Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Colombo (Agenzia Fides) – The conflict in Sri Lanka is at the stage where the regular army has launched a massive effort to bend the resistance of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE). In the north of Sri Lanka combat is violent and the people are suffering the discomfort of war and displacement.
Colombo's troops have occupied the town of Kilinochchi, headquarters and “ political capital ” of the Tamil Tiger rebels, delivering one of the hardest blows to the guerrillas in recent years. The government and the army are happy with the situation which appears to be turning in favour of the military. When Kilinochchi was taken, president Mahinda Rajapaksa told the nation: “This was a dream of all the citizens of Sri Lanka, Sinhala, Tamil and Muslim who reject separatism, racism and terrorism, and have always sought peace, freedom and democracy. Our heroic troops have turned this dream into reality ”.
The army continued to advance northwards taking the strategic Elephant Pass leading to the Jaffna, peninsula. Now the troops are preparing to march to Mullaitivu, the last remaining LTTE stronghold. Elephant Pass controls access to the peninsula di Jaffna. Previously the peninsula was a government enclave surrounded by rebel occupied territory.
The local Catholic Church in Sri Lanka has always called for moderation in the conflict, protection for civilians and assistance for displaced persons. The Church reported that members of the LTTE kidnapped 16 boys from a Catholic orphanage in northern Sri Lanka, near Kilinochchi, forcing them to fight in their ranks.
A Christmas call for a cease fire from all the Christian Bishops of Sri Lanka of various denominations, went unheard. The Church leaders urged the government and the LTTE to work together with the international red Cross to create a safe area for civilians.
The Catholic Bishop of Jaffna, Thomas Savundaranayagam, called for assistance for over 200,000 people in his diocese forced to abandon homes and live as “refugees” in areas far from the conflict: “I am deeply concerned. Civilians caught in the crossfire are forced to flee their homes and villages: they have no where to go and are in desperate need of humanitarian aid and medical care. But humanitarian convoys are not allowed into the area. May the Lord protect our families from this war ”. (PA) (Agenzia Fides 7/1/2009 righe 29 parole 297)
