Contrary to reports, the public is not yet allowed to visit Madhu church although the area has been cleared and the army has requested the Church to move the statue of Our Lady of Madhu back to the shrine, a pilgrim group that had been turned away said yesterday.

A spokesman for the group not permitted to pass Medawachchiya told The Sunday Island that about 60 people had been stranded there.

"We thought we could visit Madhu as the area has been cleared," he said. ``Unfortunately after reaching Medawachchiya we were denied permission to drive through the area.’’

The military said the statue had not yet been moved back to the church. Once the statue was back, a decision would be taken to allow civilian traffic to Madhu, a senior officer said.

UNP MP Jayalath Jayawardena accused the government of misleading the people. He said a group of ruling party politicians after visiting Madhu declared that the Catholics were now free to visit.

The MP said that he could understand the plight of ordinary people. As an MP, he was unable to even receive an acknowledgement from Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa to a letter seeking approval to visit the Madhu shrine.

He said the government should make its position clear on the situation in the area. If the area has been secured there was no need to deny access to the church, he stressed.

Jayawardena added that the government recently announced that the Bishop of Mannar Rt. Rev. Rayappu Joseph, had been taken to the church overland and invited to make arrangements for the forthcoming feast.

The opposition MP criticized the Defence Ministry for not being sympathetic and considerate to the needs of the people. (SF)