Video and full transcript: Ban calls for accountability and transparency in Sri Lanka
Video and full Text of transcript, Secerteary General (SG) Ban-Ki-moon speaking to journalists in NY, Jun 5, 2009:
SG: I have just briefed the members of the Security Council on my visit to Sri Lanka. As you know, and as I have already briefed the members of the General Assembly, I had three objectives in my visit two weeks ago. First and foremost, to provide all necessary humanitarian assistance to more than 300,000 displaced persons and also urging the Sri Lankan Government to allow unimpeded access by the international humanitarian workers, including the United Nations agencies. I am told by Sri Lankan Government that the situation has improved since my visit, and the restrictions have been eased.
Secondly, to help those displaced persons and the Sri Lankan Government in their efforts to re-settle them to their original home provinces, and including the de-mining activities.
And thirdly, more fundamentally, to help the Sri Lankan Government to reach out to minority authorities, including Tamils and Muslims. This will be much more important in the longer term. And also I would like to ask the Sri Lankan Government to recognize the international call for accountability and full transparency. And whenever and wherever there are credible allegations of violations of humanitarian law, there should be a proper investigation.
And, again, I would like to take this opportunity to warn against the risk of triumphalism in the wake of victory, after this military conflict. This will really hinder the ongoing efforts by Sri Lankan Government and people, and international community, in helping heal the wounds. It is very important at this time to unite and heal the wounds, rather than enjoy all this triumphalism in the wake of the end of conflict.
I am very grateful for all the very kind support and comments made by the members of Security Council for the continuing role at my level, as well as the United Nations humanitarian agencies. The challenges still remain huge and enormous. This requires international assistance and help. And the United Nations stands ready to continue providing humanitarian assistance and we also remain ready to facilitate ongoing efforts by the Sri Lankan Government in healing the wounds through national reconciliation and through inclusive political dialogue. Thank you very much.
Q: The three doctors that were taken by the Government, that were in the conflict zone – they have now said that they are all going to be put on trial - there was a BBC report. And also, that some people are being taken from the camps. What's the UN going to do about those two issues?
SG: I would like to urge, again, to the Sri Lankan Government to follow-up [on] the agreement which had been made during my visit, which was stated in the joint statement. I raised this issue to President [Mahinda] Rajapaksa and Foreign Minister [Rohitha]Bogollagama separately, and also at a joint meeting, to look after these three government doctors who are detained while they were engaged in humanitarian activities. The Foreign Minister assured me that he would look into this matter. I will continue to follow-up this issue.
Q: [inaudible]
SG: It is crucially important that the Sri Lankan Government follow-up on all the promises that they have made. Any inquiry, to be meaningful, should be supported by the members of the United Nations, and also should be very impartial and objective. I have been urging the Sri Lankan President on this matter. He assured me that he will institute the necessary procedures to ensure the transparency and accountability of this [process].
Q: Mr. Secretary-General, does this show a level of impudence on the United Nations part, that you are continually going to the Sri Lankan Government as a petitioner? There doesn't seem to be any 'right to protect' being asserted here – you are coming late to the conflict – there are allegations that there may be excesses of 20,000 people who died. If the other side of triumphalism is impudence, what is the lesson about the United Nations that we have learned from your experience in Sri Lanka?
SG: First of all, I do not agree with your point that the United Nations came late. From the beginning of this crisis, I have been constantly in contact with the Sri Lankan Government leadership, including at the level of President Rajapaksa . I have been making many telephone calls, all the time, even until just right before and after this conflict. And this is important that the Sri Lankan Government should take the necessary follow-up measures. And he committed to me that he would take all necessary procedures to follow-up on all this and to address all the remaining challenges. As I said, challenges still remain huge, and they can not do it themselves. Therefore, that is why the United Nations will continue to provide the necessary assistance, humanitarian and in other areas. It is also important that they should do their own work in reaching out, in healing the wounds which happened during the military confrontation.
Q: How is the UN going to follow-up, I guess, on the joint statement, and the commitments that the Government made?
SG: At this time, I am asking the Sri Lankan Government to take the necessary measures. And there are some areas which the United Nations and I, as the Secretary-General, have to do, as I said. And all these issues, political facilitation and accountability, I hope that the Sri Lankan Government will follow-up to implement the promises they made. Thank you very much.
5 Comments
The efforts of the UN appear ineffective as when dealing with rogue states such as Myanmar, Zimbabwe and now Sri Lanka. Simply talking to and praising such governments is not going to help the victims of abuse. Also many of the countries in the Security Council are without conscience and would rather like to dismiss any statement let alone concrete action by the UN, as interference in the 'internal matters' of Sri Lanka. The UN security council is more like the 'Mad Hatters Tea Party' in Alice in Wonderland.In fact such rogue states derive a sense of legitimacy from the Security Council.It remains for the democratic countries in the west to take action against such rogue states which are suppressing and harassing their own people.
SG/Ban ki Moon: "...I hope that the Sri Lankan Government will follow-up to implement the promises they made."
Q: "What if they don't?"
SG/Ban ki Moon: .........
The Secretary General appears sincere in his efforts to establish accountability and speedy resolution of all issues including the incarceration of the three doctors and resettlement of the displaced people.
But he appears unaware that the state of emergency and the Prevention of Terrorism act which prevail - though unnecessary now that the war is over - will be used to impede progress in accountability and resettlement.
The sri lanka supreme court had ruled in 2008 that all displaced by the 'high security zones, should be resettled, but so far there is no progress reported in this process.
He also appears unaware of the indictments filed by the attorney general against more than 600 members of the police and armed forces, as revealed by the sri lankan delegation to the UN Human Rights Council last year (2008)and lack of progress on these indictments.
Ha also appears unaware of any indictments which should have been filed against 108 lankan peacekeepers expelled by the UN from Haiti for sexual abuse of haitian females including minors.
It is now universally established the Lankan leadership is capable of much double-speak. The Indian Govt was the first to get large doses of this as can be seen from Dr Manmohan Singh’s exasperation”the SL Govt has assured us they will do this etc”. While GoSL leaders agree with visiting dignitaries – such as high UN officials including the Secy General – that they will do all that is necessary the reality on the ground is different. Mr B.K. Moon says he has been in touch with President Rajapakse on many occasions on the telephone prior to his personal visit and the latter had agreed to “reach out to the Tamil and Muslim minorities” Incidentally, during Mr Moon’s visit he was almost silent and even missed out an important Press Conference in Kandy. He left room for the Government and its flag-bearers to tell the people “the UN-SG was quite pleased with matters during his visit and Tamil people are well looked after – except for a little space problem in those camps” Also, there are’nt many Muslim minorities in the 300,000 the SG Moon speaks of and neither are there many Muslims in the “Concentration Camps” It is more the Tamils who are subject to suffering and deliberate humiliation and as such Mr Moon’s effort at dilution is puzzling. If President Rajapakse wanted to do what he tells the country and the world he will do by way of bringing justice and relief to the Tamil people, this would have been upper most in his two main addresses to the Nation. The 1st immediately after he returned from Jordan and the 2nd this week at the Galle Face “victory” celebrations. But the Tamil people were disappointed he did not specifically spell out on these two high-profile occasions how he is going to bring them the relief he assures SG Moon, UN and the world. All they (Tamils) know is moves are afoot for elections in their areas. Now, for god’s sake, everyone knows these areas are virtually destroyed of most infra-structure. 300,000 of them – the Govt count – languish in “Camps” fenced by barbed wire. An equal number is scattered in other parts of the country and India. Popular elections should be held only under ideal conditions and accepted norms. Neither of these are present in today’s Northern Province. The Tamil people suspect the Govt is holding election after election merely to fool the Sinhala people to keep Southern focus away from the more punishing reality of a sky-rocketing Cost of Living and fastly declining economy in the country. The US$500 million from the Sinhala diaspora and “slave” workers in the Middle East that was expected to bridge the required finances is out and so the badly-needed IMF loan so far. Both assurances of that whiz kid CBSL Governor Nivard Carbraal. The usual excuse of Prabakaran and the LTTE “ the cause and curse of all troubles” is also now no more. There is a growing feeling among Lankan Tamils the President and his Sinhala supremacist cohorts are gaining vicarious pleasure consigning this large number to continued incarceration, hunger, mental and physical punishmnent, suffering and degrading humiliation for the
troubles the Sinhalese were subject to by Prabakaran and the LTTE (remember the oft repeated charge “All tigers are Tamils and therefore all Tamils are tigers”) The insensitive language of the Defence Secretary, the Army Chief and now the head of the Police all suggest a programme of seeking revenge from the Tamils is on to please that section of the vindictive Sinhala electorate. Mr BK Moon has badly let down the Tamils. Already there are instances where young men and women held in these camps have secured their release after the payment of large sums to officials manning these camps. The lsrge sums in the possession of the army officer in charge of the Transit Camp at Ratmalana now held as a spy for the LTTE is said to be funds similarly accumulated. It is further said he is a victim of rivalry within the army and no more. Where is the much heralded R2P and the universality against gross human rights ask the suffering Tamils in these concentration camps?
Ilaya Seran Senguttuvan
The track record of GOSL "follow-up" is universally
known. Let it be President or For.Minister. Forget it.
Somewhere in Yahoo Answers` one will find about
"UN Acccountability" and what title Koffi Anan holds
after the Ruwanda debacle`and its 10th year Anniversary.