Govt rejects UN panel report
Says fundamentally flawed:
*Whole affair outside UN system
*No authority to conduct investigations
*Report stumbling block to reconciliation process
Sandasen MARASINGHE
The government strongly objects to the publication of the report of
the UN Secretary General’s Panel of Experts on accountability in Sri
Lanka and to the taking of measures based on the recommendations made by
the said panel since the panel is not appointed by the UN system,
External Affairs Minister Professor G L Peiris said yesterday.
Professor Peiris |
He made this observation at a press conference held to express the
government’s stance in respect of the present situation springing from
the report by the Advisory Committee appointed by the UN Secretary
General to advise him on accountability issues in Sri Lanka.
Professor Peiris also said that a representative of the UN Secretary
General has stated that the report of the Advisory Committee will be
published this week and the Sri Lanka government requests the UN
Secretary General not to publish it or implement the recommendations of
the report as this Committee had no authority to conduct investigations.
He added that the UN Secretary General clearly stated that the Committee
was appointed purely to advise him.
Minister Peiris said that he would not make any comment on the
contents of the report at this stage but was only objecting to the
publication of the report as it is wrong and unacceptable and against
the principles of the United Nations.
He further said that Sri Lanka has entered a new era accelerating
economic development and facing the challenge of reconciliating between
communities following the eradication of terrorism. He queried if the
publication of this report of the advisory panel would unite and build
reconciliation among the communities in this country or act otherwise.
The External Affairs Minister further said that the Sri Lankan
mission received this report in New York on April 12 and rejected it as
it was fundamentally flawed.
He also said that the representatives of various countries including
the west appreciated the move by the Sri Lankan government to set up the
Lessons Learnt and Reconcilliation Commission.
He added that this Commission will complete its work in May but the
Advisory Committee of the UN Secretary General completed its report even
without looking at the report of the LLRC which is against all
principles.
The Minister further stated that publishing the report by the
Advisory Panel would seriously harm the UN system. He added that the
consequences for the UN by publishing the report are far from fortunate.
The publishing of the report will inflict even greater damage on the UN
system far from Sri Lanka. Sri Lanka is a member of UN and a member
since it was established.
Professor Peiris also stated that the UN system has to consider this
advisory committee mandate to comment on Sri Lankan institutions, Sri
Lankan jurisdiction, Court System etc. He added that the Sri Lankan
government is asking the UN to refrain from taking steps that will make
reconciliating the communities in Sri Lanka difficult. |