Church asks Sri Lankan politicians to shun violence

(March 17, 2010) The Sri Lankan Church is urging politicians to work toward eliminating violence, as the nation prepares for a general election on April 8. “We Sri Lankans, boast of our cultural and spiritual heritage but it is very sad to see that at each election, more blood is shed than in previous ones,” said Archbishop Malcolm Ranjith of Colombo. Speaking at a recent forum of some 70 people, including political party leaders, media representatives, lawyers, priests and nuns, Archbishop Ranjith said, “Our election system brings divisions and violence among the people, sometimes among members of the same party, in the villages and within families.”
Fr. George Sigamoney, national director of Caritas Sri Lanka-SEDEC, who organised the forum, said it aimed at conveying Church concern over the upcoming election to political leaders. According to a report by the volunteer organization People’s Action For Free and Fair Elections, there were four killings, 127 assaults and 185 incidents of attacks on party offices, during the Jan. 26 presidential election.
Redemptorist Fr. Vimal Tirimanna, moderator of the forum, told participants it is important to have such a dialogue among the various sectors of society. Democratic values are being eroded for long in the country, he added.