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

The pontiff, who will later travel to the Philippines, plans to celebrate open-air masses during his trip. 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. (BBC)