At
UN, Sri Lanka Shooting of Opposition Draws No Comment, No Probe
By
Matthew Russell Lee
UNITED
NATIONS, January 12 -- A week after the UN
went public with its
rejection of requests for assistance
to ensure greater freedom and
fairness in Sri Lanka's upcoming election, a bus load of supporters of
opposition candidate Sarath Fonseka was attacked by gunmen, killing
one
and injuring ten others.
Inner
City Press
asked the spokesman for Ban Ki-moon, who had said he was closely
watching to ensure greater political openness in Sri Lanka, if Mr.
Ban had any comment on the death political attack or would re-think
his decision for the UN to play no safeguarding role in the election.
Video here,
from Minute 7:08.
Having
just heard
United Nations Office for West Africa official Said Djinnit describe
the UN's work in Togo to "prevent violence" in advance of
that country's February 2010 election, Inner City Press asked why the
UN would be providing such help in Togo, but not in Sri Lanka which
Mr. Ban said he was concerned about.
Mr.
Ban's spokesman
Martin Nesirky said it is not a "good idea" to be "drawing
links between geographical regions."
He said
the UN had made it
clear why it will not be providing observers or even technical
assistance in Sri Lanka -- these reason are that there was not enough
time, that a General Assembly vote was purportedly required -- and
that, since the shooting incident was recent, there was no UN
response.
But
will there be
a response from Ban's UN in the future?
UN's Ban in Sri Lanka, waving, deadly attack
on opposition supporters not shown
Ban
named a
commission of inquiry into the death of 157 people in Guinea in
September 2009, but none into thousands of killings in Sri Lanka.
But, notably, France pushed Ban to name the Guinea panel, despite
some opposition from Russia.
Here, neither
France nor the UK or U.S.
-- countries that could deny Ban a second term as Secretary General
-- have pushed for Ban to do more, and so he hasn't.
* * *
On
War Crimes, UN's Ban Listens to Sri Lanka President over Alston's
"Personal" Views, No Accountability
By
Matthew Russell Lee
UNITED
NATIONS, January 11 -- Days after video footage depicting Sri Lankan
soldiers murdering naked and blindfolded prisoners was authenticated
by UN Special Rapporteur Philip Alston, Inner City Press asked
Secretary General Ban Ki-moon to comment on Alston's urging him to
establish a commission of inquiry on war crimes, as Mr. Ban did in
Guinea. Video here,
from Minute 16:38.
Mr.
Ban's answer,
surprising to some, distanced Mr. Alston from the UN, giving weight
to the Sri Lankan government's out of hand rejection of the video and
Mr. Alston's requests.
Ban
said of
Alston, "he is the Special Rapporteur of the Human Rights
Council. He is acting independently. You might have heard
statements made by the Sri Lankan Government and his own personal
one. We will review all these situations."
The
"statements
made by the Sri Lankan government" since Alston's report have
consisted of claiming Alston violated UN protocol by releasing his
experts' report authenticating the video.
When
Inner City
Press asked Ban's spokesman Martin Nesirky about Sri Lanka's
accusations on January 8, Nesirky emphasized that Sri Lanka had not
accused Ban of violating protocol. He is correct: by
undercutting a UN human rights rapporteur's report by noting the
government's denial.
UN's Ban and Nesirky, Sri Lankan independent inquiry
not shown
From the January 11
transcript:
Inner
City Press: I also wanted to know if you had any response to Philip
Alston, the Special Rapporteur on executions, calling on you to name
a Commission of Inquiry for war crimes in Sri Lanka. He said that
you did it in Guinea, you could do it in Sri Lanka, and I am
wondering what you think of his report and his call?
SG Ban
Ki-moon: I
have seen the report, and he is the Special Rapporteur of the Human
Rights Council. He is acting independently. You might have heard
statements made by the Sri Lankan Government and his own personal
one. We will review all these situations and we will what the United
Nations can do to follow up on these issues. There are still many
issues pending: the relocation of displaced persons in Sri Lanka by
the end of this month, and the political reconciliation process and
also the accountability process, which I have talked to President
[Mahinda] Rajapaksa during my visit, to which he had agreed to take
the necessary actions. I will continue to follow up on this issue.
Thank you very much.
On
January 7,
Nesirky told the Press that Ban had let the Sri Lankan government
know that he is considering appointing experts to advise him on war
crimes in Sri Lanka. Inner City Press asked when Ban had said this,
and Nesirky said he'd check.
Later
he confirmed
to Inner City Press that the call was three months ago, a letter
delivered by the UN's Lynn Pascoe in September. Still, Nesirky
insisted, the idea remains "under active consideration."
Given
Ban's
January 11 response, to many it does not sound like Ban is in such
active consideration. Ban is still replying on Rajapaka's
"assurance," and given Sri Lanka's denials primacy over
Alston's "personal" views. What was that again, about
accountability? Watch this site.
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