Specific reference to the operations of St. Patrick's College, Jaffna between 1993 and the present could not be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate.

A Reuters report dated 5 November 1995 states that "St. John's, St. Patricks's and Jaffna Hindu College still stand, but many of its great teachers have fled the carnage for more secure tenures in the West."

According to reports from the University Teachers for Human Rights (UTHR)(Jaffna), the Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation(SLBC) and the Daily News, St. Patrick's College and other educational institutions in Jaffna served as places of refuge for residents who had not fled Jaffna following an LTTE call for their evacuation in advance of a major government offensive in late 1995 (UTHR 8 Nov. 1995, ibid. 29 Aug. 1996; SLBC 3 Dec. 1995, Daily News 5 Dec. 1995). Additionally, UTHR reported that the Sri Lankan army first considered St. Patrick's to be an "LTTE centre" before being informed of the presence of refugees when they took it on 2 December 1995 (29 Aug. 1996).

According to the Tamil Centre for Human Rights 30 civilians died in the "refugee camp" at St. Patrick's College for lack of food and medical care in June 1996 (n.d.).

More recent media reports from late 1997 and 1998 make brief reference to a Father Alphonsus Bernard as principal of St Patrick's, without describing the school's operations (Frontline 25 Apr. - 8 May 1998; "Jaffna News Brief" 22 Jan. 1998; Reuters 14 Oct. 1997).

This Response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the Research Directorate within time constraints. This Response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim to refugee status or asylum. Please see below the list of additional sources consulted in the preparation of this Response.

Daily News [Colombo, in English]. 5 December 1995. "Government To Raise Flag Over Jaffna City." (FBIS-NES-95-233 5 Dec. 1995/WNC)

Frontline. 25 April to 8 May 1998. V. Suryanaran. "A Mixed Picture". [Internet] http://www.the-hindu.com/fline/fl1509/15090640.htm [Accessed 6 Oct. 1998]

Jaffna News Brief 22 January 1998. "Three Days Inside Jaffna". [Internet] http://www.lankaweb.com/news/items/jaffna1.html [Accessed 28 Sept. 1998]

Reuters. 5 November 1995. "War Reduces Jaffna From Boom Town to Rubble". (NEXIS)

_____ . 14 October 1997. "Jaffna School Hopes for Better Days." (NEXIS)

Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation (SLBC) [Colombo, in English]. 3 December 1995. "Government Troops Advance Toward, Capture Jaffna." (FBIS-NES-95-232 3 Dec. 1995/WNC)

Tamil Centre for Human Rights. n.d. "June 1996" [Internet] http://www.tamilrights.org/chronlgy/1996c/jun.htm [Accessed 29 Sept. 1998]

UTHR (Jaffna). 8 November 1995. Information Bulletin No. 8: Civilians and the Jaffna Offensive. [Internet] http://www.isr.umd.edu [Accessed 8 Oct. 1998]

______. 29 August 1996. Special Report No. 7: Jaffna The Contest Between Man and the Beast Within. [Internet] http://www.isr.umd.edu

Sri Lanka Monitor [London]. Monthly. January 1993 - August 1998.

Law and Society Trust. 1994. Sri Lanka State of Human Rights 1993. Colombo.

Electronic sources: Internet, IRB Databases, REFWORLD, WNC.

Non-documentary sources: Unsuccessful attempts to contact two oral sources.