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Sri Lanka’s Buddhasana Minister pledges new laws

The Sri Lankan Buddhasana Minister pledged new laws would be enacted “for the betterment of Buddha Sasana”, reports The Island.

Upon assuming his duties Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe said that bills examining Bhikku Discipline and the Buddhist Publication Regulatory Act had already  been prepared by the Sri Lankan government and some already approved by the cabinet.

“There were thousands of Buddhist temples in remote areas without even basic facilities for monks and the ministry expected to rectify those serious shortcomings,” The Island reported him as saying.

The minister also pledged Sri Lanka would host an International Buddhist Sangayana (Council) and commemorate the 150th birth anniversary of Anagarika Dharmapala “on a grand scale”.

Mr Rajapaksha is also Sri Lanka’s minister of justice.

In the run up to last monts's general election the UNP stated it would give Buddhism the foremost place on the island, as was declared in their manifesto and reiterated by Sri Lankan Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe last month.

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