Catholic Bishops Conference appeals to President on General’s release
Posted by Editor on October 7, 2010 - 10:17 am
The Catholic Bishops Conference has appealed to the President issuing a communiqué to the media to free former Army Commander General Sarath Fonseka. It has been signed by Archbishop Malcolm Ranjith, President and Bishop Nobert M Andradi OMI, Secretary General of the Catholic Bishops Conference.
The communiqué states that the Catholic Bishops Conference is attentive on the situation with the General’s imprisonment. It has appealed to the President to pay his special attention and release the former Army Commander considering the suffering endured at the risk of his life and the valuable service rendered by him.
Courtesy: Lanka Truth
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Does this mean the Catholic Church endorses genocide of the tamil minority in Sri Lanka?
The Bishops Conference failed to address more critical issues such as child abuse by collared clerics within the church.
Now The “Cat” coming out from their bag…!
Thanks to the Bishop and the council. We should do what we have to do as Catholics. No politic!!
I totally denounce the RC Archbishop and the Catholic Bishops’ Conference for their support in favour of release of SF from prison. Does this mean, Sakvithi and other mafia crminals should also be released? The argument that SF should be released because he is a war hero is hollow. It is highly questionable whether he is a war hero. The real war heroes are the men and officers who sacrificed their lives and limbs to liberate the Tamil hostages and free the country from LTTE evil grip. HE the President and the Defence Secretary deserves credit as war heroes for their courageous political and military leadership and strategies. In the final phase of the War of Liberation, SF was gallavanting in China on a luxurious holiday with his family and a few bosom buddies, courtesy of the tax payers, to order ship loads of arms without the sanction of the Defence Secretary and the President. It was an insubordinate and unilateral decision by this man along with the JVP, to plot and plan a coup d’etat if he fails his election bid for presidency. He even planned to increase the size of the army with no sanction from the Defence Secretary and the President. It shows he was behaving as if he was already the President and acting with authority he did not have. He was on a huge ego-trip in the crest of the impending total destruction of VP and the LTTE.
SF had been found guilty after fair hearings before two Military Tribunals. Military Tribunals are proper courts of law. SF was dishonourably discharged and sentenced to 30 months imprisonment. His crimes had finally caught-up with him and he has to face the music like any other criminal. We cannot have two systems of justice, one for so-called ‘war heroes’ and another for ordinary criminals. Even religious clergy have to face punishment if found guilty in a court of law for their crimes. There are clergy who were guilty of paedophilia and other offences. If proven guilty they should be punished by the justice system of the country. The Archbishop and the Bishops Conference cannot plead for their freedom on the basis they are clergy. There is a Buddhist monk in remand on trial for stock-piling weapons for SF in his temple in Colombo, intended for the coup plot.
SF is now standing trial in Criminal Court for even more serious crimes of treason, plotting a coup d’etat and plotting the assassination of the President, his family and other leading politicians of the government, and celebrities. The evidence is overwhelming and incontovertible. If found guilty is the Archbishop and his Bishops Conference and other misguided, foolish Buddhist clegy of highest ranks going to plead for him to be let-off scot-free? Like anyother man if found guilty and sentenced he must pay the price for his crimes. Even God will punish evil-doers for their sins if they do not repent and do penance. King David pleaded forgiveness from God by fasting and penance in sack cloth and ashes for 40 days openly, for his sin of sending his general to the front lines to be killed, so that David could satisfy his lust for the beautiful wife Bethsheba of the general. He wrote Psalm 51 in repentance begging God’s mercy. God forgave him. SF has not pleaded guilty nor asked pardon from HE the President. Even God cannot forgive someone who does not ask His forgiveness and do penence. I ask the bishops and other religious and Buddhist clergy to let justice prevail. Let these do-gooders attend to spiritual matters to ensure people lead righteous lives so that there is less crime in the country. Stop pleading to free criminals, whatever their states in life were!
I denounce the bishops of Jaffna and Mannar, like Raiyappu Joseph, for their open political support for VP and the LTTE. Their Tamil RC clergy ferried LTTE suicide cadres to the South on their barbaric missions. They committed gun-running crimes. They ferried money to the LTTE. These were crimes aginst the State. These bishops and Tamil clergy were criminals. They have got away scot-free. The Archbishop and his predecessors were silent. They did not denounce the Bishops of J & M. During WW II, Pope Pius XII failed to condemn the barbarities and genocide of Hitler and the nazis.
Dear Hon President, please stand firmly in the face of fierce on-slaught by misguided and foolish religious clergy, however high their ranks are. They should not try to bend the Justice System of the country for their expediency. You are not being revengeful as some people are trying to make out. Evil men have to pay for their crimes. Otherwise there is no justice in the world. Saddam Hussein had to pay for his crimes at the end. His past caught-up with him. So should SF pay for his crimes. His past has caught-up with him. He cannot be let-off scot-free this time. He is not a war hero. You and your brother are war heroes for your political leadership and military strategy in rescuing the Tamil hostages and totally vanquishing the LTTE. Let justice prevail. Even God does not forgive a man who fails to plead for mercy and do penance. Please do not succumb to religious and political pressure. The country is in dire danger if you free this evil traitor. All your efforts to re-build the country will come to nought. I plead with you to stay firm. You are not being revengeful. You are being prudent and upholding justice for the better future of the nation.
May God bless you Sir and grant you long life to re-build our nation on Mahinda Chintanaya pathway!