Bishop Andradi says Madhu church is still situated in LTTE-held area

The General Secretary of Sri Lanka Catholic Bishops Association, Bishop Norbert Andradi, said the most sacred statue was transferred within the LTTE-held area, contrary to media reports suggesting otherwise.

The statue of the virgin Mary was removed on 03 April from one of Sri Lanka's most revered catholic shrines for the first time in more than four centuries.

The Anuradhapura Bishop told journalist Athula Bandara that neither the Tamil Tigers nor Sri Lanka Army (SLA) forced the church to remove the statue.

I have to make this clear. The Madhu hurch is still situated in LTTE-held area so the statue was not transferred from government-held area to a LTTE-held territory Bishop Norbert Andradi

There have been media reports suggesting the LTTE has forced the Church to remove the statue from Madhu church as fighting escalated with the SLA.

Buddhist-monk led Jathika Hela Urumaya (JHU) has accused the Church of being influenced by the LTTE.

The security situation deteriorated around the Madhu church, Bishop Andradi said, and many villagers have left the area due to escalating violence.

“I have to make this clear. The Madhu hurch is still situated in LTTE-held area so the statue was not transferred from government-held area to a LTTE-held territory,” Bishop Andradi told BBC Sandeshaya.

	Virgin Mary statue was removed from the shrine first time in 400 years

Thevanpetti was the only church with a serving priest and considerable Catholic community, he added.

The Church says the statue will be returned to the Madhu church as and when fighting ends around the area.

Bishop Andradi appealed to both the SLA and the LTTE cease fighting near the sacred church.

The bishop of Mannar, Rayappu Joseph, earlier told the BBC he had repeatedly appealed to both sides to respect the area as a no-war zone.

"We asked the government to declare madhu as a war free zone. The president agreed but it was not given in writing. If the government has agreed to have a peace zone then I think the LTTE would have honoured it. This is what TamilSelvan told me and Archbishop Malcolm Ranjith", said bishop Rayappu Joseph.

The shrine at Madhu is a pilgrimage site for over six percent of Sri Lanka's catholics.