A memorial service was held for the victims of the St James’ Church bombings who were killed by Sri Lankan government airstrikes in the early hours of 13 November 1993. The commemorative event took place at the Church in Gurunagar, Jaffna.
It is estimated that at least nine civilians who had gathered for worship were killed in the attack. The ancient church was also destroyed in the repeated airstrikes.
Following prayers, a memorial service took place at the Church that relatives of the victims and a number of church members attended. Bishop Arulnesan, a direct witness to the attack, recounted the attacks in his speech.
Leading up to and during the 1990s, Sri Lankan air force jets bombed several Tamil protected areas, including schools and places of worship, killing over hundreds of Tamil civilians. The notorious Navaly Church bombings which killed over 120 people in 1995, the 1997 Vavunikulam Church bombings and the 1995 Nagerkoil Tamil school bombings are among the many attacks committed by the Sri Lankan military.
