The Sri Lankan government and the Tamil Tigers have agreed to
declare a demilitarized zone around a much revered Catholic church
in the island's north, a religious leader said Thursday.
Bishop Rayapu Joseph, the Bishop of Mannar, said that the Madu
Church in Mannar would be declared a non-fighting zone from early
July to mid-August.
The annual church mass and festival which draws a large number
of Catholic devotees from all parts of the island begins on July
2and ends on Aug. 15.
Bishop Joseph said that after the talks between the military and
the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) rebels, he obtained the
consent of both sides for the arrangement.
"It is a relief that both sides agreed to facilitate the Madu
festival," Bishop Joseph said.
Mannar, some 280 km north of the capital Colombo, is under LTTE
control and there have been heavy fighting in the area during the
last two months.
Fighting escalated between the two sides since the end of 2005
and the violence so far has cost nearly 5,000 lives.
Claiming discrimination at the hands of the Sinhalese-dominated
government, the LTTE has been fighting for an independent homeland
for the minority Tamils in the north and east since the 1970s.
(Xinhua News Agency June 29, 2007)
