In view of the March 9 provincial and municipal council elections, the local Interfaith Committee called for religious and ethnic affiliations not to be used as a divisive tool. “Let us together promote respect for popular sovereignty in Sri Lanka.”
Negombo (Asia News) – That religious and ethnic affiliation in the election campaign be used not to divide society, but to create a clean and corruption-free political process, promoting harmony. This is the call made by the Negombo Regional Interreligious Committee in view of the municipal and provincial elections set by the Colombo government for March 9. It will be the first political meeting in Sri Lanka since the protests that led to the resignation of President Gotabaya Rajapaksa last summer.
Within a month of this deadline, the Committee organized an awareness conference at the Indira Festival Hall in Negombo, which was attended by Christian and Muslim leaders, civil society leaders and election candidates. “These elections will be a test for the sovereignty of the people in the country. They must not be postponed for any reason and must be held in accordance with the law,” said Rohana Hettiarachi, executive director of People’s Action for Free and Fair Elections. And she added: “Rulers always want to make laws to maintain their power. But when these laws challenge popular sovereignty, the people have the right to oppose them. There is no law forbidding it.” Finally, Rohana Hettiarachi stressed the responsibility of religious leaders to prevent corruption and awaken and motivate people to vote.
Nirmala Fernando, one of the candidates for the Negombo Municipal Council, underlined how this district in which all religions and nationalities are represented can serve as an example for all of Sri Lanka. “Without suggesting any political party,” she added, “it is the responsibility of all religious leaders to help citizens vote responsibly.”
For his part, Pastor Kusumsira, who participated in the event, recalled precisely how the relationships that were built over time between Christians and Muslims in Negombo prevented mass riots and more deaths during the days of the 2019 Easter attacks. “If the Muslim brothers cooperate more closely with us and step forward, it will be another strong point to build harmony,” he concluded.
