RSSThe Pope has appealed to the Sri Lankan government and Tamil rebel forces to save the lives of civilians caught in a war zone.
Speaking at the end of a public audience in the Vatican on Feb. 4, as Sri Lanka celebrated the anniversary of its independence from Britain, the Pope said news about “the increasing cruelty of the conflict and the growing number of innocent victims” had induced him to make “a pressing appeal to the fighters.”
The Pope pleaded that both sides in Sri Lanka´s 25-year ethnic war would “respect humanitarian law and the freedom of movement of the population.” He urged them to “do what is possible to guarantee assistance to the wounded and security to civilians, and allow the satisfying of their urgent food and medical needs.”
His appeal came as the United Nations, the International Red Cross, Churches and aid agencies expressed growing concern about the fate of an estimated 250,000 people trapped in the last part of the island under rebel control. The conflict has already claimed more than 70,000 lives since it began in 1983.
Government forces say they have encircled the last stronghold of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) and feel confident they can soon win the war.
The United States, European Union, Japan and Norway have urged the LTTE, which reportedly now holds only a 300-square-kilometer patch of mostly jungle in the island´s northeast, to consider surrendering to avoid further bloodshed, especially among civilians trapped in the zone.
Media reports quote the appeal addressing both sides: “The LTTE and the government should recognize that further loss of life of civilians and combatants will serve no cause.”
The outgoing papal nuncio to Sri Lanka, Archbishop Mario Zenari, who is still in Colombo, told Vatican Radio that to his knowledge the LTTE had refused to allow people to leave the conflict zone. “This is a concern of everyone in the international community,” he said.
“(It) is emphasized in the Pope´s appeal today,” he added, identifying the concern more precisely as “respect for humanitarian law, including the freedom of movement for the population — to be able to move and not be held there with the risk of becoming a human shield”.
The Vatican diplomat stressed: “This appeal is urgent, to respect international law and (to give) assistance to the victims.”
Archbishop Zenari praised all priests and Religious in the conflict zones for “the excellent example of closeness to their faithful.” But he also said the bishops of Jaffna and Mannar are very concerned about the physical safety of Church personnel in their war-affected dioceses.
The bishops had given them the freedom to stay where they were or move to more secure places, but all had given “the beautiful response that they intended to remain with their own people, serving them,” he reported.
The nuncio also said he had pressed during his farewell visit with Sri Lanka´s President Mahinda Rajapaksa for international aid agencies to be allowed access to conflict areas.
“There is much suffering and the conflict … has intensified and has become crueler,” Archbishop Zenari commented.
“The civilian population does not know where to find refuge,” he said, pointing out that people in the war zone naturally seek shelter in churches. “Unfortunately, at times the sacred places come under crossfire.”
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