Children's education must be a priority to help war-torn nation heal
Relatives of Tamils who disappeared toward the end of Sri Lanka's protracted civil war stage a protest in the capital Colombo demanding justice in this file photo. (ucanews.com photo)
ucanews.com reporter, Colombo
Sri Lanka
February 27, 2018
Helping a fractured and war-ravaged nation piece itself back together through reconciliation has become a top priority for priests serving the Society of Jesus (SJ) in Sri Lanka.
As part of that, making sure children who live in some of the worst hit areas receive a proper education is crucial to reviving and unifying the country after three decades of violent conflict, they say.
Sri Lanka's bloody 30-year civil war drew to a close in 2009 but nine years on the country still faces a raft of challenges as many parties wait for justice to be served amid allegations of known war criminals going unpunished.
As such, the theme of reconciliation emerged as a key topic at the Feb. 17-21 Jesuit Conference of South Asia.
Notables attending the conference included Father Arturo Marcelino Sosa Abascal, the Superior-General of the Society of Jesus.
Addressing a congregation featuring 100 priests at the Jesuit Retreat House at Lewella in Kandy on Feb. 18, Father Sosa said there was no official report confirming how many had lost their lives in the last phase of the civil war. But figures supplied by the United Nations estimate that at least 40,000 civilians were killed in the final days of the war alone.
"The killing of ordinary people has to be condemned. There should be justice," Father Sosa said, reminding Sri Lankan Jesuits to get involved rather than staying silent on vital issues.
Father Arturo Marcelino Sosa Abascal, Superior-General of the Society of Jesus, attends the Jesuit Conference of South Asia in mid-February at the Jesuit Retreat House, Lewella, Kandy. (ucanews.com photo)
