France happy over continuation of RSF case

Eye Sri Lanka-Wednesday, September 17, 2014

The French Embassy said yesterday it was pleased to know that the case on the killing of 17 aid workers was being pursued and would like to encourage the Attorney General’s Department in this endeavor. These aid workers attached to the French organisation called ‘Action Contre la Faim (ACF)’ were killed in August, 2006.

The embassy said this case remained of utmost importance to the French Embassy in Sri Lanka. “The Embassy will continue to pay close attention to developments in this case to ensure justice is served. We like to clarify that, although we do believe that every possible means of finding the culprits should be explored, the proposition to facilitate the obtaining of statements from witnesses living in France or in Sri Lanka was not made by the French Embassy,” it said.

“The Attorney General suggested it was necessary to collect all information from eye witnesses, including from those who live in France. He expressed his hope that those in France would come forward to testify, be it anonymously, in France itself or by travelling to Sri Lanka. The Embassy of France took note of this proposition but did not offer any particular assistance in this regard,” the embassy said.

The French Embassy has reminded the Attorney General that the protection of witnesses was a prerequisite in the course of the investigation and that all methods used during the investigation must serve the sole objective of bringing to justice those responsible for the massacre of 17 aid workers of ACF.”