Don't station artillery among civilians - Bishop of Jaffna to LTTE

The Bishop of Jaffna Rt. Rev. Dr. Thomas Savundaranayagam urged the LTTE not to station themselves among the people in the safety zone and fire their artillery - shells and rockets at the army.

This will only increase more and more the death of civilians thus endangering the safety of the people," he said in a letter to President Mahinda Rajapaksa calling for the extension of the Safety Zone for civilians in the Mullaitivu District.

The Bishop's letter expresses gratitude to the President for his concern for the civilians who have taken refuge in Vanni in the ongoing military operations and thanks the President for declaring a part of the west of the Mullaitivu at the safety zone for civilians.

The Bishop states that the area thus set apart is small considering the large number of people congregating there and requests that it be extended. He requests that areas such as Mathalan, Valaiayarmadam, Mulivaikal, Iranaipalai and the eastern sector of Puthukudiyiruppu be also declared safety zones. He adds that the only motive in requesting the extension of the safety zone is to preserve as much as possible the lives of the civilians in these areas.

'We are not against the war but our priority is the safety of every innocent civilian in those areas of war," the letter states.

Click here for the letter by Bishop Savundaranayagam