UNITED NATIONS, July 14 -- The UN belatedly confirmed on Wednesday that two of its peacekeepers in the Democratic Republic of Congo are now under investigation for sexual abuse.
Inner City Press asked UN Associate Spokesman Farhan Haq to confirm that Indian peacekeeping official Major R. S. Ghumman is under review for exploitation of local Congolese. Haq said, “We'll have to check with MONUSCO,” the UN mission there. Video here, from Minute 5:35.
Later on Wednesday, Haq went on the UN squawk box and issued a confirmation. One wonders, if MONUSCO so quickly had the information, why was it either not provided to Haq, or not read out by him? If the UN has “zero tolerance” as it says, and is transparent, why does it require a specific question at the UN noon briefing to pry the information out of the UN?
On another Congo question, whether Secretary General Ban Ki-moon will at least act on an investigative report by the UN Office of Internal Oversight Services about improper nepotism by Alan Doss, Ban's envoy to the Congo until this month, Haq said there was no update. Doss has been allowed to leave the UN with his pension before any ruling. Zero tolerance? Accountability?
Haq resisted answering, or even taking, other questions.
Less than a minute after Inner City Press began asking about the new UN Women agency, a seemingly contradictory lease of real estate, Haq refused a follow up question, announcing, "No, No, No, let's have more than one person ask questions." Video here, from Minute 8:25.
But then Haq allowed another questioner to go on over two minutes, with seven follow ups, on another matter. Haq then tried to end the noon briefing, until Inner City Press re-posed its UN Women follow up.
Instead of answering, Haq corrected the pronunciation of the Deputy Secretary General's name, and insisted that full answers had been given about the UN's closing, on two days' notice, of its after school program. Even the DSG has said that alternative space is being sought. But Haq said all answers have been given. Like on sexual abuse and exploitation?
