Sri Lanka to demolish mosque, temple after monks' protest

Dambulla, Sri Lanka: Sri Lankan officials have decided to demolish a mosque and a Hindu temple after a group of Buddhist monks and their supporters demanded their removal from a Buddhist sacred area. Ruling party lawmaker Lakshman Perera said Monday that the places of worship and other buildings will be relocated to sites outside the designated sacred zone within six months and that Muslim politicians had accepted the plan. Thousands of Buddhist monks and lay supporters stormed the mosque in the central Sri Lankan town of Dambulla on Friday, saying it was constructed illegally. They forced their way into the building and damaged some furniture, dispersing only after officials promised a solution on Monday. [caption id=“attachment_285935” align=“alignleft” width=“380” caption=“Buddhist devotees light incense sticks and perform religious rituals at Kelaniya Buddhist temple garden to mark the full moon day on the outskirts of Colombo, Sri Lanka. Representational Image. AP”]  [/caption] Mohamed Saleemdeen, a board member of the mosque, denied it was an illegal building and said it had been there long before the area was declared a sacred zone about 20 years ago. He said his father and grandfather were officials at the mosque. Buddhism is Sri Lanka’s state religion and monks are powerful in political and social affairs. AP