2016-07-15 16:05:00

Cardinal Ranjith urges quick compensation for victims of army camp disaster ‎


The head of Sri Lanka’s Catholic bishops has appealed to the nation’s leaders to help those who have lost their homes and livelihood because of an explosion and fire that erupted at an army base in Salawa, near the capital city a month ago.  "Residents in the area forced to flee only with the clothes on their backs as a result of the tragedy are still in a state of shock and suffering," Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith, Archbishop of Colombo said in a press statement. 

A soldier was killed and thousands of people were evacuated due to the fire and explosions that raged June 5-6.  While completely destroying the army camp and its munitions stockpiles, the tragedy, also destroyed hundreds of nearby homes and businesses.  The cardinal says that people are now living in makeshift tents.

"They have lost everything they toiled for over a lifetime, their homes, their commercial ventures and everything that belonged to them which have been reduced to rubble and ash," Cardinal Ranjith said, asking the President and Prime Minister to speed up assistance for those affected by the disaster.  "Even though promises have been made by the relevant authorities that their houses and ventures would be re-built very soon,” the prelate lamented that due to red tape and official procedure, these promises are still be to realized.  (Source: AsiaNews)

 

 








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