Catholic Bishops’ Conference calls on voters to choose next leader wisely

The Catholic Bishops Conference of Sri Lanka has called on voters  to choose their next leader wisely.

“We call upon our dear faithful to pray intensely for the Nation and its well-being and for the wisdom needed for all our citizens to choose wisely,” Sri Lanka's next leader,”
Rev. Dr. Harold Anthony Perera ,Bishop of Kurunegala , the President Catholic Bishops' Conference in Sri Lanka said issuing a statement on the upcoming presidential election.

The statement is co-signed  by Rev. Dr. J D Anthony Auxiliary Bishop of Colombo The Secretary General Catholic Bishops' Conference.

The statement said Sri Lankan voters' maturity and genuine concern for the Nation will be put to the test on September 21, the day of of the  election. 

“In the first instance, it is our contention that the country needs a leader who safeguards the independence of the three pillars of democracy in our country, namely, the Legislature, the Executive and the Judiciary,” it said adding that they have seen how attempts have been made to interfere in the freedom of the Judiciary by the powers that be. 

“Thus, it is important that the valued vote is to be used judiciously to change the political culture that has been protecting corrupt individuals and promoting others. The voter must display the desire to see that justice is meted out to the citizens after proper investigations into the robbery of the country's assets, the politically motivated abductions, disappearances and killings of persons, the crimes committed during the protracted war in the North and East, the civil-unrest in the South and the senseless massacre that took place on Easter Sunday 2019 with a most horrendous bomb attack’” the Bishop’s Conference said.

The statement added that the nation needs a wise and courageous leader to make the long awaited system-change to eradicate corruption and its related ills. “We call on all registered voters to cast their vote to elect the leader who would govern the country according to the democratic and moral principles based on the values of the four main religions in the Island, respecting also the cultural ethos of the people.”