On September 27, 2007 BBC News reported that "a roadside bomb killed a Roman Catholic priest who was providing food for displaced people inside a rebel-held area in Mannar, Sri Lanka." Local JRS sources in Sri Lanka have confirmed that Fr. Nicholaspillai Packia Ranjith, 40, JRS Mannar District Coordinator, was killed by a brutal, remotely launched mine attack.
Fr.Ranjith was driving a JRS van-which had a white flag hoisted on it-while bringing desperately needed baby food and other humanitarian supplies to a JRS run orphanage for displaced children in Vidathaltheevu, Mannar. Fr.Ranjith was accompanied by a fellow staff member, Mr. Christopher Eugene, who remains in very serious condition, battling for his life at a local hospital.
The priest secretary for Bishop Rt. Rev. Rayappu Joseph of the Mannar Diocese commented that, although it was still unclear who bore responsibility for this act of brutality, the Catholic community strongly condemned this act of violence on the innocent. A BBC news report noted that the Tamil Tigers have blamed a Sri Lankan government army guerrilla warfare unit for the attack, but the Sri Lankan military has denied responsibility.
Fr.Ranjith, born on June 11th, 1967 at Echamotai in Jaffna joined the Mannar Diocese and was ordained as priest on 17th December 1997. He is survived by his mother and a younger brother who live in Canada. Fr.Ranjith was a soft spoken, fearless and dynamic priest who always stood up for the cause of justice. His death is an irreparable loss to JRS Sri Lanka and the entire JRS family.
The funeral of Fr Ranjith will be on 29 September. JRS South Asia Director, Fr PS Amal SJ, and JRS Sri Lanka Director, Fr Vinny Joseph SJ, will attend on behalf of JRS. This is the first killing of a priest in the Mannar diocese. On 27 September the body of Fr Ranjith was brought from Vavuniya to Mannar (a distance of 90 kilomentres). All along the route people were lined up to pay their last respects to the priest.