Madhu Church regained

No Army deployment; Forces to hand over sacred precincts to Church authorities:

Ranil WIJAYAPALA in Madhu and Rafik JALALDEEN

MADHU: Security Forces who regained the sacred Madhu Church on Thursday without firing a single shot, asserted yesterday that they have no intention to deploy Armed troops to provide security for the Church premises.

“Our only intention is to hand over the Church to the relevant Church authority ensuring the security of the Church by deploying our troops out of the sacred area,” Lt. Colonel Senerath Bandara, Brigade Commander of the 372 Brigade told the Daily News.

He made these comments to the Daily News after we visited the Madhu shrine area yesterday, hours after troops attached to the 572 Brigade took control of the Church premises without any confrontation.

“We reached our objective without firing a single bullet within the Church premises,” Lt. Colonel Bandara added.

The Sacred Madhu Church remained intact except for minor damage caused to the roof of the main Church and the adjoining auditorium by fleeing Tigers.

Troops have been given strict instructions to keep the sanctity of the place after carrying out a search within the Church premises.

“Our next objective is to carry out a proper de-mining programme to clear all anti-personnel mines and booby traps the LTTE,” Lt. Colonel Bandara added.

He said the Security Forces’ Headquarters will immediately contact the Church authorities to safely hand over the Church to them. Lt. Colonel Bandara said it was after a time consuming effort that they were able to capture the Church from the LTTE’s clutches.

“It was after the last batch of Tiger cadres left the Church premises that troops entered the Church on Thursday around 1.00 p.m,” Lt. Col. Bandara added.

The troops of the 7 Sri Lanka Light Infantry under the command of Lt. Col. Ranjith Abeyratne first entered the Church around 1.00 p.m. on Thursday. Troops of the 7 Sri Lanka Sinha Regiment under the command of Lt. Colonel Kithsiri Liyanage and troops of the 101 Regiment under the command of Lt. Col. Jagath Kodituwakku were engaged in this task.

“As a whole it is a great achievement of the 572 Brigade and 57 Division under the correct leadership of Lt. General Sarath Fonseka,” Lt. Col. Bandara added.

Troops observed Tiger movements within the last three days prior to entering the Church.

Tiger cadres have shifted furniture within the Church.

Military spokesman Brigadier Udaya Nanayakkara said it was very significant that Security Forces had taken control of the Madhu Shrine without any confrontation.

“Troops of the 57-division marched forward towards the Madhu sacred area yesterday at around 1.00 a.m. without any resistance from the LTTE cadres who had been in control of the Madhu church for the past couple of months.

When troops entered the church compound they found no Tiger movement,” Brigadier Nanayakkara told the Daily News. Facing heavy defeats on the Wanni front the LTTE fled the areas surrounding Madhu.

Brigadier Nanayakkara charged that fleeing LTTE cadres caused damage to the Mahdu Shrine and to another compound connecting to the church.

“Troops consolidating their positions inside the Church after evacuation of the LTTE cadres found a roof sheet of the main hall of the Madhu church and another building of the church wing damaged by the LTTE. The Tiger cadres also damaged windows and doors of the Church,” he added.

The LTTE set up bunkers all around the Church. “Several bunkers were erected as close as 500 m to the premises and almost all bunkers were interconnected through trenches,” Brigadier Nanayakkara said.

The Security Forces also engaged in removing booby traps and landmines placed by the fleeing Tiger cadres in the area surrounding the Madhu Shrine.

Brigadier Nanayakkara said the Bishops should negotiate and decide to bring back the Sacred Statue of Our Lady of Madhu for public veneration.

“If they seek any assistance from the Security Forces, we are ready to cooperate fully”.