World Vision Condemns Killing of Aid Workers in Sri Lanka

World Vision has condemned the killing of two aid workers in Sri Lanka and called for a full investigation by the Sri Lankan authorities, as funeral plans for the victims were underway.

"The killing of humanitarian workers who are trying to assist those caught up in the current conflict cannot be tolerated," said Dion Schoorman, director of World Vision in Sri Lanka.

"All sides in the current conflict must respect and recognize the role of humanitarian workers, who provide aid and assist victims irrespective of their ethnicity, religion or creed."

The bodies of the two workers were found on Sunday, June 3, dumped in the gem-mining district of Ratnapura, southeast of Colombo, two days after they were abducted from the capital amid a renewed civil war between government soldiers and separatist Tamil Tiger rebels.

World Vision is working with the United Nations and other NGOs to advocate for a full investigation into the deaths and for the creation of a safe environment for the humanitarian community to work in.

"If humanitarian workers are targets it will become increasingly difficult to ensure that those fleeing the violence, especially women and children, will receive the help they need," said Schoorman.

A civil war between the government and separatist Tamil Tigers has already killed 60,000 people since 1983. Renewed fighting has made more than 150,000 people homeless and disrupted World Vision development work, including the tsunami rehabilitation program.