Muttur massacre has become a symbol of the decline of humanitarian protection in Sri Lanka

24-Aug-2026

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The Muttur massacre has become a symbol of the decline of humanitarian protection in Sri Lanka, Legal Action Worldwide legal adviser Hector Sharp and Action Against Hunger humanitarian advocacy officer Lily Sparks have pointed out. 

In an article published by the two officials, they noted that 17 aid workers of Action Against Hunger were massacred on August 4, 2006, at a time when the conflict between the Sri Lankan military and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam was intensifying.

Twenty years have passed since the incident, yet those responsible have still not been identified and brought before the law.

The article states:

Humanitarian workers come to the aid of people when natural disasters strike, wars break out and famine spreads. They help communities in desperate circumstances rebuild their lives. But what happens when those who come to help the people themselves become targets of attack?

The massacre of 17 Action Against Hunger humanitarian workers in 2006 sent shockwaves through the humanitarian community. It was widely regarded as an attack on humanity itself.

The Muttur massacre has become a symbol of the decline of humanitarian protection in Sri Lanka. The article also notes that a report published by the Norwegian Refugee Council in 2007 had pointed out that the space for humanitarian operations in Sri Lanka had been shrinking since 2006.