URGENT PRESS RELEASE

Sri Lankan Abductions Call for International Intervention !

The paramilitary forces working with and under the direction of SL Military Intelligence are reported to have carried out two abductions on the 29th and 30th of January 2006 at Welikande in the Government controlled area. In the first case, three officials of Pre-School Educational Development Centre, working under the aegis of TRO, a humanitarian aid agency assisting tsunami and war victims, were abducted while they were on their way to Kilinochchi on official duties. The next day, five relief workers of TRO were abducted at the same point. As a result, relief workers of other humanitarian agencies are reluctant and or refuse to work in those areas, thus worsening the condition of people already suffering under the effects of war and tsunami.

In flagrant violation of undertaking by GOSL to curb Army excesses in order to establish conducive atmosphere to resume talks on CFA, besides abductions, unwarranted arrests and detention, assaults and harassment of unarmed civilians by Security and Paramilitary forces continue unabated in the NorthEast. In this context, it is pertinent to quote the assessment of Asian Human Rights Commission in its report dated 18th January 2006 as follows:- “Growing human rights abuses … are due primarily to the continued absence of the rule of law; The primary reason for this situation is the deep flaws in the institutions of justice and policing…..”. The AHRC report includes the Sri Lankan situation. If this situation is allowed to continue, it may soon, if not already, join the band of pariah states warranting sanctions by the UN and other International Funding Agencies.

We therefore strongly urge the Co-Chairs for Peace in SL, including EU and UN, as a first step, to bring pressure on the Sri Lankan Government to take immediate and meaningful action to ensure the safe and speedy return of the abducted persons.

Thanking you.

Yours faithfully,

A. Jesuthasan
Convenor
Canadian Organisation for Peace and Equality in Sri Lanka