He has been quoted as saying that Sri Lanka is a Sinhala Buddhist country and that minority parties should not make unfair requests or demands from the government at a time when its energies are being directed at ridding the country of the terrorist menace.

 Reading more into what MGSF has said or implied, the critics seem to be wanting to embarrass, divert attention of the government or throw a spanner in the works with the aim of weakening its anti- terrorist resolve. The unfairness also lies in the timing of these demands when the efforts of one and all should be directed at eliminating terrorism in the island.

The description of Sri Lanka as a Sinhala Buddhist country seems to upset many people. Nobody faults Malaysia for calling itself a Muslim Bhumiputhra country, Spain, a Spanish Catholic country or Indonesia, an Indonesian Muslim country. I think it is necessary to remind MGSF’s critics that calling the country Sinhala Buddhist is only a statement of fact, the majority being Sinhala and Buddhist. That does not in any way mean that other communities and religions are placed at a ‘lower category ‘ or are being deprived of their rights or privileges. At the most, one may consider the Sinhala Buddhists as being ‘first among equals’ (primus inter pares), but it does not bestow special privileges that cannot be challenged in a court of law. Any perceived inequities or injustices are justiciable in our courts.

Unlike the constitutions of some countries, our constitution does not state that only a member of one community or religion can hold the post of President or PM. Any suitably qualified man or woman would be acceptable to the Sinhala Buddhists, barring political machinations and wheeler dealing!

 All those who object to Sri Lanka being called a Sinhala Buddhist country should be told a simple home truth however unpalatable it may be. That is that Sri Lanka is the only country in the world where Sinhalese are in a majority and where Theravada Buddhism (as we know and understandit) is practised. Almost 100% of Sinhalese living abroad can easily trace their roots to to SL over a generation or two. Members of many other communities in this country can claim kinship to millions living in other countries or states, a luxury that Sinhalese cannot do.

 Hence, it is my fervent appeal to all other communities and faiths to understand the psyche of the Sinhala Buddhists threatened by outside forces, who behave and speak in an unfriendly or threatening manner, because of the simple fact that they have the advantage of numbers living abroad.