Caritas-Sri Lanka: medical equipment and prostheses for disabled soldiers
Colombo (AsiaNews) - Caritas-Sri Lanka (SEDEC) is donating medical equipment and prostheses for the mutilated and invalids of the war in the ranks of the army. The delivery of the equipment, worth 1.5 million rupees, the equivalent of over 9 thousand euro, took place July 10.
At the brief ceremony, Msgr. Harold Anthony Perera, Bishop of Kurunegala and Chairman of the Committee for Justice, Peace and Human Development of the Sri Lankan Church, delivered the material to Colonel Ajith Rupasingha, representing the Army Seva Vanitha Unit, the government service traditionally chaired by the wife of the head of the military forces of the country.
Colonel Rupasingha thanked Caritas "for accepting the request" of the army. Bishop Perera said that the donation demonstrates “the ongoing commitment of the Catholic organisation in the many disasters that have hit the country, according to the teachings of Jesus”.
Caritas has just concluded its program of aid to tsunami victims and is engaged in relief for the thousands of refugees of war gathered in refugee camps in the districts of Vavuniya and Jaffna in the north of the country. Sarath Gunarathna, a Catholic politician and deputy minister of aviation, and Fr. Damian Fernando, director of Caritas Sri Lanka were also present at the ceremony for the delivery of aid to military invalids of war.
The priest especially thanked Msgr. Malcolm Ranjith, recently appointed as the new Archbishop of Colombo, for having supported the request made to the Italian Catholic Bishops' Conference which donated the necessary funds to purchase medical equipment and prostheses.
Gunarathna reiterated the commitment of the Government of President Mahinda Rajapaksa for the "incredible support for the disabled and injured of the war, without distinction of race or creed", and asked all those present to pray for peace in the country .
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25/05/2010
