JHU monks to play passive role

Chamikara WEERASINGHE

With no more political unrest terrorism banished and nations’ sovereignty restored, the Buddhist clergy of Jathika Hela Urumaya have expressed their intention to gradually take leave from active politics in the party.

Propaganda Secretary of Jathuika Hela Urumaya Nishantha Warnasinghe yesterday said, the Sangha in their party have informed its lay office-bearers of their intention to gradually pull out from politics with the signs of political stability after the Government liberated the country ending decades long LTTE terrorism.

The monks have told JHU lay members that they will restrict themselves to pass on advice to the country’s leaders and to exhort them with artha and dharma as it has been for thousands of years in keeping with the tradition, Warnasingha said.

Explaining the JHU monks’ decision to gradually withdraw from politics, he said the ground is now clear for the countrymen to live as one nation in one country under the able and upright leadership of President Mahinda Rajapaksa. When Venerable Buddhist monks presented themselves at the 2004 General Election it was a different time with so many threats posed against the country’s territorial integrity and peace, he said. “They came to politics compelled by special circumstances at a time political and social unrest prevailed in the country with terror lurking behind innocent civilians, as the LTTE was letting lose bombs,” he explained.

Things have changed since last year with peace being established in the country, he said and added that the JHU Buddhist monks had asked them ( lay membership) to take over politics as they plan to abandon any direct involvements in it. He said, the monks have asked the lay party members to get involved in politics as responsible citizens to fulfill the task of developing the country.

In 2004 there were Buddhist monks contesting from every district from the JHU. Today it has been reduced to one, he said, “We have only Ven. Athuraliye Rathana Thera contesting from Gampaha in the 2010 General Election, explained Warnasinghe.