By Matthew Russell Lee
UNITED NATIONS, January 4, updated with video -- When the Central African Republic press statement of the UN Security Council was read out by Council president Masood Khan of Pakistan Friday at 6 pm, there were three journalists present.
While UN Television hustled and set up their camera, there was no live UN webcast of the statement. (Inner City Press has uploaded video, here.) This is how far CAR has fallen, compared to Syria and Libya before it.
After Khan finished the statement and turned to leave, Inner City Press asked him two questions, which he graciously took. First, Inner City Press asked how many countries the UN has been informed have sent troops into CAR, beyond Gabon?
Khan said this was discussed, but he did not have a list.
Second, Inner City Press asked about the arrest of people perceived to support the Seleka rebels, including at least two ex parliamentarians. Khan referred to a portion of the statement about targeting of ethnic groups, but would not go beyond it.
Back on January 3, after a briefing of the Council by UN Department of Political Affairs chief Jeffrey Feltman, Inner City Press asked French Ambassador Gerard Araud, what about the Bozize government's arrest of people perceived to support the Seleka rebels?
Araud replied, "That would be one of the messages of the Council."
But it does not appear to be in the press statement. The more vague "targeting of ethnic groups" is not the same thing; it does not mention the government. The CAR statement calls on the "Seleka coalition" to withdraw from towns it has taken over.
But it does not call on these rebels to "disband," as the French drafted text on the Democratic Republic of Congo called on the M23 mutineers. What is the difference?
France's deference on CAR stands in contrast to its active stance on the Democratic Republic of the Congo, where it has called the M23 mutineers outlaws, was critical of UN official Susana Malcorra meeting with them, and has not deferred to the Kampala process.
On CAR on January 3, Araud told the press, that "the goal is to have a political agreement in Libreville [on January 8, then] a national unity government."
But some of the rebels say they haven't heard of the talks, or don't believe in them. Watch this site.
