17 October 2006 - On 18 October 2006, the bodies of 15 of the 17 Action Against Hunger staff killed on 4th August will be exhumed and transferred to Colombo as part of the preliminary investigation into the massacre. Two more bodies have already been exhumed and transferred to Colombo. Australian medical examiners will be present in Colombo to observe the autopsy from 20th October onwards.

Benoit Miribel, Executive Director of Action Against Hunger – France, is present to follow the evolution of the investigation and to provide support to the families of the victims at this difficult time on behalf of the ACF International Network.

The Criminal Investigation Department is in charge of organising the exhumations, which will take place in Trincomalee in presence of medical examiners and Sri Lankan magistrates as well as the families of the victims and foreign observers, including Action Against Hunger. The bodies will be transferred to the morgue in Colombo. Australian experts are expected in Colombo from 20th October onwards to observe the autopsies and to provide advice.

The exhumations are being carried out as Sri Lankans are affected by an extremely violent resumption of conflict in the North and East of the country including fighting, bombardments and assassinations. Civilians are the main victims of these hostilities. In this context of war and impunity, Action Against Hunger wishes that all evidence is brought to light about the circumstances surrounding the slaughter of its aid workers in Muttur. The organisation is keen to find out more about the precise mission and the concrete setting-up of the commission investigating the main human rights violations taking place in Sri Lanka, desired by the Sri-Lankan authorities.

On 6th August, 17 of Action Against Hunger’s employees in Muttur were found dead lying face down at the organisation’s base in Muttur.  This massacre is without precedent in the history of humanitarian staff working for non-governmental organisations.

-ENDS-

6 October 2006: International Statement: Call for Access to Populations Trapped by War And Respect of Humanitarian Aid Workers in Sri Lanka (Read more)

30 August 2006: ACF International Network takes note of SLMM declarations (Read more)

10 August 2006: ACF International Network mourns and demands full inquiry into Muttur "war crime" (Read more)

8 August 2006: All of Action Against Hunger's (ACFIN) national employees from Sri Lanka were killed in Muttur (Read more)

7 August 2006: 15 of Action Against Hunger's (ACFIN) national employees from Sri Lanka were killed in Muttur (Read more)

For more information on our programmes in Sri Lanka, click here.

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