Sinhala-Buddhists Vs Buddhist Moderates

By Sharmini Serasinghe -

In Sri Lanka today there are two types of Buddhists- the Buddhist Moderates who identify themselves as Sri Lankans and those who identify themselves as Sinhala-Buddhists which they regard as their nationality!

As a Sri Lankan (a Sinhalese and a Buddhist by faith) I have lived and worked amidst the strange practices of Sinhala-Buddhists in Sri Lanka. As such I have observed closely what a Sinhala-Buddhist is as opposed to a Buddhist Moderate.

The following are my observations.

Trouble is brewing for Christians in Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka (CAM/MNN) ―

Facing opposition from their Buddhist and Hindu neighbors, Sri Lankan Christians fear their religious rights will erode as extremist groups attempt to shut down churches in the island nation.

According to International Christian Concern's Web site, over 30 churches have been "violently attacked" in 2013 alone. Last year, the organization reported 52 incidents of Christian persecution.

Saffron marches and the Ides of September

Campaign by foot to ban cattle slaughter triggers tensions along the southern coast as the Government continues to be recalcitrant on the issue of holding provincial elections in the North with the September deadline drawing ever closer.

Last Wednesday, police officials paid a visit to the beef stall at the Bambalapitiya Market on Galle Road. They had a polite warning for the beef vendors at the market. The Sinhala Ravaya and Ravana Balaya march would pass through the Galle Road in Colombo early next week, they said, and the best way to avoid unruly incidents was for the beef stalls to shut their doors on that day.

#Video: The #Fascist Monks Of #SriLanka

The ethnic cleansing of Rohingya Muslims in Myanmar has shocked the world and drawn attention to rising Islamophobia in Asia. Now Muslims in Sri Lanka are under dire threat as well.

The similarities with Myanmar are striking and foreboding. Buddhist monks are at the forefront of the rising hatred, the government is taking sides against Muslims and attacks have begun.

Full scale violence is threatening to break out to create another catastrophe for Muslims in the region. There have already been a series of attacks on mosques and Muslim places of work.

Hard line, ultra nationalist groups led by Buddhist monks such as Buddhist Strength Force (BBS) and Sinhala Echo preach the same message as those of the Buddhist Rakhine in Myanmar: “Muslims are taking over, they are building too many mosques and are trying to destroy our culture.”

On this week’s INFocus we document the rising crisis in Sri Lanka and attempt to bring the world’s attention to the issue before it’s too late.

Courtesy PressTV

That is y we hate Elders' Home

”ඔබේ දෙමාපියන්ගෙන් කෙනෙකු හෝ දෙදෙනාම හෝ වයස්ගත වී ඔබෙන් (යැපෙන්නේ වී නම්) ඔවුන් පිළිකුල් සිතෙන අයුරින් ”චී” යනුවෙන් හෝ නොකියනු, තවද ඔවුන් පලවා නොහරිනු, තවද ඔවුන් සමග ගෞරවාන්විතව කථා කරනු. තවද දයාව පුදමින් යටහත් භාවයේ පිහාටු ඔවුන් වෙනුවෙන් පහත් කරනු. හිමියනි! කුඩා වියෙහි මා වෙත කරුණාව දැක්වූවා මෙන් ඒ දෙදෙනාට කරුණාව දක්වනු මැනව යනුවෙන් ප‍්‍රාර්ථනා කරනු” (ශුද්ධවූ අල්කුර්ආනය: 17: 23, 24).

Mervyn Silva Connection with Underworld Criminals Exposed During Investigation of DIG Vass Gunawardena

By Nirmala Kannangara

Following revelations on how former DIG Vass Gunawardena extorted money from the Parliamentary Affairs Secretary to Minister Mervyn Silva to avoid taking action against him for the possession of heroin and firearms; concrete evidence has now emerged as to how Minister Silva is having close associations with underworld thugs.

Gnanasara Thero Says Local Banks are Complaining to Bodu Bala Sena About Muslim Women Wearing the “Niqab”Veil

By Megara Tegal

The Niqab – a veil worn by conservative Muslim women – has been a frequent target of criticism by the Bodu Bala Sena (BBS) when condemning the Muslim community. During a BBS convention in Baddulla last week (15 June), the controversial General Secretary of the BBS, Ven. Galagodaththe Gnanasara Thero; who was indicted on 11 charges of carrying out an attack on the Calvary Church in Araliya Place, Thalahena, yet again called for the ban of the Niqab speaking on behalf of local banks.