Melani Manel Perera

For Brother Rehan Derrick, the encyclical underlies situations similar to what is going on in Sri Lanka. The country needs to meet Poe Francis’ challenge, uniting environmental and social approaches.

The Catholic teacher heads the St John de baptist School where he is much loved by the students. In his faith, he found the vocation to “work for kids’ success”. Most of the latter come from a life of poverty.

Herman Kumara, special envoy to the World Forum for Fisher People (WFFP) and president of the National Fisheries Solidarity Movement (NAFSO), speaks about ‘Laudato si’,’ hoping that the pontiff "does not become a martyr of the power structures that control the Church and the world system”.

With so many fathers and older brothers killed during the country’s civil war, many teenaged boys have to quit school in northern Sri Lanka in order to work in support of their families. According to the National Child Protection Authority (NCPA), known child workers top 107,000.

In 2014, 1.5 million foreign visitors, mainly from Germany and Switzerland. The sector is crucial for local economy, but Human Rights activists denounce conditions on the ground. Land expropriations, ban on fishing and seizures affect the livelihood of the coastal population.

C.V. Vigneswaran, chief minister of the northern province, criticizes the massive military presence in the area: one soldier for every four civilians. The problem of heroin use, that arrived with the army after the end of the civil war (2009).

Christian and Hindu Tamils are the only residents. According to them, the government is trying to "appease" majority Sinhalese. For Catholic activist, this action is “dishonest".

After joining the Sisters of Charity at an early age, she had to give up her vows for health reasons. After getting married, she and her husband founded the Marc Sri Home, a Catholic facility for seniors and children in need.

For the MasterCard Global Destinations Cities Index, Colombo, the capital of Sri Lanka, ranks as the fastest growing destination. Almost all of the top ten destinations are in Asia. For economic experts, there is additional room for growth.

Pesticides could be the main culprit, especially glyphosate, an herbicide known for its high level of toxicity. The government has banned the compound, but expert opinion warns that more controls are needed. Even young farmers are getting sick.

This year, the government did not stop ceremonies in the country’s northern and eastern provinces on Remembrance Day, which marks the end of the war against the Tamil Tigers. In Mullivaikkal, an interfaith gathering provided a venue for "consolation and comfort", although "political solution to the Tamil problem" is still needed.

The Bishops' Conference of Sri Lanka announced that the religious solemnity, on 7 June, will be an occasion to pray and fast for Christians persecuted in the world. In their statement, they strongly condemn the persecution and brutal killings, which violate the right to life and religious freedom.