Buddhist Activism Creates New Stir in Tamil Nadu
March 29th, 2008
Reporting on events in Tibet, Myanmar and Thailand, the Associated Press recently headlined a news story ‘Monk led protests show buddhist activism,’;
“There is the responsibility of every individual, monks and lay people, to act for the betterment of society,” said Samdhong Rinpoche, prime minister of the Tibetan government-in-exile and a high-ranking lama to the Associated Press in Dharmsala, India, discussing protests in Tibet this month that were initiated by monks.
Many reports include mention of activism by monks in Srii Lanka as well, from the assassination of Prime Minister S.W.R.D. Bandaranaike to the stand of Jathika Hela Urumaya party in pushing for brute force against the LTTE. They also mention Sri Lankan Buddhist monks carrying out projects to provide drinking water in the villages of Sri Lanka to fighting for the rights of “the untouchables,” the lowest caste in India.
And the Web Portal Tehelka says in new a report that, activism by Sri Lankan monks in Tamil Nadu is being called a ploy to wean Dalits away from the Tamil separatist cause.
Full Report by Vinoj Kumar, in Tehelka-Buddhist Visitors Bring No Peace:
Sinhalese delegation that included many prominent Buddhist monks recently laid foundation stones for several Buddhist places of worship in Tamil Nadu. The visiting delegation held dedication events for Buddhist temples at Perur village near Trichy and at Alangulam in Tirunelveli district. In addition to the monks, the delegation included the main opposition United National Party (UNP) MP Jayalath Jayawardena. ‘ We are grateful to India for giving us our Buddhist culture and heritage. We want to show our gratitude to India by building these temples,’ Jayawardena said on his arrival. ‘Buddhism belongs to mankind, not to the Sinhalese alone.’ The delegation’s actions, however, triggered a strong response from Tamil groups.
Viduthalai Rajendran, general secretary of the pro-LTTE Periyar Dravidar Kazhagam (PDK), termed the temple-building a ploy to woo Indian Dalits and pit them against Sri Lankan Tamils on religious lines. ‘We won’t let the Sinhalese set foot on Tamil soil and engage in their conspiracy to divide Tamil society,’ he said. Rajendran’s PDK is a non-electoral party and an offshoot of the socio-political reformist movement Dravidar Kazhagam. It has been organising agitations in Tamil Nadu against the Sri Lankan Mahinda Rajapakse-led government, which it describes as a Sinhalese chauvinist regime. On March 3, one such agitation led to the arrest of several PDK workers.
Displaying black flags, they had been protesting the Sinhalese delegation as it conducted a bhoomi pooja at the Perur village site. In his daily show on Win TV, ‘News and Views’, political analyst TSS Mani fuelled the fire with his comments on the issue. ‘The Lankan government is playing the Buddha card to divide the Tamils. It is their strategy to counter the Tamil support for Eelam Tamils.’Mani also claimed that circumstantial evidence supported ‘the hand of the Lankan government’s National Intelligence Bureau’ in the Buddhist temple-building ‘campaign’. In Sri Lanka, many Buddhist monks are members of the chauvinist Sinhalese parties Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna and Jathika Hela Urumaya.
The Dalit groups affiliated with the visiting Sinhalese monks deny any pro-Sinhalese sentiment. Thangavayal Vanidasan, founder of the Dalit Makkal Munnani, says, ‘I have always been a supporter of the Tamils in Sri Lanka. Our connections with the Sinhalese monks are limited to our spiritual needs.’ According to Vanidasan, only the Buddha statue was given to them by the Chennaibased Mahabodhi Society of Sri Lanka. The organisation mentioned by Vanidasan, the Mahabodhi Society of Sri Lanka, is the nerve centre of Buddhism in Tamil Nadu. Its headquarters is in Sri Lanka, where it was founded in 1891. The society’s leader in Chennai, Sinhalese monk Kalawane Mahanama Thero, described the visiting monks as belonging to another sect and said he was keeping away from them. ‘ They don’t seem to be doing any real religious work,’ he said.
Interestingly enough, the senior MP in the delegation, Jayawardena, is Catholic. Thero ascribes a political motive to his involvement:’ He wants to show to the Sinhalese people that he is doing great service to Buddhism not only in Sri Lanka but also in India. He has been claiming that he is building Buddhist enclaves in India.’ For his part, Jayawardena dismissed claims of ulterior motives. ‘ If anyone had the slightest doubt about my intentions, do you think a person like Chakravarthy Naidu, a senior BJP leader, would have donated an acre of land in Tirutani for building the temple?’
Meanwhile, PDK leaders claim they are not against Buddhism but only against the Sinhalese monks. PDK general secretary Viduthalai Rajendran said that as followers of Periyar, they welcomed the Buddhist movement because of its anti-Brahmin plank. But he was quick to add, ‘No one can deny the fact that Sinhalese Buddhists have practised chauvinistic politics against the Lankan Tamils. It is because of this reason we are opposing them.’
Entry Filed under: transCurrents NewsFeatures
26 Comments Add your own
1. Pon | March 30th, 2008 at 12:35 am
What is the interest a catholic has in Buddhism?. I am refering to Jayalath. The activity of Buddhist monks in Perur reminds me of the convertion of low caste hindus in Puthur village in Jaffna peninsula.
2. Venkai | March 30th, 2008 at 6:44 pm
Tamil Nadu people have to be VIGILANT. Giving into these “bogus Budhist “is like giving a “space to the camel in the tent”. For, Sri Lankan Budhist, sinhalese is Budhism. They think that Budha belongs to the Sinhalese. They will plant Budha statue and a bo tree in every nook and corner and then will impose “sinhalese Language” on the population!!
In due course you will find a Budha statue in every Hindu temple in Tamil Nadu. Next step they will distort history and claim that temple was once a Budhist temple!!
This is a calculated strategy to spy on the establishments in Tami Nadu ,spread Sinhalese language, and to create a wedge between the Ealam Tamils and Tamil Nadu Tamils and Tamil speaking Muslims!!
3. Raj | March 30th, 2008 at 10:54 pm
Sri Lanka isnt planting Budhism in India, Budhism is India’s greatest export. The poor peopel in Tamil Nadu are now turn to budhism simple because they are shunned by the Hindu’s and hindu temples which entrenches caste lines between societies and exclude a great many from the lower castes from such basic things as an education.
This type of article and discussion really illuminates why it is difficult to talks with these hardline old school tamil nationalists, they see everything through the prism of class, caste and race.
4. Sinhalese | March 31st, 2008 at 5:03 am
Attacking Tamils here do not understand some basic things here. First look at the Indian Flag? King Ashoa’s Dharma Chakra and his Lion Columns - they are all Buddhist. So India’s flag shows Buddhism. And Great King Asoka is a Buddhist. There is a simple difference between Buddhism and Hinduism - Cast, and karmic Theory. What Buddhist monks doing in India is to give back the treasure they lost. This will be in all the other countries as well in the future, Taliban blew up 2 Buddha statues and they get blown up by American bombs afterwards. Afgahnisthan, Malasia, Indonesia, Pakisthan they all were Buddhist Countries before. Buddhists did not fight forced conversions and swards of Muslims and have to give up all this countries. Now we are back through Ahimsa. We will spread the Buddhism again.
And other thing is - Tamilnadu is so poor. I went last year and I can see why Tamils trying to come to Sri Lanka. It is unbeleivably poor. People are living in shacks, Just born little girls being killed because they do not want to giver dowry. Those idiotes who speak about human rights in Sl and unjust in Sri Lanka should go to Chennai and Bihar to see unjust and right violations. Minority and low cast girls raped 700 a day in these parts. (That was from the paper I read on 3 of December at Bodhgaya) People struggling for food. No sanitary facilities. (Every sri lankan house hold has a toilet). Those screaming Tamils should go to India to see What kind of equal society they have. I have some photos of children fighting for mere biscuit. I am now supporting school in Bihar who is teaching low cast kids. ( because low cast kids are not allowed in gov schools).
This is the truth. These Buddhist monks trying to serve this people. Racist Tamil Hindus trying to stop that.
That will not succeed.
(Any one posting their emails - I can send pics and addresses of the places- go and see your self - the real misery of India)
Compare to that Sri lanka is a paradise.
Once Prabhakaran is gone Subra Massey can invest his hard earnings for the benefit of Vanni Tamils.
5. Devinda Fernando | March 31st, 2008 at 5:48 am
Tamil Nadu Tamils support the LTTE like Irish Americans supported the IRA. It is like them cheering and supporting a Sports Team but at the end of the day they will go home and deal with their own troubles.
Funnily enough I guess Tamil Nadu dd not learn their lesson when Rajiv Gandhi got Offed by the LTTE in 1991.
“Stupid is as Stupid Does” - Forrest Gump.
6. Mandy | March 31st, 2008 at 9:00 am
Venkai, are you sick? how can you be so antisocial?
7. thamil | March 31st, 2008 at 1:02 pm
as tamils,we should kill the vermins who try to cause havoc
8. Argonot | March 31st, 2008 at 4:32 pm
The Sri Lankan Northern Tamils have nothing in common what so ever with the Indian Tamils in Tamil Nadu and also in Sri Lanka. The average Tamil Nadu Indian are very broad minded and patriotic Indians. I urge more Sinhalese to travel to Tamil Nadu and see for themselves how enterprising and hard working the Tamil Nadians are,the reason why so many International Companies such as Ford, BMW and others are located in Tamil Nadu.
It will be enourmous long term benefit for Sri Lankans to establish close links with India and in particular with the state of Tamil Nadu.
The Hindus do not consider buddhism as an alien relgion, they will gladly worship buddha and visit buddhist temples.
It is a great pity that the buddihist monks in Sri Lanka have not made enough effort to welcome Hindus and make buddihism a universal relgion in Sri Lanka rather than a Sinhala relgion. My advice to the Sinhalese Buddhist Monks is that follow the teachings of the great Buddha and do not propagate hatred towards Tamils and try and put your home right before preaching to the rest of the world.
By the way your contributor ’sinhalese’#4′ has absolutely no understanding of Hinduism or buddhism. The caste system exists in all relgions in South Asia. There are Rodiyas,Goigama and Karavas and other castes in Sri Lanka. I urge this guy to read Sinhalese matrimonial advertisements to see how most advertisers specify caste requirement. The practice of caste discrimination is man made, as are many customs and practice.
There is another fundamental difference in India. Under the Indian constitution all castes and relgions are equal and it is an offence to discrimate based on caste. The college admissions are heavily weighted in favour of disadvantged castes . Unlike in Sri Lanka there is hope for greater equality in India through education and economic progress.
The sooner the Sri Lankans realise that they are a tiny little island and act accordingly for their own good and not try to equate India with them they will be able to survive as an Independent country with the blessings of India.
9. Suresh M | March 31st, 2008 at 4:32 pm
I have no qualm with one re-introducing Siddhartha’s message to Tamils in Tamil-Nadu ( or in Sri Lanka) as long as it’s in the original form. Tamils are no strangers to Lord Buddha’s teachings. Once Kanji, and Nagapatnam were proud Buddhist centers in Thamilagam, and am sure Lord Buddha’s teaching would once again enrich Tamil culture.
10. Venkai | March 31st, 2008 at 6:07 pm
Comments #3, #4, #5
First look around you, and clean up your back yard!! Go to the refugee camps and see how the Tamils are suffering without proper housing, schools and other amenities. I know of people who are living in refugee camps, while their houses are being occuppied by the security forces.!! They have been living in refugee camps for years.
Don’t pretend that Sinhalese do not have cast issues. One look at the matrimonial columns in the ceylon.
papers says it all.
Speaking of Rajiv Gandhi, have you forgotten the assault on him by Vijayamuni Vijitha Rohana de Silva?
You should practice Budhism!! Practice before you preach. Look around Sri Lanka. Do not pretend that there is no poverty in Sri Lanka!!
There is “ENFORCED POVERTY” in the north and East. People are prevnted from doing their day to day living, like fishing, farming. Their farming lands are out of bounds for them. They are proud people and do not want hand outs from the govt. Let them carry out their normal lives.
Jaffna is like an open prison. Even in an emergency or for medical treatment, they cannot get out of the “prison” without the permission of the security forces!! The security forces treat the citizens like slaves!!
How many innocent Tamil people have dissappeared in Sri Lanka. How many ladies have been raped in front of their children by the security forces, and the entire family murdered after that. Have you heard of Chemmani mass graves?
If you are true Budhists, you should have taken some action about these atrocities!! Charity begins at home!!
11. M.thiru | March 31st, 2008 at 10:40 pm
Buddhism in its original form is an ideal philosophy for humanity ( Bush family may not agree ). Buddha rejected certain aspects of Hindusim, rebelled against his own kind like Jesus That is why war crazy Emperor Asoka repented and converted himself, his family and majority of his subjects to Lord Buddha’s great philosophy. His children went on mission to spread that philosophy and converted King Devanambia Tissa to Buddhism.
Unfortunately , Srilankan version of Buddhism practiced by all the Sinhalese party leaders and majority of the Buddhist monks are full of hatred against non Sinhala Buddhists in Srilanka and Tamils are their enemy number one.
At certain period in history Buddhism even though from the North had an impact on South Indian population and a large percentage of that population and their rulers embraced Buddhism. How Buddhism was made irrelevant in South India and by whom and for what reasons who can answer ?
I think those who ridicule the political struggle of Tamils started by SJV Chelvanayagam ( it was non violent, still it is going on indifferent form ) from both sides of the Palk straits are one who should provide answers. Some of them who come to my mind are : Subramaina Swamy, Cho Ramasamy, Hindu Ram, MGR’s successor and former actress and CM Jayalaitha, Mahinda Rajapakse & his brothers, Emperor Ashoka’s decendent Sarath Fonseka, GL Peris, Professor Vitharane, Dayan jayatilleke ( exis tintential theorist )Sangaree, Douglas, Sitharthan.
Yes SL politicians are taking Buddhism back into South India to divide and conquer. East Asian governments are willing to fund such projects for their strageic interests in the name of revival of Buddhism in Asia.
Tamils in Tamil Nadu too are going to have existential problem likes Tamils in Srilanka. It is a matter of time in my opinion.
I sincerely hope this forum throws more light on this issue.
12. M.thiru | March 31st, 2008 at 10:42 pm
Buddhism in its original form is an ideal philosophy for humanity ( Bush family may not agree ). Buddha rejected certain aspects of Hindusim, rebelled against his own kind like Jesus That is why war crazy Emperor Asoka repented and converted himself, his family and majority of his subjects to Lord Buddha’s great philosophy. His children went on mission to spread that philosophy and converted King Devanambia Tissa to Buddhism.
Unfortunately , Srilankan version of Buddhism practiced by all the Sinhalese party leaders and majority of the Buddhist monks are full of hatred against non Sinhala Buddhists in Srilanka and Tamils are their enemy number one.
At certain period in history Buddhism even though from the North had an impact on South Indian population and a large percentage of that population and their rulers embraced Buddhism. How Buddhism was made irrelevant in South India and by whom and for what reasons who can answer ?
I think those who ridicule the political struggle of Tamils started by SJV Chelvanayagam ( it was non violent, still it is going on indifferent form ) from both sides of the Palk straits are one who should provide answers. Some of them who come to my mind are : Subramaina Swamy, Cho Ramasamy, Hindu Ram, MGR’s successor and former actress and CM Jayalaitha, Mahinda Rajapakse & his brothers, Emperor Ashoka’s decendent Sarath Fonseka, GL Peris, Professor Vitharane, Dayan jayatilleke ( exis tintential theorist )Sangaree, Douglas, Sitharthan.
Yes SL politicians are taking Buddhism back into South India to divide and conquer. East Asian governments are willing to fund such projects for their strageic interests in the name of revival of Buddhism in Asia.
Tamils in Tamil Nadu too are going to have existential problem likes Tamils in Srilanka. It is a matter of time in my opinion.
I sincerely hope this forum throws more light on the issue
13. Sinhalese | April 1st, 2008 at 5:05 am
Argonot - Let me reply to you point by point- It is pity we do not have text functions say font color etc to do a reply properly. (MR DBS can do that it is a great benefit for the discussion).
I urge more Sinhalese to travel to Tamil Nadu and see for themselves how enterprising and hard working - I agree and that is true they are hard working etc. I went there last year as I said before.
The Hindus do not consider buddhism as an alien relgion, they will gladly worship buddha and visit buddhist temples. - We don’t either. Our team visted hindu temples and Buddhist do worship hindu gods Shri Ganapathi, Shri Saraswathi etc.
My advice to the Sinhalese Buddhist Monks is that follow the teachings of the great Buddha and do not propagate hatred towards Tamils and try and put your home right before preaching to the rest of the world. -
Well some small number of monks may do that as well as some Hindu priests sowing hatred against Muslims etc. that u can find even in India. I don’t suggest that does not exist. We are figting against ignorance whereever.
By the way your contributor sinhalese#4′ has absolutely no understanding of Hinduism or buddhism. -I
I don’t agree with you. I recenlty finished reading Mahabharatha and Read Bhgavad githa as well. I have good knowledge of Both religions plus Koran and bible.
The caste system exists in all relgions in South Asia. - Buddha was oppsoed to cast system. There is no place in Buddhism for casts.
There are Rodiyas,Goigama and Karavas and other castes in Sri Lanka. I urge this guy to read Sinhalese matrimonial advertisements to see how most advertisers specify caste requirement. -
this is true. However this is not Buddhist practice. We do not discriminate as much as in India. There are no killings. no school drop outs because of cast. It may go for marriage ads but that stops there. I am completely against that as well as you.
I agree Indian governemnt do lot to stop discrimination. However it is very much active and worse. We in Sri lanka have - even though it is not perfect free Health and Free Schools. Those Tamils in West studied in this country. (Education is another matter and Tamils spread lies while getting free education - jaffna Uni is only tamil while rest of the unis accept all).
Venkai - We do practice Buddhsim. We do not rape. - lot of rapes done by Sri lanka are Tamil paramilitaries - Some soldires as well but they do that in South too. Country as a whole need a revolution. Attack only Sri lankan army is pointless. Tamils are killing tamils in doves.
For all of you -
here a link for a charity Low cast children thorwn out from Scool get Education in Bihar:
http://www.gautambuddhfreeschool.com/
and read these links:
http://www.ncdhr.org.in/ncdhr/general-info-misc-pages/wadwiu
A shocking 27.6% of Dalits were prevented from entering police stations and 25.7% from entering ration shops. 33% of public health workers refused to visit Dalit homes, and 23.5% of Dalits still do not get letters delivered in their homes. Segregated seating for Dalits was found in 30.8% of self-help groups and cooperatives, and 29.6% of panchayat offices. In 14.4% of villages, Dalits were not permitted even to enter the panchayat building. In 12% of villages surveyed, Dalits were denied access to polling booths, or forced to form a separate line.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/south_asia/6180255.stm
The lower house of India’s parliament has approved a bill which reserves 27% of places in all government-run higher education for low caste people.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/south_asia/36249.stm
Killing baby girls :
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/programmes/5125810.stm
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/south_asia/736466.stm
thanks
14. Sivasothi | April 1st, 2008 at 4:47 pm
We all must realise the religion is thw anemy of this world - the religion made every thin worse - in srilanks this Buddhist monks are primary people to go against the tamils in the history - we tamils must stand together with Periyar philoshopy - what trhese monls do in sri lanka let them to do and watch for some years what they can achive or we altogether chase them from TN - some times its better we can start our eelam campaine within tamil nadu .
Some body says the indian flag contents are the buddist logo but this all come from hindusim do not forgot - still they are in hindu logo too.
Dharma chakkara is the basic chakkara of hindusim - if buddist you want keep it - lets start peace campain for tamil peoples in sri lanka not in tamil nadu
carrying out projects to provide drinking water
15. C.S.Kumaran | April 1st, 2008 at 9:39 pm
Oh my God! These Sinhalese are an excellent lot in plotting. Setting Tamils against Tamils, setting Sinhalese against Tamils, setting Muslims against Tamils, setting Indians against Tamils and setting anything against anything in order to achieve their goal.
16. Sivalingham | April 2nd, 2008 at 7:42 am
Reading the article and comments above I can sum arise the feelings of the Tamil readers……..
Tamils are above religion they are force of nature, all hail the mighty Tamils and their magnificent civilization and glorious language how dare outsider try to introduce ‘foreign’ teaching, beliefs, cultures or ideas into our glorious homeland…
17. Venkai | April 2nd, 2008 at 7:02 pm
Comment #13
You don’t have to go to India to see how hard working the South Indian Tamils are. Go to the tea and rubber plantations in Sri Lanka and you will realise the hard work of the descendents of South Indian Tamils. Without their hard work Sri Lanka would not have earned much of its foreign exchange. But their is no improvement in their standard of living. They are also treated brutally even though they have no part in the current civil war.
Tamil Nadu has produced some BRILLIANT people like Auvaiyar, Thiru Valluvar, Parathiyar, Periyar etc. They have written against the caste system. Caste system was introduced by the Brahmins and propergated by them to maintain their superiority !! Caste system is fading away in Tamil Nadu. Do you know K.R. Narayanan who was from the low caste became the President of India (1997-2002). Can anybody other than a Sinhalese reach a postion like that in Sri Lanka?
I am surprised why all of a sudden Sinhalese decided to go and reform Tamil Nadu. This is like the “mouse who does not know its way, taking the broom with it”
Tamil Nadu, unlike Sri Lanka has co-existed with other religions peacfully for ages. eg. Hindus, Christians of various sects, ,Muslims,Bhahais,Jains,Jews Etc. Please do not introduce your racist policies here.
Re your comment, “We do practice Buddhsim. We do not rape. - lot of rapes done by Sri lanka are Tamil paramilitaries - Some soldires as well but they do that in South too. Country as a whole need a revolution. Attack only Sri lankan army is pointless. Tamils are killing tamils in doves”
Even if we assume what you said above is true, THE PARAMILITARIES ARE UNDER THE PAYROLL TO DO THE DIRTY WORK FOR THEM!! There should be law and order in the country whether the soldiers are killing or tamils killing tamils. It is no consolation to the Tamils that the soldiers do that in South too!! If the Government cannot maintain law and order of the country, then the govt. must RESIGN. That is why the Tamils want to go their seperate way and don’t want to be part of the “SINHALA DEMOCRACY” If the Govt. cannot protect them let them go their way.
There is no point in pointing to the deficiencies which exists in India by providing links to the various web sites. Nowadays every body is computer literate, they can easily see the deficiencies which exists in Sri Lanka. For eg. If you google “Human rights in Sri Lanka”, they will know what kind of country Sri Lanka is. Please do not try to white wash!!
18. Venkai | April 2nd, 2008 at 7:13 pm
In my comment, the sentence in pargraph 5 should read “THE PARAMILITARIES ARE UNDER THE PAYROLL OF THE GOVT. TO DO THE DIRTY WORK FOR THEM”
sorry about the omission of a few words.
19. Argonot | April 3rd, 2008 at 1:15 pm
Sinhalese!## Thanks for your response to my comments .
I am glad you have read Mahabharatha,Gita etc and gained great understanding of all the worlds relgion. I do not claim to be an expert. I am a simple person interested in truth.
Buddha was born a Hindu, “Why there is so much misery in the world was one question that dominated his whole life” For the Hindus he was a great Vedantist reformist who challenged and questioned the inequality and the dominance of the Brahmins upholding the caste structure and the interpretation of the relgion. This practices are continued to be challenged to this day and action taken to
find solutions such as affirmative action in education.
My understanding of Buddhism is that it is a practice and spiritual development leading insight into true nature of life.
Buddhism does not include the idea of worshipping a creator God. Buddha said ” I do not care to know your various theories about God,do good and be good and this will take you to freedom and what ever truth there is”
In simple terms Hindus always considered Buddhism as another aspect of their relgion,hence the main reason why the Hinduism has survived thousands of years after Buddha. In Modern Nepal Gautama Buddha’s country of birth (Lumbini) there is dual worship of Buddha and Hindu Gods. Even in his country of birth it has not taken root because he was a Hindu reformist.
By your own admission you say you visited the Hindu temples and accept that Buddhist worship Hindu Gods.
That my friend proves my point.
The following is a quote from from the 20th century reformer saint Mahathma Gandhi:
“I do not consider myself fit to interpret Hinduism Except through my own life”
“I should reject it,if I found it inconsistent with my moral sense or my spiritual growth.On examination I have found it to be the most tolerant of all relgions known to me . Its freedom from dogma makes a forcible appeal in as much as it gives the votary the largest scope for self-expression. Not being an exclusive relgion,it enables followers not merely to respect all other relgions,but to admire and assmilate whatever may be good in other faiths. It is an evolutionary relgion”
Sinhalese# You claim Tamil nadu is very poor and they all are trying to come Land of Honey and Milk Sri Lanka.
If Tamil Nadu is so poor why is it Sri Lanka is negotiating to buy Electricity from Tamil Nadu. There is currently a feasibility study is being carried out to supply electricity from Madurai via underground cables to Anuradhapura.
I hope during your visit to Tamil Nadu apart from visiting people living in shacks , seeing little girls being murdered you had time to visit shops,markets and shopping centres.
Have you seen any shortages of fruits,vegetables,provisions, clothes.and other materials.
Did you wonder how such a poor state is capable of producing so much .
Did you know that there are Sinhalese working in Tiripur Textile factories. Go to any shopping area in Chennai at any time you can hear Sinhalese voices. They come in large numbers for shopping. How can you blame them when the price of a coconut is around Rs 50 in Sri Lanka, a country suppose to be producing coconuts.
As mother Theressa of Calcutta said ” Poverty is relative”
The important point is how do you eliminate it. I visit India every year and my schedule always includes Tamil Nadu. I have seen tremendus progress over the years, the number of beggars have gone down drastically, education level is very high and is improving ,many Sri Lankan Sinhalese students go to India for further studies.
I agree with you that the Civic sense is very poor in India,this has got nothing to do with lack of toilets. I was born and brought up in a kandyan village near Rikkligasgada I did not see any toilets in the village.Infact the situation is no more different in Sri Lanka. The only difference is the Civic sense of the people.
The Buddhist Monks are supposed to renounce all worldly pleasure and pursue a path of self realisation. There are monk politicians who are racists, I know of monks who are involved in business. Had the buddhist monks been true to their relgion Sri Lanka will not be in such a dire state.
You talk of 700 rapes of minority girls a day in India. According to estimate there are over half a million Sinhalese maids working in the Middle East some of who are subject to sexual abuse. It is a well known fact that some work as part time prostitutes catering to other male migrant workersThey put up with it because of the dire economic condition in Sri Lanka, no jobs,high cost of living and extreme corruption. I remember reading that some maids leave their children behind with relations,or with their husbands. It has been found that a large number of this poor children are abused by their own relations.
The point I am trying to make is that rape occurs due to many reasons, In the case of India there has been many prosecutions and the problem is discussed openly and taken up by televison channels such as NDTV.
Sinhalse# you should grow up and follow the true teachings of the great Buddha,may be one day you will achieve enlightenment. My best wishes to you!
20. Raj | April 4th, 2008 at 12:36 am
Argonot this section is for comments not your ten pages essays that say aboslutely nothin except ramble on make great sweeping genarlisations alomng ethnic lines.
21. Sinhalese | April 4th, 2008 at 10:15 am
Reply to Comment 13
Venkai β Living Standards of Tamils in hill Country are improving. I stayed on way to Sri pada Indian Tamil owned hotel and all around former metal (takaran in Sinhalese) sheet covered line rooms replaced with brick build houses. There are lot to do but you have to take into account Country as a whole. There are much poorer jobless Sinhala and Muslim villages too. I always had a respect for Indian Tamils working in tea plantation and always would support citizenship rights and any other rights o them.
Can anybody other than a Sinhalese reach a position like that in Sri Lanka?
Well I would support. I am not saying Sinhalese or Sri lanka is perfect. Argument here is what Buddhist monks doing in Tamilnadu and generally in India. My comment was for that. We are talking about that isn’t it.
I am surprised why all of a sudden Sinhalese decided to go and reform Tamil Nadu. β It is not all of a sudden. Since the economic liberalization last 25-30 years steady group of Sinhalese are going there. So the Sinhals monks initialy to cater the needs for those worshippers. Once settled most of them helping local communities. (there may some bad elements which every religion have). However I see this in good light. The myth of Sinhala Buddhist has to be broken.. Buddhism belongs to every body including Sinhalese and there were and are many Buddhist Tamils in Jaffna and any where else. Buddhism should be taken away from Sinhala Buddhist slogan and should be put on right place as universal religion. I am Buddhist but I don’t call as Sinhala Buddhist. Sinhala is my language and my ethnic identity. I think these Buddhist monks in Tamilnadu are doing great job. Sinhalese pilgrims traveling India see that difference very clearly.
Tamil Nadu, unlike Sri Lanka has co-existed with other religions peacfully for ages Etc. Please do not introduce your racist policies here. β Where you can see I am racist? More than me I think you are Racist. Religions existed in Sri Lanka peacefully for centuries too. It is others who make this a trouble including New Christian orders. Who bombed Kandy temple? Go to any Sri lankan temple and you will see Hindu Gods. Sinhalese got to Kadirgamam too.
No body is trying to white wash anything here. I accept as much as problems in sri Lanka that you consistently denying to accept on your side of the argument. Unless you see that Sinhalse are not the enemy but you yourself and for any meaningless solutions to emerge Tamils should accommodate Sinhala opinion fight on. What we will not allow in Sri lanka is a one party fascist rule in our doorstep. In another discussion I put forward my solution of 3 states β Jaffna, kandy and Southern states with Colombo as separate entity. My solution even more far reaching and lot of Sinhala guys agree to it. But you are in rage and racist against Sinhalas β why we should bother. Keep fighting.
About Charity at home β we already have one doing in Sl. I have tried in north but failed due to obvious reasons.
Sorry for the page long comment guys.
22. Sinhalese | April 4th, 2008 at 10:39 am
Argonot Thank you for your response to my comments .
Sinhalese# You claim Tamil nadu is very poor and they all are trying to come Land of Honey and Milk Sri Lanka. β Most people I met asked me whether I can find a job. I did not talk about Land of honey Sri Lanka here. I know Sri lanka is poor. But Sri lanka’s wealth more or less distributed proportionaly than in India it seems to me.
If Tamil Nadu is so poor why is it Sri Lanka is negotiating to buy Electricity from Tamil Nadu. β we are baying from India. Majority people of Tamilnadu are indeed poor. That does mean as a Country India is Poor? Is it? Lakshmi Mittal is Richet person in UK.
(Did you know that there are Sinhalese working in Tiripur Textile factories. Or to any shopping area in Chennai at any time you can hear Sinhalese voices. )β They are Sinhala speaking Tamils. I have been there. That is purely commercial. They want to sell as much as items to Sinhala pilgrims. Most of the three wheel drivers in Chennai can speak few words in Sinhala as well.
(They come in large numbers for shopping.) They are not buying coconuts you silly. Clothes and other items (not food) are cheap in India so they buy them. I did buy some nice sarongs, shoes etc. So we do business my friend. Not buying nuts. Sri Lanka immigration do not allow food items to bring in.
(Rikkligasgada I did not see any toilets in the village.I nfact the situation is no more different in Sri Lanka.) β this was factual untruth. They have out side toilets my friend. Do you want a picture.
(You talk of 700 rapes of minority girls a day in India.) β This news I read from an Indian news paper. I have it with me. I discussed it with an Indian Journalist who was there. Police are doing what they can but major changes needed in how men treat poor women. Take it as a news and injustice happening in India. Indians have to do something about it. Not to attack the people who shows it. You are as same as any other Sinhala or Tamil politician aren’t you?
( According to estimate there are over half a million Sinhalese maids working in the Middle East some of who are subject to sexual abuse. It is a well known fact that some work as part time prostitutes catering to other male migrant) β
These are my sisters and brothers. I am proud of them. They were being harassed by Arabic men who you should condemn. Instead you unashamedly take it to denounce me. I support every exploited human being whether they are Tamil or Sinhalese. If you want where to find Tamil Prostitutes I can give you some addresses. It is not because I am visiting them. I know from different sources who try to help disadvantaged women. These SL women are exploited as laborers and as sexually. Denounce the Arabs. Using them to denigrate another in an argument shows you own nakedness.
MR government is now stopping these women going to MidEast. A Solution similar to breaking Loft to make a chair. I would not denounce any raped minority women in India and did not use that to denigrate any Indians here or you. It was to show violations happen in India as much as it would be in Sri Lanka.
23. Argonot | April 4th, 2008 at 3:28 pm
Raj! no body is asking you to read it, This was my own detailed response to serious points raised by contibutor Sinhalese. In any case the moderator has seen fit to publish it and it is none of your business, If you think my comments were sweeping generalisation along ethnic lines I really feel sorry for you!!
24. Argonot | April 5th, 2008 at 3:35 am
Sinhalese# No Tamil from India would even dream of coming to Sri Lanka for Jobs in the current prevailing situation. There are Many Tamils who are trying to re-locate to India and other parts of the world.
I never said Sri lankans went to buy coconut- it was an example to show the current economic situation and cost of living in Sri Lanka.
You keep going on that Tamil Nadu is indeed poor and not India. Tamil Nadu is an intergral part of India and for your information it is the third most Industrialised state after Maharashtra and Gujarath.
The maids are also my brothers and sisters and I care for them as much as anybody else.The question you should ask yourself is why is it inspite of of all known facts they still keep going to middle-east!! It is because of the economic situation in Sri Lanka. If wealth is equally distributed as you claim there would be no need to seek employment overseas. You should question the Sri Lankan governement and their policy. It is really ironical when you claim Tamils from Tamil Nad want to come to Sri Lanka for Jobs.
On the question of rape I was merely trying to point out that there are many circumstances why rape occurs. It is not confined to any relgion,race or country. You were trying to imply it was some how unique to India. We must all condem whether it is the army ,the para-military
or any body else that is responsible in Sri Lanka.
There are prostitutes in every society including the Wetern countries. The point I was trying to make was why the maids are putting up so much misery and no serious effort has been taken by our governement to take action. It is because (a) Need the foreign exchange for war efforts (b) Dare not openly criticise the Arab countries because of Aid and economic dependence.
I can also send you enough pictures of toilets in Tamil Nadu houses. I said it is the civic sense of the people that gives the bad impression and not lack of toilests.
You and your fellow Buddhists are most welcome to bulit as many temples as you wish in Tamil Nadu. Why not use your influence to welcome the Tamils into Buddhist Temples in Sri Lanka and make them feel that Buddhism is a universal philosphy. Read the quotation from Mahathma Gandhi in my previous comment.
Hope you can visit Tamil Nadu again and travel across the state and enjoy its diversity and vibrance. You might possibly discover how many things we have in common.
25. jake milton | April 10th, 2008 at 11:41 pm
There is a very easy & viable solution for all these problems. Sinhalese bikkus & catholic politicians want to put up some viharas in India , Tamils living in Sri Lanka want to worship their cine idols in India..and for many other serious problems likewise…. Let us ask the Government of India to annex Sri Lanka as its 51st state (through peaceful means of course). this solution will help impoverished Sri Lanka in many ways… including stopping their farmers from suicide…
Please … every Sri Lankans think about this seriously and raise your voice in support of this proposal. Isn’t it true that every Sinhalese & Tamil in Sri Lanka compete to show off their cultural proximity to India.So, what stops you becoming a part of a great nation? Once SL became integral part of India, Sinhalese don’t have to bother about wiping out the LTTE terrorism. Punjabi regiment will take care of it & save thousands of Sinhala lives.
26. Lalith | April 11th, 2008 at 12:01 pm
No.8
`The Hindus do not consider buddhism as an alien relgion`
Have you ever been to a Buddhist temple in Sri lanka.Have you seen the Statues of Hindu Gods in each and every temple and worship by every Buddhist devotees . This is not a problem in between Buddhism and Hindunism.
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