Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Colombo (Agenzia Fides) - Sri Lanka’s civil conflict has claimed yet another victim. His name is Father M. X. Karunaratnam, a human rights activist and advocate of dialogue and reconciliation. He was killed April 20 in Ambalkulam (Diocese of Jaffna), caught in the line of fire during fighting between the parties at war.
The entire Church of Sri Lanka laments the loss of this priest that dedicated his entire life to building peace for his people.
Funeral services for Fr. Karunaratnam will take place today, April 22, in the Church of Vannivi'laangku'lam, where he was the pastor. There will also be a Requiem Mass held later in St. Mary’s Cathedral in Jaffna, which will be attended by numerous Bishops, priests, religious, and laity.
The faithful of his parish remember him as a Pastor who was always concerned for the flock, in every circumstance, always ready to remedy their spiritual and material needs, especially for those who had lost their homes or jobs due to the conflict. The Bishops expressed their condolences to the priest’s family and Bishop Thomas Savundranayagam of Jaffna promised to continue his prayers for an end to the conflict.
The priest was wounded while he was in his car, in a region of heavy fighting between the military and Tamil rebels. Jaffna, the diocese to which he belonged, is located in northern Sri Lanka and is a stronghold for the Tamil Tigers. According to reports issued by the rebel forces, he was wounded by military gunfire. Other sources report a mine attack that destroyed his vehicle.
The priest was President of the North East Secretariat on Human Rights, that denounced the violence and abuse of the war and provided psychological assistance to victims of the conflict.
The National Peace Council of Sri Lanka, comprised of Catholics and members of other religions who work together for peace, has expressed its profound dismay, recalling the priest’s dedication to the war victims. The Council has emphasized the high price that religious, human rights activists, volunteers, and members of NGOs are paying in this conflict. “Fr. Karunaratnam,” they recalled, “worked tirelessly to strengthen the human rights protection mechanisms in the North East of Sri Lanka. He was active in highlighting recruitment of children by the LTTE and worked tirelessly for their release,” and also made known the human rights violations that were committed by the army in the fighting with Tamil minorities.
Among the victims in the conflict in Sri Lanka are various Catholic priests and laity. Fr. Nicholaspillai Packiyaranjith was killed September 26, 2007 from a mine explosion in Kalvi’laan, while he was on his way to bring humanitarian aid to an orphanage in Vidathalvu. Fr. Jim Brown, 34 years old, was killed in August 2006 together with a Catholic lay man named Vimalathas, father of five children.
The civil war has registered some 3,000 dead since the beginning of 2008 and since 1983, the conflict has claimed a total of 70,000 lives. (PA) (Agenzia Fides 22/4/2008; righe 40, parole 492)
