Jaffna Catholics appeal to UN, Pope

[TamilNet, Monday, 29 November 1999, 04:49 GMT]
The Catholics of the Diocese of Jaffna have appealed to the Secretary-General of the United Nations and His Holiness, Pope John Paul 11, to persuade the Sri Lankan government and the Liberation of Tigers of Tamil Eelam to call off the war with immediate effect and commence negotiations.

The Government and the LTTE must be pursuaded to work towards bringing about a mutually acceptable solution to the ethnic conflict which has caused untold hardships, suffering and losses to the people of the north and east of the country, the appeals further said.

The Catholics of the Jaffna Diocese made this appeal in separate memorandums sent to the UN Secretary-General and His Holiness, Pope John Paul 11, in the wake of the artillery attack on the Holy Shrine Madhu in the Mannar district. The attack resulted in the deaths of 42 innocent civilians, including children and women, and injured several hundred.

Meanwhile, over 5000 people of all faiths assembled at the Jaffna St. Mary's Cathedral today morning and observed one-day fasting with religious observances, expressing sorrow over the deaths of civilians and for the injured at the Madhu church recently, sources said.