Melani Manel Perera

The Catholic Archbishop of Colombo and the Anglican leader in Sri Lanka have both sent letters of condolences for the death of a leading Tamil politician and the January 2nd attack in the capital. Both remind politicians of the urgency to find a negotiated solution to end the civil war and violence, But the government has already announced its withdrawal from the ceasefire with the Tigers.

The attack on a military bus took place one day after the assassination of a Tamil member of parliament, openly critical of the government. The politician was killed inside a Hindu temple. Despite continued threats Colombo had removed his escort weeks ago.

Threats, economic blackmail, cutting power and water supplies are all means by which the government wants to shut down camps for tsunami victims before 26 December in order to be able to say that it solved the problem. Three years since the disaster life in the camps remains precarious, but thousands of families don’t know where to go.

In an interview with AsiaNews, the OMI provincial superior in Sri Lanka, Fr S.M. Selvaratnam, recounts the dramatic situation of the Tamils in the northern part of the country: the widespread culture of war, the paralysis of education, the impossibility even of crossing the street without the permission of the army, the absence of an authority to guarantee the rights of citizens. The general misery compels the suicide of fathers of families who cannot pay for their children's medicines.

In an orphanage in the diocese of Chilaw, run by the Sisters of Perpetual Succour, children of all faiths celebrate the arrival of Christmas with an evening of prayer and song. The young tell of their “joy” at participating in the event and of “finally feeling loved and no longer alone”.

Fishermen’s rights groups complain about the fate of one of the most marginalised social groups in the country. The government’s development policies favour the tourist industry and prefer agreements with large foreign companies to exploit the country’s waters. This is pushing more and more small scale fishermen into utter poverty. Whilst the government is building highways and hotels, thousands of families are still surviving in temporary shelters.

Asian Human Rights Commission makes the allegation in a report released on International Human Rights Day. The year 2007 saw continued human rights violations by both Tamil rebels and the government. Corruption is up and freedom of expression is more restricted.

In a country where war and violence force families into fear, an invitation is given so that we may witness the arrival of Christ, “The King of Peace”. Avoid luxurious parties and bring spiritual and material comfort. Some concrete gestures to remind that the birth is real.

Tough sentence for both the rebels and the military for the recent massacres. A call to all to condemn violence and to treat everyone with comprehension and compassion in order to overcome hatred and vengeance. Over 70 thousand dead in 24 years of civil war.

The World Forum of Fisher People denounces after having visited fishing villages hit by the killer wave. Three years on from the tragedy, survivors still live in tents and barely make ends meet. An appeal to the government to commit itself to rebuilding homes and the local economy.

The secretary general Ban invites both sides in the conflict to “resume the peace process”. The two explosions, one caused by a female suicide bomber, left 18 people dead and 30 wounded; they could signal the beginning of a fresh Tiger campaign against civilians in answer to the government attacks in the North.

An inter-faith group made up of Catholics and Muslims that slammed the project organises a joint day of prayer as a form of protest. If it is built the power station will have a disastrous environmental impact on the area. Many families are already suffering as a result of their eviction on the president’s order. The new government-built homes they were given already show structural problems and are located faraway from basic services.