Author: TELO Admin

Seventeen aid workers who were murdered in Muttur 18 years ago were remembered on 04 August in Trincomalee, where relatives and human rights activists lit candles in front of a banner with pictures of the slain youths.

The France Action Faim (ACF) workers team of 16 Tamils and one Muslim were gunned down on 04 August 2006.

They were in Muttur to look into the welfare of tsunami-hit people.

The Jaffna-based UTHR, in a report three years later, blamed the military for the killings, with a claim the area was under its control at the time.

It also gave details of the firearms used and other supportive evidence.

However, a presidential commission appointed in 2007 cleared both the Army and the Navy of the charges.

The then government spokesman Keheliya Rambukwella claimed the availability of evidence to say the area had been under LTTE control, but which were never revealed.

ACF has vowed to continue the fight for justice for its dead workers.

The Government of China has officially handed over a humanitarian aid package worth Rs. 400 million to the Government of Sri Lanka to support ongoing flood relief efforts. The donation, facilitated through China Aid, includes a wide range of emergency items such as tent kits, folding bags, power generators, water pumps, blankets, and other essential supplies.

The handover ceremony took place in Colombo, with the Ambassador of the People’s Republic of China to Sri Lanka, Qi Zhenhong, and Secretary to the Ministry of Defence, Air Vice Marshal (Retd) Sampath Thuyacontha, in attendance.

Speaking at the event, Ambassador Qi Zhenhong emphasized China’s commitment to supporting Sri Lanka’s post-disaster recovery:

“This shipment has already arrived in Colombo to improve settlement conditions for affected communities. China is willing to actively share its expertise in disaster response, early warning systems, and meteorological monitoring. We look forward to deepening cooperation in these areas to contribute to the safety and well-being of the Sri Lankan people.”

Defence Secretary Thuyacontha expressed gratitude for the timely assistance:

“This generous donation of humanitarian aid, valued at 10 million yuan, comes at a crucial time. As climate change intensifies natural disasters, partnerships like this are vital for building resilience. The aid will be managed by the National Disaster Relief Services Centre and distributed through district secretaries to ensure it reaches those most in need.”

The aid is expected to be deployed swiftly through relevant government agencies to provide relief to flood-affected communities across the island.

The Government stated that although it may need to seek technical assistance from international experts to examine skeletal remains discovered at mass graves such as Chemmani, there will be no need for any other form of international intervention, as it fully supports the ongoing investigation process.

Speaking to The Daily Morning, Deputy Minister of National Integration Muneer Mulaffer said that while there has long been a call from some groups in the north for international involvement in such investigations, the Government, he insisted, has not obstructed any part of the current probes.

“There is already space for a fair investigation. If we need international technical help, say for identifying skeletal remains or conducting advanced forensic testing, that’s something that we can discuss. But, apart from that, there’s no need for another type of intervention, because we are giving our full support,” he added.

His remarks follow renewed calls for international oversight after more than 100 skeletal remains were found at the Chemmani mass grave site. The Thamil Makkal Thesiya Kuttani Leader, President’s Counsel and former Northern Chief Minister and Supreme Court Justice, C.V. Wigneswaran recently called for an international oversight mechanism, claiming that there is a breakdown of public trust in the local authorities.

Last week, the International Commission of Jurists also called for international oversight of the Chemmani excavation, describing a victim-centred process as an important first step toward truth and accountability. It urged the Government to ensure that all investigative and exhumation efforts align with international human rights standards, including the Minnesota Protocol on the Investigation of Potentially Unlawful Death.

The Chemmani site is one of several known mass graves in Sri Lanka linked to alleged enforced disappearances and extrajudicial killings, particularly during the civil conflict. Discovered in the late 1990s, Chemmani came into focus again this year after excavation teams uncovered over 100 skeletal remains. Other sites, including those in Mannar, Matale, and Sathurukondan, have similarly revealed mass graves over the years, but few have led to successful prosecutions.

Two Fundamental Rights petitions filed seeking an order to invalidate the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) recently signed between Sri Lanka and India, were today dismissed by the Supreme Court.

The Supreme Court two-judge-bench comprising Justice Achala Wengappuli and Justice Priyantha Fernando decided to dismiss the two petitions citing that there is no prima facie case to proceed with the applications.

Seven MoUs between India and Sri Lanka, including defence cooperation, sharing successful digital solutions and MoU on Multi-sectoral Grant Assistance to the Eastern Province, were exchanged on April 5 at the Presidential Secretariat in the presence of President Anura Kumara Dissanayake and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

President’s Counsel Manohara de Silva and Senior Counsel Canishka Witharana appeared for the petitioners. Deputy Solicitor General Nirmalan Wignashwaran appeared for the Attorney General.