Inter-religious harmony protects peace - Prime Minister

Inter-religious harmony in Sri Lanka is the most important thing when it comes to peace. Since ancient times, all religions in Sri Lanka existed in harmony. Today the main challenge faced by all religions in Sri Lanka is cults, sects and fundamentalist splinter groups mushrooming in each and every religion, said Prime Minister D. M. Jayaratne during an interview with the Daily News.

Following are excerpts:

Q: What do you think of the past two years of UPFA governance?

A: During the past two years of the second term of the UPFA government, Sri Lanka achieved significant economic development, especially with infrastructure facilities. A large number of roads have been carpeted which will make it easier for villagers to transport their products quickly to local markets. They have been given lorries and vans to transport their produce and for agricultural activities. Earlier, villagers were compelled to transport their produce by putting it inside a basket and carrying it on their heads. Production in the country has gone up and villagers are getting high prices for their produce. The prices of commodities have gone down. We now produce most of our requirements within our country. Sri Lanka will soon be able to limit imports.

The Colombo city and Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte are now clean and free of floods. It is now in the calibre of any clean and developed city in the world. People live healthily and tourists are happy to visit Colombo. Under the Divi Neguma programme, 1.5 million families are involved in agricultural activities.

Another one million families have been introduced to this programme recently. People save money they spent on food by cultivating their own home gardens. The money they save can be used for other purposes. They bring their additional agricultural products to towns and sell them. Then other people receive clean food free of poisonous chemicals at a low price. This improves public health.

The government has developed the hospital network. New hospitals have been built while the private sector has been allowed to open new private hospitals. Patients who have money can now obtain the service of private hospitals.

The education sector had been developed by opening new schools and providing buildings and other facilities for existing schools. The skills of youths have been developed providing them job opportunities upon finishing school education.

The UPFA government ended the war which lasted for over 30 years. Over 300,000 people became IDPs of which 255,000 were resettled in their original homes within a very short time. Landmines were removed from eight districts and the government resettled people in their original homes. Agriculture in the Jaffna district has received a tremendous boost. Agricultural products from Jaffna arrive at Dambulla etc.

We financially assist 1,400 kovils in the North. We have also assisted kovils, churches, mosques and temples located all over the country. Steps were taken to rehabilitate and assist all religious institutions belonging to other religions located in the North and East. Over 5.5 million observed 'ata sil’ to mark the 2600th Sri Sambuddhatva Jayanthi.

Q: Comment on third party involvement in the country’s internal affairs.

A: The entire world is developed today. Sri Lanka has a history of over 2,555 years. Sri Lanka has Buddhism which respects, teaches and protects human rights. The US has a history of only 400 years. The elements which pushed the Geneva resolution against Sri Lanka are interested in our country because of their long term plan of dividing India in a similar manner to the former Union of Soviet Socialist Republic (USSR). Sri Lanka is the launching point of their agenda.

Sri Lanka is a culturally and religiously rich country which has a history of over 2,555 years. Therefore, nobody needs to assist or guide Sri Lanka on humanitarian issues and related matters. Ancient Sri Lankan kings treated all religions and ethnicities equally. They distributed lands among all four religions. Sri Lanka had Buddhist rulers who assisted other religions.

Today our system has achieved more progress. President Mahinda Rajapaksa treats all religions and ethnicities equally in keeping with Buddhist teachings.

China and India are today economically powerful and in a strong position in Asia. Foreign elements are trying to set up a separate state in the North to create a separate state in Tamil Nadu which will eventually lead to the creation of separate independent states in India just as it happened in the former USSR. It will definitely destroy the economic power of India. Separatist groups have already raised their heads in certain Indian states. There are 36 ethnicities in India.

It is time to stress the importance of the famous statement made in 1959 by prominent Indian nationalist, diplomat and statesman V. K. Krishna Menon. He said India's safety lies with the Trincomalee harbour in Sri Lanka. It is a truth that will never change.

Therefore, it is important for India to ensure the safety of Sri Lanka. There is a hidden agenda inside the love, care and friendship shown towards Sri Lanka and India by those foreign elements. In the past, the intervention of late Indian Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi in Sri Lanka's ethnic issue and the 13th amendment prevented the US from getting a foothold in Trincomalee and permanently establishing themselves there.

Q: What is the responsibility of the people and media towards accelerating reconciliation and preventing war in the future?

A: It is the media which makes or breaks a society in the world today. Therefore, the media should act responsibly. There are five ethnicities living in peace and harmony in Sri Lanka.

The local media should guide these five communities in a direction that all of them think equally as one nation, Sri Lankans, and not as Sinhalese, Tamils, Muslims etc. Only then will we be able to build a more prosperous Sri Lanka. If we are divided into sections, we will be destroyed. We have to be united and be strong. The media should launch a programme to unite people under one flag.

Q: What happened to the Act which was proposed to stop the forceful conversion of people from one religion to another?

A: There are four main religions in Sri Lanka. That is according to the main and basic philosophies in the world. But today these religions are divided into small groups. They are divided into cults, sects, splinter groups consisting of fundamentalists. This is a very destructive trend. They are destroying people to make money. Funds flow into these organizations from local and foreign sources.

Arrangements have already been made to prevent this trend. A special inter-religious programme commenced last week with the support and participation of all religious leaders to stop this destructive process.

Leaders from all religions have already extended their fullest support towards this process. All religious have understood this threat now. The groups spread lies in society pushing people to think that monks, priests etc from the main religions are very low level persons that commit bad things and have no religious knowledge at all.

Q: Comment on crimes such as rape and the need to protect our children.

A: We have to protect our children. We cannot let our future generation be destroyed. Rape incidents have also gone up with the increase in population. In the past, children in the Sri Lankan society were safe. They did not run the risk of being raped by their family members or outsiders. But, the situation has changed at present. We need to protect our children who are the future generation of Sri Lanka. Culprits involved in rape should be punished adequately. Sri Lankan history provides the best solutions for all these problems.

Q: A survey conducted during the Deyata Kirula exhibition found that over 90 percent of people demand the reintroduction of capital punishment. Comment.

A: Not only the public but also a judge and some politicians said that Sri Lanka needs the gallows. This is a Buddhist country. A handful of Sri Lankans commit crimes and are involved in other forms of misdemeanours but the mass media portrays them as representing the entire society and gives wide publicity to criminals etc.

The public that watch it over the television think that the country is full of such persons. A lot of countries in the world have the gallows. Sri Lanka had it until 1973 but after that the death penalty was implemented only once when a former Sri Lankan Prime Minister was shot dead.

The signature of the Sri Lankan President is required to implement the death penalty. The public think that criminals will commit the same crime again and again because the punishments are not adequate. Criminals think that they can live comfortably in prison because they receive good food and free accommodation. So they commit the same crime again. The public demand the death penalty.

Q: Do you have any message for the Sri Lankan public?

A: Sri Lanka has a long history. All ethnicities and religions have been living in peace and harmony from time immemorial. All religious leaders are trying to promote social ethics and morals within Sri Lankan society.

Punishments alone cannot create a society with ethics and morals. Religions and cultures help establish a safe and secure society. Religious influence and harmony which leads to achieving psychological development is required for the progress of a country.