Fostering religious harmony

The assurance by President Mahinda Rajapakse that religious freedoms would be protected in Sri Lanka, while respecting and upholding the primacy of Buddhism and its institutions, should go a long way towards enhancing democratic development in this country.

We say this because the quality of a country's democracy is assured primarily in terms of the degree to which it is accommodative of ethnic, cultural and religious diversity. When a State is more majoritarian in nature and not accommodative of its diverse communities, cultures and religions, it is rendered increasing undemocratic.

Accordingly, we warmly welcome the President's sentiments on religious freedoms in Sri Lanka and urge him to evolve a policy framework in relation to the sustenance of our religious diversity. Next, the State would need to ensure the close implementation of this policy framework.

Specific mention has been made by the President about the protection of the places of worship of the religions of this country.

This is a long felt need. The integrity and sanctity of these places of worship should be scrupulously and rigorously upheld by the State if Sri Lanka's democratic ethos is to be sustained. Besides, this measure would be promotive of the spirit of tolerance and understanding which has characterized inter-religious and inter-cultural relations in this country over the centuries. An inability to do this would amount to promoting an undemocratic spirit of religious intolerance. This in turn would give rise to religious friction, repression and conflict.

Fortunately for Sri Lanka, President Rajapakse has taken cognisance of this problem early. What needs to be grasped by the opponents of religious freedom in this country is that although the State is obliged, on the basis of the constitution, to uphold Buddhism's foremost position, other religionists have been provided uncurbed freedom of worship. In other words, religious plurality has won recognition by the State and this in turn gives to our democracy a secular character. This feature of our democracy should be preserved, come what may.

While it should be admitted that although our religious diversity and plurality has been respected and fostered over the years, those violating the sacredness and integrity of some places of worship in the past through the commission of acts of destruction, have to date not been brought to justice. President Rajapakse could underline his laudable commitment to religious pluralism by bringing these offenders to book.

It needs to be borne in mind by those advocating religious intolerance and repression that such practices run contrary to the humanity and understanding preached by the religions of Sri Lanka. A glance at the political scene in South Asia would reveal the grave harm brought about by religious fundamentalism.

Countries where the seeds of religious intolerance were sown are today in a state of constant conflict. In other words, blood is being shed in the name of religion, although religion is inherently sacred.

Countries such as our's cannot fall into the trap laid by religious fundamentalists. Herein lies international pariahood and isolation with national decline following closely. Religious and other forms of repression cannot lead to national liberation.

The failed states of Asia bear witness to this truth. On the other hand, those states which practise tolerance and accommodation are thriving - economically, socially and politically. Sri Lanka too should be among the latter through the practise of tolerance and brotherhood.