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| Thursday, 1 July 2004 |
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| SU faction urges JHU to support Govt by Chamikara Weerasinghe A breakaway faction of the Sihala Urumaya (SU) yesterday banded themselves as a pressure group to urge the Jathika Hela Urumaya (JHU) to join hands with the Government. Former SU organiser for Colombo district, Kithsiri Wickremesinghe yesterday announced the launch of this alternative body to the JHU in Colombo. Giving reasons for their move, Wickremesinghe who is the convenor of the new body, said their decision was taken primarily to urge the Government and the JHU to work together to protect the interests of Buddhists. He said it was apparent that a number of influential groups were misleading the venerable members of the JHU Supreme Sangha Council and that some fundamentalist undercurrents too were at work to sabotage their activities. "We wish to urge the MP monks of the JHU to act independently without succumbing to these influences which appear to have distracted them from their responsibilities to the public." "The JHU promised the public to bring in legislation to prevent Buddhists being converted to other religions. It promised to protect the Motherland against separatism," he said. In this context, the Government appears to have played an important role as it has already pledged to bring necessary legislation in this regard to the Parliament. He said: "The JHU should stand firm on matters of principle, which means it has a better opportunity to achieve its goals by working with the government for the welfare of the public." In turn, the Government too should work closely with the JHU. "We wish to urge UPFA Parliamentarians that if their actions had caused bitterness among JHU MP monks, to tender an apology and bury the hatchet once and for all for the welfare of the people," he said. Wickremesinghe said they did not have any political connection with any party. |
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