By Matthew Russell Lee
UNITED NATIONS, October 15 -- After the UN under Ban Ki-moon killed more than 10,000 people in Haiti by bringing cholera, Ban spent years dodging court papers and the issue. Now in Haiti, Ban's continued shirking of responsibility has been called outrageous by lawyer Mario Joseph. An appeal to the US Supreme Court is now being mulled.
On October 13 Ban's outgoing spokesman Stephane Dujarric said speeches by three UN officials the next afternoon would be available.
Inner City Press went on October 14 to cover it, and began Periscoping the largely empty Conference Room 2. See video here. Will Ban use this as his new excuse to leave victims without recourse, just as he is trying to use Hurricane Matthew as a reason to not move forward with his belated promise?
Down on the floor were the three UN speakers, and UN official Cristina Gallach who previously ordered Inner City Press out of the UN and its office as it sought to cover corruption by her, and Ban Ki-moon, as part of the Ng Lap Seng bribery case. Also in attendance: the US Mission to the UN's ambassador in charge of management and reform Isobel Coleman, who was asked to act on the UN's eviction of the Press but did nothing.
During the speech of envoy Sandra Honore, the second of the three UN speakers, Inner City Press was told to leave the media booth and the meeting. When Inner City Press said, check the noon briefing, it was ignored. Upstairs, Dujarric who it is appears is being replaced stayed staring at his desktop computer and said, that's how it is. He previously got Inner City Press thrown out of an event in the UN Press Briefing Room, see here and here.
As Ban Ki-moon nears the end of his term as UN Secretary General, with his eye on running for president of South Korea, he or his advisers have adopted a new strategy: do nothing, but tell eager media they are doing something, or will do something.
That was the case again on September 29, when UN official David Nabarro, already running to head WHO, spoke to a single media outlet about Ban's twice announced, yet to be implemented about-face on Haiti cholera. Beyond the Vine video here; UN transcript here: and below.
On October 13, with Ban on his way to Haiti, Inner City Press asked his spokesman Stephane Dujarric about the World Bank and Ban's role in helping a South Korean garment firm get a sweet deal in Haiti. From the UN transcript:
Inner City Press: I wanted to ask you about Haiti, and disaster risk reduction, which I saw a statement by the Secretary-General on today. There's a World Bank-managed fund called the Haiti Reconstruction Fund, which redirected $14 million that had been earmarked as natural disaster mitigation. He… they earmarked it… redirected it to energy projects. And people are pointing to this as saying, like, is there some coordination between what the UN says and what the World Bank does? And also, I'd been meaning for some time to ask you about a report… maybe you'll deny this… that for the for the Caracol Industrial Park in Haiti, "With the help of UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, a former South Korean trade minister, the organizers recruited Sae-A Trading Co., a South Korean-based global garment giant that supplies many of the clothes you buy at Target, Wal-Mart, Gap, Old Navy and stores…”
Spokesman: I'm not aware.
ICP Question: Are you aware of that? Can you ask him whether, in fact, he played a role in…?
Spokesman: I'm not aware of the report. On your first question, I think it's a question for the World Bank.
On October 10 Ban Ki-moon held a two-question stakeout and spoke about Haiti and Hurricane Matthew and even cholera, but made no mention of reparations. As he walked away, Inner City Press audibly asked, what about reparations. Vine here. There was no answer, nor when Ban came out of an untelevised meeting on “financial solutions” later in the day. Financial solutions for whom?
There was a meeting all afternoon about Haiti, but no stakeout afterward, a trend in the UN of Ban Ki-moon and his peacekeeping boss Herve Ladsous. The UN early in the day said only 900 were killed by its cholera; it was changed, after complaints it seems, to 9000.
On October 11, Inner City Press asked Ban's spokesman Stephane Dujarric, UN transcript:
Inner City Press: at the stakeout yesterday, when the Secretary-General was speaking about Haiti, he didn’t mention the… the second part of what Dr. [David] Nabarro had talked about, which is a… seemed to be $181 million to improve water, water and sanitation and an amount equal or greater than that to somehow try to make whole people that were… or try to, that were the victims who had family members die from cholera. Is that… was it just an omission on his part, or do you think…?
Spokesman: No, I think the plan as outlined in greater detail by Dr. Nabarro stands, and we hope to be able to announce something by the Secretary-General soonish.
ICP Question: And can… I understand the formal announcement is coming, but given that Dr. Nabarro said these things in an interview… it wasn’t a leak or anything else, what is the Secretary-General’s plan, to meet with Member States and ask for money for each of these two baskets…? [inaudible]
Spokesman: He will come back to the General Assembly with a more formal proposal and, obviously, a need for those proposals to be generously funded.
On October 7 in the deadly aftermath of Hurricane Matthew, Inner City Press asked UN spokesman Farhan Haq, UN Transcript here:
Inner City Press: Even though the guest from Haiti didn't come, I just wanted to ask one question about that, which is I've seen… I guess Dr. [David] Nabarro is down… he's tweeted that he's down in Washington. He's meeting with the US and others about the possibility of the spread of Cholera in the wake of this hurricane. So I wanted to know, is what he had described to AFP of $181 million and an equally-sized or larger fund for reparations for victims of the Cholera that was apparently brought by the UN, is what he's discussing down in Washington separate from that or part of that?
Deputy Spokesman: He's discussing the situation in Haiti including, as the circumstances now have dictated, the current situation, which is the hurricane and its impact. But of course, there are concerns, including the issue of Cholera, and I do believe that in the coming weeks, the Secretary-General will also have more to present to the Member States on this.
September 29 transcript:
Inner City Press: On Haiti, I've seen this interview by David Nabarro, I guess with AFP (Agence France-Presse). It's mostly in French, and it seems to be saying that… previewing the plan and saying some $181 million in renewed funding and at least that amount in reparation to victims to be announced by late October. So since he said it and he works for the Secretary-General, is that the current thinking? Is that a solid commitment of $181 million for…?
Spokesman: I think what we're talking about is really a minimum. There really… I think the Secretary-General was very clear. He said he would come back to the General Assembly. He has talked about the moral responsibility that the UN has towards the victims of the cholera epidemic and also helping Haiti overcome the structural issues it has in fighting waterborne diseases. There really are two tracks to this new approach that the Secretary-General will announce in more details later. One would be to intensify support to the country for cholera control and response and address the sanitation issues. And the second one would be to provide material assistance and support to those Haitians who have been most directly affected by cholera. Now, both of those will require generous and active participation of donors. There has been… you know, I think, for the two-track approach, it will be more than $185 million, as I think… I think Mr. Nabarro was really talking about a minimum for one of the tracks. We've had some initial contacts with donors, and we'll continue to do so. And, as I said, the Secretary-General will present a more detailed plan soon to the General Assembly.
ICP Question: And what's his goal… I mean, I'd heard some reference to the… I mean, is it tied in any way to the… to the budget committee here, or is it something he aims to raise? Does he aim to raise this money or get the commitments before he leaves office, or is he announcing it in October with… what's the…
Spokesman: No, I think the Secretary-General aims to get this well underway before he leaves office. Obviously, this will not come out of the regular budget. It will have to be funded by donors, but it is something he does… he wants to leave on a solid footing by December.
On Auugst 18 after years of harming families in Haiti after bringing cholera there, Ban's deputy spokesman Farhan Haq -- who accused Inner City Press of “bullying” him for actually asking follow up questions -- with a single email casts Ban Ki-moon as reformed on accountability. Has Ban done anything? No. He dodged legal papers.
Likewise after dropping Saudi Arabia from the Children and Armed Conflict annex on Yemen, and issuing surreal statements equating Saudi airstrikes to low-tech firing across the border, a Ban defender quoted unanmed Ban officials that Ban is about to do something.
On August 18, Inner City Press asked Haq, Vines here (Haiti) and here (Yemen), UN transcript here:
Inner City Press: to deal with the Haitians impacted, and these obviously include families who lost a… a family member or breadwinner who died due to the cholera. So, I guess what I'm wondering is, there are headlines all over the world saying Ban Ki-moon is acknowledging his responsibility and putting it in a very positive light. What… what exactly… I mean, what would you say to a theory that says that these… this combined with the Yemen announcement that Ban Ki-moon may or may not write to the Saudis and reiterate his list is sort of an attempt to make… the Secretary-General is taking action on these two controversial topics without actually doing anything. What has he actually done? Is he going to write a letter to Saudi Arabia? They're two issues. I'm mixing them because I see…
Deputy Spokesman: You're kind of mixing two topics. If you’re…
ICP Question: They came out on the same day, and they're both quoting unnamed UN officials, and the other one quotes you. So, what is actually being done on these two topics?
Deputy Spokesman: Indeed, I'm a named UN official. And what I can say about Yemen, on the question of a letter… ultimately, what I can say is that there's an ongoing review of measures that the Saudi-led Coalition is taking to stop and prevent violations against children and other civilians in Yemen. That review is continuing. And, as you would expect, as part of that review, there will be communications back and forth.
ICP Question: Right, but, so, it… unless that story is inaccurate, there are senior Ban Ki-moon officials saying that this letter's going out. And so, stories come out saying Ban Ki-moon's getting tough with the Saudis. Is this… given that the statement yesterday sort of equated a relatively unprofessional attack across the board onto Saudi Arabia with airstrikes from the air that have been ongoing for days, what is… what's the timeframe for him to take action on Saudi Arabia? Two months, as well?
Deputy Spokesman: I don't think that there's an equation. I think, if you've noticed, in the last four days, there have been three statements about Yemen. Each of them say fairly tough things, and each of them apply across the board to the need to protect civilians and particularly children in Yemen. That's one of his priorities.
ICP Question: Does he now think it was a bad idea to take them off the list, that this may have emboldened them to take these airstrikes?
Deputy Spokesman: What we have said repeatedly is that they continue to be under review. That review is ongoing.
UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon's “Special Envoy For Disaster Risk Reduction and Water” Han Seung-Soo is listed on the board of directors of South Korean firm Doosan Infracore - which does business with the UN. Was this approved by Ban Ki-moon? Now it seems Yes. But should it have been?
Especially when, as now, it is exposed that Doosan has billion dollar business with Saudi Arabia, to whose money Ban deferred in dropping the Saudi-led Coalition from the UN's Children and Armed Conflict Yemen annex? This is Ban's UN: see new Inner City Press 47-minute film here, "Banning the Press: Corruption in the UN of Ban Ki-moon, John Ashe and Ng Lap Seng, Yemen."
As Inner City Press first reported and asked about on August 11, Han Seung-soo is on the board of directors of Standard Chartered bank, awarded the UN's master banking services contract (see this UN document, at Paragraph 50), and a brokerage contract (UN Procurement website, here).
When Inner City Press asked about this and how many OTHER board Han is on that do business with the UN, Ban's spokesman Farhan Haq cut off the questions and claimed Inner City Press was “bullying” him.Video here; UN Transcript here:
Inner City Press: Mr. Han Seung-soo is also on the board of Standard Chartered Bank, which was awarded, according to the… the most recent report of the… on the Chief Executive Board's proceedings, Standard Chartered Bank was awarded the UN's master servicing banking contract. So I wanted to know… I mean, this is why I think I was asking for kind of a more comprehensive response from the Ethics Office in terms of what restrictions they've placed on Mr. Han Seung-soo, because if, as is reflected by the bank's website, he's on the board of a bank that, in fact, has this major contract with the UN, can you please describe to me what possible restrictions deal with this?
Deputy Spokesman: I've described to you how the Ethics Office's guidelines work and that those guidelines apply to Mr. Han Seung-soo. He has engaged and informed them of a number of his business dealings, and they have taken those into account.
ICP Question: How can you be on the board of a… of a… of a bank that has a con… you just made a point of pointing out that Doosan, although it's listed in procurement contract… procurement database, didn't have contracts during this particular period of time. But if… I'm… I'm informing you that the Chief Executive Board's report said that Standard Chartered Bank has this contract with the UN, and he's on their board. So is he still on their board, or is he somehow half on their board?
Deputy Spokesman: I've described to you what the series of procedures are, and those are what applies to him as well as to other special advisers.
ICP Question: So how is…
Deputy Spokesman: We're not going to interfere with their own outside-of-UN lives by going into all of their details at great length, but the Ethics Office has been dealing with this, and they have a series of guidelines, and he's aware of them and is in compliance…
ICP Question: How can you be on a board of a corporation…?
Deputy Spokesman: You keep interrupting me.
ICP Question: All right. I'm asking because I see you already looking away, and I want… this is a very simple question.
Deputy Spokesman: I'm looking at someone else who is raising a hand. But, please, behave yourself. You need to understand that when someone is asking a question, you allow them to answer. I've actually lost my train of thought. So I'll have to gain it…
ICP Question: I'm asking… I'm willing to because I have a follow-up question…
Deputy Spokesman: Because the continued interruptions… you're doing it again… actually break people's train of thought. He has been in touch with the Ethics Office. And, like I said, they have a series of remedies for the steps which I've detailed. Beyond that, this is what we have.
ICP Question: What other boards is he on? That's my follow-up question.
Deputy Spokesman: Matthew, Matthew…
ICP Question: It's simple. It's simple, because he's on the board of a bank that does business with the UN… I'm finishing my question. You're cutting me off.
Deputy Spokesman: No…
ICP Question: My question is, how many corporate boards that do business with the UN…
Deputy Spokesman: Matthew, when I start to say something in reply to your question and then you cut me off, then don't accuse me of cutting you off.
ICP Question: Right, you tried to call on someone else, and I was asking another question. How many boards is Han Seung-soo on that do business with the UN?
Deputy Spokesman: At this stage, you're actually just trying to bully me. To be honest, I've given you a wealth of information about this, including details about how the Ethics Office goes about it. That's what we've got. Yes. Carole?
As noted, Han Seung-soo is also on the board of Standard Chartered Bank - which was recently awarded the UN's master banking services contract:
“Early in 2016, the master banking services agreement between the Secretariat and Standard Chartered Bank will be the first such global contract to be signed, enabling United Nations system entities to access banking and treasury services in 28 countries from Standard Chartered Bank and its subsidiaries.” (undocs.org/E/2016/56)
So Ban Ki-moon and his Ethics Office let Ban's mentor and adviser Han Seung-soo serve as UN Special Adviser for Water and Disaster Risk Reduction and give speeches in that capacity while Doosan, on whose board Han sits, sells water desalinization equipment to the same countries he speaks to for the UN.
Han is on the board of Standard Charter bank, awarded the UN's master banking services contract. This is Ban's UN.
On August 9 Inner City Press asked Ban's spokesman Farhan Haq directly about Han Seung-soo giving speeches at UN special adviser on water while Doosan, which he directs, makes sales including but not limited to water desalinization equipment in the same places. This is a blatant (mis) use of the UN, by Ban Ki-moon's mentor.
The UN left Ban Ki-moon's webpage down for August 9, and as of 9 am on August 10 has still not put the August 9 transcript online. Haq read out some generic advocacy points from Ban's Ethics Office, that restrictions are custom-designed for particular conflicts of interest, but would not disclose a single restriction on Han Seung-soo. Anyway, the public record speaks for itself. Watch this site.
After Inner City Press asked, on August 8 Ban Ki-moon's Deputy Spokesman Farhan Haq said, "I was asked last week about Special Adviser Han Seung-soo and his dealings with a company named Doosan Infracore. Mr. Han disclosed this outside interest to the Organization, and the Ethics Office provided advice on the matter. Mr. Han was informed of the restrictions on his involvement with the company in the context of the nature of his contract with the Organization, under which he serves on a "when actually employed" basis. The measures put in place serve to ensure that the UN staff rules and regulations are adhered to, that there is no conflict of interest, and that the Organization's interests are fully protected."
From the August 8 transcript:
Inner City Press: I want to ask, given… you said that there's some… advice was given to him about how to operate to comply with the rules. I wanted sort of… sort of throw in a new fact, which is that Doosan also does business and has large contracts with, for example, Saudi Arabia. So I'm wondering, can you provide a little more detail on what the safeguards are for… for a UN Special Adviser to be on the board of a for-profit corporation that deals not… not only does business with the UN but which does business with… with countries with… the Secretary-General himself had said, like, Saudi financial threats caused him to change policy essentially. So I'm wondering…
Deputy Spokesman: That's… those are two very separate issues.
ICP Question: So you say. I'm simply asking you, can you describe what the safeguards are?
Deputy Spokesman: Like I said, there are safeguards put in place. He brought this to the attention of the UN organization in 2015, last year, at a time, by the way, when Doosan did not have business dealings with the United Nations. Over that period, since then, guidelines have been prepared to make sure that there is no conflict of interest and that the organization's interests are protected. But, like I said, this is part of the way the process works in terms of dealing with officials, including those, like Mr. Han Seung-soo, who are on a when-actually-employed basis and are not full-time employees.
ICP Question: Okay. Is it possible to know what these guidelines are?
Deputy Spokesman: These are the details I've gotten. I just got them over the past hour.
After publishing these links, Inner City Press on August 4 asked Ban Ki-moon's deputy spokesman Farhan Haq about it, and about Jane Holl Lute for the second time -- this time, answered unlike the five days of questions about UN Security Inspector Matthew Sullivan being on an outside board of a corporation which has held events for, among other things, sneakers in the UN.
So does the UN only answer when it can say that Yes, Ban Ki-moon approved? On August 5, Inner City Press asked again, video here, UN transcript here:
Inner City Press: Yesterday I'd asked about Han Seung-soo and whether he's the Special Adviser.
Deputy Spokesman: Yes, yes, he remains Special Adviser. I've put in a request to the Ethics Office to see whether he's made any notifications of different business dealings. I believe he may have done some, but I'm trying to get it from the Ethics Office. Alas, at this time of summer, there are some offices that are… will be harder to get replies back from so I'll let you know once I have it.
Question: Sure. I guess I want to understand. There's a rule that says a person needs approval from the Secretary-General for outside. Does that apply here, or is it just a matter of saying that you're doing it?
Deputy Spokesman: Well, first I need to check, again, whether the Ethics Office has had any notifications of any other activities.
Three days later, no answer from the UN - even as Doosan's Saudi business is exposed: Doosan, "a South Korea power equipment maker, said today that it signed a 1.1 trillion won ($1.2 billion) contract to build a power and desalination plant in Saudi Arabia." This is Ban Ki-moon's UN see new film here.
Video here. From the August 4 UN transcript:
Inner City Press: I thought you might have it. Yesterday, I'd asked Stéphane, and he'd said it was not an unfair question, whether the Secretary-General approved the service of Jane Holl Lute on the Union Pacific's Board.
Deputy Spokesman: Oh, yes. Yes, we checked, and the answer is yes, she did seek approval and did receive it.
ICP Question: And what I wanted to ask as a second question, which is that the special… is Mr. Han Seung-soo still the Special Adviser on Water and Risk Reduction?
Deputy Spokesman: I believe he was appointed that some time ago. Whether he still has that portfolio or not, I would need to check.
ICP Question: Because what I want to know is that he's also on the board of directors of a South Korean firm, Doosan Infracore, which is listed in the UN procurement database as doing business with the UN. So, I wanted to know if maybe you can get like… actually send me the answer, whether, in fact, if these two services are concurrent, whether it's been approved by the Secretary-General and whether… whether there's some special kind of safeguards that he recuse himself from business involving the UN or whether it's possible to be a UN Special Adviser on the board of a company that does business with the UN.
Deputy Spokesman: Well, first and foremost, I'll need to check what his status is, whether he's an adviser or not. Have a good afternoon, everyone.
The UN was set to play host on August 2 to a for-profit event led by agroup on which UN Security official Matthew Sullivan is on the board of directors, apparently with the approval of UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, who has yet to address his and his Under Secretaries General's role in the Ng Lap Seng / John Ashe bribery scandal which resulted on July 29 in a 20 month prison sentence for Sheri Yan's, whose father's one-man show Ban attended in the UN Secretariat lobby.
The event involves COPsync, Inc, a for-profit company which sells equipment to police departments and whose CEO has previously beensued for securities law violations.
Now Ban's lead spokesman Stephane Dujarric, having retured from two weeks away, has flat out refused to say whether, as UN rules require, Ban Ki-moon approved UN Security Inspector Matthew Sullivan's presence on an outside board of directors. Video here.
Because of the now five times refusal to answer this question, it must be noted that for example Ban Ki-moon's new (February 2016) coordinator against peacekeeper rapes, Jane Holl Lute, was later in April 2016 named to the board of directors of Union Pacific, a position thataccording to Internet research pays $250,000 a year.
On August 3, after publishing the above, Inner City Press asked Ban's spokesman Dujarric about it. Video here, UN transcript here:
Inner City Press: I'm going to go at this a different way. On this… the issue that there is a rule saying that the UN… I mean, I can quote from it, but saying you should receive permission for outside engagements. Rather than ask about the one you've refused to answer on, I want to ask you this. Jane Holl Lute apparently was hired in February 2016 for this post or put into the post of sexual abuse, bring it under control. In April of 2016, she was named to the board of directors of Union Pacific, which seems to pay $250,000 a year. So, on this… in this case, can you say whether this outside engagement was approved by the Secretary-General?
Spokesman: I can check if that outside engagement exists and see what I can say.
Inner City Press: There was a press release by…
Spokesman: I understand. I have not seen the press release.
Inner City Press: Do you acknowledge it's a fair question to ask whether…?
Spokesman: I'm not saying it's not a fair question.
Inner City Press: When you answer that one, maybe you can answer the other one.
But Dujarric and his office did not answer the question(s) in the hours that followed. At 6:45 pm, under the eviction order of Ban and his head of Communications Cristina Gallach, Inner City Press was ordered to leave the Security Council stakeout (where it had just asked Ambassador Oh Joon and Samantha Power about the THAAD deployment in South Korea) - even as Gallach passed by, offering a tour of the Trusteeship Council Chamber where under Ban many dubious events have taken place.
Now this: Ban's “Special Envoy For Disaster Risk Reduction and Water” Han Seung-Soo is listed on the board of directors of South Korean firm Doosan Infracore - which does business with the UN. Was this approved by Ban Ki-moon? Could it be?
If Ban's Office answers, as it should, in this case, why has it refused in the case of UN Security Inspector Matthew Sullivan and the for profit event? Watch this site.
Here is another photo of Sullivan, speaking, with some the principals of the postponed event.
It's a simple yes or no question Inner City Press will continue to pursue.
Inner City Press asked Ban Ki-moon's Office of the Spokesperson about the event three days in a row last week, including whether Ban had given his required approval for UN Security Inspector Matthew Sullivan to be on the board of a directors of an involved group (which was also involved with Francis Lorenzo, who founded UN-resident South South News and had pleaded guilty to UN bribery charges in the Ng Lap Seng case.)
On August 1, when Inner City Press asked about Jack Brewer listing himself as a "UN Ambassador for Peace and Sport," Ban's deputy spokesman Farhan Haq said that the event is "canceled," there will be no answers on the three prior events or Sullivan being on the board or Jack Brewer listing himself as a UN Ambassador for Peace and Sport.
But as was published before Haq spoke, the event is NOT canceled - it is postponed, until later this month, and still lists UN Inspector Matthew Sullivan as a speaker:
"the decision has been made to POSTPONE this Tuesday’s (August 2) Peace Summit at the United Nations... Our team is scheduling a new date – tentatively during the week of August 15, 2016. The plan is to select and announce the new date within the next few days."
This is a cover-up. This is impunity. This is Ban's UN.
Last week Ban's deputy spokesman Haq, rather than answer this or which member state or UN Department is the sponsor of the August 2 event, accused Inner City Press of “unethical” Googling, implying that because Ban and his USG Cristina Gallach evicted Inner City Press as it investigated their links to the Ng Lap Seng scandal -- see, for example, this OIOS audit at Paragraphs 37-40 and 20(b) -- Inner City Press is now precluded from investigating that or other corruption in Ban's UN.
Haq said he is not aware of any problem with UN Security Inspector Matthew Sullivan being on the board of directors of the Jack Brewer Foundation (Brewer lists himself as a “UN Ambassador of Peace and Sports”), implying that Ban Ki-moon has approved all of this. Video here. Watch this site.
As the UN bribery scandal gathered force Secretary General Ban Ki-moon called for an audit by the UN Office of Internal Oversight Services of the Global Sustainability Foundation (GSF), David Ng Lap Seng's Sun Kian Ip Group and its affiliates including the "World Harmony Foundation" and pleaded-guilty Francis Lorenzo's South South News, among others.
While as of July 27 Ban and his Under Secretary General Cristina Gallach still have this last "bribery conduit" in a UN office after evicting Inner City Press for investigating it, and them, more dubious events are scheduled for Ban's UN. (Gallach, who appeared with Lorenzo, spoke in the GA Hall on July 29 - given her retaliatory evition of Inner City Press, it would only half cover the event with one of Ban's minders.)
On July 29 Inner City Press asked Ban's deputy spokesman Farhan Haq, for the second day in a row, if UN Security Inspector Matthew Sullivan's position on the board of the directors of the sponsor of an August 2 event, which has links with pleaded-guilty Francis Lorenzo, was approved by Ban Ki-moon as required by UN rules. Haq refused to answer, video here.
Rather than answer this simple question, Haq said he is not aware of any problem with the individual. Does that mean that Ban Ki-moon has given up even pretending to enforce UN ethics rules? Or that Ban Ki-moon has approved this UN Inspector's moonlighting with entities linked with the UN's Lorenzo / John Ashe (RIP) / Ng Lap Seng bribery scandal?
One of the links is through an event held in the UN in January 2015 which Inner City Press has reported about and asked about, by “Reelcause” - the UN speakers included not only UN DSS Inspector Matthew Sullivan, a JBF board member, but also UN DSS Officer Anthony Barzelatto. We'll have more on this, as the UN is refusing to answer the most basic factual questions.
Even the simple question of who sponsored the use of the UN on August 2, a mission or a UN department, was stonewalled by Ban's Haq. He said, ask the group holding the event. Well, no. The UN premises are being used, and this requires a sponsor.
In fact, the head of the group now in a press release identifies himself as a UN Ambassador for Peace and Sport. Did Ban Ki-moon give him this title? Or does anything go, now that Ban's own Secretariat sold documents to Ng Lap Seng and Ban only wants to run for President of South Korea?
Now that Ban's UN goes so far as to evict the Press asking the question and "mis-speaks" to the UN Special Rapporteurs on Freedom of Expression and on Human Rights Defenders, and to either the US Senate Foreign Relations Committee or to Nobel Peace Prize laureate Jose Ramos-Horta?
Inner City Press and @InnerCityPress first reported on the dubious concussions event in the UN, involving Matthew Sullivan in 2014, before he and Ban and Gallach ousted and evicted Inner City Press from the UN.
Here is a notice of a for-profit event in the UN announced for August 2 by the Jack Brewer Foundation including JBF (UN) authorized board member UN Department of Safety and Security Inspector Mathew Sullivan, who on February 22 told Inner City Press Ban and Gallach had Banned it from all UN premises worldwide, audio here and petition here, and who further censored Inner City Press on July 26 from covering South Sudan and Haiti meeting.
Significantly, Sullivan was listed for a UN event by “Reelcause,” whose shareholders include not only Jack Brewer Foundation but also the“Montessori Model UN,” founded by Francis Lorenzo who had pleaded guilty to UN bribery charges (while Gallach leaves Lorenzo's South South News in an office after evicting Inner City Press as it investigated it, and her and Ban's links).
The JBF, on whose board of director UN Matthew Sullivan serves, hasappeared with South South News, here and Lorenzo, here (and photo).
So l'affaire Matthew Sullivan, which Ban's spokesman is trying to stop investigation of by calling even Googling unethical, is connected to the Francis Lorenzo UN bribery scandal. Perhaps this explains Ban's spokesmen stonewalling. Lead spokesman Stephane Dujarric stonewalled Inner City Press' previous questions about Montessori Model UN.
We also note that Jack Brewer Foundation is a shareholder of a company called "Immune Therapeutics," for which Brewer opened doors (including, literally, the UN's) to help the company sell pharmaceuticals. Immune Therapeutics' CEO is named Noreen Griffin, and she is linked to bribing imprisoned ex-Congressman William Jefferson. Why has Ban authorized one of his Security officials to be on this board of directors and to use the UN?
On July 28 when Inner City Press for the second time asked Ban Ki-moon's deputy spokesman Farhan Haq about the specifics of for-profit events in the UN and Sullivan's presence on the board of directors of the events' sponsor, rather than answer Haq tried to call Inner City Press' research and reporting “unethical,” going so far as to ask if it had started research AFTER it was Banned from covering UN meeting on Haiti and South Sudan.
In fact, Inner City Press reported on the “concussions” event long before Ban and Cristina Gallach ousted it on February 19, and Sullivan on February 22 told Inner City Press it was Banned from UN premises worldwide. Haq's boss Stephane Dujarric claimed that day that Sullivan had gone beyond the ouster ordered by Gallach. If so, why did Sullivan do it?
Ban's UN has become a place where officials at all levels think they can sell access to the UN, since Ng Lap Seng so easily bought it. The scandal, as Inner City Press will shortly report, are connected. Ban's UN's response to reporting is to evict the Press, then to question whether Googling is somehow unethical. Vines here and here and here and here. Then video here. From the UN Transcript:
Inner City Press: yesterday I asked you about this event that is scheduled for 2 August and you told me to speak to the group and Mr. Sullivan didn't know he was on the list, and wouldn't speak at it. Since then I've seen there are at least three other events at which he did speak by the same group, involving the same group and that he is on board of directors of the sponsor of the 2 August thing, that Jackie Brewer Foundation. So I guess what I wanted to know is, one, to me it seems strange that he didn't know that he was listed by them if he is on the board of directors. But I also wanted to ask, I've seen the Secretary-General orders called outside activities that say staff members should not engage in outside these activities without the approval of the Secretary-General. So I wanted to know, since this is a private, for-profit company that has had its stock pitched based on the involvement of UN DSS (Department of Safety and Security), whether the Secretary-General has, in fact, approved this or not? And, if not, what happens next?
Deputy Spokesman: As I told you, he is not appearing at their function. He was not aware of this.
ICP Question: Did you look into it? He is on the board of directors of the group, so I'm asking.
Deputy Spokesman: This person who, by the way, has informed me that you apparently have taken some sort of gripe with him because he tried to talk to you at a stakeout. I'm aware…
ICP Question: It's not a gripe. I'm asking you about an official DSS official on the board. You are cutting me off. I thought that was unprofessional. I'm asking a question, how does this regulation apply?
Deputy Spokesman: I was actually in the process of answering you, and then you can talk. This is how conversations go: I talk and you talk and so forth.
ICP Question: Just that you walk away, so that is why I'm making sure I want to ask, there are number of other questions on this.
Deputy Spokesman: Matthew, that is not fair. I take a huge amount of questions from you, as every transcript and every video will show. Now, I have no problem with you asking questions. I do not think that you should try to use the briefing in terms of personal vendettas against people. If that is what you are doing, it's unethical and I would have a problem with that.
ICP Question: You can say whatever you want. Okay, what I'm asking, a senior UN DSS official is, this is all online, these are all… you could have found them yourselves with ten minutes of Googling. He is on the board of directors of a group that you said didn't know put him on the list and there have been three separate events, one about sneakers, one about concussions in the NFL (National Football League), and these have all taken place in the ECOSOC (Economic and Social Council) Trusteeship Chamber. So my question is for the service of this individual on the board of directors of a for-profit company for a for-profit event, has the Secretary-General given permission? And, if not, is this reflective of a lack of due diligence as in the Ng Lap Seng case, "Yes" or "No"?
Deputy Spokesman: First of all, to the extent that DSS ever gives briefings at these, there are briefings about security conditions. Those are standard; outside of those, I'm not aware…
ICP Question: I urge you to look at the press releases.
Deputy Spokesman: I'm not aware of anything that is not a standard briefing. Second of all, did you do any of this Googling before you had your conversation in the corridors with him?
ICP Question: Yes, I have. I've been actually following… I wrote about the concussion event because it's a joke these events take place in the UN that are raising money, so I'm now I'm asking you about these events because you said he didn't know and it's not credible. He has done three events. Look at them and see whether there were safety concerns.
Deputy Spokesman: Like I said, I have talked to this person and this is what he said.
When after publishing a story exposing the notice and Sullivan's listed involvement Inner City Press asked Bna's deputy spokesman Farhan Haq about it, Haq said he had spoken with Sullvian who said he had not been aware he was listed, and is not involved. Haq refused ot answer more about the event, and cut off Inner City Press' questions. Video here.
This is not credible. In fact, Matthew Sullivan is on the board of directors of the group holding the event, which is either a violation of UN rules or was approved by Ban "Fast and Loose" Ki-moon. The applicable rule:
"ST/AI/2000/13 Outside activities
Section 2 Staff members engaging in outside activities authorized under the present instruction shall make clear to the organizers and participants in such activities, including any employers, that they act in their personal capacity and not as representatives of the United Nations.
Section 3 3.1 Under staff regulation 1.2 (o), a staff member shall not engage in any outside occupation or employment, whether remunerated or not, without the approval of the Secretary-General. For the purposes of the present instruction, the expression 'occupation' shall include the exercise of a profession, whether as an employee or an independent contractor."
Here is a photo of Sullivan with the people he says he doesn't know listed him for the August 2 event.
There are been other events with Sullivan, for example here: "MagneGas Announces Panelists for World Water Day Summit at the UN... The Summit will begin with a welcome from the CEO of MagneGas Corporation Ermanno Santilli and Inspector Matthew Sullivan of the United Nations Department of Safety and Security."
And another ("Reelcause," here in PDF) and yet another: "Discussing the GTX SmartSoles with various officials including Inspector Matthew Sullivan of the United Nations’ Department of Safety and Security."
In fact, the for profit company has had it stock touted citing UN Sullivan's involvement, here: DirectView Holdings, "facilitated a number of introductions and collaborative meetings for DirectView executives throughout the course of the week including with the United Nations' Inspector of Operations from the Department of Safety and Security."
While Ban Ki-moon cited immunity / impunity for 10,000 killed by cholera in Haiti, a meting on which Sullivan Banned Inner City Press from on July 26, doesn't this implicate at least US securities laws?
Since the above is easily available online, Ban Ki-moon's Office of the Spokesperson's denial and stonewalling is worse then negligent.
Under Ban Ki-moon, as shown in the Ng Lap Seng / John Ashe case investigation of which resulted in Ban evicting Inner City Press from the UN in retaliation, using Sullivan, everything has become for sale.
Detailed evidence presented, including about Under Secretary General Cristina Gallach who signed the ouster and eviction orders, has been sitting unacted on at Ban's Ethics office, and OIOS for months. Here was Gallach at Ng's South South Awards, and here was Inner City Press questioning her about it, and her passing the buck to Ban's lead spokesman Stephane Dujarric, before her ouster of Inner City Press from which she should have been recused.
