UN chief should disband Advisory Panel - Govt

Dharma Sri Abeyratne

The Government’s stance is UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon should disband the UN special advisory panel as it is baseless to appoint such a panel. The UN has to reconsider this issue, Ministers Maithripala Sirisena, Nimal Siripala de Silva and Prof GL Peiris said yesterday.

The Ministers addressing the media at the Sri Lanka Freedom Party Head Office said Sri Lanka maintains a good rapport with the UN and other countries. “As Sri Lanka is also a member of UN we are bound by agreement on safeguarding human rights. Sri Lanka as an independent country has proved that human rights of every citizen has been protected to the maximum,” they said.

Several countries including China and Russia have exerted pressure on Ban Ki-moon to disband the special advisory panel appointed by him on his own accord.

The Sri Lanka Freedom Party has always maintained a balanced foreign policy.

The Non-Aligned Summit was also held in Sri Lanka as a result of this, Minister Sirisena said.

Prof Peiris said the UN office in Colombo is not closed and office activities are carried out by its staff.

All activities carried out by the UN office in Colombo continue. UN Sri Lanka Representative Neil Bhune has been told to come to the UN Headquarters for discussions, the Minister said.

“The Government has taken every possible step to protect officials of the UN office in Colombo,” Professor Peiris said. Though the Government’s decision is that, the special advisory committee has to be disbanded. Some political parties may protest or launch fast-unto-death campaigns against this. In accordance with Sri Lanka’s constitution anyone can express their ideas by stand for it and opposing in a peaceful manner. There is a right to protest, Minister Dullas Alahapperuma said.

Ministers Anura Priyadarshana Yapa, Susil Premajayantha and John Seneviratne were also present at the briefing.