Concerns In The Mannar Diocese; Issues And Suggestions
By Rt. Rev. Dr. Rayappu Joseph -September 8, 2012
Dr. Rayappu Joseph
His Excellency Mahinda Rajapakse
President,
DemocraticSocialistRepublicofSri Lanka
Temple Trees
Colombo
Your Excellency,
Reconciliation, human rights and humanitarian concerns in the Mannar Diocese
(Mannar and Vavuniya districts)
People in the Mannar diocese have been expecting better life in many aspects since the end of the war and there are expectations of a reconciliation process leading towards sustainable peace with justice.
As Church leaders, we have been trying to work with other religious leaders, civil society, government officials, to address key issues facing the people in order to achieve a sustainable peace and reconciliation.
It is in this spirit that together with other civil groups in Mannar, I took the lead to request the LLRC to hold hearings in Mannar, to which they responded positively. The Diocese of Mannar made a detailed presentation to the LLRC, attaching annexes with additional and specific information and presenting specific recommendations.
We continue to face serious human and humanitarian problems blocking our journey towards winning the hearts and minds of people in favor of sustainable peace and reconciliation.
Hence, I’m writing to bring some such areas of concern to Your Excellency, in the hope that Your Excellency will take the needed action. These areas of concern are common to all the Districts both in the North and the East of Sri Lanka.
I look forward to a favorable and speedy response and also offer my prayers and cooperation in resolving these matters.
Sincerely yours,
Bishop of Mannar
Reconciliation, human rights and humanitarian concerns in the Mannar Diocese
(Mannar and Vavuniya districts)
- The Tamil national question, nationhood, provincial elections: The unresolved national question has been remaining as a deep wound in the body of our country and all the sad and tragic events that had been taking place in the history of our dear motherland from the year 1956 on are only the symptoms of this unattended wound due to lack of firm will on the part of the parties concerned.. Thus, the political solution is the permanent answer to all these evils.Thus, in the long term, we yearn for a resolution to the ethnic conflict through power sharing that recognizes the nationhood of Tamil people within the framework of one country. In principle, we support elections, but are wary that Provincial Council elections for the East and also the North fall short of our expectations, particularly if the focus is on the 13th Amendment and the North and East continue to be separated.
Suggestions: Read More
