Memorial mass for Rev. Fr. Philip Jim Brown held in Allaippiddi

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 01 April 2009, 15:01 GMT]
Rt. Rev. Thomas Saundaranayagam, Jaffna Bishop, conducted a memorial mass Wednesday morning in Allaippiddi St. Philip Neri Roman Catholic church in remembrance of Rev. Fr. Jim Brown and his assistant V. Vimaladas who had gone missing on their way to Allaippiddi church in the islets of Jaffna at a Sri Lanka Navy (SLA) check post in late August 2006, sources in Jaffna said. The church had been damaged in the Multi-barrel Rocket Launcher (MBRL) fire on the people who had sought refuge in it during a Sri Lanka Army (SLA) offensive on 11 August 2006 and was renovated by the efforts of Chaaddi Parish Priest, Rev. Fr. Philip Stanislaw, the sources added.

Rt. Rev. Thomas Saundranayagam began the mass with consecration ceremony of opening the church after three and a half years as the people of Allaippiddi had fled to Jaffna in fear of the SLN that holds the area in its absolute control.

More than 40 men, women and children were killed while more than 95 injured in the MBRL fire that targeted the church in which they had sought refuge in August 2006.

A group of the displaced people from Allaippiddi has been resettled by Jaffna Government Agent who awaits the SLN’s permission to resettle the rest of them languishing in temporary refugee camps in Jaffna town.

SLN had helped to renovate the church and some SLN officers were present in Church Wednesday along with Eelam Peoples’ Democratic Party (EPDP) persons, the sources further said.