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Pope arrives in Sri Lanka at start of Asian tour Pope arrives in Sri Lanka at start of Asian tour
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Pope Francis has arrived in Sri Lanka at the start of a week-long Asian tour, saying the island nation can not fully heal from a quarter-century of ethnic warfare without pursuing the truth about the injustices that were committed.Pope Francis has arrived in Sri Lanka at the start of a week-long Asian tour, saying the island nation can not fully heal from a quarter-century of ethnic warfare without pursuing the truth about the injustices that were committed.
While Francis didn’t specifically mention Sri Lanka’s refusal to co-operate with a UN investigation into alleged war crimes in the final months of the war against the Tamil Tigers, he said finding reconciliation after so much bloodshed “can only be done by overcoming evil with good, and by cultivating those virtues which foster reconciliation, solidarity and peace”.While Francis didn’t specifically mention Sri Lanka’s refusal to co-operate with a UN investigation into alleged war crimes in the final months of the war against the Tamil Tigers, he said finding reconciliation after so much bloodshed “can only be done by overcoming evil with good, and by cultivating those virtues which foster reconciliation, solidarity and peace”.
A 2011 UN report said as many as 40,000 Tamil civilians may have been killed in the final government assault that ended the war in 2009, and that both sides committed serious human rights violations.A 2011 UN report said as many as 40,000 Tamil civilians may have been killed in the final government assault that ended the war in 2009, and that both sides committed serious human rights violations.
The pope said: “The process of healing also needs to include the pursuit of truth, not for the sake of opening old wounds, but rather as a necessary means of promoting justice, healing and unity.”The pope said: “The process of healing also needs to include the pursuit of truth, not for the sake of opening old wounds, but rather as a necessary means of promoting justice, healing and unity.”
Francis, 78, spoke on the tarmac of Colombo’s international airport, where he was welcomed under sunny skies by Sri Lanka’s new president, Maithripala Sirisena, who was sworn in on Friday after a big electoral upset. Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith and other church leaders were on hand as well.Francis, 78, spoke on the tarmac of Colombo’s international airport, where he was welcomed under sunny skies by Sri Lanka’s new president, Maithripala Sirisena, who was sworn in on Friday after a big electoral upset. Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith and other church leaders were on hand as well.
The pope was welcomed with traditional drummers and dancers from both the Sinhalese and Tamil ethnic groups, and a children’s choir sang a song of welcome in both languages of Sri Lanka — as well as English and Italian.The pope was welcomed with traditional drummers and dancers from both the Sinhalese and Tamil ethnic groups, and a children’s choir sang a song of welcome in both languages of Sri Lanka — as well as English and Italian.
Francis’s arrival on Tuesday came just a few days after the country’s longtime president, Mahinda Rajapaksa, was upset in an election he had called. The victor, Sirisena, had defected from the ruling party in November in a surprise move and won the election by capitalising on Rajapaksa’s unpopularity among ethnic and religious minorities.Francis’s arrival on Tuesday came just a few days after the country’s longtime president, Mahinda Rajapaksa, was upset in an election he had called. The victor, Sirisena, had defected from the ruling party in November in a surprise move and won the election by capitalising on Rajapaksa’s unpopularity among ethnic and religious minorities.
In a speech he gave before the pope spoke, Sirisena said his government aimed to promote “peace and friendship among our people after overcoming a cruel terrorist conflict.In a speech he gave before the pope spoke, Sirisena said his government aimed to promote “peace and friendship among our people after overcoming a cruel terrorist conflict.
“We are a people who believe in religious tolerance and coexistence based on our centuries old heritage,” he said.“We are a people who believe in religious tolerance and coexistence based on our centuries old heritage,” he said.
Francis is expected to call for greater dialogue among the country’s Buddhist, Hindu, Muslim and Catholics amid a surge in anti-Muslim violence by fundamentalist Buddhists. Sinhalese are mostly Buddhist while Tamils are mostly Hindu. Catholics make up less than 7% of the island nation’s 20 million people but the church has both Sinhalese and Tamils as members and sees itself as a strong source for national unity.Francis is expected to call for greater dialogue among the country’s Buddhist, Hindu, Muslim and Catholics amid a surge in anti-Muslim violence by fundamentalist Buddhists. Sinhalese are mostly Buddhist while Tamils are mostly Hindu. Catholics make up less than 7% of the island nation’s 20 million people but the church has both Sinhalese and Tamils as members and sees itself as a strong source for national unity.
On Wednesday Francis will canonise Sri Lanka’s first saint, the Reverend Giuseppe Vaz, a 17th century missionary credited with having revived the Catholic faith among both Sinhalese and Tamils amid persecution by Dutch colonial rulers, who were Calvinists.On Wednesday Francis will canonise Sri Lanka’s first saint, the Reverend Giuseppe Vaz, a 17th century missionary credited with having revived the Catholic faith among both Sinhalese and Tamils amid persecution by Dutch colonial rulers, who were Calvinists.
Later in the day he will fly into Tamil territory to pray at a shrine beloved by both Sinhalese and Tamil faithful.Later in the day he will fly into Tamil territory to pray at a shrine beloved by both Sinhalese and Tamil faithful.
On Thursday he heads to the Philippines, the largest Roman Catholic country in Asia and third-largest in the world, for the final leg of the journey.On Thursday he heads to the Philippines, the largest Roman Catholic country in Asia and third-largest in the world, for the final leg of the journey.
There he will comfort victims of the devastating 2013 typhoon Haiyan, which left more than 7,300 people dead or missing, displaced some four million and turned a huge densely populated region into a wasteland.There he will comfort victims of the devastating 2013 typhoon Haiyan, which left more than 7,300 people dead or missing, displaced some four million and turned a huge densely populated region into a wasteland.
Millions of Filipinos are expected to turn out for his events, possibly surpassing the record five million who turned out to see John Paul II in 1995. Themes Francis is expected to raise are related to the family, poverty and the environment.Millions of Filipinos are expected to turn out for his events, possibly surpassing the record five million who turned out to see John Paul II in 1995. Themes Francis is expected to raise are related to the family, poverty and the environment.