Let’s condemn killing of Fr. Karunarathnam - Christian solidarity Movement

Fr. Karunarathnam of the diocese of Jaffna was killed on the 20th of April 2008.

He is the third Christian priest assassinated since the so called “humanitarian war” was launched after the Mavil Aru incident where water became a political issue, thus thwarting all opportunities for any negotiated settlement. Fr. Jim Brown and his assistant disappeared while he was engaged in the service of the war victims. Fr. Pakkiya Ranjith of the diocese of Mannar was killed when he was carrying food for the refugees. The latest victim is Fr. Karunarathnam.

Fr. Karunarathnam was addressed by his admirers and loved ones as Fr. Killi. In keeping with the doctrine of Jesus, he had a deep concern for the poor. He worked tirelessly day and night for the victims. He was one who did an extraordinary amount of work for the wellbeing of the Tsunami victims as well as those victimized by the war. In his work, he closely collaborated with numerous civil society organizations.

Whenever he came to the South he used to meet his priest friends and pro-peace groups and helped them to understand the pulse of the people in the North and East, and also took to the North the feelings of the people in the South.

He had a strong belief that an effective solution can be found only in a continuous dialogue between the two communities and thus he himself became a bridge between the two.

In the current atmosphere of war, the violation of human rights is a daily occurrence in the North and East. In order to meet the challenge of defending the rights of people of these areas of Sri Lanka, he founded the NESHOR and actively engaged himself courageously and unceasingly in this very demanding exercise. Now he is no more with us.

Already Sri Lanka has gained a very bad name internationally with the killing of the 17 aid workers in the East. The country until now has neither been able to erase the ill-repute gained nor is there a sign of its being able to clear its name in the near future.

We have seen the ruthless murders of Ravi Raj and Pararajasinghe who raised the voice of the Tamil community in the parliament and the journalists such as the Sivaram, Nimal Rajan, and now Fr. Karunarathna who tried to convey the pulse of the people of North and South. What is most amazing is how the government, provoked by its war mentality and with an attitude of callous disregard for humanity, is keeping dead silence or fabricates stories to cover up the truth about such killings.

No independent investigations have been held on any of these killings. After the assassination of the parliamentarian Ravi Raj, in order to pretend one’s innocence, there was a media hype about inviting ‘Scotland Yard’ to investigate the assassination. But soon that proved to be only an empty exercise.

While priests who were committed to the welfare of the war victims and the poor, are being assassinated, the government is now trying to wash its hands by attributing such killings to the LTTE.

Perhaps the battle for the Madhu area was started with a view to political gain during the election in the East. This whole area is now turned into a war zone.

Further, when even the international community is very clear about the fact that only through power distribution and not through war that a solution could be found to the present crisis, we are ashamed to see that the government is purposefully delaying a political solution.

Many in this government have an allergy towards human rights issues so much that they even resent the involvement of the UN Human Rights Commission as a foreign intervention. Certainly, they do this to cover up their own sins. It is everybody’s knowledge that the UNHRC was very much sought after by the JVP when they were being suppressed by the UNP government. As such, it is obvious that the JVP at this moment takes a political and opportunistic stance. Sri Lanka is now well known internationally as one of the worst countries for human rights violations, while the truth is being hidden from its own people.
Therefore, as members of civil society in this land, we urge the government to investigate these killings through an international committee or organization.

• Let the genocide war be stopped immediately and implement a political solution immediately.
• Create a suitable environment for independent groups to investigate the instances of human rights violations and killings.

Christian solidarity Movement
No 281,
Deans Road , Colombo 10
Sri Lanka
24th of April 2008