With Palestine Death Count Over 100, Non Aligned Movement Issues Communique, UN Security Council Silent

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, July 11, more here -- With the UN Security Council having taken no action on Palestine and Israel, the day after an "urgent" meeting featuring each state's ambassador, on July 11 the Non Aligned Movement issued a statement, below:

Communiqué of the Non-Aligned Movement calling for an end to the Israeli military Aggression against the Palestinian people, particularly in the Gaza Strip, 11 July 2014

The Members of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) strongly condemn the ongoing military aggression by Israel, the occupying Power, against the Palestinian people in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, which has caused high civilian casualties, particularly in the Gaza Strip, where more than 100 Palestinians, including many children, women and elderly persons, have been killed by the Israeli occupying forces, and more than 700 civilians have been injured.

The Movement condemns this wanton killing and injury of innocent Palestinian civilians, including the killing of many families in their entirety, and condemns the destruction of civilian properties, which has displaced more than 900 people, and of vital infrastructure, including water and sanitation networks, compounding the humanitarian suffering of the 1.8 million Palestinians in Gaza, who have been enduring massive collective punishment under Israel’s inhumane blockade. The NAM expresses grave concern about the deepening humanitarian crisis in Gaza, and calls for the provision of emergency humanitarian assistance to meet the needs of the civilian population.

The NAM demands an immediate end to Israel’s aggression against the Palestinian people, and calls upon the international community, in particular the United Nations Security Council, to exert all efforts to bring a halt to the Israeli military operations and to ensure an immediate ceasefire, in line with the November 2012 ceasefire. NAM also calls for serious efforts to ensure full respect for international humanitarian law and ensure protection for the Palestinian civilian population.

NAM stresses that a firm message must be conveyed to Israel, the occupying Power, to cease its military attacks against the Palestinian civilian population in the Gaza Strip and to cease its collective punishment and blockade.  Moreover, Israel must be called upon to cease its military raids and all other illegal policies and grave breaches in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, and must be demanded to abide forthwith by all of its obligations under international law, particularly the 4th Geneva Convention, and by all relevant United Nations resolutions.

In specific, NAM stresses the urgent need for the Security Council to uphold its Charter duties and to act immediately to promote a ceasefire, contribute to de-escalation of the crisis situation on the ground, and salvage the prospects for realizing a just and lasting peace and security. The Movement Members express deep disappointment in the failure of the Security Council to take the necessary action, including following the emergency meeting held yesterday, 10 July 2014, and reiterate the call to the Security Council to shoulder its responsibilities to bring an end to the unlawful Israeli aggression, without conditions and without delay, with an immediate viewing to saving and protecting innocent civilian lives and averting the further destabilization of the situation. NAM expresses support for the draft resolution endorsed by the Arab Group and supports Jordan’s efforts in the Security Council, and calls on the Members of the NAM Caucus of the Security Council to act with urgency in this regard.

At this time of crisis, the Members of the Movement convey their deepest condolences and sympathy to the Palestinian people and their leadership for the tragic loss of life and devastation suffered in the recent period, and reaffirm their unwavering support and solidarity to the Palestinian people and their resilient efforts to realize their inalienable rights and legitimate national aspirations for freedom, justice and peace.

Released by The Permanent Mission of
 the Islamic Republic of Iran to the United Nations

 On July 10 in the UN Security Council, UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon said that “eighty-eight Palestinians, many of them civilians, are reported to have been killed, and 339 injured.”

  Afterward at the Security Council stakeout but off-camera, Palestine's Riyad Manour said the figure is over 90, in the last three days.

  Now on July 11, the number is over 100.

  Inside the Council on July 10, Israel's Ron Prosor told Ban that while he had given his speech, five rockets had been fired at Israel (Prosor played a rocket warning siren on his phone, to make his point.) At the stakeout, on-camera, Prosor raised the number of rockets to six.

  While Mansour spoke on camera, the stakeout was nearly full with journalists. But when Prosor spoke there were far fewer -- one of whom told Inner City Press, “This is a question for FUNCA,” the Free UN Coalition for Access. Again Prosor played the rocket siren warning, and used the line “From Abuja to Falluja.”

  Inner City Press asked Prosor about those who say Hamas is not formally part of the unity government; he replied, “Hamas is Hamas.”

  On Palestine joining or complaining to the International Criminal Court, Inner City Press' question which Ban Ki-moon dodged on July 9, Prosor did not answer. Yet.

  Security Council members did not speak in the public session; they went behind closed doors. Will they emerge with a press statement? Elements to the press? Sound effects? Watch this site.

   

UN Peacekeeping Dreams On of Abyei, No Mention of Darfur or W. Sahara

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, October 18 -- Sudan, or at least part of Sudan, was the hot topic when top UN peacekeepers Alain Le Roy and Susana Malcorra met Monday afternoon with the Non-Aligned Movement Working Group on Peacekeeping.

In the closed door meeting, Le Roy described contingency plans based on what happens with the South Sudan referendum. If South Sudan becomes independent -- by vote or unilaterally, it seems -- the UN plans to reconfigure in Juba and add “peacebuilding” to its work.

While Le Roy said that the South Sudan and Abyei referendums should both be done on January 9, Abyei in particular seems off track for that deadline.

If, as seems unlikely, unity is chosen, the UN will try to keep civil peace. Given the UN peacekeepers often stay in their base, in the Congo and in Darfur, while civilians are attacked, it is not clear what the UN would do in the case of war.

The sources were amazed at how little -- “nothing,” said one -- Le Roy and Malcorra spoke of the UN - African Union Mission in Darfur, UNAMID. “This is why Gambari is able to build his empire,” one of the sources marveled. “Even DPKO doesn't oversee him.”

This silence on Darfur, even from UN Peacekeeping, takes place as violence escalates, with the village of Soro destroyed and fighting spreading throughout Jebel Marra.

Le Roy spoke about the upcoming election in Cote d'Ivoire, and said that the Mission in Timor Leste might soon end.

While the Polisario Front said it was meeting with Le Roy at 12:15 on Monday, the topic of Western Sahara was another vast emptiness in the UN Peacekeeping briefings. Whatever happened to the protection of civilians? Watch this site.

On Sri Lanka, UN Panel's Problems, of Blackmail as Guatemala Cites R2P, NAM Games of Iran, Venezuela to Head G-77?

By Matthew Russell Lee
www.innercitypress.com/sri1nammail071710.html

UNITED NATIONS, July 17 -- Sri Lanka and the Non Aligned Movement letter it requested to oppose UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon's advisory panel on accountability were inquired into at the UN throughout the day on July 16, at the UN noon briefing, in front of the Security Council and later upstairs at a celebration of Nelson Mandela's 92nd birthday.

The draft NAM letter, which Inner City Press first obtained and exclusively published, has now been stalled by a protest or demarche from Guatemala, which does not agree NAM should block inquiries into human rights violations.

The word “Responsibility to Protect” was repeatedly heard. Most but not all NAM members opposed R2P. But NAM decisions require consensus.

To try to sweep the invocation of R2P under the rug, Sri Lanka and many NAM nations are ascribing the delay to contradictions with the Organization of the Islamic Conference about the inquiries into the attack on the flotilla to Gaza. But R2P is in NAM's mix.

As an aside on NAM: that Iran will follow Egypt as the head of the group, reported yesterday by Inner City Press, may not be an entirely sure thing. A coalition of monarchies, ironically, from the Gulf States and a certain Maghreb non African Union member, are raising some objections.

At the time when Iran wants to lead NAM, Venezuela wants to lead the Group of 77. That would certainly lead to journalist fireworks, and there are those small countries which like to hide behind the bombast of the Venezuelas and Irans of the world. But others think it would ill serve their issues.

Inner City Press' exclusive July 15 report on the staffing of Ban's advisory panel - fully eight staff, led by Jessica Neuwirth, an official whose most recent now ended job as NY representative of Navi Pillay was at the D-2 level - gave rise to concerns not only about those focused on anti-corruption and anti-nepotism at the UN (count Inner City Press among them) but, perhaps cynically but predictably, among the Rajapaksas' supporters.

These supporters go beyond the Inner City Press reporting and allege a very close relationship between Navi Pillay and Ms. Neuwirth, beyond the links at Equality Now. One expects these arguments to be advanced, though perhaps only privately to Ban Ki-moon. This is how the Rajapaksas play politics, for example now whispering about Children and Armed Conflict envoy Patrick Cammaert's supposed use of "massage services" during his prenuptial visit to Sri Lanka.

Another argument they advance: that panel chairman Marzuki Darusman, at the end of his previous service on the Sri Lankan government's own “international” panel, bickered with Sri Lanka in order to collect his fees.

Whatever the merits, expect this too to be raised to Ban. In fact, Inner City Press is told that this WAS raised to Ban, but that “he didn't care.”

This is reminiscent of Ban not paying attention that the pairing of Paul Kagame of Rwanda and Prime Minister Zapatero of Spain as co-chairs of an MDG group would blow up and undermine the work.

Here, we expect Sri Lanka to try to blackmail Ban Ki-moon, saying they are willing to accept nepotism, corruption, conflict of interest “and worse” in the Panel, as long as it leads nowhere in terms of accountability.

That would be pure UN: what seemed a belated attempt to do the right thing, becoming a venue for corruption, blackmail and stasis. We may hope not, but this is the UN. Watch this site.

From Friday's UN noon briefing transcript:

Inner City Press: Mr. Buhne, I just wanted to understand, it seemed that earlier in the week it was said that he was at the end of his tenure. Did he say something while here to change it, and return or…?

Associate Spokesperson Farhan Haq: No, no. If you remember what we said in the statement issued last week — in the context of the disturbances and the inability of UN staff to go about their work, we put out a statement saying that he had been recalled. Since then, he has been here over the past week and since then, as you know, we have received a number of assurances from the Sri Lankan side that would allow us to continue to go about our work without any further hindrance. At the same time, you just heard what I read about the message that Mr. Buhne will convey back to the Government of Sri Lanka.

Inner City Press: Sure, but I guess, what I don’t understand is what was the thinking earlier in the week — if it was so dangerous, then why would you only recall one individual? That would seem to be about a threat to the staff as a whole. I just wondered if something changed. Was his tenure coming to the end, as was said, and now has been revived or extended in some way?

Associate Spokesperson: I think what I just read right now speaks for itself. I can read it again for you, but the basic point I just said was…

Inner City Press: How does that compare to what was said earlier in the week? That was what I was asking.

Associate Spokesperson: Yeah, I understand. But if you notice what we said is — when I said that he will return to Colombo, the next thing is: “It is important to continue UN efforts to assist the people of Sri Lanka, particularly with regard to reconstruction and rehabilitation in the North.” So that task will continue, but at the same time, as I pointed out, Mr. Buhne will convey the Secretary-General’s strong expectations for better treatment of the UN family in Sri Lanka.

Inner City Press: And on the panel, there is an article out on Sri Lanka, saying that one of the outcomes of Mr. Buhne’s consultations with the Secretary-General was to further restrict the scope of the work of the group of Panel of Experts that they will now explicitly not consider information that comes in from either witnesses or anything like that. And I just also wanted to ask about the staffing. Can you confirm, as two Member States have now told me, that the head of the staffing will be Jessica Neuwirth, a D-2, and there will be seven other staff?

Associate Spokesperson: I don’t have any details to provide for you right now on the staffing. Yes, they will have a small secretariat here that will assist them in their tasks, but I don’t have any confirmation of any names to give to you right now. But certainly, no, there was no limitation of the scope of [the Panel’s] work as a result of this.

Inner City Press: One of the Member States say, they said even Goldstone, maybe you can, I don’t know what the level of staffing was, but they said it was extraordinary that a D-2 level staff member would be assigned to run this panel, particularly given its relatively limited scope.

Associate Spokesperson: Like I said, I am not commenting on the level of staffing of the panel.

Watch this site.

And see, www.innercitypress.com/sri1nammail071710.html

On Sri Lanka, NAM Will Wait, "Pillay's" Neuwirth to Head Panel Staff of 8, Qatar Pitched Iran to Head NAM

By Matthew Russell Lee
www.innercitypress.com/sri9panel071510.html

UNITED NATIONS, July 15 -- We'll “take our time” on the Sri Lanka letter, the current head of the Non Aligned Movement told Inner City Press on Thursday night, to see if they can “make up to Secretary General” Ban Ki-moon.

He added that “a lot of comments” against the letter were received from NAM members, on “the relation to the flotilla” and other issues.

Meanwhile the Council representative of a Permanent Five member, also on Thursday evening, told Inner City Press that Sri Lanka is “out of control... they went too far.”

This representative confirmed to Inner City Press the identity of the chief of staff of the UN's Panel of Experts on Sri Lanka: Jessica Neuwirth, a long time UN human rights official and founder of Equality Now, friend of Navi Pillay.

Some in Sri Lanka government circles say the appointment of Neuwirth, at a high level, smacks of patronage or nepotism, as does staffing the panel with eight people. “Goldstone didn't get that,” one noted. “The Sudan panel didn't get that.”

With a staff of eight, the Panel should at least opine of the credibility of the Rajapaksa Administration's “Lessons Learnt” panel. The Rapjapansans are afraid, they say, of this “becoming like Cambodia,” with a UN affiliated tribunal, or even Sierra Leone. We'll see.

Also on the NAM, the next chair after Egypt will be Iran, it was confirmed to Inner City Press on Thursday night. Previous candidate Qatar turned around and NOMINATED Iran -- “for what purpose, we don't know,” one NAM insider said. Get ready for fireworks.

Inner City Press was told that while Qatar is unlikely to get the UN Women headquarters, even for $100 million, they could “appoint a lady.” There are 10 “official candidates,” including the “Rwandan minister,” the insider said, "and Rachel Mayanja."

On whether DSG Asha Rose Migiro will shift over to UN Women, “it's up to her,” the insider said, finding it significant that Migiro is handing UN Women on an interim basis.

Migiro's rumored successor as DSG was at the Egyptian reception, but begged off for family matters. French family matters? Watch this site.

And see, www.innercitypress.com/sri9panel071510.html

As Sri Lanka Burns UN Ban in Effigy, Some NAM Members Abandon It, UN In Disarray, Kohona Dressed Down

By Matthew Russell Lee
www.innercitypress.com/sri6panel070610.html

UNITED NATIONS, July 6 -- In the wake of the government sponsored or allowed hostage taking of UN staff in Colombo, Inner City Press on Tuesday asked the Permanent Representative to the UN of a major South Asian country if he still supported Sri Lanka's requested Non Aligned Movement statement opposing the UN's war crimes panel.

We'll just stay out of it now, the Permanent Representative said. He and his Deputy expressed disgust at the Rajapaksas allowing hostage taking at the UN compound, and the burning of the Secretary General in effigy. Photos here. Very stupid, the Deputy called it.

But when Inner City Press late Tuesday asked several senior UN advisers about the hostage taking, they appeared ill informed and in disarray. One of the “Conspirators” portrayed on a sign board in Colombo only asked, “Did they spell my name right?” and thought that the dressing down of Sri Lankan Permanent Representative Palitha Kohona was enough.

Kohona was back on the scene on Tuesday, in the General Assembly Hall to hear Queen Elizabeth II's speech. Afterward he walked desperately through the hall, looking for hands to shake. They were few and far between. When your government allows the burning of the Secretary General in effigy, it tends to go this way. Ask Omar al Bashir, who still takes Ban Ki-moon's calls.

By day's end the question was, why hadn't Ban Ki-moon yet tried to call the Rajapaksas? Did he think they would not answer?

Was it beneath him, since he was the one burned in effigy? He will meet on Wednesday with Benyamin Netanyahu. And we will try to be there. Watch this site.

Footnote: Inner City Press has obtained, and now puts online as a public service, the NAM draft as of June 30. Click here to view. It is obvious how paragraph 4 conflicts with what's being asked of Ban about the Gaza flotilla attack.

“It is a well recognized international norm that in situations where there are allegations or breaches of international law that the country concerned should in the first instance be allowed to conduct its own investigation and to make known its findings.”

Another miscalculation by Sri Lanka. Watch this site.

And see, www.innercitypress.com/sri6panel070610.html

For UN's Sri Lanka Panel, Nambiar Meets with Kohona, "Two Foxes," Sources Say

By Matthew Russell Lee
www.innercitypress.com/lanka7unfollow032410.html

UNITED NATIONS, March 24 -- The UN's panel on accountability for war crimes in Sri Lanka is being put together by Secretary General Ban Ki-moon's chief of staff Vijay Nambiar, with his already controversial role in the final stage of the "bloodbath on the beach" and the Rajapaksa government's UN representative Palitha Kohona, Mr. Ban told the Press on Wednesday.

A full week after Mr. Ban said there would be "no delay" in putting together the panel, Inner City Press asked him what had in fact been done. Video here, from Minute 7:54. Mr. Ban replied that he is "in the process of identifying persons" for the panel of experts.

"My chef de cabinet has been meeting with Sri Lanka's Ambassador here," Mr. Ban said. Video here, from Minute 8:29, UN transcript below.

Chef de cabinet Vijay Nambiar's role in Sri Lanka became more and more controversial as 2009 progressed, including him telling surrendering LTTE leaders that if they came out with a white flag they would be fine. They were, in fact, shot and killed -- at the order of the Rajapaksas, according to now imprisoned general Sarath Fonseka.

While UN Special Rapporteur on Summary Execution Philip Alston has submitted questions to the Sri Lankan government, Nambiar himself is at least a witness. Why is he putting together the panel on accountability?

Ambassador Kohona, most recently, is reported to have given food baskets and $100 dollars to pro-Rajapaksa protesters who denounced Ban Ki-moon in front of the UN twelve days ago.

Kohona was also instrumental in the Non Aligned Movement's letter to Ban contesting his jurisdiction to appoint the panel. India's representative at the NAM meeting at issue has told Inner City Press that at the end of the meeting, essentially as people were leaving, Kohona asked for a NAM letter to Ban. In the moment, no one objected, and the letter was sent.

There are the two people putting together the panel to advise Ban Ki-moon on accountability for war crimes in Sri Lanka. It is, one close observer told Inner City Press, like "two foxes studying the hen house." Watch this site.

Footnote: Inner City Press also asked China's new UN Ambassador Li Baodong for his views on Ban's panel and the NAM letter. Video here, from Minute 3:00.

While Li Baodong answered Inner City Press' question on Myanmar, saying that its elections are a "matter of sovereign states that should be respected," he pointedly declined to answer Inner City Press' question on Sri Lanka, and walked away from the microphone. Video here, from Minute 4:34.

From the March 24 UN transcript:

Inner City Press: a week ago you'd said on the Sri Lanka panel or board on accountability that there'd be no delay. So a week's gone by, I want to know if anything's been done in that regard in that week?

SG Ban: I'm in the process of identifying persons who can work in the panel of experts. My chef de cabinet has been meeting with the Sri Lankan ambassador here and they are now in the process of making a move on this, and I expect that Mr. Lynn Pascoe will be able to visit Sri Lanka in the near future to discuss all the matters.

And see, www.innercitypress.com/lanka7unfollow032410.html

On Sri Lanka, As UK Disagrees With NAM Letter, IMF, Pascoe and Panel After Election?

By Matthew Russell Lee
www.innercitypress.com/ukun1namsri031910.html

UNITED NATIONS, March 19 -- Ten days after Sri Lanka got a Non Aligned Movement letter submitted to UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon telling him he has no jurisdiction to seek advise on accountability for war crimes in Sri Lanka, the UK Permanent Representative to the UN Mark Lyall Grant told the Press his country disagrees with NAM's argument.

Outside the Security Council chamber, Inner City Press asked Ambassador Lyall Grant about NAM's letter, and war crimes in Sri Lanka. The Secretary General, Ambassador Lyall Grant said, "does have a mandate through the UN charter to uphold human rights and humanitarian international law, and therefore he is entirely within his rights to set up a group of experts who will advise him on taking forward his concerns about some of the allegations that have been made in the recent months in Sri Lanka."

As such, he said, the UK "would disagree with the Non-Aligned Movement, who are arguing that he is acting beyond his mandate." Video here, from Minute 2:49.

Since the UK at the UN has had little at least publicly to say about Sri Lanka of late, Inner City Press asked Ambassador Lyall Grant what the UK thinks should happen. He replied that the UK "want[s] to see an end to impunity, that we want to see allegations of war crimes, human rights violations, human rights abuses, thoroughly investigated."

Also on the NAM letter, Inner City Press on March 19 asked the spokesman for this year's President of the UN General Assembly, Libya's Ali Treki, if he supports or opposes NAM's arguments. You have to ask the Secretary General, was the reply, or NAM or Sri Lanka. But the Sri Lankan mission declined to even give a copy of the NAM letter to the press.

Separately, Inner City Press asked a senior UN official about his involvement in the UN's decision not to send any personnel to Sri Lanka before the Presidential election, to try to safeguard minimal fairness.

While publicly UN spokespeople said the UN could not act without a General Assembly vote or mandate, this official confided that the UN had offered the Sri Lankan electoral official to send a team of five to ten experts. But this offer was turned down.

On the financial front, Inner City Press asked the International Monetary Fund on March 18 about the status of the third tranche of the IMF's credit facility to Sri Lanka. IMF spokesperson Yoshiko Kamata told Inner City Press in reply that IMF "staff will visit Colombo after the parliamentary elections and the formation of the new cabinet, to discuss with the government its plan for a 2010 budget."

The long-promised visit of the UN's political envoy Lynn Pascoe appears to have been pushed back to after the election. Some now say that, following the NAM letter to which Ban has yet to formally response, he is spending more time on "terms of reference" and membership of the announced Sri Lanka panel than he did on his panel on the killing of 150 civilians in Guinea -- specifically so the timing extends until after the elections. What was that again, about "no delay"? Watch this site.

March 19, '10 stakeout, transcribed by Group of Friends on ICP

Inner City Press: The SG said he would name a panel to advise him on Sri Lanka human rights and the NAM complained and said he doesn't have the right to intervene on human rights issues not on the Council's agenda. What does the UK think? Is he within his rights?

Ambassador Lyall Grant: Well, we believe that the Secretary-General does have a mandate through the UN charter to uphold human rights and humanitarian international law, and therefore he is entirely within his rights to set up a group of experts who will advise him on taking forward his concerns about some of the allegations that have been made in the recent months in Sri Lanka. So we would disagree with the Non-Aligned Movement, who are arguing that he is acting beyond his mandate.

Inner City Press: Does the UK have concerns about conduct on both sides?

Ambassador Lyall Grant: Well, we have made it very clear that we always want to see an end to impunity, that we want to see allegations of war crimes, human rights violations, human rights abuses, thoroughly investigated.

And see, www.innercitypress.com/ukun1namsri031910.html

On Sri Lanka, UN Puts Spin on "No Delay," Jabs at NAM, Will Fonseka Meet Pascoe?

By Matthew Russell Lee
ww.innercitypress.com/lanka6unfollow031810.html

UNITED NATIONS, March 18 -- Amid charges by the UN that the Non Aligned Movement's letter defending Sri Lanka's Rajapaksa government was not agreed to by all NAM member, notably India, the UN is insisting there is no contradiction between its statements about a panel to advise Ban Ki-moon about approaches to war crimes in Sri Lanka.

On March 18, Inner City Press asked Ban's Associate Spokesman Farhan Haq about his quote that the panel would not be established very soon and Ban's March 16 statements that there would be "no delay."

"To many it seems contradictory," Inner City Press began. "By many you mean you?" demanded Farhan Haq. Video here, from Minute 7:55.

Well, no. Even after the briefing, a number of UN correspondents who neither ask nor write about Sri Lanka approached Inner City Press to say they too found it confusing, no delay but not very soon.

Haq tried to square the comments by saying no delay in considering the terms of reference. Presumably Ban considered this before informing Mahinda Rajapaksa he was going to name the panel. Again, timing in this regard should be compared to Guinea, where the September 2009 killing of 150 civilians has already triggered a UN panel, terms of reference and investigation long completed. No delay?

Senior Ban advisors have told Inner City Press that they are mad at the NAM letter, claiming that India for example did not agree to the letter. Inner City Press is inquiring. For now, Inner City Press has obtained the NAM letter -- the Sri Lankan Mission to the UN declined to provide it to the press -- and puts it online here.

Just as the "no delay" panel may in fact be intentionally delayed past Sri Lanka's April election, so too many the trip of Ban's envoy Lynn Pascoe. The question is, will Pascoe as least ask for, and hold out to receive, permission to meet with Sarath Fonseka, the imprisoned opposition candidate and former general? One cynic pointed to the UN asking to meet in Myanmar with Aung San Suu Kyi.

Another senior Ban advisor said that the Sri Lanka "case calls out of investigation" even more than Guinea, in that the "general who shot the gun at people with white flags" is saying he was ordered to. But what about the UN official, Ban's chief of staff, who told them to come out with white flags, that it would be ok? Watch this site.

And see, www.innercitypress.com/lanka6unfollow031810.html

At UN, Ban Says "No Delay" in Naming Sri Lanka Panel, Report Only to Him

By Matthew Russell Lee
www.innercitypress.com/lanka5unfollow031610.html

UNITED NATIONS, March 16 -- Stressing that his panel on Sri Lankan war crimes will only report to him, UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon on Tuesday told the Press that the Non Aligned Movement "misunderstood" his announcement about the panel.

Inner City Press asked Mr. Ban, in a press conference before his travel to Moscow for a meeting of the Middle East Quartet, to respond to criticism that he has moved much more slowly on presumptive war crimes in Sri Lanka in early 2009 than on the killing of 150 civilians in Guinea in September.

There will be "no delay" in naming the panel, Mr. Ban replied. The previous day, his spokesman Martin Nesirky told Inner City Press the panel would not be established very soon. So which is it -- "no delay" or "not very soon"?

Mr. Ban said he will be responding directly to the NAM, which wrote that "there is nothing in the U.N. charter that authorizes intervention in matters which are essentially within the domestic jurisdiction of any state, without prejudice of course to the application of enforcement measures under chapter VII."

Several of Ban's advisors have expressed outrage at the NAM letter. The request for the letter by the Rajapaksa government been ascribed to "internal politics" in Sri Lanka. But it would set a precedent.

As Inner City Press asked Mr. Ban, "the argument would apply to other countries, from Myanmar to Guinea to North Korea." He did not respond to this aspect, nor to the comparison in speed to his actions on Guinea. Did the NAM letter slow his hand? Mr. Ban has now said there will be "no delay." We'll see.

Footnote: later in his March 16 press conference, unprompted, Ban said that while "standard diplomatic practice" is to agree on how to describe a phone conversation, not only Israel but also Sri Lanka have recently violated that practice or protocol. For Israel, the reference was to statements that Ban was told to be "more balanced."

For Sri Lanka, it appears to refer to President Mahinda Rajapaksa's statements about how he stood up to, or dressed down, Ban during their call about the panel. But why then say, as Ban's spokespeople have, that the panel's appointment will be "not very soon"? What will "no delay" mean?

UN transcript below, video here

Inner City Press: Mr. Secretary-General, you've received a letter from the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) which argues that you and your office as Secretary-General really don't have any jurisdiction over human rights or alleged war crimes. The letter is about Sri Lanka, but the logic would apply to Myanmar, Guinea, North Korea. I wonder what's your response to their argument of limiting the scope of your jurisdiction, and how do you explain what some see as the delay in naming a panel compared to, say, what you did in Guinea, where you named one and it's already reported out? Some say that the NAM letter has caused you to delay naming a panel to advise you on Sri Lanka. Can you respond to that?

SG Ban Ki-moon: First of all, about the letter addressed to me by the Non-Aligned Movement. It is clear from the NAM letter that there is a misunderstanding on the nature and purpose of the panel of experts that I intend to establish. I will take this up directly with the Non-Aligned Movement. On this report which you have seen quoting the Sri Lankan Government, that my establishment of this commission of experts would be tantamount to interfering in the internal matters of Sri Lanka, again this is in accordance with the joint statement issued as a result of my visit and as a result of my meeting with President [Mahinda] Rajapaksa, in May last year. It contained, this joint statement contained, a commitment related to ensuring an accountability process for addressing valuations of international humanitarian and human rights laws. The panel I am establishing will advise me on the standards, benchmarks, and parameters, based on international experience, that must guide any accountability process such as the one mentioned in the joint statement. Now this panel will report to me directly and not to any other body. It is well within my power, I believe. I am convinced that it is well within my power as Secretary-General of the United Nations to ask such a body to furnish me with their advice of this nature. This does not in any way infringe on the sovereignty of Sri Lanka. I'd like to make it clear that there will be no delay in the establishment of the panel.

We'll see. And see, www.innercitypress.com/lanka5unfollow031610.html

On Sri Lanka, UN Now Says Panel "Not Very Soon," Response to NAM, and by UK

By Matthew Russell Lee
www.innercitypress.com/lanka4unfollow031510.html

UNITED NATIONS, March 15 -- Even after the UN says it will belatedly take some action about war crimes in Sri Lanka, , it steps back from its announcement, using as justification a letter whose logic even UN senior advisers find specious.

A week after UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon said he "made clear to President Rajapaksa that I intend to move forward on a Group of Experts which will advise me on setting the broad parameters and standards on the way ahead on establishing accountability concerning Sri Lanka," now there is no timetable for establishing the panel.

Inner City Press asked Ban's spokesman Martin Nesirky on March 15 about the timing, and a pro-Rajapaksa letter submitted to Ban by Egypt's Ambassador on behalf of the Non Aligned Movement. Nesirky, reading from notes, said that the panel is "unlikely to be established very soon." He did not respond about the NAM letter. Video here, from Minute 6:25.

Afterwards, Inner City Press asked a senior Ban adviser, who immediately questioned the logic of the NAM letter. "They will be getting a reply," the adviser promised. While he tried to explain the now announced delay is setting up the panel of experts, one can compare this to the speed with which Ban named a panel on the killing of 150 civilians in Guinea on September 28, 2009.

The panel was named, investigated and has already reported. By contrast, on many more killing in Sri Lanka in early 2009, the UN says that its late announced panel is "unlikely to be established very soon." Why?

Also on Sri Lanka and war crimes, while UK Foreign Secretary David Miliband did not, as UK embassies in the U.S. had appeared to promise, respond to Inner City Press' timely submitted question about the investigation of and accountability for war crimes -- "If Sri Lanka refuses to investigate war crimes does UK think the UN should name a panel of inquiry as in Guinea?" -- the following was later received:

Subject: Sri Lanka
From: Brian.McGuigan, British Embassy, Washington
To: Inner City Press
Date: Fri, Mar 12, 2010

Matthew, We're sorry that the Foreign Secretary was not able to answer your question on Twitter. We'd still like to give you a response from the British Government, however.

This was a war without witness. The UK supports any credible process to address possible violations of international humanitarian law by both sides to the conflict. Such a process could advance the prospects of national reconciliation. Whatever the outcome of the UN process, the GoSL retains primary responsibility to investigate possible war crimes committed on its territory and we urge it to do so.

We will have more on this.

And see, www.innercitypress.com/lanka4unfollow031510.html