Wednesday, 28 January 2009

Sri Lanka update for NW Synod churches

The situation continues to be horrendous in the North. Unfortunately the media coverage is virtually non-existent as the government has barred local and international press from going there. The Tamil relief organisation has a section on You-Tube with commentary, which helps to give some real information, under appalling circumstances.

26 Jan 2009 update:
Over the last 24 hours over 300 civilians who were awaiting relief and medical assistance within the “Safety Zone” declared by the Government of Sri Lanka have been killed and several thousand injured in Udaiyaarkaddu, Suthanthirapuram, and Vallipuram in the Mullaitivu District by Sri Lanka Army multi-barrel artillery and mortar shelling by the Sri Lanka armed forces.

All of the hospitals in the Vanni, Kilinochchi Hospital and Mullaitivu Hospital, have been displaced and are functioning in schools or other public buildings. These displaced hospitals have been stretched to their limit due to the continuous bombing and shelling of the Vanni over the past few months. The injured have no access to medical supplies and there are not enough doctors and other medical staff available to treat the population.
Action: If you have not already done so please ask your church secretary, minister or synod rep to write to your MP regarding this situation and what the response of the UK government is. Trinity Church in Manchester have done so recently with the support of Revd Bob Day & Neil Cooper (Church Action on Poverty) with the Just Church programme. What will your church and community do to show support and solidarity with Sri Lankan tamil people?

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