By Matthew Russell Lee
UNITED NATIONS, December 30 -- When Omar al Bashir of Sudan threatened to pull out of the Darfur peace talks in Doha, Inner City Press asked the Office of the Spokesman for UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon of comment. The question was ignored, then after a complaint answered thusly: “On the Doha peace talks: We have asked for a response and will send it when we have it.”
After this delay, Bashir actually pulled out of the Doha talks. Inner City Press went to the Spokesman's Office in the basement of UN headquarters but still received no comment. Another senior Ban Ki-moon official said “it's up to Bassole,” the joint UN-African Union mediator. He, it appears, has not spokesperson.
But, days ago, Inner City Press asked Ban's Spokesman's Office to “Confirm or deny reports of Sudanese government rapes near UN peacekeepers in North Darfur.
Even in a response after Inner City Press complained, this question was ignored. So was this:
On Sudan, please confirm or deny that the Department of Political Affairs in a recent briefing to NGOs said that
UN projects no consolidated results before end Jan – result likely to be announced February 2.
Major technical challenges now are training staff, deploying materials, and being ready to handle results management (this is still a serious risk because little done to prepare for results period)
Probability of extension to polling remains high
Arab League visit to Sudan (Qaddafi and Mubarak) - castigated Bashir, pretty clear now that LAS will not try to spoil what is almost international consensus on recognition - there is even talk they will offer an independent S. Sudan membership in the LAS.
Bosnian Presidency likely to take cues from US and UK.
Ban's Spokesman's Office simply ignored this question about statements that NGOs have to Inner City Press attributed to Ban's DPA. After an argument that December 31 is another day to answer, the question has been reiterated by Inner City Press. Watch this site.
