Aid workers killings probed — Govt.

by Zacki Jabbar Courtesy The Island 01-09-2006

Investigations into the recent killing of 17 aid workers in Muttur were continuing and it was inappropriate for anyone to deliver judgement at this stage, the government said yesterday.

Government spokesman and Media Minister Anura Priyadharshana Yapa said that the government was conducting a thorough investigation and it was not correct for the SLMM to jump to conclusions.

He said that the government had got down forensic experts from Australia to probe the killing of the aid workers, and it would be prudent to wait for their report.

Outgoing SLMM Chief Ulf Henricsson alleged that the security forces were responsible for the killing of 17 civilian aid workers from the French Charity Action Against Hunger in Muttur on August 4, 2006.

Classifying the incident as a gross violation of the Ceasefire Agreement, Henricsson also alleged that the security forces denied SLMM access to Muttur in a bid to conceal the killings.

Plan Implementation Minister and Defence spokesman Keheliya Rambukwella said that the SLMM ruling was totally biased, unprofessional and made without any basis.

"The SLMM has given its ruling without any scientific evidence. Besides they are not experts in conducting post-mortems. The Criminal Investigation Department report clearly states that Muttur was under LTTE control from August 2 morning to August 5, 2006."

Rambukwella said that the SLMM has no business to be giving rulings on matters that are under judicial review.