SL: PILGRIMAGE FOR JUSTICE AND PEACE!

‘Through the stormy night lead us on to the light’

By Augustin Fernando/sundaytimes.lk

A North-South pilgrimage for peace and unity that started on Friday in Chilaw ends today at the Basilica of Our Lady of Lanka, at Tewatte. The pilgrimage, or march, is headed by six priests, three from the North, three from the South. The pilgrims are appealing to the President, the Leader of the Opposition, the LTTE leader and all political parties, saying that all people – from North to South –be allowed to live in peace and harmony.


A group of Sinhala and Tamil priests seen on their pilgrimage for peace yesterday
The Northern priests taking part in the peace march are Rev. Fr. Alfred Alexander, former superior of the Blessed Sacrament community and president of the Conference of the Major Superiors; Rev. Fr. J. E. Jayaseelan, a lecturer on the faculty of the University of Jaffna, and Rev. Fr. Jude Nixon. They are accompanied by three priests from the South: Rev. Fr. Tissa Balasuriya; founder and chairperson of the Centre for Society and Religion (CSR); Rev. Fr. Rohan Silva. executive director of the CSR, and Rev. Fr. Sarath Iddamalgoda. Several nuns and brothers have joined in the peace march, which started at the cathedral in Chilaw. The participants believe that all aspirations can be achieved by faith, prayer and sacrifice, and express the hope that the war will be ended and that all of Sri Lanka’s people will be united, with mutual respect among all communities in a spirit of amity.

The participants are collecting signatures for a petition that requests the President, Mr. Wickremesinghe of the UNP, the LTTE leader and party leaders to create a climate of peace in which every section of the Sri Lankn community can live in brotherhood. Prayers for this cause are being offered during the peace march, which ends today with a prayer service at the national Basilica of Our Lady of Lanka. The Basilica is dedicated to the cause of peace. The following are excerpts from the text of the petition:

“Ethnic relations since independence in 1948, combined with sporadic violence where the victims were mainly the Tamil speaking population, leading to recourse to armed resistance by the Tamil youth led by the LTTE;

“The continuance of this armed conflict will lead to the death of further thousands of combatants on both sides, and of civilians living in conflict zones and elsewhere;
“Thinking of the thousands of Tamil-speaking families living in the jungles, without proper housing, food, employment, health services and schooling;

“Regretting that thousands of Tamil families are in many other countries as refugees.
“Seeing the participation of Tamil militant leaders and groups in the administration of the Eastern province.

“We earnestly appeal to you

1. To propose a southern consensus, specially by the government and the opposition, for a constitutionally guaranteed sharing of power within a united Sri Lanka;

2 To be accompanied by a ceasefire of the government and the LTTE committed to laying down arms monitored by international observers.

3 That provision be made for the LTTE and the other Tamil and Muslim political parties also to share democratically in the administration of the North and the East.

“We appeal to the religious leaders, the people’s movements of women and men and the mass media to support this appeal by bringing their influence to bear on the political leaders for a negotiated peace with justice to all, safeguarding the human rights and dignity of all.”