A Christmas celebration that fostered unity among victims

“It is something that all these people wish for every year to get rid of the monotonous life they live in their homes, facing various kinds of oppression, and to be happy together for one day. Through this Christmas get-together,  unity grows between them. They build up very good bonds between them. So we help their unity and love through Christmas and New Year celebrations”. Father Nandana Manatunga, director of the Kandy Human Rights Center, told Mojo News.

The  Christmas get-together organized by the Human Rights Center of the Diocese of Kandy was attended by the victims of torture, and sexual abuse, family members of missing persons, family members of people in prison, and people who have violated various kinds of human rights and their families. This year’s get-together was held, at the premises of Fatima Shrine at Padiwatte, Kundasale in Kandy.

“During the COVID period, we were not able to do this Christmas get-together for about two or three years. But all these people are looking forward to the Christmas get-together very earnestly and with great joy. Even though these guys live in different areas within the Kandy Diocese, they like to share their lives together, because they have faced the same kind of pain and suffering,” said Father Nandana Manatunga.

According to Father Nandana, the director, not only Christian families come to the Christmas gathering to share the joy of Christmas, but the vast majority were non-Christian Buddhists, Hindus, Muslim victims, and their families.

Father Nandana said, “Christmas is a festival that gives us space to experience more sharing, understanding, forgiveness, and love. We have been holding this Christmas get-together for about 10 years. And  another goal of this Christmas gathering is to let them feel that each other is not alone.

“Indeed, today is a very happy day for us, because all of us are living with some kind of intense pain and suffering. Some of the people here have been suffering from certain problems for many years. But through these types of get-togethers, we feel that we are not alone. It’s a big boost for us,” said several people who wished to remain anonymous.

The opinion of all the victims was,  that it was a very happy day for everyone, from the elderly to the small kids of the families associated with the Human Rights Office, sharing their life experiences, sharing their happiness through a variety of performances, and receiving Christmas gifts.

“I was able to come to this event today because of the great help given to me by the Human Rights Office, including this Reverend Father. On April 17, 2008, the Kandy Special Task Force arrested me and kept me as a suspect for two years. This HRO intervened in the case to free me. This institution contributed to my medical examinations on various occasions. HRO built me up. That’s why I was able to work happily as a registered Hindu priest in the Central Province of Sri Lanka. All this I got because of the kindness shown to us by the Human Rights Center.” Said a victim who was released from prison.

Like this several victims shared their feelings, thoughts as well as their lives experiences before the entertainment hours.

END.