The Methodist Church Sri Lanka entreats all Christians and particularly the Methodist people in Sri Lanka to pray earnestly and stand firmly for what we as a Church believe is right before God. It is our understanding that our beloved motherland has been plunged into a grave situation due to political uncertainty.
As a Church, we believe that once again the people of our nation have spoken their mind loud and clear regarding the present government’s failure to establish the yahapalanaya that everyone dreamt about since January 8, 2015.
We call upon those who were defeated at the recent local government election to honestly take stock of their political performance which led them to their defeat.
Over the past few months and especially during the recent election campaign, the two major political parties who had come together in forming the present government on the lines of a national government sent the wrong signals to the people.
The views expressed in the speeches made by the two leaders of the government and the other MPs clearly showed that they have lost their faith and confidence in themselves to run a national government.
When the two parties decided to contest the local government elections separately, the last nail in the coffin was fixed, wiping out the confidence that the majority of the people had to vote for a national government that was established on January 8, 2015. The local government election results sent shock waves to those in power, so that they will either awaken and keep the January 8, 2015 mandate given by the people or go into political wilderness.
We also call upon the victors of the local government elections to note that the mandate given on February 10 is not for them to resume the path of corruption, anarchy and all forms of violence with which they ruled this land before January 8, 2015.
Sadly, we have already begun to hear the breathing of threats and violence on the lines of ethnicity and religion by those who were backed and protected by the previous regime.
We, as a Church, call upon the leader of the party which won the greater number of seats in the local government elections to give an unconditional undertaking to all people of this land that he and those who have come into political power in local government institutions, will not do anything to reverse the process and the journey that the people of our motherland have begun in seeking a society where there is justice and equality for all sections of people and freedom to live with dignity, experiencing no discrimination based on ethnicity and religion.
The victory you have gained is not because the people have forgotten the corruption and violence carried out during your previous regime, but the sheer expression of disappointment and frustration that the people have with the present regime in its failure to usher the good governance that was promised to the people.
We assure all the political leaders of Sri Lanka of our fervent prayers, so that you could put aside all petty part politics, personal political agendas and remain committed to steer the country in the path of justice, equality and good governance which is the desperate and crying need of the people of Sri Lanka.
Rev. Asiri P. Perera
President/Bishop
Methodist Church Sri Lanka
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