By Matthew Russell Lee, Exclusive
UNITED NATIONS, October 11 -- UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon in late August awarded the top UN job in Kenya to his own son in law, Siddharth Chatterjee, and did not even recuse himself.
On September 27, Inner City Press directly asked Chatterjee about it, on Periscope. here. Vine here. Chatterjee hardly answered the long-standing questions; nor did Ban's spokesman. Neither set up the requested interview. Questions about Ban letting the Saudi led Coalition off the Children and Armed Conflict annex for Yemen remain unanswered, along with others.
Instead, Ban's spokesman had refused to answer Inner City Press questions in writing, and has claimed when it asks in the noon briefing that it is dragging (Ban's) people through the mud. Video here. Inner City Press' question on Ernesto Baca, 23 hours after it was asked, wan't answered. If questions can't be answered or even asked, reporting is the only thing to do.
And so: Rebecca Ralston, a friend of the UN's (American) Chief Information Technology Officer Atefeh (Atti) Riazi, from the New York City Housing Authority, was hired as a consultant in OICT and paid $110.00 per hour for 40 hours per week for the last 2 years or so, until she was let go last week, also coincidentally with the confirmation of the new Secretary General, like Baca.
Ralston was one of many close NYCHA acquaintances Riazi brought into OICT and paid generously. Ralston was hired ostensibly to do an inventory of web sites as part of the implementation of the UN ICT strategy but did, by all accounts, a decidedly unremarkable job. Ralston who is also the CEO of Agile Impact Group, an online brand management company based in Seattle that offers digital brand management services for monitoring, analyzing, and managing clients’ digital presence, was actually (real job) using her company services, pushing content onto the Web, to influence (diminish) negative press on Ban Ki-moon and improve his "brand."
Ban Ki-moon is widely seen as already running for president of South Korea.
As of October 12, Ralston is not in the UN database. Baca still in, on the 15th floor next to Riazi.
Inner City Press is informed that Ernesto Baca, brought in by Ban's former chief of staff Susana Malcorra to work on the boondoggle UMOJA system, went on paid leave amid the failure of the project.
Tellingly, the sources inform Inner City Press, Baca only put in his letter ending his paid leave last week, on the very day the Security Council chose Antonio Guterres (and not Malcorra) to replace Ban. For 23 hours and counting, Ban's spokesman Dujarric did not answer this question, from the October 11 UN transcript:
Inner City Press: I wanted to just ask, just factually, Ernesto Baca, who was an official in charge of Umoja. I mean, I’m putting it in the past, but I’m not sure. They haven’t announced anything. Is he still employed by the UN? I’ve heard that he left on the day that the new Secretary-General was picked, which some people read some significance into it. But I just want to know factually from you, is he still employed? It’s an ASG (Assistant Secretary-General) post.
Spokesman: I know who he is and where he works. It’s not in my book of answers, but I will try to get an answer.
Spokesman: I know who he is and where he works. It’s not in my book of answers, but I will try to get an answer.
23 hours, nothing. The series continues. Watch this site.
These same sources say Ban, who has converted long time aide Eun Ha (Isabelle) Kim from General Service to Professional UN staff in a way not available to other staff members, let Malcorra do the same. Watch this site.
On October 3, Inner City Press which since May 2015 asked about Ban's nephew's use of Ban's name in real estate deals, prior to Ban's eviction of Inner City Press, now asked about the nephew's fraud conviction,below.
On October 6, Inner City Press asked Ban Ki-moon's spokesman Farhan Haq again about Ban's nephew's fraud conviction, and a surreal email Ban sent to UN staff about... fraud. Many staff called it hypocrisy.Beyond the Vine video here, second half. From the UN transcript:
Inner City Press: I wanted to ask you about an email that the Secretary-General sent, I think, to all staff about fraud yesterday. It was a blast e-mail, a UNHQ (United Nations Headquarters) broadcast. And it was sort of instructed staff to… that fraud is a serious matter. There's something called the 2017 Leadership Dialogue. And I guess, what triggered the e-mail. In having read it and published it, it's not clear. Is this something that's being newly announced? Why was this anti-fraud e-mail sent yesterday?
Deputy Spokesman: There are a number of internal e-mails that go out from time to time. This is simply another one of those, and it's on a topic that the Secretary-General feels is important.
ICP Question: And I guess… because I'd asked you this before, and I keep… I go… you had said that… to somehow to ask Colliers if the individual who's listed in the newspaper as the nephew of the Secretary-General as working for them at the time that the fraud that he was just convicted of occurred. But I'm asking you… I want to, I guess, just reiterate. As the UN, doesn't the UN have a duty, if it has existing contractors… and I just went by 45th Street today. The sign is still up, so the UN is doing business with Colliers. If a newspaper, widely circulated, says an employee of their company was convicted of fraud, isn't there some follow up totally outside of the familial relationship of the Secretary-General?
Deputy Spokesman: We do not determine the staffing of Colliers. You would have to ask them that. Have a good afternoon.
On October 5, just hours after Ban's replacement was selected and his deputy spokesman told Inner City Press Ban will no longer hand out top posts (as he did, for example, to his own son in law on August 26), Ban sent his first post-Guterres email to UN staff, shamelessly about... fraud:
Date: 5 October 2016 at 2:01:33 PM GMT-4
Subject: Message from the Secretary-General to Staff on Fraud and Corruption
Dear colleagues,
Anyone who works for the United Nations has a fundamental responsibility to act with honesty and integrity at all times. The vast majority of staff take pride in honouring this responsibility. But we operate in uniquely high-risk environments that expose our activities to significant risks. Fraud and corruption not only betray the trust placed in us by Member States; they damage our operations, our authority and our credibility, making it more difficult for all of us to do our work.
The comprehensive Anti-Fraud and Anti-Corruption Framework, issued through Information Circular ST/IC/2016/25 on 9 September 2016, is designed to help staff promote and maintain a culture of integrity and honesty across the range of our operations and activities. It details how our Organization acts to prevent, detect, deter, respond to and report on fraud and
corruption. The United Nations has a zero-tolerance approach to fraud and corruption. This means that the administration will actively pursue all allegations, and will take all necessary disciplinary and contractual measures when wrongdoing is established.
The 2017 Leadership Dialogue – the discussion that all managers should have every year with staff who report to them – will focus on this Framework. I hope it will stimulate discussions between staff and managers at all levels on how the Framework can be applied.
Together, we must make every effort to promote the highest ethical
standards for our United Nations, as we serve the world’s people.
Warm regards,
The Secretary-General
Ban Ki-moon"
Subject: Message from the Secretary-General to Staff on Fraud and Corruption
Dear colleagues,
Anyone who works for the United Nations has a fundamental responsibility to act with honesty and integrity at all times. The vast majority of staff take pride in honouring this responsibility. But we operate in uniquely high-risk environments that expose our activities to significant risks. Fraud and corruption not only betray the trust placed in us by Member States; they damage our operations, our authority and our credibility, making it more difficult for all of us to do our work.
The comprehensive Anti-Fraud and Anti-Corruption Framework, issued through Information Circular ST/IC/2016/25 on 9 September 2016, is designed to help staff promote and maintain a culture of integrity and honesty across the range of our operations and activities. It details how our Organization acts to prevent, detect, deter, respond to and report on fraud and
corruption. The United Nations has a zero-tolerance approach to fraud and corruption. This means that the administration will actively pursue all allegations, and will take all necessary disciplinary and contractual measures when wrongdoing is established.
The 2017 Leadership Dialogue – the discussion that all managers should have every year with staff who report to them – will focus on this Framework. I hope it will stimulate discussions between staff and managers at all levels on how the Framework can be applied.
Together, we must make every effort to promote the highest ethical
standards for our United Nations, as we serve the world’s people.
Warm regards,
The Secretary-General
Ban Ki-moon"
On October 2, Ban's deputy spokesman Farhan Haq replied that Ban has had "no contact" with his own nephew.
So on October 4, Inner City Press asked about Ban's nephew's connection with UNDP's property manager, UN transcript here:
Inner City Press: I understand that you'd said the Secretary-General has had no contact with his nephew Bahn Joo-hyun, but given that the article says that the acts that he engaged in were while he was an employee of Colliers International, which, if you remember this, there was back-and-forth. Their plaque is still up on the FF Building on 45th Street. I wanted to know, this is a UN question as opposed to a Secretary-General, if he doesn't speak to him. Is this individual, a nephew of the Secretary-General, still employed by Colliers? If so, does this finding by a court trigger any review of the UN's contracts with Colliers?
Deputy Spokesman: You would have to check with Colliers whether he's an employee. I wouldn't comment on someone who is not UN personnel.
Deputy Spokesman: You would have to check with Colliers whether he's an employee. I wouldn't comment on someone who is not UN personnel.
Amid all this - and while refusing to answer basic questions - Ban Ki-moon has found a group to praise and flatter him, with photographs no less. This was sent to Inner City Press this afternoon by an amazed recipient, we publish it here:
"Dear colleagues, UNCA is pleased to inform you that a Photo Exhibition presenting the 10 years of United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, will take place at the end of November. Submissions are now open to all UN photographers to send their photos of Ban Ki-moon in action during his tenure. There will be a total of 25 photos selected to be exhibited at the opening of the event with the attendance of the Secretary-General.
Cia Pak, Scannews, will coordinate the submissions. Please see the instructions below on how to submit your work.
Best regards,
Giampaolo Pioli
UNCA President"
Cia Pak, Scannews, will coordinate the submissions. Please see the instructions below on how to submit your work.
Best regards,
Giampaolo Pioli
UNCA President"
We'll have more on this.
Meanwhile, "court has ruled a nephew of U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon pay $590,000 in damages to a South Korean construction firm that was at the center of a major lobbying scandal last year. The Seoul Northern District Court recently handed down the sentence to Ban Joo-hyun, son of the U.N. chief's younger brother Ban Ki-sang, on charges of fabricating documents that allegedly expressed the Qatari government's intention to buy a high-rise building belonging to the firm, Keangnam Enterprises Inc.
"Ban Joo-hyun, who was an executive of a U.S. real estate investment company at the time, is accused of receiving the money from Keangnam Enterprises in 2014 in exchange for arranging the sale of the skyscraper in Vietnam to the Qatari government. In the process, he reportedly told Keangnam that he could use the influence of his uncle to directly contact the Qatari king."
"Ban Joo-hyun, who was an executive of a U.S. real estate investment company at the time, is accused of receiving the money from Keangnam Enterprises in 2014 in exchange for arranging the sale of the skyscraper in Vietnam to the Qatari government. In the process, he reportedly told Keangnam that he could use the influence of his uncle to directly contact the Qatari king."
Ban's deputy spokesman Farhan Haq on October 3, when Inner City Press asked, declined comment except to say that Ban has "no contact" with his nephew. His brother's son? We'll have more on this.
Inner City Press was informed by whistleblowing UN staff that Ban is now attempting, contrary even to a new feather-bedding rule his issued to place his staff wherever they want in the UN system, to place his longtime personal / appointments secretary Eun Ha (Isabelle) Kim as a P-3 Professional in the UN Office of Protocol.
Ban's spokesman Stephane Dujarric on September 29 said he has "no idea" about such a position, while accusing Inner City Press of dragging people -- Kim? Or Mr Ban?" - through the mud. Video here.
On September 28 Inner City Press published more, from even more complaining staff. They tell Inner City Press that Ban ALREADY broke the rules, promoting Isabelle Kim from General Service to a P-2 professional position, and now ordering the Office of Protocol to create a P-3 post for Ms. Kim. Staff are angry that the rules Ban applies to them do not apply to those close to Ban.
On September 28, Dujarric told Inner City Press vaguely that there are many many to move from G to P, General to Professional. (Inner City Press previously asked Ban's deputy about UN Staff Rule 4.16 (ii) which states the following:
"Recruitment to the Professional category of staff from the General Service and related categories in the United Nations Secretariat: recruitment to the Professional category at the United Nations Secretariat of staff from the General Service and related categories having successfully passed the appropriate competitive examinations shall be made within the limits established by the General Assembly. Such recruitment shall be made exclusively through competitive examination."
"Recruitment to the Professional category of staff from the General Service and related categories in the United Nations Secretariat: recruitment to the Professional category at the United Nations Secretariat of staff from the General Service and related categories having successfully passed the appropriate competitive examinations shall be made within the limits established by the General Assembly. Such recruitment shall be made exclusively through competitive examination."
So did Ms. Kim take and pass this required competitive exam? Dujarric didn't answer, in fact ran off the podium to avoid Inner City Press' follow up question, to confirm or deny Ms. Kim is Mrs Ban's niece.Video here. From the UN transcript:
Inner City Press: I've asked Farhan [Haq] about this kind of indirectly, but I wanted to ask you directly to get a confirmation or denial. We've received sort of complaints from a variety of staff members that a longtime aide of the Secretary-General Eun-ha Kim, or Isabelle Kim, may be in line for a P3 position in Protocol. The reason I'm asking you this is because it's not… it's more than one person that said this would be wrong. Their question is, how does a person go from general staff to professional staff? Is it through a competitive exam, and if it's not, what is the loophole…?
Spokesman: I'm not going to… I mean, you know, you may want to drag…
Inner City Press: It's not dragging.
Spokesman: …drag people through the mud.
Inner City Press: So you say.
Spokesman: And I'm not going to go into the details of individual staff members' cases, because I don't think it's fair for anyone who works in this organization. But all the rules are being followed, and this case does not involve the Secretary-General.
ICP Question: You say dragging through the mud, but my question is, I'm saying staff members at var… a variety of levels have said, since this G to P wall, which they think is wrong, applies to them and you have people with PhDs that can't do it, they're extremely interested to know how somebody close to the Secretary-General could do it?
Spokesman: There are various ways of people to go from G to P in this organization.
ICP Question: I read Farhan a rule that…
Spokesman: And I've seen it, and I'm telling that you all the rules are being followed.
ICP Question: Is there currently a P-3 post in protocol that exists?
Spokesman: I have no clue. Thank you
Spokesman: I'm not going to… I mean, you know, you may want to drag…
Inner City Press: It's not dragging.
Spokesman: …drag people through the mud.
Inner City Press: So you say.
Spokesman: And I'm not going to go into the details of individual staff members' cases, because I don't think it's fair for anyone who works in this organization. But all the rules are being followed, and this case does not involve the Secretary-General.
ICP Question: You say dragging through the mud, but my question is, I'm saying staff members at var… a variety of levels have said, since this G to P wall, which they think is wrong, applies to them and you have people with PhDs that can't do it, they're extremely interested to know how somebody close to the Secretary-General could do it?
Spokesman: There are various ways of people to go from G to P in this organization.
ICP Question: I read Farhan a rule that…
Spokesman: And I've seen it, and I'm telling that you all the rules are being followed.
ICP Question: Is there currently a P-3 post in protocol that exists?
Spokesman: I have no clue. Thank you
Ms. Kim, we note, was with Ban (and Han Seung-soo and others) up to fifteen years ago, when Han was President of the General Assembly and Ban, his chief of staff.
Also on that dream team: current South Korean ambassador to the UN and Ban promoted Oh Joon, former Ban promotee Yoon Yeocheol, Kim Bong-hyun who previously told Inner City Press to cover Ban more positively, and others - click here for the list, still online for now.
Inner City Press also asked Ban Ki-moon's in law if he had been present at and played a role in the Jaffna Hospital massacre in Sri Lanka. He did not deny this -- rather, he said it was not "pertinent." He said he would answer at an "opportune time."
