UN SECRETARY-GENERAL BRIEFS ON HIS RECENT VISIT TO

UNCLAS USUN NEW YORK 000571 SIPDIS SENSITIVE E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PREL PGOV PHUM CE SUBJECT: UN SECRETARY-GENERAL BRIEFS ON HIS RECENT VISIT TO SRI LANKA ¶1. (SBU) Summary: On June 5, the Secretary-General briefed members of the Security Council on his recent visit to Sri Lanka as well as on UN assistance to IDPs. The briefing was in an "informal interactive" format, which included the participation of Sri Lankan Permanent Representative Palihakkara. The Secretary-General urged the government to improve the conditions and access in the camps, and said if the camps remain in their "current character," they would eventually be seen as internment camps. He appealed for the release of the three doctors who had remained in the LTTE-controlled area and warned the government to avoid "triumphalism." Along with several Council members, the Secretary-General called for an impartial and independent investigation into allegations of human rights violations. Council members supported the continued efforts of the Secretary-General, although China pointedly said that the situation in Sri Lanka had never been a matter of international peace and security, and that this was even more the case presently. End summary. UN AND SRI LANKA INTERVENTIONS ¶2. (SBU) The Secretary-General reviewed UN efforts over the past months and discussed his recent visit to Sri Lanka, in which he met with representatives from the government and minority populations. He said he was "deeply disturbed by the suffering of civilians" and "expressed solidarity with those under duress." Although there had been improvements in the camps, the Secretary-General said IDPs suffered from "an almost complete lack of movement." If the camps remained in their present character, this would become a political problem and they would be perceived as internment camps, said the Secretary-General. He also called for the release of the three doctors formerly working in LTTE-controlled areas, and called for greater freedom of the press. ¶3. (SBU) Regarding allegations that the UN underplayed its estimate of civilian casualties, the Secretary-General flatly denied this, and said that no matter the number, casualties had been "unacceptably high." He called for all serious allegations of human rights to be fully investigated in an impartial and independent way, and said he had urged the government to ensure that an investigation would be forthcoming. The Secretary-General said he would shortly send a letter to President Rajapaksa reminding him of his commitments made to the UN, and to urge the President to ensure accountability for human rights abuses. ¶4. (SBU) Ambassador Palihakkara spoke next, and thanked the UN and the Secretary-General for their assistance. He said the government,s priority is to take care of its Tamil citizens. Although he acknowledged that the government had not been "100 percent perfect," he said the camps were being run in a progressively open way, in cooperation with NGOs. The government,s next priority will be resettlement; Palihakkara noted the government,s objective to resettle 80 per cent of the IDPs within a year. Palihakkara also echoed the Secretary-General,s warning against triumphalism, and said his government wholeheartedly shared this sentiment. The key would be to politically empower the Tamil minority, said Palihakkara. COUNCIL REACTION ¶5. (SBU) All Council members thanked the Secretary-General for his personal involvement, and urged him to continue this involvement. Council members also noted the importance of the understanding signed between the Secretary-General and President Rajapaksa during the Secretary-General,s visit, and called on the government to abide by their commitments as laid out in the understanding. Austria and France echoed his call for the release of the three doctors, and strongly emphasized the need to investigate allegations of human rights violations. Ambassador DiCarlo said the government,s efforts regarding management of the camps - while improving - were not sufficient. She urged the government to expand access and to ensure that the camp conditions improve quickly. Russia gave a brief statement expressing its full support for the government,s post-conflict efforts. China focused its statement on congratulating the government for its victory and noted that the situation had never been a threat to international peace and security. This was even more the case at the present time, said China. Despite this clear call for no further Council action on this issue, China welcomed the Secretary-General,s further involvement. RICE