An Appeal to Mr Ban Ki Moon to Dissolve the Three-Member Panel on Sri Lanka

The unilateral appointment of the three-person Panel of Experts on justice mechanisms, UN Secretary-General (UNSG) Mr. Ban Ki-Moon has breached his mandate as the CEO of the UN, international norms and incurred grave harm to the office of UNSG and its’ reputation of impartiality.

This act of threat to the tiny Sri Lanka nation is at the behest of the LTTE supporting Tamil Diaspora who continue to actively inflict further misery on the people of Lanka although internally Lanka is now free from the 30-year long terror inflicted by the LTTE nurtured by them with the arm ammunitions and other support.

Whereas:
1. The people of Sri Lanka have finally achieved freedom from the 30-year long terror inflicted by the LTTE and are working hard to maximize their newly found safety and security to build their individual, family and community lives as the people of one-nation;
2. The above state of being ‘free from every day terror and suicide killings and the war with LTTE Terrorists’ was achieved by the government of Sri Lanka, through great sacrifices of security forces, the entire population and the diversion of this poor country’s limited resources to equip those security forces. This delivery of the country back to its’ citizens occurred on 19May, 2009, just over an year ago;
3. In June 2009, United Nations Hunan Rights Council (UNHRC) in Geneva in dealing adequately with this issue has absolved the government of Sri Lanka on all accusations of war crimes during the war by a vote of 29 to 12. UNSG, in violation of his duties, has completely disregarded this decision;
4. During the post-war countrywide democratic elections, Sri Lankan nation has taken a very clear and affirmative stand by re-electing the country’s Chief Executive –The President as well as country’s legislative assembly-the Parliament. Their supreme mandate is ‘REBUILDING THE NATION’ and the UNSG must respect and solemnly support that fundamental collective desire of the nation instead of setting-up road blocks to please those forces hell-bent on trampling Sri Lankan nation.
5. As agreed to, in the joint statement issued by the President of Sri Lanka and The Secretary General of UN on June 23, 2009, Sri Lanka has established a commission on lessons learnt and reconciliation, that is actively investigating war-related issues. UNSG has breached the above undertaking to work with Sri Lanka on this matter, by not supporting the above and instead unilaterally and illegally appointing his own 3-member panel. This breach of trust completely undermines the UNSG’s credibility and responsibility to protect the integrity of all UN member nations; in particular small vulnerable nations such as Sri Lanka.
6. The government of Sri Lanka, now as a nation free from terror gained through its’ own immense sacrifices, justifiably disagrees with the UNSG’s above unauthorized and non-mandated action, as it violates Sri Lanka’s supreme right to search and achieve justice and accountability through its’ own internal investigations.
7. The Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) group of 119 member nations of the UN, Russia, and China who are members of the UN Security Council with veto powers have clearly expressed their objections to this unauthorized, unilateral action by the UNSG to investigate issues relating to internal conflict of Sri Lanka, given the above facts and ground realities.