Fr Anthony Sebamalai, who led the Catholic service, told AsiaNews that he was happy “to participate in this important wedding” in which he could “help [these people] regain their lost Christian faith and values”.
The mass function was the brainchild of Brigadier Sudantha Ranasinghe, Commissioner General for Rehabilitation. Many young people and NGOs praised the government for the initiative. Many of them told AsiaNews that the weddings were an “important step from a religious, cultural and political point of view”, not to mention a sign of respect for Tamil values.
The organisation Oneness donated each couple the sum of 10,000 rupees (US$ 90) as a wedding gift. Each couple also received a house near the Pampemadu centre to complete their rehabilitation programme.