Colombage Melani Manel Perera

The government has banned Maaveerar Naal ceremonies, when Tamil remember those who died or went missing in battle. For the authorities, such remembrance is an apology for Tamil independence ideology. For Tamils, the dead were their children.

Yesterday marked seven months since three attacks left 263 people dead in Sri Lanka. Sudheera Fernando, father of three, died in the blast at the St Sebastian Church. ‘We have no words of anger or revenge against those who made our life so miserable,” say family members.

The former Secretary to the Defence Ministry won with the support of the Sinhalese majority and Buddhist monks. On social media, his supporters are posting hateful comments about Tamils ​​and Muslims. “It is almost the same situation of 2009, when the war was ended,” says one priest.

The ceremony took place this morning in a Buddhist complex in an ancient capital. Voting split along confessional and ethnic lines. Gotabaya says he will take a neutral line in foreign policy, even though he stressed his close ties to China during the campaign.

The convoy of 100 buses was bound for Mannar. There were no casualties. The presidential election is today. As of 2 pm (local time), the average turnout topped 60 per cent. Official results are expected on Monday.

Sri Lankans go to the polls tomorrow to elect a new president. After the two frontrunners – Ranasinghe Premadasa and Gotabaya Rajapaksa – a third candidate stands out, Anura Kumara Dissanayaka. The Sirisena administration betrayed all its “electoral promises”. Corruption and debts are up; the economy and poverty are worse; a new civil war is feared; and the country has become the “playground” of world powers.

The election will be held on Saturday. A well-known environmentalist, Perera has lived in the West and would like to see more “transparency” in her country’s governance model. She is convinced that she can cut Sri Lanka’s debt to China by 60 per cent through “dialogue".

Land is set aside for the church and for accommodation facilities. A second protected area is created to preserve surrounding forest. For bishop, the shrine is a symbol of unity between north and south. Outgoing president Maithripala Sirisena signed the decree.

The presidential election is set for 16 November. The Bishops' Conference calls for upstanding candidates to safeguard freedom and rights, support democratic principles and eliminate religious extremism and racism.

On 21 April, 263 people were killed. Many wounded are still being treated. A woman who had a bullet go through her thigh tells her story, says her mother’s prayers saved her.

The place of Marian worship was abandoned during Sri Lanka’s civil war. It preserves relics from the shepherds Jacinta and Francisco. The Church wants to improve the place to return it to the devotion of the faithful.

The Committee slams Sirisena for "actively undermining" the government and the security services. Serious intelligence lapses led to hundreds of dead and wounded. Action must be taken against Wahhabism, fake news and growing extremism.