Under the cover of Eelam wars and Muslim expansionism another vicious force against Sinhalese Buddhists has been having a field day while in operation with impunity. Though this hasn’t been a new phenomenon which has been in existence around us from the day European colonists set their foot in our land, above mentioned two forces have given perfect cover for the forceful conversion of poor rural Buddhists to Christianity for decades now. The attention of Buddhists was largely focused on the former for some decades and the latter lately with intermittent protests against conversations. Even the intermittent protest generated, largely by Buddhists clergy, paled into insignificance by the overwhelming attention received by the former for decades.
The alarming extent of forceful conversations in operation in Buddhist Villages
However, the sheer degree of forceful conversion that has been in operation and the damage it caused is such that Sinhalese Buddhists and the clergy have been forced to come out in protest. It has grown to such extent that a large number of poor rural Sinhalese Buddhist villages have been witnessing so called “Prayer Houses” emerging every other day bearing varied names such as “Jeevana Alokaya”, Foursquare Church, “Suveya Doratuwa”, “ Church of Grace”, “Assemblies of God” and “Calvary Free Church” etc etc. The sheer multitudes of names themselves suggest the magnitude of effort being put into and its spread.
Usual demonization of Sinhalese Buddhists as a bunch of racists
Even a slightest protest made against conversion is used to usual vilification of Sinhalese Buddhists with popular name calling such as “Saffron terror”, “Ethno-religious fascism”, “ Buddhist Racism”, “discriminating religions of minorities”, “Saffron Robed Terrorism”, “Buddhist extremists violating the rights of minority religions” etc etc. The powerful forces behind this anti-constitutional act are connected with their overseas patrons and it is being spear-headed in Sri Lanka by a well organised and well –funded varied religious bodies, individuals and organisations.
Poverty is used as the main tool for forceful conversion
As it’s commonly known most widely used modus operandi to lure Buddhists has been by offering financial and material support and thereby baiting them to change the religion. Promotion of hatred against Buddhism by vilifying its founder is also found to have been one of the common methods used. There have been many instances where the Buddhists are forced to dash the Buddha statues on the walls and breaking them. The notorious “Pastors” heading the above mentioned “Prayer Houses” are swamping poor Sinhalese Buddhist villages aimed at dislodging their Buddhist foundations. Thousands of foreign funded organisations operating from Colombo with dubious names, claimed to have been working on Community Development in rural areas, are also the nerve centers of a wide-spread network of “Prayer Houses” and “Churches” operating in villages
Vilification of Sinhalese Buddhists has found the perfect timing with UNHRC round the corner
The propaganda machine of Eelamists has been and is still one of the best in its contemporary time which hardly find rival even in the West. It is supported financially, morally and expertise by powerful sections of the Tamil diaspora and even some Western governments and organisations. The anti-Sinhalese Buddhist propaganda campaign unleashed by the forces behind the forceful conversions seems only to second the Eelam propagandists. A very effective local and international media campaign demonising Sinhalese Buddhists has been unleashed aimed at upcoming UNHRC session in Geneva in March. The negative publicity received by Sri Lanka internationally gives an immense boost for forceful conversion to proceed unabated. This has also given a turbo boost for Eelam propagandists. The case in point is DBS Jeyraj who has been demonising Sinhalese Buddhists as being a bunch of “Ethno-religious fascists”. As being a Christian himself Jeyraj has been vilifying Sinhalese Buddhists in his blog with his own writing and giving space to other writers hell bent to unleash anti Sinhalese Buddhist propaganda. Interestingly, Eelam project has firm Christian foundations from its inception.
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