Melani Manel Perera

Sri Lanka is a "pluralistic society as it combines ethnic groups, religions and cultures," says Fr Hettiarachchi from the Inter Religious Alliance for National Unity. For this reason the faithful of all religions should celebrate the 2,600th anniversary of Buddha’s enlightenment.

Buddhists, Christians, Muslims and Hindus take part in Sinhalese and Tamil New Year. The daylong festivities show that “it is possible to build a multiethnic and non-violent nation without war,” an Anglican bishop says.

Executions, torture, mutilation, operations without anesthesia and child soldiers: 25 figures of note have drawn up a document containing eyewitness accounts of victims of the war of 2002-2009. The stories confirm the findings of the UN report, much opposed by the government in Colombo.

For both Wickremasinghe Wasantha and Dhammica Perera, the encounter with Christianity arrived in the difficult moments of life. A long journey of faith, undertaken thanks to their families.

For Christian religions leaders, Christian participation in Buddhist and Hindu rights must be “cultural” in nature, not spiritual. National harmony must be favoured without forgetting one’s own religious traditions.

The UN report speaks about civilian killings, failure to provide assistance and human rights violations. A government minister says the report’s “evidence is weak and not appropriate”. For the opposition, the document provides “irrefutable confirmation” of the crimes. Religious leaders from the Inter-Religious Alliance for National Unity (IRANU) express solidarity with President Mahinda Rajapaksa.

In Sri Lanka, the Chrismal Mass has been celebrated on Monday rather than Holy Thursday for the past few years for organisational reasons. According to the Scriptures, the oil is a physical and spiritual sustenance that places a heavy burden on some of the chosen servants.

The Jesuit turned 98 on April 10. A polyglot and linguist, the priest is the author of a history of the Church in Sri Lanka in 19 volumes, as well as a grammar in Pali language and a series of educational booklets.

The wounds inflicted by war are still open, whilst the military proves incapable of communicating with locals in their language. A mission sent by the Congress of Religions looks into the situation of the Northern Province, two years since the end of the 30-year ethnic conflict.

Churches must become main actors of change after the country’s long ethnic conflict. An Anglican bishop, a Methodist pastor and a Jesuit priest call on the country’s Christians to go beyond mere charity.

Founded in 1991, the Purnodaya Institute provides pre-school education and study assistance to children in primary and secondary education. For the latter, it is the first time in their life that they experience “love, acceptance, joy and freedom”.

Attacks "unfounded" for the Sri Lankan government, which criticizes the international groups for their silence during the ethnic conflict. The attack was launched by Robert Blake, U.S. Secretary of State for South Asia.