By Matthew Russell Lee
www.innercitypress.com/un1bygones110409.html
UNITED NATIONS, November 4, updated Nov. 5 -- As the cancellation of the fraud triggered run off election in Afghanistan was called illegal by challenger Abdullah Abdullah, UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon in London called on him to "let those bygones be bygones."
Some wondered how this reflected the UN's commitment to democracy and the rule of law, and bigger picture, to impunity. President al Bashir of Sudan for example, or indicted Timorese militia leader Maternus Bere, might say bygones should be bygones. But what if it's illegal?
Inner City Press asked Ban's spokesperson Michele Montas about the "let those bygones be bygones" quote, and if Ban and the UN are saying that the Karzai dominated IEC's decision is legal. "We are not passing judgment on that," Ms. Montas said. Video here, from Minute 12.
But the UN's Kai Eide, as soon as Abdullah Abdullah dropped out of the second round due to fraud in the first, called for "timely" conclusion. And the UN has de facto given its blessing since.
Citing Afghanistan, Ban Ki-moon went to the General Assembly seeking more money for security. But sources in the UN's Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions tell Inner City Press that the Secretariat didn't file a budget request for Security along with its other requests, and that a management report on DSS which was requested in the 62nd General Assembly two years ago still has not been filed.
"He shouldn't be too opportunistic," an ACABQ member told Inner City Press. Ms Montas on Wednesday refused to comment, saying, "I cannot get involved in the business of ACABQ." Video here, from Minute 17:20.
Footnote: Likewise on the issue of impunity, this time in Timor Leste, Inner City Press asked about the recent release of Maternus Bere, indicted for crimes against humanity by a UN-supported court. Did the UN try to stop him from leaving Timor for Indonesia? Video here, from Minute 21:33.
"There was nothing the UN could do," Montas said. "We learned of the transfer as anyone else did. I have to get more information before I give you the Secretary General's opinion." We'll be waiting.
Update of Nov. 5 -- subsequently, on Timor at least, the UN provided a canned statement, below from the transcript, for a Nov. 5 Afghanistan development at the UN, click here. Nov. 5 read out:
"I was asked yesterday about our views concerning reports that Maternus Bere, who was indicted for crimes against humanity allegedly committed in 1999 in what was then East Timor, has gone to Indonesia. The UN Mission in Timor-Leste (UNMIT) says that it has no information on the circumstances of Bere’s return to Indonesia.
The United Nations position that there should be no impunity, especially for serious crimes, including crimes against humanity, war crimes and genocide, is well known. In the case of Maternus Bere, it is our position that Mr. Bere should be brought to justice. We have made this position clear on numerous occasions.
We have seen the media reports indicating that Maternus Bere was transferred to Indonesia late last week. We were not aware of this transfer and have yet to receive official confirmation that such a transfer took place. For us, any act that undermines the rule of law, particularly with respect to accountability for serious crimes, is deeply regrettable.
I’d like to recall that the Secretary-General expressed his hope in last month’s report to the Security Council that 'the Governments of both Timor-Leste and Indonesia will ensure that Maternus Bere is brought to justice, taking into account the report of the Commission of Experts appointed in 2005.'"
