Jaffna Catholics raise one million rupees to help Vanni IDPs

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 26 August 2008, 10:10 GMT]
In response to the recent appeal by the Commission for Justice and Peace (CJP) to all Catholics in Jaffna peninsula to generously contribute to a relief fund towards helping the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in Vanni, 1.2 million rupees were collected during the special mass and Holy Communion held Sunday in the Catholic churches throughout the peninsula sources close to the Bishop of Jaffna, said.

Rev. Vasanthaseelan, Director of Caritas Sri Lanka (CSL) of the Social Economic Development Centre (SEDEC) for Vanni, in an interview to the religious magazine Catholic Guardian in early August said that in 15 days in July 50,000 people belonging to 9,175 families hadbeen displaced from places including Muzhangkaavil, Mallaavi and Naachchikudaa.

The IDPs are in desperate need of temporary shelters, essential food, and medicine, and the funds raised will help to ease their suffering, he added.

The critical situation in Vanni was then discussed Monday August 04 in a meeting organized by Jaffna Bishop Rt. Rev. Thomas Saundranayagam where the attendees decided to hold special mass on Sunday in all Catholic churches in the peninsula to pray for the IDPs and organize a relief fund.