May 31, 2013, 8:02 pm

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Reports have come from Batticaloa that there have been protests about a Buddha statue being placed at the gateway to the Batticaloa district. Batticaloa is a district where there are statues and symbols of all the other religions and even of Gandhiji. In this context, it would be appropriate to look at the example of the Head of State, President Rajapakse.

At the gateway to Temple Trees, his official residence, is a very impressive mosque. Cheek by jowl to it is a Hindu Kovil. 200 yards westwards is a Methodist Church. 100 yards eastwards is an Anglican Church. Quarter mile away from it is a Buddhist Temple. Half a mile away from it is a Pentecostal Mission Church. A little further to that is the Jewish Chabad House. One mile away is a Catholic Church.

Celebrating religious festivals

The President of the country breaks fast with the Muslims, at Ramazan. He has a Carol service during Christmas. Hindu festivals are celebrated at Deepvalli apart from the pilgrimages he makes to Hindu places of worship, where he speaks to the Pusharis and Kurukel and Aiyars in fluent Tamil.

The President’s wife is a practicing Catholic.

Naturally, he has a dansela at Vesak and arranges Pirith on Poya days.

When one comes out of the President’s compound one comes to a roundabout with a Statue of Lakshman Kadirgamar.

Around the President’s residence more Muslims and Tamils live than Sinhalese. There are more Muslims, Hindus and Christians than Buddhists. There is in fact even one Sikh and some Israelis.

Beyond ethnicity

Most Sri Lankans have gone well beyond ethnicity and strait jacket religious fanaticism. The more confidence we acquire in ourselves, the less bigoted we become. We become more tolerant and begin to think rationally. We get to focus on our priorities for example, Food, Housing, Livelihoods, Education, Urban and Village Planning, Law and Order, Communication both physical and verbal and Better Standards of Living. We must shed the feeling that we are an inferior nation but equip ourselves to share with others the great human universal experience.

Good behavior and respect for each must be foremost in our minds. That is the best cement to mould a prosperous nation. This we owe to our children.

Vigilance

All this does not mean that we should not be vigilant against miscreants who want to bring disruption. All this does not mean that we do not pay attention to every aspect of good governance and not be sensitive to each other’s feelings and susceptibilities.

There is hardly a difference in the DNAs of the various people living in this country. There is really no question of different races. Yes, we have language differences and difference in religions and therefore cultures but that is not one that cannot be surmounted if we give reason its due place. National unity will transcend all that.

The symbol that the occupant of Temple Trees has set should inspire the whole nation.

Senex

island.lk