*Findings provide solutions to problems
*Report meets Tamil aspirations
“An overwhelming majority of religious leaders in the country support the findings of the Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission (LLRC),” Prof Ven Bellanvila Wimalarathana Thera said addressing the media on behalf of the Congress of Religions at the Abeyarama Purana Viharaya yesterday.
“The findings of the commission meet the requirements of our people and provide solutions to our problems and not to please the UN, EU or any foreign nation,” the thera said.
“Sri Lanka is home to all four major religions. For hundreds of years, people of all religions have shared the country as brothers and sisters living under one roof,” he said.
“Though the past 30 years saw a departure from our true self, the Congress of Religions said that the LLRC makes some important recommendations to take the country back toward its true greatness as a ‘virtuous and just society’ where all its people live in peace and harmony.
“When the ‘village thug’ makes a loud noise people shut their doors and hide inside, but it does not mean that people support the thug or agree with him,” he said.
'Similarly when the extremists in this country make loud noises it does not represent the opinion of the country" Ven Wimalarathana thera said. He asked the public to provide the support to the government to implement the findings of the LLRC and not to be scared of the few extremists making noise.
The LLRC considered evidence from people of all walks of life in the country, they included, Tamils, and Sinhala, Buddhists, Hindus, Christians and Muslims, people from the North and the South, they made some very important and considered recommendations to ensure that a conflict doesn't reoccur, the thera said.
Representing the Hindu community, Kurukkal G Sharma said that after 30 years the country has peace. Even the people in the North and East do not face the same problems they faced during the war period. He stressed that the ideas of people from all sides were considered by the LLRC and it is absolutely vital that the recommendations of the LLRC is implemented.
Ven Maduluwawe Sobitha Thera said that the last stages of the Humanitarian Operations received a lot of international attention, and one such occasion was the Darusman Report.
However the Darusman report was produced by people who never visited the country, without ever seeing the country and without listening to the people who live in the country. They relied on information that no one knows the true source. Sobitha thera said that in stark contrast the LLRC listened to the people living in the country, people who were affected by the conflict and people who will be affected by its findings.
Stressing the importance of implementing the recommendations of the Commission, the thera said that the LLRC report must not turn into just another report and just another commission. He said that the recommendation must be implemented fully. The majority of the monks and other religious leaders as well as the people are of the same opinion, Sobitha thera said that "the government will have our fullest support to do the correct thing and lead the country towards a lasting peace".
While the report does not suggest solutions to solve every problem, it is still a significant moment in the history of the country and a very good report which draws a definite path to take the country forward in the correct path.
Addressing the media, Fr Mervin Fernando said that the LLRC report highlighted the need to come to a political solution to address the genuine grievances of the people.
It is up to the government to come to ensure that every person in the country receives justice but religious leaders have an important role in creating a 'virtuous and just society'. He said that if everyone in society receives justice, most problems faced by the people will be solved.
Fr Ebenesha Joseph said that the aspirations of the Tamil people are expressed in the LLRC report as it listened to evidence from people all over the country. Saying that the report is an excellent one to take the country forward, Farther Joseph said that he will work together with other religious leaders and the public to support the implementation of the recommendations of the report.
Moulavi M S M Tasim who spoke to the media said that the Muslim community and the Muslim religious leaders will support implementation of the LLRC recommendations. He said that the report outlines useful steps to achieve reconciliation. The important thing is that LLRC recommendations are implemented. Saying that the violent phase of the conflict was over with the defeat of the LTTE in 2009 it is now time to address the root causes of the conflict and address the genuine grievances of the people.
The Congress of Religions said that the LLRC while not speaking about police or land powers made the simple and practical recommendation that every police station in the country should have Tamil and Sinhala Speaking police officers. Similarly it recommended that an independent land commission should be established to deal with land issues without political interference.
The Congress of Religions has been functioning for over 15 years and includes religious leaders of all major religions in Sri Lanka. The Congress held the press conference at the Abayarama Purana Viharaya yesterday 5th, to share the views of the religious leaders of the country on the findings of the LLRC.
Source: Daily News, January 06, 2012
