Ever since the UNF came into power there has been a loud cry from several places advising the PA to corporate with the government to evolve a solution to the protracted war. Bishops and Mahanayakes have joined others to achieve this objective. This augurs well for peace if the cry is made in good faith devoid of any narrow political considerations. What baffles me is why the same appeal was not made when the President had extensive discussions with Mr. Ranil Wickremesinghe for a coalition government with the two main parties offering him the Premiership and several Cabinet posts for the others with him. I wonder whether the Bishops were in a state of hibernation and the Mahanayakes were either on a state of Samadhi or in a Dyana stage, so that they were completely oblivious to what was happening outside their domains at that time. Had they made this same fervent appeal, probably a coalition government would have been a possibility. But they maintained a strange stoic silence for reasons best known to them.

The UNF call for a Government of National Reconciliation is commendable. But on what basis? You cannot expect the PA to do the UNF’s bidding blindly in the absence of an agreed programme of work. Without such a programme, the UNF’s call sounds hollow. All these days we have had Jothishya (Astrology) Hamuduruvos, Veda Hamuduruvos, Manthracharya (Witchcraft) Hamuduruvos, Business Hamuduruvos getting large sums of money from Social Service Organisations overseas and now we have Manthree Hamuduruvos. One cannot understand the strange silence of the leading Mahanayakes of Kandy about a Bhikkhu becoming a Member of Parliament.

In fact, some Mahanayakes have blessed this MP monk. Don’t the leading Mahanayakes see this as a real threat to Buddhism? Before long Buddhist priests will form a political party and contest future elections if no remedial measures are taken to stop this. It seems strange to me that most of the clergy including, these Mahanayakes do not seem to know what the "WRUTHA" of a Bhikkhu is, it is nothing but Meditation and Meditation alone and nothing else. The Buddha’s last words were "Appamado Amatha Padang" i.e. meditate to attain Nirvana without delay. The bhikkhus in the meditation centres and in the forest hermitages meditate and certainly lead a real bhikkhu’s life with only the Atapirikara as their only belongings. But others have increased the Atapirikara to Dahaatapirikara to include Benz cars, luxury beds, radios, television sets etc. so that they too could enjoy the worldly pleasures which the Buddha abandoned and advised the Maha Sangha to follow suit. I therefore call upon the Government to discuss this matter with the PA and bring in legislation to prevent Bhikkhus contesting any election. In conclusion I hope and I pray that before long peace will once again reign supreme in this thrice blessed land.

George Tillekeratne
Etul Kotte