UN strongly objects Sri Lanka minister's protest blocking access to its offices

The United Nations has registered its strong objections to the protest organized by the Sri Lankan Minister of Housing, Construction, and Engineering Services and National Freedom Front leader Wimal Weerawansa at the UN premises in Colombo barricading the UN staff in the compound.



Associate spokesperson for UN Secretary-General, Farhan Haq at the press briefing today (06) said the UN is seriously concerned over the situation which prevented the staff and visitors to the UN office from entering or leaving the premises.
"While respecting the right of the citizens to demonstrate peacefully, preventing the access to UN offices hinders the vital role being carried out by UN each day to help the people of Sri Lanka," the spokesman said.
He said the UN has been contacting senior government officials in New York and in Colombo and the Sri Lankan government has given assurances for the safety and security of the staff and for full access to their offices.

"We will be closely monitoring the developments and trust that those commitments will be honored," the spokesman said.
The spokesman confirmed that all the UN staff had been able to leave the compound by the end of the day following the intervention by the government. However the protestors remain at the premises, he added.
Haq said the UN has received the government's assurances from the Prime Minister when the UN resident Coordinator Neil Buhne met him yesterday over the Minister Weerawansa's threat to take the UN staff hostage in protest of the UN panel of experts appointed by the UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon.
"The government has said that they have a coalition government and although some coalition partners have differing views, the government was very clear on its full support to the UN role and its staff," the spokesman said responding to question from media.
"We have been taking those assurances but at the same time we take this quite seriously and anything that hinders the movement of the staff is a serious concern," he said.
The main concern is that UN offices should not be blocked and the visitors and staff should be allowed to continue their work unhindered, the spokesman stressed.
The spokesman said he was not certain whether the Secretary-General would make a statement on the incident.
Meanwhile the protestors have vowed to continue their struggle until the UN Chief revokes the panel he appointed to advise him on Sri Lanka's accountability issues during the last stages of war with Tamil rebels.