Sri Lanka: UN protests over hauling down of its flags in Tamil separatist area

A group of 60 people forced their way into United Nations compounds yesterday in an area of Sri Lanka controlled by the separatist Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) and hauled down UN flags that were flying at half-mast as a sign of respect for assassinated Foreign Minister Lakshman Kadirgamar.

“The United Nations condemns these kinds of incidents in the strongest possible terms,” the UN Resident Coordinator (UNRC) said in a statement today, protesting to the separatist group over the incident as it took place in LTTE-controlled Kilinochchi.

“We are here to serve the needs of all the people of Sri Lanka and we expect that UN staff and property should be respected and protected if we are able to fulfil our mission,” the statement added.

The compounds in Kilinochchi included the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR), UN Development Programme (UNDP) and UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF).

“The United Nations is disturbed and saddened by the incidents that took place in Kilinochchi,” the statement said.