War in Sri Lanka ‘will end when we understand that we are one people,’ says archbishop

Rome, Italy, May 19, 2009 / 03:09 am

Archbishop Oswald Gomis of Sri Lanka expressed satisfaction over the end of the conflict between the Tamil Tiger rebel group and government forces after 27 years of struggle, and said “the war will end only when we understand that we are one people, on nation with equal rights.”

“We must understand that we are a multi-ethnic, multi-religious, and multicultural community,” the archbishop said, according to the Italian news agency SIR.  “We are very happy because the war has ended and because the government security forces have been able to liberate all innocent civilians trapped during the battles.”

In the wake of these events, he continued, “the country is facing the imperative task of building up the nation, setting aside the ethical, political and religious differences and promoting a sense of belonging among minority groups.”

Archbishop Gomis thanked the president of Sri Lanka, Mahinda Rajapakse, “for showing courageous leadership, and the heads of the armed forces who “have supported him with a spirit of sacrifice.”  He also offered prayers for those who “have lost their lives in the battles and for the civilians murdered during the war.”