By Matthew Russell Lee
www.innercitypress.com/un1afgpak100509.html
UNITED NATIONS, October 5 -- With the UN in Afghanistan accused of siding with Hamid Karzai and covering up fraud, while the UN World Food Program in Islamabad got bombed and five staff members killed, Secretary General Ban Ki-moon's spokesperson Michele Montas faced a slew of questions on "Af-Pak" on Monday.
One reporter asked if the UN thinks there is any connection between the allegations against it in Kabul and the bombing in Pakistan. No, Ms Montas insisted. She said that the Iraqi staff member killed, Mr. Botan Ahmed Ali Al-Hayawi, survived a previous bombing of the UN in Peshawar.
Inner City Press asked Ms. Montas, since Afghan challenge Abdullah Abdullah has noted the lack of a UN investigation of its envoy Kai Eide, if the UN Office of Internal Oversight Services is beginning such a review. No, Ms. Montas said. One question is, why not?
Regarding Islamabad, while it might not be the right day to ask it, UN Development Program sources tell Inner City Press that UNDP had been charged with improving UN system security in Islamabad, possibly moving to a single UN system building in the diplomatic zone.
These sources muse that when UNDP Administrator Helen Clark met with Pakistan's representative, rather than security the topic was how to protect Pakistan's interests in connection with Bangladesh's announced investigative tribunal into war crimes, which UNDP was supposed to assist. Ms. Clark has yet to do a press conference in the UN briefing room.
The UN Staff Union aimed the blame yet wider, issuing a statement that
"The Staff Union is extremely concerned that the United Nations administration has not implemented all necessary safety and security arrangements to protect its staff. The Staff Union calls for an investigation to determine the circumstances related to this attack, especially since this incident was not without warning, occurred after two United Nations staff members were killed in the 9 June suicide attack on a hotel in Peshawar, and took place after the tightening of security that was a result of last year’s attack on the Marriott Hotel in Islamabad. "
And still, no action of the post-Algier so called "Accountability" report by the UN. Nor any OIOS investigation of Kai Eide. And so it goes at the UN.
