—Civilians trapped in zones of conflict in Sri Lanka have been facing unbearable conditions—
(COLOMBO, SRI LANKA, 26 November 2008)—Senior religious leaders of Religions for Peace, the world’s largest and most representative multi-religious coalition, met with Sri Lankan President H.E. Mahinda Rajapaksa yesterday to discuss the unbearable conditions of civilians trapped in heavy military operations in the north of the country. The religious leaders offered to work with the government, opposition parties and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) to address the humanitarian crisis.
The meeting with the Sri Lankan President was the result of an international multi-religious summit in Anuradhapura organized by Religions for Peace in partnership with Religions for Peace Sri Lanka and the National Peace Council. The summit made a multi-religious commitment to assist vulnerable internally displaced persons.
The Religions for Peace delegations also met with Mr. Ranil Wickremesinghe, the opposition leader; Mr. Basil Rajapaksa, senior advisor to the President; and Mr. R. Sampanthan, the leader of the Tamil National Alliance, to further advance the multi-stakeholder approach to develop the needed humanitarian corridors and non-military zones.
“The achievement of peace through a political solution that is acceptable to all communities is the goal toward which Sri Lanka should be striving,” the religious leaders said in a statement. “We believe that progress toward peace in the coming period will require an attitudinal shift, an evolution that religious communities are trained to bring about. We also believe that a multi-religious initiative to address the humanitarian crisis would open up new opportunities for change, and change of heart, which is the supreme realm of religion and spirituality.” [Full text of statement below.]
Dr. William F. Vendley, Secretary General of Religions for Peace, added that working together to protect the vulnerable may present an unexpected path toward a solution to the long-running conflict agreeable to all parties. “From a religious point of view, war is always a failure, even when it appears to be politically justified as a last resort,” he added.
Venerable Maduluwave Sobitha said, “The government and the opposition leaders must work together to come up with political solutions.” Bishop Norbert Andradi of Anuradhapura noted that, “We have missed many opportunities in the past. We need to seize the opportunities that exist now and move forward.”
His Holiness Venerable Tep Vong, Great Supreme Patriarch of Cambodia Maha Sangha, said, “Buddhism knows that violence can not be resolved by violence. Buddhism’s central tenet is the power of unlimited compassion of loving even enemies.”
“The peoples of Sri Lanka are deeply spiritual. They share deep moral values. Religious leaders can provide leadership in this time of crisis,” said Bishop Gunnar J. Stålsett, Moderator, Religions for Peace European Council of Religious Leaders.
Among the other international figures, Rev. Norio Sakai, Chairman Emeritus of Rissho Kosei-kai, said, “Japanese Buddhist communities are in support of Sri Lankan religious leaders in building of their country’s most representative multi-religious structure, the Religions for Peace Inter-religious Council of Sri Lanka.” He pledged ongoing solidarity.
The Sri Lankan religious delegation included Ven. Prof. Bellanwila Wimalaratana, Ven. Maduluwave Sobitha, Ven. Brahmanawatte Seevali, Swami Ramachandra Iyer Veerapandian, Bishop Vianney Fernando, Bishop Rayappu Joseph, Bishop Norbert Andradi, and Moulavi Abudulla Alim.
The foreign delegation also included Rev. Vebjørn Horsfjord, General Secretary of the Religions for Peace European Council of Religious Leaders, and Rev. Kyoichi Sugino, Director of Inter-religious Council Development and Network Coordination at Religions for Peace.
The Inter-religious Council of Sri Lanka, an affiliate of Religions for Peace, is the country’s most representative multi-religious body with participation of senior Tamil religious leaders from the North such as Bishop of Mannar. The Council is committed to becoming the multi-religious voice of the peoples of Sri Lanka, offering the possibility of mediation, rejecting extremist tendencies, and educating the public about the positive, socially transformative power of religions and their cooperation.
The National Peace Council is an independent and non-partisan organization that works toward a negotiated political solution to the ethnic conflict in Sri Lanka. It has a vision of a peaceful and prosperous Sri Lanka in which the freedom, human rights and democratic rights of all the communities are respected. The organization aims to build a strong foundation in civil society towards non violent attitudinal and behavioral transformation by programs of peace education and advocacy for a just and sustainable peace in the country.
Religions for Peace is the world’s largest and most representative multi-religious coalition advancing common action for peace since 1970. Headquartered in New York and accredited to the United Nations, Religions for Peace works through affiliated inter-religious councils in 70 countries in six continents.
Religions for Peace Inter-religious Council of Sri Lanka
“Religious Leaders Offer to Intervene in Humanitarian Crisis”
Anuradhapura, Sri Lanka | 23 November 2008
World religious leaders joined senior religious leaders from the North, East and South of Sri Lanka in a conference hosted by the Inter-religious Council of Sri Lanka-Religions for Peace in Anuradhapura on 23 November 2008. The conference was organized by the World Conference of Religions for Peace in partnership with Religions for Peace Sri Lanka and the National Peace Council. The Religions for Peace Inter-religious Council of Sri Lanka is the country’s most representative multi-religious body, presenting the multi-religious voice of the nation, offering the possibility of mediation, rejecting extremist tendencies, and educating the public on the positive, socially transformative power of religions and their cooperation.
The Religions for Peace Inter-religious Council of Sri Lanka has offered to facilitate discussions between the government and the LTTE for the creation of humanitarian corridor and non-military zones to be protected and overseen by local religious communities with the support of reputed international organisations, such as ICRC. Religious leaders are committed to utilizing their temples, mosques and churches and relevant networks to make these non-military zones accessible to internally displaced persons caught by the current military operation. Furthermore, the Religions for Peace Inter-religious Council requests the President to formally recognize the Council to be an official observer to the All Party Representative Conference (APRC) and to allow it to negotiate with the LTTE for the establishment of such “humanitarian non-military zones.”
Sri Lanka is faced with a serious humanitarian crisis in the northern Vanni region. Even international humanitarian workers have left the Vanni due to security concerns. In these circumstances, the situation of the civilians trapped in the war zones can be understood to be unbearable. There is a great fear that they will become victims of the fighting. Steps need to be taken to ensure that the civilian population trapped in the war zones do not become human shields. While some of the civilian population, especially those whose family members are combatants with the LTTE, may be voluntarily remaining in LTTE-controlled areas, it is reported that other civilians are not being permitted to leave by LTTE forces.
In such situations, international recognized human rights and humanitarian laws should be observed. Displaced persons have the right to return to their homes in the conflict zones or relocate to any other part of the country. Tragically, this has not been the reality for many displaced persons in Sri Lanka for many years. UN and humanitarian organisations have a legitimate and vital role to play in securing the lives of the populace. A democratic government that seeks reconciliation with all sections of its people for sustainable peace will prioritize the lives and security of its citizens whether they are living under government or rebel control.
At the present time, it is reported that Kilinochchi has become almost completely abandoned with the majority of its inhabitants having fled to the eastern part of the Wanni, temporarily reducing the problem of civilian casualties. However, we fear that problems will again arise in the aftermath of the fighting in Kilinochchi, if the war is carried further eastwards to Mullaitivu. At that point, there will be nowhere left for the civilian population to flee. International law must provide guidance for the course of action to be followed in the days to come.
We believe it is necessary for civil society organizations to voice their concern for those who have been displaced and who face the brunt of war in the north. As religious leaders, we urge the establishment of a humanitarian corridor in accordance with international law to enable the populations trapped in the war zones to freely move out if they decide to leave those areas. As religious leaders, we declare that we are prepared to step forward to both negotiate such a humanitarian corridor with the relevant parties, and to oversee the establishment of a mutually acceptable zone of peace in accordance with international law where the displaced may find shelter in security until they can be resettled in their homes.
Achievement of peace through a political solution that is acceptable to all communities is the goal toward which Sri Lanka should be striving. We believe that progress toward peace in the coming period will require an attitudinal shift, an evolution that its religious communities are trained to bring about. We also believe that our proposed multi religious initiative to address the humanitarian crisis would open up new opportunities for change, and change of heart, which is the supreme realm of religion and spirituality.
Religions for Peace is the world’s largest and most representative multi-religious coalition advancing common action for peace since 1970. Headquartered in New York and accredited to the United Nations, Religions for Peace works through affiliated inter-religious councils in 70 countries in six continents.
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