Pope Francis lands in Sri Lanka for 'mission of mercy'

Pope Francis has called for respect for human rights, inclusivity, and the "pursuit of truth" as he started a six-day Asian tour in Sri Lanka. The pontiff, who will later travel to the Philippines, plans to celebrate open-air masses during his trip. Continue..

It is the first papal visit to Sri Lanka since the end of a four-decade civil war in 2009.

The country's new president has promised an end to growing repression of religious minorities.

Speaking on the tarmac of Colombo's international airport shortly after he landed, the Pope said that peace could be found by "cultivating those virtues which foster reconciliation, solidarity and peace".

Rebuilding Sri Lanka was more than just improving infrastructure, he said, "but also, and even more importantly, promoting human dignity, respect for human rights, and the full inclusion of each member of society".

He also said that the "pursuit of truth" was important, "not for the sake of opening old wounds, but rather as a necessary means of promoting justice, healing and unity".

Sri Lanka has seen strife between the minority Tamils and the majority Sinhalese. The separatist rebels of the Tamil Tigers fought for decades for independence, citing discrimination by the government, and the civil war ended in 2009. The United Nations said both sides committed atrocities against civilians.

All along the 20 km highway leading up to the airport crowds have gathered on both sides of the road to catch a glimpse of Pope Francis.

Some have opened up umbrellas, a few elderly have brought portable seats along as they wait under the hot Colombo sun.

Lalith and Therese Fernando, a couple from Chilau that is nearly 100 km (60 miles) from here, took a train at 5am this morning to be here."It's a once in a lifetime opportunity," Lalith tells me.

At the airport Pope Francis has been received by the country's new President Maithripala Sirisena.

Just under 10% of Sri Lanka's population are Catholic - but they include both Sinhalese and Tamils. Around 70% of Sri Lankans are Buddhist, with 13% Hindus and 10% Muslims.

During the last papal visit 20 years ago, Pope John Paul II was boycotted by Buddhist leaders. But on this visit, the Pope is expected to hold a multi-faith prayer meeting which should include moderate Buddhist representatives.

The BBC's religious affairs correspondent Caroline Wyatt says Buddhist fundamentalism has grown as a force in Sri Lanka since the last papal visit, with some waging a violent campaign against Muslims on the island.

Pope Francis wants to encourage the local church to seek partners in peace, so that all religions can stand united against any further violence or intimidation by religious extremists, says our correspondent.

It is a time of significant change in Sri Lanka, where Maithripala Sirisena took office as president on Friday.

He ended the decade-long rule of former President Mahinda Rajapaksa, a period which critics said had been marred by increasing corruption and authoritarianism.

The Pope's trip, which comes five months after a tour of South Korea, is being seen as an attempt to win new followers in Asia and to shore up support for the region's millions of Catholics.

Before departing on Monday, he said the visit reflected his "pastoral concern" for the people of the region, according to the Reuters news agency.

In the Philippines organisers are expecting one of the biggest crowds ever for a papal visit when Pope Francis conducts an open-air mass in the capital Manila.

Church officials say his visit to the archipelago nation will focus on "mercy and compassion" following a deadly 2013 typhoon, reports the AFP news agency.