Affirms he is a long-standing, credible member of Colombo Diocese after monks claimed he was driven out of church
GL criticises diplomats for attending meeting with missing peoples’ families
By Dharisha Bastians
Bishop of Colombo, Rt. Rev. Dhiloraj Canagasabey has publicly stood by Anglican priest and disappearances activist, Fr. M. Sathivel, who was recently targeted by a monk led group claiming to represent families of the disappeared in the south.
The protesting group, later calling itself the Dead and Missing Persons Parents’ Front, violently disrupted a meeting with the families of the disappeared from the Northern Province on 4 August at the Centre for Society and Religion in Maradana, where Fr. Sathivel was also present.
“Following this incident, group of monks and persons had held a press conference wherein they produced a picture of Rev. Sathivel and said that he is no longer a priest, discredited person and disowned by his own church,” Bishop Canagasabey said in a statement issued on Monday (18).
The Bishop of Colombo said he does not in any way condone the action against the peaceful gathering. “As his Bishop affirm that Rev. M. Sathivel is a long standing and credible priest of the Diocese of Colombo with over 25 years of parish and community work with a justice and peace consciousness. I uphold him in my prayers and pray to God for his courageous ministry which is part of our Lord’s own Ministry,” the Bishop said in his statement. During a press briefing on 5 August, the DMPPF claimed that Fr. M. Sathivel had been driven out of the Christian Church. The group claimed that the priest had no place to stay and accused him of trying to assault some of the monks who disrupted the meeting. The monks accused the Anglican priest of being the main reason for the situation to become heated on 4 August.
The controversial disruption of the meeting inside the church grounds has garnered significant attention because representatives of several Colombo-based diplomatic missions had been present at the discussions.
Speaking to foreign correspondents at Temple Trees yesterday, President Mahinda Rajapaksa said the Government had nothing to do with the disruption which was an altercation between “two groups”.
External Affairs Minister G.L. Peiris who was also at yesterday’s briefing claimed attempts had been made to record evidence from the aggrieved families to be handed over to the UN investigators in Geneva. He claimed recording devices had been found in a room adjacent to the meeting hall.
“I took the issue up with the Ambassadors of the respective diplomatic missions that were present. Participation in that event does not fall within the ambit of diplomatic activity,” Minister Peiris charged.
