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"Sri Lankan State continues to target human rights defenders"

“The Sri Lankan State has targeted a human rights defender who worked for the welfare of the people. The Sri Lankan State has yet again demonstrated its appalling stance on respecting human rights by brutally murdering a human rights defender who served the people with dedication”, said LTTE Political Wing in its statement condemning the killing of Rev Fr M X Karunaratnam.

The full text of the statement is as follows:

The chairperson of the North East Secretariat on Human Rights, Rev Fr M X Karunaratnam, was killed on 20 April 2008 on the Mankulam-Mallavi road by a claymore attack carried out by the Deep Penetration Unit of the Sri Lanka military.

The attack, on his white colored vehicle in which he was returning after the Sunday service in the Mankulam Catholic church, took place around 12.30pm.

The Sri Lankan State has targeted a human rights defender who worked for the welfare of the people. The Sri Lankan State has yet again demonstrated its appalling stance on respecting human rights by brutally murdering a human rights defender who served the people with dedication.

We condemn strongly the actions of the Sri Lankan State that is carrying out well planed murders of human rights defenders and those who raise their voice in defense of the human rights of Tamils.

We request the international human rights bodies and the international community to condemn the continued gross human rights violations of the Sri Lankan Sate and take actions without further delay to bring an end to the continuing human rights violation by it.

We convey our deep condolences to the family and friends of Fr M X Karunaratnam, who dedicated himself in the service of the people from his very young days.

21 April 2008

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