Search Buddhist Channel

Anti-Extremism Buddhist Monk attcaked in Sri Lanka

AA, June 19, 2014

COLOMBO, Sri Lanka -- A prominent Buddhist monk known for actively speaking out against hardline Buddhist nationalists in Sri Lanka has been assaulted and was found with cut wounds, police said Thursday.

<< Wataraka Vijitha Thero (seated right) has seen press conferences disrupted

Police spokesperson SSP Ajith Rohana said Vataraka Vijitha Thero was taken to hospital in western Sri Lanka early Thursday. Thero is known for raising his voice against the Sinhalese Buddhist nationalist group Bodu Bala Sena and their use of hate speech against minorities.

Bodu Bala Sena's General-Secretary Galagodatthe Gnanasara recently stormed into a media conference being addressed by Thero and, face-to-face, threatened him.

A Bodu Bala Sena rally in southwestern town Aluthgama descended into communal clashes on Sunday when they tried to march through predominantly Muslim areas. Eyewitnesses said Muslim-owned shops were set alight and mosques vandalized, forcing many -- especially women and children -- into hiding.

Following the clashes, the Muslim's Rights Protection Organisation in Sri Lanka have called for a strike on Thursday and Muslims businesses have been closed in parts of the country, including the capital Colombo.

Sri Lanka's President Mahinda Rajapaksa visited the town of Beruwala, where some of the clashes occurred, on Wednesday and promised an investigation and that the government will rebuild damaged homes and businesses.

Orange-robed Buddhist monks were amongst the most visible presence at a protest against the communal clashes, in Colombo on Wednesday. They were seen holding Tamil-language signs, a rare and iconic sign of solidarityy with the mostly-Hindu Tamil minority.

The protesters warned against divisive identity politics opening up new rifts in a country that struggled with a decades-long civil war between the Sinhalese-majority government and Tamil separatist rebels.

The violence in the towns of Beruwala, Aluthgama and Dharga have been condemned by the international community, including the United States, U.N. and EU.

The National Christian Evangelical Alliance of Sri Lanka also released a strongly-worded statement on Tuesday, criticizing "the blatant attack on members of the Muslim minority."

"In recent months Muslims and Christians alike have been subjected to hate speech and numerous attacks and violence against their places and practices of worship," said the statement. "Social polarization along religious lines is something Sri Lanka can ill-afford, particularly at this juncture of our history where as a country we are yet to resolve the ethnic conflict that manifested itself in a thirty year long war."

Bodu Bala Sena, which literally translates to Buddhist Power Force, is a right-wing Buddhist group that was established after the end of Sri Lanka's decades-long civil war in 2009. They belong to the country's Sinhalese Buddhist majority and have been accused of inciting hate against other religions in Sri Lanka.

We Need Your Help to Train the
Buddhist AI Chat Bot NORBU!
(Neural Operator for Responsible Buddhist Understanding)

Dear Friends in the Dharma,

We seek your generous support to help us train NORBU, the word's first Buddhist AI Chat Bot.

Here are some ways you can contribute to this noble cause:

One-time Donation or Loan: A single contribution, regardless of its size, will go a long way in helping us reach our goal and make the Buddhist LLM a beacon of wisdom for all.

How will your donation / loan be used? Download the NORBU White Paper for details.

For Malaysians and Singaporeans, please make your donation to the following account:

Account Name: Bodhi Vision
Account No:. 2122 00000 44661
Bank: RHB

The SWIFT/BIC code for RHB Bank Berhad is: RHBBMYKLXXX
Address: 11-15, Jalan SS 24/11, Taman Megah, 47301 Petaling Jaya, Selangor
Phone: 603-9206 8118

Note: Please indicate your purpose of payment (loan or donation) in the payment slip. Thank you.

Once payment is banked in, please send the payment slip via email to: editor@buddhistchannel.tv. Your donation/loan will be published and publicly acknowledged on the Buddhist Channel.

Spread the Word: Share this initiative with your friends, family and fellow Dharma enthusiasts. Join "Friends of Norbu" at: https://www.facebook.com/groups/norbuchatbot. Together, we can build a stronger community and create a positive impact on a global scale.

Volunteer: If you possess expertise in AI, natural language processing, Dharma knowledge in terms of Buddhist sutras in various languages or related fields, and wish to lend your skills, please contact us. Your knowledge and passion could be invaluable to our project's success.

Your support is part of a collective effort to preserve and disseminate the profound teachings of Buddhism. By contributing to the NORBU, you become a "virtual Bodhisattva" to make Buddhist wisdom more accessible to seekers worldwide.

Thank you for helping to make NORBU a wise and compassionate Buddhist Chatbot!

May you be blessed with inner peace and wisdom,

With deepest gratitude,

Kooi F. Lim
On behalf of The Buddhist Channel Team

Note: To date, we have received the following contributions for NORBU:
US$ 75 from Gary Gach (Loan)
US$ 50 from Chong Sim Keong
MYR 300 from Wilson Tee
MYR 500 from Lim Yan Pok
MYR 50 from Oon Yeoh
MYR 200 from Ooi Poh Tin
MYR 300 from Lai Swee Pin
MYR 100 from Ong Hooi Sian
MYR 1,000 from Fam Sin Nin
MYR 500 from Oh teik Bin
MYR 300 from Yeoh Ai Guat
MYR 300 from Yong Lily
MYR 50 from Bandar Utama Buddhist Society
MYR 1,000 from Chiam Swee Ann
MYR 1,000 from Lye Veei Chiew
MYR 1,000 from Por Yong Tong
MYR 80 from Lee Wai Yee
MYR 500 from Pek Chee Hen
MYR 300 from Hor Tuck Loon
MYR 1,000 from Wise Payments Malaysia Sdn Bhd
MYR 200 from Teo Yen Hua
MYR 500 from Ng Wee Keat
MYR 10,000 from Chang Quai Hung, Jackie (Loan)
MYR 10,000 from K. C. Lim & Agnes (Loan)
MYR 10,000 from Juin & Jooky Tan (Loan)
MYR 100 from Poh Boon Fong (on behalf of SXI Buddhist Students Society)
MYR 10,000 from Fam Shan-Shan (Loan)
MYR 10,000 from John Fam (Loan)
MYR 500 from Phang Cheng Kar
MYR 100 from Lee Suat Yee
MYR 500 from Teo Chwee Hoon (on behalf of Lai Siow Kee)
MYR 200 from Mak Yuen Chau

We express our deep gratitude for the support and generosity.

If you have any enquiries, please write to: editor@buddhistchannel.tv

TOP