Chandra Fernando
Encyclopedia
Reverend Chandra Fernando was a priest
from the town of Baticaloa in minority Tamil-dominated eastern province of Sri Lanka
. He was known for his human rights activism. He was assassinated by unknown men on June 6, 1988.
Town), primarily educated at St. Michael's College, Batticaloa
and ordained as Catholic Priest in the Year 1970. He served as a Parish Priest at St. Mary’s Co-cathedral, Batticaloa from 1984 to June 6, 1988.
per the Indo-Lanka peace accord of 1985. He was the secretary of the local Batticalao Citizens Committee and was instrumental in highlighting human rights violations by all sides in the Sri Lankan civil war
including the rebel LTTE group which was at that time battling the Indian Peace Keeping Force
(IPKF) and aligned para-military groups. There were many human rights violations committed by all including the authority in power.
Although according to a report by Tamilnet
, he was killed by a gunman belonging to the paramilitary group Peoples Liberation Organization of Tamil Eelam (PLOTE) organization working for the local Indian Army
administration. but according to David Jeyaraj
an ethnic Sri Lankan Tamil journalist based in Canada
, he was killed by the paramilitary group Eelam Peoples Revolutionary Liberation Front (EPRLF) operatives. This seems to be corroborated by independent sources.
Priest
A priest is a person authorized to perform the sacred rites of a religion, especially as a mediatory agent between humans and deities. They also have the authority or power to administer religious rites; in particular, rites of sacrifice to, and propitiation of, a deity or deities...
from the town of Baticaloa in minority Tamil-dominated eastern province of Sri Lanka
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...
. He was known for his human rights activism. He was assassinated by unknown men on June 6, 1988.
Biography
Rev Fr. Chandra Fernando was born in 1942 in Fernandos Lane, Puliyantheevu (presently called BatticaloaBatticaloa
Batticaloa is a city in the Eastern province of Sri Lanka. It is the seat of the Eastern University of Sri Lanka. It is on the east coast, south by south east of Trincomalee, and is situated on an island.-Etymology:...
Town), primarily educated at St. Michael's College, Batticaloa
St. Michael's College, Batticaloa
St Michael's College is a boys school in Batticaloa, Sri Lanka, which was started in 1872. One of largest school in Eastern province. The founder of the school was Rev. Father Bonnel, whose statue is placed in the front of the school.-External links:***...
and ordained as Catholic Priest in the Year 1970. He served as a Parish Priest at St. Mary’s Co-cathedral, Batticaloa from 1984 to June 6, 1988.
Incident
He was killed by unknown gunmen on June 6, 1988 in his own church (St. Mary’s Co-Cathedral) when the city was under the administration of Indian Peace Keeping ForceIndian Peace Keeping Force
Indian Peace Keeping Force was the Indian military contingent performing a peacekeeping operation in Sri Lanka between 1987 and 1990...
per the Indo-Lanka peace accord of 1985. He was the secretary of the local Batticalao Citizens Committee and was instrumental in highlighting human rights violations by all sides in the Sri Lankan civil war
Sri Lankan civil war
The Sri Lankan Civil War was a conflict fought on the island of Sri Lanka. Beginning on July 23, 1983, there was an on-and-off insurgency against the government by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam , a separatist militant organization which fought to create an independent Tamil state named Tamil...
including the rebel LTTE group which was at that time battling the Indian Peace Keeping Force
Indian Peace Keeping Force
Indian Peace Keeping Force was the Indian military contingent performing a peacekeeping operation in Sri Lanka between 1987 and 1990...
(IPKF) and aligned para-military groups. There were many human rights violations committed by all including the authority in power.
Tamilnet
TamilNet is a news website that provides news and feature articles on current affairs in Sri Lanka, specifically related to the erstwhile Sri Lankan Civil War...
, he was killed by a gunman belonging to the paramilitary group Peoples Liberation Organization of Tamil Eelam (PLOTE) organization working for the local Indian Army
Indian Army
The Indian Army is the land based branch and the largest component of the Indian Armed Forces. With about 1,100,000 soldiers in active service and about 1,150,000 reserve troops, the Indian Army is the world's largest standing volunteer army...
administration. but according to David Jeyaraj
David Jeyaraj
David Buell Jeyaraj is a freelance Canadian journalist. His articles appear under the name D.B.S Jeyaraj, the initials stand for David Buell Sabapathy.- Biography :...
an ethnic Sri Lankan Tamil journalist based in Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, he was killed by the paramilitary group Eelam Peoples Revolutionary Liberation Front (EPRLF) operatives. This seems to be corroborated by independent sources.
See also
Other notable clergy killed during the Sri Lankan civil war- George JeyarajasinghamGeorge JeyarajasinghamGeorge Jeyarajasingham was a minority Sri Lankan Tamil Human Rights activist and a Methodist missionary from the Mannar district of Sri Lanka. He and three others were shot dead on December 13, 1984 when they were traveling in his vehicle. Later their bodies were burnt along with his...
- Nihal Jim Brown
- Mary BastianMary BastianFather Mary Bastian was a minority Tamil Human Rights activist and local Roman Catholic parish priest from Sri Lanka...
- Eugene Herbert
- Mariampillai Sarathjeevan