Dambulla controversy Written by The Nation

 

The protest by the laymen and Budhhist monks in Dambulla over an alleged illegal erection of a mosque in Buddhist Sacred Area became the talk of the town previous weeks. While, the Ven. Inamaluwe Sumangala Thera says the lands were belong to the temple, the authorities from the mosque claim they also have the ownership for the land.  However, the issue is not yet sorted out. The government has taken measures to stop the construction work within the sacred area of Rangiri Dambulu Viharaya while measures will be taken in the near future to commence construction of a mosque at another location in Dambulla, Prime Minister D M Jayaratne, who is also the Buddhasasana and Religious Affairs Minister, had given an assurance.                                                                                                     

On Friday, April 27, hundreds of Muslims gathered in front of the Davatagaha mosque in the Colombo staging a protest demanded that authorities arrest those who attacked the Dambulla mosque last week. They also said they were not happy with the Government’s decision of demolishing of the mosque and setting up in another place. Here, The Nation spoke to several people to get their comments over the issue.

Dambulla incident not a sign of religious intolerance –  Ven. Omalpe Sobitha thera

Leader of the Jathika Hela Urumaya (JHU), Ven. Dr. Omalpe Sobitha thera said the Dambulla incident was simply a dispute which arose over the construction of an ‘illegal structure’ on a Buddhist Pooja Bhoomi (Sacred Land). He dismissed opinions that the incident was a sign of religious intolerance among the island’s Buddhist community. 
“Simply put, this entire situation arose due to a shocking dereliction of duty on the part of government officials, who continued to turn a blind eye to the construction of non-Buddhist places of worship on land belonging to the Rangiri Dambulla Raja Maha Viharaya,” he asserted.

The JHU leader added that neither he nor the JHU condoned any actions allegedly taken by Buddhist monks and lay persons during the protest, which some accuse had disgraced Buddhism.  
“However, we have to note that people tend to take the law into their hands when the authorities fail to heed their pleas, and I believe this was what happened in this case as well,” he opined.
Speaking further, Sobitha thera said if the island’s Muslim community truly believed in religious coexistence, it needed to understand the reality of the situation.

“How would they feel if we built a Buddhist temple illegally on land belonging to one of their Mosques? Muslims need to see the situation in that light,” he stated.

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Muslims have every right to worship there – Hassen Ali

Secretary of the Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC), Hassen Ali said the Muslims in Dambulla had every right, legally and constitutionally, to fight against the relocation of the Mosque.
“It is not an illegal construction if it has been there for over 60 years. The Mosque is a very holy place and we cannot accept the relocation,” he said. He added the Mosque was registered with the Wakfs Act. “Therefore, we have all the right to struggle against the relocation,” he said.

The SLMC would meet President Mahinda Rajakapaksa to discuss the matter with him. “We firmly oppose this move by the government and we would take this matter with the President himself once he returns to the country,” he said.

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Issues should be solved through talks – Brahmashri Babbusharma Kurukkal

Secretary to the International Hindu Religious Federation, Brahmashri Babbusharma Kurukkal said issues pertaining to religious matters should be solved through negotiations.

“Negotiations are the method through which solutions could be found. The situation that has arisen due to the recent developments in Dambulla should be solved. The relevant parties should sit together and solve the issue amicably,” he said.

In addition, Babusharma kurukkal also said the government respected all religions alike and expressed confidence that it would address the issue appropriately. “The government is accommodative of all religious views and is supportive. Therefore, I believe that it would take up this matter in an appropriate manner,” he said.

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Resolve differences through discussions – Fr. Benedict Joseph

National Director for Catholic Social Communication, Fr. Benedict Joseph said it was vital that all parties try to resolve their differences through discussions, rather than letting their emotions get the better of them. “We cannot forget that Sri Lanka is a multi religious, multicultural, and multilingual nation, where different communities live together. We have unity in diversity, and that is a very healthy phenomenon,” he pointed out.

However, he added that sometimes, issues such as the one in Dambulla would come up, and it was important on those occasions to resolve whatever problem by engaging in discussions, and if all else fails, then they can go before courts to resolve the matter. “Regarding the Dambulla issue, what we have seen is not very encouraging. Both sides are vehement in their stance. Of course, when it comes to religious sentiments, people can demand things very strongly, and they can be vociferous and over-reactive,” he added.

Speaking further, Fr. Joseph warned that threats and confrontation had the potential to explode into violence, and said he hoped that everyone would work together to resolve the issue to the satisfaction of all parties. “There is so much turbulence in the country today. People take to the roads to protest under the slightest provocation. As such, we all need to work together with an open mind, in order to build consciousness,” he stressed.

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Monks are also human – Inamaluwe Sri Sumangala Thera

Chief Incumbent of the Rangiri Dambulla Raja Maha Vihara, Ven. Inamaluwe Sri Sumangala thera said he was confident the government would follow through with the promise made by Prime Minister D.M. Jayaratne and remove the mosque from its location.

“The authorities have assured us that they would remove all unauthorized structures from the Dambulla ‘Pooja Bhoomi’. I have also been assured that the mosque at the centre of the dispute would also be removed and reestablished elsewhere within a month. They have appealed to us not to disturb the prayers conducted there during that time, and we have also promised not to take any further action unless the promise to remove the mosque is broken,” he explained. 
Regarding criticism on the alleged offensive behaviour of some monks at the protest, Sumangala thera said people needed to understand that monks were also human.

“When their religion is under threat, it is only natural that monks may act in ways that one might normally not associate with Buddhist clergy. This needs to be understood in that context,” he claimed. The thera also claimed that the Buddhist community in Dambulla decided to carry out their protest as the situation in the country has deteriorated to such a level that the only way to win ones demands is to launch a protest campaign.  

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Our monks may have overreacted – Deputy Incumbent, Asgiri Maha Nikaya

Deputy Incumbent of the Asgiri Maha Nikaya, Most Ven. Galagama Dhammasiddhi Dhammananda Atthadassi Anunayaka Thera said while he was happy that the Buddhist clergy rallied to get the offending structure removed from temple land, he was disturbed by stories of offensive behavior on the part of some monks involved in the protest.
“As I was not present at the protest, I cannot exactly say what took place or whether our monks were provoked, but from what I’ve heard and read in the newspapers, it seems to me that some of our monks may have overreacted,” he noted. However, Atthadassi thero said this was not something new and that the trend was disturbing.

“I see how our student monks behave during protests at universities and it makes me sad that discipline among the Sangha has fallen to such depths. We must always be mindful of who we are. Otherwise, it will be very difficult for the Sangha to maintain the people’s respect,” he added.

The Anu Nayakaya thera also welcomed the statements made by Muslim religious leaders and organisations calling on Muslims to remain calm. “This is a lesson to all. They must be commended for those statements,” he added. He said he hoped the mosque would be reestablished elsewhere, and the Muslim community allowed to practice their religion in peace.

“We are a tolerant nation. All communities must be allowed to practice their religion without interference. I am confident the incident in Dambulla would not create any long term friction between our communities,” he opined.