2006 Trincomalee massacre of NGO workers
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| Background |
| Origins of the Civil War |
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• Origins of the Civil War |
| LTTE |
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• LTTE • Attributed Terrorist attacks • Child Soldiers |
| Major figures |
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• Mahinda Rajapakse |
| Indian Involvement |
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• Operation Poomalai |
| See also |
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• Military of Sri Lanka |
2006 Trincomalee massacre of NGO workers happened on August 4 or 5 th 2006, 17 NGO workers working for Action Against Hunger a French NGO were shot at close range. They were seventeen (17) minority Sri Lankan Tamil and Sri Lankan Muslim NGO workers in the city of Muttur close to Trincomalee.[1]
Contents |
[edit] Incident
It is also referred to as Muttur massacre.[2] When the bodies were discovered the town of Muttur had come under the control of the government forces. There was fierce fighting between government forces and rebel LTTE forces the previous week prior to the discovery of the bodies. [3]
[edit] Reaction
[edit] Sri Lankan government
The government denied responsibility but the independent Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission reported that the Sri Lankan Army was responsible for the killings. According to the SLMM,
| “ | SLMM is convinced that there cannot be any other armed groups than the security forces who could actually have been behind the act | ” |
[edit] SLMM
The head of the Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission, the retired Swedish general Ulf Henricsson, was quoted as saying that this was a
| “ | one of the most serious recent crimes against humanitarian aid workers worldwide | ” |
[4].
[edit] Action Against Hunger
The NGO, Action Against Hunger termed it a war crime [5]
[edit] Investigation
Government investigation is still on as to who killed these NGO workers. The Government of Australia extended forensic expertise to assist in the investigation.
Under increasing pressure to investigate this incident and other serious alleged human rights abuses in Sri Lanka, President Mahinda Rajapakse in September 2006 announced the formation of a Commission of Inquiry with a mandate to look into 15 specified alleged violations, including the Muttur massacre of ACF staff. With the dubious track record of previous Commissions of Inquiry in mind, a group of bilateral donors negotiated for the formation of a group of International Independent Eminent Persons IIGEP that, invited by the president, have the mandate to observe the nvestigations of the Commission of Inquiry. Among the countries that nominated an Eminent Person (EP) were Australia.[6]
[edit] See also
[edit] References
- ^ Sri Lanka - Muttur Massacre. Action Against Hunger. Retrieved on January 30, 2007.
- ^ 15 of Action Against Hunger’s (ACFIN) national employees from Sri Lanka were killed in Muttur. Action Against Hunger. Retrieved on January 30, 2007.
- ^ 15 NGO workers killed. The Hindu. Retrieved on January 30, 2007.
- ^ Europe accuses Sri Lankan army of assassinating aid workers. The Independent, UK. Retrieved on January 30, 2007.
- ^ Action Against Hunger International Network mourns and demands full inquiry into Muttur “war crime”. Action Against Hunger. Retrieved on January 30, 2007.
- ^ Eminent Australian Jurist to Assist Human Rights Inquiry in Sri Lanka
