Allan Rock going to Sri Lanka on UN fact-finding mission
Former Canadian Minister, appointed today as UN Special Advisor
Highlighting allegations of “grave violations” against children by all parties in the conflict, United Nations Special Representative for Children affected by armed conflict said today she was appointing a Special Adviser to undertake a fact-finding mission to Sri Lanka.
Alan Rock, the erstwhile Canadian UN Ambassador and Justice Minister in the Chrétien Government, was appointed today to this task by Radhika Coomaraswamy, UN Special Representative.
Radhika Coomaraswamy said LTTE “continues to recruit and use child soldiers and the office has also received reports that the Karuna faction has abducted and recruited children under the age of eighteen.”
She added, “besides recruitment of child soldiers, there are also allegations of other grave violations against children by all parties to the conflict,” expressing deep concern about the deteriorating situation in Sri Lanka.
Ambassador Rock has served as the Canadian Ambassador to the UN from 2004 to June 2006. During his short term in New York, Rock has built a solid reputation as a mediator and problem-solver who helped to push through such contentious issues as the responsibility to protect people who are subjected to atrocities, disciplinary measures for countries that force children into their armies as soldiers, and the creation of a new Human Rights Council.
Early in the spring when Ambassador Rock was asked about his intentions to run for the Federal Liberal leadership, he said “I’ve considered it and discussed it with my family, and we’ve decided that there are many ways to serve Canada and I am not going to take part in the leadership race.”
On the eve of his departure from his current position as Canada’s UN Ambassador, Allan Rock told the Toronto Star: “The UN is in trouble on many fronts, we have to find a way to address the North-South gap, to encourage the big powers to abandon unilateral approaches and work collectively — that’s in the interest of everyone, including them.”
According to a UN news release the dates of Ambassador Allan Rock’s trip would be finalized in consultation with Sri Lanka’s Government, UN partners and others.
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The children of Muttichchenai watch as their mothers being trained on self-defence [More Pictures: HA]
