"They can murder me but they cannot murder our struggle"

AN EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW WITH VEN. UVATHANNE SUMANA THERA 

(January 10, Colombo, Sri Lanka Guardian) I will never stop my struggle to restore democracy in Sri Lanka, Venerable Uvathanne Suma thera told the Sri Lanka Guardian from Colombo. Sumana thera was imprisoned over fabricated allegations made by the Mahinda Rajapaksha government for political gain during the presidential election. But now he was released on bail.

Sumana thera has briefed us of his situation, “It was last November I met the President, Defence Secretary and other key people of the Government for discussion on political developments at the Templetrees. I asked them to take four steps to restore democracy in our motherland. Those four steps are, a. Abolished Executive Presidency, B. Reduced the Cabinet into 28 members, c. Implementing the Independence Commissions d. Repeal the emergency rules. “

“But they disagreed and angry President thought these four steps were not good for our establishment and it’s impossible to at least think of implementing such steps. We won’t see day dreams,” the Thero recalled his memories with the President.

After the crucial meeting, the Monk went out from the President’s place to the temple. After that the Monk conducted a discussion with General Fonseka ( At that time Presidential candidate ) on same topic where the General was agreed to do so if he elected. So then the monk declared his support to the General which was made the Rajapakse regime uneasy. Since that the Regime tried to tame the monk’s politics and many time the Government black security people tried silence the monk.

“On January 23 the land mark day I return from Anuradhapura where I held a meeting. Few minutes later more than 50 people who wore Army uniforms came into the Temple and one guy put his pistol to my head. While they were busy with some works. Some of them taken our young monk and urged him to take him to my room. So the monk showed them the room which I used. After that one man went there and broke the door. And they were kept two bags on my bed which they were brought from outside. After that they were took many photographs and videos and went out,” the Rev. Monk described his deadly experiences with the Sri Lanka Guardian.

“Few minutes later Special Task Officers (STF) came and they told me they need to check the temple. After that they proudly say loudly that they found weapons in my room. That is this entire story about. Since that day the Government harassing me till now,” the Monk added.

The Monk has been involved in politics quite a long time now, his basic objectives are protecting the sovereignty and unification of the motherland, giving the country a worldwide recognition and creating a national identity, cooperation in avoiding the inequality of distribution of resources in the country, contribution in democratizing the Sri Lankan society , contribution in building a social democratic state, Forwarding the country to a national economy minimizing imports and maximizing exports, commencing a theoretical revolution defeating colonial and dependence attitudes, representing in enhancing the universal right in writing, speech, opinion, expression and organization .

“However; today in Sri Lanka is under a dark era where norms and goal of Democracy is a day dream. But I will never give up my struggle to restore democracy in this Country. It will take time may be it will take our blood but we will never stop and thousands of people will join behind us,’ the monk conducted our discussion with optimistic mind.