Save Hindu Temples in Srilanka
The unfolding of events, subsequent to the 19th May 2009 success of your
armed forces in crushing and defeating the legitimate uprising of the
Hindu population in Sri Lanka against a terrorizing state, is causing
pain and sorrow to all of us in India.
We, Hindus in India are concerned about the safety and security of our Hindu brothers and sisters in Sri Lanka. We firmly believe that the Hindus in Sri Lanka should be able to continue to practice their acknowledged faith without any hindrance.
Unfortunately, your government is pursuing a policy of aggressive expansionism of Sinhala Buddhist nationalism at the expense of our Hindu brothers and sisters in Sri Lanka.
Victory gives a sense of generosity. You could have been generous. On the contrary, you have been very hard on those Hindus who survived your merciless multi- pronged attacks. The surviving Hindu population is in shambles emotionally and physically due to your unfettered onslaughts.
It has been brought to our notice that the Sri Lankan armed forces have recently forcibly taken over private lands adjoining the sacred Thiruketheswaram temple (in the District of Mannar) near Adampan junction to build a Buddhist temple.
Thiruketheswaram has been in existence as a place of Saiva Tamil worship for over 5,000 years. Sanctity of this historical Saiva Tamil temple is being progressively inundated by Buddhist for the past few years. Initially the armed forces supported the building a small place of worship of Buddha at the Adampan junction, north of the Christian grotto. Now your armed forces have taken over the adjoining private property to construct a larger Buddhist temple
The landscape of Vanni, (Northern Province) wherein you claimed victory on 19th May 2009 is slowly changing with every army camp or cantonment exercising is ruthless power to encroach into adjoining lands to construct Buddhist temples. The entire Northern Province had only 3 or 4 Buddhist temples for the past many decades, because 90% of the population there were Saiva Hindu. Now, similar to the effort at Thiruketheswaram, your armed forces are erecting Buddhist temples all over the Northern Province.
A hospital in Trincomalee, capital of the Eastern province had a temple for Pilliyar inside its premises, which was built a century ago. Few weeks ago, your armed forces bulldozed into the hospital. They destroyed the temple. While removing the rubbles they also removed the deity of the sanctum sanctorum.
It was the holy place for the worship of the patients, well-wishers and the public-at-large for a century, now is barren after your brutal intervention depriving the worshipers of their holy structure.
Another example is your effort to destroy the Hindu temple in the town of Dambulla. Your Prime Minister claims that these destructions are necessary to maintain the sacredness of Dambulla as a center of Buddhist worship.
All Ceylon Hindu Congress is the apex body for the Hindus and Sri Lanka has severely criticized the government and its armed forces for their discriminating policy. We stand behind the All Ceylon Hindu Congress in their effort to promote peace, harmony brotherhood and inter-religious amity in Sri Lanka.
We appeal to you, Mr. High Commissioner, to represent our anxiety to your government. The age-old tradition of peaceful coexistence between the Buddhist and the Hindus in South Asian the subcontinent requires strengthening in Sri Lanka. Your government, we are sorry to say is disturbing this atmosphere. Your government is promoting disharmony and furthering conflict, which are against the basic tenets preached by Lord Buddha.
Arjun SamPath
We, Hindus in India are concerned about the safety and security of our Hindu brothers and sisters in Sri Lanka. We firmly believe that the Hindus in Sri Lanka should be able to continue to practice their acknowledged faith without any hindrance.
Unfortunately, your government is pursuing a policy of aggressive expansionism of Sinhala Buddhist nationalism at the expense of our Hindu brothers and sisters in Sri Lanka.
Victory gives a sense of generosity. You could have been generous. On the contrary, you have been very hard on those Hindus who survived your merciless multi- pronged attacks. The surviving Hindu population is in shambles emotionally and physically due to your unfettered onslaughts.
It has been brought to our notice that the Sri Lankan armed forces have recently forcibly taken over private lands adjoining the sacred Thiruketheswaram temple (in the District of Mannar) near Adampan junction to build a Buddhist temple.
Thiruketheswaram has been in existence as a place of Saiva Tamil worship for over 5,000 years. Sanctity of this historical Saiva Tamil temple is being progressively inundated by Buddhist for the past few years. Initially the armed forces supported the building a small place of worship of Buddha at the Adampan junction, north of the Christian grotto. Now your armed forces have taken over the adjoining private property to construct a larger Buddhist temple
The landscape of Vanni, (Northern Province) wherein you claimed victory on 19th May 2009 is slowly changing with every army camp or cantonment exercising is ruthless power to encroach into adjoining lands to construct Buddhist temples. The entire Northern Province had only 3 or 4 Buddhist temples for the past many decades, because 90% of the population there were Saiva Hindu. Now, similar to the effort at Thiruketheswaram, your armed forces are erecting Buddhist temples all over the Northern Province.
A hospital in Trincomalee, capital of the Eastern province had a temple for Pilliyar inside its premises, which was built a century ago. Few weeks ago, your armed forces bulldozed into the hospital. They destroyed the temple. While removing the rubbles they also removed the deity of the sanctum sanctorum.
It was the holy place for the worship of the patients, well-wishers and the public-at-large for a century, now is barren after your brutal intervention depriving the worshipers of their holy structure.
Another example is your effort to destroy the Hindu temple in the town of Dambulla. Your Prime Minister claims that these destructions are necessary to maintain the sacredness of Dambulla as a center of Buddhist worship.
All Ceylon Hindu Congress is the apex body for the Hindus and Sri Lanka has severely criticized the government and its armed forces for their discriminating policy. We stand behind the All Ceylon Hindu Congress in their effort to promote peace, harmony brotherhood and inter-religious amity in Sri Lanka.
We appeal to you, Mr. High Commissioner, to represent our anxiety to your government. The age-old tradition of peaceful coexistence between the Buddhist and the Hindus in South Asian the subcontinent requires strengthening in Sri Lanka. Your government, we are sorry to say is disturbing this atmosphere. Your government is promoting disharmony and furthering conflict, which are against the basic tenets preached by Lord Buddha.
Arjun SamPath
