“Democratic" Sri Lanka includes militarization of the country

(September 29, 2011) "Despite being a democratic state, Sri Lanka is becoming a militarized country and people are afraid to talk." This was revealed by the Christian Solidarity Movement (CSM) in a special seminar to raise awareness situation. It stressed that the Church must act for the betterment of the human being, but without getting involved in party politics, because "as Christians we must protect our brothers and sisters ". The meeting, entitled "Current strategies for development and militarization", took place yesterday at the Colombo Centre for Society and Religion (CSR), with the participation of members of the clergy and representatives of civil society. Returning from a two-day visit to Jaffna, the Northern Province, the Christian activist for human rights Lakshana Fernando said: "The people of Jaffna are still living in fear, not peace. And although the war ended in 2009, there are still many restrictions. The war widows, without any subsidy, are struggling to raise their children. That people are living without dignity and without hope." He added that the situation is particularly critical for the majority Tamil populations of northern and eastern provinces. At the end of the Seminar, another CSM activist Mahinda Namal said: "Even God did not touch the freedom of man. We, as Christians and activists, we can no longer keep quiet while watching freedom be buried. We must act against what is happening, if we want to live as free people in this country.”