requesting for laws, practices and customs which directly cause conflicts amongst other communities who are in the majority when they know that in Muslim majority nation’s non-Muslims have virtually no rights?
When Muslims had been eating food, using cosmetics and taking pharmaceutical products for decades why is there a sudden need for Halal certification and why should 90 percent of non-Muslims have to comply and indirectly pay for the cost of the certificate?
When according to Islam non-Muslims are classified as non-believers and infidels – what equality are they promoting?
Yet 9 percent of Muslims cannot deny special privileges in Sri Lanka
* They are represented in the National Flag
* All Muslim religious days are declared National Holidays.
* Muslim national schools – have been misused to start “madrasas” and exclusive Muslim “international schools”
* It was the Sinhala kings who gave lands to the Muslims in the East during colonial times and now they demand autonomy.
* Even Muslim owned supermarkets that caters to all communities shut down for prayers on Friday.
* Sri Lanka’s Justice Minister is a Muslim – and leader of a radical Muslim political party.
What freedoms do Muslims realistically offer to non-Muslims?
* Can non-Muslims represent himself in a Sharia court? No
* Muslims can demand freedom of religion in non-Muslim nations – Can non-Muslims demand the same in Muslim nations? No
* When Muslims can demand freedom of religion (build mosques, radicalize their attire, use loud speakers, open-air events etc – non-Muslims have no freedom of religion not even to visit Muslim holy areas or carry non-Muslim religious books or relics (no non-Muslim religious item is permitted to enter their country)
* When Muslims in Sri Lanka have built disproportionate number of Mosques throughout Sri Lanka will Muslim nations allow a single non-Muslim temple, kovil or church to be built?
* When Muslims have the freedom of expression to call Buddhists “racists” and “extremists” and the Justice Minister himself calling Sri Lanka’s Buddhist monks as “yellow-robed terrorisms” – if Islam is criticized in Saudi the punishment is death by stoning.
* Is there equality of justice when non-Muslims get only a fraction what a Muslim gets in legal settlements according to Sharia laws – what injustice in a country where non-Muslims are in the majority?
* When a growing number of Muslim business establishments openly hire only Muslims why do they object to calls to boycott Muslim trading places?
* Why do Islamic fundamentalists incite violence against Buddhists in East Sri Lanka encroaching upon land given to them by the Sinhalese Kings and demolish Buddhist sites and temples?
* We question how peaceful Islam is when almost all the major conflicts in the World are Muslim-oriented and end up Muslims killing each other due to sectarian violence far more than the damage the West does with their air warfare.
The aggressive rise in demands for legal “exclusivity” towards Muslims does not advocate any policy of compromise or peaceful coexistence with other communities and is making not only Sri Lankans to ask what Muslims are really upto but the West is also now asking these same questions!
Why is the West also now concerned about Islamic expansionism?
* If Muslims accuse Israel of influencing politicians, journalists against Muslims what are the Muslims doing with petrodollars in systematically influencing politicians, using international human rights laws to establish Sharia and Islamic extremism in non-Muslim nations in a long-term bid to Islamize them?
* Why Netherlands is a multicultural mess why are all EU nations now reconsidering the dangers “multiculturalism” has brought to their natural citizens?
* Why is UK concerned that Sharia laws have subverted British laws with over 1500 under-age forced marriages taking place (Scotland has banned forced marriage). UK already has 100 Sharia courts (the 1st opened in 2008), honor-based violence even killings (over 2,800 in 2011), female genital mutilation (over 65,000 cases though it is illegal under 2003 Act but no one has been prosecuted)
* Why is Briton ending practice of paying multiple social welfare benefits to Muslim immigrants practicing bigamy/polygamy ( a crime in GB but a special right granted to Muslims under Multiculturalism who demand Sharia laws).
* Why is UK working on a new law to ensure meat slaughtered according to Islamic Sharia law cannot be sold unwitting to public.
* How did Britain end up having more Muslim imams than Christian pastors?
* If UK was worried when towns with large Muslim populations (Birmingham, Derby, Bradford, Dewsbury, Leeds, Liverpool, Luton, Leicester, Manchester, Sheffield, Waltham Forest) demanded Sharia replace UK’s common law in 2011 – should Sri Lanka not worry?
* When Tower Hamlets – an East London Muslim enclave has posters “You are entering a Sharia controlled zone : Islamic rules enforced” – where Imams issue death threats to women who refuse to wear Muslim veils – should that not worry Sri Lanka?
* When UK politicians show Sharia-compliance and when former UK Premier Gordon Brown stated he wanted London to become the Islamic financial capital – should we not worry about what Sri Lanka’s politicians will commit Sri Lanka towards?
It is not Sri Lanka but the West that has come up with four phases to Muslim expansionism:
Phase 1: migration to non-Muslim host country, Keeping low profile, request for humanitarian tolerance, no demands on host nation. When Muslim population are 2 percent they remain peace loving (ex: US, Australia, Canada, Norway, Italy and China – where Muslims follow the One Child Only policy without fuss)
Phase 2: Requests for Muslim representation in all spheres, Request recognition of Sharia law to their community while proselytizing. Openly condemn “radicalism” and organize inter-faith dialogue and events and position Islam as a religion of peace and that Sharia is not a threat by getting uninformed non-Muslim leaders to support.
Underground Islamic conversion, indoctrinating Muslim children, calls for hate laws to silence critics, plan to enlarge Muslim populations, assassination of critics (Theo van Gogh murder in Netherlands for insulting Islam). More than 2 percent of the population means a converting drive (ex: Germany, Denmark, UK, Spain, Thailan)
Phase 3: When Muslim populations reach significant minority they apply “penetration” – lobbying governments, creating radical political parties and candidates, filing lawsuits against “Islamophobia” pressing for special privileges for Muslims in public establishments, request turns to demand for Sharia laws, undermining host government, ridiculing majority host religion and culture, using their economic hold to ransom, even “moderate” Muslims are murdered, restricting Muslim women, holding Government to ransom by bargaining, More than 5% excessive influence – pushing for Islamic laws, Halal etc (ex: Sweden, France, Switzerland, Netherlands, Trinidad and Tobago)
Phase 4: Islamic “theocracy” declared. Muslims gain control of a nation, imposes Sharia law, engages in violence with non-Islamic religions, all non-Islamic human rights cancelled, freedom of speech, press, religion cancelled, all non-Muslim culture and symbols destroyed. More than 10 percent - lawlessness (ex: France)
The website www.thereligionofpeace.com keeps track of the number of violent jihad attacks.
It has become a practice for both Muslims and Tamils to hide their follies and wrongs behind the cry of “ethnic discrimination”, “hate campaigns” to cover up accusations made against them.
It has worked well to camouflage their ulterior motives by internationally promoting Sinhalese Buddhist as “extremists” and using the power of money to spread the news via media.
It has been convenient to quote “compassion” of Buddhism and ridicule Buddhists when they attempt to stop Islamic expansionism by bring the truth to the public.
Radical Islam

Whatever theories or excuses that is being propagated for the growing resentment, the Muslims cannot disagree that there is an underground plan as well as an open strategy to exercise Muslim domination over non-Muslim nations – it is the Muslims who need to step back and digest the accusations and decide to peacefully coexist with the other communities while ceasing to demand exclusive status for Muslims.
Many Muslims in Sri Lanka while practicing their religion have not been practicing radical Islam. It is only these people who can claim to be living in peace with all communities of Sri Lanka.
The radicals cannot use these Muslims as a camouflage to pretend to be living in peace while carrying out a totally conflicting agenda. Many Muslims donate blood when it is against their faith to do so, a large number partake liquor and smoking – many of these innocent vices are all taboo when full Sharia comes into effect and Muslims in Sri Lanka may like to ponder how drastically their lives are likely to change and all they need to do is to see how disastrous the lives of Libyans, Iraqi’s, Afghans, a host of Sharia following African nations and now Egyptians are.
Like the West, Sri Lanka is concerned about the growing influence of extremist elements of Islam taking over the moderate Muslims who had been living peacefully in Sri Lanka because “There is no moderate or immoderate Islam. Islam is Islam and that’s it” (Recep Erdogan – Turkey PM)
As the author and historian Serge Trifkovic states: “The refusal of the Western elite class to protect their nations from jihadist infiltration is the biggest betrayal in history.” – we can say the same of Sri Lanka’s politicians.
The Sri Lankan leaders could have nipped the LTTE factor but it didn’t and that led to 30 years of conflict.
If Sri Lanka’s leaders do not address this radicalism that will affect all Sri Lankans including the moderate Muslims we are looking at deeper ramifications for the entire nation and the extinction of an already endangered ethnic group.

 

[sustharapuncha]

Threats To The Peaceful Existence Of Buddhists In Sri Lanka – OpEd

By Eurasia Review -- (February 21, 2013)


By Shenali Waduge
Response to Mr. Hameed Abdul Karim
No nation with a clear majority in terms of race, religion and a history that boasts over 2600 years of civilization held together by Sinhalese Buddhist Kings would need to appeal to the world to understand why they are beginning to feel alienated. That is the predicament that has befallen the Buddhists of Sri Lanka. The debate with Mr. Hameed Abdul Karim is being pursued to showcase that though Muslims and Sinhalese had been living in peace it has to be acknowledged that it is a new wave of incursions taking place upon the Buddhist space and territory which are disturbing and infringing on the sensitivities of the Buddhist people all of which post-independence politicians have conveniently sidestepped. The apprehensions and the subconscious fears of the Buddhists of this country now need to be raised and articulated properly.
Why Sri Lanka fears it would be called a “Once Buddhist nation”

Given the present trends we foresee a future date where Sri Lanka will be termed a “once Buddhist” nation as Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Maldives, Malaysia, Indonesia and probably Thailand and Burma in time to come will face. Yet, many Buddhists in Sri Lanka are not prepared to be passive observers and watch in silence their religion and culture fade away into the sunset without any resistance on their part. Assurances has not qualified to allay our fears given the dramatic changes we see happening round the world.
Sri Lanka’s Buddhist status never discriminated against any religion at any point in time as seen by the freedom Hindus, Christians and Muslims enjoy freely. It is the Buddhists who are forced to always compromise and sacrifice their vital interests to appease the unrelenting demands of unreasonable ethnic and religious minorities.
It is sad to watch the historic status of Buddhism enshrined in Article 9 of the Constitution been reduced to the status of a white elephant and used only for ceremonial purposes. Buddhist tolerance has been treated as a weakness and exploited to advance the political agenda of other religious faiths.
False notions of Buddhist racism

In desperation when Buddhists vocalize their justifiable fears they are called “racist”, “communal”, “extremist” and in some cases “militant” – just because they demand to know why Muslims were encroaching on Buddhist temple lands, why they were bribing officials to take sacred land areas, why historically non-existent mosques are emerging in areas that are sacred to the Buddhists and why loudspeakers from mosques were targeting largely non-Muslim residents? Buddhists are also asking why politicians are giving one minority community to dictate how other communities should purchase their food as well as why it is violating Article 9 of the Constitution that says it is only Buddhism that has to be fostered and other religions only to be protected – which questions why a Government should build non-Buddhist places of worship?.
Is there any Christian or Muslim country in the world where the State has contributed to building a Buddhist Place of worship – I look forward to Mr. Karim’s response!
Principle of Halal Certificate objected

People forget that it was the principle of the halal that was being questioned. Why did the politicians not take note of how a private institute not permitted according to its statute of incorporation to issue certificates, were charging a fee to issue halal certificates on all food items that are purchased by the population of Sri Lanka. The principle behind this was that if Muslims ate food without halal labels all this time why was there a need for a halal label now, if export-import took place all this time why is there a sudden insistence for halal labels? The argument also revolves around the fact that this institute does not even have a state-of-the-art lab to test the thousands of food for halal compliance whereas beverages like Coke/Pepsi with 0.001% alcohol remains one of the most fast moving soft drinks consumed by Muslims.
Moreover, the Koran does not say of a halal certificate to be demanding that as a religious right since like loudspeakers it is only a recent addition to the faith. In view of the how food was consumed and the recent demands it appears to be a commercial leverage based on a religion aimed to make a political statement to the rest of the world – “we are Muslim/Islam and every non-Muslim must comply with what suits our religion”! The same applies to the dress as seen in all areas where Muslims numerical numbers show a majority and whatever Mr. Karim says the examples prove otherwise. Again we are told to be “tolerant” as Buddhists should be and virtually look the “other side”.
GOSL must declare Sri Lanka a Buddhist nation

What post-independence Governments have failed to do was to clearly articulate that Sri Lanka is a Buddhist nation – no one can argue against this and historical proof prevail to justify and with good reason why Sri Lanka should remain a Buddhist nation. The country’s leaders certainly need to redefine the nation reaffirming the status given to Buddhism. It is too important a function to be left exclusively in the hands of highly vocal minorities.
The multi-religious, multi-cultural norms have turned western nations upside down. People do not know their country’s history. It is a country’s history that holds countries together because people want to preserve what their ancestors fought hard to achieve and which had been protected and passed down through posterity. Wealth and political influence cannot sacrifice the ancient past.
Mr. Karim does not seem to realize that when the Buddhists say the country’s majority Buddhist population is feeling alienated in their own hinterland it is because of a new wave of demands and aggressive behavioral patterns now pursued by a community that came far later. Is it so difficult to understand why it is wrong to be demanding the country adjust to suit the religious beliefs of the Muslim people when it may be violating the beliefs of the other cultures? Is it not the community that came later that must adjust itself to be in harmony with the ethos of the older culture i.e. Buddhist ethos?
Can Mr. Karim deny that it is having reached beyond the level of tolerance that the Buddhists are now coming to say enough is enough and even finding fault with the political establishments for not demarcating the boundaries so that people do not cross them. It is when boundaries are crossed, incursions take place and these incursions have been clearly defined to Mr. Karim. What was needed was for Mr. Karim and others to realize that these new practices, behaviors and actions was what had upset the Buddhists and it had nothing to do with any dislike for Muslims because the way Muslims had lived in the past is what everyone expected them to continue – not the new changes which reflect the conflicts taking place round the world.
Buddhist fears are confirmed

Whatever Mr. Karim says the recent article by Mr. M B M Zubair – Retired Registrar High Court Kandy has let the cat out of the bag. When he says “the fact that Islam is spreading fast all over the world must be admitted by everyone. It is a prophecy of the Holy Prophet (PBUH) that Islam will spread”, he has spelled out what is in store for Sri Lanka as well and which is what our fears are all about.
Do we as an older Buddhist culture not have the right to be alarmed and to address these factors?
No matter what reasons are given by Mr. Karim or others it cannot change the fact that Maldives was once a Buddhist nation. The Dhanbidhū Lōmāfānu copperplates in Maldives dating to 1193AD relate how Buddhist monuments were destroyed and Buddhist monks were beheaded and mosques were built on top of the destroyed Buddhist temples and monasteries.
Destruction of ancient history and idols is part of what Islam’s iconoclasm is all about and we know how through all conquests Islamic rulers destroyed churches, kovils and Buddhist temples and recent events have not shown that Muslims have changed their behaviors. Is that not good enough reasons for our fears, Mr. Karim?
Effects of Islam’s Iconoclasm

Bamiyan Buddha was not destroyed by a “lunatic fringe” as Mr. Karim claims. Many attempts had been made to destroy the Buddha statue because idol worship is against Islam. From the time of Aurangzeb in the 17th century till finally in 2001 attempts had been made to destroy the face of the Buddha. Mullah Moh. Omar stated “Muslims should be proud of smashing idols. It has given praise to God that we have destroyed them” while the Afghan Foreign Minister stated that “We are destroying the statues in accordance with Islamic law and it is purely a religious issue”.
If destroying statues is part of being Islam as seen by the recent attacks on Buddhist statues in Bangladesh and Maldives where steps are afoot to remove every piece of evidence that ties their country’s history to Buddhism, we can but wonder whether if after the insistence of halal, mosques and other such Muslim demands whether Sri Lanka will also be targeted for the removal of its historical Buddha statues and history one day?
Apologies after attacks will never bring back history that is being calculatedly destroyed and no one has a right to remove history from being preserved. How can peaceful co-existence be argued when what is dear and precious to another community with a history that dates far beyond its own is targeted to be destroyed? Given the historical and contemporary status quo of things, Mr. Karim cannot accuse Buddhists of being unnecessarily alarmed.
Thus, we are conveying fears that are likely to take place many years from now if the Buddhist people keep dormant and behave like ostriches simply because the world demands that they be “tolerant” while for Muslim’s being tolerant appears to imply that the older culture must keep silent about halal labels, halal certificates, proliferation of mosques, incursions on sacred land areas, encroachment of temple lands, destruction of sacred sites and undermining of Lanka’s historic legacy of an animal friendly cultural heritage – all leading to a possible soft usurping of Sri Lanka’s Buddhist civilization.
What Mr. Karim and others must realize is that we see a stark difference in the attitude, behaviors and practices of the Muslims and these very practices taking place in other parts of the world have led to far serious issues which we do not want to see replicated in Sri Lanka. The wakeup call is realistically for the entire population especially the policy makers and those that govern the country and questions them about why they have not been alert to these changes that correspond with similar issues abroad.
The basic issue is that we are feeling exactly what Western society is now feeling when numerically the numbers of Muslims increase and the older cultures in these countries are asking the same questions that the Buddhists of Sri Lanka are asking. Like the West we are being subject to demands that politicians have fallen prey because they have failed to endorse the rightful place of Buddhism in Sri Lanka. Had this clearly been articulated people would not intrude as they now do. So we know the fault lines.
In countries where Muslims have significant numbers they are demanding for Sharia Islamic laws based on the Qu’ran and Hadith – these laws related to women, dress and non-Muslims are what we feel do not conform to the type of governance that the Sinhala Buddhist kings had passed down over centuries and nothing of which Tamils or Muslims felt discriminated against. It is the parliamentary statutes that followed after colonial rule that have led to a series of breaches because of the policy of divide and rule.
The facts are very clear and it is opportune for people to take note.
Sri Lanka is a Buddhist nation – it has a proud history that covers 2600 years.

 

[sustharapuncha]

Buddhist rule in ancient times

The Sinhala Buddhist kings that ruled Sri Lanka on the basis of the Laws of Manu and customary Buddhist laws which upheld the Buddhist precepts that all living beings are to be protected with reverence for life was promoted being the basis of advice given by Arahat Mahinda Thero to King Dewanampiyatiss.
The governing rules of law were clearly articulated, boundaries defined and drawn so that the people knew how to respect and live in peaceful co-existence. The place of Buddhism in the country’s landscape was inviolable and that place was also guaranteed in the Kandyan Convention of 1815 “the religion of the Buddha professed by the chief and inhabitants of these provinces is declared inviolable and its rites, ministers (monks), and places of worship are to be maintained and protected”.
Sri Lanka is the birthright of the Sinhala Buddhists – it is their heritage and their place of refuge.
Mr. Karim’s claims that Muslims want to live in peaceful co-existence is not seen in the manner the Muslim Congress issued the Oluvil Declaration seeking autonomy, or in the manner Muslims insist on halal labels, or that Muslims view tolerance as a one-way street because when people oppose loudspeakers that even the Supreme Court has issued an interim order that the noise must be directed inward and not outward and the Government has even dedicated a separate channel to listen to Azan, that is a flagrant violation of a fundamental right of every citizen i.e. the Right to Silence? This is by any definition indecent conduct. Respect for the neighbour’s rights is the hall mark of decency. Use of loudspeakers constitute an abuse of freedom of religion and trespass of the rights of neighbours.
We are bringing these issues to the forefront because we view the Oluvil Declaration similar to the Vaddukoddai Resolution and we are also well aware that our politicians are late reactionaries and by that time the damage has been done and we have already attracted unwanted elements that lead the situation to far worse corners.
In his last reply Mr. Karim states that Sri Lanka was taken to the world by the Muslims. It is a canard and can easily be nullified because Sri Lanka was having links to all corners of the world encompassing trade, diplomatic deals and spread of Buddhism far before the Prophet was even born and the writings of Prof. Sirima Kiribamuna, Prof. Tikiri Abeysinghe, Prof. Wimala Wijesuriya will prove so. Moreover, the architectural, man-made irrigational marvels of Anuradhapura that no other civilization has matched were built long before Islam even originated.
First Arabs in Sri Lanka not Muslims

History must be corrected to clarify that the Arabs that arrived in Sri Lanka and the Indian Ocean were initially not Muslims nor did they follow Islam. Arabs and even Persians converted to Islam only after the Islamic conquests though there are millions of Christian Arabs too.
Similarly that Sri Lanka’s Muslims do not speak Arabic will show that most of them actually came from the Islamized Arabs who went to South India married South Indian women and thereafter travelled to Sri Lanka. That is why a large number are dark-skinned and their original dress reflected South Indian rather than Sinhala influence. All Muslims in Sri Lanka do not speak Arabic – they speak in Tamil and even the Koran is written in Tamil. There is no Sinhala blood or lineage of an appreciable number – those that disagree should prove so.
The Yonas that Mr. Karim refered to during the time of King Pandukabaya were not Islam. King Pandukabaya did offer Yonaka sabhagawattu (areas set aside for Yonaka people). But, these Yonakas were NOT MUSLIMS because Islam had not come into existence in this period. Islam came about 350 years after Christ. Christianity appeared as a religion only 200 years after the birth of Christ and during Constantine’s reign in the 4th century.
Muslims could own land only after 1832

The Muslims never owned land (thus called hulanbadda) during the times of the Buddhist kings nor during the times of the colonials until 1832 when the British legally allowed them to own land. The writings of Robert Knox and Queiroz http://www.sinhalaheritage.org/De_Queyroz.html gives these details to precision. “Besides the Dutch who possess, as I judg, about one fourth of the Island, there are Malabars, that are free Denizons and pay duty to the King for the Land they enjoy, as the Kings natural Subjects do; there are also Moors, who are like Strangers, and hold no Land, but live by carrying goods to the Sea-Ports, which now are in the Hollanders hands.” (Robert Knox)
Its difficult to see evidence of Muslim tolerance when in the West demands have forced towns to not have Christmas decorations, banks do not give “piggy banks”, “Sharia Zones” and in Switzerland there are demands to change its national anthem because it does not include other faiths!
No animal slaughter during ancient times

In Sri Lanka, it is noteworthy to remember that during the time of the Sinhala Buddhist Kings slaughter of animals were forbidden because the Royalty and the public followed the doctrine of no harm to all living beings and encapsulated in the Buddhist First Precept and several other Buddhist injunctions. Prior to the arrival of colonials even Muslims were prohibited from slaughtering animals or indulging in animal sacrifice. The Muslims of this time adjusted themselves to prevailing Buddhist ethos and the Governing law.
Kirti Sri Nissankamalla, promulgated a remarkable decree, which he publicized in six of his famous inscriptions, forbidding the killing of all living beings in the irrigation lakes of the entire country. Mahavansa also records how King Elara (200BC) had punished his own son for running over a calf!
John Doyly’s Book – Sketch of the Constitution of the Kandyan Kingdom confirms that under Sinhala Law hunting and killing of animals was declared unlawful.
Animal killing first started with the arrival of the Portuguese. They were the first to introduce liquor too. It was the British that legalized slaughter of cattle and now Muslims as stated by Mr. Zubair says that animal sacrifice will continue whatever others say – no Muslim would have disagreed in times of the Sinhala Buddhist Kings!
In spite of the place given to man, flora and fauna by successive Sinhala Kings, Sri Lanka’s Parliament has failed to implement the Animal Welfare Bill! Clearly the place of Buddhism has waned since colonial times to present ceremonial only status.
In spite of the high place given to man, flora and fauna by successive Sinhala Kings, Sri Lanka’s Parliament has failed to enact the Animal Welfare Bill and still allows a 1907 British colonial statute i.e. Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Ordinance to be the governing legislation with a ridiculous low amount of Rs. 100 as the maximum penalty for the most heinous crime committed against an animal. If the World were to judge our commitment to rule of law on the basis of effectiveness of our animal welfare laws we will be taken to the cleaners. In this respect we are very close to many Muslim countries which do not provide legislative protection to animals.
This is another good example of the waning of the place of Buddhism since colonial times to present ceremonial only status.
However, we realize things are today far different. We are not living in times of history but that does not mean we need to turn our back on the good that prevailed in our country’s past. Currently the world is in turmoil because of incursions taking place and since those that govern the nations have failed to clearly demarcate boundaries and define what is right and wrong where the older culture and its traditions do not get compromised or pushed into the background.
What we see happening in the world and the subtle incursions take in place in Sri Lanka makes us compare, analyze and evaluate nations and we see frightening comparisons – non-Muslims in Muslim nations are fast declining (look at the Christian statistics in the Middle East, Iraq, Syria, Bangladesh and in Maldives all the Buddhists were converted to Islam around 1153AD, their places of worship are falling to ruin because Muslim laws dictate no new construction and non-Muslim statues are destroyed because it runs against Muslim belief to worship any God other than Allah. Mr. Karim and Mr. Zubair if they continue to insist there is equality can in their next reply give names of Churches, Synagogues, Kovils and Buddhist temples built in Muslim majority nations in the lasts 100 years! The kovil Mr. Karim mentioned no longer exists as it was razed to the ground in 2005.
Buddhism does not define non-Buddhists, nor define how to treat non-Buddhists yet we are defined as Infidels and further divided as Zimmis (Christians and Jews) and Kafirs (Buddhists, Hindus, Jains) and Kafirs are the worst of the two.
We have arrived at a critical juncture in our history. To be able to live in peace it is important to realize that there is and has been an older culture in existence over the past 2600 years. It is not healthy for newer cultures to be demanding how the older culture should function or dictate or define how the older culture must conduct itself.
The new incursions of halal certificates/labels, usage of loudspeakers inspite of Azan being relayed over the radio, animal sacrifice which many regard as brutal, alarming increase of mosques which even Muslims do not agree to and the encroachment of sacred lands and areas need to be reviewed and those that want to live in peaceful co-existence must realize that it is these incursions that have upset the older culture and has awoken the Buddhists into realizing that the other nations who have faced these obstacles have at extreme levels ended up becoming totally Islamized – Maldives is an example that continues to keep the Buddhists awake.
I am not going to be unsettled by accusations of racism. I am engaging in this debate because countries are beholden to protect the older culture – Sri Lanka should be no different. It is countries that do not have such a rich culture to protect that always push liberal theories through multiculturalism.
The gradual diminution of the place held by Buddhism is what has finally awoken the Buddhists of Sri Lanka. The politicians have chosen to side with the vociferous demands made by minorities because it comes with various tags that lure politicians towards appeasing their wishes ignoring the silent majority and taking them for granted as well as ignoring their own duty towards preserving the Buddhist history of Sri Lanka. We now need the injustices to be addressed and rectified because since colonial times and for 508years now a 2600 year Buddhist civilization has been put into the background and it is time to restore the status quo of Buddhism and Buddhist culture as it existed in the pre-colonial era.
Buddhist ethos stress the need to establish a compassionate society where both man and animal exist side by side in peaceful co – existence. In such a society violence is eschewed and non – violence and Ahimsa is promoted towards all living beings. Ideally this should be the moral aim of Sri Lanka. It is a perfect way for all the people in Sri Lanka to move forward. The Buddhist moral community embraces all living beings. This is the message of the Buddha. Our forefathers embraced it. We are morally bound to follow this noble tradition. All that we now ask is for people to reflect and conclude that this path is the best path to follow which ensures lasting peace and peaceful co-existence.