UNITED NATIONS, June 7 -- The role in war crimes in Sri Lanka of the UN, its Secretary General Ban Ki-moon and his chief of staff Vijay Nambiar have been questioned by the International Crisis Group and others.
Now Gotabaya Rajapaksa, the defense chief brother of Sri Lankan president Mahinda Rajapaksa, has on film threatened to hang military whistleblower Sarath Fonseka if he dares testify to any independent investigation into war crimes in the country.
But Ban Ki-moon and his Office, though aware of Gotabaya Rajapaksa's threat, had no comment on it on June 7. Inner City Press asked about Ban's three months delay since March 5, when he said he would name a group of experts to advise him on war crimes in Sri Lanka, and whether Gotabaya Rajapaksa's death threat against witnesses would convince Ban, as human rights groups have concluded based on the history, that a Sri Lankan government self-investigation is not credible.
Ban's Associate spokesman Farhan Han, while acknowledging that UN is aware of the quote, would not comment on it, and disputed that three months in even coming up with the terms of reference of the group of experts constitutes any delay. Video here, from Minute 15:02.
This is strange, given for example that less than a week after Israel's assault on a flotilla headed to Gaza, Ban's Office says he is already discussing the terms of reference of a panel with Israel's and Turkey's prime ministers.
Is it the UN's documented and alleged involvement in Sri Lanka's war crimes that explains Ban's greater delay and defensiveness about events in Sri Lanka? Haq finally said that "we're very close to announcing names" for the three months delayed Sri Lanka panel. But will they be impartial? Watch this site.
And see, www.innercitypress.com/sri2bantor060710.html
