The Government regrets the unprofessional and rather irresponsible stand taken by the Head of SLMM with regard to the incident in Muttur concerning the death of 17 aid workers. The Head of SLMM has derived specific conclusions even before investigations and forensic examination of evidence has been concluded.

The determination lacks any factual evidence to substantiate its conclusion. The determination is based on misleading inferences that the SLMM was prevented from travelling to Muttur, and speculates that the inability to travel to Muttur as sufficient evidence of culpability in the deaths of 17 aid workers. There was an advise against travel to Muttur for safety reasons during operational periods. Immediately after securing the town journalists, humanitarian workers and community leaders travelled to Muttur without any restrictions.

This may be a unique occasion in which a Monitoring Mission has first made a determination and subsequently requested that an investigation be conducted to establish the facts.

The Government of Sri Lanka categorically rejects this sweeping generalisation of a very speculative conclusion reached even before the necessary forensic and other investigations have been concluded.

The Government also deeply regrets that the Head of SLMM who is charged with an extremely sensitive and responsible task of giving professional and objective observations after due diligent investigation, has rushed to hasty conclusions on what is clearly a most reprehensible attack on these aid workers.

The Government of Sri Lanka reiterates its commitment fully to investigate and bring to justice the perpetrators of this crime.