Caritas Vanni director seriously injured in Sri Lanka conflict

The director of Caritas relief agency in Vanni has been seriously injured during the incessant fighting between the Sri Lankan government and the Tamil rebels.

Fr. T.R. Vasanthaseelan, the local director of Caritas in Sri Lanka's war-torn Vanni region, injured both of his legs after shells hit St. Anthony's Church in Valaignarmadam on Thursday morning, 23 April.

"Both Fr. Vasanthaseelan legs were injured and one of his legs has already been amputated after shells hit St. Anthony's Church in Valaignarmadam," the Catholic relief agency said.

The prelate was involved in relief efforts as thousands of people continue to be trapped in the war-zone area where the UN says fighting rendered 13,946 wounded last three months.

Apart from Fr. Vasanthaseelan, there were also reports of another priest, Father James Pathinathan, member of the National Commission for Justice, Peace and Human Development, injured and hospitalized this week.

Caritas Internationalis Secretary General Lesley-Anne Knight said: "Our thoughts and prayers are with the people of Vanni and Caritas colleagues of Fr. Vasanthaseelan and Fr. James Pathinathan."

"Vasanthaseelan is a much loved figure in Sri Lanka and throughout the Caritas confederation. He is a man of peace, courage and hope. He has lived among the people he seeks to serve and accompanied them through their suffering. He has been a sign of love and faithfulness throughout such difficult times," she added.

The U.N. estimates that 50,000 people are still trapped in the war zone area. At least 6,500 ethnic Tamil civilians have been killed in the last three months.

Calling for a truce, Caritas said: "That aid workers are suffering only underlines how innocent people, women and children are being killed and injured in Sri Lanka's civil war and reinforces our calls for an immediate ceasefire."

"Both the government of Sri Lanka and the Tamil Tiger rebels have obligations to protect the lives of civilians and allow humanitarian access. The United Nations and the international community must hold them to these commitments."

On Wednesday, the humanitarian agency had appealed for US $2.5 million to provide emergency assistance to the war victims in the island nation.

The United Nations, meanwhile, said its top humanitarian official would visit the country over the weekend.

UN Secretary General, Ban Ki-Moon announced this at a news conference in Brussels. He said the designated team would monitor the situation and mobilize relief teams to protect the civilian population.

The government has however rejected this offer and said only the international Committee of the Red Cross, and Caritas will have access to people in the war zone area where more than 106,000 civilians fled fighting since Monday.

The 25-year-old civil war is said to be one of world's deadliest ongoing armed conflicts which has killed over 70,000 people.