Rajiva Wijesinha

“ Some of those present found the discussion wishy-washy and felt angry that if a foreigner had been killed, they would not simply be talking, they would already have done something. Behind the simple expression that aid workers were killed, a number of tensions remain unresolved. Among these are the different categories of staff, the pressures they face because of their national origins, the fear of saying no to instructions that carry unreasonable risk, and the fear of being accused of underperformance and losing a job that does not come easily to nationals of third world countries. ”

“ Now that ACF has registered the importance of what UTHR has said when it concerns the purported Sri Lankan perpetrators, perhaps it will also acknowledge the importance of its criticisms of ACF in this regard with regard to the victims – and at last pay proper compensation, treating them not as mere local employees but as human beings equal to any foreigner. ”

“ Those sent to Mutur were normally sent in vehicles on Monday to stay over in Mutur until Friday when the vehicle would return. Those coming back in-between would use the ferry. Fighting between the LTTE and the Army was going on ten miles south of Mutur and there was fear that it could affect Mutur any time. The local staff members who were to go to Mutur on Monday 31st July did not want to go. We are told that two of them applied for leave and were turned down. About 5 food security workers were sent to Mutur on Monday. ”