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| Pope Francis with President Sirisena and Foreign Minister Mangala Samaraweera |
Justice for crimes committed during the island's ethnic conflict is crucial for promoting peace, said Pope Francis after arriving in Sri Lanka for his week long visit on Tuesday.
"Sri Lanka for many years knew the horrors of civil strife, and is now seeking to consolidate peace and to heal the scars of those years. It is no easy task to overcome the bitter legacy of injustices, hostility and mistrust left by the conflict. It can only be done by overcoming evil with good (cf. Rom 12:21) and by cultivating those virtues which foster reconciliation, solidarity and peace," he said.
"The process of healing also needs to include the pursuit of truth, not for the sake of opening old wounds, but rather as a necessary means of promoting justice, healing and unity."
See here for full speech and audio clip.
Pope Francis was received by the newly elected president Maithripala Sirisena.
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