Letters to the Editor
View(s):The plight of Rohingya refugees here, a case of turning a blind eye
Thanks are due to the Sunday Times (June 23) for featuring the helpless condition of a relatively few Rohingya refugees, who have landed in Sri Lanka. The Rohingyas are Muslims who are being murdered and persecuted in Myanmar for no other reason than their religious faith. These recent refugees were found floating precariously at sea in a damaged boat, and were saved from death by the Sri Lanka Navy.
The United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) is due to close operations in Sri Lanka and the refugees are being abandoned. The Sunday Times’ report says that some of them survive on one meal a day and the few who are allowed to work are cruelly exploited and cheated.
Making contact with these helpless people is extremely difficult for reasons known only to the UNHCR, and even delivering foodstuffs to them is far from easy! Why?
Spare a thought for them. They are stuck in a strange land, can communicate very little because they can’t speak English, they are deprived of education (70 are not attending school), they lack safety and food (some have endured malnutrition) and many are very young children or girls, with no clear idea of their future or personal safety.
The Government should at the very least, give them a firm undertaking that they will not be deported until they can be resettled in a third country.
The Rohingyas are in serious danger of being “ at risk of irreparable harm if returned”. We cannot simply abandon them as an easy way out.
This is an opportunity for the Muslim community in particular the powerful private sector companies, to come forward with financial support, at least to provide minimum food, clothing, and shelter and lobby the Government to work for a fair resolution of their desperate situation.
So far they have turned a blind eye towards the Rohingya.
The Catholic Church also has a role to play – Pope Francis has described the Rohingya as “the most persecuted people on Earth!”
Jayanta Kurukulasuriya Via email
Bhikkhunis deserve to be given due recognition in society
The majority of late night TV programmes presently concentrate on the much debated current topics of political instability, forthcoming elections and economic crisis. Therefore it was a great surprise to see five erudite bhikkhus adorning the Aluth Parlimentuwa programme conducted by the veteran journalist Sanka Amarjith.
Our doubts were cleared as we realized the topic was entirely different: “Nuthana adharmavada samaye Theravada budhu samaye anagathaya (the future of Theravada Buddhism in the present day).
It was a welcome change because this important issue was neglected due to the many difficulties faced by the people today. Different opinions about Buddhism were also prevalent during the Buddha’s lifetime. However the three Sangayanas held after Buddha’s demise were able to bring stability to the principles of Buddhism as preached by the Buddha himself and most rebels were compelled to leave the order. Similarly we have to be grateful to the bhikkhus who participated in this programme last Wednesday and aired their independent views. It made us realize the current threats to Buddhism. We are also thankful to the leadership given by the coordinator of this programme.
Similarly bhikkhus should take a unanimous stand and give due recognition to the bhikkhunis who have also been a part of the Buddha Sasana from its inception. It is most disappointing and disheartening that some bhikkhus fail to recognize the bhikkunis saying there have been no Theravada bhikkhunis since the Anuradhapura period. In our opinion, this is a very lame excuse as every problem has a solution. It is well known that all bhikkhunis though not officially recognized by the bhikkhus follow the principles of the Theravada Buddhism.
In spite of the step-motherly treatment given by most bhikkhus, the bhikkhunis still continue to respect and practise the extra 100 Vinaya rules which they have to adhere as bhikkhunis, under the supervision of the bhikkhus. Therefore, it is of great significance that the bhikkhus recognize the bhikkhunis and restore their due status in society as they form a vital part and give stability to the Buddhist Order.
If bhikkhus take a very practical view of the present situation it can be easily solved. When the Bhikkhuni Order was established during the Buddha’s time, ordination was initially performed by the Buddha himself or by Bhikkhu Ananda. In their absence, we presently accept the Chief Sanganayakes of the Siam, Amarapura and Ramanya Nikaya as custodians of Theravada Buddhism. Therefore they should formulate a policy and ordain the present day bhikkhunis and thereafter the latter could continue to practise the rituals of higher ordination.
Unless timely steps are taken we will have an added burden of having to prevent women ordained under the Vibajjawada further weakening our Buddha Sasana.
Indra and Ruvini Wijayatilake Via email
Questions posed to Mr. Netanyahu!
Recent news reports said Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was vexed to see that the US was withholding weapons to Israel while it was coming under attack from Hezbollah in Lebanon.
The whole world is vexed by Mr. Netanyahu’s pounding of a now non-existent land—Gaza. Does he feel duty bound to drop every consignment of bombs delivered by his patron the US on this hapless people?
Is it a peculiar form of masochism that wrings out every drop of pain and suffering from a race whom he obviously considers to be sub human?
Is he really stupid enough to think that he can achieve his avowed goal of eradicating Hamas?
Oppression and suffering will only result in the fire of resistance intensifying in the heart of every Palestinian.
Premini Amerasinghe Via email
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