Protests by the supporters of JHU, a ruling coalition partner continued on the second day outside the UN office in Colombo against the UN Chief’s decision to appoint a panel to advise him on accountability issues relating to alleged violations of international human rights and humanitarian law during the final stages of the conflict that ended last year between the Government and the rebel Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE).<br/><br/>United Nations (UN) today registered its strong objections to protests organized outside its offices in Colombo today by a Sri Lankan cabinet minister that prevented the world body’s staff and visitors from entering or leaving the premises.<br/><br/>’While respecting the right of citizens to demonstrate peacefully, preventing access to UN offices hinders the vital work being carried out by the United Nations each day to help the people of Sri Lanka,’ UN spokesperson Farhan Haq told reporters in New York. ‘The Government has provided assurances for the safety and security of our staff and for their full access to their offices,’ he added. ‘We will be closely monitoring developments and trust these commitments will be honoured.’<br/><br/>Hundreds of people took part in the protests on Tuesday in front of the Colombo UN office, which was led by Housing Minister Wimal Weerawansa and which called for an end to the UN advisory panel set up last month by Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon. The three-member panel – comprising Marzuki Darusman of Indonesia, Yasmin Sooka of South Africa and Steven Ratner of the United States – is expected to wrap up its responsibilities within four months of starting work.<br/><br/>Meanwhile, the Sri Lankan government says it understands that those who are demonstrating outside the UN office in Colombo intend to continue with their protest until the UN system revisits the matter of the Panel on Sri Lanka. A statement by the government information department said the government hopes that the UN complex in Colombo would continue to function as normal in the days ahead. It also said that while the protest continues the freedom of entry and exit to and from the complex for authorized personnel will remain constant.