Three months ago, on 6th August 2006, seventeen employees of Action Against Hunger were found massacred at the organisation's base in Muttur. To ensure that this tragedy is not forgotten, a memorial service will take place in Colombo and a minute's silence will be observed all around the world. Action Against Hunger reaffirms its commitment to ensure that the official investigation progresses and that all evidence is brought to light about the circumstances surrounding the massacre.
On 4th August 2006, a massacre unprecedented in the history of NGO's was committed against humanitarian aid workers. When NGO employees are targeted, the whole humanitarian community is directly affected. If the independence and neutrality of humanitarian workers is not respected, then their activities are undermined.
A memorial ceremony
In line with Sri Lankan tradition, according to which families come together to commemorate a death after three months- a memorial service will be organised in Colombo in presence of ACF members, representatives of civil society, the UN and local and international NGOs working in Sri Lanka. In addition, Action Against Hunger requests all members of the ACF International Network in its 40 countries of intervention, as well as the larger humanitarian community, to observe a minute's silence on Monday, 6th November 2006, at 5 pm (local time).
At what stage is the investigation?
From the outset, Action Against Hunger has done its utmost to ensure that those responsible for the massacre are identified and brought to justice. Action Against Hunger is following the investigation closely and has mobilised its partners, the international community
As part of the investigation, 11 bodies were exhumed and transferred to Colombo on 18th October for an autopsy. The post-mortems are taking place under the observation of Australian experts. According to Sri Lankan law, the post-mortem report should be transferred to the magistrate in charge of the case, with the conclusions to be published during the next hearing.
International initiatives
Meanwhile, the creation of an investigatory commission including Sri Lankan representatives and international observers, under the aegis of the president, is a step that would demonstrate the will to ensure transparency while respecting the sovereignty of the Sri Lankan State. However, the international observers should be independent and recognised as not only having the mandate to observe, but also the freedom to make public their conclusions. The Muttur massacre should be at the top of the list of priorities for any such investigatory commission that is created.
In any case, in view of the seriousness of the Muttur massacre and what is at stake for the international humanitarian community, any initiative that could help bring the truth to light should not be neglected.
-ENDS-
Notes to editors:
For more information, please contact Lucile Grosjean, Communication Officer in Paris on 0033 (0)143 358222/ lgrosjean@actioncontrelafaim.org or Gregoire Lechat in Colombo, on 0094 77320 6523/ lechat_pro@yahoo.fr.
ACF International Network is an international humanitarian organisation, working in 43 of the world's poorest countries. Its vocation is to save lives, especially those of malnourished children, and to work with vulnerable populations to preserve and restore their livelihoods with dignity.
[ Any views expressed in this article are those of the writer and not of Reuters. ]
