UNP MP Jayalath Jayawardena has written to Pope Benedict at the Vatican and requested his intervention in alleged threats against Bishop of Mannar, Rt. Rev. Dr. Rayappu Joseph.

In his letter, MP Jayawardena states that the Bishop has been victimized by various comments made by “chauvinistic and communal minded government Ministers” and the media that is controlled or sympathetic towards the government.

Among those accusations, Jayawardena states that the Bishop has been falsely accused of conspiring against the government and disturbing Muslim-Tamil relations while secretly harbouring the secret desire of being the Cardinal of Eelam.

Furthermore, he writes that the Bishop was arrested and questioned for a letter he had written to the President and the UN Human Rights Council as well being questioned by government intelligence officers last month for a detailed statement he had made to the Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission (LLRC) more than 16 months ago.

The letter further states, “The Bishop had never called for a separate country or a renewed armed struggle and has rejected both these as not being viable options to be considered in the struggle for dignity and justice of Tamil people and broader reconciliation in Sri Lanka”.

Lastly, MP Jayawardena requests the Pope to use his office to ensure that the Bishop is able to continue his mission without threats, intimidation or false accusations.

The full text of the letter -