On May 18, 2009, the brutal war that lasted for three decades came to a military end. The war, which claimed at least 100,000 lives, also saw thousands of disappearances. Among those who disappeared was a Catholic Tamil priest named G.A. Joseph Francis, who supported the freedom of the Tamil people.

Known for his unwavering commitment to nonviolence, Father Francis led and negotiated the surrender of at least 360 people, including Tamil Tigers and young children, to the Sri Lankan military.

Despite his belief that his clerical status would ensure safety, all who boarded the military buses with him were never seen again. His desperate plea to the Vatican, written eight days before the end of the war, highlighted the genocidal nature of the conflict against the Tamil people.

Today, his disappearance remains one of the most significant cases of enforced disappearance in Sri Lanka, with ongoing demands for truth and justice from his family and the wider community.

On May 10, 2009, Father Francis wrote the following letter to the Vatican:

10 May 2009

To His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI,

The Sri Lankan Government is waging the war to annihilate the Tamil nation; it is a genocidal war.

The cries of woes and agony of the babies and children, the women and the elderly, fill the air that was polluted by poisonous and unhealthy gases.

It is unfortunate that the Church in Sri Lanka does not have the wisdom and guts to air her views forcefully and unequivocally regarding the ongoing war.

I am not unaware that this letter would arouse the wrath of the Sri Lankan government, which will resort to the revenge by killing me.

Imploring your holiness Blessings,

 Rev Fr. G.A Francis Joseph (- Excerpts from Fr Francis’s open letter)

He reportedly wrote this letter from a bunker. Today, a memorial has been built over the bunker to honour the Tamil people who were murdered and disappeared.

Witnesses reported that on May 18, 2009, Father Francis led and negotiated the surrender of a group including Tamil Tigers and civilians, some as young as two years old. They were last seen boarding military buses after crossing the Vattuvagal bridge from LTTE-held areas into government-controlled territory (Wikipedia) (Matters India).

Moses Arulanantham is Father Francis’s relative. Despite efforts by the judiciary and the United Nations to find information about Fr. Francis, all have been unsuccessful. In 2019, he spoke to the BBC. By that at that time he was 90 years old.

“The only thing we can do is worry and pray for him. We are very close relatives. Like a brother born from the same womb. He is the only child in his family. His mother took care of him because he had to attend school.”

“I keep praying to God and to Mother Mary to show us where he is or to find out what happened to him.”

Father Francis first came to St. Patrick’s School in Jaffna as a schoolboy. After becoming a Catholic priest, he returned to the school as an English teacher. Later, he became the principal of the school. His whole life revolved around classrooms, the school’s chapel, and the playground where cricket matches were held. He was an enthusiastic supporter of the school’s cricket team.

It is reported that Father Francis knew all the students at the school by name. His legacy still extends throughout the school. A life-size photograph of him watching children stands in the school library.

Although Father Francis was known for his critical stance on the actions of the government forces, some believe he maintained a silent policy regarding the atrocities committed by the LTTE.

In the final days of the war, LTTE fighters and civilians lived in a large area until their fate was decided by the military. Jayakumari Krishnakumar was married to a senior LTTE member. Her husband was also among those who traveled with Father Francis on the bus. She claims that the list of names of those handed over was compiled by Father Francis.

Jayakumari Krishnakumar says: “My husband was the first to board the bus. Then, others boarded. Finally, Father Francis got on. He hoped that the military would respect him because he was a priest. He was afraid, but he hoped everything would go smoothly. The others also believed that as long as they were with the priest, they would be safe.”

Yasmin Sooka, a member of the United Nations expert panel, states: “The uniqueness of this incident is that a large number of people were forcibly disappeared after surrendering to the Sri Lankan military. Anyone who surrenders to the military has the right to be protected under human rights.”

Attorney-at-law Saliya Pieris

Attorney Saliya Pieris, the former chairman of the Office of Missing Persons, said: “We can’t say that we went to the field and searched for the disappeared. It’s not possible to do it that way. The process of searching, listing, and creating an information system takes time.”

The wives of the disappeared still mark their foreheads with the red Kumkumam dot in remembrance of their loved ones. The children wait for their parents to return. No one has forgotten Father Francis’s memory.

No one has yet been able to shatter the hopes of Father Francis’s brother, Moses. He still believes, “The truth will come out someday.”

For more information on the disappearance of Father G.A. Francis Joseph, watch this BBC video: