No information has been received by the Ministry of Buddhasasana, Religious and Cultural Affairs regarding the joint declaration prepared by the Tamil diaspora group, the Global Tamil Forum (GTF) and certain high-profile Buddhist monks which mainly advocates a pluralistic country.
Last week, the GTF delegation and a number of high-profile Buddhist monks presented the “Joint Himalaya Declaration”, which advocates for a pluralistic Sri Lanka, to President and Minister of National Policies Ranil Wickremesinghe.
When contacted by The Daily Morning yesterday (13), Secretary to the Ministry Somaratne Vidanapathirana said that the Ministry has no connection with the parties who signed the particular declaration and also said that the Ministry is yet to receive the detailed declaration. Therefore, he said that no action can be taken regarding the implementation of the said declaration at this moment. However, speaking further, he said that the implementation of any such declaration will be done only after clearly going through the declaration. He said that he cannot comment further on this matter since the Ministry has not received the relevant documents.
Speaking to The Daily Morning, Commissioner General of Buddhist Affairs K.P. Siribaddana also said that he has not been informed of such a joint declaration.
According to the President’s Media Division, the “Joint Himalaya Declaration”, a collaborative effort between the GTF and the said Buddhist delegation, advocates for a pluralistic Sri Lanka that actively promotes the wellbeing of all its communities. While emphasising the importance of learning from the nation’s historical missteps, the declaration underscores the necessity for implementing measures that ensure accountability.
President Wickremesinghe had expressed his appreciation for the initiative and committed to considering the recommendations outlined in the declaration.
Meanwhile, a group of monks representing the organisation, the “Sangha (Buddhist clergy) for a Better Sri Lanka”, and a delegation representing the GTF met Speaker of Parliament Mahinda Yapa Abeywardana at Parliament on Tuesday (12) where the “Himalaya Declaration” – which includes six articles for a peaceful and prosperous Sri Lanka – was presented. It was also revealed that this publication was prepared following a discussion held in Nepal in April 2023, between the monks from all the Chapters, and members of the Tamil diaspora from various countries.
Justice Minister, President’s Counsel Dr. Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe said that this meeting was held with the participation of monks, the global Tamil community. and Parliamentarians, is a historic occasion for national unity.
The Minister also said that instead of calling the Tamil community in different countries as the “diaspora”, they should be considered as our own community. He pointed out that all of them have their roots in this country, and that therefore, they should be treated as our relatives. The Convenor of the “Sangha for a Better Sri Lanka”, Ven. Kalupahana Piyarathana Thera pointed out that this document is open for discussion and amendments. Representing the GTF, Suren Surendhiran said that he met the Chief Prelates (Mahanayakas) of the Sects to inform them about this declaration and that they have their blessings for this initiative.