Running with the UN rabbits and hunting with govt hounds
By Kusal Perera
On 11 July 2010, the Sinhala edition of Sunday “Lakbima” reported that minister of Heritage and Cultural Affairs, Ms. Pavithra Wanniarachchi appointed the Public Performance Board (PPB), better known as the "Censor Board" and advised them to be “honest and independent”.
No qualms about the ministerial advice or request, though one could have strong and hard reservations on some of the names in the list of appointees, as members of the PPB.
Right on top is the name, Mohan Samaranayake.
Samaranayake has the habit of keeping his official position with the Colombo UN office very much under played, when it comes to enjoying local “State” patronage. He took self pride in making comments and sitting in programmes to canvas support for both Chandrika and Mahinda regimes, in his own vile and stupid way. His political allegiance or stooging to this Rajapaksa regime is now proved beyond doubt with this appointment to the PPB.
With this appointment, there is a huge issue on his loyalty and credibility now, as the “Communication Officer” of the UN office in Colombo. He is a paid employee of the UN office. He has been that for over 12 years, as far as I know.
Can a paid employee of UN, serve this government on a Statutory Board ? What of ethics and morals ? What of conflict of interest ?
Samaranayake is quoted in many news wires over the Weerawansa fast against the UN Secretary General and his advisory panel on Sri Lanka. Where will his loyalty, his allegiance be ? With the UN or with the Rajapaksa regime ?
This is how independent and credible Samaranayake is -
The Inner City Press said -
UNITED NATIONS, July 7 -- A day after UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon was burned in effigy in Sri Lanka, on his way into the UN Security Council, he stopped to greet the Press. Inevitably, Inner City Press asked him what he was going to do about the taking hostage of UN staff in Colombo and the closure of the UN facility today.
There it is. The UN facility in Colombo was closed due to Weerawansa's fast and the protest that threatened to keep the staff as hostage.
What does Samaranayake tell the “Nation” news paper of July 11?
He (Samaranayake) emphasised that the closure of the UNDP Regional Office in Colombo had nothing to do with the death fast.
He is both, stooging for the government and misinforming the public, a serious lapse in his responsibility as the Communication Officer of the UN Colombo office. Samaranayake has either to work for the UN Colombo office, where he is a paid employee, or resign and start his own “laundrymart” for the Rajapaksa government.
Either way, this is the type that can not be trusted and the Ministerial advice for honesty and independence........well, why bother about rhetoric by politicians ? They know well, how best their stooges perform for public consumption.
6 Comments
He is a model Sri Lankan who is wanted by the Government. We are foolish enough to elect them over and over again.
Was not the closure of the office mandated and decided well before the fast of Wimal Weerawanse ? Was it not decided so as some kind of cost-cuttting measure undertaken by the UN ? Was it not decided to shift the office to Bangkok for economical reasons ?
If that was so, then what on EARTH are you writing about ? The Colombo UNDP Office is still open for business and even Neil Buhne who was so orgasmically described by some as "been recalled to New York never To return as a sign of IC and SG displasure"., is returning. Why would a so-called "hostage" do something like return to the lair of his Evil Captors ?
Are you trying to tart up and apply lipstick to the UN's decision to close the office and show it up as the result of some evil plot rather than the actions of some sad-@ss, publicity-seeking political hack seeking some/any sort of recognition ?
Perhaps the Inner-City's somewhat loose regard for honest reporting in favor of the sensational and made-up is beginning to affect you as well
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It is better than running a country with dual citezenship.
Srilanka's most powerfull man is a US citizen!!!!
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:-)
Thank you for revealing the true colours of the 'UN spokesman' who was quoted by the govt press as saying everything was OK with the UN office. This was much in contrast and seemed to be at odds with the statements emanating from the UNSG's office. Now-a-days there are many such politicians, spokesmen and scribes who are on the payroll of the govt in order to misinform and confuse the public. They sing for their supper.
If the writer is correct,Why is UN still employing HIM???
I for onebelieve that UN for all its faults is a valuable world institution. It is funded largely by US and due to that its ostensibly all powerful Secretary General has to be seen to be flogging the uppity third world countries whether his office has a mandate or not while ignoring the whale hunting in Norway, very basic right tolive of Palestinians or manufacture of stories about weapons of mass destruction in Iraq. The many crimes committed in SOuth Korea, North Korea, Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, Serbia, El Salvador, Paraguay, Panama, Jamaica,Mexicoor Columbia have gone unnoticed or indeed presented withNoblepeace prizes when major powers are in league withe offender. IN suchsituations everyone gets treated with Nelson glare. In contrast when the UN acted through Western powers and bombed Belgrade, the first point to get hit strangely was the Chinese Embassy. This brings to question the dichotomy of its intentions. Little feuds between the writer of this article and the UN spokesman pale into insignificance as storms in a teacup.