Pope briefed on developments in Lanka

VATICAN CITY: President Mahinda Rajapaksa who visited the Vatican last morning had an audience with His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI.

At the audience held at the Holy Father’s Library in Vatican, President Rajapaksa apprised the Pope about current developments in Sri Lanka, especially the clearing of the Madhu area from terrorists and restoring and reopening the Sacred Madhu Shrine for worship.

It is learnt that Pope Benedict expressed his keen interest in the developments in Sri Lanka, the moves by the Government to provide humanitarian assistance and the hopes for the restoration of democratic freedoms in all of Sri Lanka.

The Pope had also expressed his concern at the spread of terrorism in the region, and the need for more concerted action internationally to eliminate terrorism, wherever it occurs. Later President Rajapaksa apprised the Secretary of State of the Vatican Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone about the situation in the North, and the progress made in combating and defeating terrorism in Sri Lanka so far, such as the liberation of the East that was achieved since his last visit to the Vatican.

In discussions on the current situation, the President informed the Secretary of State of the successes in military operation in the North particularly the freeing of the Madhu area and the sacred shrine of Our Lady of Madhu, which is an important centre of Catholic worship and pilgrimage, the restoration of the Madhu Church by Sri Lankan troops after the damage caused by the LTTE that earlier controlled the area, and that after many years the Madhu Church is now open for worship.

The President also apprised Cardinal Bertone of the humanitarian situation in the North and the steps being taken by the Government to assist the persons temporarily displaced due to the ongoing military operations to free the North too of terrorism, especially due to the LTTE holding civilians as human buffers in areas still under its control, where the troops had been instructed to ensure the safety and assist the civilians affected by the conflict.

President Rajapaksa explained to the Cardinal that religious freedom and freedom of worship is guaranteed in the Sri Lankan Constitution and the country has a long historic tradition of religious harmony.

The President also said the Government is keen on a political settlement to the ethnic conflict after the defeat of terrorism and repeated his request to the LTTE to lay down their arms, surrender and enter the democratic process.

The Secretary of State of Vatican expressed good wishes for restoration of peace and freedom for all people in Sri Lanka.

Foreign Minister Rohitha Bogollagama and Sri Lanka’s Ambassador in Germany T.B. Maduwegedara who is accredited to the Vatican were also present at the discussion with the Cardinal.