Temples Vs Hotels

Omalpe Sobitha Thero, Maduluwawe Sobitha Thero, Dhammarathana Thero, Sarath Weerasekara and Religion and culture forgotten in Nagenahira Navodaya?

By Nirmala Kannangara

The recent demolition of two Buddhist temples in the Eastern Province, allegedly by the government, has come under severe criticism by the Buddhist clergy in the country. Sambodhi Viharaya in Arugam Bay and Sama Viharaya in Paanama have been destroyed to construct tourist hotels in the Eastern Province, Chief Incumbent Mangalaramaya Batticaloa, Ven. Ampitiye Sumanarathana Thero told The Sunday Leader.

“The government that boasts to have safeguarded the rights of all citizens, irrespective of religion and ethnicity, has however failed to protect Buddhist shrines and the Sinhalese in the Eastern Province. Bulldozing Buddhist temples in order to construct tourist hotels for leisure seekers is unbelievable. The government might be thinking that economic development in a country could be outshined by any other progress, but they should know that their first and foremost priority should be to protect the culture and the religion.”
The monk criticised the silence of the Jathika Hela Urumaya (JHU) on this matter and commented on the lack of religious and ethnic harmony in the country.
“The government’s only vision is to protect their people and to sustain its power at any cost. They are giving the maximum protection to the one-time terrorist leader, the present Rehabilitation Minister, Vinayagamoorthy Muralitharan alias Karuna Amman and many others, but have failed to protect the Buddhists and the Buddhist shrines in the Eastern Province,” said the Thero.
To force the government into action, Sumanarathana Thero and six more Buddhist monks started a fast-unto-death campaign, together with 400 Sinhalese from border villages in Ampara, Gonagala, Kulukunawa, Mangalagama, Sinnawatte, Eravur and Kohombagasthalawa on Thursday, August 5.
“I have been in Batticaloa for the past 15 years and have seen how our Buddhist temples came under attack from the terrorists. Despite all these, the government has now started to demolish the rest of the temples to build hotels, in order to attract more tourists to the country. It is President Mahinda Rajapaksa that has to take sole responsibility in the event of my death. As a Buddhist leader, he has completely failed to safeguard the places of Buddhist worship for the Sinhala community in the Eastern Province,” the Thero claimed.
Meanwhile, Maduluwawe Sobitha Thero of the Naga Viharaya, Kotte, accused government leaders of failing to abide by the constitution and to uphold Buddhist principles.
“The first clause of the constitution clearly states that the administrators have to protect Buddhism and the temples of the country. It was sad to learn that the Sambodhi Viharaya in Arugam Bay was bulldozed recently in order to build a hotel there,” he said.
The Thero further said that the government will not hold itself accountable for the demolishing of temples. He also added that such an action is not only sinful but an insult to Buddhism.
Accusing the government and the Buddha Sasana Ministry, Chief Incumbent Mihinthala Rajamaha Viharaya, Ven. Walawahangunawewe Dhammarathana Thero said that preservation of religious and cultural values in the country has been overshadowed by materialistic aims.
Refuting the allegations leveled against the government for the demolition, JHU Leader Ven. Dr. Omalpe Sobitha Thero blamed the Pottuvil police of having a hand in the incident. “According to the reports we have received, a certain person from Colombo has claimed ownership of the land where the Sambodhi Viharaya is housed. The police have helped this person to demolish several parts of the temple on July 25,” Sobitha Thero said.
He further queried as to why only Buddhist temples are under attack and said that it is clear that a certain section in the East is trying to cause friction among the Buddhist community in the country.
“We have already requested the President to take stern action against the culprits and to bring them to book. When the people in the East encroached on the Digavapiya archeological sites, it was the JHU that went to court and liberated the area from intruders. This time also we are planning to take action against anyone who is responsible for the demolitions irrespective of their status,” the Thero claimed.
However Police Spokesperson, SP Prishantha Jayakody denied the allegations leveled against the police of having had a hand in the Arugam Bay incident and said that the Pottuvil police have taken the bulldozer owner and his worker who bulldozed the temple into custody.
“The police is carrying out an investigation and has nothing to do with the incident. Even the person who has claimed the ownership of this temple land has been taken into custody,” the SP told The Sunday Leader.
UPFA MP for the Eastern Province, Sarath Weerasekera said action would be taken to prevent such incidents in the future and added that President Mahinda Rajapaksa has instructed the relevant authorities to restore the temples and to provide security to the monks at the Sama Viharaya. “When this was informed to the President, he personally telephoned the chief incumbent of the Sama Viharaya and requested him to go back to the temple, promising security. The said land owner has no right to claim the ownership of the temple land in Arugam Bay as it was the Buddhist monk of the Sambodhi temple that looked after the property during the war. I will ensure the safety of these temples and its monks in future,” Weerasekera told The Sunday Leader.
All attempts to contact Secretary, Buddha Sasana Ministry and Governor, Eastern Province, Mohan Wijewickrema for their comments by The Sunday Leader, failed.