Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Colombo (Agenzia Fides) – The Bishops of Sri Lanka have sent out yet another appeal to end the violent conflict that is afflicting the country. Once again, the Church, concerned for the fate of its people, especially the innocent civilians and the most vulnerable, is lifting its voice in defense of the victims and asking that the parties involved abandon the violence that affects them all and that is seriously damaging the entire nation.
After the recent bombings and terrorist attacks that shook the capital city of Colombo and other parts of the country, the Bishops sent a statement signed by Bishop Vianney Fernando of Kandy and Oblate Bishop Norbert Andradi of Anuradhapura, CBCSL President and Secretary General, respectively. The statement is addressed to the President, the government, the political parties, and the Tamil rebels, with the hope that they may return to the path of dialogue and find a peaceful resolution to the conflict that has returned at full destructive force since early 2008.
The innocent civilians that live in the areas of conflict should be protected and defended, the Bishops said. “We are deeply shocked and grieved over the spate of killings of innocent civilians in bomb blasts over the past few months. The victims are mostly people who were going about their normal life activities," the statement says, as the bishops extend their condolences to the bereaved families of all the victims. "Killing of any human being is unacceptable, but the killing of innocent civilians is abominable," the bishops asserted, as they asked that in the name of God and the suffering of the nation, “that the situation be addressed with utmost urgency, so that a greater disaster can be avoided and lasting peace be ushered in at the earliest.”
The Bishops ask all parties in the conflict to recognize the gravity of the present situation: human lives are being sacrificed each day at the hands of war and terrorism, insecurity reigns and it is impossible to carry on the normal activities of school, work, commerce, and public life. Everything has been paralyzed in the country and isolated from the rest of the world, worsening the social-economic deterioration process.
With this in mind, the Bishops’ Conference affirms the openness and commitment to the Church on all levels, at the service of peace and reconciliation, asking that the Tamil rebels desist in the violence and that both parties may walk on the path of dialogue, in support of the common good of the entire country. (PA) (Agenzia Fides 13/6/2008)
