Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Colombo (Fides Service) - “The elections are unnecessary. The electorate is almost equally divided between the two main groups, supporters of President Kumaratunga and supporters of Prime Minister Wicremesinghe. If the new parliament reflects this situation the political crisis will continue. But in the meantime uncertainty makes the economy lose ground, harms the peace process and does nothing to solve the social and religious conflicts present in Sri Lanka”. Missionary Father Oswald Firth, Provincial of the Oblates of Mary Immaculate in Sri Lanka, was commenting the President Kumaratunga’s decision to call early elections on 2 April.
The missionary voiced concern for the political uncertainty in Sri Lanka. Disagreement between the President and the Prime Minister plunged the country into a situation of impasse: the disagreement is about the handling of the peace process which should put an end to 20 years of civil war between the army and Tamil separatists in the north of the Island. Although a cease fire was signed two years ago, the parties still have to find a solution to Tamil request for self rule in the northern regions.
Father Firth said “in this situation in a country with a large Buddhist majority the contribution of the Buddhist movement which influences a large part of the electorate will be decisive. Part of the movement backs the President who sustains Sri Lanka’s Sinhalese and Buddhist identity and is unwilling to make concessions to the Tamil; the other group, in favour of a compromise with the Tamil including ample space for self rule, is more wary and little inclined to expose itself”. President Kumaratunga is riding the requests of the strong nationalist wing but the Premier is not much better and has included among his electoral commitments the approval of the law on so-called “immoral conversions”, obtained with money, “a law which would directly affect also Sri Lanka’s Christians. This law is a violation of freedom of conscience and the local Church has voiced strong disapproval”.
Father Firth speaks of recent tensions among Christians and Buddhists which in the past few months involved the Catholic community and some Catholic churches were burned “Groups of Evangelicals are a threat to hitherto traditional good relations between Christians and Buddhists in Sri Lanka,” the missionary told Fides
With regard to what is needed in Sri Lanka the missionary said: “complete the peace process; revive the economy by opening to foreign capital; guarantee transparent government; solve the difficult question of the anti-conversion law ”.
(PA) (Agenzia Fides 13/2/2004 lines 35 words 403)
