The archbishop attends a meeting on the homeless. In a memorandum, the Negombo United Peoples Organisation asks the Church to help some 2,000 homeless people. The cardinal also criticised the government’s draft for a new constitution.
Colombo (Asia News) – The Negombo United Peoples Organisation (NUPO) held a conference yesterday at the Rukmani Devi Theatre in Negombo titled “Where will we set up our tent for dinner?" attended by more than 500 homeless people from the Negombo area.
Archbishop Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith of Colombo was the guest of honour. In his address, the prelate noted that, “When there is an opportunity to obtain funds from foreign countries to build houses for the poor, the authorities instead build highways and pocket millions from commissions.”
In view of this, “the poor should use their valuable votes not to choose such people; otherwise, our country will go further into the abyss."
On this occasion, the NUPO gave Cardinal Ranjith a public memorandum with seven requests asking for the archbishop's help in solving the housing crisis of its members.
“The number of members of our homeless organisation is about 2,000,” reads the memorandum, adding, “Without a permanent home, how harsh and limited is this life?”
The memorandum notes that homeless people in Negombo have faced many social problems for almost 40 years. Even after huge efforts, only few housing schemes have been allocated.
With respect to Sri Lanka’s homeless population, the NUPO’s first request is to guarantee the right to housing as a "fundamental right in the constitution".
For Card Ranjith, the government’s constitutional proposal falls far short in this area. Done without no one’s input, it will be a disgrace to the country if it is implemented.
For the cardinal, the draft "has no decency at all. This constitution will not solve the country's problems.” To top it all, someone suggested to “further strengthen the presidency and further reduce human rights.”