May 13, 2013, 8:12 pm


A write up on Dalai Lama (DL) under the heading "Memorable quotes from the Dalai Lama" appearing in The Island of 11.05.13 refers to his speech made at Capitol Hill in Washington when he received a gold medal from the US Congress. The write up ends with a quote of DL - "Love and compassion are necessities, not luxuries. Without them humanity cannot survive". It is therefore surprising that DL had made a statement which is tantamount to incriminating Buddhists in Sri Lanka, as reported in the Island of 09.05.13 under the caption "Dalai Lama condemns Buddhist attacks on Muslims in Myanmar, Sri Lanka".

According to this report, in a speech delivered to some 15,000 people at the University of Maryland, "Dalai Lama has implored Buddhist monks in Myanmar and Sri Lanka to put an end to a series of recent attacks on Muslims in their countries, alleging that Buddhists, including monks, were responsible for recent violence against Muslims in Myanmar and Sri Lanka", drawing a parallel between a few sporadic incidents taken place recently in Sri Lanka with what is happening in Myanmar. Making such a wildcat allegation is certainly not showing compassion. This is a serious indictment against all Buddhist priests in Sri Lanka and an effort needs to be made to dispel this impression forthwith.

There had been recurrent clashes in Myanmar between Buddhists and a group of Muslim people known as Rohingyas living in the northern Rakhine State bordering Bangladesh. Wikipedia has described these people numbering close to a million as the most persecuted minority on earth. The successive governments have denied them citizenship, education for children, employment for adults, land ownership, free movement within the country and even getting their marriages and births registered without hassle. The Myanmar governments have been refusing to grant these people their basic human rights claiming they are illegal immigrants from Bangladesh, though their migration had taken place during British occupation when there was free movement of people from one country to another. Likewise, there are Buddhists of Rakhine descent living in the southern Bangladesh bordering Myanmar subject to harassment from the majority Muslims. The civil society in Myanmar comprising mostly Buddhists too does not appear to have shown sympathy towards Rohingyas; hence the eruption of violence from time to time.

A Special Rapporteur (SR) from UN who visited Myanmar last year to assess the situation of human rights in Myanmar, in his report released in September 2012, has said that he continued to receive allegations of serious human rights violations committed in relation to the conflict, including attacks against civilian populations, extrajudicial killings, sexual violence, internal displacement and torture. The clashes between the Rhongya people and the majority Buddhists had resulted in displacing tens of thousands of people after their houses were burnt down. The SR says that he saw entire villages had been razed and met people who had lost their homes and livelihoods and were living in temporary shelters in some 60 camps. His report also says that there are some 426,000 refugees and asylum seekers in neighbouring countries. Certainly, it is wrong to draw a parallel between such a situation in Myanmar and what has taken place in Sri Lanka in recent times.

Incidentally, it was reported in both electronic and print media that a boat load of refugees from Myanmar got stranded in Sri Lankan waters last February and was rescued by Sri Lankan Navy and the people handed over to Immigration Officials. During interrogation it was revealed that over 100 people had started off heading towards Australia after their attempts to enter Malaysia failed. It was also revealed that due to engine failure they got stranded in mid-sea for nearly two months and that many had died due to starvation leaving only 32 survivors. According to the website http://au.news.yahoo.com, early in February, the navy has rescued another boat load comprising 138 people. I wonder whether these people were deported by now or are still in the country. It was reported in the media that they had pleaded that they be allowed to remain Sri Lanka which is of course not a very wise move. If that is allowed, Sri Lanka can expect more and more refugees from Myanmar landing here in the future.

DL is a Buddhist leader known and recognized in the western world and a Peace Nobel Laureate. Hence his statement will be taken seriously by governments as well as by all-peace loving people in the world. DL making such a statement only shows the manner in which misinformation about Sri Lanka travels around the globe. The Government of Sri Lanka as well as responsible Buddhist Leaders and Organizations should make a statement denying DL’s adverse comments about Sri Lankan Buddhists to put the record straight. It has already damaged the image of Sri Lanka and urgent measures are necessary to restore it.

Dr Janaka Ratnasiri

Nawala

island.lk