Melani Manel Perera

The government and Tamil rebels are accusing each other of enlisting minors. The Catholic Church and civil society assert that 60% of the combatants for both factions are children with an average age of 16.

Personal conversion is the first response to society’s divisions. For the time that comes before Easter Caritas-Sri Lanka SEDEC issues a booklet dedicated to “Harmony through Reconciliation.”

The two Zlin-143's went down under anti-aircraft fire near the general headquarters of the Sri Lankan Air Force and the Katunayake air base. The crew on board the planes were killed, as well as two people in the spots where the planes fell. 56 people were injured. It is the ninth aerial attack by the Tamil rebels.

An appeal from the archbishop, to "express our concern and solidarity with victims of the war on both sides at this juncture in a more concrete manner." The project is coordinated by Caritas-Seth Sarana. The products collected will be sent to refugee centers in the area of Vavuniya and Kilinochchi managed by the local dioceses.

The rebels are again recruiting civilians and adolescents. The military is also suspected of using minors in the conflict. Appeal from Christian leaders: spare the civilian population.

The bill presented by Buddhist monks could impact the Church's charitable work. Auxiliary bishop of Colombo: the right to freedom of religion "is presented in a distorted way." The opposition parties are asking for "more clarity." On February 17, the Consultative Committee of the Ministry of Religious Affairs will meet to discuss the bill. Date for full debate in parliament still awaited.

Hundreds of thousands of people are trapped in the war zone. There is a lack of food in Wanni: over the past 10 days, only 8 aid trucks have been sent for 250,000 people. No one can enter the refugee centers managed by the government.

Initiative called ‘Hope for a distressed people’ is taken in Colombo. Apostolic nuncio visits Jaffma and expresses great concern for Tamils in Vanni area. Suicide attack occurs in a safe zone reception centre. Mingling with refugees, woman blows herself up, killing 23 and injuring 64.

About 250,000 refugees have nothing, and it is almost impossible to reach them with food. The only functioning hospital has been bombed, and its patients removed.

22 priests and 27 sisters live in the northern districts where the war is being fought. The defense ministry is asking that they be evacuated, and is not guaranteeing the safety of civilians who remain in the area of fighting. The government rejects the proposal of the United States and Great Britain to negotiate the surrender of the Tamil Tigers.

The religious live with the hundreds of refugees in the four districts that are still in the theater of conflict. The government says that victory over the Tamil Tigers is close, and is celebrating the 61st anniversary of independence by announcing an imminent peace. The United States, the European Union, Japan, and Norway are asking the Tamil rebels to surrender. The hospital of Pudukkudiyiruppu has been attacked for the fifth time in three days.

Tabled in January by a party led by Buddhist monks, the draft law could be adopted before the end of next month. Its purpose is to stop people from changing religion under pressure or in exchange of economic advantages. A similar bill had been presented in 2004 but failed after the Supreme Court found it unconstitutional. Protestant Churches have already mobilised against the bill; Catholics are concerned about it and waiting for their bishops to take a stand.