UNICEF protests expulsion of spokesman from Sri Lanka, rejects allegations of bias

UNICEF upset at Sri Lanka’s expulsion of official

COLOMBO, Sri Lanka — The United Nations children’s agency expressed concern Tuesday about Sri Lanka’s decision to expel its spokesman and rejected allegations that it was biased against the government during the recently ended 25-year civil war.

The government announced Sunday it had revoked the residency visa of UNICEF spokesman James Elder.

“UNICEF is extremely concerned and disappointed with the Sri Lankan government’s decision,” executive director Ann Veneman said in a statement.

Immigration Commissioner P.B. Abeykoon gave no reason for the decision, but said Elder must leave the country by Sept. 21. Local media say authorities were angered by Elder’s remarks on the plight of children caught up in the government offensive against the Tamil Tiger rebels.

The government routed the rebels in May.

As fighting peaked earlier this year, the U.N. and other human rights groups said thousands of civilians, many of them children, were being killed.

“Through Mr. Elder, UNICEF has consistently spoken out against the suffering of children on both sides of the intense hostilities earlier this year and called for their protection. UNICEF unequivocally rejects any allegation of bias,” Veneman said.

At U.N. headquarters in New York, a spokesman said Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon “strongly regrets” the expulsion said that he would talk to President Mahinda Rajapaksa about it as soon as possible. Rajapaksa is scheduled to attend the upcoming ministerial meeting of the U.N. General Assembly in New York that starts Sept. 23.

“The secretary-general expresses his full confidence in the work of the United Nations in Sri Lanka, which includes making public statements when necessary, in an effort to save lives,” U.N. associate spokesman Farhan Haq said.

The rebels were fighting for an independent homeland for Sri Lanka’s ethnic minority Tamils in a conflict the U.N. says killed between 80,000-100,000 people.