The United Nations Staff Union and its Standing Committee on the
Security and Independence of the International Civil Service regret
the continuing detention and harassment of United Nations staff
members in Sri Lanka.
The actions by the Sri Lankan authorities against United Nations
staff members in Sri Lanka violate international instruments dealing
with the privileges, immunities and independence of United Nations
officials. In particular, detained staff must not be held without
charge and must be brought before a civilian court. The freedom of
movement of United Nations staff to do their work must be ensured.
The recent action of Sri Lanka to detain two national staff
members appears to be a campaign against United Nations personnel,
which is illegal under international law. Authorities have been
arresting, without explanation, United Nations staff members,
initially refusing to provide access to them by United Nations
officials.
On 20 June, the United Nations Country Team in Sri Lanka said
that two of its national staff members, one from UNHCR and one from
the United Nations Office for Project Services, had been arrested.
The staff members had been reported as missing eight days earlier,
after which it emerged that they had been taken into custody. The
Country Team was not aware if any charges had been laid, nor of the
details of any accusations, and requested details as to the basis on
which the staff members were being held. The two men, both ethnic
Sri Lankan Tamils, were working as drivers in the northern region of
Vavuniya.
The Committee calls upon the Secretary-General to demand the Sri
Lankan Government to release all United Nations staff members held
without charge, not to restrict the movements of United Nations
personnel and to respect the independence of all United Nations
staff, in accordance with international
