France stresses on compensating families

3 July 2012 12:55 am - 22 - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

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The French Embassy in Colombo has stressed on the need to pay compensations to the family members of the 17 aid workers killed in 2006, informed sources said yesterday.

These aid workers attached to the French NGO ‘Action Against Hunger’ were killed during the height of fighting between the security forces and the LTTE in Muttur. Besides, five students were also killed in an incident in Trincomalee the same year.

During the session of the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) in March, 2012, the government delegation agreed to reopen the cases into these two incidents and prosecute the suspects.

Accordingly, the Attorney General’s Department instructed the police to resume investigations into this incident for prosecution. The police have already resumed investigations.

Meanwhile, the French Embassy in Colombo took fresh diplomatic initiatives in this case, and made inquiries from the Attorney General’s Department on the progress into these investigations. In this exercise, French Ambassador Ms. Christine Robichon reportedly highlighted, during her meeting with the Attorney General’s Department, the need to compensate the family members of these aid workers.

The Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission (LLRC) also recommended action with regard to this incident.

An official of the Department told the Daily Mirror yesterday that the payment of compensations to the victims’ families could ward off international pressure against Sri Lanka. The Human Rights Watch and the Amnesty International had also raised this before many an international fora. (Kelum Bandara)

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Comments - 22

RamUK Tuesday, 03 July 2012 08:02 AM

good reply....

Sathyan Tuesday, 03 July 2012 12:07 PM

There is a report of a Commission (among many others) on this incident. This should be released first.

muckgona Tuesday, 03 July 2012 12:00 PM

There is an assumption the the forces were to blame, so we wait for a the police report. Also will the French insist that the LTTE pay compnesation to the thousands they massacred. Coincidence that a Spy ship is bethed at Trinco???

sltk2004 Tuesday, 03 July 2012 11:42 AM

Why do we need to refer to previous faults of others every time something bad is said about us?

Junta Tuesday, 03 July 2012 11:01 AM

We are getting secluded internationally which is exactly what the diaspora wants and this government is falling right for it. All these human rights issues and oppressing the media will someday come back and bite us in the back.

Think, how can we put strong case against international criticism over the rights of the tamils, when it fails to protect the rights of ordinary citizens.

Guru Tuesday, 03 July 2012 09:34 AM

Govt of SL should pay.

Pawlpakse Tuesday, 03 July 2012 09:23 AM

Payment of compensation if at all required, should be the responsibility of LTTE diaspora who pumped money to LTTE which resulted in thousands of innocent civilians killed.

Saman Tuesday, 03 July 2012 09:25 AM

Maids didn't volunteer to go to a war Zone my dear friend. They went to work as you and me do everyday. Employer is liable to provide a safe working place for the employees. This was not happened. This is the reason why maids are to be compensated.
Maids, in this case did not know that. Unfortunately those volunteers did and they accepted the risks.

Hana Tuesday, 03 July 2012 08:58 AM

I am shocked at the totally insensitive and chauvinistic comments here.

idiot Tuesday, 03 July 2012 08:45 AM

Ask yourself why there is constant international pressure on SL. There must be something really wrong at home.

garawiG Tuesday, 03 July 2012 08:23 AM

These tamils did not ask the french either!
Did they complain to you?

Dalu Banda Tuesday, 03 July 2012 01:20 AM

What this "Action against Hunger" was realy doing at a predominantly Muslim area of that war torn territory where brutal ethnic cleansing was dune by LTTE. I strongly believed they were spying.

Thiru Cumaran Tuesday, 03 July 2012 07:26 AM

If that is the case, then why are we requesting compensation for all those SL maids that are tortured in the Middle East?

kumar Tuesday, 03 July 2012 06:47 AM

If there is anything there are African representatives to claim for that and they didn't complained to you.

saman Tuesday, 03 July 2012 06:10 AM

They knew the risk. They took the risk. They paid the price. Why should the Sri Lankan tax payers pay for that?

nicky karunarathna Tuesday, 03 July 2012 06:09 AM

Ask French Government pay compsensation to all black
african's killed under the colonial rule of their government and mutilated slaves under French rule and also compensation to Paciic islanders they exploded nuclear bomb test in their teritories first before talking anything else. French are going to act like cleaner than white.They think we are born again!

Tin Tin Tuesday, 03 July 2012 05:34 AM

truth well said

Nodrog Tuesday, 03 July 2012 04:42 AM

They came uninvited knowing the risks involved working in a war zone. There is no clear proof to show the GoSL was involved so why should the Govt compensate?

tomsamusa Tuesday, 03 July 2012 04:11 AM

The funds for compensation SHOULD come from the loot of pakses and NOT the sinking lanka's coffers.

citizen Tuesday, 03 July 2012 02:08 AM

France, u brought them, u pay them..

What? Tuesday, 03 July 2012 02:03 AM

Nabbing the culprits would be an even more effective way to reduce international pressure.

Dadoriya Tuesday, 03 July 2012 01:57 AM

Lovely!

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France stresses on compensating families

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