The Hon Mahinda Rajapakse
President  of Sri Lanka
Presidential Secretariat
Colombo.

Your Excellency

Humble but Urgent Request to
stop shelling and aerial Bombings on Civilian Places in Vanni.

The Internally Displaced as well as the local civilians have taken refuge on the Paranthan Mulaithivu  A35 road and are heavily concentrated between Dharmapuram and Puthukudiyiruppu .Owing to  the on-going shelling  and aerial bombings by SL Security Forces  on the above places ,the people are getting killed and many sustain injuries daily.  The displaced innocent people don't know where to go for their safety. They are in terrible plight. We have asked them  to gather in the churches and temples .And the priests are also with the people. Churches and temples are traditionally places of refuge  in time of danger in our country.

         Hence I am pleading with the Government to desist from firing mortar shells at the places of worship and stop aerial bombings at civilian places. It is the duty of the Government to open a safe corridor for the safety of the civilians. Please stop all shelling and aerial bombings at civilian places.

Yours truly,

Rt.Rev.Dr.Thomas Savundaranayagam
Bishop of  Jaffna

10-01-2009.

Copy to :

1. Hon Prime Minister
2. Gothabey Rajapakse, Secretary  to the Ministry of Defense
3. S.F.Commander Jagath Jayasuriya, Vavuniya.
4. Apostolic Nuncio
5. Ambassador  US.Embassy
6. High Commissioner, UK