UN chief wants Sri Lanka to 'normalize conditions'

The United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon Friday called upon the Sri Lankan government to take urgent action to normalise conditions around the United Nations Offices in Colombo so as to ensure the continuation of the vital work of the Organization to assist the people of Sri Lanka.



Issuing a statement through his spokesman, the UN chief says he believes the strong reaction to his establishment of a Panel of Experts on accountability in Sri Lanka is not warranted.
Yesterday's statement was issued following his decision Thursday to recall the United Nations Resident Coordinator in Colombo and close the UNDP Regional Centre in Colombo.
The statement reiterated that the three-member panel is set up to advise the Secretary-General and not an investigative body on allegations of war crimes.
The panel is a follow-up to the Joint Statement issued by the Secretary-General and Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa after the UN chief visited Sri Lanka in May 2009, it said.
The statement said the panel has been set up with the objectives to further fostering of reconciliation and related issues as well as reflecting the commitment by Sri Lanka to the promotion and protection of human rights and the importance of accountability in order to continue the strengthening of peace and development in the country.

"The United Nations recognizes that the responsibility in this regard is that of the Government of Sri Lanka. The Panel itself will advise on the modalities, applicable international standards and comparative experience relevant to an accountability process," UN chief's statement said.
"It will be a resource available to assist the Government of Sri Lanka and the Commission on Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation in applying the international best practice in this regard," it added.
Sri Lanka has fervently opposed the panel saying that the panel is unwarranted and it infringes on Sri Lanka's sovereignty.