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http://www.asianews.it/news-en/Sri-Lanka:-Religious-leaders-condemn-attack-on-
Buddhist-Maha-Bodhi-Temple-20634.html
01/29/2011 10:36
SRI LANKA
Sri Lanka: Religious leaders condemn attack on Buddhist Maha
Bodhi Temple
by Melani Manel Perera
Attack on four monks and damage to temple can not be
attributed
to guerrilla groups or to members of the LTTE. Representatives
of
all religions call for calm, to continue to live "as one
family."
Colombo (AsiaNews) - Representatives of all religions in Sri
Lanka strongly condemn the recent attack on the Buddhist Maha
Bodhi temple inChennai, India, in which four Sri Lankan Buddhist
monks were injured. During a press
conference held yesterday by members of the Inter Religious
Alliance for National Unity,
all participants indicated that "this is not the act of the LTTE
[Liberation Tigers of Tamil
Eelam, ed], or other guerrilla groups ". The conference was
hosted by Colombos
National Library Hall.
On the night of 24 January a group of about 10 people stormed
the Maha Bodhi Society
temple. Armed with sticks, vandals began to destroy the place,
and wounded four monks
who intervened to stop them.
Card. Malcolm Ranjith, the Archbishop of Colombo, has expressed
his concern over theattack in saying: "The Catholic Church strongly
opposes such acts like this."
For Acting Committee member, the venerable Nedagamuwe Vijitha
Maithree Thero, this
is "an act done by those who do not want peace, who do not see
the beautiful brotherhood
between the two religions. For this we need to act calmly and
not give in to panic".
Another monaco, Ven. Dhammaransi Thero, declared: "We ask the
governments of Sri
Lanka and India to continue to be interested in the problem, and
take the necessary
measures to ensure full security and protection for all the
pilgrims who visit the temple."
Finally, the monk thanked the Indian government for the prompt
action taken to protect
pilgrims after the attack.
The Methodist pastor Fr Sarath Hettiarchchi stressed that Sri
Lanka is a multiethnic,
multi-religious and even multi-political country, where everyone
should respect each
other.
S.H. Mavulana present as the representative of Muslim community,
wanted to specify
that "all Muslims condemn this attack. For me, I want to
encourage the faithful of all
religions and ethnic groups not to move backwards. Act wisely,
and go forward for
national and religious harmony. "
