Northern Sri Lankan bishop wishes his people joy and hope of Easter
(April 11, 2009) While wishing the suffering people of his diocese the joy and hope
of the Risen Christ, the Catholic bishop of Jaffna in northern Sri Lanka, has appealed
to both the government and the Tamil rebels to relieve the hardship of the people.
Speaking to Vatican Radio on the phone on Holy Saturday, Bishop Thomas Savundaranayagam
wished that the Risen Lord bring the people some joy and hope. He assured the people
that they are not forgotten, and that there are people of good will who want their
safety and security. The bishop of Jaffna said that thousands are trapped in
the no-fire zone of Mullaitivu which comes under his jurisdiction. He said some 60,000
have gone to Vavuniya in the past 3 months where they are being taken care of in 12
relief camps. Around 6000 have come into the Jaffna peninsula. Bishop Savundaranayagam
said that his priests who have permission to go into these camps to celebrate Easter
with Catholics there, are unable to so because heavy rains over the past few day have
flooded the camps. As there are no proper structures, they can hold only open-air
Masses. Appealing to the Sri Lankan army, Bishop Savundaranayagam urged them not
to shell populated areas. He also urged the Tamil rebels fighting the government
not to hold the people hostage but allow them to go to safe places, wherever they
want. Tens of thousands of civilians are trapped inside a 17 square km army-declared
no-fire zone on the northeastern coast, held there by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil
Eelam (LTTE) and being killed in shelling. It is on that piece of land where the
final act of Sri Lanka's 25-year civil war is expected to play out, and diplomats
have been working furiously to negotiate an exit for the people stuck there but have
been repeatedly rebuffed by the LTTE. The government has vowed no ceasefire but pledged
to stop fighting briefly to let people out as it has done in the past. Bishop
Thomas Savundaranayagam also appealed to both the Sri Lankan army and the rebels not
to recruit children for their armies.