By Matthew Russell Lee
UNITED NATIONS, May 26 -- The UN's relationship with reports on ethnic violence and war crimes under Secretary General Ban Ki-moon gets more and more convoluted.
On Thursday, Kyrgyzstan's parliament voted to ban from the country Kimmo Kiljunen, the Finnish author of an independent report on last year's ethnic violence from entering the country, saying his findings were a threat to national security.
Inner City Press asked Ban's spokesman Martin Nesirky if Ban or the UN had any comment on Kiljunen being barred from entering Kyrgyzstan. Nesirky began by emphasizing that despite “logistic” support, Kiljunen's was not a UN report. He then said the report could be useful.
If the UN thinks the report could be useful, Inner City Press asked, why no Ban Ki-moon reacting to its author being banned from the country?
Nesirky said again, there would be no comment.
To some, this is similar to Ban's reaction to date to the Sri Lanka war crimes report that, under pressure, he commissioned from a Panel of Experts. While a recommendation was that Ban initiate an investigative mechanism, Ban immediately said that he cannot or will not do this without a vote by the General Assembly, Security Council or Human Rights Council.
It has been pointed out that the investigations are possible without such votes, for example in the case of the Democratic Republic of the Congo Mapping Report. Nesirky told Inner City Press he would respond to this comparison, but has not.
It emerged this week that Ban has not even transmitted the Sri Lanka report to the UN in Geneva.
Now, on another report -- albeit one further removed from the UN -- Ban has no comment on the report's author being banned from the country.
From the UN's May 26 transcript:
Inner City Press: on Kyrgyzstan, this Kimmo Kiljunen.
Spokesperson Martin Nesirky: Kiljunen, Kiljunen, yeah.
Inner City Press: okay, however said, he is now being blocked from the country. The Parliament has voted to bar him because of his report on the violence that was in Kyrgyzstan. Given the UN’s role, you know, and stated… he said that the UN sort of supports his report. Is that true and do you have any comment?
Spokesperson Nesirky: Well, first of all, you know, let’s be clear that it was not a UN report. Some technical, logistical advice was provided to Mr. Kiljunen and those who put together the report. It’s an important step in the right direction. Again, talking about the need for accountability for actions that took place and crimes that were evidently committed last year in Kyrgyzstan.
Inner City Press: but does the UN, if you are thinking it’s a useful thing, what about this, the country now seeking to bar the author of the report. Is that --
Spokesperson Nesirky: Well, that’s really a matter for the Kyrgyz authorities and Mr. Kiljunen. I don’t have any comment on that.
