Caritas: Sri Lanka needs steps to ensure true peace

(May 22, 2009) Sri Lanka’s government on Tuesday formally declared the country’s long-running civil war finally over with the defeat of the rebels of Tamil Tigers, but according to Caritas, there are still steps to be taken before the nation can declare itself at peace. Caritas Internationalis, a confederation of national Catholic charities worldwide has called for three steps in this direction, namely: improving the conditions for those living in camps after being displaced by the war; resettling those made homeless and helping them rebuild their lives; and bringing about a climate of justice that meets the needs of all Sri Lankans, which would include those of the 18% Tamil minority. The Tigers had been battling the government for a separate homeland for the country's ethnic Tamil minority, claiming discrimination by the majority Sinhalese. Caritas lamented that humanitarian workers have very limited access to the more than 250,000 people living in camps, and called on the government of President Mahinda Rajapaksa to ensure access to food, clean water and security. Caritas Sri Lanka Executive Director Father Damian Fernando visited the areas and lamented that camps do not meet international standards on security and living conditions. He said Caritas needs to be able to operate with greater freedom so that all needs are met. Families are traumatized and must be reunited and resettle back in their homes without delay. Father Fernando assured Caritas’ commitment to reconciliation through its peace building activities, saying "We will never have a just peace in Sri Lanka however without the needs of all its people being addressed.”