Demonstrators remain inside the premises of the President’s House in Colombo, Sri Lanka.
By Christopher Wells
July 12 2022
Pope Francis renews his appeal for peace in Sri Lanka, urges constructive dialogue and reconciliation in Libya, and calls once again for an end to the “senseless war” in Ukraine. And he prays for seafarers and their families as he recalls “Sea Sunday,” observed today throughout the world.
“I unite myself to the sorrow of the Sri Lankan people, who continue to suffer the effects of political and economic instability,” Pope Francis said on Sunday, following the weekly Angelus.
Following weeks of popular demonstrations, groups of protesters in Sri Lanka stormed the presidential palace and other government buildings on Saturday, demanding the resignation of President Gotabaya Rajapaksa. Later in the day, both the president and Prime Minister Ranil Wikremesinghe agreed to resign, but protest leaders have said they will continue to occupy their official residences until they actually leave office.
Meanwhile, opposition political parties are set to meet on Sunday to discuss the formation of a new government.
In his remarks on Sunday, Pope Francis, in concert with the country’s Bishop, renewed his appeal for peace, and “implored” Sri Lanka’s leaders “not to ignore the cry of the poor and the needs of the people.”
Libya
Pope Francis also addressed “a special thought to the people of Lybia, in particular to the young people and to all those who are suffering because of the serious social and economic problems in the country.” He called for “ever new and convincing solutions” to those problems, “with the help of the international community, through constructive dialogue and national reconciliation.”
Libya has been in turmoil since the overthrow of Muammar Gaddafi’s regime in 2011, which led to internal struggles that only ended with a cease-fire in 2020. A presidential election originally scheduled for December 2021 and delayed till June 2022 has still not taken place. Earlier this month, protesters stormed the House of Representatives in the eastern city of Tobruk and burned the building; since then, protests have continued throughout the country.
