By Matthew Russell Lee
UNITED NATIONS, December 23 -- Despite UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon having announced on December 17 that his “Panel of Experts is now able to visit Sri Lanka,” now Ban's acting Deputy Spokesman Farhan Haq says that "We can't confirm if the panel will travel to Sri Lanka or will meet the LLRC in some other location.”
Inner City Press on December 23 asked Haq to explain what changed since Ban's December 17 announcement, and whether the Panel would speak only with the Lessons Learnt & Reconciliation Commission, and not for example with General Sarath Fonseco, who has alleged war crimes.
“The Panels work is broader than dealing with the LLRC,” the UN's Haq said. Video here, from Minute 6:55.
Haq refused to say if the Panel will, as Ban said, travel to Sri Lanka. Haq said that an announcement will be made. But Haq also said that there will be no UN noon briefings until January -- thus limiting the chance for questions and answers.
Inner City Press asked why the UN, which is open from December 27 to 30, is not holding noon press briefings on those days. Haq blamed it on “reporters,” claiming some had “said, do we have to come in those days?”
While some reporters Inner City Press asked about this disagreed, saying that there should be live Q&A, even if some don't want to come in, that shouldn't eliminate the chance to get answers. Watch this site.
