Postpone declaring Madhu area a Sacred Area, Mannar Bishop writes to the President
While, the Mannar Diocese Catholics Federation has written to the President that on behalf of the Mannar people, it is condemning the autocratic activities and unilateral decisions of the Presidential Secretariat relevant to declaring the Madhu area , a “Sacred area”, it has also requested the President to put a stop to this affair, undertake a Bi-lateral direct discussion and deliver a correct decision to our people and Mannar diocese, relevant to this matter.
A committee was formed as per the letter from the President, to develop areas in use currently, so as to declare the Madhu Area, a “Sacred Area”. On nomination of members to this committee and a following discussion a letter was sent by the Bishop of Mannar to the President, but no answer was forthcoming.
Currently a draft of a gazette notification has been sent to the Bishop, including only 302 acre as Sacred area.
As per this draft, it seems to an attempt to limit nearly 5,000 acre land belonging to the Madhu , to 302 acre, under the guise of declaring a Sacred Area Catholic analysts say.
It is notable that 180 acre out of the 302 acre belongs to the Bishop of Mannar.
Subsequently the Bishop of Mannar has bent telegraph requesting the President to postpone the declaration of the Sacred Area.