Mar 19, Colombo: The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) today said that it strongly objects to misleading public references to its confidential findings on disappearances that were included in a recent statement by the Sri Lankan Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Foreign Ministry in response to the United States Department of State's 2007 country report on human rights has said that the ICRC "confirmed a distinct downward trend in disappearances and unexplained killings during the second and third quarters of 2007”.

The Foreign Ministry cited an "improvement on the ground" based notably on ICRC observations. The statement also indicated that the US embassy had access to confidential ICRC reports, ICRC noted.

“The ICRC deplores the publication and sharing of confidential reports submitted exclusively to the Sri Lankan authorities, and the Foreign Ministry’s misrepresentation of its overall findings and its dialogue with the government,” the ICRC said.

“Extra-judicial killings and disappearances are part of a terrible pattern of abuse in Sri Lanka, which must be stopped," said Jacques de Maio, the ICRC's head of operations for South Asia. "The ICRC strives to bring this about through its confidential and direct dialogue with the authorities concerned. For this reason, we prefer not to enter into a public debate on the number of disappearances in Sri Lanka,” ICRC release added.

The ICRC said it remains committed to pursuing its confidential contacts with the government as the most effective means at its disposal to help the victims of violations of international humanitarian law and their families.