Sri Lanka bishops tell president to promote peace and development

(January 29, 2010) The Catholic bishops of Sri Lanka have appealed to the newly re-elected Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa to make peace and development the nation’s priorities. “We hope that the elected president will work to promote peace and development in the nation: these are priority concerns,” Bishop Vianney Fernando of Kandy told Fides news agency. Bishop Fernando, who is the president of Sri Lanka’s Catholic bishops said, “We are hoping for a peaceful and democratic evolution of the situation. Democracy takes its course, we respect that and hope for a bright future for the country, especially in resolving the issues relating to the Tamil minority.” The Tamil ethnic minority that forms 13% of the mostly Sinhalese population of Sri Lanka is mostly base in the north. Oblate of Mary Immaculate priest Fr. M. Praveen, Director of the Center for Peace and Reconciliation in Jaffna, in the north, told Fides news that the Tamil community was disheartened. People feel “there is little hope for the future and there is fear that the Tamil will still be penalized.” Fr. Praveen said the fact that only 20% of Tamils went to Tuesday’s presidential poll is evidence of mistrust. However, he added, they are trying to work with youth and children to help build peace and reconciliation.