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Arresting
moral decay with temporary ordination The president
of the Buddhist Cultural Centre at Bauddhaloka Mawatha, Colombo
7, Ven. Kirima Wimalajothi Thera said this program was being launched
with a view to combating the degradation of society mainly due to
the conflict between political parties. "We do
not intend to take in children as they are already under the guidance
of their teachers, nor persons above the age of 40 as we consider
them to be mature," he said. At the initial
stages the program is only for males who will shave their heads
and be clad in saffron robes. At a secondary stage there is an intention
of taking in females as well. They, however,
will be clad in white and observe the status of dasa sil mathas.
"While
those ordained are to continue as bhikkus, those with wives and
children will not be asked to stay on," he said. We intend to
teach through this temporary ordination program the importance of
living according to the dhamma, the practice of meditation and the
importance of human life, he said. Twenty-five
to forty men will be enrolled for the program, while a team comprising
about 10 monks will provide guidance to them. The public are welcome
to donate alms of vegetarian food and robes for the monks. Salaries of
any public servants who join this program should continue to be
paid for the duration, the thera said. "We will
also be happy to encourage and support any other institutions which
engage in similar programs," he said. Countries in
which Theravada Buddhism is practiced such as Thailand, Singapore,
Malaysia and Myanmar have similar programs of temporary ordination.
The program would take place under the patronage of Ven. Dr. K. Sri Dhammananda at 9.30 a.m. on January 15 at the Buddhist Cultural Centre and at the Meditation Centre in Rananwila, Kahatapitiya, Horana. SLMC
rebellion persists Parliamentarian
Noordeen Mashoor, spokesman for the rebel Athaullah faction, said
they had put forward their demand at a three-hour meeting with the
premier and he had promised a response within days. He said they
were asking that members of the Athaullah faction be given the portfolios
being held by Mr. Hakeem and his supporters. The rebel spokesman
also scoffed at a deadline set by Mr. Hakeem for the rebels to return
to the party. He vowed they
would not accept Mr. Hakeem's leadership. Minister Hakeem in an apparent bid to boost his support among eastern Muslims also visited flood-hit Ampara and Batticaloa districts to work out immediate relief measures. Lanka
reacts cautiously to US suggestion The suggestion
was made on Friday by US ambassador Ashley Wills who said his country
might seek facilities here in the event of a war with Iraq. Foreign Minister
Tyronne Fernando said yesterday said no formal request had been
made yet. "We will cross that bridge when we come to it,"
he said. Speaking for the main opposition People's Alliance, former Minister Nimal Siripala de Silva said he hoped there would be no war. He said that if the United States went to war outside the UN resolution, then Sri Lanka should not provide any facilities.
"Japan's
financial investment in Sri Lanka for the next financial year is
in the area of US$ 100 million and is expected to rise to US$ 500
million by 2006," said Mr. Arjuna Mahendran, chairman of BOI.
The only thing
that stands in the way of this US$ 500 million projection is the
potential failing of the peace process. Mr. Mahendran
said: "Japan is keen to be involved in Sri Lanka's reconstruction
process but they have a commercial justification for being here." Japan's pledge
to earmark US$2.86 million in Emergency Grant Aid at last month's
Oslo Donor's Meeting for Sri Lanka's Peace Process Support, might
have more to do with safeguarding future interests and facilitating
confidence among smaller Japanese businesses than with philanthropy. There is currently
an excess of 68 Japanese companies operating in Sri Lanka but this
year we have witnessed an increase in Japanese commercial interest
starting with the large number of Japanese delegates visiting Sri
Lanka to explore investment options to Mitsui's recent revelation
of a seven-year expansion plan. These initiatives have helped pave the way for future Japanese investment in the country.
The differences
emerged publicly when LSSP leader Batty Weerakoon said recent statements
released in the name of the PA were really SLFP statements and not
PA statements because they did not reflect the views of the LSSP. Mr. Weerakoon,
a senior minister in the former PA administration, said the LSSP
welcomed the LTTE's recent statement that it was ready to drop the
Eelam demand and work towards a solution based on federal status. The LSSP view
contrasted sharply with recent statements made by PA spokesman Sarath
Amunugama and other PA frontliners taking a hardline on the peace
process. At the other
extreme, MEP leader Dinesh Gunewardene, another ally of the PA,
has said his party has its own views on the peace process. In this scenario,
the policy-making executive committee of the PA has not met for
two months, Mr. Weerakoon complained. But Dr. Amunugama
brushed aside the LSSP-CP complaints, saying that the SLFP constituted
95 percent of the PA and had the right to issue statements in the
name of the PA. |
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