M. X. Karunaratnam

Reverend Father Mariampillai Xavier Karunaratnam was a minority Sri Lankan Tamil, Roman Catholic parish priest and a human rights activist. He was the Chairperson of the NESOHR and was killed on 20 April 2008 allegedly by a Deep Penetration Unit of the Sri Lankan Army .[1][2][3][4] In a press release, NESOHR condemned, "in the strongest possible terms", the Sri Lankan state for the assassination of Rev.Fr. Karunaratnam.[5][6]

Rev Father M. X. Karunaratnam
Father Killi
BornApril 12, 1951
Jaffna, Sri Lanka
DiedApril 20, 2008
Vanni Sri Lanka
Occupation(s)Parish Priest, Human Rights activist and Chairperson of NESOHR

Biography

M. X. Karunaratnam was born in Jaffna. He was an officer with the Bank of Ceylon before he was ordained as a priest in 1989. Father Karunaratnam was founder and Chairman of NESOHR. He was also the Chairman of NGO Consortium of Jaffna. He was engaged in relief work for war displaced and worked in the tsunami relief.[7]

Background

M. X. Karunaratnam was a priest of the Jaffna Diocese and served in the Vanni region of Sri Lanka and worked from the LTTE controlled parts of Sri Lanka.[8] He worked for human rights and called on the United Nations and foreign human rights organisation to monitor the human rights situation in Sri Lanka . [3][9][10] [11] Earlier two other NESHOR members and Tamil National Alliance MPs A. Chandranehru and Joseph Pararajasingham were killed. He was extremely critical of the Sri Lankan government.[12][13]

Incident

He was killed in the Mallaavi-Vavunikku'lam Road in Vanni after he was returning from a Sunday mass and going to a remembrance ceremony for a Tamil National Alliance a pro LTTE[14] party MP Kiddinan Sivanesan who was also killed in a similar fashion. He was killed by a claymore mine blast carried out allegedly by a Deep Penetration Unit (DPU) of the Sri Lanka Army.[3][15][16] LTTE military spokesman Rasiah Ilanthiraiyan stated that "He was targeted by the (government's Deep Penetration Unit) DPU while he was returning to his residence after attending to mass at Mankulam parish,". The Sri Lanka Army denied responsibility for the attack, with its Spokesman Brigadier Udaya Nanayakkara stating "That area is under LTTE control, We do not operate that deep in to LTTE control area. We can't take any responsibility,".[17]

Reaction

Rev Fr. Damian Fernando, National Director of Caritas Sri Lanka, said:

"He was an example of courage, strength and humanity and will be missed by all.He also showed endless empathy towards refugees and displaced people while working tirelessly to improve their living standards.

[18] National Peace Council of Sri Lanka has called his death

"A Lamentable Loss to Civil Society and to the Country

[19]

Tamil National Alliance in a press statement said

" "We deeply mourn the loss of Rev Father Karunaratnam who indefatigably served the legitimate interests of the Tamil Civilian population in the Vanni."

[20]

See also

References
  1. NESOHR Condemns Father Karunaratnam's Assassination
  2. Prominent priest killed in Sri Lanka blast
  3. NESoHR Chairman Fr. Karunaratnam killed in DPU attack
  4. Targeted Killing of Rev. M. X. Karunaratnam is a War Crime
  5. NESOHR Condemns Father Karunaratnam's Assassination
  6. "Father Karunaratnam's assassination remembered in Mullaitivu 15 years on". Tamil Guardian. 21 Apr 2023. Retrieved 21 Apr 2023.
  7. SRI LANKA Catholic Priest Killed Returning From Sunday Mass Archived 2008-10-04 at the Wayback Machine
  8. Rev. Fr. Karunaratnam of Jaffna Diocese Killed in a claymore blast Archived 2008-12-31 at the Wayback Machine
  9. Appeal to UN on Bindunuwewa
  10. Sri Lanka: Killing of human rights defender Reverend Father M X Karunaratnam
  11. Priest Killed BBC
  12. Fr. Karunaratnam killed in DPU attack
  13. Monthly Report
  14. "Pro-LTTE party for autonomous rule for Tamils in Lanka". The Indian Express. Retrieved 12 October 2023.
  15. Sri Lanka :of human rights defender Rev. Fr. M X Karunaratnam
  16. 2008 Report on International Religious Freedom - Sri Lanka Archived 2011-05-20 at the Wayback Machine
  17. Sirilal, Ranga. "Bomb kills Catholic priest in north Sri Lanka-rebels". Reuters. Retrieved 12 October 2023.
  18. CAFOD mourns Sri Lankan bomb victim Archived 2008-07-24 at the Wayback Machine
  19. NPC laments Rev Fr Karunaratnam assassination
  20. TNA condemns Father Karunaratnam slaying
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