Sri Lanka News Updates with Discussions

1907 British who refused to build a public pilgrim house, build a rest house for the comforts of visiting European visitors in Anuradapura. They challenge the poor Buddhists to raise money to build a pilgrims rest British had refused to grant funds to build a public pilgrim house in Anuradapura. Many Europeans were then interested to witness the great archeological findings in Anuradapura. On the same spot, near the banks of TissaWeva, British spend 50,000 Rs of public money to build a rest house for the comfort of visiting Europeans. This make Buddhists very angry. They have been asking for a public pilgrim house for the welfare of the Buddhist visitors. To calm down the Buddhists, devious British Govt finally say that they will provide the land 'IF' Buddhists can come up with the money to build it. With almost all of the Sinhala elite simply being not interested, Poor Buddhists cannot raise that kind of money.
1907 The words 'Buddhist Extremists' are introduced by the British as Governer lies about the Meat Stall near the sacred Bo-tree. Replying to a written Buddhist request to get the meat stall removed from the sacred Bo-tree area, the Colonial govt says that it as an attempt engineered by Buddhist 'extremists'. They also say that the Governer on his visit personally witnessed that it was nowhere near a shrine. ( yeah, it was only just another 'tree' it was close to.) This 'Buddhist extremist' term will become favourite words of those who try to rip off Lanka in the decades to come. Whenever the Sinhala Buddhists try to speak against injustice or unfair deals, they will be labelled with this term.

1912 Buddhist procession from Gangatileke temple is blocked by Muslims near the mosque Five years after erecting the noticeboard, the procession from the temple is blocked by Muslim extremists near the mosque. Elikewela who is the Basnayaka Nilame of the temple leads the precession through the Muslim protesters saying it is a 800 years old tradition.
1912 Muslims complain exagerated to the British - British ban making any noise within 50 yards of the mosque. Buddhists ask why only the Muslims are complaining when the Church on the same street is not troubled. Muslims complained to the British GA for Kandy, P.S. Saxton, that the Buddhists were behaving badly. They claim that Buddhsits were making insulting noises near the mosque. British imposed a govt rule that no noise must happen within 50 yards radious of the mosque, and threaten to ban the temple procession if it breaks the rule again. Elikewela, Basnayaka Nilame, thru T.B.Nugawela- Diyawadane Nilame of Dalada Maligawa, complained to Kandy GA & ask how the procession is a problem to the mosque when the Christian church on the same street is not complaining.
1912 Arrogant British GA increase the limit from 50 to 100 yards When Elikewela went to see Kandy GA to remind that they are breaking the promise of 5th chapter, 1815 Sinhala treaty, angry British GA extend the limit to 100 yrds.
1912 15th April, Alcohol Act passes thru the council without any objections from the Sinhala rep Sinhala rep, Christopher obeysekera, (grandfather of SWRD Bandaranayaka), remain silent. This act allows Bars being opened in front of Sri Maha Bodiya, and Beef, Mutton, Venison stalls being opened near Jethavanaramaya, Tuparamaya, RuwanveliMahaseya, mostly by the Muslims.
1913 British prohibit civil servants & village chiefs from joining the temperance movement As it could affect the revenue, the civil servants had to get permission before joining, and village chiefs were banned from joining at all.
1913 Temperence society is a classic example of how British had successfully divided the society to their advantage The few Non-Buddhists in the society do not want to criticise the Missionary. The Europeans didn't like public meetings or political demonstrations. Traditional elite do not want reforms to legistative council. Nationalists wanted only to place more reps in the council. But Buddhists were pushing for the ultimate all the way. They could go nowhere.
1913 'No one is complaining or unhappy in Lanka'-says British Lack of one strong sentiment from the locals,enable the British to claim that Lanakans are happy the way the things are.
1913 Passing away of W.Harishchandra due to cancer The man who gave leadership to the Buddhist revival and the socially-down Sinhalese masses while Sinhalese Headmen & chiefs assigned by the British, stayed neutral and silent despising the masses, passed away on 13th Sept. His leadership, though led to confrontations in 1903 Anuradapura riots and 1905 Udamaluwa incident, had awaken the masses and led to the survival of Anuradapura for the future generations.

1914 Nilame Elikewela goes to courts against the British GA- Sinhala rep in the council is totally silent AGAIN- But Buddhists win the case on 4th June In the ongoing issue of the signboard put up by the mosque, after the limit was extended to 100 yrds by the arrogant British GA, He take the matter to courts. Christopher Obeysekera, ( Grandfather of SWRD Bandarsnayaka) sole Sinhala rep in the council, does not speak a word to defend the Buddhists. But Anagarika Darmapala, & Valisinghe Harischandra campaign hard.
1914 14th June, British GA, supported by Muslim & Christian extremists, appeal against the ruling. Many social, political & religiuos leaders of the minorities in Lanka, have developed the habit of uniting to despise Sinhala Buddhist rights. Unchallenged by the so-called Sinhala elite, they continue their mean onslaught against the Buddhists until their propaganda take firm root as nothing but the truth.
1915 Young Lanka League -1st radical group with a political programme for independence, But they forget to rally the upcountry Indian workers Set up by A.E.Goonesinghe, whose lonely efforts for 12 years were hardly supported by any reformists or the elites or the National congress, the Young Lanka Leahue give leadership to the urban working class. They also form urban trade unions which made the British realized that the strikes & work-stoppages were becoming a reality. But the league did one fatal mistake. They forgot to unionise the Indian workers in the hill country. This left a vacuum for the selfish Indian Tamil leaders to group them seperately as an ethnic workers union.
1915 2nd Feb- British GA in Kandy wins the appeal & overjoyed Muslim extremists harass Buddhists 2nd February, the Supreme Court rules that the British-GA's rule of 100 yards no-noise zone around the mosque must stay. Such rulings give confidance to minorities to humiliate & despise the rights of the SInhalese. Jubiliant Muslims, humiliate Bikkus, attack 2 houses in Kurunegala & Polgahawela during Pirith & Dana ceremonies, & attack a few Sinhalese shops which were in business competition with Musilm traders.
1915 27th Feb-British favouration let Muslims get away in the Telligamuwa attack by only advising them not to be violent again : helpless against continuing injustices & humiliation in their own country, Sinhalese anger and frustration begin to boil. 27 th Feb- Muslim thugs assault the Buddhist Upasampada procession at TelliGamuwa. One monk is assaulted until he fell unconcious, a young Sinhalese who tried to protect the Samadi Budda statue is assaulted & Muslim thugs break the statue into pieces. In courts, Muslims lie that the procession made a big noise when passing a mosque while there wasn't even a mosque at that time in any of the places where the incidents took place. There was only a Muslim school in the village. Realising Muslims thuggery couldn't be justified, British ignores to investigate further. British as usual, stay lenient to Muslims. They only advise the Muslims not to be violent again. Then, British dismiss the case. But, helpless against continuing injustices & humiliation in their own country, Sinhalese anger and frustration begin to boil.

http://www.worldfactsandfigures.com/gdp_country_desc.php