Stalling, obfuscation mirror UN's actions before Srebrenica genocide

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 22 April 2009, 16:19 GMT]
"This same type of deliberate stalling, delaying and obfuscation by United Nations Officials preceded and occurred during the course of the genocidal massacre at Srebrenica. Of course these UN Officials were then (and are still today) acting at the behest of the Permanent Members of the Security Council, who supported Serbia taking over the Srebrenica "safe-haven" as designated by the Security Council, no matter what the cost to the innocent civilians seeking refugee there," said Prof. Francis Boyle, professor of International Law at the University of Illinois College of Law, in a note sent to TamilNet, commenting on the denial at the United Nations to have Security Council hearings on the humanitarian situation in Sri Lanka.

"Today, they are all guilty of aiding and abetting Sri Lanka's genocide against the Tamils in violation of the 1948 Genocide Convention.

"History will hold them all accountable, including and especially the United Nations and its Highest Level Officials such as Ban Ki-Moon, Nambiar and Holmes.

"Under the terms of the United Nations Charter Chapter XV, the UN Secretariat and thus these UN Officials are legally independent of the United Nations Security Council. These UN Officials have a separate and independent obligation to uphold the Purposes and Principles of the UN Charter no matter what the U.N. Security Council Members might tell them to do.

"Article 1(3) of the UN Charter provides in relevant part that one of the "Purposes of the United Nations" is "promoting and encouraging respect for human rights and for fundamental freedoms for all without distinction as to race, sex, language or religion."

"Within Chapter XV of the Charter, article 99 expressly provides:"The Secretary-General may bring to the attention of the Security Council any matter which in his opinion may threaten the maintenance of international peace and security."

"UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon must immediately convene an Emergency Meeting of the Security Council in order "to prevent" the ongoing genocide against the Tamils by Sri Lanka as required by the 1948 Genocide Convention, Prof. Boyle said.

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