UNITED NATIONS, April 14 -- Questions about the UN in Sudan focus not only on the dubious quality of electoral technical assistance, but also impartiality. Most recently the Justice and Equality Movement has criticized the UN's handpicking of representatives of internally displaced people, arguing that the selections are intended to make Omar Al Bashir look good.
The UN feigns surprise, and then offers vague denials. From the April 14 noon briefing transcript:
Inner City Press: on Sudan, the Justice and Equality Movement [JEM] has raised concerns about the way in which UNAMID [African Union-United Nations Hybrid Operation in Darfur] and the Joint Mediator [for Darfur], Mr. [Djibril] Bassolé, are selecting IDP representatives for the Doha process. They are saying, I guess according to them, that the selection is untransparent and is being done in a way that is pro-Government and slated to make things look better than they are in Darfur. I wanted to know… and you can read it; it is by Ahmed Hussein, the spokesman of JEM. What I am wondering is what is the UN, UNAMID, and Mr. Bassolé’s criteria for selecting IDP representatives? And I also wanted to just follow up of yesterday’s -- how do we get questions answered by Mr. Bassolé, including his recruitment of a seeming UN staff member to be a representative in the Doha process?
Spokesperson Nesirky: Well, Mr. Bassolé’s office has informed us of the following: Dr. Al-Tijani Al-Sissi [Ateem] is a former employee of the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (ECA). He has never been employed by any UN entity headed by the Joint Chief Mediator. He is taking part in the negotiations now in his personal capacity and no longer has any institutional links to the United Nations. The Mediator is aware that Dr. Tijani was a UN staff member and that he has resigned. That is what I have for you from Mr. Bassolé’s office.
[The Spokesperson later added that UNAMID has taken note of the criticism from JEM and believes that its approach to civil society selection is methodical and well thought out.]
Inner City Press: The reason it would be good to be in touch with that office is that ECA has said that in February of this year, that when he travelled to Doha, he was still an ECA staff member. He was invited by the Joint Mediator. So the question really is, in what capacity was he invited? Was he already invited as a participant in the talks reportedly representing the Fur people, or was he invited as a UN staff member? And if he was invited as a participant, how does it square with the UN staff rules, because he did not stop getting paid until March? Who paid for his travel?
Spokesperson: Matthew, you asked me that question after the briefing yesterday, and you also asked Nick Birnback the same question, and both of us have said we will find out and give you the information. If I had had it to give to you now, I would have given it to you. What I have given is what I have.
And so we'll wait for more. Watch this site.
