S. Lankan PM, archbishop discuss communal harmony

(May 1, 2010) The newly appointed Sri Lankan prime minister has called on the Catholic archbishop of Colombo to ask for Church support in building harmony among all communities in the country. Prime Minister Disanayaka Mudiyanselage Jayaratne met Archbishop Malcolm Ranjith on Thursday at the Archbishop’s House. Speaking to UCA News soon after the meeting, the prime minister noted that Sri Lankan society currently suffers from violence, killings and theft. He had therefore asked for the support of the Catholic Church to educate people on moral values. Mudiyanselage, who is also the religious affairs minister, said he wants clergy of all religions to work together to create a disciplined society rich in moral and spiritual values. Archbishop Ranjith, who is also head of the Sri Lankan bishops’ conference, told UCA News, “As religious leaders, we give our support to building a just society and developing the country.” The archbishop earlier spoke to several Catholic ministers and deputy ministers and told them that “all Catholic MPs must live up to their Catholic identity in parliament, and speak on behalf of the Church when necessary.” Sri Lanka’s newly appointed resettlement minister, Milroy Fernando, a Catholic, told media recently the government plans to resettle all people displaced by the civil war within six months. Caritas Sri Lanka lamented on Thursday that nearly a year after the conclusion of Sri Lanka's three-decade war, some 90,000 refugees are still suffering in camps with little basic facilities.