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UN disowns statements by Weiss

27 April 2011 04:00 pm - 13     - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

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The United Nations does not endorse any statements made by its former UN spokesman Gordon Weiss, the Colombo UN office said today.

“Mr. Weiss is a former spokesman who was based in Colombo and his comments are his personal views on the situation that prevailed at the time. They don’t reflect those of the UN,” Colombo UN spokesman Tom Hockley told the Daily Mirror.

After the UN Experts’ Panel report was released, Mr. Weiss is reported to have made some controversial statements on the final stages of the war.

He had called for the investigation of foreign governments that supplied weapons to the Sri Lankan military during the last stages of the war.

“If foreign governments knew what was going on at this stage of the war and continued to supply arms, then I think it is a matter worthy of investigation,” he told the media, adding that the Indian government was aware of the situation in the North during the final stages of the war.

“I believe that Indians were aware of the civilian casualties, because they had pretty good intelligence inside the siege zone,” Mr. Weiss had said.

He claimed that although he was aware of the situation prevailing during the final stages of the war and he had discovered further facts while preparing his book.

“I was aware of it, a lot of it, but a lot of it I learned in the process of researching my own book in the year afterwards,” he told ABC Lateline in Australia. (Dianne Silva)

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  Comments - 13

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  • AKALYIA Thursday, 28 April 2011 01:21 AM

    It is true, what he said. UN could have prevented the civilians death. What cost they achived this.

    shehan jayawardene Thursday, 28 April 2011 01:31 AM

    The truth can be coverd up for awhile but it can never be hidden for too long. The Rajapaksa Government sowed the wind now they are reaping the whirlwind!

    Fayad Thursday, 28 April 2011 01:52 AM

    too many cooks spoil the soup !!!!!!!!!!

    Sri Lankan Thursday, 28 April 2011 02:20 AM

    Mr. Weiss just wants to sell his book and make a quick buck!

    Amused Thursday, 28 April 2011 02:21 AM

    Ah, so this poor fellow just wants to sell his book :)

    Kasturi Thursday, 28 April 2011 02:39 AM

    This lier try to gain some economic benefits by selling his book to who are interested in Sri Lankan war. These fabricated stories will be enjoyed by those who are against the peaceful atmosphere in Sri Lanka prevailing now. UN report also based on the stories like this. Even in recent documentary done by Channel 4, has twisting stories such as showing the vehicle yard, those were stolen by LTTE during their period, and kept for identification process, by owners of them.

    Warmonger Thursday, 28 April 2011 02:44 AM

    Too many CROOKS spoil the soup.

    Upul Thursday, 28 April 2011 03:03 AM

    You may not like Rajapaksha. But this not an issue with Rajapaksha. It is an issue with SL. Sri Lanka destroyed LTTE without listening to Western countries (US/UK/EU) who were trying to save LTTE at the eleveth hour. So western countries are not happy. That is all about this nonsense.
    Think of country before the politics. (That is what some UNP / JVP supporters have failed to do and they wanted to get rid of Rajapaksha with Western help)

    Upul Thursday, 28 April 2011 03:14 AM

    Yes. They could have stopped by saving LTTE short time. Then LTTE would have started killing thousands of people again as they did in all previous occasions. We would be still counting death bodies daily. Destroying LTTE could have taken lives of certain innocent people who had been kept as a human shield. Definitely not in ten thousands. But for that also LTTE to be blamed. It is true tens of thousands LTTE members died during the battle. It seems this guy has counted the terorist and army soldies being killed in the battle field.

    DUWI Thursday, 28 April 2011 03:01 AM

    If Mr. Weiss was so concerned of civilians in the war zone, why didn't he get his superiors in the UN to get the LTTE to release them????

    This shows the ulterior motives of the organisations and their people concerned.

    Ravana Thursday, 28 April 2011 03:19 AM

    Now Ban Ki Moona is in trouble. Lets see how he deals with China, India, Israel, Pakistan and other powers who supplied us with arms and training and other support. Am I forgetting that USA too gave us training at one stage.

    punchi Thursday, 28 April 2011 03:27 AM

    Very true. Dont we know how we suffered at the clutches of the LTTE. Eg: At the Central Bank bombing in SL 1996 My aunt lost her eyes who is going to replays that NAVI Pillai

    baduge Thursday, 28 April 2011 06:55 PM

    Well said, Upul!! It's not about Rajapaksa. It's about us, the Sri Lankans. West want us to take the beating of LTTE forever so they can have us as their dependents forever. Who else had the backbone to stand against the mighty West and destroy the terrorism in SL! No matter what happens, Rajapaksa will remain in SL history as a hero. West is doing him a favor to achieve that status.


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