By Matthew Russell Lee
UNITED NATIONS, November 3 -- In Mali, journalists Ghislaine Dupont and Claude Verlon have been killed. The UN Security Council approved and issued a press statement strongly condemning the assassinations, full text below.
The Free UN Coalition for Access deplores the murders too. But in the spirit of journalism, one must ask: why didn't the Security Council condemn or even note the killing of eight journalists so far this year in Somalia, in which there is also a UN support peacekeeping mission, AMISOM?
For each countries on the Security Council's agenda, as both Mali and Somalia are, one Council member, usually one of the Permanent Five "holds the pen" and drafts statements to be approved by the other 14 members through a silence or "non objection" procedure.
France, the former colonial power in Mali, holds the pen on the issue, and has also nominated the last four chiefs of UN Peacekeeping.
The Security Council press statement on the killing of Ghislaine Dupont and Claude Verlon in Northern Mali uses the words France or French three times, including concluding that "the members of the Security Council reiterated their full support for the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali (MINUSMA) and French forces who support it."
Actually, it was the French army which went in first, in Operation Serval; the UN's MINUSMA went in later, to support the French. For the new Operation Hydra in the North, as noted by Inner City Press, the UN says that MINUSMA is not involved.
The French-drafted Security Council statement begins: "The members of the Security Council strongly condemned the kidnapping and assassination of two French journalists in Kidal, Mali on 2 November 2013."
Journalistically one must ask: why does this Security Council statement list the nationality of the reporters killed? While condemning their killing, couldn't the identification of journalists with a particular country and its foreign and military policies be a problem?
Also, why didn't the Security Council condemn the killing of eight journalists in Somalia so far this year? Why hasn't it said more, as just one example, of the killing of Congolese journalist Floribert Chebeya for which the Congolese government, as on the 135 rapes in Minova by its own troops, has assigned no accountability?
Outside of Africa, why has the Security Council said nothing of the many killings and disappearances of journalistsin Sri Lanka, where UK prime minister David Cameron, and a delegation from Australia, are set to visit this month for theCommonwealth Heads of Government Meeting?
Footnote: Some were surprised, alongside the above, that the UN Security Council which must procure 15 approvals or at least 15 non-objections through silence was able to issue a statement on the killing of Ghislaine Dupont and Claude Verlon before UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, who held a press conference about Mali on November 1 and is headed there this week.
Inner City Press asked Ban's spokesperson Martin Nesirky on November 1 if Ban (and the World Bank's Jim Kim) will be going to northern Mali and Kidal; this question was not answered. Watch this site.
The UNSC's press statement on Dupont and Verlon:
Subject: Security Council press statement on journalist killings in Mali
From: UN Spokesperson - Do Not Reply [at] un.org
Date: Sat, Nov 2, 2013 at 11:50 PM
From: UN Spokesperson - Do Not Reply [at] un.org
Date: Sat, Nov 2, 2013 at 11:50 PM
Security Council press statement on journalist killings in Mali
The members of the Security Council strongly condemned the kidnapping and assassination of two French journalists in Kidal, Mali on 2 November 2013.
The members of the Security Council expressed their condolences to the family of the victims as well as to the Government of France.
The members of the Security Council recalled that in accordance with international humanitarian law journalists, media professionals and associated personnel engaged in dangerous professional missions in areas of armed conflict are generally considered as civilians and shall be respected and protected as such. The members of the Security Council recalled their demand that all parties to an armed conflict comply fully with the obligations applicable to them under international humanitarian law, including as related to the protection of civilians in armed conflict.
The members of the Security Council stressed that those responsible for these assassinations shall be held accountable.
They called on the Government of Mali to swiftly investigate the incident and bring the perpetrators to justice.
The members of the Security Council reaffirmed that any acts of terrorism are criminal and unjustifiable, regardless of their motivation, wherever, whenever and by whomsoever committed.
The members of the Security Council reiterated their full support for the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali (MINUSMA) and French forces who support it and called on all parties to cooperate fully with the Mission.
