CLASSIFIED | POLITICS | TERRORISM | OPINION | VIEWS

Eliminating Terrorism in Sri Lanka & The Saga of Our Lady of Madhu

By Darmitha-Kotte

In the efforts to wipe out terrorism from Sri Lanka, the coordinated efforts of The Armed Forces against the LTTE is proving to be successfully implemented with systematic take over of areas which have been under their control for nearly/over 30 years.

It is a very well known fact that the LTTE will use whatever shields they can use for their benefit whether it be civilians, child soldiers, pilgrims or places of worship. With regard to Buddhist places of worship, it is also well known that the LTTE has spared no mercies when they brutally murdered Buddhist Monks, pilgrims, Sacred Buddhist Temples/Sites such as Sri Mahabodhi and The Temple of The Tooth in Kandy with the hidden agenda of destroying Buddhism in Sri Lanka. They have also brutally murdered Muslims pilgrims and Hindu Kurukkals exposing their total disrespect for followers of other religions.

"Terrorism" by any other name, is still terrorism and the misery the LTTE has brought on the ordinary Tamil civilian population in the North and East who mostly happen to be Hindus, is no secret. Terrorism whether it is committed in the USA, UK, Europe, Afghanistan, Iraq, Philippines or Sri Lanka- are all the same equally brutal. It is therefore, all the more encouraging to note how the ordinary Tamils living in the North and East are overwhelmingly happy with the efforts of The Armed Forces in their bid to eliminate these merciless murderers.

Now, with the movements of The Armed Forces moving Northwards in locations targeting Mannar, Wanni and beyond, it is not only the LTTE and Prabhakaran who are getting "cold feet" but even the Catholic Church and Bishops of those areas like Bishop Rayappu Joseph, Bishop Swamipillai and Bishop Saundaranayagam who have been shielding terrorism and working hand-in-glove using the LTTE, to serve their own hidden agenda of destabilizing & dividing Sri Lanka and destroying Buddhism. If and when appropriate, they have without batting an eyelid, used the Tamilnet website to promote their agendas by writing through the said website and appealing to the international Christian readership of distorted horror stories with a view of giving a morbid picture of the situation in Sri Lanka expecting foreign intervention for an internal problem created within Sri Lanka by world re-knowned terrorists called the LTTE!

All these above mentioned Bishops (please correct the writer if incorrect) are sons of this soil born and bred in Sri Lanka, gained their education in this country and chosen to work for the Catholics living and working in Sri Lanka. Their prime allegiance is to Sri Lanka and the protection of her sovereignty. They in their civilian capacity, are bound by the laws of Sri Lanka. The Catholic Churches they represent, are all located within the territorial soil and boundaries of Sri Lanka. No doubt, as a religious denomination the Catholic Church is linked to The Vatican and The Pope where their headquarters is located. However, if and when a theft or crime is committed in Sri Lanka affecting the Church, it is only natural that the Bishops must first and foremost report the incident to the local Police authorities or the Army, to get help in solving their problem. If they can request the Army to send personnel, to clean their Church compounds, then there is no reason why they cannot appeal to either the Army or Police for protection of what is held sacred, to their belief and Catholic Church?

With all due respect to the Madhu Church which is Sacred to all Catholics in this country where the statue of Our Lady of Madhu is enshrined and where annually, vast congregations of Catholics make pilgrimages to pay their respects and pray for protection and guidance, it is sad to read in the newsprint, reports of how the statue of Our Lady of Madhu, the Madhu Church is now being manipulated and insulted by the very same Bishops who are supposed to be protecting it and defending it. It is also sad, to note that Our Lady of Madhu has permitted the LTTE to encroach on the Sacred area under the purview of the Madhu Church with all the Holy Powers that she is supposed to represent!

In "The Island" newspaper of 12th April 2008, The Catholic Bishops Conference of Sri Lanka has gone into a lengthy explanation as to why Bishop Rayappu Joseph and others moved the Holy Statue from its rightful place at Madhu and moved it further into the enclave under LTTE control rather than moving it for protection to government cleared areas where without any doubt, there are many Catholic Churches which would consider it an honour to house the Holy Statue of Our Lady of Madhu! The first point stated by The Bishops Conference is (quote): " Madhu is a shrine so declared according to the Pilgrimages Ordinance as published in the Government Gazette notification No. 185 of 1962.03.19. Therefore, the Madhu Shrine and the camp area fall under the Pilgrimages Ordinance." (end quote) The second point stated (quote): " As the Shrine and the area around it are within the so-called "Uncleared Area" the statue of Our Lady of Madhu was already there, in the LTTE controlled area"(end quote). The statement issued by the Catholic Bishops Conference also gives further clarification as to why it was moved-we have no problem with that at all.

Given the fact that the Madhu Shrine was so declared under the Pilgrimages Ordinance in the Government Gazette notification No.185 of 1962.03.19 it adequate proof that it was done under the laws governing Sri Lanka and that it is under the purview of Sri Lankan authorities! In which case, why were the law enforcement authorities of this country not consulted when the Holy Statue of Our Lady of Madhu was facing a danger, without lay civilians taking the law into their hands? The natural thing to have been done, was to inform either the Police or the Army and request protection whereby, the Government of Sri Lanka is held responsible for its safety and protection as per laws governing this country! If such assistance had been sort, there is absolutely no doubt that the highest respect and responsibility and priority would have been given to conduct the statue of Our Lady of Madhu to a safe location giving due respect to Catholic sentiments. However, the fact that the powers governing this Church, opted to do otherwise and trust the LTTE better and more only goes to show where the allegiance of these Catholic Bishops lie as against the law of the land!

Another news item further explains the agenda of the Catholic Church in the news item which appeared in the Sunday Observer of 13th April 2008 titled "Vatican Informed of LTTE Presence in Madhu Church-Mannar diocese express concern" in which the Bishop of Mannar has reported to the Vatican regarding the so called "heavy presence of LTTE in the Madhu area…………….." which ofcourse, is not something that happened overnight but through a period of 2-3 decades. Why this recent reporting when the presence has been building up for a long period of time except for the fact, that the Catholic Bishop wishes to turn this into an international issue to invite foreign intervention for an internal terrorist conflict which only the GOSL is duty-bound to eliminate and bring peace to this country? If it has been o.k. for the LTTE to encroach into Madhu area, then it is only natural that the Armed Forces have no choice but to eliminate their presence from the area in their bid to eliminate terrorism from this country-is that not the natural logic behind the action of the Armed Forces?

On the other hand, we see the manipulative manner of the LTTE while reading the news report which appeared in the "Lankadeepa" of 10th April 2008 titled (English translation) " Mediate to Get Government Forces Out of Madhu Sacred Area- LTTE Political Wing Chief Nadesan Requests of The Norwegian Government" in which it is stated that the LTTE political chief P.Nadesan has made a special request aired over through the LTTE Radio to Norway, to take immediate steps to remove the Armed Forces from the sacred area- interesting indeed! While it is good for terrorism to flourish in the area, it is not good for the Armed Forces of the Government, to eliminate terrorism from the sacred area- and who should request such mediation- The LTTE terrorists themselves!

Last but not least to explain how all parties working hand-in-glove with terrorism in this country are making every effort to "internationalize and stop the elimination of terrorism in Sri Lanka" is a news report which appeared in Asian Tribune dated 15-4-2008, titled " Thondaman, Jayalath Jayawardane, Vaiko Ask India to End Lanka Imbroglio" in which it is stated that both Thondaman who is a Minister in the current GOSL and UNP politician Dr. Jayalath Jayawardane are both kneeling and requesting MDMK's V.Gopalasamy(Vaiko) to seek Indian intervention to stop the elimination of terrorism from Sri Lanka. The desperate efforts of anti-national forces are all too obvious. According to this report, it is stated thus( quote):" Vaiko's MDMK maintains friendly ties with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh led United Progressive Alliance(UPA) government though he is at loggerheads with DMK and the chief minister Muthuvel Karunanidhi. He said he would personally request the Prime Minister to put pressure on Colombo to call off its military operations against the LTTE and revert back to the negotiation table. Like India, the European Union should not turn a blind eye to the 'suffereings' of Tamils in Sri Lanka he said." The situation today is very bad. An ancient race is about to be wiped out. I would appeal to the European Union to put pressure on the Sinhalese government (to end military offensive on the LTTE)," Vaiko said. There is need, according to him, for more active intervention by the International Red Cross(ICRC) as well"(end quote). Who says that the Tamil race is about to be wiped out?

Mr. Vaiko must make a difference between the Tamils who are living happily in all other parts of Sri Lanka amidst the Sinhalese and Muslims and doing business activities uninterrupted and harmoniously and often protected by those people living in the South AND the LTTE terrorists who are incidentally not " the sole representatives of the Tamil community of Sri Lanka." The majority Tamils in this country would have nothing to do with these blood-thirsty terrorists if they have half a choice! If Mr. Vaiko makes it out that wiping out terrorism of a minority murderous faction of the Tamil community means "an ancient race is about to be wiped out" we beg to question the sound judgement of a person of the calibre of Mr. Vaiko. We question more, the traitorous behaviour of our two politicians Mr. Thondaman and Dr. Jayalath Jayawardane for giving wrong information to Mr. Vaiko!

The agenda of all parties mentioned above, is quite clear- they wish to strengthen terrorism in Sri Lanka for their own vested interests to flourish!

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