By Matthew Russell Lee
UNITED NATIONS, January 27 -- In Gabon opposition leader Andre Mba Obame declared himself his country's real leader -- taking a page from Alassane Ouattara in Cote d'Ivoire -- and sought both UN recognition and protection.
In the latter, his precedent may have been the UN mission in Guinea Bissau, where an indicted drug kingpin enjoy UN protection for months a year ago. Inner City Press has repeatedly asked the UN why it protected a drug kingpin and was told, in essence, it was hard to get him to leave.
On January 26, Inner City Press asked Ban Ki-moon's spokesperson's office what was happening in Gabon, and some hours later received the following back in response:
From: Deputy Spokesperson [at] un.org
Date: Wed, Jan 26, 2011
Subject: Re: Press questions: Gabon, withholding, 99% public financial disclosure, Somalia, Cote d'Ivoire, CAR elections (5th time)
To: innercitypress@gmail.com
On Gabon, we have the following: Mr. Andre Mba Obame, Leader of the “Union Nationale”, is in the UN compound, along with party leaders. Obame handed a letter to the Resident Coordinator requesting UN protection, stating that they fear for their lives if they step outside of the UN office. The Resident Coordinator is consulting with authorities on the ground and with UN Headquarters.
The government of Ali Bongo has dissolved Obame's party and blocked his TV station.
One difference in how this will play out, a cynic opined, is that Gabon happens to be on the UN Security Council and could make its voice heard. Watch this site.
Footnote: Obame and his band of 20 sought refuge in the UNDP building in Libreville. In terms of UNDP's position on democracy, while protesters in Yemen are now calling for Tunisia style changes, Helen Clark was just in Yemen for days, praising the government. Maybe the Yemeni government used her and the UN?
