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In a statement debunking propaganda that Christians will be under threat in a Mahinda Rajapakse Presidency, Northern Eastern Provinces Governor and former UNP Foreign Minister Tyronne Fernando a Christian points an accusing finger at UNP Presidential Candidate Ranil Wickremesinghe. The full text of the statement:

The propaganda being put out by interested and biassed parties that Christians will be under threat if PM Mahinda Rajapakse becomes President is baseless and should not be taken seriously.

As a Christian (and a nephew of at least 2 Anglican Bishops and 2 Chairmen of the Methodist Church) I must emphasize that PM Rajapakse's manifesto embodies many Christian values eg. family values, a national consensus, care for the poor and downtrodden, care for children, for the aged, for the disabled etc., care for places of worship especially Madhu Church and Thalawila, a Christian education for Christian children, economic assistance to Churches etc.

Even within the Church "there are many mansions" and many rivers of thought. The fact that PM Rajapakse has been able to draw in the JVP and JHU into mainstream politics is a major victory. Compromise has produced a manifesto in which the question of an anti-conversion bill has not even been raised.

I must recall that it was Mahinda Rajapakse (married to a Christian) together with President Chandrika who protected Churches in the aftermath of the Ven. Soma Thera's death in 2003.

In contrast Ranil Wickremesinghe devotes only a few general lines to Christianity in his manifesto. On a personal note, it was Wickremesinghe who projected me on the National List in 2004 as a Christian (who had won elections for 27 years) and then dropped me from Parliament arbitrarily.

He broke a promise made publicly at a UNP rally. What trust can Christians place in him?

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