Condemn Colombo for targeting Human Rights defenders: LTTE urges IC

[TamilNet, Monday, 21 April 2008, 06:51 GMT]
"The Sri Lankan State has targeted a human rights defender who worked for the welfare of the people," Political Division of the Liberation Tigers of Tamileelam (LTTE), charged in a statement issued on Monday, and urged the international human rights bodies and the international community to condemn the continued gross human rights violations of the Sri Lankan state, and take actions without further delay to bring an end to the continuing human rights violations by the State.

Full text of the statement issued by the Political Division of the LTTE follows:

The chairperson of the North East Secretariat on Human Rights, Rev Fr M X Karunaratnam, was killed on 20 April 2008 on the Mankulam-Mallavi road by a claymore attack carried out by the Deep Penetration Unit of the Sri Lanka military.

The attack, on his white colored vehicle in which he was returning after the Sunday service in the Mankulam Catholic church, took place around 12.30 p.m.

The Sri Lankan State has targeted a human rights defender who worked for the welfare of the people. The Sri Lankan State has yet again demonstrated its appalling stance on respecting human rights by brutally murdering a human rights defender who served the people with dedication.

We condemn strongly the actions of the Sri Lankan State that is carrying out well planed murders of human rights defenders and those who raise their voice in defense of the human rights of Tamils.

We request the international human rights bodies and the international community to condemn the continued gross human rights violations of the Sri Lankan Sate and take actions without further delay to bring an end to the continuing human rights violation by it.

We convey our deep condolences to the family and friends of Fr M X Karunaratnam, who dedicated himself in the service of the people from his very young days.

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