Bishop to launch peace move

Despite the growing fears of war, the Bishop of Mannar will tonight launch a significant peace move through which at least 100,000 people of the district will sign a petition calling for peace, justice and reconciliation among different ethnic communities. Mannar’s Bishop the Rt. Reverend Rayappu Joseph will be the first to sign the petition on the alter during Midnight Mass to usher in the New Year.

He will be followed by seven others representing the mothers, fathers and children of the parish.
After the midnight mass other members of the congregation will sign the petition followed by other groups.

The Bishop has requested all parishes in the Mannar diocese to make the same peace move during the new year’s eve midnight mass and it is hoped that more than 100,000 people in this war ravaged district will sign the petition. The petition intended at gathering voices for peace at a time when arms are being gathered for war.

The Centre for Society and Religion led by veteran social justice crusader Father Tissa Balasuriya, is coordinating this peace move. Father Balasuriya told The Sunday Times yesterday churches, schools and other organisations all over the country were also been called upon to launch the signing of the petition at today’s midnight mass and they hope to collect more than one million signatures.

The petition states:
We, the children, youth, women, men of our beloved Sri Lanka can live in peace together, sharing power and resources among ourselves. We do not kill each other. We do not want to leave mothers without children, widows without husbands, disabled persons.

Inspired by the noble value of our religions and cultures,
Using productively our resources regretting our past mistakes of over 50 –years, we can build together a peaceful and beautiful Sri Lanka, as children of mother Lanka.

The country is in deep crisis
Due to our mistakes of over 50-years since independence,
Our selfishness as individuals, ethnic communities,
Our conflicts and recourse to arms,Our generation needs repentance, return to harmony accepting each other as brothers and sisters of one human family,Our signatures are a sign of our repentance and return to the right path.
Violence and hate are not overcome by violence and hate.