A Brief Colonial History Of Ceylon(SriLanka)
Sri Lanka: One Island Two Nations
A Brief Colonial History Of Ceylon(SriLanka)
Sri Lanka: One Island Two Nations
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Thiranjala Weerasinghe sj.- One Island Two Nations
?????????????????????????????????????????????????Tuesday, September 26, 2017
Mannar civil society slam Sri Lankan President's plan to attend opening of illegally constructed Buddhist vihara in Thiruketheeswaram
26 Sep 2017
Members of Mannar civil society have written to the Sri Lankan president, criticising his planned participation in the opening ceremony of a Buddhist vihara constructed illegally in the environs of the historic Thiruketheeswaram Kovil.
President Sirisena is due to participate in the opening ceremony of the vihara, constructed illegally in around 10 acres of private Tamil-owned land on September 29.
A Buddhist shrine was initially built to serve the Sri Lankan army when it occupied the area in 1991. However since the end of the war, the main army camp has been removed but a smaller one was kept in place to guard the vihara and Buddhist monks.
In 2012, the Department of Buddhist Affairs cancelled the vihara’s registration and halted construction, however construction was restarted recently.
“Is this good governance?” V. S. Sivakaran, chair of the Mannar civil society union, questioned in a letter to the president.
The civil society leader criticised the endorsement of the vihara by the army and the president, despite its illegal construction on appropriated land.
Mr Sivakaran also questioned the president’s commitment to reconciliation, suggesting instead that like previous presidents, Maithripala Sirisena is invested in Sinhalisation of the Tamil homeland through the erasure of Tamil history and culture.
Members of Mannar civil society have written to the Sri Lankan president, criticising his planned participation in the opening ceremony of a Buddhist vihara constructed illegally in the environs of the historic Thiruketheeswaram Kovil.
President Sirisena is due to participate in the opening ceremony of the vihara, constructed illegally in around 10 acres of private Tamil-owned land on September 29.
A Buddhist shrine was initially built to serve the Sri Lankan army when it occupied the area in 1991. However since the end of the war, the main army camp has been removed but a smaller one was kept in place to guard the vihara and Buddhist monks.
In 2012, the Department of Buddhist Affairs cancelled the vihara’s registration and halted construction, however construction was restarted recently.
“Is this good governance?” V. S. Sivakaran, chair of the Mannar civil society union, questioned in a letter to the president.
The civil society leader criticised the endorsement of the vihara by the army and the president, despite its illegal construction on appropriated land.
Mr Sivakaran also questioned the president’s commitment to reconciliation, suggesting instead that like previous presidents, Maithripala Sirisena is invested in Sinhalisation of the Tamil homeland through the erasure of Tamil history and culture.
Related Articles:
07 September 2017 : Tension in Amparai as Buddhist monks told to stop construction of pilgrim rest-house
05 September 2017 : Buddhas on the A9 - Sinhalisation of Vavuniya
26 August 2017 : Buddhist stupa unveiled by Sri Lankan military in Jaffna