By Matthew Russell Lee
UNITED NATIONS, October 5 -- Dissatisfaction remains at the UN about Secretary General Ban Ki-moon's fast apology to Turkey's prime minister Erdogan after a September 23 incident that sent three UN Security staff, but no Turks, to the hospital.
"Ban sold us out," a long time UN Security official complained to Inner City Press, expressing skepticism about Ban's repeated statements that UN staff security is among his top priorities, using as an example the failure to follow up on the killing of UN Security officer Louis Maxwell by Afghan National forces.
A week after Ban's apology to Erdogan, Ban held a reception for select UN Security officials. UN Security sources immediately complained to Inner City Press that in light of the anger at Ban inside UN Security, it was announced that people would be "on the clock" -- that is, paid -- while attending Ban's event, which they described as a buy-off or cover-up.
After being told this by multiple UN Security sources, and before publishing this article, Inner City Press on October 5 asked Ban's spokesman Martin Nesirky specifically if UN Security personnel were offered pay to attend Ban's event.
Nesirky replied that Ban has held other receptions in his conference room in the North Lawn building, to thank staff "senior and junior" for their contributions "big or small" during the General Debate.
Nesirky did not respond on the question of reports of UN Security being told they could be "on the clock" and paid to attend Ban's event. Watch this site.
