‘Sri Lanka belongs to all Sri Lankans’

Critics are vilifying

Minister Mangala

Samaraweera for being bold enough to tell the truth that Sri Lanka is not a Sinhala Budddhist country but belongs to all Sri Lankans. Some people believe that we can call this a Sinhala

Buddhist country because the majority, about 70% are Sinhala Buddhists. If that is the case then we can call the world a Christian world because majority are Christians. Christians form 33% of the world population and the balance are 21% Muslims, 14% Hindu, 6% Buddhists, 13% Atheists. Based on the way we call Sri Lanka a Sinhala Buddhist country Christians can call the world a Christian World. I believe that we made a huge mistake when we included in the Constitution that,‘the Republic of Sri Lanka shall give to Buddhism the foremost place and accordingly it shall be the duty of the State to protect and foster the Buddha Sasana, etc’’, degrading the other religions practised. Should a modern State have a religion where non believers are on the increase, What will happen if non believers become the majority of the world population.

Are we to say that Republic of Sri Lanka shall give to non believers the foremost place, etc. On the subject of religion and language the late JVP leader Wijeweera said at a meeting in 1970 that under JVP rule the State will not have one language but transact business in any language and the the State will not have a religion.’’ A G WEERASINGHE