UN workers in LTTE custody
UN negotiated clandestinely with LTTE – official

by Shamindra Ferdinando, Island

The UN is believed to have secretly negotiated for the release of two UN workers held by the LTTE in the Vanni. The Colombo-based UN bigwigs, The Island learns, kept the seizure under wraps believing that the LTTE would eventually free them.

Well informed sources said that the UN headquarters too, had been informed of the unprecedented act of terrorism directed against the UN staff. But an influential section of the Colombo-based diplomatic community has strived to resolve the dispute without bringing it to the notice of the government. The UN should have brought the incident immediately to the notice of the government.

The LTTE has accused the UN staffers, identified as Sri Lankan Tamils, of helping Tamils flee the LTTE-held region. Civilians are fleeing the region amidst signs that heavy fighting could erupt in the region. Both the army and the LTTE are strengthening their positions in the region as the military tightens its grip on the eastern theatre of operations.

The UN is believed to have brought this to the notice of the government a few days ago after all its efforts failed to convince the LTTE.

The LTTE is believed to have detained UN workers nearly a month ago.

The sources said that so-called human rights champions are silent over the latest atrocity. Those who accuse the government of death and destruction at the drop of a hat are turning a Nelsonian eye, the sources said. The detention of two employees of the world body was a case in point, the sources said.

An official pointed out that those who strongly object to security forces and police subjecting an employee of a NGO or staff of an international relief agency at a checkpoint are mum. The LTTE has told the UN that anyone challenging their authority would have to face the consequences. A senior Defence Ministry official said that both the print and electronic media which champion the cause of the LTTE are silent.

He said that a section of the international community has the tendency to shield the LTTE. Authoritative sources said that some international players wanted to protect the image of the LTTE despite it being proscribed by several countries and is on the UN List of Shame for conscripting children.

The sources said that the IRIN should focus on the ground situation, particularly the effect the LTTE tactics were having on the civilian community. Starting in mid-April 2007, IRIN is to include Sri Lanka in its international humanitarian news and analysis service.

IRIN, a service of the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), will highlight the efforts of the humanitarian community to deal with the needs of more than 300,000 displaced Sri Lankans who have been fleeing conflict over the last year, often to live in situations of stark deprivation and continued insecurity, OCHA said.

IRIN also plans to cover protection concerns, including the situation of children associated with armed forces and major human rights issues.