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Heat over archaeological site or people’s
View(s):By Sandun Jayawardana and S. Rubatheesan
The committee once appointed will investigate and submit a report on lands claimed for archaeological purposes not just for the Kurundi Temple in the Mullativu District, but also for the Thiriyaya Temple in the Trincomalee District. It comes after the President attracted fierce criticism from sections of the Buddhist clergy and some opposition politicians over remarks he made during a meeting held on June 8. Among those who attended the meeting, held to discuss issues surrounding the Kurundi and Thiriyaya temples, were officials from the Department of Archaeology and the Ministry of Buddhasasana as well as Tamil National Alliance (TNA) MPs.
Ven. Ellawala Medhananda Thera
The disputed area near the Kurundi temple was first gazetted on May 12, 1933 by the then British-run-department through the Ceylon Government Gazette demarcating 78 acres of land as an “archaeological site”.
The region rich with paddy lands, livestock farms and several agrarian tanks made up the formation of Thannimurippu village which consisted of at least 30 families until their displacement in 1983 due to the conflict prevailing in the country at that time.
Following the end of the war, a group of farmers cleared their one-time paddylands filled with overgrown bushes and trees following their resettlement in 2013. They say they were able to cultivate around 15 acres of land for about two years. This land is now being claimed by the Archaeology Department.
The farmers claimed they had to abandon their paddylands due to intimidation by armed forces stationed there and a group of Buddhist monks who claimed that the land belonged to a Buddhist shrine.
On March 13 this year, the then Director General of Archaeology Prof. Anura Manatunga had sent a request for a Survey Order to the Divisional Secretary of Maritimepattu, Mullaitivu seeking assistance to survey a new area of 229 acres of surrounding Kurundi temple in order to declare it as an archaeological reservation since archaeological artefacts had been found in the area, according to the written directive seen by the Sunday Times.
Attempts to survey the land had been blocked by the locals who alleged that their farming and residential lands were included in the proposed acquisition and demanded authorities to allow them immediate access to those lands.
Locals alleged that remains of Sivalingam (depicting Lord Siva) and Iyanar, another Hindu deity that were worshipped by them had earlier been removed, after the Archaeology Department had stepped in for archaeological studies at what it claims is a Buddhist temple complex.
Internal written communiques between the Mullaitivu District Secretariat and Maritimepattu Divisional Secretariat seen by the Sunday Times indicate it was decided to survey five acres of additional land for the use of the Department of Archaeology. The decision, the written directives noted, was based on a decision taken during the District Development Committee meeting held on January 15 which was chaired by President Wickremesinghe.
“What we are demanding is why the Director General who agreed to withdraw the directive seeking to acquire an additional 229 acres in a meeting held at the Ministry never kept his word until the President intervened last week?,” asked Vanni district Parliamentarian Charles Nirmalanathan representing the Tamil National Alliance(TNA).
The TNA MP noted that they never challenged the original gazetting of 78 acres of land as an archaeological reserve but that their issue is over the unreasonable proposed acquisition of 229 acres of surrounding land.
“Despite a court order issued against illegal construction of the new Buddhist vihara on a reserved archaeological site, the work continued even during the pandemic with the support of armed forces and people brought from the south. Why build a Buddhist vihara where no Buddhists live?” asked MP Nirmalanathan.
After locals opposed any surveys being done and protests were held demanding a stop to construction work at the archaeological site, a TNA delegation brought the matter to the attention of President Wickremesinghe and during a meeting held at the Ministry, they claim the former DG reportedly agreed to withdraw the directive.
A religious festival organised in September last year to enshrine the sacred relics inside the newly built stupa was halted after Mullaithivu Magistrate courts intervened following protest by locals. At least three cases are still pending at the Mullaitivu Courts over the contested archaeological site.
The newly-built stupa of the Kurundi Viharaya. Pic by Romesh Madushanka
President Wickremesinghe’s remarks at the meeting on June 8 generated criticism from sections of the Buddhist clergy and opposition over allegations he had instructed officials to release some lands near the Kurundi Viharaya for cultivation purposes to appease TNA MPs. Among those who requested the President not to go through with the alleged decision was Archaeologist Ven. Ellawala Medhananda Thera. He wrote directly to President Wickremesinghe stating that even lands which don’t come directly under the Kurundi Viharaya should not be transferred to the public “in a haphazard manner” given that a vast area surrounding the temple is scattered with ruins of ancient Buddhist monasteries. He claimed that some lands had already been encroached on.
Ven. Medhananda Thera’s letter elicited a response from President’s Secretary Saman Ekanayake, who wrote back stating that no decision has been made to transfer government lands associated with the Kurundi temple to any other party. As a resolution to land-related issues in the North and East regions, the government has suggested that lands categorised as forests and wildlife zones prior to 1985 should continue to be protected, Mr Ekanayake said in his response.
Ven. Medhananda Thera however, told the Sunday Times that he was yet to receive the letter sent by the President’s Secretary as of Friday (16). “I will respond to its contents when I officially receive the letter,” he said. He however, dismissed outright claims that there were paddylands near the Kurundi Viharaya that Tamil farmers had farmed for years before the war. “I have been conducting archaeological research in the area before the war, during the war under military protection and afterwards as well. There are ancient Buddhist ruins all over the area. It would be highly inappropriate to transfer those lands to others,” argued the Thera.
Many of those who are commenting on the matter have not properly read the Antiquities Ordinance, said Buddhasasana Minister Vidura Wickramanayake. “All that we are doing is governed by the Antiquities Ordinance, which has been passed by Parliament. We have to adhere to the law of the country. Everyone must follow that.” 
Meanwhile, four MPs this week handed over a letter to Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena to appoint a Parliamentary Select Committee (PSC) to investigate and report to Parliament on the destruction of archaeological monuments in the North and East. The MPs who requested for a PSC are Udaya Gammanpila, Jayantha Samaraweera, Sarath Weerasekara and Channa Jayasumana.
Large scale destruction of archaeological monuments is already taking place in the North and East, claimed, Mr Samaraweera. He said they were requesting the PSC to investigate the matter and submit a report to Parliament within six months of the Committee’s first meeting. He accused President Wickremesinghe of disregarding gazettes issued by both the Department of Archaeology and the Department of Forest Conservation when he told the meeting on June 8 that the Kurundi Viharaya could not be as large as it was claimed to be. “We have no objection to transferring lands that farmers have been farming for generations. But what is happening here is a systematic attempt to destroy archaeological sites and monuments.”
Mr Samaraweera said he along with Pivithuru Hela Urumaya Leader Udaya Gammanpila and several other MPs representing the Uththara Lanka Sabhagaya alliance plan to visit the Kurundi Viharaya next week.
Meanwhile, releasing a statement on video, Chief Incumbent of the Kurundi Viharaya Ven. Galgamuwe Santhabodhi Thera claimed a large extent of area surrounding the Kurundi Viharaya and which was within the Nagacholai Forest Reserve was illegally cleared during the 2019-2020 period. The cleared area also had ancient ruins and the five acres of paddy lands currently in dispute was cleared during that time, he claimed. “There are no paddylands here that people have been farming for hundreds of years. What they are referring to is part of the forest reserve that was illegally cleared,” he said.
Prof. Manatunga has been serving as Director General of Archaeology since January 1, 2021. The President’s criticism of Prof. Manatunga at the June 8 meeting, and the latter’s resignation from the post almost immediately afterwards, has led some to allege that the DG resigned because his conscience would not allow him to follow the President’s directives. The Department of Archaeology also came under severe criticism by President Wickremesinghe last month (May 11) when Prof Manatunga disclosed at a meeting that his department accepted financial support from third parties and monks to carry out its work in North and Eastern provinces since government funding was inadequate.
Attempts to contact Prof. Manatunga proved futile. However, in his resignation letter addressed to the Secretary of the Buddhasasana Ministry, a copy of which has been seen by the Sunday Times, the former DG has stated that he has come to the realization that he could do far more for the field of archaeology through his academic and research work than by continuing to serve in the position of DG of Archaeology. As such, he has informed that he would be resigning from the post with effect from June 15, 2023 and would report back to his former post as Senior Professor of Archaeology at the University of Kelaniya the following day.
As the controversy continues, arrangements have been made to hold a pinkama at the Girihandu Seya in Thiriyaya on June 28 with the participation of the security forces and the sanction of the Presidential Secretariat. paddyland
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