Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Colombo (Fides Service) - The northern and eastern parts of Sri Lanka are the poorest areas. The people in this area are mainly Tamils and separatist rebel groups have been claiming independence from Colombo causing a civil war which lasted for more than twenty years and has only aggravated the situation of poverty and unemployment adding the problem of thousands of displaced and homeless people. After a cease-fire agreement was reached in 2002 the people in the area are trying return to normal life resuming trade, transport and reviving businesses and the local Church is doing its part to help the people start again in various ways.
One initiative is a new mission which the Salesians in Sri Lanka have decided to open in the north. Father Anthony Humer Pinto, the new superior of the Salesian province in Sri Lanka, has reached an agreement with Bishop Joseph Rayappu of Mannar, for Salesians to collaborate with pastoral work in the parish of Murunkan. With great satisfaction on all sides the agreement was signed at the national Marian shrine of Our Lady of Madhu, a symbolic place of peace and reconciliation for all Sri Lankans Christians and non. In effect during the civil war the conflicting parties respected the sacred area around the Shrine and this allowed thousands of homeless people to find shelter here.
In Sri Lanka, as elsewhere in the world, Salesians are mainly involved in youth pastoral and teaching young people a trade or craft. They also help to rehabilitate street children and child soldiers, a widespread phenomenon in Sri Lanka. To relieve the tension in the country they also organise education to peace with seminars and meetings in schools for young people of both groups, Sinhalese and Tamil in view of building a future of peace and freedom. The first Salesian centre was opened in Sri Lanka some 50 years ago by Father Heri Remery who came from the Salesian community in Chennai in India. Rev. Anthony Humer Pinto was made Superior of the Salesians in Sri Lanka on 8 September. The new superior received greetings from many people including Buddhist monks with whom the local Salesian community has excellent relations.
(PA) (Agenzia Fides 17/9/2004 lines 35 words 350)
