Christian Bishops worried about the situation after General Fonseka’s arrest
(February 17, 2010) Sri Lankan Christians are deeply worried about the country’s
political situation following the arrest of former army Chief General Sarath Fonseka
in the wake of last month’s presidential elections. For Mgr Duleep de Chickera, Colombo’s
Anglican bishop, “Sri Lanka faces yet more political turmoil.” Mgr Vianney Fernando,
Catholic bishop of Kandy and president of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Sri
Lanka, also expressed concern, saying however that he was confident in the Nation’s
“law and legal system”. For him, the country needed above all to work on reconciliation
and unity after long years of civil war. “The manner of the arrest and detention of
General Sarath Fonseka has disturbed all Sri Lankans who value dignity and order in
public affairs,” Bishop de Chickera said. “It is a blot on the democratic, cultural
and religious traditions and image of our country. The world has also expressed concern
over these events and their implications on the rights of individual citizens and
the democratic integrity of our beloved Sri Lanka,” the prelate said. “In the event
that the prevailing confusion is not clarified and a transparent judicial process
is not set in place, this action is likely to be interpreted as an attempt to humiliate
a presidential candidate, he added. Mgr Vianney has a more positive view of the matter.
“We believe that the President has been duly elected and is entitled to govern. The
tension is now sporadic and protests have been mainly generated by the clamour and
the manner in which Fonseka was taken into custody.”