Six priests imprisoned in Sri Lanka: possible war-crime witnesses?
June 25, 2009
Six Catholic priests are being held in detention by the government of Sri Lanka, along with others who may have witnessed brutality by government troops in their last successful offensive against Tamil Tiger rebels. An estimated 25,000 Tamils-- mostly civilians-- were killed in that final military campaign, and 300,000 refugees were driven from their homes into over crowded refugees camps where their situation is now desperate.
The government of Sri Lanka continues to keep a tight seal on information from the war zone and the refugee camps. Church leaders have received no response to their appeal for the release of the imprisoned priests. The clerics now being detained had voluntarily remained in the war zone despite the danger, to minister to the Tamil civilians who were at risk.
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