UN Blocks Press From Rwanda Minister Photo Op, of DSG and UN Women, Bloggers Blocked Too?

By Matthew Russell Lee
www.innercitypress.com/un1phoblog071910.html

UNITED NATIONS, July 19 -- The UN on Monday barred any media except its own UN Photo unit from the beginning of a meeting between Deputy Secretary General Asha Rose Migiro and Louise Mushikiwabo, the Foreign Minister of Rwanda who is a finalist to head the UN Women agency.

Inner City Press has exclusively reported the candidacy of Ms. Mushikiwabo to take the UN Women top post, about which Inner City Press asked DSG Migiro on July 16. When DSG Migiro's official schedule for July 19 included a 5:30 meeting with Ms. Mushikiwabo, Inner City Press went to cover it with UN Photo.

There was without question a photo op: UN Photo had been asked to come to memorialize the meeting. But Inner City Press was told to place a separate call to UN Media Accreditation and Liaison Unit, to gain access. MALU called and was told that the meeting was open -- it had to be, since UN Photo would be there. MALU sent a staff member to the North Lawn building, who summoned a UN Security officer to screen Inner City Press.

Upstairs, in the DSG's conference room with its view of the East River, Ms. Mushikiwabo and her staff arrived first. It was noted that DSG Migiro does not like chairs in the photo op, so chairs were dragged to the side. Inner City Press took a photograph, but was told by Ms. Mushikiwabo's colleague “don't take photos yet.”

There was a pause -- Inner City Press followed the rules and did not even try to ask about UN Women -- and then the MALU staffer was summoned into the hall. What could the problem be?

When the MALU staffer returned, he told Inner City Press to leave. No explanation was given.

“We don't mind if you stay and take pictures,” Minister Mushikiwabo said.

“It's not up to them,” Inner City Press was told. It was the UN's call, to restrict even this photo op to the UN's own in-house media. There are totalitarian states that operate this way. Ironically, Rwanda and Mushikiwabo favor restrictions on the press. But the UN?

One might surmise that the UN's paranoia in this case means that Ms. Mushikiwabo is actually quite close to the job. But it could just be paranoia. Watch this site.

Footnote: in other UN versus the press news, while Inner City Press earlier reported that the UN Department of Public Information was near to finally including bloggers in its accreditation guidelines, for now that has been blocked by UN DPI. The UN Correspondents Association, after an internal discussion including Inner City Press, submitted a series of proposed changes to the accreditation guidelines to DPI, with the word “blogger” included.

DPI accepted all of the changes EXCEPT bloggers. This version was nearly finalized on July 16, until objection was raised. Now it appears that UNCA will meet again, and DPI and its chief -- and “blogger” -- Kiyotaka Akasaka will be asked to explain their aversion to including bloggers. Watch this site.

And see, www.innercitypress.com/un1phoblog071910.html

Sri Lanka Panel Holds 1st Meeting in NYC, "Doesn't Need UN Permission" for Colombo Visit, of Darusman Fees and Sea Bass

By Matthew Russell Lee
www.innercitypress.com/sri1experts071910.html

UNITED NATIONS, July 19 -- The UN Panel on Accountability in Sri Lanka began to meet on July 19, Inner City Press can report. This starts the four month time line for them to produce a report, at least on the compliance of Sri Lanka's “Lessons Learnt” panel with international standards for inquiries into war crimes.

At 1:30 pm on July 19, panel members Marzuki Darusman, Yasmin Sooka and Steven Ratner met in the UN's North Lawn building. At that moment, at latest, the four month clock began.

Along with chit chatting about what hotels they are staying in and where to go to dinner, Ratner noted that since UN Spokesman Martin Nesirky said it would be up to the panel whether to seek to visit Sri Lanka, “we don't have to ask the UN's permission.”

The Rajapaksa government has already said it will deny visas, which Darusman called “unfortunate.”

As Inner City Press has previously reported, and has now further confirmed with colleagues in Colombo, Sri Lankan government sources are pitching the tale of Darusman bickering about fees for his prior position on a Sri Lankan panel when it disbanded.

While the motives of such pitches are clear, less clear is why the Ban Ki-moon administration or one of its advisers would have given the Rajapaksas such an easy issue to work with. We will have more on this.

On July 19, Darusman said he was just in from Jakarta. Ratner, in from Ann Arbor, Michigan, noted that the UN listed hotels, that the UN will pay for, don't in fact have a UN rate. The Bentley, he said, is still not too expensive.

There was a discussion of the more expensive Millennium Hotel, and of meeting over dinner in the Italian restaurant across the street.

It is Padre Figlio; inquiry by Inner City Press mid-day Monday found $86 Porterhouse steak on the menu. (In fairness, it is for two. A single portion of Chilean sea bass costs $32).

Having met with the Department of Political Affairs of Lynn Pascoe -- Pascoe later confirmed meeting with them, and joked he was betting who quickly Inner City Press would discover and report on the Experts' presence -- the panel was set to meet with Nicholas “Fink” Haysom at 2 pm. They were then observed, at 3:17 p.m., leaving the UN campus and entering the DC-1 building, with the Millennium Hotel, at 3:20 pm. The four month time clock, and expense accounts, have begun.

And see, www.innercitypress.com/sri1experts071910.html

At UN, Gay Rights Debated, NGO Admitted as Egypt, Saudi Arabia & Russia Call It Selective

By Matthew Russell Lee
www.innercitypress.com/un6ngoglbt071910.html

UNITED NATIONS, July 19 -- The culture war at the UN, to block the granting to the International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission, re-ignited on July 19 in the ECOSOC committee. The blocking was over-ridden, and the non governmental organization granted consultative status with the UN, on a vote of 23 in favor, 13 against, and 13 abstaining.

As Inner City Press exclusively reported in June, in the NGO Committee the application of IGLHRC was “deferred” at the request of Egypt, China and Russia among others.

On July 19, US Deputy Permanent Representative Rosemary DiCarlo introduced an ECOSOC resolution to overrule the NGO Committee and grant consultative status to IGLHRC. In statements before the vote, Saudi Arabia and Egypt outright opposed the group and U.S. motion.

Eight more speakers signed up. Belgium's Permanent Representative Grauls, on behalf of the European Union, spoke in favor of IGLHRC, saying a “no” vote would be discrimination. Norway and UK DPR Parham echoed this, as did Argentina, where gay marriage was just legalized.

St. Lucia questioned if gay and lesbian rights are the priority in this time of economic crisis, and answered “no.”

Australia tried to respond to St. Lucia, but Ambassador Maged of Egypt cut in that the time for general statements had passed. So, a rare attempt at actual debate in the UN was immediately cut off, by a diplomat said to be seeking a UN job.

The voting began, then was halted by a point of order. "What does the Present button mean?" Then a question, are your votes reflect correctly on the screen? But the screen was black.

The resolution passed, the NGO was admitted, 23 in favor, 13 against, 13 abstaining and some not voting, including Iraq. Those voting no included China, Russia, Velezuela, Morocco, Malaysia, Egypt and Pakistan. Abstainers included Turkey, India, Ghana and Ukraine...

Note: Seven hours after Inner City Press published the above report, President Obama and Ambassador Susan Rice issued statements praising the vote, and other media then covered it.

And see, www.innercitypress.com/un6ngoglbt071910.html

At UN, As Arms Trade Treaty Is Taken Behind Closed Doors, NGOs Protest the Private Club of Member States

By Matthew Russell Lee
www.innercitypress.com/un1attngo071910.html

UNITED NATIONS, July 18 -- Who's against an Arms Trade Treaty? Morocco, for example, is for it: it is against the transfer of weapons to the Polisario Front in Western Sahara. Algeria, it is said, is against the ATT. It is not always easy to know.

Last week the non governmental organizations following the negotiations were thrown out of the meetings by the Chairman of the First Preparatory Committee for the UN Conference on the ATT, Ambassador Roberto Garcia Moritan of Argentina.

Inner City Press, which had asked Moritan questions about the ATT as it began on July 12, asked UN Associate Spokesperson Farhan Haq about the expulsion of the NGOs. Haq answered after the briefing:

"We are not aware of any exclusions from the Arms Trade Treaty meetings in New York. On its first day, the Preparatory Committee agreed on the modalities for participation in the ATT and agreed that NGOs could attend open sessions. NGOs were admitted immediately after the decision was taken on Monday."

After checking with NGO representatives, who protested that what Haq said wasn't true, Inner City Press asked again. This time, the answer came from Ewen Buchanan of the UN Office for Disarmament Affairs:

“Dear Matthew, The modalities for the participation of NGOs in the ATT process were agreed on Monday. As you will see from this (which although called draft) was adopted on Monday, it states that 'may attend open meetings.' In accordance with their rules, the Member States declared the afternoon session today (and a number of others in the future) to be closed and NGOs and others were (and will be) accordingly asked to leave.”

This of course is a tautology. The moment NGOs are thrown out, it is no longer an “open” meeting. The NGOs say that without notice, and by his own decision, Moritan threw them out on July 15 from what they say are the most substantive sessions. When they asked why, he canceled a meeting with them, calling them “unhelpful.”

This stands in contrast to public face that Moritan showed the Press at his July 9 press conference. His answer were sometime inane, but always delivered with a smile. Inner City Press asked if the ATT might only benefit governments, including those seeking to cut off weapons flows to rebel or insurgent groups. Video here.

That will be discussed by member states, Moritan answered. But that's just the point.

If the ATT is just another way to monopolize force in the hands of states, might it not have less than progressive impacts in such places as Karamoja in Uganda, where the Museveni government has used UN and UNDP funds for the forcible disarmament of the pastoralists who oppose him?

Moritan claimed that “of course” the ATT would prohibit arms transfers to, for example, Rwanda during the genocide. But would it? Who would decide? Inner City Press asked Morigan, what about Sudan? Video here.

These are the questions on which some of the NGOs wish to be heard. But now they've been excluded, and say the UN and Moritan have lied about it. If the means are the ends, these problems are getting worse. We aim to have more on this -- watch this site.

And see, www.innercitypress.com/un1attngo071910.html

Probe of Afghan Murder of UN Staffer Maxwell Stalled by “Cultural Sensitivity,” Starr Says, Glitch of Karzai Firing

By Matthew Russell Lee
www.innercitypress.com/un5maxstarr071810.html

UNITED NATIONS, July 18 -- The murder by Afghan National Forces of UN Security officer Louis Maxwell last October is supposed to now be investigated by the Hamid Karzai government.

Inner City Press has learned that the Karzai administration has yet to do anything, and now that the UN is only half heartedly following up, for reasons of “cultural sensitivity,” as UN Security chief Gregory Starr told Inner City Press -- or cynical political accommodation, as diplomats close to the case put it.

Asked about the Maxwell case on July 14, Starr told Inner City Press, “The problem is, in many cases you're asking the Afghans to really follow up on one person. How many thousands of Afghans have died? So you've got to be sensitive culturally.”

Other UN Security personnel since interviewed by Inner City Press have expressed concern. “He's supposed to represent us,” as one put it, asking that his name not be used for fear of retaliation. “He's not supposed to accept the cover up of the murder of a UN staff, to suck up to the Afghans - or to the Americans.”

A UN Board of Inquiry report, still be withheld from the public and Mr. Maxwell's family, calls on the Afghans to identify the individuals who killed Maxwell long after an attack on a UN guesthouse, which Maxwell fought off.

When Inner City Press asked UN peacekeeping official Susana Malcorra for any progress, she said that the head of the UN Department of Safety and Security Gregory Starr had traveled to Kabul, and to ask him. But Mr. Starr has yet during his tenure to hold a press conference.

On July 14, Inner City Press waited outside the UN's ECOSOC chamber to ask Starr about the case. After six o'clock he emerged, and to his credit agreed to answer some questions from the Press. He said:

“There's a joint investigation by the American FBI and the Afghans. We know Louis was killed after the attack. The circumstances of that are still under investigation. I spoke to the minister of the interior of Iraq [sic] myself and they are looking into it. I hope ultimately to find all the circumstances. There is the video. The problem is interpreting what really happened in that video. We're not an investigative agency. We've turned it over to the proper investigative authority.”

Significantly, Starr added as a concession, “I think there is a momentary glitch. The Minister of Interior was dismissed.”

After a pause, Inner City Press asked Starr about (non) answers it got on June 30 from UN envoy to Afghanistan Staffan de Mistura (video here) and from then Security Council president Claude Heller of Mexico, who'd led the Council's trip to Kabul (video here). Inner City Press concluded, it seems like the issue is falling off the map.

Staff considered it, then said, verbatim: “The problem is, in many cases you're asking the Afghans to really follow up on one person. How many thousands of Afghans have died? So you've got to be sensitive culturally.”

Not only other UN Security officers but also diplomats and non UN military personnel since interviewed by Inner City Press have expressed deep concerns. “They are covering up the death of this guy, because the UN and US want good relations with Karzai,” one said. “So if they go to Somalia, if the TFG [Transitional Federal Government] or Ugandan peacekeepers kill a UN staff, they'd cover that up too?”

Perhaps Mr. Starr, and Ms. Malcorra's deputy Tony Banbury who asserted there was no cover up, but then ducked questions, will now provide more answers, including to the Maxwell and UN family. Watch this site.

And see cell phone video, here, esp. at Minute 1:01 to 1:04

And see, www.innercitypress.com/un5maxstarr071810.html

As Sudan Lashes Out at UN “Bloodsuckers,” Nambiar and Choi Theories, UN No Comments IOM Ouster, Biden Blathers

By Matthew Russell Lee
www.innercitypress.com/sudan1biteme071810.html

UNITED NATIONS, July 18 -- With Darfur UN envoy Ibrahim Gambari being snubbed by the UK and US' Scott Gration, Vice President Joe Biden on July 18 said of the South Sudan referendum, "We are on it full-time. And I believe that we'll be able to pull -- they'll be able to pull (it) off, with our help and the UN's help, they'll be able to pull off a credible election.”

The UN's role in making elections credible of late hardly merits this belief. In Afghanistan, the UN stood by in the face of phantom polling places.

In Kyrgyzstan, the UN said nothing during a rushed referendum on a constitution which would outlaw minority ethnic parties, held while ethnic Uzbeks were chased in fear out of the country, or into IDP camps where few of them could vote.

In Burundi, just after the visit of Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, opposition parties removed themselves from the ballot, leaving it a one party election replete with tossed grenades.

But it gets worse. At a UN reception on July 17, talk turned to a trial balloon, seemingly floated by the UN administration, that Ban's chief of staff Vijay Nambiar might be outsourced to Sudan, to oversee the two UN Missions there, UNMIS in South Sudan, and UNAMID in Darfur.

The senior Sudanese diplomat who raised this to Inner City Press said to quote him, without name, as conveying that the government of Sudan would never agree to this. “We are not short of useless of international civil servants to suck the blood of our people... to prolong the thing, the referendum, everything, to get money. We don't need a Paul Bremer man. We would say no.”

(The second part of the "Nambiar to Sudan" theory he floated involves the return to New York of Ban's Cote d'Ivoire envoy Mr. Choi, essentially to run Ban's campaign for a second term, while taking over Nambiar's Myanmar and perhaps Sri Lanka roles. Nambiar, the Sudanese diplomat said, "has diminishing returns.")

Sudan, according to this diplomat, surmises that the UK is as suspect of Gambari as when he was in Myanmar, and that the US joins the UK in this. “They like their man, Bassole,” he said.

As reported, when asked by Inner City Press about Gration's absence from the meeting of Darfur envoys of China, Russia, the EU and others in El Fasher on July 4, the US Mission said only Gration's office would answer, and his spokesperson Marie Nelson refused to, despite three separate calls requesting comment. The US Mission has again declined comment, but notes Gration's more recent visit to Sudan.

Other interested countries' diplomats have told Inner City Press that the US does not want to be a mere part of a UN process, contrary to Biden's UN comments, but rather wants to have the central role.

And if and when it fails -- who will be responsible? Watch this site.

From the UN's July 17 noon briefing transcript:

Inner City Press: In Sudan, there are these reports that the Government made persona non grata, are throwing out, two representatives of the International Organization for Migration. Does the UN have concerns about the expulsion of these humanitarian workers?

Associate Spokesperson Farhan Haq: We don’t have any comment about the treatment of this. We are aware of the reports, and we’ll check up on what was behind this decision and what the facts are on that. But we don’t have anything to say on that just yet.

And still, more than two days later, no comment from the UN.

And see, www.innercitypress.com/sudan1biteme071810.html

At UN, Deiss Used Finn Job Promise to Win PGA Post, Venezuela for G77, Iran for NAM- Opposed by Gulf and Monarchies?

By Matthew Russell Lee
www.innercitypress.com/ga1deiss071710.html

UNITED NATIONS, July 17 -- The politics of the UN General Assembly and of its voting blocks may see a heating up with posts given to Iran and Venezuela, and a corruption scandal alleged of the incoming GA president even before he takes over in September, Inner City Press has learned.

The only real vote on Switzerland's Joseph Deiss was within the Western Europe and Other Group. It was a close and contentious vote, and involved sources say that in order to win, Deiss made a promise to give Finland a post in the Office of the President of the General Assembly. The grumbling has not done away.

Deiss will be “eaten alive,” sources say, given his tainted winning of the post. The Group of 77 voting block, currently headed by Yemen, quietly in exchange for little criticism of their various civil wars, may soon be headed by Venezuela. “Western corruption like the reports of Deiss' win will be grist for Hugo [Chavez]'s mill,” one GA source told Inner City Press.

Another major block, the Non Aligned Movement, is now set to be headed by Iran. Initially, Qatar was in line to take it, but decided to back of in favor of Iran. Qatar now hopes to take over the President of the General Assembly post after Deiss.

Iran is now in the NAM “troika” -- past, current and future leader. But even on this, there is some rear guard opposition. Gulf state monarchies, along with a Maghreb monarchy that is not a member of the African Union, are talking of opposing Iran.

Deiss, or the Finn he has committed to hire, might want to find a way to help them. Otherwise, as the source told Inner City Press, Deis may be “eaten alive.” Watch this site.

Footnote: in other UN high post news, Inner City Press on July 16 was able to ask Deputy Secretary General Asha Rose Migiro point blank is she may shift from DSG to head UN Women, which more than one Permanent Representative has speculated. "No," Migiro said candidly (unlike repeated past Swiss no-comments, for example about whether PGA Treki was, with other Libyan officials, blocked from travel to Switzerland). Watch this site.

And see, www.innercitypress.com/ga1deiss071710.html

On Sri Lanka, UN Panel's Problems, of Blackmail as Guatemala Cites R2P, NAM Games of Iran, Venezuela to Head G-77?

By Matthew Russell Lee
www.innercitypress.com/sri1nammail071710.html

UNITED NATIONS, July 17 -- Sri Lanka and the Non Aligned Movement letter it requested to oppose UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon's advisory panel on accountability were inquired into at the UN throughout the day on July 16, at the UN noon briefing, in front of the Security Council and later upstairs at a celebration of Nelson Mandela's 92nd birthday.

The draft NAM letter, which Inner City Press first obtained and exclusively published, has now been stalled by a protest or demarche from Guatemala, which does not agree NAM should block inquiries into human rights violations.

The word “Responsibility to Protect” was repeatedly heard. Most but not all NAM members opposed R2P. But NAM decisions require consensus.

To try to sweep the invocation of R2P under the rug, Sri Lanka and many NAM nations are ascribing the delay to contradictions with the Organization of the Islamic Conference about the inquiries into the attack on the flotilla to Gaza. But R2P is in NAM's mix.

As an aside on NAM: that Iran will follow Egypt as the head of the group, reported yesterday by Inner City Press, may not be an entirely sure thing. A coalition of monarchies, ironically, from the Gulf States and a certain Maghreb non African Union member, are raising some objections.

At the time when Iran wants to lead NAM, Venezuela wants to lead the Group of 77. That would certainly lead to journalist fireworks, and there are those small countries which like to hide behind the bombast of the Venezuelas and Irans of the world. But others think it would ill serve their issues.

Inner City Press' exclusive July 15 report on the staffing of Ban's advisory panel - fully eight staff, led by Jessica Neuwirth, an official whose most recent now ended job as NY representative of Navi Pillay was at the D-2 level - gave rise to concerns not only about those focused on anti-corruption and anti-nepotism at the UN (count Inner City Press among them) but, perhaps cynically but predictably, among the Rajapaksas' supporters.

These supporters go beyond the Inner City Press reporting and allege a very close relationship between Navi Pillay and Ms. Neuwirth, beyond the links at Equality Now. One expects these arguments to be advanced, though perhaps only privately to Ban Ki-moon. This is how the Rajapaksas play politics, for example now whispering about Children and Armed Conflict envoy Patrick Cammaert's supposed use of "massage services" during his prenuptial visit to Sri Lanka.

Another argument they advance: that panel chairman Marzuki Darusman, at the end of his previous service on the Sri Lankan government's own “international” panel, bickered with Sri Lanka in order to collect his fees.

Whatever the merits, expect this too to be raised to Ban. In fact, Inner City Press is told that this WAS raised to Ban, but that “he didn't care.”

This is reminiscent of Ban not paying attention that the pairing of Paul Kagame of Rwanda and Prime Minister Zapatero of Spain as co-chairs of an MDG group would blow up and undermine the work.

Here, we expect Sri Lanka to try to blackmail Ban Ki-moon, saying they are willing to accept nepotism, corruption, conflict of interest “and worse” in the Panel, as long as it leads nowhere in terms of accountability.

That would be pure UN: what seemed a belated attempt to do the right thing, becoming a venue for corruption, blackmail and stasis. We may hope not, but this is the UN. Watch this site.

From Friday's UN noon briefing transcript:

Inner City Press: Mr. Buhne, I just wanted to understand, it seemed that earlier in the week it was said that he was at the end of his tenure. Did he say something while here to change it, and return or…?

Associate Spokesperson Farhan Haq: No, no. If you remember what we said in the statement issued last week — in the context of the disturbances and the inability of UN staff to go about their work, we put out a statement saying that he had been recalled. Since then, he has been here over the past week and since then, as you know, we have received a number of assurances from the Sri Lankan side that would allow us to continue to go about our work without any further hindrance. At the same time, you just heard what I read about the message that Mr. Buhne will convey back to the Government of Sri Lanka.

Inner City Press: Sure, but I guess, what I don’t understand is what was the thinking earlier in the week — if it was so dangerous, then why would you only recall one individual? That would seem to be about a threat to the staff as a whole. I just wondered if something changed. Was his tenure coming to the end, as was said, and now has been revived or extended in some way?

Associate Spokesperson: I think what I just read right now speaks for itself. I can read it again for you, but the basic point I just said was…

Inner City Press: How does that compare to what was said earlier in the week? That was what I was asking.

Associate Spokesperson: Yeah, I understand. But if you notice what we said is — when I said that he will return to Colombo, the next thing is: “It is important to continue UN efforts to assist the people of Sri Lanka, particularly with regard to reconstruction and rehabilitation in the North.” So that task will continue, but at the same time, as I pointed out, Mr. Buhne will convey the Secretary-General’s strong expectations for better treatment of the UN family in Sri Lanka.

Inner City Press: And on the panel, there is an article out on Sri Lanka, saying that one of the outcomes of Mr. Buhne’s consultations with the Secretary-General was to further restrict the scope of the work of the group of Panel of Experts that they will now explicitly not consider information that comes in from either witnesses or anything like that. And I just also wanted to ask about the staffing. Can you confirm, as two Member States have now told me, that the head of the staffing will be Jessica Neuwirth, a D-2, and there will be seven other staff?

Associate Spokesperson: I don’t have any details to provide for you right now on the staffing. Yes, they will have a small secretariat here that will assist them in their tasks, but I don’t have any confirmation of any names to give to you right now. But certainly, no, there was no limitation of the scope of [the Panel’s] work as a result of this.

Inner City Press: One of the Member States say, they said even Goldstone, maybe you can, I don’t know what the level of staffing was, but they said it was extraordinary that a D-2 level staff member would be assigned to run this panel, particularly given its relatively limited scope.

Associate Spokesperson: Like I said, I am not commenting on the level of staffing of the panel.

Watch this site.

And see, www.innercitypress.com/sri1nammail071710.html

As Iran Bombing Condemned by UN Council, Jundollah Not Named

By Matthew Russell Lee
www.innercitypress.com/sc1bombiran071610.html

UNITED NATIONS, July 16, updated -- The bombing in Iran claimed by Jundollah, like that in Uganda claimed by Al Shabab, will be condemned by the UN Security Council on Friday afternoon.

Hillary Clinton, the Secretary of State of the U.S. which Iran has accused of supporting Jundollah was quick to condemn the bombing, and to name Jundollah.

Now the Security Council will echo Hillary, using the same boiler plate statement it applied to the carnage in Kampala -- not naming the perpetrator, even after credit has been claimed.

The Council's Uganda statement on Monday did not blame Al Shabab by name. Inner City Press was told that the statement was circulated to Council members before Al Shabab had taken credit. In this case, Jundollah took credit more quickly, and Hillary Clinton named the group in her statement.

But the decision is made, not to name the perpetrator. A Council diplomat who confirmed the absence of Jundollah from the statement as of 3:30 p.m. shrugged when asked no blame was being cast.

Friday, the Council is engaged in a day long debate on “conflict prevention.” As such, the Iran bombing statement could more easily be amended to include the name Jundollah and still be circulated and approved before this month's Council President, Joy Ogwu of Nigeria, reads it out loud at the stake out.

At the stakeout, even though it is now July 16, the placement of the flags has yet to be changed. When May turned into June, with the Council in a marathon meeting about the assault on the flotilla to Gaza, the flag and name plates were changed at the stroke of midnight. This month, it has taken sixteen days and counting.

Update of 5:11 p.m. -- with the “conflict prevention” debate over, there is a lull. The Iran bombing press statement will not be read out until 6:05 pm, Inner City Press is told, “to give time for members if they want to object.” But no one will, we predict. The statement is pure boiler plate and does not mention Jundollah. A pro-Iran reporter mutters, why so late, I want to go home.

Update of 6:18 p.m. -- the Iran bombing statement has been read by Council president Joy Ogwu of Nigeria, echoing the Uganda bombing statement of four days ago. Inner City Press asked, since Jundollah has taken credit, Iran has accepted the claim and blames two Permanent Council members - the US and UK - for supporting Jundollah, why not name or at least discuss it? She answered that due process and investigation are necessary. Investigation by who? The Iranian authorities, she says.

Nigeria is feting its foreign minister tonight, not at Nigeria House on 44th Street but 13 blocks north. We have to get out and about, they say...

And see, www.innercitypress.com/sc1bombiran071610.html

As UN's Ban's Choice of Kagame Triggers Spanish Boycott, Role of UNDP's Clark; Rwandan to Get UN Women Post?

By Matthew Russell Lee
www.innercitypress.com/mdg1kagame071610.html

UNITED NATIONS, July 16 -- Naming Rwanda's Paul Kagame to co-chair a UN group of “super heros” for the Millennium Development Goals seemed like a good idea to UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon.

But now the other co-chair, Spanish Prime Minister Zapatero, has boycotted the meeting with Kagame on human rights grounds. Meanwhile, Ban is considering a Rwandan government minister to head the new UN Women agency.

Sources in the UN's North Lawn building say Ban got some advice that Kagame, given recent developments in Rwanda, might not be the right choice; the sources infer UNDP and Helen Clark weighing in for Kagame, which has now "blown up in Ban's face," they say.

On July 15, Inner City Press asked Ban's Associate Spokesman Farhan Haq:

Inner City Press: about this MDG Advocacy Group. There is a story in El Mundo today in Madrid saying that Ban Ki-moon initially asked Prime Minister [José Luis] Zapatero of Spain to be a co-chair and then later decided that Paul Kagame of Rwanda would be. And it says that Spain was uncomfortable with that on human rights grounds and urged Ban Ki-moon not to appoint Mr. Kagame. I wonder if, one, if you can comment on that and, two, whether, with the recent beheading of the vice-president of an opposition party in Rwanda, what the UN’s thoughts are of the developments in Rwanda and if a Rwandan Minister is being considered to head UN Women?

Associate Spokesperson Haq: First of all, the nominations for UN Women are continuing to come in, so I wouldn’t have any comment on any particular names on that.

Regarding the El Mundo article, yes, we are aware of that information. We did keep the various parties, including the Government of Spain, informed of the Secretary-General’s choice of President Kagame.

Regarding the selection of President Kagame of Rwanda, one of the points on this is that we believe that committed political leadership from both the North and the South is essential to build support for the global partnership embodied in the Millennium Development Goals. Rwanda has displayed extraordinary commitment to the MDGs and is among the few countries in Africa that have made the most progress towards the Goals. There have been commendable declines in both child and maternal mortality there. The country has also made remarkable progress in reducing the number of reported malaria cases and deaths and has the highest proportion of women parliamentarians in the world. So Rwanda’s commitment to the Millennium Development Goals has been outstanding.

Regarding the allegations against President Kagame, it’s clear that the Secretary-General is against all violations of human rights and he strongly condemns any such violations of human rights.

At this point, however, President Kagame is the Head of State of Rwanda, and it is not for the Secretary-General to prejudge the outcome of any proceedings or accusations that have been initiated against him. So we would need to see what the results of those are.

Inner City Press: Does the UN believe, for example, this most recent killing of an opposition leader should be investigated, and by whom?

Associate Spokesperson Haq: At this stage, I believe the matter is with the local law enforcement. We’ll see where it goes from there and whether anything else needs to be done.

That was before Zapatero boycotted the UN meeting with Kagame. After that, on July 16, Inner City Press and EFE asked Haq why Ban had paired Kagame and Zapatero of Spain, where Kagame is defending human rights charges. Video here.

Among the answers not given by Haq: Helen Clark of UNDP. Watch this site.

And see, www.innercitypress.com/mdg1kagame071610.html

On Sri Lanka, NAM Will Wait, "Pillay's" Neuwirth to Head Panel Staff of 8, Qatar Pitched Iran to Head NAM

By Matthew Russell Lee
www.innercitypress.com/sri9panel071510.html

UNITED NATIONS, July 15 -- We'll “take our time” on the Sri Lanka letter, the current head of the Non Aligned Movement told Inner City Press on Thursday night, to see if they can “make up to Secretary General” Ban Ki-moon.

He added that “a lot of comments” against the letter were received from NAM members, on “the relation to the flotilla” and other issues.

Meanwhile the Council representative of a Permanent Five member, also on Thursday evening, told Inner City Press that Sri Lanka is “out of control... they went too far.”

This representative confirmed to Inner City Press the identity of the chief of staff of the UN's Panel of Experts on Sri Lanka: Jessica Neuwirth, a long time UN human rights official and founder of Equality Now, friend of Navi Pillay.

Some in Sri Lanka government circles say the appointment of Neuwirth, at a high level, smacks of patronage or nepotism, as does staffing the panel with eight people. “Goldstone didn't get that,” one noted. “The Sudan panel didn't get that.”

With a staff of eight, the Panel should at least opine of the credibility of the Rajapaksa Administration's “Lessons Learnt” panel. The Rapjapansans are afraid, they say, of this “becoming like Cambodia,” with a UN affiliated tribunal, or even Sierra Leone. We'll see.

Also on the NAM, the next chair after Egypt will be Iran, it was confirmed to Inner City Press on Thursday night. Previous candidate Qatar turned around and NOMINATED Iran -- “for what purpose, we don't know,” one NAM insider said. Get ready for fireworks.

Inner City Press was told that while Qatar is unlikely to get the UN Women headquarters, even for $100 million, they could “appoint a lady.” There are 10 “official candidates,” including the “Rwandan minister,” the insider said, "and Rachel Mayanja."

On whether DSG Asha Rose Migiro will shift over to UN Women, “it's up to her,” the insider said, finding it significant that Migiro is handing UN Women on an interim basis.

Migiro's rumored successor as DSG was at the Egyptian reception, but begged off for family matters. French family matters? Watch this site.

And see, www.innercitypress.com/sri9panel071510.html

UN Housed Drug Kingpin in Guinea Bissau for 3 Months, Because "He Needed Protection"- What's Next, Pedophiles and Terrorists?

By Matthew Russell Lee
www.innercitypress.com/un1drugpin071510.html

UNITED NATIONS, July 15 -- When Guinea Bissau's former Navy chief of staff Bubo Na Tchuto entered the country in December, by canoe, he was allowed to take refuge in the UN compound.

Even then, Bubo Na Tchuto was widely known to be involved in narcotics trafficking. Nevertheless, the UN continued to provide shelter to Bubo Na Tchuto until the April 1 mutiny, at which time he left the UN and has remained at large, wielding power.

Why did the UN provide this service to what the U.S. now calls a “drug kingpin”? At the UN's July 15 noon briefing, Inner City Press asked Associate Spokesman Farhan Haq just this.

Haq replied that “the office was acting on the basis of express concerns if the individual left the building, there would be a threat to his life.” Video here, from Minute 8:28.

That a drug kingpin might face some dangers is axiomatic. Inner City Press asked if the UN would apply the same standard, and provide the same services, to a terrorist.

Haq declined to answer, saying the the head of the UN Mission in Guinea Bissau, Joseph Mutaboba, be taking questions at the Security Council stakeout.

While Mutaboba's media availability was announced, it was never held.

Rather, Inner City Press asked U.S. Alternative Representative for Special Political Affair Brooke Anderson, in her first stakeout, the following question:

Inner City Press: one of the two people named as kingpins, Bubo Na Tchuto, was actually put up by the United Nations, was held in the UN compound, was protected in December for several months. I'm just wondering, what does the U.S. think, does the U.S. think that was a bad decision for the UN to essentially provide protection and supper [succor] to a man that is now known as a drug kingpin?

Ambassador Anderson: We have designated him as a drug kingpin, we are taking action to address this issue and we are concerned about the fact that he was in the UN compound.

This concern was in turn reported by Reuters. But if the U.S. is concerned, what accountability will there be for those who allowed the drug kingpin in, and to stay for three months?

In the UN, there is rarely accountability. Even now, the UN appears unable to say that it made a mistake. Back in December, Inner City Press asked a senior UN official about Bubo Na Tchuto. We think he didn't like his exile in Gambia, was the response. We are arranging another exile. It never happened.

Here is a question: while staying with the UN, to where to Bubo Na Tchuto make phone calls? Who paid for that?

More generally, in Jamaica Dudus Coke certainly faced a threat on his life. Would the UN house him for three months? Watch this site.

And see, www.innercitypress.com/un1drugpin071510.html