Father Jeevantha Peiris did NOT make a statement on any Black Vesak celebration during the 'Aragalaya'!

A statement attributed to Father Amila Jeevantha Peiris, who actively contributed to the Gotagogama (GGG) Protest, was viral among Facebook users. It was claimed that Fr. Jeewantha said that even though a black ‘Vesak’ was celebrated during the GGG protests in May 2022, such was not required for this Christmas.

However, Factcrescendo Sri Lanka’s investigation found that the statement attached to Fr. Jeevantha was false and fabricated.

Social Media Posts:

English translation of the viral post in Sinhala, attributed to Catholic Fr. Jeevantha, is seen below.

“Buddhists have 12 poya days to celebrate. So, there is no problem that one poya day was celebrated in black. That's why we made Vesak black. However, Catholics only have Christmas. So, there is no need to celebrate a black Christmas. Celebrate Christmas beautifully and festively, as usual. Also, I request everyone not to insult the pictures of Jesus by drawing them in black. Remember that he is the child of God,"

This text was shared with a photograph of Fr. Jeewantha Peiris alongside a painting which seemed like a painting of a disfigured Buddha image in black ink.

Facebook | Archived Link

These posts were circulated among many Facebook users.

It was also seen from the responses given to the above posts that many assumed that Fr. Jeevantha Peiris had actually made a statement, as seen above.

Fact Check:

We first observed whether Catholic Father Amila Jeevantha Peiris had made such a statement about a black ‘Vesak’. Yet, no such statement was attributed to Fr. Jeevantha on any official mainstream media streams.

Here is the official statement Fr. Jeevantha made on Christmas, which did not include any reference to a black Vesak either.

We contacted Father Amila Jevantha Peiris on these social media statements. Fr. Jeevantha rejected the viral claims and stated they had been deliberately created to spread falsehoods and discredit protests.

An Abstract Art made by the artist Vimukti Sahan first came to light during GGG protests in May 2022

Also, the disfigured Buddha image used in the above post came to light after it was placed at the location where the Gotagogama Art Studio was burnt down during the Gallface protests.

We noticed that an artist named Vimukti Sahan was behind this artwork, made in an abstract (non-objective) art style.

Abstract Art is more popular as an element of urban, elite art. Its existence and inner meaning are determined by the places where it is placed. Here is a post published in May 2022 in Sinhala, when this image became a widely spoken point. This was incidentally around the ‘Vesak’ festival, the main festival of Buddhists.

Those who were aware of abstract art pointed out that this artwork represented the burning of the studio at the GGG protest ground. However, since many people were unaware of this painting style, they had misinterpreted the meaning of this artwork. Archived Link.

Vimukti made this Abstract Art initially in 2018!

We have contacted artist Vimukti Sahan to find out more about this painting.

Vimukthi said that even though many people had assumed that this design was made from the ashes of Gotagogama studio after it was burnt down, there’s no truth in those assumptions, as this particular abstract art was created in 2018. Vimukthi clarified that the activities of Gnanasara Thero inspired the painting at that time. Here is a link to this painting posted by Vimukthi in 2018.

However, he felt this artwork represented the brutal attack on the Gotagogama protest ground, and the painting was put on display in the GGG protest ground in May 2022 for a few days.

Vimukthi has done many other such abstract artworks, as seen here

Interview with Artist Vimukthi can be reached here, where he speaks about his art styles.

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Conclusion:

Our investigation shows that social media posts attributed to Father Jeevantha Peiris were false and that he had not made any statement related to black ‘Vesak’ at the protest ground.

Father Amila Jeevantha Peiris had not made such a statement. Artist Vimukthi Sahan created the artwork associated with the posts under the Abstract art style in 2018. He later placed this artwork at the GGG protest ground, reminiscing about the attack on Galleface peaceful protest ground.