St. Philip Neri Church shelling
Encyclopedia
The St. Philip Neri Church shelling occurred when St. Philip Neri Church in Allaipiddy village, off the coast of Sri Lanka
's Jaffna Peninsula
, was shelled on August 13, 2006, allegedly by the Sri Lankan Army
. The attack killed at least 15 people and injured as many as 54 others.
(LTTE) and the Sri Lankan Army
, small clashes took place near Allaipiddy. It is believed that the LTTE was planning to overrun Jaffna
. Hundreds of civilians took shelter in St. Philip Neri Church because of the fighting and to avoid shelling.
base. The Sri Lankan Army
then commenced shelling LTTE positions, continuing through the night. According to a local human rights organization, the University Teachers for Human Rights
(UTHR), security forces did not know the strength of LTTE forces in the area and "let loose their shells and MBRLs not caring an iota for the civilians".
On August 13, 2006, at 04:30, an artillery shell fell on the church, killing at least 15 people and injuring up to 54. The wounded were taken to Jaffna
for treatment by a priest, Father Thiruchelvam Nihal Jim Brown
, who subsequently relocated 300 families from Allaipiddy to St. Mary's Church in Kayts
. He disappeared
on August 20, a week after the shelling.
Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka, officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka is a country off the southern coast of the Indian subcontinent. Known until 1972 as Ceylon , Sri Lanka is an island surrounded by the Indian Ocean, the Gulf of Mannar and the Palk Strait, and lies in the vicinity of India and the...
's Jaffna Peninsula
Jaffna Peninsula
The Jaffna Peninsula is an area in Northern Province, Sri Lanka. It is home to the capital city of the province, Jaffna and comprises much of the former land mass of the ancient Tamil kingdoms of the Nagas and the medieval Jaffna kingdom. The peninsula is mostly surrounded by water, connected to...
, was shelled on August 13, 2006, allegedly by the Sri Lankan Army
Sri Lankan Army
The Sri Lanka Army is the oldest and largest of the Sri Lanka Armed Forces and is responsible for land-based military and humanitarian operations. Established as the Ceylon Army in 1949, it was renamed when Sri Lanka became a republic in 1972...
. The attack killed at least 15 people and injured as many as 54 others.
Background
As tensions increased between the rebel Liberation Tigers of Tamil EelamLiberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam
The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam was a separatist militant organization formerly based in northern Sri Lanka. Founded in May 1976 by Vellupillai Prabhakaran, it waged a violent secessionist and nationalist campaign to create an independent state in the north and east of Sri Lanka for Tamil...
(LTTE) and the Sri Lankan Army
Sri Lankan Army
The Sri Lanka Army is the oldest and largest of the Sri Lanka Armed Forces and is responsible for land-based military and humanitarian operations. Established as the Ceylon Army in 1949, it was renamed when Sri Lanka became a republic in 1972...
, small clashes took place near Allaipiddy. It is believed that the LTTE was planning to overrun Jaffna
Jaffna
Jaffna is the capital city of the Northern Province, Sri Lanka. It is the administrative headquarters of the Jaffna district located on a peninsula of the same name. Jaffna is approximately six miles away from Kandarodai which served as a famous emporium in the Jaffna peninsula from classical...
. Hundreds of civilians took shelter in St. Philip Neri Church because of the fighting and to avoid shelling.
Incident
In the morning of August 12, 2006, LTTE cadres landed near Allaipiddy, prompting government forces to withdraw to the nearby NavySri Lankan Navy
-The Beginning and World War II:In January 1938 the Ceylon Naval Volunteer Force was created with Commander W.G. Beauchamp as Commanding Officer under ordinance No I of 1937. On 31 August 1939 at the out set of World War II, the CNVF was mobilized for war duties...
base. The Sri Lankan Army
Sri Lankan Army
The Sri Lanka Army is the oldest and largest of the Sri Lanka Armed Forces and is responsible for land-based military and humanitarian operations. Established as the Ceylon Army in 1949, it was renamed when Sri Lanka became a republic in 1972...
then commenced shelling LTTE positions, continuing through the night. According to a local human rights organization, the University Teachers for Human Rights
University Teachers for Human Rights
For the figure in Norse mythology, see UrðrThe University Teachers for Human Rights or UTHR was formed in 1988 at the University of Jaffna, Jaffna in Sri Lanka as part of the national organization University Teachers for Human Rights. Its public activities as a constituent part of university life...
(UTHR), security forces did not know the strength of LTTE forces in the area and "let loose their shells and MBRLs not caring an iota for the civilians".
On August 13, 2006, at 04:30, an artillery shell fell on the church, killing at least 15 people and injuring up to 54. The wounded were taken to Jaffna
Jaffna
Jaffna is the capital city of the Northern Province, Sri Lanka. It is the administrative headquarters of the Jaffna district located on a peninsula of the same name. Jaffna is approximately six miles away from Kandarodai which served as a famous emporium in the Jaffna peninsula from classical...
for treatment by a priest, Father Thiruchelvam Nihal Jim Brown
Thiruchelvam Nihal Jim Brown
Fr.Thiruchchelvam Nihal Jim Brown was a minority Sri Lankan Tamil, Roman Catholic parish priest who disappeared during the Sri Lankan civil war. He was active helping his parishioners during the bombing of his church in northern Sri Lanka...
, who subsequently relocated 300 families from Allaipiddy to St. Mary's Church in Kayts
Kayts
Kayts , is one of the important villages in Velanai Island which is a small island off the coast of Jaffna Peninsula in the North of Sri Lanka. There are number of other villages within the Velanai Island such as Allaipiddy, Mankumpan, Velanai, Saravanai, Puliyankoodal, Suruvil, Naranthanai and...
. He disappeared
Forced disappearance
In international human rights law, a forced disappearance occurs when a person is secretly abducted or imprisoned by a state or political organization or by a third party with the authorization, support, or acquiescence of a state or political organization, followed by a refusal to acknowledge the...
on August 20, a week after the shelling.
Responsibility
The Army denied responsibility for the shelling of the church and suggested that the LTTE was to blame. However, according to the former parish priest of Allaipiddy, most people believe that the church was hit by fire from government forces. The UTHR reported that survivors claimed that the shelling came from a military base in Palaly. A pro-LTTE website repeated this claim.See also
- List of massacres in Sri Lanka
- List of attacks attributed to Sri Lankan government forces
- List of attacks attributed to the LTTE