Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Colombo (Agenzia Fides) - The Christians of Sri Lanka have urged the international community not to forget the travailed Island of the Indian subcontinent, where civil conflict is causing unbearable suffering and the death of countless innocent citizens. A delegation of the World Council of Churches, which recently visited the conflict areas and had meetings with civil and religious leaders, speaks of unbearable living conditions, disastrous effects on children, chronic poverty of displaced thousands.
“We are pleased you have come to see the situation for yourselves ”, said Bishop Ryappu Joseph the Catholic Bishop of the diocese of Mannar, in the centre north of the island, as he welcomed the delegation. Mannar is a Tamil majority district half of which is controlled by Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, rebels troops fighting the regular army. It is a sort of “front line area” where military operations are frequent and basic necessities are scarce. The local authorities say they are “doing everything possible to protect innocent civilians”, but casualties occur and a greater part of the people forced out of their homes, are denied a normal life. Some 400 displaced families have been offered shelter on church premises and ground, the Bishop explained.
Batticaloa on the east coast of Sri Lanka is another scene of fighting and suffering, with at least 300,000 internally displaced families in serious humanitarian conditions. Here the Interreligious Association for Peace whose members are Catholics, Anglicans, other Christians and Hindus ask: “How much violence, disappearances and deaths must there be before adequate measures are taken?”.
Further north the delegation reached Jaffna, the heart of Tamil country where the army has 40,000 men stationed. Communications between Jaffna and the south have been cut and supplies of food, water and medicines are ever scarcer. Amidst “immense suffering and humiliation" people struggle to survive.
In this situation of civil war the Christians of Sri Lanka suffer with the rest of the people while church institutions continue to provide medical assistance and humanitarian aid to all in need, making available church structures, personnel and resources above all to help the most vulnerable, children, mothers, the elderly. The local Churches also promote initiatives, especially in schools, to foster ethnic reconciliation and peace, interreligious dialogue for a culture of dialogue and solidarity. Christians also promote respect for human rights especially the rights of the people most in need. Alongside this commitment they urge the international community: “Do not forget Sri Lanka!”. (PA) (Agenzia Fides 11/9/2007 righe 32 parole 339)
