FREEZING OF TRO ACCOUNTS BY SRI LANKA Hon. Peter McKay MP. PC Minister of Foreign Affairs Ministry of Foreign Affairs Ottawa.  Dear Hon. Minister, We wish to bring to your attention the abrupt decision of the Central Bank of Sri Lanka to freeze the bank accounts operated by TRO (Sri Lanka) with government and private banks without prior notice. TRO had over Rs 75 million (US$ 750,000) to its credit for tsunami and other relief work. Ninety percent (90%) of the funds frozen were project funds for contractual obligations under the Memoranda of Understanding (MOUs) TRO signed with UNICEF and international NGOs like Save the Children, Operation USA and the Nippon Foundation. About Ten percent (10%) of the funds came from Thamil Diaspora.  The freezing of TROs funds has come at a time when several INGOs operating in the Northeast have pulled out citing deteriorating security situation as reason. Extra-judicial killings, abductions for ransom, involuntary disappearances blamed on an undisciplined and out of control armed forces and paramilitary groups have reached alarming proportions. On an average 5 people are gunned down daily. Since August 20, more than 25 Thamil civilians in Colombo and its suburbs have disappeared and/or abducted for ransom. The atmosphere of immunity is getting worse as each day passes. The French charity Action Contra L' Faim (ACF) has reduced its staff by 60 to 70 percent and ceased financing all tsunami relief operations. This follows the gruesome massacre of 17 AFC employees (16 Thamils and 1 Muslim) at Muttur last month. The outgoing Head of the Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission (SLMM) Maj- General (Rtd) Ulf Henricsson blamed government forces for the massacre. He said that all available evidence pointed a finger at the Sri Lankan armed forces.  But Defence Ministry spokesperson Minister Keheliya Rambukwella had angrily rejected the allegation by the truce monitors, calling it "pathetic and biased". Responding to the Minister, the United Nations Special Rapporteur on Extrajudicial Executions, Prof. Philip Alston's observed that "it is an enduring scandal that convictions of government officials for killing Thamils are virtually non-existent, and many Thamils doubt that the rule of law will protect their lives."  The timing of the freezing in callous disregard to its consequences has multiplied the miseries of people who are already reeling under the ravage caused by war and tsunami. It is the unkindest cut of all many see it as an affront to basic human milk of kindness.  Over 220,000 people have been displaced by the recent spate of violent clashes in the Northeast despite a 2002 ceasefire and international mediation. This is in addition to the existing 500,000 IDPs. In the Trincomalee district 97 civilians have been killed, 215 injured and more than 46,000 people displaced. In the Batticaloa district, according to statistics provided by the Government Agent as of September 4, the total IDPs in the district was 15,914 families (59,703 individuals).  A further 11,000 Thamils have crossed over and sought refuge in Thamil Nadu since January 12th of this year.  The freezing has seriously affected operations of TRO (Sri Lanka) in running Children Homes, Pre-schools for poor children, and Nutritional Centers for pregnant mothers, emergency relief assistance to IDPs etc. On displaced people alone the TRO spends Rs.2 million (US$ 20,000) a day.  In a deliberate attempt to starve the Thamil people, the Government of Sri Lanka (GoSL) has severely restricted, and in some cases enforced a complete embargo, on humanitarian aid flowing to IDPs in LTTE controlled areas who fled and are still fleeing the shelling and bombing by Sri Lankan armed forces. Apparently, GoSL is using food as a weapon of war against Thamils in violation of humanitarian law.  As you are aware TRO (Sri Lanka) is an indigenous non-governmental organization registered with the Sri Lankan government and functioning since 1985. TRO (Sri Lanka) is helped by TROs functioning independently in 28 other countries that include US, Canada, Britain, Switzerland, France, Germany, Norway, Australia and Denmark.  TRO is the most efficient and effective national NGO operating in the Northeast, a fact recognized by many international NGOs, the UNO and foreign governments.  TRO opened an office in Colombo following the ceasefire agreement (CFA) between the GoSL and the LTTE in 2002. This office has been the liaison office for dealing with the GoSL, the international community and also for co-coordinating relief and reconstruction work. The continued functioning of this office is in jeopardy and severely affects TRO?s ability to meet its administrative, humanitarian, and contractual obligations, not to speak of their personal safety. Humanitarian assistance to these displaced people of the Northeast by local NGOs, INGOs and even UN agencies has now been effectively shut down by the Sri Lankan security forces. TRO is one of a handful of organizations assisting the IDPs after the pullout of most international agencies from the Northeast. We, therefore, appeal to the Hon. Minister to use his influence with the Sri Lankan government to de-freeze TRO (Sri Lanka) bank accounts. The GoSL can appoint a Competent Authority to supervise all bank disbursements pending investigations.  Yours truly, Veluppillai Thangavelu  President  cc. To All Hon. Ministers and Hon. Members of Parliament for their information. TCWA/TC, 12.9.2006