Pope Benedict XVI Appeals for Aid to War Refugees in Sri Lanka
(17 May 09 - RV) Pope Benedict XVI called on Catholic and other aid agencies today
to spare no effort in securing necessary food and medical supplies to the scores of
thousands of civilians who fled Sri Lanka’s Northern war zone.
The Pope’s appeal
came as the Tamil Tiger rebels conceded defeat in the 25 year civil war, after launching
waves of suicide attacks to repel a final assault by troops determined to annihilate
them.
President Mahinda Rajapaksa had declared victory over the Liberation
Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) the day before, even as combat raged in the island's
northeast and the military said it was freeing the last of thousands of trapped civilians.
By
midday Sunday, the military said troops had freed all the civilians being held
by the LTTE inside an area that was less than a single square km (0.5 sq mile).
A
total of 72 thousand people had fled the area since Thursday of this past week.
Speaking
to Pilgrims ahead of this Sunday’s Regina Coeli address, Pope Benedict XVI called
on humanitarian agencies, including Catholic organizations, to leave nothing untried
in their efforts to secure refugees’ access to life’s basic necessities.
The
Holy Father entrusted the whole country of Sri Lanka to the protection of the Virgin
Mary, and asked God to hasten the arrival of full reconciliation and lasting peace.
Pope
Benedict also reflected on his recently concluded pilgrimage to the Holy Land, saying
he had gone in order to serve the causes of Christian unity, interreligious dialogue
with Jews and Muslims, and peace-building in the region.
The Pope said the
Holy Land is a symbol of God’s love for his people and for the whole of humanity,
and also a symbol of freedom and peace as God wills it for everyone of his children.
He went on to say that history has made the Holy Land the symbol of divisions
and never-ending conflict among brothers.
The Holy Land, said Pope Benedict,
has become a sort of “Fifth Gospel”, as some have called it, which by virtue of its
history can be considered a microcosm that sums up humanity’s tiring journey towards
the Kingdom of justice, love and peace.”
Following the Regina Coeli prayer,
the Pope greeted pilgrims in many languages, including English…
I warmly greet
all the English-speaking pilgrims and visitors present for this Regina Caeli prayer.
In today’s Gospel Jesus invites his disciples to remain in his love by their love
for one another. These words of the Risen Lord have a special resonance for me as
I reflect on my recent pilgrimage to the Holy Land. I ask all of you to join me in
praying that the Christians of the Middle East will be strengthened in their witness
to Christ’s victory and to the reconciling power of his love. Through the prayers
of Mary, Queen of Peace, may the Christians of the Holy Land, in cooperation with
their Jewish and Muslim neighbours, and all people of good will, work in harmony to
build a future of justice and peace in those lands. Upon them, and upon all of you,
I invoke an abundance of Easter joy in Christ our Saviour.