On Sri Lanka, UN's Take of Non-Release Shifts, 3 Weeks After Panel Finished

by Matthew Russell Lee

Inter City Press

( April 20,New York City, Sri Lanka Guardian)  The UN's story about their delay in releasing the Panel of Experts' report on Sri Lanka got even more convoluted on April 20.

Inner City Press asked Secretary General Ban Ki-moon's acting Deputy Spokesman Farhan Haq to explain the delay between the Panel's sign off date on the report as obtained and published by Inner City Press (but not The Island), March 31, and the April 12 turn off to Ban, and April 13 to Sri Lanka.

The UN's Haq said, “I won't have a comment on the time frames.”

Then he tried to explain the delay by referring to Ban Ki-moon's travels -- for example to Hungary and now Russia, where Haq has declined to say if Sri Lanka will be discussed. Haq said, “The panel wanted to present to S-G... He has had a number of travels.”

Inner City Press asked if anyone in the UN -- for example, Ban's senior adviser Vijay Nambair, whose role in the so called white flag killings of surrendees at the end of the conflict has been described in a filing with the International Criminal Court -- saw the report between its March 31 sign off date and April 12.

Haq did not say no, instead choosing to re-focus on Ban Ki-moon not having gotten it until “Monday.” (Actually, according to the UN it was Tuesday, April 12 -- Inner City Press reported on April 11 it would be the next day, April 12).

But then Haq spoke about the UN's senior advisers -- no mention of Ban -- getting a response together. Nambiar, it seems clear, has not been recused.

The UN tried to explain the delayed release -- after having told General Shavendra Silva that Sri Lanka had 24 then 36 hours -- as waiting for the government's response.

But then Haq says there is no need to wait. The fact remains: the report was signed off on by the Panel three weeks ago, and Ban has allowed Sri Lanka to control its leaked release and to call for mass protests.