Religious delegation visits Madhu, meets LTTE

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 20 February 2001, 03:35 GMT]
A 60-member inter-religious delegation comprising 36 Buddhist monks, two Bishops and several catholic and muslim priests visited Madhu in the LTTE held Vanni Monday, sources said. The visit was arranged by the northeast Bishops Association.

Church sources said the religious leaders representing Inter Religious Alliance for National Unity met representatives of the LTTE, and discussed current situation with them.

The religious delegation told the LTTE members that they were on an important peace-mission and they were very serious in finding a peaceful solution to the ethnic problem.

The LTTE members briefed the delegation about their position in regard to the peace talks.

"Our organisation is serious in finding a negotiated settlement to the conflict; but the government is still on a war footing," LTTE representives pointed out to the religious leaders.

Commenting on POWs, the LTTE members said that they were prepared to meet representatives of the Association of the Relatives of the Missing Security Personnel. The religious leaders also discussed the problems of the displaced Muslims from the Jaffna district, the church sources said.

Members of the delegation included Buddhist monks Ven. Talalle Thammaloka Thera and Ven. Kamburuwe Vajira Thera, Bishops Malcolm Ranjith of Ratnapura and Rayappu Joseph of Mannar.