The UN Secretary General Ban Ki Moon, who was refused admittance by Colombo at the height of the war, chose to accept its invitation as soon as the war was “won”, accuses Norway’s Ambassador to the United Nations, Mona Juul, whose confidential assessment of Ban sent to Norway’s Foreign Ministry, leaked to Afterposten newspaper of Oslo Wednesday. War in Sri Lanka is an example of the weak handling of the Secretary General. He was a passive observer when thousands lost lives and were driven from their homes, the diplomat further said in her mid term assessment of Ban’s tenure. “Even when it was helpless at the gang-up of certain powers, the UN should have upheld its integrity by telling the truth and exposing the culprits to the world. But Ban and his chosen officials not only failed but also shielded them”, said Tamil circles which look at UN as the ‘fence that ate the crop.’
The ‘leak’ of the diplomatic document, stamped ‘strictly confidential,’ coincides the visit of the Secretary General to Norway scheduled to the end of this month.
Unfortunately, the world is yet to design ways of legally indicting UN officials for their wrongs, said a Human Rights lawyer in Colombo.
Meanwhile, Tamil circles in Norway commented that the Norwegian media, recently seen orchestrating ‘sensational’ news on ‘post-war’ Tiger politics and now exposing UN failure, has also a duty in investigating the role played by Norwegian politicians and diplomats in the failure of arresting the genocide in the island of Sri Lanka.
Details, culled out from the report of Mona Juul follow:
Ban was a conscious choice of the Bush Administration that did not want an active secretary general. But even the current US Administration has not signalled a changed attitude towards him. However there are rumours now that some in Washington call him a ‘one-term secretary general’.
China is happy with Ban’s performance and could be the key to his possible re-election. But Russia is not happy with him over Kosovo and Georgia and for not appointing enough Russians in the UN. Many other nations are negative to him.
At a time when the UN is needed the most by the world, Ban and his staff are conspicuously absent.
There was little UN engagement and appeals fell on deaf ears on the crises of Darfur, Somalia, Pakistan, Zimbabwe and Congo. Failure was also registered on the inspection of Gaza war. Ban’s recent fruitless visit to Burma has made further UN efforts difficult.
Very strangely Ban was almost absent on the area of weapons limitation and proliferation, which he had wished to focus on before his election.
Ban is not visible in attending the global financial crisis and environmental agenda.
The secretary general lacking moral authority is battling to show leadership.
He lacks charisma and his fits of rage make working with him difficult even for experienced co-workers.
The relationship with deputy, Migiro is strained. There are rumours that she is on her way out.
He wants to control everything including press releases.
All the people chosen by him for various tasks failed. The only exception perhaps is Helen Clark, the new chief of UNDP, who has shown results within a short period. She could succeed as secretary general.
There are rumours that Holmes could take over as chief of staff and that Nambiar is about to quit. Holmes is also a possible candidate to take over the political department as the British are focusing on getting the seat back for them.
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