“Special Panel on Sri Lanka uncalled for and unwarranted” – President
Colombo, 07 March, (Asiantribune.com):
President Mahinda Rajapaksa told UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon that his proposal to appoint a panel of experts to advice him (i.e. the SG) on Sri Lanka is totally uncalled for and unwarranted.
“Act in keeping with principles of UN Charter on non-interference”
President said this during a telephone conversation with the UNSG yesterday.
The telephone conversation was initiated to discuss a letter written by the UNSG on February 25, outlining his proposal.
A statement issued by the President's Office stated that President Rajapaksa was emphatic on this position. He said it was both unprecedented and unwarranted as no such action had been taken about other states with continuing armed conflicts on a large scale, involving major humanitarian catastrophes and causing the deaths of large numbers of civilians due to military action, the statement said.
The UNSG was told that Sri Lanka had concluded its armed conflict with the most ruthless terrorist organization in the world, more than nine months ago, and was in process of working towards further strengthening of national reconciliation.
Full text of the statement issued by the Presidential Secretariat:
President Mahinda Rajapaksa has pointed out that the intention of the UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon to appoint a panel of experts to advice him (i.e. the SG) on Sri Lanka is totally uncalled for and unwarranted.
In a telephone conversation between the President and the UNSG Friday (March 05, 10), arising from a letter written by the UNSG on February 25, President Rajapaksa was emphatic on this position. He said it was both unprecedented and unwarranted as no such action had been taken about other states with continuing armed conflicts on a large scale, involving major humanitarian catastrophes and causing the deaths of large numbers of civilians due to military action.
The UNSG was told that Sri Lanka had concluded its armed conflict with the most ruthless terrorist organization in the world, more than nine months ago, and was in process of working towards further strengthening of national reconciliation.
The President also said that the implementation of such an intention would certainly be perceived as an interference with the current general election campaign being held island wide; where the people of the North and of the East who were not free to participate in such elections earlier were being given the opportunity to do so, respecting the highest standards of democracy. President Rajapaksa recalled how interested forces attempted such interference, including by trying to draw in the UN and other bodies, in the recently concluded Presidential Election too, which has been internationally accepted as being peaceful, free and fair.
The UNSG was told that the allegations about Sri Lanka were motivated misrepresentations by apologists of the LTTE, and by some Non-Government Organizations that due to being so misguided or otherwise, were clearly working on agenda that was directed against Sri Lanka. There are also sections of the western world being increasingly subjected to electoral pressure by the same apologists of the LTTE, the President said.
The President informed the UNSG that he had already, as a further measure of reconciliation, appointed a special committee to study and report on the lessons from the conflict situation that prevailed in some parts Sri Lanka. The President and also drew the attention of the UNSG to the panel of eminent persons already working on the allegations of human rights violations and other charges reported by the US State Department, as well as the action by UN Rapporteur Philip Alston on the much disputed Channel 4 video on Sri Lanka.
President Rajapaksa reiterated to the UNSG that any appointment of such a panel as intended, would compel Sri Lanka to take necessary and appropriate action in that regard. The President stressed that Sri Lanka looked forward to treatment as per the United Nations Charter that provides for equal treatment to all Members of the United Nations, while respecting the principle of non-interference in the internal affairs of States.
The discussion concluded with the President stating that he would shortly be addressing a letter to the UNSG, further to this telephone discussion.
- Asian Tribune -
Comments
(1) We have read of the ltte
(1) We have read of the ltte killing scores of Tamil civilians (Human Shield) who fled the ltte areas to enter the GoSL held areas. What of that crime ?
No army solider was knowingly allowed to kill any civilian in the Human Shield. We all watched how carefully the armed forces surrounded the ltte, and separated the ltte cadre from the Human Shield. In fact, air power was not allowed at the last stages of the conflict, neither was heavy arms by the army.
(2) The Panel proposed by the UN will have bias toward the wishes of UNHRC head, Ms Navi
Pillai, who is a Tamil person. So right at the outset, there is a problem there. Doubtless, Radhika Coomaraswamy (elected to UN with the blessings of GoSL !), is lurking in the UNHRC 'Panel' background too ... Watch how carefully the right people were elected into the powerful positions to work on the International Community.
(3) Did the UN care a tuppence about the past two insurgencies by the JVP ? Does the UN take into account that Lanka had nearly 500 yrs of Colonial Rule which factor contributes greatly to the confusion & disharmonies within the Nation ?
(4) There is a Force in the Universe (call it God or Truth). This Force may reveal the truth a bit slowly, but reveal it does. Lanka bashing will only prolong the agony of post war anguish and it will not solve Tamil Nadu Dalit problems either.
Thamby - you are a senior
Thamby - you are a senior Forum member and you know well that you are not supposed to post more than one comment to news string. Kindly refrain from posting more than one comment to one news item. - Administrator
ABSOLUTELY CORRECT. Based on reports in the international press, there were human rights violations committed by the LTTE, too, in the final stages of the war. And these violations by the LTTE will also be exposed in a UN Inquiry. Therefore, the Rajapakse Administration SEEMS DETERMINED also to conceal the violations by the LTTE. What exactly is going on? A UN inquiry will expose violations by all parties, including the LTTE.
If there is nothing to
If there is nothing to conceal from the world, why not let an independent body confirm that there were no human rights violations, etc., during the final days of the war. Prez Rajapakse's reluctance to allow an investigation by an international body only fuels the arguments that international norms and laws were violated by the GoSL in the final days of the war.
UNSG, Thank you very much.
Dear Mr. Ban Ki Moon,
You must be wondering why a Gamarala from Southern Sri Lanka is thanking you. President MR is a person from South and Southerners who reached Colombo after crossing the Benthara Ganga, the river which separates Western and Southern provinces, with open eyes are very sharp in their minds and open in their speech. Your business mandated by UN Charter, is helping the nations united under the banner of UN and discussing common issues at the forums mandated by the UN Charter but not to have panel discussions on internal affairs of member countries. You have given President MR a golden opportunity to show his committment to put things in order in Sri Lanka and it is your turn to help him by assisting in the development programmes initiated.
Already there is prima facie evidence that palms of some your officials have been well oiled by the front organizations of the LTTE, the most ruthless terrorist organization in the world, which was comprehensively defeated by the armed forces of Sri Lanka. Gamaralas, who are unassuming citizens of Sri Lanka, expect the persons of the calibre of UNSG to look inward and have the own stables cleaned first.
Well Said your Excellency!
Well said. We are proud of you, your Excellency! We feel that we have a leader who is strong and who is capable of explaining the reality to anyone who is misguided by the forces against Sri Lanka. The cancer of LTTE Separatism and Terrorism still have deep routes all over the world. We may have to fight for many more years to eradicate these routes too. In your very first Presidential Address of the Parliament you clearly stated that the word 'Minority' was taken off the Sri Lankan vocabulary and we are one Nation called "Sri Lankans" consisting of people of all types of races. We look forward for your Leadership to make the entire world understand that we are one country, with one Group of people called "Sri Lankans" having equal rights irrespective of their races.