Tamara Lashes Out At Pillay
Tamara Kunanayakam
Sri Lanka’s permanent representative to Geneva, Tamara Kunanayakam, in a letter has accused the UN Human Rights Commissioner for Human Rights, Navi Pillay, and the UN Human Rights Council of following the political agenda of the western world.
In a letter to Pillay, Kunanayakam has said, “your office played a significant role in triggering the adoption of the resolution on Sri Lanka contrary to the mandate granted to the High Commissioner and the Office by the General Assembly.”
Kunanayakam has also questioned the “impartiality, the objectivity and the non-selectivity of the work conducted by the staff of the Office of the Commissioner of Human Rights (OCHR) and their respect for decisions of the Human Rights Council.”
The letter also exposes an email circulated by the Chief of the Asia Pacific Division of her Office, Rory Mungoven. His communications reveal the significant role played by the High Commissioner and her staff in the final adoption of the resolution.
Kunanayakam criticises Mungoven stating that “Mungoven does not have the right to cast aspersions or make negative remarks or draw negative implications from decisions taken by the United Nations organs or bodies.” Mungoven was previously posted in Sri Lanka as the Human Rights Advisor.
Kunanayakam concludes by calling for clarification on the developments that appear to be contrary to the mandates granted to the High Commissioner and her Office by General Assembly resolution 48/141.
Kunanayakam was earlier removed from her post as Permanent Representative to Geneva following Sri Lanka’s defeat at the 19th UNHRC session. She was to originally be sent back to Cuba, where she had served before taking up the post in Geneva.
However, in May Kunanayakam announced that she would not be accepting the new posting and would resign from the diplomatic service, citing a marked change in the international stance of Sri Lanka.
Kunanayakam is now to be replaced in Geneva by Ravinatha Aryasinha, Sri Lanka’s ambassador to Belgium, Luxemburg and the EU. Sri Lanka’s deputy head of mission in Germany, P.M. Amza, will take up the post vacated by Aryasinha.
The Ministry of External Affairs was not available for comment on this letter. The OCHR was also not available for comment.
This is the final attempt by Tamara to please the President to regain her post. It is too late.
Aryasinha has already packed baggages from Brussels to Geneva.
Anyway; gate was closed only after the Horse was bolted.
Anyway, this complain has no validity because, even if this incident is true, this can be seen as manipulated to sabottage the credibility of the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights.
According to GL Peiris, Tamara has suffered from Diperession in the past. This complaint loose its credibility on this ground as well.
Anyway good try by Tamara.
Tamara, everyone is fool like the President who appointed you as an Ambassador to a Super grade station.
If you know what Rajapaksa did to Lakshman Kathirgamar, you wouldn’t agreed to become an Ambasador to Cuba even.
The sam Rajapaksa who prevent Kathirgamar becomeing the Prime Minister has established Kathirgamar instutite for his own benefits.
Sara, That’s utter rubbish…!
Most sane commentators agree this woman has integrity and is a career diplomat.. if so , she has no reason to bother to please anyone and you insult her by even claiming that this is her intent
This letter is simply part of the duties of her post which she is still maintaining.
What’s more, it’s a perfectly valid challenge to the office of the UNHCR which like AI, HRW etc., (as the Canadian Prime Minister has said, ) “cherry pick” their causes -