The Khashoggi murder and the UN's double standards

The World Association of Newspapers and News Publishers (WAN-IFRA), the largest association of news organisations globally, has called for the United Nations to spearhead an independent criminal investigation into the gruesome murder of the US- based Saudi Arabian journalist Jamal Khashoggi in Turkey.

WAN-IFRA adds that the investigation, which the US spy agency CIA has linked directly to the Saudi Crown Prince, must be backed by meaningful, decisive action from states with the capacity to hold Saudi Arabia to account -- a reference to the US and Western nations that do business with the kingdom.

Mr. Khashoggi's murder cannot go unanswered says WANIFRA and adds that it cannot be "business as usual", which does nothing but perpetrate a level of impunity that chills the entire profession of journalism.

It was only last week that the UN went to the extent of asking Sri Lankan soldiers with its peacekeeping operations to return home on the basis of what they called having "credible evidence" of war crimes committed by the newly appointed Army Commander of Sri Lanka. Where are the Western human rights organisations in getting the UN to act against Saudi Arabia?

Sri Lanka has not been without its share of attacks against journalists in the bad old days of not so long ago. With a Presidential election due next month, prospective candidates will no doubt parrot solemn pledges to uphold press freedom and individual liberties only to kick them in the face once anointed to high office. The example of the International Community led by the UN that speaks so forcefully on human rights and press freedom in some parts of the world, and not others, is not one to set for tin-pot dictators, the likes of which exist in Saudi Arabia.