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Wednesday, June 22, 2011

Ban’s visit to SL not correctly portrayed in the killing fields

The United Nations yesterday said that UN Chief Ban Ki-moon’s visit to Sri Lanka’s northern part during the last stage of the War was not correctly portrayed in the ‘Sri Lanka’s killing filed’ film, that was produced and aired by British Channel 4 news service.

“…the Secretary-General did much more than a whistle-stop tour to one refugee camp, and that he most certainly did speak to refugees in camps in Sri Lanka. This is something that is not correctly portrayed in that film,” Martin Nesirky, Spokesperson for the Secretary-General told media.

Denying reports that the notion that he has ignored the recommendations of the panel, Nesirky said “he (UN Chief) is already implementing the recommendations that deal with the internal workings of the UN at the time with safeguarding the material that was gathered during the course of the Panel of Experts’ work.  And also, to ensure that there will be regular follow-up to keep an eye on the process that is under way through a national mechanism in Sri Lanka.  As for the follow-up, we have repeatedly said that it requires either national consent or a mandate from an intergovernmental body.  And that hasn’t changed.”

Commenting on the Channel 4 film further. The spokesman said  the UN Chief  has been briefed on the film. “He is aware of it.”
DM