Comments on: How Maliboda led from the front in ethnic amity building

By: Ardneham

Ardneham — Sat, 06 Oct 2007 16:52:59 +0000

Only to add that I will carry the wounds of the incidents
described above, in that my son aged 20 yrs + was
murdered on 29-7-83 on an Estate in the vicinity of
Maliboda – when 9 other merchants in the Town
(Deraniyagal) were wiped out. We became IDP and
now in Europe.
My conversion to a Chrisitan compels me to forgive
those Souls.

A silent victim

By: Shanta Wickramasinghe

Shanta Wickramasinghe — Tue, 02 Oct 2007 23:55:33 +0000

Anti Tamil progroms of 1977 and 1983 were government backed. When JRJ Came to power in 1977 the first thing he did was attack the tamil community. Whipping up communal difference for cheap political gains is nothing strange all over the world. I have good reson to believe the Anti Tamil progrom of 1957 was initiated by SLFP politics of Bandaranayke. Tamil nationalist politics (Led by LTTE) also whips up racism for cheap political gains. But the primary responsibility of present day Racist seperation war in Sri Lanka lies with the UNP and SLFP governments which ruled the country since the so called indepence in 1948.

The average Sinhalese man or an aveage Tamil man is not a raacist. They are the silent victims who suffer by the mis deeds of power hungry Politicians.Both in 1977 and1983 the average Sinhalese gave shelter to Tamil Brethern risking their lives.
The looters and killers are government backed thugs from all the three communities (Sinhala, Tamil & Muslim). I personaly know Tamil thugs from Colombo central united with Sinhala and Muslim Thugs of that area to loot innocent Tamils.

Shanta

By: Wassa

Wassa — Mon, 24 Sep 2007 08:14:21 +0000

This is typical in all racial hatred mob violence.In Ruwanda and in Serbia even Catholic priests took part unfortunately.One reason is that people spread exaggerated stories of killings and so the revenge starts.Ususally people who do these things are undeucated or people with deep hatred towards other ethnic groups.
In Buddhism revenge is considered as a thing that trigger a vicious cycle and has to stop.It says “Nahiverena Verani…and so on.It means Revenge can not be extinguish with Revenge and it can only be done by love and mercy”.
This is the same thing in Christianity.But faceless crooks and thugs wheather they are politicians or not have no religion.
I wish and hope peace will be with Sri Lankans very soon.

By: thiaga

thiaga — Sun, 23 Sep 2007 15:39:01 +0000

I tend to think that goodness is kind of inherent in some people. They will always rise above prejudices to help someone in dire straits.

By: ilaya seran senguttuven

ilaya seran senguttuven — Sun, 23 Sep 2007 12:46:32 +0000

Amidst the atavastic and savage behaviour of many there will always be some, usually in very small numbers, who will rise above hatred, prejudice and injustice and bring light and illumination to the imposed darkness around. We saw this in many parts of Europe during WW2 and in many other theatres of human conflict since. We saw this in our own hatred-filled and battle-scarred Sri Lanka during July 83 and since. Fr Steffenzie of the Maliboda Parish and the altruistic volunteers of the area – from the Sinhala and Tamil communities – are examples of this divine trait in the human species. May their tribe increase in this fractured land and society. I am sure sooner than later, in the words of Martin Luther King Jr “We will overcome”

By: Kanna

Kanna — Sun, 23 Sep 2007 05:14:16 +0000

It is something interested to read from a priest in south.