In Yemen, Inner City Press Asks Who's In UN Compound, UN Vehicle, AC4S, If Ban Raised Airstrikes

By Matthew Russell Lee, Exclusive follow up

UNITED NATIONS, November 11 -- The UN Secretariat's bungling of Yemen mediation has become ever more clear, according to multiple sources and documents exclusively seen by Inner City Press, see below. 

  On November 10 Inner City Press heard from its sources that in Sana'a a vehicle with a UN flag was stopped and found to contain weapons and that the driver has been detained. What is the UN doing? Who is staying in the UN compound, the former Sheraton Hotel?

On November 11, Inner City Press asked UN Spokesman Stephane Dujarric, transcript here:

Mr. Lee?

Inner City Press: I was reading the readout of the Secretary-General’s meeting with the King, and it seemed to say that the Secretary-General hopes that all sides of the conflict would take extreme care not to cause civilian casualties.  Did he ask the Saudi King to stop airstrikes?

Spokesman:  I think the readout is very clear.  It speaks for itself.  I think the Secretary-General, either directly or through myself, has also been very clear on the issue of the Saudi-led coalition airstrikes.

Inner City Press: I wanted to ask again about this issue of the contractors.  One of whom is, you know, deceased.  You’d said earlier… I’d asked you what company they worked for.  And you started to say something and you stopped.  It seems like it’s a company called AC4S.  The reason I’m asking you is the website of this company says, “We work with Homeland Security.”  It’s a very mil… I’m not saying that it’s an intelligence company, but is it wise… I guess I want to ask you, is it wise for the US… for the UN, impartial international agency, to be flying in people and to be employing them in the compound whose company is closely aligned with the US military?  And, secondarily, are the people staying in the former Sheraton Hotel compound, now the UN compound, with the UN flag, are they all UN people or are there non-UN people?  Because this has turned out to be a matter of some controversy in some [inaudible]…

Spokesman:  The UN is operating in what is arguably a very dangerous situation in Yemen.  We have found accommodations that meet our security needs.  They are run by an outside company, and the contractors were working for that company.  I’m not able to… I can’t confirm that… the name of the company you gave me, because I don’t have that information.

Inner City Press: the question that’s arisen is UN staff safety.  Is it wise to place UN personnel in the same location as people seemingly aligned with the US Government, at a time that they’re being air-struck by…

Spokesman:  The safety and security of UN staff is incredibly important, obviously.  When we make a decision to continue to operate in what is arguably a war zone, with a small “W,” we have to make the necessary arrangements.  There are no perfect arrangements.  We make what… the best possible arrangements to allow our staff to continue to deliver essential humanitarian aid in the best possible conditions in a very, very difficult place to operate.

Question:  And just one more.  This is something that I’ve heard so I wanted to ask you.  Maybe you’ll shoot it down now or later today, that a car bearing a UN flag was stopped in Sana’a and is said by those who stopped it to have contained weapons, plural, not just DSS [Department of Safety and Security] or otherwise…

Spokesman:  I don’t… you’d have to give me a bit more details, and I can check.

Inner City Press:  Has a UN driver, a driver of a UN vehicle been detained?

Spokesman:  I don’t know. 

 How not? As to the compound, it is run, research finds, by AC4S, which says it "provides a wide variety of services to the U.S. Federal sector both in the United States homeland and abroad. With a focus on Special Operations, Cyberspace, Diplomacy and Homeland Security, AC4S is able to deliver solutions to our customers globally in the toughest, most demanding and austere environments. If it’s a tough neighborhood AC4S is probably there. We provide support in four lines-of-business including C5ISR, Cyberspace Operations, Mission Support Services and Professional Support Services."

  On October 26 Inner City Press reported that its sources exclusively told it of a new low, that the UN brought into Sana'a what the Houthis call two members of US intelligence, with the cover identification that they work for the company running the former hotel now occupied by the UN. But, the sources say, security in Sana'a recognized the two and they were now detained. 

  On October 30, Inner City Press asked UN Spokesman Stephane Dujarric about it, video here, transcript here and below. Dujarric acknowledged he knew about two "contractors."

 On November 2 the US Statement Department was referring questions to this UNresponsive UN: "We’re aware of those reports. Due to privacy considerations, I’m not going to comment on them...  I would direct your questions to the UN."

 It was the US, not the UN, that disclosed that one of the two is deceased. On November 10 Inner City Press asked the UN, video here,transcript here:

Inner City Press: I wanted to ask you about Yemen.  The contractors, what you described as contractors, I guess it's sad, but I wanted you to confirm what the State Department has said, which is that one of them has died, John Hamen.  It's also reported that the UN has been somehow involved in trying to get them released.  What's the UN statement, given that you flew them in there? 

Spokesman:  I… we've been informed by the State Department of the death of one of the contractors.  And, obviously, we send our deep condolences to his family, to his wife, to his children.  The other contractor, as far as I understand, remains in custody, but I have nothing to share with you as to discussions that may be going on.

Question:  And one last thing on Yemen.  It seems like if the Secretary-General is in Saudi Arabia and talking about Yemen, is the envoy, Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed, there or is he in Mauritania?

Spokesman:  I don't have a location of the envoy.  I don't think he's in Riyadh.  Obviously, the Secretary-General's trip was very quickly arranged, and I don't think the envoy was able to get there.  [He later said that Mr. Ould Cheikh Ahmed was on his way to Riyadh.]

Question:  Is it on track for 15 November, the talks?

Spokesman:  We will announce… as he said, we will announce a date when we're ready.

 Three hours after the UN noon briefing at which Inner City Press asked about the envoy not being in Riyadh, the UN sent this reply:

From: UN Spokesperson - donotreply [at] un.org
Date: Tue, Nov 10, 2015 at 3:45 PM
Subject: Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed
To: Matthew.Lee [at] innercitypress.com
Cc: Stephane Dujarric

"In response to your question about Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed's whereabouts, we can inform you that he is currently traveling to Riyadh and expects to be there for 11-12 November."

  But Ban Ki-moon, who left for Saudi Arabia on Sunday November 8, will be back in New York City on November 11. Some envoy.

 Later on November 10, Inner City Press asked UNOCHA's John Ging about response to the cyclones that have hit Yemen, video here.

  After Inner City Press' October 26 report and October 30 noon briefing questions, on October 31 Reuters "reported" a piece citing an unnamed UN spokesperson about two "contractors," with no mention of the Houthis claim they work with US intelligence, which by now had also been reported, along with Inner City Press' October 30 Q&A with Dujarric, by Al-Akhbar.

  But it's worse. Reuters initially (mis) reported that "'Two contractors have been detained and the Deputy Secretary-General (Jan Eliasson) is looking into it,' a U.N. spokesman said without elaborating or confirming if the two were American citizens."

  Then a day after that, Reuters blamed the UN for its correction to "'Two contractors have been detained and DSS (Department of Safety and Security) is looking into it,' said a U.N. spokesman."

  It would seem the UN spokesman, left unnamed by Reuters, said "DSS" and Reuters mis-heard it as "DSG," didn't note it would be strange for the UN's second highest official to be on two contractors when lower official Herve Ladsous is the one who made a call for 13 contractors in South Sudan.

 But Reuters, including the Thomson Reuters Foundation Trust.org,running its correction, says "UN corrects source of information in second paragraph." So the UN made the mistake?

 This is the same Reuters which on Friday regurgitated a UN report which Inner City Press had reported and asked the UN about fully two weeks earlier, same Reuters which refused to make public its policies, and tries to censor its anti Press complaints to the UN, here. We'll have more on this. 

  On Yemen, from the October 30 UN transcript:

Inner City Press: maybe you can confirm or deny that two individuals flew in to Sana’a on a UN plane have been detained by the Houthis who accuse them of being US intelligence individuals.  What was the protocol for getting on a UN plane to Sana’a?  Does the UN have a position of not flying in intelligent members of a UN member state?

Spokesman:  I'm aware of two people who I believe are UN contractors and their situation.  I don't have an update on it.  The protocol for flying on UN planes and on UN humanitarian flights is pretty clear.  I can give you the details.  We do not, we do not knowingly fly in or out combatants.

Inner City Press:  I just wondered, could you maybe say what kind of contractors they are?  I heard and reported they were making a building that the UN works in.  Is that true?

Spokesman:  That's my understanding. 

 We'll have more on this.

  Meanwhile the Houthis are denouncing UN envoy Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmad and his (mis) representation to the Security Council regarding what they agreed to. This has happened before and the goal seems to be delay to allow for more air strikes. There's work of mercenaries, in essence, including from Colombia in Aden, joining the troops from ICC-indicted Sudan.

 A new level of dysfunction was hit with the deployment in Aden of hundreds of troops from Sudan, putting ICC-indicted Omar al-Bashir on the same side as the US and UK. (Inner City Press is exclusively informed that "UN" envoy Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed is working on a similar Saudi deal with his native Mauritania, see below.)

Now Inner City Press is reliably and exclusively informed of a letter, drafted by Saudi Arabia and conveyed to UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon by envoy Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed, which has Ban thanking Hadi and stating that the Houthis have agreed without reservation to implementing UN Security Council Resolution 2216.  They have not - this is just another misleading move by the envoy, not a third strike but a fourth.

  But more fundamentally, why would Ban Ki-moon even consider signing a letter that was drafted by Saudi Arabia? Ban's Deputy Secretary General Jan Eliasson, arguably undermining the envoy, recently traveled to Saudi Arabia and then Iran.

  Inner City Press is reliably and exclusively informed that the Saudis snubbed Eliasson, denying several of his meeting requests and finally providing him only with the Foreign Minister, just before he left. In Iran, complaints against envoy Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed were lodged, that he does not have the trust of the Houthis. What kind of envoy is this? What kind of UN?

  After the UN Security Council's praise of talks ostensibly committed to UN envoy Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed was not updated after Hadi canceled participation in the talks, then the Saudi led coalition bombed Oman's Ambassador's house in Sana'a.

  The Saudi Mission to the UN, doling out information selectively as always, tweeted a photo of a meeting between its Ambassador and the deputy ambassadors of Security Council members the UK and US, of the EU - and UN humanitarian deputy Kyung-hwa Kang. What did Kyung-hwa Kang, if not the Ambassadors, say about the airstrikes?

  The UN's envoy Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed, after complaining about his leaked email showing his marginalization from Yemen talks, that Hadi had committed to come to talks. The Security Council praised him in a Press statement.

  Then Hadi canceled. It is similar to the UN's ceasefire-that-wasn't, and the failed "talks" in Geneva in which the UN never gave the Houthis passes to get into the UN building, after allowing them to be delayed along the way so that Ban never met them (while meeting with an individual on the US Al Qaeda sanctions list.)

  In many contexts it's "three strikes and you're out," in this case faux ceasefire and two talks that never happened. But the Security Council has not updated its Press Statement of praise; some members apparently simply work around the UN envoy. We'll have more on this.

  On September 5 as airstrikes on Sana'a picked up force, there was no comment from the UN or its envoy Ismail Ould Cheihk Ahmed. Nor on September 6. On September 7, the UN finally spoke -- not about the airstrikes but about a leak.

  On September 8, Inner City Press asked UN Spokesman Stephane Dujrarric if he was denying the veracity of the UN email Inner City Press published, below. Dujarric did not deny it. Video here. Inner City Press on September 9 asked Dujarric's deputy, below, on September 9 about Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed.

  Inner City Press exclusively reported the following: on August 27-28 in Muscat, the US and UK, the EU Ambassador to the UN and Saudi intelligence, met with the Houthis -- without the UN and its envoy present, or even sources say aware of the meeting. These sources say that the UN's Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed was on vacation in his native Mauritania, and was entirely out of the loop. 

  On September 10, Inner City Press asked UK Ambassador Matthew Rycroft if the UK had met with the Houthis and GPC in Muscat, without the UN Envoy present. Video here. The answer, as transcribed by the UK Mission:

Inner City Press: There was a letter from the Envoy that seemed to imply that.

Amb Rycroft: There has been a lot of different types of talks in Morocco and different engagements with others. The United Kingdom and other countries are involved in some but not all of those talks – depending on the format. Whether or not we are there or not we are very supportive of Ismail and his work.

  Meanwhile Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed says the same parties will now meet with him. Replay?

  On September 9, Inner City Press asked UN Deputy Spokesperson Farhan Haq, video here, transcript here:

Inner City Press: I saw the statement by the Envoy that leaks may be distorting.  But I wanted to ask a factual question, which is that there are reports, and some are confirming, that there were meetings in Muscat by the US, UK, EU [European Union] ambassador to Yemen, the Houthis and Saudi intelligence that took place in August, 27th and 28th.  And I wanted to know, it seems that the UN's Envoy wasn't present.  Was this by choice?  Was he not invited?  Was he unaware?  What's his role in these talks that are taking place between the parties that I've named in Muscat?

Deputy Spokesman:  Well, I wouldn't have any confirmation about any of the meetings that do not involve Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed, the Special Envoy.  He has been present in Muscat as well as in Riyadh in recent days and has used his time in those two cities to talk to many of the key players representing the Government of Yemen, Ansar Allah and the General People's Congress, and so he is continuing with his efforts to get the parties to talk to each other and to get a halt to the fighting.  And beyond that, I wouldn't have any details on any meetings that take place outside of his purview. 

  The September 10 briefing by this envoy to the UNSC was requested by the UK - which, it seems, met with the Houthis without Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed.

  Sources also note to Inner City Press that the Saudi have "dissed" Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed, relegating him only to meeting with Saudi intelligence, not diplomats as was previously the case with the UN. This too is embarrassing to the UN. Hence the Sunday evening statement:

"The Special Envoy for Yemen of the Secretary-General of the United Nations, Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed, is disturbed by press reports regarding the leak of internal United Nations correspondence. The content of these reports, especially in some Yemeni media outlets and Internet sites, constitute distortions and misinterpretations. These reports do not reflect the position of the Special Envoy or of the United Nations."

 A well placed UN source told Inner City Press that the replacement envoy should never have commented on the leak, especially while remaining silent on the increased airstrikes and Qatar sending troops and Apache helicopters. 

Perhaps the discomfort is with the reference to the US National Security Council's "Eric Polovski" (that is, Eric Pelofsky) being "on board." Another source exclusively told Inner City Press that in the Security Council's last meeting on Yemen, those raising the mounting humanitarian toll were Venezuela, Chile and New Zealand. Consider again this, to USg Jeff Feltman:

"Dear Jeff,

Before traveling to Jeddah I held two days of meetings with Ansar Allah and GPC in Muscat in which I tried to convince them to improve upon the 10 points which they had submitted to me earlier. This was necessary to respond to concerns in Riyadh that the commitments to the implementation of 2216 were still inadequate and failed to include recognition of the legitimacy of the government.

AA/GPC agreed to a new wording on UNSC resolution 2216 that states unequivocally that they are committed to the full implementation of 2216, (see document attached) with the exception of article which infringe on Yemeni sovereignty and those related to sanctions.

In addition, the new text includes acceptance of the return of the current government for a period of sixty days during which a new government of national unity shall be formed. They also accepted to remove references to counter-terrorism and the Saudi border to which the GoY had objected, as well as the mandatory support by the international community for reconstruction that was in the earlier version. The latter was particularly opposed by KSA and GCC who did not want it to be interpreted as a form of mandatory compensation. Both Ansar Allah and GPC seemed positive and showed considerable flexibility.

My meetings followed two days of meetings between the Ansar Allah and KSA intelligence officers which were also attended by the US, UK and Oman. The discussions focused on possible confidence building measures such as a pullback from border areas in exchanges for a cessation of airstrikes and agreements in which they would cease operations within Saudi Arabia. This was the first time that Ansar Allah have been open to discuss limited and geographically specific agreement. Although they repeated that the return of President Hadi would be unacceptable, they expressed their openness to the return of the government for a limited time. The US Ambassador, Matt Tueller has been keeping me regularly informed of these discussions, which has been most helpful. The confidence building paper proposed by the Houthis to KSA is attached for reference.

Although US officials were disappointed that Saudis had sent relatively junior representatives, they still felt the meetings were positive, largely friendly and a good way for KSA to sound out Ansar Allah’s intentions. Ansar Allah and KSA agreed that there should be further meetings with hopefully more senior representation although no dates were agreed. The meetings unfortunately shed very little new light on KSA’s strategy in the conflict or their willingness to support a negotiated settlement in the near future.

The meetings in Muscat were of course heavily influenced by the military developments in Yemen. The coalition has not been able to make rapid progress since their successes in Aden, Abyan and Shabwa in August. Taiz remains contested and there are reports that Ansar Allah has regained some territory which had been lost in the past week. The coalition’s difficulties moving northward suggest that an assault on Sanaa would likely be difficult and time-consuming than they had previously expected.

The instability and violence which have plagued Aden following its capture is likely also a source of concern. The mostly pro-independence Hiraak fighters are unwilling to cooperate fully with the GoY in attempts to expand northward. This leaves the coalition dependent on ground troops from Islah, Salafi and AQAP related groups, which UAE is reluctant to support.

Conclusion:

I believe, following my discussions in Muscat, that we now have a strong opportunity to obtain a peace deal, and avoid a violent confrontation in Sanaa, for the following three main reasons:

i) The revised paper (attached) is much stronger and contains serious concessions by the H/GPC. It will be difficult, at this stage, to push them towards further concessions.

ii) The recent slower advance of the GoY affiliated forces around Taez and Maarib could also offer another opportunity.

iii) The on-going insecurity and lawlessness in Aden, and the increased visibility of AQAP in Aden region in the aftermath of the liberation of the city by the GoY and Coalition forces, has started to raise serious concerns for UAE, and in some KSA circles.

In light of the above, I have reached the conclusion that we should now move towards a new round of direct talks, two and half months after our first round in Geneva. My recent shuttling has now reached a point whereby it is becoming somewhat transactional with the Special Envoy obtaining a paper from one side and seeking comments/acceptance by the other side. I do not think we can sustain this and I recommend we move to a more strategic phase. I recommend holding this next round of talks in Oman Sultanate as a first choice, which seems to be acceptable to the Omanis and all parties, especially KSA. My second proposed option would be Kuwait, however the Houthis are still hesitant about this potential venue. Ideally, we should aim at holding this meeting before Eid.

My discussions in Jeddah and Riyadh will be explicitly in favour of moving to peace talks phase as opposed to continuing this shuttling around papers/proposals. I have first indications that Abu Ali and Matt Tueller are supportive of this new approach. In this regard, it was important to time my visit to Jeddah before the meeting between King Salman and President Obama tomorrow. Eric Polovski – White House NSC – who was just recently in Muscat is also fully on board on this.

I am conscious that the implementation of this new proposal depends very much on the GoY's openness and the KSA genuine support (and not only on what I am hearing from Abu Ali). But this proposal is also the only way to keep the UN's efforts at the center of the mediation process and to avoid a fatigue among our various stakeholders, especially the H/GPC. This is why I once again need the support of the SG and the P5.

Best regards. Ismail

Muscat Principles for a Solution to the Political Crisis in Yemen
Commitment by all parties to implement relevant UNSC resolutions including resolution 2216, according to an implementation mechanism to be agreed upon, and without infringing on national sovereignty, and with reservations regarding the sanctions against Yemeni citizens.

A permanent and comprehensive cease-fire by all parties with the withdrawal of all armed groups and militias from the cities, according to an agreed mechanism to avoid any security and administrative vacuum along with lifting of the land, sea and air blockade.

Agreement on neutral monitoring instrument in order to verify implementation of the mechanisms mentioned above that will be agreed upon, under the auspices of the United Nations.

To respect international humanitarian law, including the elements relating to the protection of civilians and the release of prisoners and detainees from all parties, including those mentioned in UNSC resolution, and to facilitate humanitarian relief and allow the entry of commercial goods, food, medical supplies, oil derivatives and other essential good without restriction.
Kaled Bahah’s government, formed by consensus, returns and performs its tasks as a caretaker government for a period not extending 60 days, during which a government of national unity is formed, in a way that does not violate the constitution.

To resume and accelerate United Nations-brokered negotiations, according to the UNSC resolution.

All parties are obliged to hand over heavy weapons to the State in accordance with the outcomes of the Comprehensive National Dialogue."

Note: the "Eric Polovski" in the above would seem to be Eric Pelofsky. Just saying.

   On September 1 the Office of the High Commission for Human Rights raised its estimate of civilians killed to 2,112 (from March 26 to August 27), with 4,519 civilians injured in that period in what OHCHR called a "conservative estimate." 

  OHCHR cited an airstrike on Taiz on August 20 which killed 53 civilians. OHCHR said "Fifty-three of these civilian deaths occurred on 20 August, reportedly as result of a series of airstrikes by Saudi-led coalition forces that hit 20 homes near Salah Palace in Taiz. According to local reports, active fighters in the Houthi popular committees were believed to be based in the Salah Palace at the time."  Believed? Question to OHCHR in this case: what is international law?

 Or this one: "attacks by coalition forces on Hodeidah port, which is a key entry point for humanitarian supplies and commercial imports into Yemen."  

   UN Relief Chief Stephen O'Brien on August 19 told the UN Security Council, "To date only 18 percent, some $282 million, of the $1.6 billion requested through the Yemen Humanitarian Response Plan has been received. UN agencies have still not received the funding from Saudi Arabia of $274 million pledged in April."

  After O'Brien said that, Inner City Press asked Yemen's Permanent Representative at the UN, down the hall toward the Trusteeship Council Chamber, about it. He told Inner City Press, among other things, that explains the request for a UN "liaison" in Riyadh. 

  After the Security Council's triplet of meetings on Yemen, Syria and South Sudan ended on August 19, Inner City Press asked New Zealand's Permanent Representative Gerard van Bohemen "On Yemen. Mr O’Brien said that Saudi Arabia haven’t paid the pledge and that there was some dispute about the UN sending maybe somebody to be a liaison, what was said about actually getting aid unblocked?"
 
  Ambassador van Bohemen replied, "I think you need to talk to him about it. What he explained was there’s been quite a complicated discussion going with the Saudi government about the terms on which the money will be made available, but he knows the detail about it, I don’t."

  We still hope to have more on this.

  On August 7 Inner City Press was informed that as Houthis and Saleh's GPC headed to Oman for consultations on August 8 and 9, the UN's replacement envoy Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed was not even initially invited. He had to beg to get included, which after sweating has been allowed, in the run-up to his briefing on August 12 to the Security Council.

 On August 12, Inner City Press asked Yemen Permanent Representative, outside the Council meeting, questions ranging from the destruction of schools and health care facilities in Sa'ada by Saudi airstrikes to when, according to him, the Houthis might be "driven" out of Sa'ana. Video here. He said in a few weeks - and added that the Oman talks were "not UN."

 So how then might the parties negotiate? UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric said Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed was headed back to Riyadh. That seems to be his base, where he works from - and for? Watch this site.

  Oman has received murky thanks for France for facilitating the release of a hostage, who was working for the Social Development Fund there. Did Oman pay for France? Or will others be released, as France brought about in Mali?

  On July 28, Inner City Press asked Saudi Arabia's Permanent Representative about Mokha or Mocha; he replied that previous allegations about Saudi airstrikes on Old City Sana'a and on a palace in Aden once used by Queen Elizabeth had been proven untrue. We'll have more on this.

  Inner City Press asked Yemen's representative about the talks in Cairo involving the United Arab Emirates, allies of former president Saleh and, it's said, the US and UK. He replied that the Yemeni government - in exile - deals through formal channels, the GCC or UN.

  He might have been asked, which foreign minister is he reporting to: the one named by Hadi, or the one - his predecesor - named by Bahah? We'll have more on this as well. 

   After publishing its multi-sourced story, Inner City Press on July 22 asked the UN's Associate Spokesperson about new APC and weapons in Aden, and if Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed is on vacation. Video here. She replied that she would check - but did not revert with any response either way.

  So on July 23, amid reports that without Cheikh Ahmed or any UN presence talks were occurring about Yemen in Cairo, Inner City Pressasked:

Inner City Press: on Yemen, yesterday you'd said you would check on Mr. Ould Cheikh Ahmed, whether, in fact, he is on vacation at this time.  Did you?

Associate Spokesperson:  No.

Inner City Press: You said leave is a good thing.  In the transcript, you said, I'll check on his vacation.  But yes, people do take leave, it is a good thing, although there are people in Yemen who say, given that the humanitarian pause failed, it seemed a strange time to do it.  So I just wanted to know, factually, is it, in fact, the case?

Associate Spokesperson:  Is it the fact…?

Inner City Press:  That he's on vacation after the failure of the humanitarian pause.

Associate Spokesperson:  I don't know specifically for the Special Envoy, but I can tell you that, you know, most people at that level at the UN, all people at that level at the UN continue to work on their portfolios wherever they are and whatever they're doing.  These are portfolios that you can't just drop.  And I'm sure that's the case also with the Special Envoy.  As far as leave goes, you know, I'm not going to get into a “who's on leave when”, blah, blah, blah, with you.  I just… I don't want to do that…

[cross talk]

Inner City Press:  I'm just saying because yesterday, you said, "I'll check".

Associate Spokesperson:  Because as you mentioned… as you mentioned yourself, you know, leave is part of working life.

Inner City Press:  Okay.  Was he also on leave when UN staff had to leave Libya and he was the deputy SRSG in Libya?  Because that's what I'm told by the people…

Associate Spokesperson:  He was also on leave when what…?

Inner City Press:  On leave when the people were evacuated from Libya that were the staff members of the UNSMIL mission.

Associate Spokesperson:  Well, I just said I'm not going to go and check his attendance sheet.

 So much for checking. 

  Inner City Press asked the UN where Cheikh Ahmed is. UN Deputy Spokesperson Farhan Haq told Inner City Press that he has been "planning his travels," soon to Riyadh. Yeah, Inner City Press was told by another less constrained but at least as knowledgeable source: planning his future travels while already on vacation. Another source compared it to then UN envoy to Pakistan Jean-Maurice Ripert going on vacation amid national disasters in Pakisan and then losing his post. 

   The buzz in Sana'a, where Hadi has named a governor in exile described as an Islamist, is that Cheikh Ahmed may well have known of the plans to bring in APC and weapons to those fighting the Houthis in Aden, and so "misleadingly" urged a pause. Another compared this to the UN luring out surrendering rebel leaders in Sri Lanka - to their deaths.

  And so from Aden, photographs of brand new light brown vehicles, American-made, brought in. Will they end up in the hands of Al Qaeda?

On July 20, Inner City Press asked UN deputy spokesperson Farhan Haq:

Inner City Press: I wanted to check first if you have anything on Yemen and the activities of Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed.  What's he been doing in the last few days, amid reports of continued death and destruction in the country?

Deputy Spokesman:  Yes, Mr. Ould Cheikh Ahmed has been planning his onward travels.  The only one to confirm at this stage is that he does plan very shortly to travel to Riyadh, where he is to meet with Saudi authorities, authorities of the Gulf Cooperation Council, and with President [Abd Rabbuh Mansour] Hadi and Vice-President [Khaled] Bahah.  And so, he is going to try to talk to them.  He's continuing with his efforts to see what can be done to secure a humanitarian pause, even following the end of Ramadan and Eid.  And so, he's going to continue with those efforts and travel more broadly in the region after that.  We'll try and inform you of other stops as that progresses.

Inner City Press: There's some talk of, if not Mr. Hadi, other ministers trying to return to Aden.  Is the UN aware of that?  Do they have any comment on that?

Deputy Spokesman Haq:  It's not for me to discuss what the Government of Yemen is trying to do.  Regarding Aden, we have been concerned about the humanitarian situation on the ground.  Our humanitarian colleagues have been continuing even in the absence of a humanitarian pause on the ground to try to provide supplies.  I believe that, even though the pause did not go forward as we had wanted, about 60 per cent of the humanitarian activities that we had been planning did, in fact, take place.  And so we were able to provide some aid, although not nearly enough.  And, of course, we continue to be concerned about the fighting in Aden.

  Back on July 9, UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon proudly announced a humanitarian pause to start on July 10 at midnight.

  When the supposed pause failed, Inner City Press was told on July 14, it took Ban Ki-moon more than two days to speak with Saudi Arabia, through its foreign and defense ministers. Ban, it was said, was "in the air."

 On July 14, Inner City Press asked Ban's spokesman Stephane Dujarric:

Inner City Press: Something on Yemen.  Yesterday, you said the Secretary-General was very, very disappointed.  So, I wanted to ask, if you can say, starting, I guess it would be, Saturday morning, right after midnight, it became pretty clear that there was no pause.  Did he make any… did he make any actual, like, calls, meaning like telephone calls or in some… did he reach out?  And can you confirm or deny that some within DPA [Department of Political Affairs] had suggested that he not put out that statement that seemed to imply that there was a pause agreed to as…?

Spokesman Dujarric:  No, I… listen, I'm not… Secretary-General was in the air a large part of the weekend.  He's also attending the Addis conference.  People at various levels were having various contacts.  The Secretary-General spoke to both the Defence Minister of Saudi Arabia and the Foreign Minister yesterday, in addition to other contacts that were had in the previous… you know, on Monday and over the weekend.  As to the deliberation… the internal deliberations of different opinions expressed within the UN Secretariat, I'm not going to go into that.  At the end of the day, it's the Secretary-General's call, and the statement he issued was clear.

  The day before on July 13 at the UN noon briefing Inner City Press asked Ban's spokesman  Dujarric why the UN had made another "call" for a pause sound like a commitment to a pause, at least by the Saudi led coalition. Video here.

  Dujarric answered that envoy Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed had told the Suadis of his desire for a pause. But that's not what the UN said on July 9.

   Ban was in Addis Ababa for the Financing for Development conference; here are his UN's "messaging" points in the run-up to that conference (and here an Inner City Press story about it; we'll have more). But isn't the UN responsible to say something after a humanitarian pause it announced doesn't happen, and people are killed? 

  It quickly became clear that some of key parties had not been spoken with or agreed; the pause's midnight beginning came and passed amid airstrikes.

  Inner City Press is informed by sources that Ban Ki-moon was urged to not make the dubious pause announcement, including from within the UN's own Department of Political Affairs -- but Ban announced it anyway.

  At best, it was rolling the dice. At worse, on the very day that UN is rightly criticizing itself for making false promises of protection in Srebrenica 20 years ago, in this case Yemenis were told there would be a pause, and some perhaps relied on it, to their detriment. And still the UN had said nothing.

  After the July 9 announcement, Inner City Press asked Ban's spokesman if the Saudis had been spoken with. The answer was, Hadi told the Saudis his position. But did Hadi ever agree to the pause, or just to the conditions set forth in his letter to UN? What of Hadi's responsibilities to the Yemeni people?

Now Saudi Al Arabiya has said Saudi Arabia never received any communication from Hadi to stop airstrikes, here. Someone is lying.