Special Advisor on children and Armed conflict visiting Sri lanka
New York, 6 November 2006– Ms. Radhika Coomaraswamy, UN Special Representative for Children and Armed Conflict, announces that her Special Advisor on Sri Lanka, Ambassador Allan Rock is visiting the country from 6 to 14 November 2006, upon the invitation of the Government of Sri Lanka.
Ambassador Rock is undertaking this field mission to ascertain first hand the situation with a view to engaging with all the stakeholders to ensure greater protection for children affected by the conflict.
Ambassador Allan Rock will have a constructive dialogue with the Government of Sri Lanka on these issues. In addition, he will meet with the representatives of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) and the Karuna Faction on their obligations to protect children. He will also engage in discussions with United Nations partners, civil society and other relevant actors throughout Sri Lanka.
Upon his return, a report on his field visit will be presented to the Security Council Working Group on Children and Armed Conflict.
Ambassador Allan Rock has served as the Canadian Ambassador to the United Nations from 2004 to 2006 and served as Chair of the Group of Friends of the Office of the Special Representative for Children and Armed Conflict. He has worked extensively on human rights issues and was involved in the establishment of the UN Human Rights Council and the Peacebuilding Commission.
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For further information, please contact:
Laurence Gerard, Liaison Officer, Office of the Special Representative of the Secretary General for Children Affected by Armed Conflict, United Nations, New York. Telephone: 1 212 963 0984. E-mail: gerardl@un.org.
Orla Clinton – United Nations Resident Coordinator's Spokesperson, Colombo, Sri Lanka.
Telephone: + 94 773207505 – +94 11 452886/ext 286 – E-mail: clinton@un.org
