Patriotism is not confined only to the Sinhalese or Sinhala Buddhists- every son and daughter who has been born and bred in this country whether they be Tamils, Muslims, Burghers, Sinhalese, Sinhala Buddhists, Sinhala, Tamil & Burgher Christians, Tamil Hindus must all have even an aorta of national pride about what the history & heritage of this country called “Ceylon” or “Sri Lanka” holds for them and their families. There is no point of forming Inter-religious or Inter-racial Committees if citizens who belong to the different religions and races all termed as “Sri Lankan “ in this country cannot and do not respect each other sincerely & genuinely. Harmony does not grow just by mere words or committees but by sincere gestures.

Sri Lanka is surely a cursed nation when Tamil terrorists are mauling down historical sites in the North in their fanatic search for justification for their demand of a “Tamil Homeland” or when Muslims maul down Buddhist Sacred Sites in the East to justify their existence in the East. Fanaticism, nationalism or extremism must not be used against the Sinhalese who upto date have not destroyed any sites which belong to others. However, the same cannot be said of the Tamil terrorists or the Muslims of this country anymore. The depth of Sinhala tolerance has been tested to the maximum levels already.

During the lifetime of the late Mr. Aboosally when he was MP for Balangoda destroyed the archeological site of Kuragala where clear archeological demarcations and a notice of the Dept. of Archeology was visibly clear to all- that Kuragala was a Sacred Buddhist Site. Over this Kuragala Buddhist Archeological Site today stands the “masterpiece of vandalism” done by the late Mr. Aboosally which is named “ Jailani Mosque” and is now a worshipping ground of Muslims!

The story of the Sacred City of Deegavapi is facing similar vandalism right now. Our former President Chandrika Kumaratunga in her typical style of wanting to insult the Sinhala Buddhists, went and opened a Memorial in memory of the late Mr. Ashroff within the precincts of the archeological site of Deegavapi during her tenure of Executive President together Mrs. Ferial Ashroff to win over the Muslim support! That is the lowest level to which Chandrika Kumaratunga could have stooped. That has given added vigour to the Muslims of the East where there are many Muslim MP of the likes of Mr. Athaulla, Mr. Hakeem and Mrs. Ferial Ashroff.

They have master-minded a plan to excavate the Sacred Archeological Site of Deegavapi and it is now underway for the last week or so. This area comes under the purview of the Addalachcheni Divisional Secretariat in Ampare District. During excavations many valuable artifacts are being unearthed which the Dept. of Archeology is “meekly “ coming and clearing away in whatever vehicles they can get hold of! What is being unearthed does not prove the existence of a Muslim heritage in the area but a Sinhala - Buddhist heritage. The purpose of this current excavation we hear is to build 100 houses to settle Muslims within the demarcated Archeological Site of Deegavapi. Those who will be settled there will undoubtedly be Muslims and not Sinhalese or Tamils for sure! Is there absolutely no land in the area other than the Deegavapi Sacred Site? From what we hear, it is Mrs. Ashroff who is spearheading this latest onslaught on Deegavapi. No one dares to voice their opinions in the region for fear of reprimands from Mrs Ashroff and her colleagues.

The next vandalism will be the plan they have to get Samanthurai demarcated as a Sacred Muslim Site where the land extent would cover an area adequate to house 35 Muslim Mosques- and that too will be done very soon and used as a exchange bargain for their support to the GOSL. All plans and the “distorted history” is all ready and waiting for the opportune moment when it can be negotiated.

In the meantime, we beg to question what the Dept. of Archeology is doing while politicians are destroying the history of this country? Why have a Dept of Archeology, if they cannot protect what is under their purview? Who has made politicians act in such high-handed manner that they feel they are above the law of the land and should not be any respecters of persons or properties which belong to Mother Lanka?

Finally, we beg to ask- what is the GOSL doing by turning a blind eye to all these atrocities committed by their parliamentarians? In an era when we hear loud calls from the International Communities and INGOs for Human Rights, Child Rights, Worker’s Rights, Fundamental Rights etc., do the citizens of this country have any rights to protect their country, their heritage and their history? Do we continue to permit politicians to act in this obnoxious manner and destroy our country completely? Is the ordinary citizen of this country ONLY A DOOR MAT to be trampled? Farewell decency- there is nothing left!

Darmitha - Kotte