Ven. Dambara Amila Thera has alleged that a coordinated campaign is under way to mislead Generation Z youth by using social media and modern technology to launch what he described as a large-scale defamatory drive against the Buddhist clergy.
Addressing a media briefing yesterday (16), the Thera claimed that the current Government, which he characterised as aligned with Marxist ideology, was attempting to transform Sri Lanka into a communist state and ultimately abolish religion.
He alleged that derogatory terms were being used online to insult members of the Maha Sangha and that young people belonging to the Gen Z generation were being influenced through such narratives. According to him, no previous administration in Sri Lanka’s history had targeted the Buddha Sasana in this manner.
The Thera further stated that the country’s present rulers were not engaged in religious activities and claimed, as a former head of the Bhikkhu wing of the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna, that he was familiar with their conduct. He accused certain political actors of using the monastic robe not for the advancement of Buddhism but for the pursuit of power.
Drawing parallels with countries such as China, Russia, Cuba and North Korea, he warned of a potential risk of religions being curtailed or banned if current trends continued.
He announced that a special meeting representing all three Nikayas — Siam, Amarapura and Ramanna — would be held on Friday (20) at the Colombo Buddhist Congress Centre, with the participation of the Mahanayake and Anunayake Theras and thousands of members of the Maha Sangha.
The gathering, he said, would serve as a warning to the Government and a signal that arbitrary actions would not be tolerated.
At the same time, he expressed appreciation to President Anura Kumara Dissanayake for facilitating the opportunity for the meeting.
While acknowledging that every government has its shortcomings, the Thera maintained that no administration in Sri Lanka’s history had launched what he described as such a direct and collective attack on the Sasana.
