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At UN, Sri Lanka Serves Quiche for Rights Council Seat, France Missing, UNDP Worker and Gun

Byline: Matthew Russell Lee of Inner City Press at the UN: News Analysis

UNITED NATIONS, May 7 -- Sometimes in the battle of human rights perception, platters of boiled shrimp and cream puffs must be deployed. This happened on May 7 across from the UN, at the Sri Lankan Ambassador's 38th floor apartment over Second Avenue. The country's Foreign Minister Rohitha Bogollagama stood in the apartment's entrance way shaking hands with invitees. Since Sri Lanka is one of six countries running for only four Asian seats on the UN Human Rights Council, Inner City Press asked how the votes were shaping up. But questions and answers weren't the point. Despite the balloting being secret, commitments were being made.

            Inner City Press watched as an Ambassador pledged his nation's fealty to Sri Lanka. One wondered if Bahrain and Timor L'Este, to other competitors, were getting the same commitments. Pakistan, which U.S.-based Freedom House ranked "Not Qualified" like Sri Lanka, is said to be likely to get a seat. Some ascribe this not to the new government, but to the diplomatic and schmoozing skills of Ambassador Munir Akram. His charms may not be working in Islamabad. He has privately conceded his days as Permanent Representative may be numbered. At Wednesday night's event, Akram was praised by other diplomats for having written a dispassionate memo laying about positives and negatives of requesting a UN investigation of the murder of Benazir Bhutto. If that's his last act as Ambassador, one said, it was a classy one. Others say he's still looking for a UN post.

Demonstration about press freedom in Sri Lanka, quiches not shown

            France, Spain and the UK are dueling for two seats on the Council.  UK Ambassador John Sawers moved quickly through the Sri Lankan reception, stopping to jokingly wonder if the croissants being served constituted a Sri Lankan dish. There were also mini-quiches, and Amb. Sawers also attended a Nigerian reception. France, on the other hand, did not appear at either. Whether this attitude, and the "Responsibility to Protect" drama at the Security Council on Wednesday, will prove helpful to France's cause is not known. It's never too late for quiche...

            More seriously, a UN Development Program worker has been suspended in Sri Lanka for smuggling weapons -- or maybe just, one weapon. New UNDP spokesman Stephane Dujarric, asked for comment by Inner City Press, stated that "as soon as we were made aware of the arrest of Mr. Thiyagaraj Prabakaran, while he was off-duty, UNDP cooperated fully with the local authorities. Given the seriousness of the allegations, he is currently suspended. We consider this an isolated incident but all staff in Sri Lanka have been reminded of the importance of maintaining the highest standards of conduct. As soon as I know more about his status, I will let you know. "  We'll be waiting....

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Click here for a Reuters AlertNet piece by this correspondent about Uganda's Lord's Resistance Army. Click here for an earlier Reuters AlertNet piece about the Somali National Reconciliation Congress, and the UN's $200,000 contribution from an undefined trust fund.  Video Analysis here

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