ANURADHAPURA, Sri Lanka (UCAN) -- A bread roll and a sweet cup of coffee were waiting for the young priest when he got up from the bed by a hospital van in front of St. Joseph's Cathedral.

The 11th annual blood drive run by the Anuradhapura cathedral's Catholic Youth Association had produced its first pint of blood. This year's drive was held on Nov. 18.

Anuradhapura, almost 200 kilometers northeast of Colombo, is an ancient capital and holy city in Sri Lankan Buddhism, but today it serves as a frontline base in the government's war against Tamil rebels. Speeding ambulances and truckloads of troops are common sights in this city, which lies just 60 kilometers south of the Omanthai army checkpoint and the rebel-held territory beyond it.

Denzil Rumesh was one of the donors from varied religious backgrounds who stood in line to write his name and address in the blood-drive registry.

"I hear the ambulance sirens and fast-moving troop carriers day and night," the 21-year-old Catholic told UCA News, before lying down on the bed.

The drive collected 70 pints of blood from 70 volunteer donors this year. Blood donation norms say a healthy adult can safely donate a pint of blood and will take about two months to fully replenish the red blood cells.

Rumesh came to the cathedral after priests informed parishioners about the drive and the youth association put up posters around the city.

Poverty drives some to sell their blood, which is in high demand in this city, where many of the casualties of the two-decade-old civil war are brought by land or air.

Sarath Ramanake, a 45-year-old farmer, came to the city and paid 4,000 rupees (US$40) for two pints of blood from a blood bank to help his hospitalized brother, a bomb blast victim. "My brother needed blood and blood sellers helped me," he told UCA News, standing outside the state hospital where his brother was being treated.

Some poor people wait around outside the hospital to sell their blood. Ramanake had to bargain with two donors before going in with them to the hospital's blood bank, which ensured the donors and Ramanake's brother had matching blood types.

A.H.M. Munaffir, the hospital's public health inspector, confirmed to UCA News, "There is a shortage of blood at the hospital sometimes."

One way hospital blood banks deal with the situation is by asking a patient's relatives to donate blood if that patient needs it.

The demand for blood is continuous, according to Jude Sanjeewa Lakmal, 22, president of the Catholic Youth Association.

"Whoever the victims are, they are our brothers and sisters," he told UCA News, noting that the association has held a blood drive once a year since 1997. It is run with the help of Buddhist and Hindu youths, he said, which "strengthens our relationship" with them.

Among other activities, youth association members take part in programs for the sick and disabled, make Christmas cards, sell books and go on pilgrimages.

Father Andrew Anthony, the cathedral parish priest, told UCA News, "Catholic youths also help Buddhist pilgrims during their festival season, and have a good name amongst the Buddhist community."

Sinhalese are the predominant ethnic group in the area. About 90 percent of the population are Buddhists.

Anuradhapura is a major Buddhist pilgrimage site that aside from wailing ambulance sirens is normally peaceful. But on Oct. 22, rebels attacked the major air base on the outskirts of the city and destroyed 26 aircraft, according to media reports. The rebels reportedly launched air and ground assaults against the base.

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