Colombo, June 19th, 2007- 10 months after the unprecedented massacre of 17 ACF humanitarian aid workers in Muthur Action Against Hunger (ACF) is questioning whether the investigation will lead to an indictment against those responsible:

- Last week on the 6th of June, a hearing was held at the Magistrate Court of Kantale (East of Sri Lanka) regarding the unprecedented massacre of 17 ACF aid workers.

Following the request of the Criminal Investigation Department (CID- in charge of the investigation) to suspend further hearings, the Magistrate has decided that the hearings will no longer be held on a monthly base, and will be done every 3 months. These hearings allow the Magistrate to follow and assist in the development of the investigation, and are thus critical for the process.

- At the same time, the Presidential Commission of Inquiry (CoI) is holding in camera hearings concerning the killings of the ACF workers. These hearings are held in the context of the investigation phase of the CoI procedure and are, therefore, not open to the public. An ACF representative was regrettably denied permission to attend these hearings as an observer. ACF intends to follow this process when permission is finally granted.

- During the second autopsy (last October), some items have been found and the results of the investigation conducted by the Sri Lankan experts are not consistent with the one expressed in the Australian forensic report. The ballistic examination has been thereafter conducted without an international observer. The attendance of an international observer in this ballistic investigation would have enabled the clarification of this specific point.

- Although the killings took place in a town of several thousands of inhabitants, no direct witness has come forward to testify during the current stage of the investigation. The lack of a witness protection program within the judicial Sri Lankan system inhibits the availability of this testimony.

- The International Independent Group of Eminent Persons, in charge of observing the procedures and assessing the respect of the international standards during the CoI investigation and inquiry process for 16 alleged serious violations of human rights, released this week a statement questioning the effectiveness of the Commission of Inquiry.

The Muthur massacre: a significant tragedy

Beyond the human tragedy, the Muthur massacre is representative of the situation in Sri Lanka: that civilian populations and aid workers are the first victims of this conflict. The recent killing of two Red Cross workers further reminds us of this.

"As humanitarian aid workers, we have to remind all those involved in the conflict, the principles on which our action is based: impartiality, neutrality and independence. (...) Today, I sincerely want the culprits and those responsible for this outrageous massacre - whoever and wherever they are - to be identified. Impunity would only increase our indignation," concluded Francois Danel, ACF General Director during his lecture at the European Parliament on June 5th.

                                                           ***ENDS***

13 March 2007:ACF asks for a ballistics examination conducted by Sri Lankan experts and Australian observers (Read more)

5 February 2007:Six months after the Muttur massacre (Read more)

5 January 2007: What is the future for humanitarian assistance (Read more)

4 December 2006: Four months after the Muttur Masacre Action Against Hunger resumes its operations in the country (Read more...)

3 November 2006: Sri Lanka - Three months after the massacre, Action Against Hunger remains mobilised (Read more...)

17 October 2006: Bodies of 15 Action Against Hunger staff to be exhumed (Read more)

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)

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