Include abducted workers in CoI's list, TRO appeals to Rajapakse

[TamilNet, Friday, 24 November 2006, 04:23 GMT]
Tamils Rehabilitation Organization (TRO) appealed to Sri Lanka's President, Mahinda Rajapakse, to include the case of the seven abducted TRO workers missing since 29 and 30 January, to be included in the mandate of the Commission of Inquiry (CoI), in a press release issued from TRO's Colombo office Friday.

Appeal to include 7 TRO Aid Workers abduction

Five TRO staffers travelling from the Batticaloa office to Vanvuniya for training were abducted by unidentified paramilitary personnel immediately after the Welikanda, (Polunnaruwa District) Sri Lankan Army Checkpoint at approximately 2:00 pm 30 January, 200.

Another five persons, four TRO Pre School Education Development Center (PSEDC) personnel, and their driver, were reported missing in the East on 31 January.

Three were later released leaving 7 reported as missing since January.

The Commission of Inquiries announced by Mr Rajapakse is due to start its investigations into 15 incidents where serious violations of human rights have occurred.

However, Amnesty International, in a report issued 17 November expressed its serious concerns that the results of the investigations by the CoI can be undermined by the wide discretionary powers given to Sri Lanka's President.

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