Buddhist monk warns of disruptive forces in Trinco

[TamilNet, Friday, 18 October 2002, 13:26 GMT]
Venerable Dodantuwe Thammanatha Thero of Mahamayapura Buddhist temple in Trincomalee town said that miscreants are bent on instigating clashes in the eastern district by portraying the Liberation Tigers as anti- Singhalese. He was addressing a peace conference at the Trincomalee Police Headquarters to promote reconciliation between all communities in the eastern port town Thursday evening. The Buddhist monk showed the audience a leaflet printed in Sinhala stating that LTTE leader Mr. Pirapaharan considers the Singhalese as his enemies.

"Police should be vigilant in this regard. People are for peace. The public should forget their petty differences and should extend their utmost co-operation to achieve peace, which is urgently needed to save the country from disaster”, the monk said.

'Grama Sevaka' (village level) officers, members of clergy of all faiths and leading citizens of Trincomalee and several police and army officials attended the conference.

"On the instruction of the Interior Minister Mr. John Amaratunge we have taken steps to form peace action group representing clergy of all faiths and leading citizens to ensure harmony and violence-free cosmopolitan port town in future," said Trincomalee Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Mr. Upali Hewage presiding over the conference.

The peace action group is to be officially inaugurated when the Interior Minister Mr. John Amaratunge visits Trincomalee next Wednesday, police sources said.

The towns suburbs, Srimapura, Abeyapura, Thirukdaloor, Mudcove, Linganagar and Anpuvallipuram have been identified as potential flash points in Trincomalee town, police sources said. The action group would formulate a scheme to tackle problems in these areas, Police sources said.

Rev Fr. Ignatius, Parish Priest of Trincomalee St Mary's Cathedral said that the Sri Lanka Army, Police and Liberation Tigers should join hands to take forward the peace process. People also should extend their co-operation in this effort.

" We have to travel long way to achieve peace in the country. Peace can be achieved by our deeds and not by mere words. This should be borne in every one's mind at this juncture," said Fr Ignatius.

Mr. Kumara Vikneswarakurukkal, Priest of Trincomalee Sivan Temple Moulavi Naufer of Jamaliya Mosque also spoke. Trincomalee Police Headquarters Inspector Mr. Dissanayake proposed vote of thanks.

21 Brigade Commander of the SLA in Trincomalee Colonel Lal Perera speaking at the conference said, "the bounden duty of the Sri Lanka Army is to provide security to all communities irrespective of any differences and not to safeguard Sinhalese people only. We will not discharge our duties in a partisan way. I take this opportunity to dispel any fears or misunderstanding that has arisen in the minds of Tamils following Friday violence that the SLA is only interested in protecting Sinhalese."

Colonel Lal Perera further, "We cannot bring peace between communities by holding musical shows. Peace should come from the hearts of the people who are neighbours and adjacent villages. The formation of an action committee comprising clergy of all faiths and leading citizens of all communities is a timely one to promote better mutual understanding and harmony among various races."

Superintendent of Police Mr.Daya Samaraweera said in future, the action group comprising members of clergy of all faiths would ensure better mutual understanding between all communities thus creating peaceful atmosphere in the town.