Task force headed by Gnanasara Thera; Pre-determined objectives

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The appointment of Venerable Gnanasara thero to head a Presidential Task Force (PTF) raises several issues related to both governance and national reconciliation.

An examination of the mandate of the newly appointed PTF reveals that it is required and empowered to

(1) Make a study of the implementation of the concept ‘One Country, One Law’ within Sri Lanka and prepare a draft act for the said purpose and

(2) To study the draft acts and amendments already prepared by the Justice Ministry in relation to this subject and to submit suitable amendments where appropriate.

While the ‘One Country, One Law’ concept was widely used in the 2019 Presidential election and the 2020 Parliamentary elections by the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) as a slogan to mobilise the Sinhala Buddhist votes, what it meant was never clearly articulated during the campaign nor has it been explained in the terms of reference of the new Presidential Task Force.

People are therefore left to figure out what it means. The utterances and actions of the chief theoretician of this concept, the Ven. Galagodathe Gnanasara thero, can help to shed light on what is envisaged by him as the ‘One Country, One Law’ concept.

To him (as per his own utterances) it means, among other things, the repealing of the Muslim Marriage and Divorce Act (MMDA), including the Quazi system, the closing down of madrasas, reinterpreting of the religious teachings of Islam, including the Quran, and compelling Muslims to practice their religion according to his understanding of Islam.

The Muslim representatives on this Task Force themselves are not described with the respect befitting a PTF member in the Gazette notification. One is described as Moulavi Mohamed without even his initials mentioned, while another is simply described as a lecturer.

In such a context one is somewhat baffled by the cry that there is no representation of other communities, women or youth. One would have thought that no community would wish to be associated with an exclusive process that seemingly has a pre-determined objective that undermines national reconciliation and national unity.

There are also calls from some quarters for the Muslim representatives in the PTF to decline to participate in the work. What would be more appropriate, however, is to call for all those Muslims who supported the Government at the last elections to take a stand and step down from the positions they hold in Government as they have contributed to the plight the Muslim community is facing today.

Another task entrusted to the PTF is to study the draft acts and amendments that have already been prepared by the Justice Ministry in relation to this subject and to suggest suitable amendments. This inevitably leads us to the conclusion that the Justice Ministry’s MMDA Reforms are in fact in pursuance of the Gnanasara doctrine of ‘One Country, One Law’ although it has been presented as a response to demands of women’s groups.

The rationale behind entrusting such a task (however unacceptable) to a PTF is questionable.

The elevation of Ven. Gnanasara thero to head the PTF sanitises all his actions and also indicates that the Government does not find his conduct objectionable.

The Presidential Commission to probe the Easter attacks (PCOI) passed several strictures on him and recommended that the Attorney General should consider instituting legal action against him and further recommended that the Bodu Bala Sena (BBS) of which he is the leader be banned.

It is interesting to note the qualities of the Ven. monk that prompted the President to appoint him as the chairperson of the PTF. The Gazette Extraordinary dated 26.10.2021 states as follows: “Now, therefore, I, Gotabaya Rajapaksa, President of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka, reposing great trust and confidence in your prudence, ability and fidelity, appoint you the said …..”

What is even more worrying is the powers given to the PTF by the President as set out in the Gazette where he states “I do hereby require and direct all public officers and other persons to whom the said task force may issue instructions or from whom assistance for provision of services may be requested, to comply with all such instructions, render all such assistance and furnish all such information as may be properly complied with, rendered and furnished on that behalf. AND, I do hereby require and direct the said task force to report to me all instances where any Government employee or an officer in any ministry, government department, state corporation or any such institution who delay the performance of duties and fulfillment of responsibilities or fail to perform such duties and responsibilities to be entrusted by the said task force.”

While the appointment of the Ven. Monk to head the PTF has been criticised and questioned by all shades of opinion in the country, it also came in for considerable flak at the meeting of the leaders of constituent parties of the Government presided by the President and Prime Minister.

The first to raise the matter was National Congress Leader A. L. M. Athaullah, who stated the appointment was criticised not only by minorities but also by Buddhists.

Gevindu Kumaratunge, the leader of the nationalist Yuthukama organisation, questioned how a person who had broken the law of the land could be appointed to a body which was entrusted the task of making new laws.

Finance Minister Basil Rajapaksa however struck a different note and pointed out that the President who had a mandate from 69 lakhs of voters did not need anyone’s permission to make any appointment and was therefore entitled to appoint whom he wanted.

The embarrassment of other ministers with regard to the appointment was also quite evident when they avoided and declined to answer questions posed by journalists.

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