Extremists replacing Sinhala signboards with those in Arabic

(Courtesy  of Daily Mirror)

A group of extremists has been active in fixing signboards with Arabic names to Mudu Maha Vihara Mawatha and other streets in the towns, said Venerable Warakapola Indrasiriri Nayaka Thera, Eastern Province Sangha Nayake and chief incumbent of Mudu Maha Virhara in Pottuvil.

The Venerable Thera told a media discussion held last Wednesday that the name board “Historical Mudu Maha Viharaya, Pottuvil” was changed to “Masjitul Pala Road”. The discussion was attended by the former registrar of Polonnaruwa Sasanarakshaka Bala Mandalaya Venerable Dimbulagala  Rahaulalankara Thera and several other monks.

Venerable Indrasiri Thera said he addressed the gathering with deep regret as the Sinhala were under Islamic rule and underwent immense suffering.

……  “There is no-one to lend a patient hearing to our woes and no authority to offer any solution. We have only the media to reveal our plight. Out of 72 acres of archaeological land that belonged to the Viharaya, 55 acres were forcibly acquired by Muslim extremists. The government appears to be deaf. The court does not accept the cases filed. It discourages cases filed in Sinhala and insists on filing them in the Tamil language. Recently, Muslims who support the Tawheed Jamaat jointly put up Arabic names for streets and lanes.   They did not even spare the road leading to the Viharaya. There is a political hand behind all these activities.

With the aim of increasing the powers vested with the Eastern Province, President MaithriPala Sirisena has given M.L.A.L.M. Hizbullah the Co-Chairmanship of the District co-ordinating Committees in Ampara, Batticaloa and Trincomalee Districts. Buddhist monks protest against this move.

Today, the Sinhala Buddhists in the Eastern Province have been given the third place. We urge the government to rename these roads after the names of war heroes and to remove Arabic laws from the province,” he said.

 (Nimal Jayarathne – Manampitiya)

308 Viewers