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» 03/09/2011 16:19
SRI LANKA
Jaffna, a new military command built on Tamil cemetery
by Melani Manel Perera
Residents do not react, afraid of possible retaliation. A Catholic Tamil activist calls the government action "humiliating".

Colombo (AsiaNews) - A cemetery of Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE - Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam) in Koapai (north of Jaffna) has been demolished and a new military command of the 51st Division of the National Armed Forces built in its place , inaugurated on March 4 last. The local residents have called this government move "unjustifiable" and "scandalous", but nobody wanted to say more for fear of threats and retaliation. The opening was held in the presence of Lt. Gen. Jagath Jayasuriya, Commander of the Army, and Major General Mahinda Hathurusinghe.

The human rights activist Anthony Jesudasan, Catholic Tamil co-ordinator of the People to People Dialogue on Peace and Sustainable Development, told AsiaNews: "This is very humiliating. True, they were terrorists, but they are still human beings. " "A cemetery - continues the activist - is the ultimate place for every man. Any religion, race or ethnicity has the right to have a place on earth, where they can rest in peace. "

The Tamil Tigers, a militarized separatist group, were involved since 1983 in a long conflict against the central government for the creation of an independent state in northern and eastern Sri Lanka. After a brief truce, thanks to the mediation of Norway, reached in 2001, in 2008 the fighting re-ignited. The civil war ended in 2009. Since then, the government claims to promote reconciliation between ethnic Tamils and Sinhalese.

Jesudasan defines the demolition a "dictatorial" act.  He asks, "What kind of peace and reconciliation, is the government trying to show the Tamil residents of the area? It seems it's trying to fuel anger and enmity in the minds of these people rather than heal the wounds. "

M.K. Shivajilingam, political opposition party Tamil National Liberation Alliance (Tnla) is of the same opinion and estimates the cemetery contained at least 2 thousand corpses.

On the website of the Ministry of Defence of Sri Lanka, there is no reference to the demolished Tamil cemetery.
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See also
10/29/2010 SRI LANKA
Sri Lanka’s Catholic families gather at Thalawila sanctuary
12/16/2010 SRI LANKA
Sri Lanka: government denies Tamil’s right to sing the national anthem in their language
by Melani Manel Perera
05/16/2008 SRI LANKA
The state must also protect the lives and rights of the minorities
by Melani Manel Perera
08/10/2010 SRI LANKA
Archbishop of Colombo hopes for peace, reconciliation and national unity between north and south
by Melani Manel Perera
04/30/2009 SRI LANKA
Sinhalese and Tamils will perish divided but flourish united, said Colombo archbishop
by Melani Manel Perera


Dossier
Egyptian Revolution: Muslims and Christians united

World Peace Day 2011
Religious freedom, the path to Peace


[Show all dossier]

Editor's choices
VATICAN
Towards the synod: the mission to proclaim the Gospel to today's world Lineamenta of the assembly of bishops to be held next year presented. A necessarily missionary church in the face of challenges posed by secularization, globalization, economic crisis, the decline of ideologies.
MIDDLE EAST
The springtime of the Arab world
by Samir Khalil SamirThere is no fundamentalism, or anti-Israeli ideology in the demonstrations in Libya, Egypt, Tunisia, etc .. It is a movement of young people spurred on by economic suffering and ideals such as democracy, equality, freedom, justice. The demonstrations are free of violence and hatred. Europe and the United States who have always supported dictators remaining blind to the needs of young people in these countries need to examine their conscience.
EU - ISLAM
Europe’s stuttering timidity in denouncing the persecution of Christians
by Bernardo CervelleraAfter nearly three weeks, finally a European text condemns the violations of religious freedom of Christians. The statement suffers from "excessive" balance and distance. The EU's inability to understand what is happening in North Africa and the Middle East is a result of its ignoring its Christian roots. Without a sense of identity the ability to read the situation or offer a way forward. The teaching of Benedict XVI.

Books
Augusto Colombo. Apostolo dei paria
di Piero Gheddo
pp. 320

Matteo Ricci: missione e ragione. Una biografia intellettuale
di Gianni Criveller
pp. 132

Bioetica religioni missioni
di Buono Giuseppe, Pelosi Patrizia
pp. 432

Matteo Ricci e Giulio Aleni, due vite incrociate
di Giulio Aleni / (a cura di) Gianni Criveller
pp. 176

Missione Bengala
155 anni del Pime in India e Bangladesh EMI 
di Piero Gheddo
pp. 480

La Cina di Mao processa la Chiesa
di Angelo S.Lazzarotto
pp. 528


Il rovescio delle medaglie
di Bernardo Cervellera
pp. 240


Il Vescovo partigiano
EMI 2007 pp. 448
di Piero Gheddo

Missione Birmania
1867-2007 I 140 anni del Pime in Myanmar
di Piero Gheddo


Alberico Crescitelli
Martire in Cina
di Angelo S. Lazzarotto e Gianni Criveller


Clemente Vismara,
il Santo dei bambini
di Piero Gheddo


Missione Cina
Viaggio nell'Impero
tra mercato e repressione
di Bernardo Cervellera



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