Melani Manel Perera

The Catholic community and its leaders pray that the violent death of Fr. Nicholaspilai Packiyaranjith, accelerates the peace process in the country, helping both sides in the conflict to understand that “this slaughter cannot go on”.

On the feast day of Our Lady of the Rosary, a great procession takes in Colombo; participants call on Our Lady to bring peace to the country. Many of those devoted to Mary, whether Sinhalese or Tamil, attend including some Hindus.

In an open letter to authorities over 22 civil organisations call for independent inquiry into the death of Fr. Nicholaspilai Packiyaranjith. They urge the Government and rebels to respect religious leaders and humanitarian workers who work to aid the victims of war.

Lawmakers, human rights activists and people religious protest in front of the Myanmar Embassy. In recent days Buddhist monks and ordinary people took part in other protest rallies and in petitions. Colombo’s Anglican bishop makes a formal protest against the Myanmar junta.

After 4 years of work the Archbishop of Colombo has blessed the first Asian sanctuary dedicated to the saint from Pietrelcina. Catholics and Buddhists participated in the ceremony with donations.

The secretary of the Vatican’s Congregation of Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacrament talks to AsiaNews about his meeting with the head of the LTTE’s political wing who is ready to negotiate but on the basis of the terms agreed to in the 2002 ceasefire.

The community which counts for almost 300 thousand workers continues its demands for state subsidies for petrol; the ban in national waters of large foreign fishing fleets; aid programmes for fishing communities damaged by the war in the North and the Tsunami. But up until now the authorities only make promises.

Human rights activists report that women are worse off in the north, where the civil war continues unabated, compared to their sisters in the south. Increasingly, northern women are suffering from depression as the social, economic and political crisis deepens. Few still retain hope for the future. Since 1983 20,000 women have been widowed.

Celebrations for the famous Marian shrine hit by the tsunami in 2004 end. Some 300,000 pilgrims come from the entire island. Galle bishop calls Our Lady the “light that enlightens” the country divided by ethnic conflict.

In a meeting commemorating a Buddhist monk involved in inter-faith dialogue who was killed by “person or persons unknown,” some religious leaders slam government silence over recent crimes. Participants tell population to learn how to help others irrespective of ethnic or religious differences.

The alarm sounded by the Ministry for Social Services, cites “reliable sources”. In Vanni in the North, many students refuse to leave their homes or present themselves at exams, for fear of ending up in rebel clutches. Since 2002, more than 5,600 small children have become soldiers, but actual figure could be much higher.

Defence expert Iqbal Athas, denounces the military’s shadowy purchase of fighter planes. Police withdraw security guard and a colleague is threatened by army officer.