"SELF DETERMINATION IS KEY TO THE WORLD PEACE"
26 September, 2011 – Published 14:13 GMT
Church accused of ‘being silent’
‘It was a barrage of artillery, mortar, multi-barrel shelling and cluster bombs, weapons which Sri Lankan government denies using on the civilians in the no fire zone’
A Catholic priest who stayed in a government declared ‘safe zone’ during the last stages of war has strongly criticised the Church in Sri Lanka for being silent about the plight of trapped civilians.
In an open letter to the Pope, Fr GA Francis Joseph has blasted Church authorities for not raising its voice at a time some western countries and the UN ‘voiced their dismay’ at Sri Lanka government’s military strategy.
“Last night’s toll of the dead is 3318 and of the injured more than 4000,” the letter sent on 10 May, 2009 and seen by the BBC Sinhala service, Sandeshaya stated.
“It was a barrage of artillery, mortar, multi-barrel shelling and cluster bombs, weapons which Sri Lankan government denies using on the civilians in the no fire zone,” says Fr Joseph’s letter to the Pope.
He was living among 365,000 Tamil civilians at the time of writing, the former Rector of St Patrick’s College Jaffna stated in his strongly worded letter.
‘Vanished’
“It is unfortunate that the Church in Sri Lanka does not have the wisdom and guts to air her views forcefully and unequivocally regarding the ongoing war,” said Fr Joseph adding that the sending of the letter may result with his killing by the government or excommunication by the Church.
It is unfortunate that the Church in Sri Lanka does not have the wisdom and guts to air her views forcefully and unequivocally regarding the ongoing war
Father Francis Joseph
Kingsley Swampillai, the bishop of Trincomalee and Batticaloa, later told a government appointed commission that the priest vanished after security forces took him in for questioning.
The bishop said Father Francis was among those leaving the war zone in May 2009 and passing through the military checkpoint at Omanthai when people travelling with him saw him taken in for special questioning.
“And then he was no more – nobody saw him thereafter,” the bishop said.
In a recent Wikileaks revelation, US Ambassador in Colombo Patricia Butenis has told authorities in Washington that Archbishop Malcolm Ranjit requested the US not push accountability issues against Rajapaksa administration.
Wikileaks
The Archbishop has argued that such action would push the government towards a more hardline approach, an opinion agreed by the US ambassador.
The Archbishop office in Colombo, however, has strongly rejected a leaked Wikileaks cable as ‘baseless’ and ‘false’.
‘The Tamils struggling for freedom look up Your Holiness to come to their rescue’
A spokesperson from the Archbishop’s ofice, Rev. Father Benedict Joseph has told The Sunday Leader that this was not the first instance where the Archbishop’s name had been misused and denied the contents of the leaked cable entirely.
However, Fr Joseph’s desperate letter to the Pope in 2009 is highly critical of the Church as well as the Sri Lankan government.
“Knowing that diplomacy comes so perilously near deceitfulness, that our trust in those who are proficient in its exercise, dwindles as time passes by,” said the priest whose fate is unknown states.
“The Tamils struggling for freedom look up Your Holiness to come to their rescue.”
Following the Sri Lankan government’s declaration of the military victory over Tamil Tigers a week later, Pope Benedict XVI called upon all combatants to facilitate the evacuation of civillians.
Addressing a public prayer meeting in the Vatican City after the government announced that all civillians in the war zone have reached safety, the pope said that he joins in the call of the UN Security Council “which just a few days ago demanded guarantees for their safety and security.”
LOCAL LINKS
Civilian deaths increased monthly says US
18 September, 2011 | Sandeshaya
Appeal for critically ill Tamil prisoner
25 September, 2011 | Sandeshaya
Bishop accuses forces over missing priests
Sandeshaya
Probe war crimes charges, urges UN
25 September, 2011 | Sandeshaya
President urges international friendship
23 September, 2011 | Sandeshaya
‘complete destruction’ seen by Moon
06 September, 2011 | Sandeshaya
President shown photos of shelling civilians
05 September, 2011 | Sandeshaya
EXTERNAL LINKS
Vatican
Archbishop’s Office Slams US Cable
Sri Lanka government
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About us
Global Peace Support Group UK Ltd is a registered organisation based in London. The organisation dedicated to be involved in humanitarian and other related issues. We also work along with other similar organisations to promote peace and harmony among various societies..
GLOBAL PEACE SUPPORT GROUP - UK - TIRELESSLY WORK ON THE CONCEPT OF:
"SELF DETERMINATION IS KEY TO THE WORLD PEACE"
MOURNS ON THE CONTINUED TRAGEDY OF THE PEOPLE OF North & East of Tamil EELAM WITH THE HOPE OF ALL OF OUR ENDEAVOURS WOULD BRING AN END TO THOSE SUFFERING DURING THE YEAR AHEAD.
The International community has a duty towards the long suffering Sri Lankan Tamil population to restore their rights of SELF DETERMINATION.
Global Peace Support Group - believes that this is the ONLY way for a permanent PEACE in Sri Lanka.
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