4 May 2016 05:49 pm
The English translation of the full letter sent by the Chief Prelate follows:
“Attanam Upaman Kathwa- Na Haneyya Na Gathaye”
Taking one’s self as an example others should not be killed, nor encouraged to be killed
We would like to state that the objective of the Maha Sangha during your leadership which seems to be committed towards policies of governance based on ‘Artha’ and ‘Dhamma,’ is to give connected advice and not to promote or condemn individual personalities. Politics is for the laity. I am of the firm stand that interfering in it is not for the clergy.
While taking up that stand I would like to give a piece of advice that is not political but personal. While the word of the Buddha is that who abides by the Dhamma is protected by the Dhamma, anyone interfering with and punishing those who do not abide by the Dhamma is also a sin committed by that person.
The terrorists have a grudge against the first citizen of the country, whoever it is, that finished a 30-year-old savage war waged by a group of terrorists in a manner seen nowhere in the world using modern weapons and military power, airplanes, ships, armored tanks, submarines and suicide bombers. It is accepted by most people that although terrorism was eliminated from our motherland, they are active and powerful in many parts of the world. Everyone knows that there is no other country in the world that faced such a powerful terror group in recent history.
Therefore I advice you with compassion to shelve the decision not to provide military security to a defeated leader, and maintain the military security provided to the former president by respecting the wishes of a larger percentage of the people. My personnel belief is that it would only add to your good reputation and would not harm it in any manner.
The full letter