|
Bishops
demand LTTE quit Madhu shrine
The Catholic Bishops'
Conference in Sri Lanka has demanded that the LTTE leave the sacred
precincts of the Madhu Church immediately.
A statement issued by the
CBCSL yesterday said:
"We, the Catholic Bishops of
Sri Lanka, are greatly concerned about the grave situation prevailing in
the Madhu Sanctuary and its sacred area, where the LTTE and the Sri
Lanka Security Forces are engaged presently in military operations and
armed conflict, and demand that both parties adhere strictly and observe
the International Law regarding sacred places of worship and the Sri
Lankan Pilgrimages Ordinance as published in the government gazette
notification No. 185 of 1982.03.19. Any violation in this regard is
unacceptable.
"According, we strongly urge
the LTTE, who are occupying the sacred precincts at the moment, to leave
the Madhu premises forthwith and that the Armed Forces refrain from
entering the sacred Madhu area. The immediate withdrawal of the LTTE is
all the more urgent since the venerated Statue of Our Lady of Madhu,
which had to be transferred to a different location due to reasons of
security, needs to be brought back and be enshrined in the hallowed
shrine, at the earliest.
"We sincerely trust that both
the LTTE and the Security Forces will heed this clear and strong appeal
made by the Catholic Bishops in the light of the demands of
International Law and by virtue of which we have the right and duty to
intervene in this particular instance concerning the safety and security
of the hallowed Madhu Shrine.
"We also entreat our faithful
and all those who revere the Sacred Shrine to pray earnestly for the
safety and security of both the Madhu Shrine and the venerated Statue of
Our Lady of Madhu." |
