: Ceylon Telegraph :: Safeguard religious and ethnic harmony

Safeguard religious and ethnic harmony – President

Posted on Monday, April 1, 2013 and filed under breakingnews , news . You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 . You can leave a response or trackback to this entry from your site

President Mahinda Rajapaksa said all who love the country should shoulder the responsibility of safeguarding religious and ethnic harmony. He said that all those who love the motherland have a responsibility to ensure that Sri Lanka will not be tagged a racist and ‘religious extremist’ country.

The President emphasized that the government will leave no room for racial or religious extremism, and said that treacherous elements with vested interests were looking at every opportunity to tarnish Sri Lanka’s image through false accusations. He pointed out that any attempt to promote ethnic and religious extremism would tantamount to supplying ammunition to the forces working against the country. He requested all citizens not to provide such opportunities to those who aim to destroy the country’s image.

President Rajapaksa was speaking at a ceremony held at the historical Weherehena Purvarama Rajamaha Viharayin Matara on Saturday to welcome the Chief Incumbent of Weherahena Temple, Venerable Kegalle Rathanasara Nayaka Thera, who was bestowed the title of Chief Sanganayaka of the Dakshina Vihara Parshawaya.

Speaking further the President said that the Maha Sangha had always come forward to protect the country when in peril. . He said that the Buddhists should be exemplary in conduct, and while safeguarding the rights of Buddhists, it is the responsibility of all Buddhists to protect the rights of others.

The President also praised the work of Ven Rathanasara Nayaka thera for social and religious upliftment. The President also opened the newly built Atavisi Buddha Mandiraya and launched the temple’s new website.

Chief Prelate of the Asgiriya Chapter Most Ven Udugama Sri Buddharakkhithabhidana Maha Nayaka Thera, Ven Prof Bellanwila Wimalarathana Thera, Dr Iththapane Dhammalankara Thera, Ven Welamitiyawe Kusaladamma Thera, Ven Pallattara Sumanajothi Thera and a large group of Maha Sangha participated in the occasion. Several Ministers and Parliamentarians including Dullus Alahapperuma,Lakshman Yapa Abeywardene, Southern Province Governor Mrs. Kumari Balsuriya, Deputy Minister M K D S Gunewardene also attended the function. (niz)