Remove or at least minimize the negative political effects of the proposed Papal Visit to SL -Lawyers for a just society writes to Vatican

(Lanka-e-News- 03.Oct.2014, 4.30PM) 

September 30, 2014

H.E. Archbishop Pierre Nguyên Van Tot

Apostolic Nuncio

Colombo

Your Excellency,

Please allow the Lawyers for a Just Society to bring to your kind attention a matter of much importance to Sri Lankans

This matter concerns the proposed visit of His Holiness Pope Francis to Sri Lanka sometime in January 2015. While all Sri Lankans, irrespective of their individual religious ties, would wholeheartedly welcome the Holy Father to this Blessed Isle, we feel that the visit would, of course indirectly, help curtail certain democratic freedoms of the people.

We understand that the Pope, as a policy, would not undertake a visit to a country that is in the midst of an election campaign and technically, it would not be the case with Sri Lanka as the tentative presidential campaign would be hopefully over by the time of the Papal Visit. Still, even if it takes place under such circumstances, we feel it would offer an undue political advantage to political parties responsible for inviting the Holy Father to Sri Lanka in their capacity as the governing party and which, going by past precedents, they are likely to politically exploit to the fullest. Thus it’s inevitable that the people-Catholics and non-Catholics alike- would tend to view the Visit in a certain political light which would do little justice to the exemplary non-political and non-partisan image of the Holy Father.

In addition, the Visit of the Pope is likely to curtail the period of campaigning for the Presidential election to about 30 days in order for the Presidential Election to be over before the Papal Visit commences and thus avoid the Vatican-imposed limitations on such visits. Presidential Election is the most important election in Sri Lanka where the person who’d lead the country for 6 years is elected and for such a decisive election, more than 60-days of campaigning had been permitted in the past. And such adequate campaign time could be considered as a democratic right which is quite close to people’s hearts.

Thus, in the light of what is mentioned above, we humbly request you to consider interceding with the Sri Lankan Government as well as with the Vatican, to remove or at least minimize the negative political effects of the proposed Papal Visit to Sri Lanka

Thank you,

Yours respectfully,

Convenors

Attorneys at Law

Elmo Perera - 071-8349837

Shiral Lakthilaka - 077-7688725

Gunarathna Wanninayaka - 077-7550959