Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Colombo (Agenzia Fides) - “We must put an end to the trail of blood and hate that is sweeping across the country.” This is the plea that comes from the Catholic religious orders that are working on the frontline providing assistance to refugees and victims of the civil conflict that has once again risen up over the course of this past month in Sri Lanka.
Trapped between the bombings of the army and the dynamite explosions of the rebels, civilian victims are among those paying the price of the conflict, in terms of human lives lost, depopulation, and poverty.
Inflation continues on the rise and the people are tired of the poverty and desperation, as many local and international observers and organisations have noted.
In the first three days since the end of a cease-fire on January 16, 43 civilian deaths have been accounted for and the blood trail continues without signs of an end, taking the lives of children as well, as Jesuit Refugees Service director in Sri Lanka, Fr. Kamal Andrady, SJ, explained. Making reference to the deaths and disappearance of civilians in the two cities of Mannar and Vavunia, he said: “The situation is tense and the people live in fear.”
On February 4th, 60th anniversary of the Sri Lanka’s independence from Great Britain, celebrations were marked by violence. As troops marched through the streets of the capital city of Colombo, in other parts of the country, bombs caused the death of 14 people, and injuries of various others. Those responsible for the attacks, among others, were the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), who are fighting for the independence of the northern part of the country.
Due to the violence, the government closed schools for a week. Meanwhile, soldiers have been placed to control traffic and pedestrians, as well as patrol the streets of Colombo. Also, services for receiving and sending SMS by cellular phone have been interrupted, for fear that terrorists use SMS to communicate among themselves.
As well, last weekend (February 2-3), in attacks on other public places and transportation, a total of 35 people have died and another 200 have been left injured.
Apostolic Nuncio Bishop Mario Zenari told Fides that the Catholic Church in Sri Lanka is called to “build bridges of peace and reconciliation between North and South, between East and West. The Bishops, priests, religious, and laity, are called to be a sign of hope in the midst of violence, poverty, and evacuations.” (see Fides 18/1/08). Since 1983, the conflict, which is the oldest that continues in modern Asia, has caused between 60,000 and 70,000 deaths. (PA) (Agenzia Fides 6/2/2008 Lines: 38 Words: 453)
