THE United Nations (UN) strongly condemned the killing of an aid worker in late November and called for safety guarantees for humanitarian aid staff. The European Commission also condemned the killing but announced an increase of 2 million euros in aid to the Sri Lankan state, which is accused of killing number of aid workers.
The increase in aid is in addition to a 17-million-euro humanitarian aid package for Sri Lanka adopted by the European Union's executive arm earlier this year. The announcement came in the same week the European Union decided to extend trade concessions to Sri Lanka through its GSP plus scheme, despite Sri Lanka refusing to cooperate with an EU human rights probe.
"The aim is to help over 300,000 displaced and vulnerable people in the Vanni region, where recent heavy monsoon rains and flooding exacerbated the humanitarian situation," said EU aid commissioner Louis Michel.
Michel also condemned the recent killing of a 28-year-old aid staffer, who worked for the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) on a shelter project financed by Brussels.
A. Vigneswaran, a 28-yearold aid worker who worked for the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) in an EC-financed program, was killed on November 27 by unidentified gunmen in eastern Sri Lanka. "I believe that continuing our humanitarian assistance in Sri Lanka is the best tribute we can do to honour the memory of Mr. Vigneswaran and all his colleagues who lost their lives while making every effort to alleviate the suffering of those in desperate need," Michel said.
"I am appalled by the assassination of this brave and committed young aid worker in Sri Lanka," "The perpetrators of such horrendous acts must be brought to justice. There can be no impunity."
Michel applauded the work of the NRC, a partner of the Humanitarian Aid department of the EC, the EU's executive arm, calling it "a highly valued and longstanding humanitarian aid partner of the EC in Sri Lanka working under often very difficult and dangerous conditions."
Norway is not a member of the EU.
Neil Buhne, the UN Humanitarian Coordinator in a statement in Sri Lanka condemned the shooting of Vigneswaran, and urged authorities to "vigorously pursue" the perpetrators.
"For humanitarian workers to meet their responsibilities fully, they must be able to work without fear," he said.
"A successful investigation resulting in the killer being brought to account would not only bring solace to Vigneswaran's family and to his colleagues, it would reduce this fear and create a better environment for the more effective implementation of humanitarian programmes in Batticaloa benefiting tens of thousands of people."
Vigneswaran is the third staff member from the NRC to have either disappeared or been killed.
At least 29 aid workers have been killed in Sri Lanka since 2006.
