By Matthew Russell Lee
UNITED NATIONS, January 27 -- In an example of UN "bluewashing" of an alleged war criminal, Sri Lanka is bragging that its Major General Shavendra Silva has been selected for the "UN Secretary General's special Advisory group on Peace Keeping Operations," along with former Deputy Secretary General Louise Frechette and former head of UN Peacekeeping Jean Marie Guehenno.
Acts of Shavendra Silva's battalion in 2009 are described in the UN's own Panel of Experts report on Sri Lanka, and lawsuits have been filed against Silva for war crimes.
So how can he be put on a UN "special advisory group on Peacekeeping Operations"?
Ban's Under Secretary General for Field Support Susana Malcorra, who Inner City Press has reported stands to replace Asha-Rose Migiro as Ban's Deputy Secretary General, on October 24 told the UN General Assembly's committee covering peacekeeping that Ban would
"create a Senior Advisory Group comprising five eminent persons of relevant experience; five representatives from major troop countries; five representatives from major financial contributors; and one member from each regional group."
It appears that that Sri Lanka, in order to bluewash Silva, slipped him in as representative of the Asia Pacific group.
In other circumstances, such as Syria's bid to be its regional group's representative on the UN Human Rights Council, efforts have been made at the UN including by the Secretariat to avoid or reverse nominations like this one which would be an embarrassment and make a mockery of the UN's stated principles.
Ban shakes with Silva as Kohona looks on, Feb 23 2011 (c) MRLee
But will Ban do that here, or put an alleged war criminal on his Senior Advisory Group on Peacekeeping Operations? Watch this site.
