Origin and development of a treacherous movement

by W. T. A. Leslie Fernando

In the middle of the 20th century with the vast changes in society the Catholic Church had to re-orientate itself to meet the needs of the time. The Vatican Council II (1962-65) took stock of the situation and brought about sweeping changes in the Catholic doctrine. Church structure and its social outlook. It even mellowed its hostile attitude towards Marxist oriented socialism.

In 1949, when China became a communist country, the Catholic Church got alarmed and passed away many attributes against Marxists. It forbade Catholics from joining or supporting Marxist parties. Marxists were denied Church recognition, sacraments and church burials. Subsequently communism spread all over and Vietnam in Asia and even Cuba in Latin America became communist countries. Liberation Theology: There was a fear that the Catholic world in Latin America would go communist. To counteract this, there came into being a new theology called the 'Liberation Theology' specially among the Catholics in Latin America. Liberation Theology sought solutions in social problems through Marxist related ideals but at the same time refraining from subscribing to Marxist ideology. Liberation Theology got an impetus from the Vatican Council II.

Blessing

The Liberation Theology advocated that Catholics should bring about a just and fair society in this world itself. However some Catholic priests were admonished by the Pope for going to extremes and giving a political dimension to religion. Nevertheless the NGOs that came into being during this period were a blessing to them. This was revealed by the activities of some Catholic clergy in Sri Lanka.

The aim of most of the NGOs that came into being at the time of the cold war between communist countries and capitalist countries was to prevent the spread of communism in the third world. Two of the earliest NGOs in Sri Lanka were Satyodaya and Marga. Marga addressed to the learned government officials and politicians. The theme of Marga was to infuse, the defects of communism and benefits of capitalism in the minds of people. Satvodaya was meant to appeal to the masses. (Gaveshaka - Batathira Kuli Senankaya - NGO, 2004, page 36).

Sarvodaya exalted Buddhist doctrine and non-violence propounded by Mahathma Gandhi. Catholics and Christians were found active in the Marga. Another NGO that came into prominence was the Social Civil International (SCI) where late Mrs. Kusala Abhayawardena, a former LSSP MP played a key role.

Funds

In due course some Catholic and Christian NGOs came into the scene in Sri Lanka. In 1970s Rev. Fr. Tissa Balasuriya with the blessings of the Catholic Church set up the Centre for Society and Religion at Maradana, Colombo. Rev. Yohan Devananda formed Devasarana Centre at Ibbagamuwa, Rev. Fr. Paul Casperz headed Sarvodaya in Kandyan areas. And the SEDEC was set up by the Catholic Church in Kynsey Road, Colombo.

It is said that these Catholic and Christian NGOs get funds from foreign agencies. In 1983 in a magazine published by a world-wide Christian organisation, the names of about 200 institutions that came under its wing was published. The map that described them was named "A Map of Liberation". The Centre for Society and Religion, Satyodaya and Devasarana too were found in the list of this world-wide Christian Organisation (Sisira Paranathanthri; Sanvidana Athulatha Sanvidana - Divayina Sunday Edition, November 15, 1987).

There are also many other organisations that have been directly or indirectly supported by the NGO sector. Among them you find various institutions such as students' fronts, women's organisations, liberation movements, associations to liberate prisoners, human rights organisations, farmers associations, institutions for ethnic harmony, research institutions and even bhikkhu sabhas. A special feature of most of these associations is that they are being led and controlled by the same crowd. Although they do some service to society, in the long run they are detrimental to the country. (Sisira Paranathanthri; Samajikayan Nethi Sanvidana - Divayina Sunday Edition, October 18, 1987)

Some of the Catholic priests in the NGO sector advocate that they should mix with the public in the ordinary dress and appear in lay clothes. As they get foreign funds the Church authorities do not have much control over them. Some of them challenge the accepted Catholic precepts and others even rebel against the Church authorities.

Once my wife and I participated in a 3-day seminar held at Hendala. There were many Buddhist and Catholic youngsters, both boys and girls and their behaviour was excellent. On the last day there came a Catholic priest, a leading NGO activist in lay clothes with a married woman. They misbehaved there kissing and caressing each other and it was a scandal. I reported it to Church authorities but no action was taken.

Leftist garb

This NGO sector is a well organised force with a leftist garb funded by foreign agencies to destroy our national consciousness and the socialist movement. In this endeavour they bring bhikkhus too to the forefront and organises various seminars, training camps and workshops for them. The NGO sector fund these bhikkhu organisations. (Sisira Paranathanthri; Boardlali Sanvidanavala Situvaru Saha Bisovaru - Divayina Sunday Edition October 25, 1987.

A well-known Buddhist writer has well expressed the situation thus: "Church sects take not only our youngsters but even bhikkhus for seminars abroad and trap them. When they attend one seminar where you are provided with all sorts of sumptuous food and whisky, brand new dollar notes emanating fragrance and friendship of attractive males and females, who is the soul who could refuse the invitation for the next seminar?" (Dr. Harischandra Wijetunga); Mara Senagage Saha Devadattayange Weda, 2003-page 22).

This NGO sector has a close link with the traditional Leftist parties. Some Leftist leaders are found working in collaboration with them. The first bhikkhu to be elected to Parliament Ven. Baddegama Samitha Thera of the LSSP seems to have been sent to England for training by Devasarana of Rev. Yohan Devananda, (Dr. Susantha Goonetilake; Recolonisation, Foreign Funded NGOs in Sri Lanka, 2006 - page 234).

Earlier this NGO sector could command only the Christians. However they were able to infiltrate into Leftist organisations and reach a wider spectrum. In the 1980s they captured the power of the Farmers' Conference set up by the Communist Party. At a discussion in England a representative of this organisation has expressed that his religion had some power only in the coastal belt but now it has spread all over the country and the Farmers' Conference is an example to this effect. (Sisira Paranathanthri; Pragathiseeli Prakashana Ha Sanvidana Pasupasa Athi Nopanena Balavegaya' - Divayina Sunday Edition, November 01, 1987).

This NGO sector exaggerate the difficulties faced by the Tamils so as to get foreign funds. 'Black July' was a good source of income to them. It was alleged that Sarvodaya too was involved in settling young men from the plantation sector in Vavuniya and Kilinochchi under the Gnadhijiyam movement. (Sisira Paranathanthri: Sanvidhana Athulatha Sanvidhana' - Divayina Sunday Edition, November 15, 1987).

Naked aggression

This sector works in collaboration with other NGOs and their activists. Rev. Fr. Tissa Balasuriya was the Director of Centre for Society and Religion and Mrs. Bernadeen Silva was its secretary. In the Citizens Committee organised in the same premises Fr. Tissa Balasuriya was a co-secretary and Mrs. Bernadeen Silva was a Vice-President.

Its other Vice-President was Godfrey Gunatilake of the Marga. Once when Patrick Fernando of the Farmers' Conference returned after a tour in the Philippines, there was a discussion on the farmers struggle in Philippines at the Centre for Society and Religion. Sunanda Deshapriya addressed the gathering and in the 'Ravaya' of Victor Ivan Sunanda Deshapriya was represented as a farmer activist. (Sisira Paranathanthri; Pragathiseeli Prakashana and Sanvidhana Pasupasa Athi Nopanena Balavegaya' - Divayina Sunday Edition, November 01, 1987)

All the leading political parties and the world press saw the Indo-Lanka Accord in 1987 as naked aggression.

However the NG's were exultant and tried to mobilise public support for it. A news release welcoming the Accord was signed among others by Radhika Coomaraswamy and Sunil Bastian of the International Centre for Ethnic Studies, Suriya Wickremasinghe and Desmond Fernando of the Civil Rights Movement, Bernadeen Silva of the Centre for Society and Religion, Charles Abeyasekera of the Movement of Racial Justice and Equality, Reggie Siriwardena of the Committee for National Development, Kumari Jayawardene and Newton Gunasinghe of Social Scientists Association and Yohan Devananda of Devasarana. (Dr. Susantha Goonatilake; Recolonisation page 99).

Today after several decades this NGO sector has succeeded in achieving its aims and objectives considerably. The traditional Left parties have become a mere shadow of their old selves and have allied with foreign funded NGOs and Church sectors. (Dr. Susantha Goonatilake; Recolonisation - page 273).

The Church sector has made fast inroads to the trade union and welfare activities of the Leftists.

Even some Maha Sangha who have been vociferous about our national identity, spiritual and cultural values have been silenced by drawing them to multi-religious forums and alliances. The NGO sector is also behind mixing up religious and creating a hotch-potch of them.

One Catholic priest has expressed thus to a Sinhala journal. "I am certain that in ten years to come, people would not be divided as Buddhists, Christians, Muslims and Hindus. A time would come where we could go to Sri Maha Bodhi, Nallur Kovil and Tewatta Church had meditate so that spirituality would take the place of religions" (Lakbima, Sunday Edition, May 07, 2004). This sounds a hidden agenda to dissolve the religions. If this were to happen it would adversely affect Buddhists who are about 70 per cent of our population. That would lead to the destruction of other religions as well.

It is time for all the patriotic people in Sri Lanka without any racial and religious differences to identify and outrival this destructive force.

(The writer is the President of the Newman Society Alumni Association)