Religious leaders call for ban on politics of identity

Leaders of four main religions in Sri Lanka yesterday called for the banning of political parties, which are based on religious and communal ideologies.

Leaders of Buddhist, Christian and Islam made these demands, all stating that such parties aroused religious and ethnic disharmony, especially during election times.

“Parties with religious and ethnic ideologies should be banned, while there should be laws prohibiting forming such parties,” Venerable Ittapane Dahammalankara Thera told a media briefing last morning.

The Thera said people should refrain from voting for parties, which arouses communalism and religious hatred during this election. Archbishop of Colombo Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith said Sri Lankan political fabric did not have a Christian political party. He said the Church would never allow formation of such a party. The Cardinal said that the country was in need of a new Constitution, which empowered people to make a better choice of candidates at an election. Venerable Bellanwila Wimalaratana Thera said none of the political parties that signed the March 12 declaration had worked according to the principles they pledged to uphold when selecting candidates. He said that parties pledged not to field candidates, who were corrupted and engaged in various social ills.

Mowlavi Sheik Fazil Farook said people also play a role in the process of corruption.

He said people should realise this when voting. “One must know that three fingers point at us, when one finger is pointed at politicians,” he said.

Parties with religious and ethnic ideologies should be banned, while there should be laws prohibiting forming such parties