Daham Hamuwa to felicitate Ven. Julampitiye Gnanaratana Thera:

Don't fall prey to conspiracies, says President

COLOMBO: Terrorists are today making a desperate bid to create tension in the country by sowing the seeds of religious and communal discord. We should therefore act with foresight and patience at this juncture without falling prey to such conspiracies, President Mahinda Rajapaksa said.

President Rajapaksa said this addressing a daham hamuwa at Temple Trees on Monday afternoon to felicitate Ven. Dr. Julampitiye Gnanaratana, Chief Sanghanayake Thera of Dakshina Lanka on his appointment as Chief Sanghanayake Thera of Bharatha (India) by the Malwatte Chapter of the Siyam Maha Nikaya.

President Rajapaksa said: "We as Buddhists have a duty and responsibility to honour and respect other religions. Under the terms of the Constitution, the Government is also duty bound to assist and honour all religions.

"We are gathered here today to felicitate Ven. Dr. Julampitiye Gnanaratana Sanghanayake Thera on his appointment as Chief Sanghanayake Thera of Bharatha.

"The Ven. Gnanaratana Thera's new appointment is a matter of pride for the personally and I wish to extend good wishes to him on my personal behalf and behalf of the Government and the people."

President Rajapaksa said Sri Lanka and India have close friendship and ties dating back to several centuries.

Buddhism was a great source of solace to people living in a highly competitive world today. Buddhism was the greatest gift Sri Lanka could bestow on the outside world today, he said.

It was India which first gifted Buddhism to Sri Lanka in the past. But today Ven. Dr. Gnanaratana Thera has been able to re-introduce Buddhism to that country and it was a matter of pride for all, he said.

President Rajapaksa said various rumours are spreading fast in the society today. "I heard a rumour about a very unfortunate incident which had occurred this morning too.

A Christian clergyman had been shot-dead by two unidentified gunmen at Ampara and some interested parties had been trying to drag the name of the Maha Sangha for this unfortunate incident with ulterior motives.

Terrorists especially were trying to create communal and religious tension by spreading such rumours. Therefore time had come for people to act with utmost caution and patience to avoid falling into terrorist traps.

As Buddhists we should act with a sense of discipline and respect other religions. The Mahanayake thera of the Asgiriya chapter had set a good example in this regard by gifting some of his temple land for a mosque in Kandy. A Buddhist temple, mosque and a kovil is found in that premises as a symbol of religious amity."

The President also presented a special memento to the Ven. Dr. Julampitiye Gnanaratana Sanghanayake Thera.

The Maha Sangha chanted Seth Pirith and invoked blessings on the President, Government, Security Forces, Police and the people. Ministers Dullas Alahapperuma, Lakshman Yapa Abeywardena and Susil Premjayantha were also present.