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Lanka to act against anti-Buddhist film From Neville
de Silva in London Since the film
titled "In the name of Buddha" is an undignified assault
on Buddhism and is damaging to Buddhists worldwide, the Sri Lanka
High Commission in London is likely to brief the UK-based diplomatic
missions of other Buddhist countries such as Thailand, Japan and
Myanmar on the nature of this film which falsifies the underlying
causes of the Sri Lankan conflict and portrays it as a war launched
by Buddhism against the Tamils who are adherents of other religions. The High Commission
is also likely to apprise Indian diplomats here about the film which
pointedly accuses and depicts the Sikh soldiers in the Indian Peace
Keeping Force as murderers, rapists and looters. The film also
offends the Jewish survivors of the Nazi concentration camps, comparing
the atrocities they suffered with those of the Tamils who sought
refugee in the West. High Commissioner Faiz Mustapha who returns to London tomorrow has sought meetings with Dr Kim Howell, the minister in charge of tourism, films and broadcasting and K.Gibbias, head of the Department of Culture, Media and Sports. Sri Lankan diplomats here are also due to meet Robin Duval, the director of the British Board of Classification which categorises films before public screening. The written
protests to the British Government and briefings to relevant diplomatic
missions are understood to be broadly structured on the observations
made by this newspaper with regard to the thematic and visual content
of the film. In London the
offending film was shown to a select audience on December 19. It
was a preview for the media and members of BAFTA-the British film
industry. I was the only London-based journalist from Sri Lanka's
mainstream media present at the poorly-attended preview at the Warner
Village cinema at London's West End. Following the
preview, I raised the issue with the High Commission here and asked
what steps it hoped to take to bring to official notice this travesty
of truth which was being touted by the producers' public relations
people as a clarion call for non-violence based on the teachings
of the Buddha and Mahatma Gandhi. Subsequently
High Commissioner Faiz Mustapha who had left for Colombo a day earlier
was briefed from London on the initiative taken by this correspondent
to seek an official government position on what it expected to do. One problem
with regard to films is that there is no relevant body like the
Press Complaints Commission before which the public can seek redress. However, there
is a possibility that Sri Lanka might raise the issue with the Home
Office. Under the British Anti-Terrorist Act 2000, it is an offence
to support, fund, be a member of or even display symbols of a proscribed
organisation. The "freedom fighters" shown in the film
are readily identifiable as the LTTE. At the preview I asked the public relations person present why an image of the Buddha was at the centre of a Tamil cemetery and why the film had the title it did. She claimed
that the Sri Lankan soldiers were Buddhists, implying that they
were engaged in war in the name of Buddhism. I asked her whether if any British soldiers were to go to war against Iraq that would amount to a Christian crusade against Islamic Iraq. Or was it an attack by the British state and the soldiers were fighting in the name of the state? I was met with silence. Ven. Bogoda Seelawimala of the London Buddhist Vihare told The Sunday Times that such attempts to turn the public against Buddhists will not succeed. "When we monks bless people and tie pirith nool, it is to protect them against harm and evil. When we do the same for soldiers it is to protect them from the evil and violence sown by terrorism. That is not to encourage violence which is totally against the Buddha's teachings." Professors' row going to courts By Nalaka
Nonis Prof. Ariyaratne
said he was planning to take legal action against Vice Chancellor
D. S. Epitawatte and the University Council for removing him from
the post without notice. He said Prof. Tissa Kariyawasam had been
appointed to the post after his removal. Explaining
the crisis, Prof. Ariyaratne said he was appointed as the Head of
the Sinhala and Mass Communication on May 12, 2001 during the tenure
of Vice Chancellor Jagath Wickremasinghe and the appointment was
to be reviewed on 12 May 12, 2004. Accusing the
present administration of setting a bad example for the whole university
system, Prof. Ariyaratne questioned the legitimacy of appointing
somebody for a post that was being held by another. The Professor
said he believed the reason behind his removal from the post was
linked to his close relationship with students. He said that
since the present Vice Chancellor took office, he had received five
letters, calling for explanations. The Professor said he had answered
all the letters though it was the first time he had received such
letters in his 30 year academic career. Vice Chancellor
Epitawatta said he was only acting in terms of a court order and
council rules and there was no question of removing someone from
a post he was holding. He said Prof.
Ariyaratne was appointed to the head of the Sinhala and Mass Communication
unit in an acting capacity pending a court order. But Prof. Ariyaratne said he had documentary evidence to show that his appointment was valid till May 2004. Destruction
to Seruwila temple In a letter
to the Paris headquarters of the UNESCO, the SU charged that the
LTTE had used bulldozers to desecrate and demolish the historical
temple and its artefacts and had laid the foundation for a building. The SU appeals to the UNESCO to prevail upon the Government and the LTTE to immediately stop this wanton destruction of places of religious and historical importance and also to take necessary steps to hand back the temple premises to the Buddhist Monks. Ragama hospital assault stirs walk-out The entire staff
at the Ragama Teaching Hospital staged a walk-out yesterday in protest
against the assault on hospital employees by a gang which is allegedly
backed by a provincial councilor. The alleged
assault took place when minor employees held a token strike on Thursday.
An unknown gang stormed into the hospital premises and assaulted
both the picketing and non-picketing employees. One person has been arrested in this connection. Hospital sources said a joint trade union meeting had been called to decide on further action. |
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