LLRC reflects voice of all Lankans – Malcolm Cardinal Ranjith

Archbishop of Colombo Rev Malcolm Cardinal Ranjith on Thursday said that the Report of the Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission (LLRC) reflects the voice of Sri Lankans who have suffered for decades due to the ravages of conflict.

“We have had the release of the report of the LLRC which is our own organisation where our people were members, where many people gave evidence from our own country.

"We can say the voice of our own people, those who have suffered the difficulties of the war have been recorded in this document,” the Cardinal said, addressing the State Christmas ceremony held at Temple Trees under the patronage of President Mahinda Rajapaksa.

“We can solve our own problems because we have the religious, spiritual and moral rectitude necessary in our own cultures to solve our problems by ourselves.

"We also have the necessary courage to do that because we are a people of courage,” he said. “We have to be happy about the report. We don’t have to feel that it has to be the answer to all our questions. Still we can present it as a report that will help us to achieve or start work towards achieving peace in our country,” he added.

He noted that the suggestions made by the LLRC also help the country understand the truth of certain dark corners of the conflict that have not been brought out so far.

“It will help us to overcome our difficulties and our differences and it will make that process launched firmly for the future,” the Archbishop said.

“The first challenge is how to unite our people removing all the causes of that conflict and ensuring that there is peace, harmony, equality and dignity for all peoples in this country,” he said.

The Archbishop added that it was also part of that challenge to ensure that another conflict will not arise in the country.

He emphasised the necessity of erasing all differences and making all people in the country realise that they have all won the battle of peace.