Mahinda Chinthana - The way forward:

Strengthening religious harmony

by Rev Sarath Hettiarachchi, Co-Chairman, Inter Religious Alliance for National Unity, President’s Co-ordinating Officer (Religious Affairs).

I first met President Mahinda Rajapaksa when he was the Prime Minister. Thereafter we met him as representatives of the Inter Religious Alliance for National Unity to discuss various religious and national issues.

Among these representatives were Ven Kamburugamuwe Vajira Nayake Thera, Ven Watinapaha Somananda Thera, Ven Egoda Uyane Gnanawimala Thera, Ven Galagama Dhammaransi Thera, Ven Matale Amarawansa Thera and Kurukkal Mohan Sharma. Even since I developed a great liking and respect for this fearless and straight forward character called Mahinda Rajapaksa.

On the day the Mahinda Chinthana was launched in 2005 I was fortunate enough to receive a copy of it from the President as a representative of the Christian faith selected by him. Other religious dignitaries including Ven Dr Welamitiyawe Kusaladhamma Nayaka Thera and Kurukkal Mohan Sharma too received copies from the President. I was able to understand the deep vision included in the Mahinda Chinthana booklet after carefully reading it.

“A person should be enriched with devotion and wisdom if man was to be physically and morally uplifted. For this a relationship should be built between parents and children, husbands and wives, teachers and students, employers and employees, said President Mahinda Rajapaksa in Mahinda Chinthana.

It felt that this amply suited all of us living in a country with a multi ethnic, multi religious society with people using various languages and subscribing to various political views. Man should be nurtured economically, mentally and spiritually if there is to be proper development of the individual and society.

Various political conspiracies were launched against his leadership when he was preparing to contest the 2005 Presidential Election.

Some critics alleged that non Buddhists will be ill-treated if he is elected to power. During an interview held at Temple Trees on the day of the Mahinda Chinthana launch, telecast over Rupavahini I requested him to explain his future program of work for the welfare of Christian devotees.

He said: “I am a Buddhist who was nurtured by Daham Pasala education. I have no right to ill treat or harass other religions. As a Buddhist I will respect and honour all other religions.

When he won the 2005 Presidential Election and appointed the Fifth Executive President of this country I had the privileged to personally invoke the blessings of the Christian faith on him.

Although I was suspended from my priesthood on grounds that I indulged in party politics, I was restored in my priesthood subsequently after realising the true facts. If I had done any service towards him I take humble pride over it as he has liberated the country and created lasting peace.

As Mahinda Rajapaksa assumed duties as the Fifth Executive President he created the Religious Affairs and Moral Uplift Ministry bringing Buddhist, Hindu, Islam and Christian Religious Affairs departments which were under different Ministries under a single umbrella.

It was aimed to promote religious and moral values among people to build a disciplined society. He was so keen on this subject that he brought this Ministry under his wing.

The main objectives of this Ministry was to make out equal treatment to all religions, build a society where all ethnic groups could live a secure and dignified life, implement programs to assist under privileged places of worship and conduct research and provide funding to build up religious education.

The Department of Christian Religious Affairs was strengthened to streamline activities of Christian devotees and cater to their welfare by upholding Christian cultural values. It had to surprise policies and programs aimed to promote a disciplined society and promote religious values among the people.

President Mahinda Rajapaksa has rendered an unprecedented and unparalleled service to Christians and people of other religious faiths. He later created a Sacred Areas Development Ministry to develop places of religious worship under this financial contributions were offered to the religious festivals held at popular places of worship under State patronage.

Vast funds were spent to provide infrastructure facilities to pilgrims visiting these places of worship. Among them are the water tower built at Medawachchiya for the benefit of Madhu pilgrims and the rest hall built at the Talawila St Anne’s shrine. Funds were also provided to other places of worship on request too for holding such festivals.

Under Mahinda Chinthana Churches with economic difficulties were offered assistance towards their maintenance. Churches under the purview of the Sri Lanka Christian Council were also beneficiaries under this scheme.

Religious education must be strengthened if the future generation is to be led on the correct path.

The President who realised this took steps to uplift religious schools belonging to all denominations.

He exhorted that teachers providing education at these institutions should also be looked after. The Department for Christian Affairs implemented a series of special programs co-ordinated by the National Centre for Christian Religious Counselling.

A special allowance was given to catechism teachers to purchase religious books. A sum of nearly Rs 14.5 million was spent on this project during the first year itself.

A contribution was made towards the conducting of the Catholicism teachers examination. Initially Rs 244,626 was allocated for this. Library books were donated for religions schools needing assistance for nurturing students with knowledge.

The program started in 62 schools was later extended to cover others as well. Other forms of assistance and inducements were given to teachers serving on a voluntary basis.

These services were extended to cover catechism teachers in Government schools as well. The President’s aim is to strengthen the society and the country by strengthening the family unit. Contributions were given towards conducting Christian family camps.

A host of personality development programs were promoted with financial assistance to uplift youth.

All religions were given an equal status at high State functions. The Department of Christian Affairs is conducting an annual Christmas festival at various venues in the country.

The Government also issues a commemorative stamp to mark Christmas every year in association with the Postal Department.

The design for this stamp is chosen through an all island competition held among Christian Daham Pasalas in the country. The President has organized an annual Christmas festival at Temple Trees to share the joy of Christmas with the Christian community.

A mobile carol service is an important feature of this festival which includes performances by various vocalist groups and the Navy Band.

A book on Christmas co-edited by me and Miss Indika Sanjeevani Fernando is presented to the President every year. The Government also assists Christmas festivals held in other parts of the country.

The Government also assists other Christian festivals such as the Easter festival. Vocalist Ivor Dennis who provided new energy to the art of Christian songs has also been presented with a special award. The Department of Christian Affairs has also conducted an annual Christian Literary Festival.

A financial assistance was granted for the publication of several Christian books including “Jathaka Pothen ha Bibalayen Mathuwana Lama Katha” co-authored by me and Indika Sanjeewani Fernando, ‘Wahakotte Puranaya’ by Vajira Panditharatne and Halawatha Padavi Pannaraya by Rev Fr Ernest Poruthota and the Catholic Media Circle.

The Ministry of Religious Affairs and Moral Uplift and the Department of Christian Affairs made vast contributions towards strengthening the Christian religious sector through the ‘Deyata Kirula’ exhibition.

According to the President there are no majority or minority communities in this country. People in this country should be only categorised as those who love the country and those who do not. Therefore the Christian party should not be described as a minority sectors in this country.

The country’s value system took a severe beating due to three decades of terrorism. Freedom once again dawned in this country due to the President’s farsighted program of works.

What ought to be done now is to strengthen the broken human relationships and rebuild the value system. This should be started from the Temple, Church, Kovil and Mosque. The President who realised this launched a long term program for moral and spiritual development.

Under the ‘Mathata Thitha’ program he obtained the assistance of the Christian Council too to save our youth generation from the narcotics and liquor menace and the smoking habit.

The services rendered by the President towards the Christian clergy and Christian faithful is so enormous that a separate book is needed to describe it in full. As Christians we should be ever grateful to him for his service.

Now we are getting ready to embark on another great forward march. President Mahinda Rajapaksa is now getting ready to swear in for his second term as the Sixth Executive President of this country.

It is a great moment of victory for all Sri Lankans. It is a defeat to imperialist persons conspiring against the country and other enemies of the nation.

The blessings of the entire Christian community is with President Mahinda Rajapaksa as he prepares to take oaths for his second term of office.

May the President and his Government be able to mend broken hearts and minds and transform Sri Lanka into one of the developed countries in the world. This is the sincere and earnest wish of the entire Christian community.