Melani Manel Perera

Air force attacks Tamil rebel base. A bomb at the start of a marathon run near Colombo kills Highways and Road Development Minister Jeyaraj Fernandopulle, a Catholic, and former Olympian Karunatane. Altogether 15 are dead.

The “Govijana Udanaya” underway in Baddegama offers farmers explanations about advantages the government and banks can provide them. The purpose is to encourage the nation’s agricultural production and reduce reliance on imports.

Today at the Cathedral of St Sebastian, thousands of faithful responded to the call from the bishop of Mannar for a day of prayer and peaceful protest against the escalation of violence around the shrine. A local mission house has also been struck in recent days.

Clashes between rebels and Sri Lanka’s armed forces have prevented many Tamil Catholics from celebrating Easter. The army suspects the Madhu Shrine might be a cache for weapons destined to the guerrillas.

The women and men employed on the tea plantations of Sri Lanka live in unsuitable conditions. Their existence depends on the plantation owners, who do not provide for their essential needs and do not guarantee their rights.

For the world day against tuberculosis, the health minister talks about the results obtained, and goals for the future. Fundamental for cutting the disease rate are the commitment and awareness of all.

For years, the dioceses of the country have been gathering funds during Lent for scholarships, aid for the poor, reconstruction of houses, and medical assistance. The directors recount the initiatives already in place, and the plans for 2008.

In its Easter message, the bishops' conference denounces at the same time the serious repercussions of the twenty-year civil conflict on the population, disparity among the social classes, the increasing cost of living, and insecurity.

In Sri Lanka, journalists remain the targets of security forces, and of intimidation on the part of the political authorities. The latest aggression against a state television journalist ignites protests in the sector.

Twenty-six organisations come together to slam the harm the civil war has had on women’s lives. More than 50,000 widows, both Tamil and Sinhala, are without protection and work, victims of sexual abuse.

The secretary of the ministry for social services and assistance has reminded the international non-governmental organisations, the private sector, and government institutions of the urgent responsibility of defending the youngest.

NGOs want to stop the 10 March local elections, claiming that voters are being intimidated and that the poll will only strengthen the central government’s hold over the area and militarise the local administration. The Elections Commission has however dismissed all the accusations.