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BUDDHIST FAST UNTO DEATH DEMANDING LAWS BANNING CONVERSIONS BY FUNDAMENTALISTS ENDS TRIUMPHANTLY

Fast unto death at Colombo’s Ministry of Buddhist Affairs against fundamentalist Christian conversions of Buddhists. The one lying down is Dr. Omalpe Sobhitha Thero and the monk seated down near his head is Rajawatte Wappa Thero who joined the fast a day later. ((Photos from: Walter Jayawardhana)

By Walter Jayawardhana reporting from Los Angeles
December 31, 02.00am- The fast unto death initiated by the scholar monk, the Venerable Dr. Omalpe Sobhitha Thero demanding immediate legislation to ban what he called immoral and unethical conversions of Buddhists by Fundamentalist US based Christian missions ended triumphantly, December 30, when the government and the opposition agreed to pass legislation within the next sixty days banning such conversions.

Dr. Omalpe Sobhitha Thero was joined in his fast unto death by the Venerable Rajawatte Wappa a day after, December 29, and both agreed to end the fast after the deputy leader of the governing United National Front and cabinet Minister Karu Jayasuriya and Opposition Leader Mahinda Rajapaksa agreed to the proposition of the fasting Buddhist monks that a Committee of Buddhist monks be appointed to draft legislation banning fundamentalist Christian proselytizing within 14 days and pass legislation in the Sri Lanka parliament within 60 days.

Buddhist monks negotiating with the government yesterday to end the fast unto death of Venerable Dr. Omalpe Sobhitha and Rajawatte Wappa theros. On the left is Minister of Buddhist Affairs W.J.M. Lokubandara who was criticized by many for inaction despite constant criticisms of the Buddhist organizations regarding Christian fundamentalist conversions through allurements using US funds. The hard line government of Ranil Wickremesinghe finally knelt down by promising legislation within 60 days

Interviewed over the telephone at his Kuppiyawatte temple in the Central city of Colombo the second Buddhist monk who joined the fast of Venerable Dr. Omalpe Sobhitha , the Venerable Rajawatte Wappa Thero, who is the incumbent of the influential Kuppiyawatte Temple in Colombo said that if the government did not take action within the next 14 days to appoint a Buddhist monk committee in preparation of the legislation and pass the legislation within the next 60 days the Supreme Sangha Council would start another fast unto death immediately coupled with island wide political agitation, that would be certainly not to the liking of the government. He said the past non-action by the Minister of Buddhist Affairs, W.J.M. Lokubandara who was believed to be acting under nefarious influences in the past had brought the patience of the Buddhist monks to a limit.

Three days ago Dr. Omalpe Sobhitha Thero started the fast in front of the nations Ministry of Buddhist Affairs in Cinnamon Gardens in Colombo and a day later the Venerable Wappa joined the fast. The two Buddhist monks belong to two sects of Buddhist monks, the Ramanna and Amarapura . The Venerable Ellawela Medhananda, of the Siamese sect, led them in to action. The agitation represented one united effort of Buddhist monks surpassing sect considerations.

The Venerable Wappa told this correspondent that the government promised to appoint a Supreme Council of Buddhist monks consisting of five representing the Jathika Sangha Sammelenaya and the rest representing all three sects of the Buddhist monks bringing the number to 15. A government gazette would announce the Committee within 14 days. He said the Committee would draft the legislation.

Dr. Omalpe Sobhitha ( right) and Rajawatte Wappa moments before they ended their fast triumphantly yesterday

Such legislation, he said, would be passed by the parliament with a two third majority with the help of the opposition.

The Venerable Wappa said, despite propaganda by pro-UNF publications to the contrary, the majority of Buddhist monks believed that there was a conspiracy behind the sudden death of the late Venerable Gangodawila Soma Thero who died in St. Petersburg, Russia while being hosted by a Christian Fundamentalist Institution, called International University of Fundamental Studies headed by a Sri Lanka born pastor named Rev. Shanthi Pushpakumara Jayasekera. He said the country’s President Chandrika Kumaratunga had promised to appoint a Commission of Inquiry with judicial powers to investigate in to the matter. A commission of inquiry is somewhat similar to a US grand jury

The late Venerable Gangodawila Soma Thero’s recorded speeches against “unethical and immoral” conversions of Buddhists by allurements of mostly US based Christian fundamentalists were played by loud speakers in front of the Ministry of Buddhist Affairs by the organizers of the Fast unto death.

Meanwhile the Minister of Hindu Affairs, T. Maheshwaran has charged that 7000 Hindu families had been converted using bribes by the Christian fundamentalists.ry close to the dead monk during his last days.

The web site of the Fundamentalist degree conferring institution, in St. Petersburg Russia , that exhibited photos of the late Venerable Gangodawila Soma Thero receiving a PhD degree has been suspended for unknown reasons, for the past many days. Wyesterday’s picture of Colombo’s Ministry of Buddhist Affairs where two Buddhist monks, Venerable Dr. Omalpe Sobhitha and Venerable Rajawatte Wappa ended their fast triumphantly when the hard line Ranil Wickremesinghe government knelt down and promised legislation within 60 days banning fundamentalist Christian conversions of Buddhists by allurements of US money

( go2lanka.com)