Sri Lankan Oblate Statement on Deepened Instability

July 5th, 2007

As the largest men’s religious and Catholic congregation which has been serving the people of Sri Lanka for the last 175 years, and a group both of indigenous and foreign missionaries who have labored and still continue to work for the human, educational, social, cultural and spiritual welfare and well-being of our people in all parts of the country, we are deeply concerned and perturbed by the horrendous and shocking events that are overtaking our country at the present moment, bringing such misery and untold suffering.

The political instability, violence, social disintegration and moral decadence at all levels are matters of grave concern to all right-thinking citizens. These are being manifested in the open and gross violation of human rights clearly enshrined in our Constitution, indiscriminate killing of the young and the old, eviction and multiple displacement of innocent civilians, abductions, extortion of money and scant respect for life. We unreservedly condemn these evils as ir-religious, inhuman and ir-rational contravening the noble religious values that we uphold in all our religions.

The international image of Sri Lanka as a religious country is being blatantly tarnished by these events which are now a daily occurrence and on the increase.

While we are in solidarity with all those people of sincerity and goodwill who are working hard to bring about some change in this prevailing situation, we, on behalf of all the Oblate Fathers, Brothers and our associates, earnestly appeal to the political and civil authorities, whose authority has been vested in them by the sovereignty of the people, to bring back social harmony, peace and the rule of law that will ensure safety, security and well-being of all the citizens of our dear motherland.

Fr. Clement Waidyasekera OMI Fr. S. M . Slevaratnam OMI

Provincial Superior, Colombo Provincial Superior, Jaffna

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