The Catholic Bishops’ Conference (CBCSL) in Sri Lanka yesterday appealed to the government to grant relief to the poor. CBCSL in a statement signed by its President Rt. Rev. Dr. Harold Anthony Perera and Secretary Rt. Rev. Dr. J.D. Anthony Jayakody said that many people were on the brink of starvation while there seemd to be no clear vision to resolve the immediate basic needs of the people.

Text of the CBCSL statement:  The Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Sri Lanka gathered in Plenary Session in August wishes to express its deep concern about the socio-economic and political situation of Sri Lanka and its impact upon the day-to-day lives of the ordinary masses, for, there is the ever increasing and unbearable cost of living affecting them.

Many parents find it difficult to provide their children with their daily food. Many families with difficulty have only one meal a day. Many hospitals are not in a position to care for people’s health needs and there is a severe shortage of medicines. We are seriously concerned about the increasing number of qualified medical personnel who are leaving the country and many people, particularly the poor, who cannot attend to their medical needs, as often, government hospitals are inadequately supplied with medicines and other medical equipment.

Education, too, appears to be in jeopardy. Children attend schools without proper nourishment, clothing and the stationery they require. Parents are not in a position to attend to these basic needs.

There is a serious break-down of law and order. Increasing violence seems to be prevailing in the country. Murders are taking place almost on a daily basis and the number of fatal accidents on the roads due to drunken and reckless driving are on the increase.

Besides, there seems to be no clear vision to resolve the immediate basic needs of the people. There is no control of prices of essential items. Many people are on the brink of starvation. The immediate need should be to promote agriculture and other local production to sustain the people. It is shocking to hear that still many food items are being imported, including rice, eggs, palm oil. etc., which can be produced locally, if incentives are given to local farmers.

In this dire situation, we, the members of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Sri Lanka, earnestly appeal to those in authority to consider the plight of the people seriously before their rhetoric and enacting political dramas, so that the poor and the marginalized could at least sustain their lives with their basic needs.

Sri Lanka is a blessed country and its citizenry talented, and its youth, educated and keen to be participants in its progress. Therefore, we need to create a society where each one’s dignity is valued and appreciated, and peace, harmony and the true manifestation of democracy such  as the independence of the Judiciary and the participation of people in the political life of the nation is safeguarded through the holding of free and fair elections. We appeal to our political leadership to be the instruments of such a political and social renewal and the safeguarding of the dignity and rights of all components of our society.

We call upon all our Catholic faithful to pray and work actively for a social transformation of our society in this manner.