by UDITHA DEVAPRIYA
The Mahanayakes of Sri Lanka’s three Buddhist monastic orders – Siam, Amarapura, and Ramanya – have written a letter to President Ranil Wickremesinghe. They have requested concessions on the recent electricity tariff hikes, which they claim are impacting temples severely. Citing the “enormous service” they render to society, the monks have pointed out that these temples are not in a position to absorb the current rates. They imply that since people visit them after work and in the evening, their contribution to the cultural and social life of the country cannot and should not be neglected.
The missive, seen as an attempt at reaching a truce with the government, followed from a number of demonstrations organised by Buddhist monks and other religious leaders. The protests centred on the point that religious institutions are being crushed by a 500 percent rise in electricity bills, whereas the impact on factories and business establishments has been less. Taking the lead in these protests, Venerable Omalpe Sobitha has threatened the government that Buddhist temples will not pay these bills.
Power and Energy Minister, Kanchana Wijesekera, took to social media immediately when the protests started. Pointing out that there had been no discrimination when finalising the list of categories for electricity users, Mr. Wijesekera bluntly stated that if temples did not pay up, power would be disconnected. He noted that ordinary people had not been spared these hikes and that they were suffering too. These remarks aggravated an already tense situation, compelling the Mahanayakes to write to the President. For his part, the latter offered an olive branch to the chief prelates, flagging their concerns and assuring them that the state would look into installing solar panels at temples.
These developments mark an interesting turnaround in the country’s politics. Buddhist monks have traditionally been seen as political creatures, actively involved or playing the more passive role of patrons and financiers. Their justification for this has been historical; Buddhist monks played an important part in the lives and politics of the kings so it is only natural that they continue playing it although the country has transformed from a hereditary monarchy to a constitutional republic. They have typically latched themselves on to parties and personalities that claim to uphold the trinity of populist politics in Sri Lanka – country, race and religion. This has enabled some parties to take a lead over others, although all major parties have a history of flirting with the clergy.
Such attitudes belie deep rooted feelings of insecurity and unease.
Ground Views for more