Christian peace forum urges Sri Lanka ceasefire
-04/07/06
A peace forum organized in C
Christian peace forum urges Sri Lanka ceasefire
-04/07/06
A peace forum organized in Colombo by the Roman Catholic humanitarian agency Caritas Internationalis has urged the Sri Lankan government and Tamil rebels to reaffirm their commitment to a fragile cease-fire agreement ñ writes Anto Akkara for Ecumenical News International.
“We affirm our firm belief that the grievances can be addressed in a negotiated settlement which supports the rights of all Sri Lankans,” said the concluding statement from the forum, held in the Sri Lankan capital at the end of last month (June 2006).
The meeting had heard from a top Anglican leader that the cease-fire between the government and Tamil rebels was “virtually dead” with both sides blatantly violating the truce.
Rohan Edrisinha, a former chairperson of the justice and peace commission of the National Christian Council (NCC) in Sri Lanka, reiterated the need to revive the cease-fire put in place by Norwegian mediators in 2002.
The peace forum opened on the day that Sri Lanka’s third-highest ranking officer was killed in a blast near a military base just outside the capital city by a suspected Tamil suicide bomber.
“Violence is increasing day by day and the atmosphere of fear is worsening,” said the NCC chair, the Rev Kingsley Perera, in a welcoming speech to the peace forum’s 70 delegates from places as far afield as Colombia, Palestine, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Ireland and the Philippines.
“The arrival of all these delegates, many of whom have huge experience in peace-brokering in conflict-torn communities, gives strength to those who are striving to bring peace to Sri Lanka,” said the Rev Damian Fernando, director of Caritas Sri Lanka.
He added: “Our fervent plea to leaders in Sri Lanka is to stick strictly to the cease-fire agreement, stop the violence and destruction of human beings and return to the negotiating table.”
Despite the cease-fire, more than 550 civilians had been killed this year, Fernando commented.
Nearly one million people in the north and east of Sri Lanka have been displaced following the two-decade civil war waged by the Tamil Tiger rebels seeking autonomy for ethnic Tamil majority areas, prior to the 2002 cease-fire.
With acknowledgements to ENI. Ecumenical News International is jointly sponsored by the World Council of Churches, the Lutheran World Federation, the World Alliance of Reformed Churches, and the Conference of European Churches.
[Also on Ekklesia: Only good can overcome Sri Lanka evil, say churches; Sri Lanka religious leaders urge government and rebels to talk; Christians urged to stir up a storm in a tea cup; Millions mourn tsunami victims one year on; Christians recycle tsunami rubble; Asian churches to challenge violence against children; Christians and Buddhists should love humanity, says Cardinal; Asian Christian Theologies : Volume 1. South Asia]
Christian peace forum urges Sri Lanka ceasefire
-04/07/06
A peace forum organized in Colombo by the Roman Catholic humanitarian agency Caritas Internationalis has urged the Sri Lankan government and Tamil rebels to reaffirm their commitment to a fragile cease-fire agreement ñ writes Anto Akkara for Ecumenical News International.
“We affirm our firm belief that the grievances can be addressed in a negotiated settlement which supports the rights of all Sri Lankans,” said the concluding statement from the forum, held in the Sri Lankan capital at the end of last month (June 2006).
The meeting had heard from a top Anglican leader that the cease-fire between the government and Tamil rebels was “virtually dead” with both sides blatantly violating the truce.
Rohan Edrisinha, a former chairperson of the justice and peace commission of the National Christian Council (NCC) in Sri Lanka, reiterated the need to revive the cease-fire put in place by Norwegian mediators in 2002.
The peace forum opened on the day that Sri Lanka’s third-highest ranking officer was killed in a blast near a military base just outside the capital city by a suspected Tamil suicide bomber.
“Violence is increasing day by day and the atmosphere of fear is worsening,” said the NCC chair, the Rev Kingsley Perera, in a welcoming speech to the peace forum’s 70 delegates from places as far afield as Colombia, Palestine, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Ireland and the Philippines.
“The arrival of all these delegates, many of whom have huge experience in peace-brokering in conflict-torn communities, gives strength to those who are striving to bring peace to Sri Lanka,” said the Rev Damian Fernando, director of Caritas Sri Lanka.
He added: “Our fervent plea to leaders in Sri Lanka is to stick strictly to the cease-fire agreement, stop the violence and destruction of human beings and return to the negotiating table.”
Despite the cease-fire, more than 550 civilians had been killed this year, Fernando commented.
Nearly one million people in the north and east of Sri Lanka have been displaced following the two-decade civil war waged by the Tamil Tiger rebels seeking autonomy for ethnic Tamil majority areas, prior to the 2002 cease-fire.
With acknowledgements to ENI. Ecumenical News International is jointly sponsored by the World Council of Churches, the Lutheran World Federation, the World Alliance of Reformed Churches, and the Conference of European Churches.
[Also on Ekklesia: Only good can overcome Sri Lanka evil, say churches; Sri Lanka religious leaders urge government and rebels to talk; Christians urged to stir up a storm in a tea cup; Millions mourn tsunami victims one year on; Christians recycle tsunami rubble; Asian churches to challenge violence against children; Christians and Buddhists should love humanity, says Cardinal; Asian Christian Theologies : Volume 1. South Asia]