Cardinal Ranjith demands drastic changes of existing political system

by Norman Palihawadane

The laws of this country now in operation have been promulgated to empower a single person or one particular group to rule the entire nation at his or their will, said Archbishop of Colombo Malcolm Cardinal Ranjith at an event in Ja-ela last week.

Addressing a meeting held at Panahawatte in Bollatha, Ja-Ela to hand over 12 newly built houses to 12 Easter Sunday terror victim families last week, the Cardinal said: “Drastic changes should be brought into the existing political system if we want to see our country march forward. The laws empower only a single person or a particular group. Such empowerment vested on a single group or a person is detrimental to the progress of the country. Therefore we have need for change. The change we seek should ensure a new constitution that would permit a true democracy.

“The laws of the country should be independent and the Head of State and Government (President) should not play with the Constitution of the land at his or her will. We must wipe out fraud and corruption. During the past 74 years since independence, all what our political leaders had been doing was telling lies to the people and deceiving them at every turn. They manipulated the law to achieve what they wanted and not

what the country needed or the people aspired to. As a result now there is no justice and fair play in our society,” he said.

The houses distributed had been constructed by Sethsarana-CARITAS institute of the Archdiocese of Colombo using the funds from CARITAS ATHONISANO of Italy. The recipients were families of 12 victims who were killed while they were attending religious services at St Antony’s Shrine in Kochchikade.

Colombo Archdiocese Auxiliary Bishop Rev Dr Anton Ranjith, Msgr Neville Joe Perera, Archdiocese Procurator General Rev Fr Jude Samantha Fernando, Assistant Procurator General Fr Gihan Ridley, Bollatha Parish Priest Rev Fr Anton Niroshan Fernando and Rev. Fr Kennedy Fernando were also present.