Cardinal wants reins of govt. handed over to capable persons

Text and Pic by Jude Denzil Pathiraja

Archbishop of Colombo Malcolm Cardinal Ranjith yesterday said that the rulers should keep in mind that they were not the owners of the country.

Addressing the media at the Bishop’s House in Colombo, Cardinal Ranjith said that the political leaders had deceived the people for the past 74 years and divided Sri Lankans to compass their political ends. He said the current situation was a curse.

“I request Sri Lankans to unite to change this corrupt system, whilst urging the authorities to step down by handing over power to someone capable of steering this country for betterment. I bless those involved in the current agitation and urge everyone to join hands to chase away the corrupt politicians and bring in a fresh leadership to unleash the true potential of Sri Lanka,” he said.

“We cannot forget the bloodshed that happened three years ago at St. Sebastian Church in Katuwapitiya, Negombo, where over 100 innocent people were killed. The present government used the Easter Sunday attacks to regain power,by spreading fear and ethnic strife, especially among the Muslim communities. However, before long we understood that it was an act of cowardly political conspiracy and urged people not to be deceived by such hatred to fellow Lankans,” Cardinal Ranjith said.

The Cardinal said that it was now clear to all Lankans who were behind the conspiracy to regain power.

“The true faces of the people behind the ruthless Easter Sunday attacks are evident. Although the conspirators could gain power, they could not sustain it, as their power was cursed by God. Maybe it is one of the main reasons why the country has not moved forward in any direction during the past two years,” he said.

“Over the past two years, we continuously requested the government to bring justice to the victims of the Easter Sunday attacks. But to date, they have only blamed the Muslims and tried to defend the real culprits. We would like to remind the President and his government that the prevailing situation of the country is a curse of God and the sacrifices made through the bloodshed of those innocent victims,” he said.