Bishops call for peace

[TamilNet, Friday, 25 December 1998, 14:40 GMT]
Calls for peace on the island that have been coming from various parts of the world have given people fresh hope said Bishop of Jaffna, Rev. Thomas Saundranayakam in his Christmas message.

He called on people to pray for peace during Christmas which, he said, was being celebrated in an atmosphere where human rights are being completely denied.

He also pointed out that the number of refugees, widows, disabled people and orphans are rising each year, and those who lived in comfort have become impoverished today as a result of the war.

Meanwhile, the Bishop of Mannar, Rev. Joseph Rajappu said in his Christmas message that waging war will lead to further war and seeking peace will lead to peace.

Peace, he said, is a divine wealth that springs only from justice and truth.

He called on members of all religious faiths to work together for the country as the new year approached that a just peace may come about. He called on people to work toward a peaceful entry to the new century.