As the Government sent a second reminder to UNICEF Communications Director James Elder to leave Sri Lanka by September 21, Britain has made an appeal that the decision be reconsidered.
British Foreign Secretary David Milliband telephoned Foreign Minister Rohitha Bogollagama to appeal that the expulsion order on the UNICEF official be revoked. A Foreign Ministry official denied foreign agency reports that the matter was now being re-considered and declared there was no change.
The second reminder, in the form of a letter from the Department of Immigration to Mr. Elder, the official spokesperson of UNICEF in Colombo, reminded him that he had to leave Sri Lanka before September 21.
 |
| James Elder |
UNICEF officials reacted angrily to the second letter. A UNICEF official who did not wish to be named described it as an act “that bordered on sarcasm” and was “highly unwarranted.”
However, Immigration Chief P.B. Abeykoon defended his department’s action. “This is routine procedure,” he told the Sunday Times.
Mr. Elder is the highest ranking UN official to be expelled from the country. He had served with UNICEF for the past one year in Sri Lanka.
Although no reason was given for his sudden expulsion, the UN believes that his interaction with the media, both local and foreign may be the main reason.
Mr. Elder repeatedly commented on the bad conditions for Internally Displaced women and children in the welfare camps in Vavuniya. “After all, he was mandated to do just that and this may have annoyed the authorities,” a UN official said. |
E-mail