[b]Mahinda romps home leaving UNP and JVP far behind. [/b]
[b]Colombo, 01 April, (Asiantribune.com):[/b] The United People’s Freedom Alliance (UPFA) led by President Mahinda Rajapakse swept the polls held on Thursday. Out of the 266 local bodies UPFA won 222. Its main rival the United National Party which held most of the local councils during the last four was left with only 32 local bodies.
The JVP which was hoping to show its electoral strength by going it alone failed to capture the grassroot local bodies. It won only Tissmarama Pradhesiya Sabha.
Ilankai Thamil Arasu Kachchi (ITAK) LTTE’s proxy party, won in the Thirukkovil and Alaiadivembu Pradeshiya Sabhas in the Ampara district. Furthermore ITAK won Karaithivu in Amparai district with 4 seats. The Party also won both the Trincomalee Urban Council with 10 seats and Trincomalee Town and Gravets.
http://www.asiantribune.com/show_news.php?id=17476
Mahinda romps home leaving UNP and JVP far behind.
IndraJith:
"[color=blue]Personally I believe it would have been better if the JHU monks stayed away from the parliament and elections but operated as a powerful pressure group to safeguard the country.Even now it's not too late.
"[/color]
I am also in exactly the same position as you are in. I also believe that since the colonial time or at least now, if they acted from outside and it they approched people from other ethnic groups wisely we would have been far better.
Even now, I stongly believe that the church is behind, while VP chasing out muslims, church is continuing conversion. But our monks do not think. They have to be our mentors and not the laughing stock.
But, when we go to sri Lanka we know there are many monks who are really disciplined.
Mahinda romps home leaving UNP and JVP far behind.
It's really difficult for the Buddhist monks to stay inside the temples and just ignore what's happening to the people.Firstly these buddhist monks are also from the local population and not from the posh Colombo families and they too are drawn in to this problem because they have a stake and have to do something to save their followers especially in the villages bordering the North and East.
Being a buddhist monk and following the code of practice expected from a monk is a very difficult thing to do, so it's natural to see some wayward and rogue monks.But that doesn't mean we should criticise the religeon because of them.Buddhism doesn't mean the monks.
At the same time if the monks are not there to keep temples open and functioning we don't have a place to go and worship and Buddhism as a religeon in Sri Lanka will die a natural death.So to a certain extent we should not expect other people to adhere to the values we are reluctant to and incapable of adhering to.Even though they are supposed to do that it's very difficult nowadays with lot of distractions to follow the proper code of practice.Lord Buddha himself forewarned about such a situation.Human beings are very gullible and fall prey easy to temptations.
Priests trying to safe guard their followers and their freedom is nothing new.Similar things are happening in countries like Phillipines,South America,United states,Italy,India,Africa and round the world, where the church and the priests are actively involved in politics.They even issue statements recommending parties and candidates.Best examples are Pope John Paul,Bishop Abel Muzorewa,Jamie Cardinal Sin and Desmond Tutu.There are even parties that carry religeous names in Europe.Certain religeous groups in America worked for George BUSH openly during the elections
Clerics in many Muslim countries and BJP Hindu priests too are involved in politics because they have to be with the local population.Whether the issue they are fighting for is right or wrong is not the issue.Priests simply can not ignore what's happening around them and their followers.If they don't the religeion and the places of worships will die a natural death.
Personally I believe it would have been better if the JHU monks stayed away from the parliament and elections but operated as a powerful pressure group to safeguard the country.Even now it's not too late.
Whether we like it or not we have to consider the fact we Sinhalese are still here as a nation because buddhist monks educated and safeguarded former kings like DATUSENA,VIJAYABAHU,WALAGAMBAHU and many other kings when they were children or running away from the enemies when we were under foreign occupation for decades.These monks educated and taught everything they need to be a proper king and helped the nation to win back our freedom.
So this is a catch 22 situation for people who know about our history and the services rendered by the monks throughout 2500 years, and what I believe is that they should function as an independent pressure group safeguarding the rights of the nation and the country rather than getting involved with the parliament and elections.Still they would have the same influenece by being outside the parliament.
Mahinda romps home leaving UNP and JVP far behind.
The gap is widening between Mahinda's party and Ranil's now it's 3.3 million to 2.4 million and JVP polled over 800,000 votes and that's 1/3 of the UNP vote.Of course many UNP and SLFP supporters didn't bother voting this time but still it's a huge gap of nearly 900,000 votes.
It's also interesting to note that according to the newspapers, the LTTE's proxy party TNA group polled 72,587 votes and got 50 local council MP's to hardline JHU's 71841 votes and 13 councillors.(All special names inserted in front of the party names are from the newspaper reporters.)
Am sure there's going to be a huge argument in Sri Lanka about proportional representation and proper representation.Is there's a solution to this situation by any chance?
Mahinda romps home leaving UNP and JVP far behind.
I agree with the true.reporter. He is a true.reporter.
Mahinda romps home leaving UNP and JVP far behind.
My point was, most Tamils are not against Buddhism, because they are not that much religious.
But, in Lanka, Buddhist monks try to promote Sinhala rather than Buddhism. This is what make many Tamils to hate Buddhism, which is wrong.
Buddhism is the best among all religions (my opinion). But, the followers .....?
.
Mahinda romps home leaving UNP and JVP far behind.
With respect to what True reporter said, A tamil monk from TamilNAdu, if were to imigrate to Sri Lanka would make a difference.
Buddha was not sinhala or tamil. He was indian but thought beyond all those languages, caste, colour and all those labels.
We do not get feeliengs like tamil Kandasami, Tamil Pulleyar (Ganesh) etc., Only thing we see that infront of Skandha tamils suffer heavily. Whose wish was that I do not know.
JESUS is a jew and a middle easterner, but you people worship though.
Shiva or Krishna are not tamils. They are all pervasive.
You seem to have problem with a sinahala Buddha. I don't think even Sinhala had evolved at that time when the Buddha was living.
Mahinda romps home leaving UNP and JVP far behind.
[quot]
If only monks can be Buddhist, but not Sinhalese.
Remember, once Tamils were Buddhists.
If these monks spend time teaching Buddhism in Tamil, I am sure half the problem is solved.
What I mean is, a (tamil) Buddha statue in Trinco is acceptable than a (sinhala) Buddha statue.
.
.[/quote]
[b]This is more like promoting racism.[/b]
Mahinda romps home leaving UNP and JVP far behind.
[quote="1/LTTE"]
I particularly like if monks withdraw completely from politics instead they become humanitarians and reach to people from other ethnic groups, so that, we can build ethnic harmony and reconciliation.
[/quote]
If only monks can be Buddhist, but not Sinhalese.
Remember, once Tamils were Buddhists.
If these monks spend time teaching Buddhism in Tamil, I am sure half the problem is solved.
What I mean is, a (tamil) Buddha statue in Trinco is acceptable than a (sinhala) Buddha statue.
.
.
Mahinda romps home leaving UNP and JVP far behind.
[quote]I think, people remembr what JVP did, so they may be still scared to JVP[/quote]
Unfortunatly in Srilanka people either have selective memory or selctive Amnesia. Both will be counter productive.
Mahinda romps home leaving UNP and JVP far behind.
[color=blue] the JHU has been discarded outright, and the JVP, almost. [/color]
YAMUNA:
These two partied, mostly the JHU was a beg concern for pro - LTTE media and pro - LTTE - UNP, and not to the the people. People are concerned mostly with th day to day life.
I particularly like if monks withdraw completely from politics instead they become humanitarians and reach to people from other ethnic groups, so that, we can build ethnic harmony and reconciliation.
I think, people remembr what JVP did, so they may be still scared to JVP.
Election Results
It is surprising that this time, the LTTE has not been accused of 'stuffing ballot-boxes' on behalf of the ITAK !
These results may an indication of a shift in the political thinking of the common people - the JHU has been discarded outright, and the JVP, almost.
But, tragic deaths and violence during elections are still with us and this is sad.
Now that Mahinda R has got 'a shot in the arm', he should transform into a statesman, and ensure social justice to the tamils - he may commence by strict implementation of Tamil as an Official Language in all aspects of governance, wipe out indiscipline in the armed forces and police, root out corruption and get rid of inept ministers like Bogollagama, direct all parliamentarians, at least of the government, to visit electorates often & correct deficiencies in the public service by surprise inspections, and talk to the common people. The Mobile Secretariats of President Premadasa may be revived - these solved a lot of problems of the common man.