"There is no defence for attacking a church which has saved hundreds of refugees from death," said Dr. John Dayal, National President of the All India Catholic Union (AICU) in a statement to media on Sunday. He also called upon the "International Community which has a stake in this cauldron of ethnic strife which poses its own threat to stability in the region, and thereby to global peace." He added that the working committee of the AICU, which was in a session in Goa, was "very deeply concerned," when it learnt the news of the Sri Lankan Army's shelling of the Madu Church and how for the first time in the history of the 400 year-old church, Virgin Mary became a refugee in her own land.

John Dayal hoped that "wiser counsel will prevail and the Government of Sri Lanka will order its forces to cease and desist" from attacking a sacred place.

"This wanton act of official military violence against a haven of peace and a religious building such as a church comes even as the entire world is protesting the Chinese government action against Buddhist faithful and their religious buildings in Tibet. Surely there is no defence for attacking a church which has saved hundreds of refugees from death," the well-known Indian human rights activist said in his statement.

Source: TamilNet