By Matthew Russell Lee
UNITED NATIONS, December 21, updated -- A gas leak at the UN this morning caused an evacuation and the shifting of the US Mission to UN's Youth Video event four blocks away into the UN's new North Lawn building.
At 10:27 am, US Ambassador Susan Rice told the crowd a mix of sulfur and methane gas had leaked from the UN basement and might spread to the North Lawn through the garage.
Along with students from the Harlem Children's Zone and elsewhere in New York City, youths traveled to the event from Austria -- they would stay with Austrian Ambassador Thomas Mayr-Harting -- Germany, China and elsewhere.
The vetoing of one of the US Mission's four chosen videos, featuring the Lord's Resistance Army rebel group, first reported by Inner City Press was confirmed during the move, with a slightly different explanation. It's not only that the Congolese in the video “looked too poor,” as a non-African diplomat told Inner City Press on Monday. It's that the video portrayed the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and therefore Africa, purely in terms of refugees.
On Tuesday morning at the front of Conference Room 1, Permanent Representatives ranging from Araud of France, vetoer of a video about nuclear weapons, to Thomas Mayr-Harting of Austria, for which a video about children and armed conflict was not among the three chosen by the US Mission, despite the issue being on the Security Council's agenda, milled around, waiting for the videos to start.
On four block walk, Inner City Press chatted with the North Korean Deputy Permanent Representative, who mused about an evacuation of the UN General Assembly in the late 1970s due to a private plane flying overhead, later found to be piloted by an author mad at a publishing house for not printing what he wrote.
In her10:27 am public address, Ambassador Susan Rice not only told the crowd a mix of sulfur and methane gas had leaked from the UN basement and might spread to the North Lawn through the garage, she also said that the youths might move to the US Mission and “you guys are on your own.” Watch this site.
Update of 10:46 am -- the General Assembly, slated today to vote on resolutions ranging from executions, including (or not) lesbians and gays, to Durban III, is being held in another North Lawn conference room, with Press not allowed in.
Update of 10:53 am -- as diplomats mill around, the talk turns to who's to blame for the gas leak. In the Security Council during the move, the Under Secretary General for Management Angela Kane was seen. Head of the Capital Master Plan Michael Adlerstein was not in sight. Both will have some explaining to do. As Inner City Press exclusively reported at the time, there was a previous gas leak caused by the Capital Master Plan.
Update of 10:57 am -- the US Youth Video event WILL go forward, in EcoSoc chamber, soon, Susan Rice announces. On the move.
Update of 11:41 am -- UN says leak has not been confirmed:
From: Acting Deputy Spokesperson [at] un.org
Date: Tue, Dec 21, 2010 at 11:38 AM
Subject: Re: Thanks. What is the UN's / CMP's / Skanska's explanation of the leak of methane and sulfur? (request Adlerstein and Kane) thanks in advance
To: Inner City Press
That's not been proven. We are still checking with the host country authorities about the source of the unidentified odor.
Heading to UN noon briefing - watch this site.
Update of 12:44 pm -- in UN noon briefing, acting Deputy Spokesman Farhan Haq said it was sewage from river that caused the odor, not a gas leak. Inner City Press asked Haq if the Capital Master Plan will address this issue, and about CMP's previous gas leak. This, Haq did not answer. Nor did he answer Inner City Press' request for Ban Ki-moon's position on UNGA votes on LGBT / gay rights (on the execution resolution) and on Durban III. Back on North Lawn, Apakan of Turkey is talking about the video about terrorism from Tunisia. Susan Rice announces pizza party at US Mission.
At UNYouth, 1st Q is from 14 yr old Chinese girl living in USA: when will UNSC solve the Korean conflict? Churkin suggests taking other questions
2d Q is from Somali girl living in Boston, says what can UN do to solve problems, can't remember a gov't there
3d Q is from Boston, about cyber terrorism “in our own homes.” How about Latvia?
4th Q is from NYC, about IvoryCoast CoteDivoire, what will UNSC do to ensure safety?
SusanRice assigns Korea question to rep of China - he speaks of feuds of decades, hopes to get them negotiating. BanKiMoon?
Rice assigns Somalia Q to Uganda, to brag of UPDF troops. Will she give CoteDivoire Q to France?
SusanRice jumps over CyberTerrorism Q - why not Russia? - & lets Nigeria talk on CoteDivoire. Will Nigeria go, as ECOWAS?
SusanRice gives CyberTerrorism Q to Turkey, which switches it to general terror & youth Q. Rice will try it, in conclusion
Rice says kids ask re water, resources - vetoed by UNSC members
SusanRice says Holbrooke as Prez of UNSC in 1999 raised HIV, now CyberSecurity should be on agenda? Consultations fight lost
Update of 1:30 pm -- before event breaks up for pizza party at US Mission, montage includes videos Austria on WomensRights, USA on 9/11, Yemen, Israel & finally Chicago Loyola on DRC Conflict Minerals...
