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Monday, January 26, 2009 - 9.15 GMT |
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Don’t station artillery among civilians - Jaffna Bishop to LTTE
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“We are urgently requesting the Tamil Tigers
not to station themselves among the people
in the safety zone and fire their artillery
– shells and rockets at the army. This will
only increase more and more the death of
civilians thus endangering the safety of the
people,” states the Bishop of Jaffna Rt.
Rev. Dr. Thomas Savundaranayagam in a letter
to President Mahinda Rajapaksa calling for
the extension of the Safety Zone for
civilians in the Mullaitivu District.
The Bishop’s letter expresses gratitude to
the President for his concern for the
civilians who have taken refuge in Vanni in
the ongoing military operations and thanks
the President for declaring a part of the
west of the Mullaitivu at the safety zone
for civilians.
The Bishop states that the area thus set
apart is small considering the large number
of people congregating there and requests
that it be extended. He requests that areas
such as Mathalan, Valaiayarmadam, Mulivaikal,
Iranaipalai and the eastern sector of
Puthukudiyiruppu be also declared safety
zones. He adds that the only motive in
requesting the extension of the safety zone
is to preserve as much as possible the lives
of the civilians in these areas.
‘We are not against the war but our priority
is the safety of every innocent civilian in
those areas of war,” the letter states.
Here is the text of the letter by Bishop
Savundaranayagam of 25.01.2009.
“We are very grateful to you for your
concern for the civilians who have taken
refuge in Vanni in the on-going War. We
thank you sincerely for declaring a part of
the west of Mullaitivu as safety one. The
area indicated is small and uninhabitable
considering the large number of the people
who are congregating in this area. Some of
the Priests and the Sisters who are with the
displaced people have informed me that they
are with the people who have assembled in
the Churches which are in the Eastern part
of Mullaitivu (Mathalan, Valiayarmadam,
Mulivaikal, Iranapalai and eastern sector of
Puthukudiyiruppu). I have requested to treat
them also as safety areas for the thousands
of people gathered in these places and thus
assuring the safety of the priests and
religious also. As the Bishop responsible
for these areas they have made this urgent
request to me. The G.A. of Mullaitivu also
has made at this proposal to the ICRC
requesting them to explore the possibility
of declaring the above areas as safety zone
with the permission of SL Security Forces.
Our only motive in requesting your
Excellency for the extension of the safety
zone is to preserve as much as possible the
lives of the civilians in these areas. My
Priests and Sisters have told me that they
will not abandon the people but move along
wherever the people are going. Having lived
with them always and suffering with them.
They will not leave them at this time of
crisis. This has been always the practice of
the Catholic priests, to be among the people
even in the time of danger.
We are also urgently requesting the Tamil
Tigers not to station themselves among the
people in the safety zone and fire their
artillery-shells and rockets at the Army.
This will only increase more and more the
death of civilians thus endangering the
safety of the people. I insist that both
parties must observe the safety zone
strictly.
Therefore, I am pleading with your
Excellency to consider declaring the western
portion of Mullaitivu also a safety zone for
the sake of the innocent civilians.
We are not against the war but our priority
is the safety of every innocent civilian in
those areas of war.”
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