Byline: Matthew Russell Lee of Inner City Press at UN
www.innercitypress.com/ban6srilanka021709.html
UNITED NATIONS, February 17 -- With civilians dying daily in the conflict between the government of Sri Lanka and the Tamil Tiger militia, on Tuesday Inner City Press asked Ban Ki-moon's spokesperson Michele Montas for the UN's estimate of civilian deaths, and whether it is higher or lower that the 1200 figure used in the Gaza conflict earlier this year. Ms Montas replied that "we are trying to save people, not count bodies." Video here, from Minute 22:48.
But Inner City Press, as well at least one other correspondent at Tuesday UN noon briefing, have been informed of an informal UN estimate of civilian death, higher than that in Gaza. Ms. Montas was asked, and denied, that the withholding of the UN estimate is politically motivated. Inner City Press reiterated the yes or no question, is the estimate higher or lower than the figure that UN used in Gaza. "I cannot tell you," Ms. Montas said. "I have to go back and see. We have no observers." Video here, from Minute 26:40.
Inner City Press has asked for confirmation that Sri Lanka's president has invited Ban for a visit, and asked if that meant to the whole country including the Vanni region, or only to a portion. Ms. Montas confirmed the invitation, but said that no decision has been made. Watch this site.
Ms. Montas had read out a statement that the UN calls on the Tamil Tigers and the government to "refrain from fighting in areas of civilian concentration." Inner City Press inquired into the phrasing, different that the cease fire calls issued by Ban Ki-moon regarding Gaza, the Congo and other recent conflicts. Ms. Montas called it a "theoretical question." But when Inner City Press last week asked Ban Ki-moon directly if he was calling for a cease fire in Sri Lanka and if not, why not, Ban answered that he couldn't, because Sri Lanka is not on the Security Council's agenda.
And see, www.innercitypress.com/ban6srilanka021709.html
