wfn.org | Sri Lanka

[Miriam REIDY PROST <mr@wcc-coe.org>]

(Sorry, sent this out under wrong heading by mistake. Here it is again.)

World Council of Churches
Press Release
For Immediate Use
24 November, 1997

INTERNATIONAL CHURCH EFFORT TO HELP END CIVIL WAR
IN SRI LANKA

The World Council of Churches (WCC) and the Reformed Churches of
Berne-Jura, Switzerland, are to convene an "International Ecumenical
Consultation on the Promotion of Peace with Justice in Sri Lanka".

The meeting will take place Monday-Thursday, 8-11 December at the
Swiss churches' study centre, in Sornetan, north of Berne in the Jura
Mountains.  Several participants from Sri Lanka will attend, plus a lawyer
from South Africa who will reflect on lessons to be learnt from the peace
process in that country.

A press conference in English and German will be held at the close of
the consultation on Friday, 12 December at 1030hrs in the Kreuz Hotel,
Zeughausgasse 39/41, Berne.  A communiqu‚ from the consultation will
be available at the press conference.

The WCC and the Reformed Churches of  Berne-Jura say:
"The ethnic conflict in Sri Lanka is in its fourteenth year with no
resolution in sight.  Over the years, thousands of people on both sides of
the ethnic divide have lost their lives, millions have been displaced within,
as well as outside the country's borders, property worth millions of
dollars has been destroyed, and huge amounts of human and financial
resources have been diverted to the war effort.

"Thousands of Sri Lankan Tamils have fled their homeland and sought
shelter in Europe and North America.  Now, some host governments
have agreed with the Sri Lankan government for the forced repatriation
of refugees.  There is also a general tightening of border controls to
prevent the entry of further asylum seekers.

"It seems that the present government of President Chandrika, who won
the last election on a peace platform, now seems determined to seek a
military solution to the conflict.  The LTTE (Tamil Tigers) acts of bombings
of civilians have also not helped to further the peace process.

"Urgent efforts need to be made to revive the peace process.  Churches
in Europe and North America have an important role to play in
encouraging and supporting the initiatives of the local churches in Sri
Lanka to work towards a peaceful resolution of the conflict.  Work also
needs to be done to mobilize European and North American governments
in peace and reconciliation efforts.

The forthcoming consultation, which is being organised in close
cooperation with partner churches and councils of churches in Sri
Lanka, and will include about 50 participants from Europe, North America,
Asia and Sri Lanka, will:
 	analyse the present situation
 	develop a plan of action for churches and aid agencies to
approach their governments
 	raise international awareness about the situation in Sri Lanka
 	cooperate on efforts to bring relief and development to the
country
 	encourage Sri Lankan churches to develop a vision and action
plan for peace
 	set up a churches' support group from the WCC, Europe, North
America and Asia
 	establish systems to monitor the progress of church initiatives

Main speakers at the consultation will include:
Dr Rohan Ediresinha, Faculty of Law, Colombo University
Rev. Dr Joseph Chandrakanthan, Professor of Theology, Concordia
University, Canada
Mr Clement John, World Council of Churches
Mrs Anita Nesiah, National Peace Council, Colombo
Rev. Rienzie Perera, General Secretary of the National Christian Council
of Sri Lanka
Mr Richard Rosenthal, lawyer, South Africa
Pastor Jacob Sch„delin, Reformed Churches of Berne-Jura
Brother Anselm Silva, o.m.i., Roman Catholic Church in Sri Lanka
Rev. Daniel Thiagarajah, Former director, Church of South India
theological seminary, Jaffna
also:
Frau Elizabeth B„umlin will represent the Federation of Reformed
Churches of Switzerland.
The vice-president of the All-Hindu Congress of Ceylon plus two
buddhist monks from Sri Lanka will attend as observers.

Further Information:
WCC - Clement John +41.22.791.62.18
Reformed Church of Bern and Jura -  Brigitte Morgenthaler Subramaniam 
+41.31.311.87.47
Contact number during consultation:  +41.32.484.95.35; Fax
+41.32.484.95.36:	

**********
The World Council of Churches is a fellowship of churches, now 330, in
more than 100 countries in all continents from virtually all Christian
traditions.  The Roman Catholic Church is not a member church but
works cooperatively with the WCC.  The highest governing body is the
Assembly, which meets approximately every seven years.  The WCC
was formally inaugurated in 1948 in Amsterdam, Netherlands.  Its staff is
headed by general secretary Konrad Raiser from the Evangelical Church
in Germany.

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