VIDEO: Ban voices concern about lack of progress on key issues in Sri Lanka
March 9, 2010 08:00 am
Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today expressed concerns about
the lack of progress on political reconciliation, the treatment of internally
displaced persons (IDPs) and the setting up of an accountability process in
Mr. Ban told reporters that he had “a frank and honest exchange
of views” last Thursday about these subjects during a telephone conversation
with President Mahinda Rajapaksa of
The Secretary-General and UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay have both voiced concern about the situation in the island nation, and Mr. Ban said last month that the Under-Secretary-General for Political Affairs B. Lynn Pascoe will soon head to the island nation for talks with senior Government officials.
Speaking at UN Headquarters, Mr. Ban said today that he was “concerned with the lack of progress of the joint statement,” particularly political reconciliation, the condition of IDPs and the need for an accountability process.
Government forces defeated the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) in May last year, ending a civil war that had flared on and off for more than two decades. The conflict left hundreds of thousands of civilians displaced.
“I 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
That accountability concerns possible breaches of international humanitarian law or abuses of human rights carried out during the conflict.
UN