By Matthew Russell Lee, Follow Up on Exclusives
UNITED NATIONS, August 31 -- Under Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, the UN has become so lawless that Ban's son-in-law Siddharth Chatterjee was just named UN Resident Representative in Kenya without Ban recusing himself. Inner City Press reported and asked about this on August 25.
On August 26, Ban's spokesman Stephane Dujarric confirmed that Ban had not recused himself, had in fact signed the letter giving his own son in law the job, see update here and below.
On August 31, with Ban Ki-moon amid a junket that has taken him to Sri Lanka, and with Ban's spokesman Dujarric having canceled the noon briefing at which questions could be asked, Inner City Press submitted these questions, now with post-6 pm "answers" inserted:
"Aug 31 - 1: Please confirm or deny that (1) the Secretariat has sent a note verbale to Burundi seeking to send a mission to deploy the 228 police provided for in the resolution and separately (2) that the Burundian government has sent note(s) verbale to the Secretariat saying “No” (or “Non”);
Ban's Dujarric's "answer" - "Not aware of the NV at this time." Who did he ask?
Aug 31 - 2: Given the issues raised by the Secretary General signing the letter appointing his son in law as UN Resident Coordinator in Kenya, and given your response on August 26 the day after Inner City Press inquired into this, this is a formal request that you today (pre-lid) provide
a) the names and/or other identifiers of the members of the interagency advisory panel which you say selected the SG's son in law (to assess whether they can be considered independent of the SG) and the names of the other candidates (to assess whether the SG's son in law was arguably the most qualified) --
or provide an explanation of WHY such information in this situation will not be disclosed.
a) the names and/or other identifiers of the members of the interagency advisory panel which you say selected the SG's son in law (to assess whether they can be considered independent of the SG) and the names of the other candidates (to assess whether the SG's son in law was arguably the most qualified) --
or provide an explanation of WHY such information in this situation will not be disclosed.
Ban's Dujarric's "answer" -- "I've already answered extensively on the naming of Mr. Chatterjee. The process of choosing Resident Coordinator is done by UN Development Group. You should reach out to UNDP to get further details on how it's run because I am not familiar with it, beyond what I have already said in the briefing."
So he just reads spin handed to him?
Aug 31 - 3: On the already-begun Sri Lanka visit by the SG, you replied yesterday evening that his itinerary was in the highlights, but I did not see it there and have waited to see today's highlight to send this -- please respond to the issues (effective exclusion of Northern Provincial Council, with which USG Feltman previously met)...
Ban's Dujarric: "We posted on the highlights details of the SG's trip in SL, which is just getting underway. Tomorrow (Sept 1st), he will go to Galle and then, the following day, to Jaffna." We'll have more on this.
Aug 31 - 4: Speaking of Mr. Feltman, please provide a readout of his trip to Turkey which Turkey has made public, and explain why the UN / DPA didn't announce Feltman's trip. See this.
Aug 31 - 5: On South Sudan, please state the UN's knowledge of the killing of 13 civilians near Renk and, again, please explain not UNMISS' but the wider DPKO's (HQ's) policy on the use of tear gas, as well as explaining the July 11 “accidental teargas explosion.”
Aug 31 - 6: Relatedly on South Sudan, amid reports (by South Sudan) that the UNSC will visit there, as soon as later this week, please state whether your office will be informing (which) journalists of the trip and the chance if any to go.
Aug 31 - 5: On South Sudan, please state the UN's knowledge of the killing of 13 civilians near Renk and, again, please explain not UNMISS' but the wider DPKO's (HQ's) policy on the use of tear gas, as well as explaining the July 11 “accidental teargas explosion.”
Aug 31 - 6: Relatedly on South Sudan, amid reports (by South Sudan) that the UNSC will visit there, as soon as later this week, please state whether your office will be informing (which) journalists of the trip and the chance if any to go.
Ban Ki-moon's spokesman Dujarric: "The trip was announced to Resident Correspondents. The final decision of who travels with the Security Council is up to the leads of the Mission to select the journalist." Outrageous: see here
Aug 31 - 7: Please state the relation of this to the UN system and any ruling by the UN Ethics Office (as well as, at long last, stating who decided to stop listing those official who refuse public financial disclosure, and why)." Supposedly, a belated answer is coming, even as Ban Ki-moon's spokesman Dujarric ordered Inner City Press out of briefing room, tried to oust permanently from UN, excludes from basic UNSC notices: censorship.
Aug 31 - 7: Please state the relation of this to the UN system and any ruling by the UN Ethics Office (as well as, at long last, stating who decided to stop listing those official who refuse public financial disclosure, and why)." Supposedly, a belated answer is coming, even as Ban Ki-moon's spokesman Dujarric ordered Inner City Press out of briefing room, tried to oust permanently from UN, excludes from basic UNSC notices: censorship.
