Buddhism & Politics: Sri Lanka and "A Great Deception"

No religion, not even Buddhism, should be mixed with politics.
I'm so sad to report that contemporary Sri Lanka shows an example of why.
The current issue of The New Yorker has a long article about Sri Lanka, "Death of the Tiger: Sri Lanka’s brutal victory over its Tamil insurgent."
I spent a month in Sri Lanka in Jan 1984, so it is close to my heart, and the news makes me very sad. Sri Lanka seemed in many ways like paradise. A group of us students toured with a grass-roots group that was working on sustainable development and peace.

You don't need to read about Sri Lanka. I'll just tell you that the majority Sinhalese are Buddhists, and the government was making life hard for the Hindu Tamils, as well as the Muslims there, in many ways that are familiar all over the world. There was a awful war, and what's worse is that the brutal tactics used may become the method for others to deal with terrorism.

Most Americans understand the need to separate religion and politics. They may think that religion is to blame. But every real religion believes in peace and tolerance, love and compassion. Bad things are bound to happen when religion is combined with power.
You may have heard of the new book called "A Great Deception," which has a lot of history about politics and Buddhism in Tibet. There's also a great website about the issue: http://www.agreatdeception.com/
Part of me would like to pretend that none of this ever happened, is not happening, and is not going to happen in the future. Because I care about Buddhism - pure Buddhism, without politics - I see why it's so important to explain the situation, so that Buddhism can flourish despite these obstructions. Think for yourself.
Reading about Sri Lanka, I understand again why we need the book so much right now.