Topic started by AJ (@ h216-18-119-45.gtconnect.net) on Wed Jan 8 12:02:34 .
All times in EST +10:30 for IST.

SRI LANKA - A nation ravaged by armed ethnic conflict that has been raging for nearly two decades. The once peaceful and prosperous island in the Indian ocean, just a few miles away from the Indian sub-continent has witnessed one of the worst ever genocide in history. A sizeable segment of the population was forced to flee their homeland and to take asylum in other countries, trying, more often than not, in vain, to get refugee status. The following figures reveal the magnitude of the problem.

UNHCR estimates that 917,000 Sri Lankans fled the country since 1983. 714,000 were internally displaced.
Between 1989 and 1998, 156,926 applications for asylum were received in Europe alone.
31,271 sought asylum in Canada.
83,946 SriLankans applied for asylum in North America and Australia.
In Britain, between 1980 and 2000, 41,985 sought asylum.
More than 60,000 lost their lives during the two decades of war.

The movie " in the name of Buddha is the film maker's response to this enormous human tragedy that has engulfed the lives of tens of thousands of innocent people. The film tells the story of Siva, a native Tamil from Sri Lanka ( and by implication identical stories of thousands like him) who was compelled to leave his motherland and take refuge in UK. The story narrates the harrowing experience he went through, in vivid, visual details.

The film portrays the agony of a people devastated by circumstances beyond their control, of ordinary folks who only wanted 'peace of mind and a decent life' as a protagonist puts it in the end.

The focus is on the atrocities, flagrant violations of human rights: the freedom fighters, the Lankan Army, the Indian Peace Keeping Force - all vie with one another in inflicting mindless violence on the hapless victims. The message that emerges urges one to take a non-partisan stand condemning violence and blood-shed, no matter who the perpetrators are or what their justifications be. It's an impassioned plea to the collective conscience of all right thinking people, a plea to shun violence once for all and to turn to the path shown by the Buddha and Gandhi. The film upholds the value of compassion and abjures all forms of retribution. There is no room for rhetoric.

Violence begets violence, what the world today needs is peace.
http://www.inthenameofbuddha.com/main.htm

http://news.tamilnet.com/art.html?artid=7845&catid=13

http://www.oslofilmfestival.com/2002/movie.asp?movieID=27

Responses:

• From: aj (@ h216-18-119-45.gtconnect.net) on: Wed Jan 8 12:19:58
  
  http://www.inthenameofbuddha.com/gallery.htm
  
  
• From: Senaka (@ dup-200-64-191-49.prodigy.net.mx) on: Wed Jan 8 20:18:22
  
  I have not seen the movie myself, but judging from the reaction in Sri Lanka, it probably is offensive to Buddhists. In the case that it is, I believe that is is indeed a credit to Sri Lankan move producers and directors for not producing anti-Hindu, anti-Muslim or anti-Christian movies, or for that matter, movies that portray the Tamil community in a highly negative light. Even during the height of the war, pro-war movies, or movies that demeaned the 'enemy' were not produced, to my knowlwedge. Instead, we had sensitive Sinhalese movies such as Saroja and Punchi Suranganavi (http://www.hinduonnet.com/thehindu/mp/2002/06/03/stories/2002060300080300.htm), Me Mage Sandai, Pura Handa Kaluwara, and now Ira Madiyama (http://www.iramadiyama.com).
  
  Just thought I would add some perspective by supplying some links:
  
  -------
  
  Sri Lanka launches diplomatic offensive against anti-Buddhist movie
  http://www.ptd.net/webnews/wed/cz/Qsrilanka-film.RtKm_DJ8.html
  
  Lanka to lobby against controversial film
  http://dailynews.lk/2003/01/09/new18.html
  
  Hoodwinking in the name of the Buddha and Gandhi
  http://www.sundaytimes.lk/021229/columns/london.html
  
  Lanka to oppose screening of 'pro-separatist' film
  http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/cms.dll/xml/comp/articleshow?artid=33770435
  
  Expat fury over blasphemous film
  http://island.lk/2002/12/29/news03.html
  
  Sri Lankan High Commission in London Begins Investigation over Recently Released Movie “In the Name of Buddha”
  http://www.eelamnation.com/news/2003/jan010103.html
  
  
  
  
• From: Senaka (@ dup-200-64-191-49.prodigy.net.mx) on: Wed Jan 8 20:30:23
  
  As I have mentioned in another thread, let's hope that this movie doesn't have a negative effect on the peace process. What is interesting to note is that the people who initiated the investigation into the said movie were non-Buddhists...further evidence that religious harmony in Sri Lanka is alive and well.
  
  
• From: Senaka (@ dup-200-64-191-49.prodigy.net.mx) on: Fri Jan 10 00:39:14
  
  
  Here are two more links that might be of interest:
  
  In the name of the Buddha: only for select audience?
  http://www.island.lk/2003/01/10/news10.html
  
  Church Raps anti-Buddhist film
  http://www.dailymirror.lk/2003/01/10/News/3.html#2
  
  
• From: Senaka (@ dup-200-64-191-49.prodigy.net.mx) on: Fri Jan 10 23:50:58
  
  Catholics protest against 'In the name of the Buddha'
  http://www.dailynews.lk/2003/01/11/new24.html
  
  Muslim scholars say anti- Buddhist film sadistic
  http://www.dailymirror.lk/2003/01/11/News/1.html#4
  
  
• From: mmc (@ 203.122.42.221) on: Sat Jan 11 00:17:57
  
  AJ,
  
  Painful to see the doctor's certificate posted in the site.
  
  Lets hope that the peace process succeeds.
  
  
• From: Me (@ lab1-85.lab1.plattsburgh.edu) on: Mon Apr 28 17:26:05
  
  Media Freedom and Freedom to express veiws is all good, and i havent yet seen this movie. But portraying a storyline, implying that its a war fought "in the name of Buddha" is not a pleasant thought. the government hasnt allowed any anti-tamil film to be released. and most of the tamil and sinhala people now just want to forget about it.
  Also this film doesnt seem to have anything closely related to its name. so this means its a well directed blow to the name of Buddha himself.
  
  fighting for what anyone thinks is right is a different situation. but dishonouring religious figures is a totally cowardly act.
  remember what hapenned to the taliban when they destroyed the religious relics.
  
  Wake up People!!!!...
  
  
• From: Sena de Alwis (@ as0-isdn-19.wustl.edu) on: Mon Jun 7 12:15:38
  
  Tamil diaspora is very well known to prevaricate truth and facts as they do it in establishing a historical claim for the existence ofa national Tamil Elam in Sri Lanka. Despite all the historical facts brought out to prove the futality of the claim for a Tamil Homeland, they continue to continue with their agitation on the basis that it will have to be accepted. Why not the Tamil scholars in the world over and from Sri Lanka come for a public debate which will be arranged by an independent organisation thrash this matter out once and for all? The film is an attempt to perpetuate the Elam myth and garner support for the Tamil cause deceptively.
  
  

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