Buddhists go bananas

[theist 1]

Indian Film Star Says He'll Perform Despite Buddhist Monks' Self-Immolation Threats

 

Associated Press

 

 

 

Colombo, Sri Lanka, Dec. 10 - Indian film idol Shahrukh Khan said Friday his concert in Sri Lanka can't be postponed despite Buddhists monks' threats to set themselves on fire to protest the show, which coincides with the anniversary of a cleric's death.

 

"The timing maybe wrong. We will observe a two-minute silence in memory of Venerable Gangodawila Soma," Khan said in a statement in Sri Lanka's capital, Colombo.

Saturday's planned concert featuring Bollywood stars would come a day before the first anniversary of the death of Soma, who campaigned against Christian conversions of Buddhists.

 

Buddhist monks have said the weekend should be reserved for religious observances and have vowed to launch protests to stop the show.

 

"This may include self-immolation," Rathmalana Seelawansa, a monk who supports the clergy-backed opposition National Heritage Party, told reporters Friday as dozens of his saffron-robed colleagues marched to the venue in Colombo.

 

"We are not against individuals, but people must also understand our sentiments," Seelawansa said.

 

Khan said that the program had been organized four months earlier, and that it was too late to postpone the event when organizers learned of the anniversary. "We come here with a lot of friendship and peace," he said. "We think of Sri Lanka as our home."

 

"The show may be glamorous, but we want to make people happy and spread happiness," he said.

 

The monks are a powerful political force here because the majority of Sri Lankans are Buddhists. In the past, politicians have often sought guidance from their spiritual leaders, and monks have succeeded in halting legislation and reforms.

 

Soma died while on a visit to Russia. Although doctors said he died of a heart attack, some Buddhists blame Christians for his death, and there was a surge of attacks on churches for months after he died.

 

Earlier this week the monks handed a petition protesting the concert to Indian High Commissioner Nirupama Rao.

 

The show, called "Temptation 2004," also features Indian film stars Preity Zinta, Saif Ali Khan, Priyanka Chopra, Javed Khan and Celina Jaitly.