For Peace to prevail Sinhala Buddhist chauvinism should subside -Bishop

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 31 July 2007, 12:50 GMT]
"It is extremely difficult for the people to enjoy their rights and dignity as equal citizens of a country as long as Sinhala Buddhist chauvinism prevails here," said the Bishop of Jaffna, Rev. Dr. Thomas Saundaranayagam Tuesday, addressing a gathering to mark the tenth year completion of the service in providing nutrition feeding to schoolchildren in Vanni by the Human Development Centre (HUDEC-Caritas), the social arm of the Catholic Church of Jaffna, sources in Vanni said.

" Only when the Sinhala Buddhist chauvinsm concedes to the reality and prepares itself to come forward to accept there are other people with whom it should co-exist, peace and prosperity would prevail in this country," the Bishop said.

"Instead of looking after the welfare and security of the people Government of Sri Lanka is engaging in acts of war, assisted with a propaganda campaign that proclaims to eradicate 'terrorism'," he said.

Caritas organisations are providing nutrition feeding to more than 7000 schoolchildren attending the government schools and 1800 preschool children in Vanni that comes under Jaffna Diocese.



Jaffna Bishop was on a 10-days visit to Vanni.

He praised the service of the late Fr. Jebanesan for prioritising the "Ilaikkangchi" nutrition programme and the then Government Agent of Ki'linochchi, T. Rasanyagam who took the initiative to introduce the scheme to the schools in his district.

The first schoold to receive nutrition feeding was Parathipuram school. The event was presided by Fr. G. Peter. at Parathipuram school Tuesday at 10:00 am.

Some expatriate old-boys associations, including Canada-based Hartley College students organizations, provided financial assistance to the nutritional program earlier.