Bishop of Mannar silent on LTTE attack on church

(February 14, Colombo, Sri Lanka Guardian) The Bishop of Mannar had been silent on the LTTE artillery attack on St Sebastian’s Church, Thallady. Tuesday's attack killed six soldiers who were helping the church parish to clean the church in preparation for its annual feast.

When asked whether the Bishop of Mannar Rayappu Joseph who has been continuously critical of the security forces and has been silent about the LTTE atrocities, at least this time sent a message of condolence or a statement condemning the Tiger action, Military spokesman Brigadier Udaya Nanayakkara replied in the negative.

"No responsible person from the Church has condemned these atrocities, though we had discussions with the fathers of the particular church.

However Minister Rambukwella said that Bishop Duleep de Chikera has made a statement condemning the terrorist attack on the church.

Meanhwhile, Rev. Father Anthony Victor of St. Sebastian’s Church Thallady expressed condemned the LTTE’s artillery attack, which killed six soldiers and injured 10 others, on Tuesday morning when the soldiers from the nearby Thallady camp volunteered to help clean the church premises at his request.

The Church was being cleaned in view of the forthcoming annual festival when the LTTE fired 130 mm artillery into the premises.