Government Defence Affairs Spokesman Minister Keheliya Rambukwella yesterday slammed the outgoing Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission (SLMM) Chief for issuing a totally biased and unprofessional ruling on the killing of 17 local aid workers attached to a French Charity in Muttur early this month adding that the SLMM has no right to give such a ruling since it was completely a judicial assignment.

The SLMM issuing a statement on the killing of 17 local aid workers attached to the French Charity Action Against Hunger said the Security Forces should be held responsible for the killing.

"The killing of the 17 civilian aid workers in Muttur on August 4, 2006 is ruled as a gross violation of the Ceasefire Agreement by the Security Forces of Sri Lanka," the SLMM said in a statement.

Commenting on the ruling given by the outgoing SLMM Chief Ulf Henriccson Minister Rambukwella said Government vehemently rejects the allegations made by the SLMM against the Security Forces adding that the ruling was given without any basis.

"The SLMM Chief had stretched far beyond his imagination when giving the ruling on the killing of the 17 local aid workers attached to the French charity. There should be a limit to his imagination," the Minister said.

The Minister argued that the report compiled by the Criminal Investigation Department on the directive of President Mahinda Rajapaksa very clearly states that Muttur was under the control of LTTE from August 2 morning to August 5, 2006.

"I have the report just in front of me and it clearly states that Muttur was under LTTE control from August 2 to 5," the Minister said.

The autopsy conducted by Anuradhapura JMO into the killing of the 17 aid workers clearly states that August 3 late night or August 4 as possible dates of the crime. "The SLMM has given this ruling without any scientific evidence. They are not experts in conducting post mortems and they have made a mockery of this situation", the Minister said.

Rambukwella also questioned as to what right the SLMM head has to give a ruling on a judicial matter.

"This is completely a judicial assignment to be carried out by professionals," the Minister added.

The SLMM in its report also states that Security Forces blocked their access to Muttur in a bid to conceal the mass killing.

"The Security Forces did not allow the SLMM to visit Muttur as there was no guarantee about their security at that time," the Minister pointed out.

"If we want to conceal this why did the Government want to bring forensic experts from Australia to probe into the killing of the aid workers," Rambukwella queried.

Source: http://www.news.lk