By Matthew Russell Lee
UNITED NATIONS, October 25 -- Amid reports of the shelling of Rwanda from the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and for example the shooting of 58 year old Catherine Gahombo by the UN's partners the DRC Army, questions were asked inside the Security Council and at the day's noon briefing.
On the obvious question of WHO shelled Rwanda, Inner City Press is told that UN Peacekeeping chief Herve Ladsous said he didn't know. This stands in contrast to previous cases where his UN Peacekeeping has immediately ascribed shelling to the M23 rebels.
Since the UN has gone so far in the Congo as to become a combatant, it cannot be viewed as an impartial reporter.
Inner City Press at noon asked Secretary General Ban Ki-moon's spokesperson Martin Nesirky about the DRC Army shooting of Ms. Gahombo. Nesirky said he would look into it. Inner City Press asked if the UN's MONUSCO mission is supposed to protect civilians, what about protecting them FROM the DRC Army where necessary?
Nesirky said that in conflicts, civilians get hurt. But protection of civilians is the UN's rationale for using helicopter gunships against the M23. But the UN still works with the DRC Army units, the 41st and the US-trained 391st Battalions, which raped 135 Congolese women in Minova.
While Ladsous was inside purporting to briefing the Council, a member not from Africa negatively reviewed Ladsous' performance to Inner City Press. The reality is, Ladsous has previously argued for the escape of the Rwanda genocidaires into Eastern Congo. Click here for one of the memos on that.
How can Ladsous be the one briefing on the shelling of Rwanda?
Ladsous left without a word -- laughing, in fact. Any previous head of UN Peacekeeping would have spoken at the stakeout and taken questions. But Ladsous refuses Press questions. Video here, UK coverage here.
A scribe who has twice acted for Ladsous, seeking to censor coverage and even questioning of Ladsous, arrived at the stakeout, seemingly summoned to tell (t)his story. The scribe did not remain when the Security Council's president for October, the Permanent Representative of Azerbaijan, read out a statement.
Inner City Press asked if there had been discussion of WHO shelled Rwanda. No, apparently.
Afterward, Rwandan Ambassador Gasana told the press that Rwanda has soldiers on the border who can act. This statement may be twisted by the scribes; after that, Gasana told Inner City Press that they, including Ladsous, didn't even care about the shooting of Catherine Gahombo.
It seemed clear: diplomats who simply go along with the French flow on DRC did want to make sure that Gasana, personally, was OK. He is genial, but he is not only speaking for himself. On DRC, UN Peacekeeping is increasingly irresponsible. Watch this site.
