Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Colombo (Agenzia Fides) - “In a true spirit of Christian charity let us give generous expression to our solidarity with our suffering brothers and sisters irrespective of their race, color or creed.” This was the appeal made by Archbishop Oswald Gomis of Colombo to the faithful, as he explained the urgent emergency situation of the innocent and wounded civilians living in the northern part of the island, where the war between the regular army and Tamil rebels continues.
The Archbishop has asked everyone to show a concrete sign of solidarity with the victims of the conflict, in order to meet the needs enumerated by the various non-governmental organizations working in favor of the internal refugees present in the camps at Vavuniya, Kilinochchi, and the surrounding areas, who are in urgent need of food, medicine, sanitary items, utensils, blankets, and tents, as well as school materials for the children.
In echoing the Archbishop's words, Caritas Internationalis – the confederation of 162 national Caritas - has launched an appeal through Caritas Sri Lanka, which is working on the site at the refugee camps, caring for the wounded and refugees. Caritas mentions that Sri Lanka is facing a humanitarian crisis affecting at least 250,000 people in the areas of conflict in Vanni, in the northeastern part of the island. It is extremely difficult, and almost impossible, to assist all these people as they seek refuge from the fighting between government forces and the Tamil rebels.
Caritas Sri Lanka is especially concerned for the escalated violence, which is having extremely harmful effects on the civilians, as possibilities of reaching a political solution seem to fade into the distance. Caritas also notes that the civilians are not guaranteed minimum security for their survival and there is a lack – on both sides – of respect for the international standards and regulations for protecting civilians during times of war.
In addition, Caritas notes, the camps where the refugees are sent offer insufficient protection and even their management is lacking in transparency and attention to the basic needs of the people living there. “There is a dire lack of food and drinking water and diseases are beginning to appear, linked to a lack of clean water,” the note from Caritas reads.
In this dramatic situation, Caritas Internationalis, in collaboration with the many international organizations, is asking all those involved in the conflict to respect civil rights and for an immediate ceasefire. (PA) (Agenzia Fides 25/2/2009)
