The Sri Lankan government and the Tamil Tigers have agreed to declare a demilitarized zone around a much revered Catholic church in the island's north, a religious leader said Thursday.

Bishop Rayapu Joseph, the Bishop of Mannar, said that the Madu Church in Mannar would be declared a non-fighting zone from early July to mid-August.

The annual church mass and festival which draws a large number of Catholic devotees from all parts of the island begins on July 2and ends on Aug. 15.

Bishop Joseph said that after the talks between the military and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) rebels, he obtained the consent of both sides for the arrangement.
 
"It is a relief that both sides agreed to facilitate the Madu festival," Bishop Joseph said.

Mannar, some 280 km north of the capital Colombo, is under LTTE control and there have been heavy fighting in the area during the last two months.

Fighting escalated between the two sides since the end of 2005 and the violence so far has cost nearly 5,000 lives.

Claiming discrimination at the hands of the Sinhalese-dominated government, the LTTE has been fighting for an independent homeland for the minority Tamils in the north and east since the 1970s.

(Xinhua News Agency June 29, 2007)