UNITED NATIONS, April 13 -- As the Sri Lankan government's detention camps for those leaving the northern conflict zone have become the subject of international controversy, quietly staff members of the United Nations and their families have themselves been interred in the camps, with the UN saying nothing until asked, it emerged on Monday. Inner City Press at the April 13 UN noon briefing asked spokesman Farhan Haq, video here from Minute 13:36 --
Inner City Press: This is on Sri Lanka. There have been some reports that in the camps that have been set up outside the conflict zone from which people can’t leave and can’t receive visitors, that there are some UN staff in these camps -- from OCHA [the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs] and some of the specialized funds programs and agencies. Is the UN aware of any of its staff members that are either held incommunicado or are in camps that they can’t leave from? And if they’re aware, what’s the UN doing about securing their freedom of movement and release from these camps?
Associate Spokesperson Haq: I am not aware of that one, but we’ll check with OCHA and see what they have to say on that.
Inner City Press then e-mailed the spokespeople for OCHA and UNICEF, repeating the question. OCHA spokeswoman Stephanie Bunker replied first:
Subj: Re: Q if there are UN system staff / family in Sri Lankan government's "IDP" camps, and if so...
From: [OCHA at] un.org
To: Inner City Press
Sent: 4/13/2009 3:17:39 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time
Among those tens of thousands of people who have managed to flee the No Fire Zone in northern Sri Lanka, we are aware that some UN and NGO staff and their dependents have managed to flee as well. As far as we know, they are still in the camps for displaced people set up in the area, and we have repeatedly asked the Government of Sri Lanka to allow them freedom of movement so that they can eventually resume their role as aid workers. While the Government has repeatedly assured us that this request would be met, the staff still remain in the camps. [Inserted into UN transcript here.]
Inner City Press' sources in Sri Lanka say that OCHA chief John Holmes was informed of these people while he was in Sri Lanka, that local staff dissatisfaction with his public silence about it has been growing.
Some there ask, if the government of Sudan for example interred UN staff members, OCHA and Ban Ki-moon, to say nothing of the U.S., France and UK on the Security Council, would surely loudly scream. Why not in Sri Lanka?
Inner City Press has been provided by local sources with names of staff on information and belief detained in the Sri Lankan government camps including in Vavuniya, even an assistant field coordinator. Inner City Press has put these names to OCHA's Ms. Bunker and to UNICEF's spokesman, who replied
"I am not aware of any UNICEF staff in this situation, but I have been away from the office for a few days. I have asked my colleagues in Sri Lanka and will respond when I get a response from them, hopefully tomorrow."
And see, www.innercitypress.com/ocha5srilanka041309.html
