Religious leaders appeal for peace and co-existence after war

(April 28, Colombo, Sri Lanka Guardian) Religious dignitaries have appealed for peace and coexistence in the aftermath of war while taking measures to uplift the living standards of the displaced, provide humanitarian assistance and resettle them.

The appeal was made in a statement by the Sri Lanka Council of Religions for Peace signed by Ven Prof. Bellanwila Wimalaratna (Chairman), Ven Maduluwave Sobith, Kotte, Ven Brahmanawatte Seevali, Colombo, Bishop Vianney Fernando, Kandy, Bishop Thomas Savundranayagam, Jaffna, Bishop Norbert Andradi, Anuradhapura, Swami Ramachandran Veerapandiyan, Colombo, Ms. Sivanandini Doraisamy, Colombo and Moulavi Athmabawa Hamee, Kalmunai.

The text of the statement follows;

For nearly three decades Sri Lanka was a country trapped in the terror of war. Thousands of people in the north and east, and also outside of those areas, suffered the destruction of their lives. Now there is a major effort being made to end the war and to obtain peace. Thousands of people have been released from LTTE control and come over to the government controlled areas. These displaced people are in urgent need of humanitarian assistance. They also need to be resettled in the areas in which they lived.

The government together with all sections the people need to rally together without any ethnic or religious differentiation to work for the upliftment of the displaced people. We believe that the Buddhist, Hindu, Muslim and Christian leaders have a special role to play in this noble endeavor. We also affirm that uniting the people in creating a peaceful country after war, in which each community is able to protect its identity and its rights, in the profound responsibility of the Government and all parties in the country”.

-Sri Lanka Guardian