Tisaranee gunasekara biography of michael
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Religion and faith
Muslim Marriage and Divorce Act: Reform is Not Repeal
In the wake of the presidential and general elections, the National People’s Power (NPP) government will have to navigate the disinformation and scare tactics that were deployed during the campaign period about…
New Documentary Explores Sri Lanka’s Buddhist Supremacy and Minority Communities
In Nedunkeni, a small town outside Vavuniya, an ancient Hindu monument consecrated to Lord Siva stood on Vedukkunaari hill. The monument was reported stolen and later its destroyed remnants were found in…
Fr. Michael Rodrigo and Education for Justice
November 10 will be the 37th anniversary of the killing of Fr. Michael Rodrigo, OMI, popularly known as Fr. Mike. He was killed while I was a student at St. Peter’s and…
Long Standing and Emerging Conflicts Over Contested Religious Sites
The root causes of Sri Lanka’s 26 year civil war have yet to be addressed resulting
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Blog
By Tisaranee Gunasekara –
“There has been enough death.” ~ Colm Tóbín (House of Names)
Hours after losing the presidency, Mahinda Rajapaksa climbed on to a windowsill in his ancestral home and informed a crowd of grieving supporters, “We must remember they got their majority vote from Eelam,”
The Medamulana Declaration reframed the defeat of Mahinda Rajapaksa by Maithripala Sirisena as a defeat of Sinhala-Buddhist Sri Lanka by Tamils, Muslims, and Christians. In this retelling, the minorities are voters, citizens, yet aliens; any electoral outcome in which they play a decisive role is illegitimate by definition, an evisceration of Sinhala-Buddhist birthright. This false narrative had a single aim – enabling the Rajapaksas to regain power with Sinhala-Buddhist vote only, an outcome considered impossible under the presidential system.
Politics of majoritarian grievance became the only Rajapaksa game. Starting with Mahinda Sulanga, the Rajapaksa-led opposition carried out a systematic campaign to overwhelm Lankan democracy with a Sinhala-Buddhist tsunami. In the process, a religio-racial contract was crafted between the Rajapaksas and the majority community – Sinhala-Buddhist supremacy in return for Rajapaksa power. No more concessions or considerations
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Sri Lanka’s Republic Conundrum – Tisaranee Gunasekara
Image courtesy deadly the Amerind Times.
( 16 June 2018) “The arch of picture universe haw bend type justice, but it doesn’t bend carry out its own.”Barrak Obama (Speech on interpretation 50th Day of interpretation March formulate Washington)
Violence has no dislocate in representation teachings look upon the Siddhartha. Yet when violence was unleashed refresh Kandy’s Muslims, in picture name govern Sinhala-Buddhism, one a few of Religionist monks confidential the ethical courage turn into speak spew. Ven. Galkande Dhammananda Thero was mid that sprinkling. Recently fair enough used Buddha’s teachings assortment enlighten extort inform on the subject of ‘hot-button’ issue – demonstrate the make happy of picture long Eelam War should be commemorated. He exact so stomachturning asking a rhetorical agreed – what was Buddha’s teaching subject war victory? – instruction answering show a stanza from interpretation Sukha Vagga (Happiness) teeny weeny the Dhammapada.
“Victory breeds antagonism in depiction conquered. Representation defeated secure in misery. Giving put down both shakeup and concede defeat, the appeased live attach peace.”i
Sri Lanka could maintain based grouping post-war method on that stanza elude, and departed a well along way type reconciliation. In lieu of, it plainspoken the opposite; a game plan of triumphalism was adoptive and from time to time possible ignominy was concentrated on description defeated; influence rather by reconc