Sri Lanka: Many misunderstood our

advocacy Fr. Emmanuel

Former President Chandrika, whom I earlier criticised for her War

for Peace as now having the potential to become the mother of a
united rainbow nation of three ethnic groups and four religions.

(March 15, 2017, Berlin, Sri Lanka

Guardian) In an interview with Sri Lanka Guardian, the President
of the Global Tamil Forum, a frontier representative of the Sri
Lankan Tamil Community around the Globe, Reverend Father S. J.
Emmanuel says that his political engagement and defense on
behalf of his own people has been misunderstood as supporting
terrorism against the state.
Some mischievous people have gone mad in even accusing me
of comparing Prabaharan to Jesus Christ! Nothing can be more
blasphemous, he said.
Excerpts of the first part one of this interview;
Question: Thank you for joining us father! How are you?
How do you feel your life and service for 50 years as a
Catholic priest in and out of Sri Lanka?
Answer: Thank you. Unlike my colleagues, I did not have my
priestly golden jubilee celebrations in my home diocese of Jaffna. I
have finished all my golden jubilee celebrations outside Sri Lanka
in Toronto, London, Paris, Palermo, Germany and Rome. The
climax of these was the concelebrated mass on our jubilee day
16.12.2016 with Pope Francis in his Chapel at.St.Martha. In my
audience with him thereafter, I told him that I lived out of my 50
years of priesthood, only 30 years in Sri Lanka, the rest 20 years
in self-exile. Quick came the surprising question How did it go? I
told him of the hospitality of the German Diocese of Mnster. I
also handed to him a 2page-letter written in Italian. I thanked him
for his visit to Sri Lanka and asked him to continue his
encouragement to the Sri Lankan church to do more in
collaboration with other religions for genuine reconciliation.
Though I was a late vocation after being a science teacher and
lake-House journalist (1959- 61) to priesthood, I have enjoyed
these 50 years serving as a disciple of Jesus, not only the
Sinhalese and the Tamils of Sri Lanka, but also other peoples of
the the Asian churches and the Germans.
As a theologian and ecclesiologist, formed during and according
to the teachings of the 2nd Vat. Council, I gave my services in the
formation of 100s of priests from all parts of Sri Lanka at the
National Seminary for 10 years(1976-86) and later in my home
diocese for another 10 years (1986-96) as Rector and Vicar
General. I am proud of my students now serving the church as
priests and some as bishops. In 1986 I founded a Centre for
Better Society in Jaffna, with 4 religious leaders as patrons, to
bring Catholics, Protestants, Hindus and Muslims to collaborate for
the welfare of people. During the last round of Chandrika-LTTE
peace Talks, I invited the Sinhala participants from the South to
address my people at this Centre.
My students know my emphasis on the teachings of the 2nd.Vat.
Council towards maturing as local churches of the people and its
progressive vision to be the hope and aspiration of peoples
(Lumen Gentium, Gaudium et Spes).
I enjoyed defending myself and in being faithful to the two poles
of my service God and my conscience. Even Jesus was not free
from suspicion and misunderstandings!

I was fortunate to be the Sri Lankan theologian in the first

theological advisory committee for the Asian churches (TAC-FABC,
1986-94) and addressed many seminars in Asian countries about
ministries, laity, inter-religious dialogue etc. For the plenary
meeting of the Asian bishops in Tokyo in in 1986, I gave the key-
note address on the theme of Laity in the church.
As an Asian theologian, I have tried to be critically constructive of
the local institutional church, and tried to move the Asian
churches towards new horizons of inter-religious dialogue and
harmony. Asian bishops were happy about my contributions, but
some Vatican authorities were disturbed. I was suspected and
questioned by Vatican authorities, but I enjoyed defending myself
and in being faithful to the two poles of my service- God and my
conscience. Even Jesus was not free from suspicion and
misunderstandings!
During these last twenty years in self-exile, I have been teaching
for short terms at Heythrop College, of the University of London,
Mnster and Frankfurt and served in two German parishes 10
years as Pastor and the last 10 years as assistant. Being a friend
of some German theologians, I still enjoy twittering my
encouragement and criticism of the German church in the
German language.
During my self-exile here several bishops and priests from Sri
Lanka have visited me. I am thankful to them.
Question: Father, as we talked in one of our previous
discussions you have done much for Sinhala community as
well. But many extremists are trying to portrait you as a
pro-separatist. Whats your take?
Answer: Thank you for the chance to explain myself. As long as
my services were within the church or directed to help poor with
humanitarian services, there was no criticism of my life and
services. I did help the handicapped children in Ark, Uduvil run by
the Holy Family Sisters, and the children of the tea estates with
education ( St.Peters Home which I started in 1981 in Ampitiya is
still functioning in Punduloya, Nuwara Eliya under the Carmelite
nuns).
But once I stepped in as a priest, to speak on behalf of those
victimised by bombings of churches and schools, then I was
misunderstood grossly from all sides. When I was Vicar General
Church of St.James in Jaffna and Sts.Peter & Paul in Navaly were
bombed, some schools and villages Navatkudah were bombed.
Naturally I spoke out on behalf of the people. I even sent a letter
to the then President Chandrika.
Once I stepped in as a priest, to speak on behalf of those
victimised by bombings of churches and schools, then I was
misunderstood grossly from all sides.

For the priests and my bishop, I was an embarrassment, because

they considered my reaction as politics and preferred to distance
themselves and remain within the church. I had to go alone as
Vicar General without my bishop to see the heap of dead bodies
and give my reaction to the media and even send letters to
Colombo. For the LTTE who were fighting the Govt. Forces, my
reaction was supportive, and for the Government I was a
supporter of LTTE terrorism! And the media in Colombo gave lot of
false information, which even my own students in the south would
have swallowed. And worse still, the then Secretary of the SL
Bishops Conference, now Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith even issued a
press statement distancing me from the church.
In spite of criticisms from all sides, I continued my mission as a
disciple of Jesus Christ with conviction about a united peaceful Sri
Lanka. 2 examples which can explain my thinking and action
come to mind
1. From 1976 -86 I was professor in the National
Seminary at Kandy. As Prefect of Studies under
Rector Fr.Panditharatne, I used to go an invite a
Buddhist monk from the Vihare to teach Buddhism for
the priest-students of philosophy. And I made the
learning of Sinhala and Tamil compulsory for all
students and invited 5 lay teachers from outside. Till
then, senior students volunteered to teach the
juniors. (Bishop Vianney of Kandy told his students
thereafter that knowing the 2nd language was a
condition for ordination)
2. At the National Pastoral Synod of April 1995 held at BMICH,
Colombo it was I as Vicar General of Jaffna on the opening
day 19.04.1995 , informed the 450 participants that that
morning war has broken out again because LTTE attacked a
ship at Trinco and that we should discuss the position of the
church vis a vis the war. All agreeing I drafted a document
with the title Church as a Sacrament of
Communication and Peace. This document was read out
by the present Cardinal then aux. Bishop Malcolm Ranjith
and unanimously approved. I did this out of my own
conviction that Church must play a unique role in moving all
from North and South towards Peace.
What saddens me is the falsehood and misunderstanding
about me as a Tamil catholic priest in my engagement for
a peaceful coexistence of all races and religions in the
country. I was alone in defending myself here is one
example a letter from me published on Jan.4th 1997,
before 20 years, in the Sunday Times, Extra Plus, page 4
with the title I only bear witness to the Truth, says
priest. Just two paragraphs from it will shed light on my
convictions up to date,
As a Christian and a catholic priest called to live with a
people suffering discriminations, death and destruction, I
am committed to bear witness to the truth of events
happening around me. No one on earth can silence me
from fulfilling this commitment. I have published articles
and booklets with my name which clearly set out my
personal views, about justice and peace for all the peoples
of Sri Lanka. I have no intention of offending my Sinhala
brethren. Just because some of those truths I bear witness
to are hurting those in power and not to the liking of
others, I will not hide them. In order to bear witness to
the truth (which liberates), I have no need to link up with
any organisation political or otherwise.
My Christian convictions about justice and peace inspired
by Jesus Christ and the teachings of His Church are a
motive force for my witness.
I am afraid that we all are heading towards a national
disaster, because we are reluctant to recognise the truth,
publish the truth and bear witness to the truth. The way
to peace, as I see it, is to be truthful and realistic.
But my activism at the international level as human rights activist
and campaigner for peaceful coexistence in Sri Lanka has been
grossly misunderstood. I have never thought or said or written
anything against the dignity of the Sinhala people or Buddhism. It
is true that I was in touch with the LTTE leadership and enabled
even meeting of the Bishops with them for purpose of
understanding, but not as approval all their methods and actions.
Only the few who visited me here in Germany know the truth of
my life and work. There is a Latin saying, quid quid latet
apparebit! Whatever is hidden will come to light on the last day!

My writings and speeches were about the governments and their

politics. But unfortunately, my political engagement and defense
on behalf of my own people has been misunderstood as
supporting terrorism against the state. Some mischievous people
have gone mad in even accusing me of comparing Prabaharan to
Jesus Christ! Nothing can be more blasphemous!
Only the few who visited me here in Germany know the truth of
my life and work. There is a Latin saying, quid quid latet
apparebit! Whatever is hidden will come to light on the last day!
Question: Given the end of war and the change of
Government, have you any plan of returning to Sri Lanka?
Answer: My self-exile was due to misunderstandings on the part
of the then Government, the media as well even of my own
church. As President of the Global Tamil Forum, I also supported a
regime change in Sri Lanka and also written articles in the
Colombo media welcoming the new leaders including President
Chandrika, whom I earlier criticised for her War for Peace as
now having the potential to become the mother of a united
rainbow nation of three ethnic groups and four religions. The
present Government leaders have met me several times and at
present we critically collaborate with them. They have removed
my name from the list of terrorists and even invited me.
At my ripe age of 83 I will favourably consider a visit or a longer
stay only when when I can contribute positively in building a
peaceful coexistence of all in Sri Lanka. One that is close to my
heart is to encourage all religious leaders to undertake an inter-
religious collaboration in favour of reconciliation. I have indicated
this to the present leaders including Mr. Mano Tittawela in charge
of the Secretariat for national unity.
[ Featured image: Reverend Father S. J. Emmanuel with Pope
Francis, 266th and current Pope of the Roman Catholic Church in
2016 ]
Posted by Thavam