2ND LEAD (adds details)

Civil society forum appeals for release of TRO workers

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 14 February 2006, 10:57 GMT]
A Civil Society Forum that included FORUT, Berghof Foundation, INFORM, Inpact, CHA (Consortium of Humanitarian Agencies), and Tamils Rehabilitation Organization (TRO), on 10 February passed a resolution appealing to the Sri Lanka government to fully investigate and secure the release of the seven remaining TRO personnel in the custody of the abductors. The group extended their support to the families of those abducted and expressed the wish that their loves ones be returned to them soon, sources said.

THe forum was organized to address the issues and implications of the abduction of humanitarian personnel, the delivery of humanitarian aid and to update Civil Society on the developments regarding the abduction.

The full text of the resolution passed at the meeting follows:

• That the abducted TRO personnel be released immediately
• That all actors in Sri Lanka respect the status of humanitarian organisations and allow them to serve the affected populations
• That the investigators should expedite the process of investigation and inform the families of the results
• Care should be taken to ensure that the victims of such crimes are not further traumatized by the process of investigation
• Protect the victims from retaliation for cooperating with the authorities
• Widen the Civil Society support base for humanitarian workers so that a safety net exists that protects these workers
• Protect humanitarian workers without regard to their ethnicity, religion, language group, culture or the geographic location in which they work.

Signed:
FORUT
Berghof Foundation
INFORM
Inpact
CHA (Consortium of Humanitarian Agencies)
Tamils Rehabilitation Organization (TRO)