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On Sri Lanka, NAM Will Wait, "Pillay's" Neuwirth to Head Panel Staff of 8

By Matthew Russell Lee

We'll “take our time” on the Sri Lanka letter, the current head of the Non Aligned Movement told Inner City Press on Thursday night, to see if they can “make up to Secretary General” Ban Ki-moon.

He added that “a lot of comments” against the letter were received from NAM members, on “the relation to the flotilla” and other issues.

Meanwhile the Council representative of a Permanent Five member, also on Thursday evening, told Inner City Press that Sri Lanka is “out of control... they went too far.”

This representative confirmed to Inner City Press the identity of the chief of staff of the UN's Panel of Experts on Sri Lanka: Jessica Neuwirth, a long time UN human rights official and founder of Equality Now, friend of Navi Pillay.

Some in Sri Lanka government circles say the appointment of Neuwirth, at a high level, smacks of patronage or nepotism, as does staffing the panel with eight people. “Goldstone didn't get that,” one noted. “The Sudan panel didn't get that.”

With a staff of eight, the Panel should at least opine of the credibility of the Rajapaksa Administration's “Lessons Learnt” panel. The Rapjapansans are afraid, they say, of this “becoming like Cambodia,” with a UN affiliated tribunal, or even Sierra Leone. We'll see

courtesy: Inner City Press

About: Inner City Press

9 Comments

To the families of the tens of thousands of Tamil civilians slaughtered by the SL military, this has to be some good news. Hopefully they will see some justice for their lost loved ones.

Posted by: Kaz | July 15, 2010 11:05 PM

Should Jessica Neuwirth being friendly with Navi Pillai disqualify her from being a member of the Panel?

Posted by: Das | July 16, 2010 09:12 AM

Matthew Russell Lee for UNSG !! After all, he seems to know much better than anyone else, what everyone else should be doing.. the UN, NAM, EU, World Court, New York City Sanitary Services, London Underground and the Maldivian Fishermen's Cooperative.

Heavens above !!! Is there anything this man is not an expert on ?

Wait.. scratch that

Matthew Russell Lee for Supreme Deity !!!

Posted by: mercator | July 16, 2010 09:21 AM

Sri Lanka is not in a hurry too. It is working on it's own agenda.

Posted by: Hela | July 16, 2010 06:52 PM

Justice must give to tamil people otherwise srilankan genocide government attitude will create bad example to this world

Posted by: Muthamizh | July 16, 2010 09:27 PM

Hela, You are right. SL is working on its's own agenda of SELF-DESTRUCTION!

Posted by: Sonoma | July 16, 2010 09:35 PM

Does Navi Pillai got a paramour too who could be invited to join the Panel?

Any Panel, just one advice.... stay away from Sri Lanka borders.

Posted by: Dagobert | July 17, 2010 12:03 AM

Das,
Did you raise the same question when Ban-Ki-Moon appointed Nambiar to visit Srilanka, where his brother on Srilankan govt's payroll.

Hela,
Remember LTTE also had an agenda.


Posted by: peacelover | July 17, 2010 12:10 AM

Kaz,

To the thousands of civilians blasted by suicide bombers, the thousands of sinhalese and muslim people sluaghtered in border villages, thousands of innocent tamil civillians kept as human shields and shot at when escaping, thousands of innocent children recruited and sent to the front line by the world's most ruthless LTTE terrorists, organised and funded by the world's most ruthless diaspora....there will be no justice.

Posted by: Nandimithra | July 17, 2010 04:09 AM

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