Colombo (AsiaNews) – Sri Lankan Christians are deeply worried about the country’s political situation following the arrest of former army Chief General Sarath Fonseka in the wake of last month’s presidential elections. For Mgr Duleep de Chickera, Colombo’s Anglican bishop, “Sri Lanka faces yet more political turmoil.” Mgr Vianney Fernando, Catholic bishop of Kandy and president of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Sri Lanka, also expressed concern, saying however that he was confident in the Nation’s “law and legal system”. For him, the country needed above all to work on reconciliation and unity after long years of civil war.
“The manner of the arrest and detention of General Sarath Fonseka has disturbed all Sri Lankans who value dignity and order in public affairs,” Bishop de Chickera said. “It is a blot on the democratic, cultural and religious traditions and image of our country.”
“The world has also expressed concern over these events and their implications on the rights of individual citizens and the democratic integrity of our beloved Sri Lanka,” the prelate said.
“People are also confused with the many and even conflicting reasons given for this action. If there have been violations of the military code, it must be left to the military to handle the issue. If he was arrested for planning a coup and the assassination of the President, which are very grave charges, the people should know the basis of these allegations. In either case, he is entitled to his rights, including appropriate medical care and the right to defend himself with due access to lawyers and legal advisers.”
“In the event that the prevailing confusion is not clarified and a transparent judicial process is not set in place, this action is likely to be interpreted as an attempt to humiliate a presidential candidate who fought a hard campaign, or as an attempt to prevent him from campaigning and participating in the forthcoming general election, or both,” Bishop de Chickera said.
Mgr Vianney has a more positive view of the matter. “We believe that the President has been duly elected and is entitled to govern. The majority of citizens have cast a vote in his favour and, once the correctness of procedures and transparency of the electoral process are verified, everyone must accept the verdict of the elections,” he said.
“The tension is now sporadic and protests have been mainly generated by the clamour and the manner in which Fonseka was taken into custody. He was a senior servant of the state for 40 years and thus should have his rights and dignity respected. We have trust in the law and the legal system of the nation,” the prelate added.
For the bishop, as the Bishops’ Conference recently said to President Rajapaksa, there is an “urgent need to work for reconciliation and the unity of the nation, for progress, peace, and prosperity in Sri Lanka, after the painful years of civil war”.
The fate of the Tamil community is among the problems that require immediate attention.
“The situation of IDPs is not yet fully resolved,” the bishop explained. “The State must continue to do its work. Caritas must continue to lead in relief and reconstruction operations. The first need these people have is peace, the absence of violence and a return to normal life. They should be guaranteed dignity and well being.”
