Melani Manel Perera

For days, Catholics and non-Catholics alike have been paying tribute to Pope Francis. A ‘national day of mourning’ has been declared to coincide with the funeral. Cardinal Ranjith recalls the support given to the victims of the Easter massacre. For President Dissanayake, he was an example of ‘compassion, justice and interreligious harmony’ for all the people.

Work has officially begun on the construction of a 120-megawatt power plant in the Trincomalee area. India and Sri Lanka have also announced the creation of the Colombo Security Conclave, a security cooperation forum that also includes Bangladesh, the Maldives and Mauritius.

In the inaugural session of the new Parliament, the president of Sri Lanka announced an imminent new debt agreement with the International Monetary Fund. Tourism, trade, and new technologies are the leading sectors for a type of development that distributes benefits to all. He also stressed that “racist politics would not be allowed to re-emerge”.

The victory of the 55-year-old leader of a Marxist-leaning party breaks with the country’s “dynastic” politics, reflecting the demands of the Aragalaya movement that ousted the Rajapaksas. During the election campaign, the new president pledged to review the austerity policy imposed by the International Monetary Fund, but also reopen the investigation into the Easter 2019 attacks. Both India and China reacted to the outcome of the vote.

Local people suspect that companies in the area are releasing harmful chemicals into the waters. For days, fishermen have been calling for intervention by the authorities to understand what has led to the death of so many fish.

Galagodaaththe Gnanasara Thero, secretary general of the Bodu Bala Sena, an organisation opposed to other religions in Sri Lanka, received two fines of 50,000 rupees each for defamatory comments about the Muslim community.

Bishop: "I think of all those who do not have access to medical treatment because they live in poverty". The doctors who take care of the sick and risk dying are like "the Good Samaritan". In Sri Lanka schools closed until April 20.

The group, made up of former students of the La Salle institute, does not aim to finance large projects, but to create signs of solidarity: care for the elderly, sports equipment for a school, fresh paint for another, school kits. "Serving the needy beyond caste, race, religion, or ethnicity, there are innumerable ways to serve the Most High God."

A 3 pm curfew has been imposed. Schools and universities have been closed. At least 228 people have been killed and 470 wounded. Two other explosions were reported in Colombo, resulting in the death of three policemen. Sri Lankan President Sirisena and Prime Minister Wickremasinghe appeal to the nation. Card Malcolm Ranjith described the blasts as "bestial and inhuman".

New elections set for January 5. The parties accuse the president of having carried out two illegal acts: making Premier Wickremasinghe resign and dissolving the parliament. Concerns of US and Britain. Sri Lanka, the oldest democracy in Asia, "put to the test".

The Nimala Maria Balika Maha Viduhala (Convent of Mary Immaculate) has celebrated its 75th anniversary. Its purpose is to prepare girls to become "educated women, good mothers and responsible citizens". For Card Ranjith, the students are “created by our God for a vocation”. Noting that each one “is very important”, he urged them to use their talents to create “a good society”.

About 50 families have been living in ruins for two weeks. The houses are destroyed, the wells of drinking water no longer exist. "We only ask for houses, we can earn a living with what we have".