Ban Appoints Expert Panel

Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today appointed a panel of experts to advise him on accountability issues relating to alleged human rights violations during the final stages of the conflict in Sri Lanka that ended last year.

UN official web site announces the three-member panel will advise Mr. Ban on implementing the commitment on human rights accountability made in the Joint Statement issued by the Secretary-General and Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa after the UN chief visited the island country in May 2009.

Indonesia’s Marzuki Darusman will serve as the chair of the expert panel, and the other two members are Yasmin Sooka of South Africa and Steven Ratner of the United States. The panel is expected to wrap up its responsibilities within four months of starting work.

The experts will examine “the modalities, applicable international standards and comparative experience with regard to accountability processes, taking into account the nature and scope of any alleged violations in Sri Lanka,” according to a statement issued by Mr. Ban’s spokesperson.

Last week B. Lynn Pascoe, the Under-Secretary-General for Political Affairs, visited Sri Lanka and held talks with Mr. Rajapaksa, senior Government officials, Opposition leaders and representatives of the Tamil and Muslim communities and civil society groups.

The UN official said that the Sri Lankan government had been informed of the panel named last night. The government has so far strongly objected to moves by the UN chief to form the panel but there was no immediate reaction to the news last night.

However, External Affairs Minister G.L Peiris had what he termed as an “urgent” meeting with President Mahinda Rajapaksa last evening, and it is believed that the naming of the panel by the UN Chief may have been discussed. The Minister who was attending the launch of a website yesterday evening said that he had to cut short his participation at the event as he had to attend an urgent meeting with the President.