Public outcry against Crosses and Statute illegally planted across Mannar
By K.T.Rajasingham
Colombo, 23 September, (Asiantribune.com):
The case filed by the northern province Archeological Research Officer Mr. Jayantha Wijewardene, on 12 July, against Fr. Peter Manoharan of St Lucius Church, Pallimunei, Mannar for installing illegally a statute of Mary inside the historically famous giant Baobab Tree compound, is coming up for hearing on the 27th of this month before Mrs. Jeevarani of the Mannar Police Magistrate Court.
The Baobab Adansonia digitata L or Perukku Maram in Tamil is preserved as a historically important tree by the Archeological Department in Pallimunei, Mannar.
It was alleged that Christian dignitaries’ of that area has installed a statute of Mary inside the compound of the historical tree, without obtaining permission from the relevant authorities.
Though the intention of planting the statute was still not explained, but it is alleged that conversion to Christianity is clandestinely carried on and these activities are on the increase in Mannar. It is suspected that a group of Christians with the blessing of the Bishop of Mannar is installing Statute and Crosses in public places that are common to all religious communities.
Mannar is predominantly a Tamil administrative district, where Tamils and Muslims who lives in the district, are speakers of Tamil language. Majority of the Tamils are Catholics, rest Hindus and there is an equal amount of Muslim population too in Mannar.
Religious harmony was prevailing in Mannar until recently when Crosses and Statutes begun to emerge in public places which are common to all the communities. There is a common allegation that these symbols of Christian religion are planted with the blessings of the Bishop of Mannar to convert innocent Tamils as Catholic Christians. THis allegation is yet to be confirmed.
A month ago it was alleged that Christian leaders secretly planted a statute at Pallimunei in Mannar, where a very rare and historically famous giant Baobab Tree of archeological interest is fenced around and preserved by the Archeological Department.
People in the area were disturbed to see the statute of Mary planted in a common place without any authority. Hindus and Muslims have protested over such action which threatens peace and existing good relationship among the three different religious groups and it is learn that Archeologocal Department has filed a case against the alleged suspects involved in planting the statute.
The oldest and the largest baobab tree is at Pallimunei, Mannar, which is said to be about 800 years old. The circumference of the tree is 19.5 meters and 7.5 meters tall. This is the most popular tree in Sri Lanka next to the Bo Tree (Pipal Tree) in Anuradhapura.
The baobab being an introduced species, it is protected in Sri Lanka given its rarity and antiquity. In earlier times Baobab trees has been growing in Jaffna and Puttlam too.
The Baobab Adansonia digitata L. belongs to the family Bombacaceae. It appears strange and barrel-like enormous trunk, which tapers into branches. The name baobab comes from the Arabic plant name Buhibab, while the scientific name is after the French Botanist M. Adanson (1727–1806). The tree is more known for its girth than height: trunks attain a diameter of 9 m (30 ft) in some cases, and are hollow in the centre. The bark is rough and greyish, and since it resembles the hide of an elephant, but Tamils refer to it as Perukkaa which means Large fruit. Catholics in Mannar call baobab the Judas Bag given the 30 seeds its fruit contains. Monkeys love the fruit and hence the tree is sometimes known as the Monkey-bread tree.
- Asian Tribune -
Comments
This article states that : "
This article states that : " ..... at Pallimunei in Mannar, where a very rare and historically famous giant Baobab Tree of archeological interest is fenced around and preserved by the Archeological Department". Does this ancient tree come under the protection of the Archeological Dept. ? If so, the laws of Archeological Dept. should prevail regarding the Statue placed there. Or does the Lanka law regarding public property prevail - or both laws prevail ?. The authorities concerned should pass a ruling according to the laws.
The same laws should apply to all public property anywhere in Lanka. No one should be allowed to use public property for religious purposes or any other purposes, other than with special permits to do so, isn't it ? Permits should be given after proper debate & discussions are held with the public. Laws regarding use of public property should not be ignored, and must be implemented forthwith.
It's possible that new laws may have to be introduced in special cases such as this ancient Baobab Tree.
Religious Statues in Unlikely Places
For 800 years the Baobab tree of Mannar stood without religious affiliation, and for years stood protected by the Dept. of Archeology. Now, out of the blue a statue of the Virgin is placed alongside its trunk. Surprisingly, there has been no claim of this being a 'miracle', as has happened in Matara where the 2nd tsunami wave brought back the statue of the Virgin (swept off from the St. Servatius church by the 1st wave), and deposited it in the yard of a poor Sinhala fisherman. The fisherman gets no credit for having returned the statue to the Church. Instead, it is marketed as a 'miracle' for an annual event surrounding the statue's return as being in answer to prayer.
Transformations of buildings of religious worship also occur with demographic transformations. In the Eastern Province, on the Trinco-Nilaveli road, at least 2 mosques (distinct by the positioning of the buildings at an angle within the properties in order to face Mecca, and the minarets on the roofs), have now been transformed into Hindu Kovils, with statues of multiple Hindu deities along the roofs' edges, and the Crescent and Star replaced by the Cross. Similarly in Spain, onetime Mosques of the Moghul Empire have been transformed into Churches. These transformations take place with changes in demographics.
We are attempting to campare
We are attempting to compare apples and oranges here. ABANDONED buildings being used for other purposes is not the same as waking up one morning to find, for instance, a statue of Buddha in a roundabout in Jaffna, or statues of the Virgin Mary and Jesus Christ outside Sri Lanka's Parliament.
The point is that laws are already in force to deal with these types of problems, BUT THESE LAWS SHOULD NOT BE APPLIED SELECTIVELY. And if laws are going to be applied selectively, Prez R shouldn't be surpised if he gets a good hard smack fom his own wife.
And if statues of the Virgin Mary and Jesus Christ are found in place outside Parliament one morning, will the police act immediately, or will they wait for someone to file a lawsuit?
People seem to overlook that
People seem to overlook that all these could be connected to the sudden rise in erecting, or setting up, items of religious significance in various parts of the country, especially in the North and East, even when people who live in the area are of a different religious persuation. (I didn't see anyone condemning these acts at this site until now.)
Clearly, what is needed are clearly defined laws. And I suspect that these laws do exist, but are not enforced if the items of religious significance belong to one religion, but, then, people seem mortified when items of religious significance to other religions are erected.
Now, based on the ruling in this case, it may be easier to get rid off all the illegally set up structures etc., in the North and East.
Bishop Rayappu has very astutely brought into focus the problem of illegal structures etc., set-up by, for instance, soldiers.
If Bishop Rayappu cannot set-up this structure, then the same should apply to all the other guys who are illegally setting-up structures of religious significance.
Why is it so difficult for the GosL to figure out these simple facts? Is it because the GoSL has quite a few jokers within its ranks?
And thank you Bishop Rayappu for bringing into sharp focus a festering problem and waking up a lot of ignorant folks.
If anyone feels that there
If anyone feels that there are illegal structures erected in any part of Sri Lanka, they must seek remedial action allowed by law. We have an independent legal system in the country. There is no point in politicising the issue. That is all what Bishop Rayappu has done.
He is inciting racial hatred and he will be punished by GOD. Let us not follow his example.
On the other hand, there are kovils in almost all temples. There is ample evidence across the country that Buddhist in general have nothing against Hindus and Christians. We must not be unduly concerned about any statue as long as they are erected legally(such things cannot hurt or kill anyone).
As Thamby7 seems to suggest, if structures are set up in wrong places and there is no one to worship, they will not be able to support their upkeep and they are unlikely to last long.
Insensitive cultural ignorance
Conversion to Christianity in less than ethical means have irked many a community in Sri Lanka prompting even the thought of legislating against conversion by coercion and practices that amount to bribery. Several such conversions have been carried out in Buddhist areas. Embracing a religion by choice is a right that should be available to anyone, but exerting undue influence and resorting to unethical ways of forcing a choice on any individual should not be allowed. It is a great pity that the good name of Jesus Christ is misused in this manner by the very same people who have vowed to live by the rules of Christianity as preached by Christ. Besides this, showing cultural insensitivity and taking action to undermine the peaceful cohabitation that prevails in any community is also tantamount to being at cross purposes with the teachings of Christ.
The incident reported here where someone associated with the Catholic Church has apparently taken action to disturb the tranquility surrounding an 800 year old historical tree of great archeological and cultural significance by placing the statue related to a particular religious denomination, is bound to disturb the equilibrium and peace amongst the community, ad create tension when there was none before this incident.
This oldest and the largest baobab tree at Pallimunei, Mannar, said to be about 800 years old, with a circumference of 19.5 meters and height of 7.5 meters is indeed a national treasure that should belong to all people irrespective of their religious beliefs. It cannot and should not be identified with any religion, as historically it has not been identified as such.
The Archeologocal Department is well within their rights to do what they have done, to file a case against those responsible for attempting to disturb the peace in the area. It would have been far better if those responsible for placing this statue to have removed it and left the historic tree to be free of any religious attributes.
It is still not too late to do that.
This is cultural vandalism
This is cultural vandalism under the pretext of religious sentiments - plain and simple. Questionably-pious Bishop Rayappu is certainly up to something and seems to be seeking divine intervention for the agenda.
His behaviour during the heyday of the LTTE, sad to say, shows that Bishop Rayappu's source of inspiration is demonic by nature. He is not the kind of man who is prepared to offer the other cheek., as his spiritual father did almost 2000 years ago.
I am prepared to kneel down before Bishop Rayappu and beg for mercy, if he can show me a single thing done by him to promote harmony among the communities in Mannar - and beyond rather than enhancing the divisions among vulnerable people by stealth.
As the Christ himself said Satan is not a fool; he uses the clergy to destroy the very institutes that they swear by to protect. We would not be surprised if Mannar becomes Satan's new permanent residence.