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Colombo's Archbishop Nicholas Marcus Fernando in a Christmas message yesterday hailed the move for the formation of a government of national reconciliation.
The prelate said top priority needed to be given to the resolution of the long-drawn ethnic conflict not on the battle field but at the round table.
Reminding both the victors and the vanquished at the recent polls that victory and defeat were impermanent features, the Archbishop called for a new culture of consensus politics, reconciliation and equality for all.
"Let us change ourselves in a new political culture to create a new Sri Lankan society where truth, justice, equality, liberty and brotherhood will prevail," he said.
The Archbishop said that it should be realised this Christmas that we are capable of supporting each other only if we learn to recognise the fact that we should all be treated equally.
He urged that independent commissions set up before the dissolution of parliament be brought into full and effective operation to strengthen democracy. Wishing all of Sri Lanka a happy christmas, he said every individual should strive to ensure peace to create a better society soon.
By J. Jayawardena
One prisoner was shot dead and two injured when they attempted to escape from Galle Prison at midnight on Friday, police said.
They said the three prisoners were among four prisoners who made the escape bid by trying to jump over the prison wall using an improvised rope made of sarees.
Home Minister Alick Aluvihare has cancelled appointments of 5,000 Samurdhi officers as Grama Sevakas on the grounds that they were politically motivated.
This is part of an overall cleanup of Samurdhi related affairs, an official said.
The minister who also holds the provincial council portfolio has meanwhile cancelled a tender for the building of a new office for the North Central Provincial Council. It is alleged that the tender was restricted to the Anuradhapura district and the minister has ordered that it be opened to all.
He has also launched an investigation into state vehicles alleged to have been used on election work.
The Government has granted permission to a volunteer organisation to set up a medical camp in the uncleared Madhu church area.
The organisation, Socieity for Love and Understanding, headed by Ceylinco boss Lalith Kotelawala had sought permission from the Ministry of Rehabilitation, Resettlement and Refugees and permission was granted on Friday. A spokesman said the first medical camp would be set up as early as next month.
As a sign of the times, clock towers put up by the Premadasa government and taken through bad times by the PA are to be repaired and restored immediately.
Timely orders to this effect have gone out from Home Minister Alick Aluvihare to all local bodies.
Residents in several areas had complained that the Premadasa clock towers were symbols where time stood still. Now they are to be given wound up and for good measure given a new coat of paint _ obviously in green.
Those who were politically victimised in the state transport sector during the previous regime can now appeal to the Transport Minister.
Transport and Highways Ministry's senior assistant secretary Udaya Manawasinghe said employees of some depots had been prevented from reporting to work. As a result they had lost their jobs.
In some instances, senior officials of cluster companies had prevented certain employees from coming to work, he said.
"Managing directors of cluster companies and depot managers were also restrained from reporting to work in some places, disrupting work and administration," Mr. Manawasinghe said.
At the Rajarata Bus company in the North Central Province, six managers out of seven depots had been prevented from reporting to work, he said.
Mr. Manawasinghe said the Transport Minister would look into such cases of victimisation and grant relief. Appeals could be made to State Transport Minister Upali Piyasoma before January 10, 2002, he said.
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