By Matthew Russell Lee, Video, New Platform
UNITED NATIONS, August 18 – Amid arrests and censorship by Morocco in the Al-Rif region, UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres' spokesman Stephane Dujarric told Inner City Press on June 6, "I should hopefully have something for you tomorrow." But on June 7 when Inner City Press asked, not only did Dujarric not have anything at all - he refused to accept follow up questions, saying "I'm done" and running off the podium. Video here. Since then, more arrests, more censorship, and more fightback, not only in Geneva, Holland and elsewhere, but also in the US. At the UN, the Moroccan state media the UN gives offices and full access to don't even come into the building, must less ask questions. Today's UN is corrupt - but it is being opposed. On August 18, Inner City Press asked the UN spokesman for the 18th time, UN transcript here: Inner City Press:
I'd like to ask you again about the… the Rif Region of, in Morocco. There's a controversy now between Reporters Without Borders and the Government's Ministry of Culture, where Reporters Without Borders has reported on number of cases of reporters that were locked up and sentenced for covering the unrest in Al Hoceima and elsewhere in the Rif, and the Government says bloggers aren't journalists and, and they, they totally reject it.
So I'm wondering, given the statements by the UN in favour of freedom of the press, do you have a view, number one, on whether reporters have been restricted in their ability to cover this unrest in the Rif region? Number two, whether online citizen journalists are journalists subject to the protections of Article 19 and otherwise?
And just, what's your view… there's also, apparently, another protester has been killed. Mr. al-Haddad died from his injuries of the tear gas crackdown by the Government, so those are my questions.
Deputy Spokesman: Well, we would be concerned about any restrictions that would impede the freedom of the press, and, also, regarding what you just said, the freedom of people to enjoy their right to peaceful assembly, so we'd have concerns about that, but we'll also have to see what our human rights colleagues have to say about the situation for, for journalists more generally there.
Inner City Press: But there's still no… comment from, from DPA about the ongoing situation there and, including the press freedom situation?
Deputy Spokesman: If there were, we would share it with you.
Inner City Press: I guess there isn't.
Deputy Spokesman: One more?
I'd like to ask you again about the… the Rif Region of, in Morocco. There's a controversy now between Reporters Without Borders and the Government's Ministry of Culture, where Reporters Without Borders has reported on number of cases of reporters that were locked up and sentenced for covering the unrest in Al Hoceima and elsewhere in the Rif, and the Government says bloggers aren't journalists and, and they, they totally reject it.
So I'm wondering, given the statements by the UN in favour of freedom of the press, do you have a view, number one, on whether reporters have been restricted in their ability to cover this unrest in the Rif region? Number two, whether online citizen journalists are journalists subject to the protections of Article 19 and otherwise?
And just, what's your view… there's also, apparently, another protester has been killed. Mr. al-Haddad died from his injuries of the tear gas crackdown by the Government, so those are my questions.
Deputy Spokesman: Well, we would be concerned about any restrictions that would impede the freedom of the press, and, also, regarding what you just said, the freedom of people to enjoy their right to peaceful assembly, so we'd have concerns about that, but we'll also have to see what our human rights colleagues have to say about the situation for, for journalists more generally there.
Inner City Press: But there's still no… comment from, from DPA about the ongoing situation there and, including the press freedom situation?
Deputy Spokesman: If there were, we would share it with you.
Inner City Press: I guess there isn't.
Deputy Spokesman: One more?
There will be more. On August 9, Inner City Press asked the UN Spokesman for the 17th time, video here. From the UN transcript: Inner City Press: I wanted to ask you again about the ongoing situation in the Rif region of Morocco. One of the people injured during he crackdown with teargas, Imad El Attabi, has died, and there are many people saying that this is a bad development; this is something that it’s still calling for that… that the situation continues to get worse. So, I’m just wondering, this being the seventeenth time that I’ve asked you about this, is DPA (Department of Political Affairs) considering… looking at that? I’ve seen…
Spokesman: I think the various parts of the United Nations are keeping an eye on the situation. When we have something to say, we shall.
Spokesman: I think the various parts of the United Nations are keeping an eye on the situation. When we have something to say, we shall.
On July 20, before interviewing Rif activists outside the UN's gates, here, Inner City Press asked the UN about Rif for the 15th time, UN transcript here: Inner City Press: in the ongoing protests in the Rif Region of Morocco, there's a large protest today by which the Government has responded to by blocking roads, trying to block entry by sea, slowing down the Internet. And so, I just wanted to know… I know this has come up and at one point, Stéphane [Dujarric] said that there may be something coming down. Given that, in fact, the protests are growing and the oppression and the number of people locked up has grown, has the Department of Public… excuse me, Political Affairs or the Secretariat taken any note of this?
Deputy Spokesman: "Certainly, we take note of this and I'll check with them about any response." A day later, and after these interviews, there was NOTHING from the UN, despite the use of tear gas, a man in a coma, etc. On July 21 Inner City Press asked again, video here from 16:58; Haq said, "We've asked our colleagues in the Department of Political Affairs. If there's any response, I'll share it with you." UNreal. Inner City Press has received, and in the face of the UN's silence, publishes: "a street demonstration started at 1800 local time, ongoing peacefully as we did during 9 months since the death of Mouhcine FIKRI the fish seller who was mushed by Moroccan authorities in a garbage truck
3- Interventions by Moroccan authorities was the worst one since last June 26th 2017 which was reported to you, the intervention was to impede people assembly at Al-hoceima's central plaza of Martyrs which was previously occupied by all Moroccan authorities cars
4- Tears gas was indiscriminately used against all people and in all popular districts although this is prohibited by international law causing asphyxia and a lot of evacuations to the hospital.
5- Detention of activists included those who were evacuated by ambulances to the hospital, we are informed that in all ambulances there were the Moroccan spies to detain all activists. A lot of people are detained, we do not know the exact number, one known journalist Mr. ELMAHDAOUI was detained for sure.
6- Ms. Naoual BENAISSA an important activist women in the RIF's popular movement is right now at the hospital in dangerous status due to Moroccan authorities blows...
7- Mr. Imad ELATTABI, we are informed last minutes that he is near to death due to moroccan authorities brutal blow by stones or tears gaz bomb, he is evacuated at 0600 am to Rabat's military hospital in critic status." On July 7, Inner City Press asked the UN, Spokesman Dujarric, for the 14th time, video here, UN transcript here: Inner City Press: I've asked you before about the… the continuing situation in the Rif region in Morocco, and you may have seen that The Economist… I know your DPA's [Department of Political Affairs] work is not driven by publications, but it's a pretty respected one, and their analysis is that things are getting significantly worse and that it threatens, you know, the… the situations elsewhere in the country, and the Government has recently said that they have at least 176 people under "preventative detention", based on what's basically a non-violent protest, including on a beach where they were banned from going into the water. So, I just wanted to know, has DPA done anything on this? Have they reached out to the country? Do they have any expression of concern as, you know, respected observers say the situation is getting worse?
Spokesman: I don't have anything specific. I mean as a matter of principle, we stand for the people's right to demonstrate peacefully.
Deputy Spokesman: "Certainly, we take note of this and I'll check with them about any response." A day later, and after these interviews, there was NOTHING from the UN, despite the use of tear gas, a man in a coma, etc. On July 21 Inner City Press asked again, video here from 16:58; Haq said, "We've asked our colleagues in the Department of Political Affairs. If there's any response, I'll share it with you." UNreal. Inner City Press has received, and in the face of the UN's silence, publishes: "a street demonstration started at 1800 local time, ongoing peacefully as we did during 9 months since the death of Mouhcine FIKRI the fish seller who was mushed by Moroccan authorities in a garbage truck
3- Interventions by Moroccan authorities was the worst one since last June 26th 2017 which was reported to you, the intervention was to impede people assembly at Al-hoceima's central plaza of Martyrs which was previously occupied by all Moroccan authorities cars
4- Tears gas was indiscriminately used against all people and in all popular districts although this is prohibited by international law causing asphyxia and a lot of evacuations to the hospital.
5- Detention of activists included those who were evacuated by ambulances to the hospital, we are informed that in all ambulances there were the Moroccan spies to detain all activists. A lot of people are detained, we do not know the exact number, one known journalist Mr. ELMAHDAOUI was detained for sure.
6- Ms. Naoual BENAISSA an important activist women in the RIF's popular movement is right now at the hospital in dangerous status due to Moroccan authorities blows...
7- Mr. Imad ELATTABI, we are informed last minutes that he is near to death due to moroccan authorities brutal blow by stones or tears gaz bomb, he is evacuated at 0600 am to Rabat's military hospital in critic status." On July 7, Inner City Press asked the UN, Spokesman Dujarric, for the 14th time, video here, UN transcript here: Inner City Press: I've asked you before about the… the continuing situation in the Rif region in Morocco, and you may have seen that The Economist… I know your DPA's [Department of Political Affairs] work is not driven by publications, but it's a pretty respected one, and their analysis is that things are getting significantly worse and that it threatens, you know, the… the situations elsewhere in the country, and the Government has recently said that they have at least 176 people under "preventative detention", based on what's basically a non-violent protest, including on a beach where they were banned from going into the water. So, I just wanted to know, has DPA done anything on this? Have they reached out to the country? Do they have any expression of concern as, you know, respected observers say the situation is getting worse?
Spokesman: I don't have anything specific. I mean as a matter of principle, we stand for the people's right to demonstrate peacefully.
Right. On June 27, after a crackdown on Al Hoceima on the previous day's Eid holiday, Inner City Press asked the UN for the 13th time, video here, UN transcript here: Inner City Press: in the Rif region of Morocco, on Eid, there were more arrests made in this Al-Hoceima and people were blocked from actually even traveling to the town. The king has said that his ministers can no longer go on vacation due to a failure to implement what's being demanded by the protesters there. I'm just wondering, is [the Department of Political Affairs] any closer to either saying something, doing something?
Spokesman Stephane Dujarric: I don't have anything.
Spokesman Stephane Dujarric: I don't have anything.
This as Moroccan King Mohammed VI has banned some of his ministers from traveling or vacation, claiming it was them who failed to follow through on his royal plan to supposedly address 90% of the residents' demands. Somehow the King didn't realize this during the now more than eight months of protests, as his forces arrested more than 100 people. As in the Bogart movie, the King is shocked - shocked - in Casablanca. On June 21, Inner City Press asked Dujarric's deputy spokesman Farhan Haq, UN transcript here: Inner City Press: I want to ask you one more thing about the Rif region of Morocco. I’d asked Stéphane a few times. It seemed like a comment might be coming down. Since then, at least two media, one editor of Rif24 has been put under solitary confinement; another one has been sued with criminal defamation charges. Press freedom groups like IFEX have been speaking about it. There have been other arrests. Is it something that… was it just… did it almost give rise to a DPA [Department of Political Affairs] comment? Is DPA, in fact, looking at this situation which it doesn’t seem to be abating?
Deputy Spokesman: We’re looking at the matter. If we have any further comment, I will let you know.
Deputy Spokesman: We’re looking at the matter. If we have any further comment, I will let you know.
On June 15, Inner City Press asked Dujarric about Morocco imposing year and a half jail sentences on 25 protesters, and new French President Macron's comments. UN transcript here: Inner City Press: I wanted to ask you again about the Al Rif region of Morocco, because, since I last asked, sentences have been imposed on a number of the protesters, a year and a half to 25 people, six months to five people. And French President [Emmanuel] Macron was in Rabat and said that King Mohammed VI — I don't know if that's translated right — stood ready to assuage the issues of Al Rif. So I'm just wondering, if it's now viewed as international in that way, does the UN have no guidance at all? What about year-and-a-half sentences to peaceful protestors? Is that something that the…
Spokesman: I'm not aware of the details of the particular case. As I said, when we have something to say, we shall. Thank you.
Spokesman: I'm not aware of the details of the particular case. As I said, when we have something to say, we shall. Thank you.
How does Guterres STILL have nothing to say? That is the case- without explaining the now eight day delay, Dujarric repeated when he has something to say he will. But what will it be? On June 14, Inner City Press asked Dujarric, UN transcript here: Inner City Press: I'd asked you in writing about the situation the Rif region of Morocco. Now there's more than 100 allegedly detained and now allegations of torture of some of those detained. So, I'm wondering, there's been… Rifians have asked the Human Rights Council or Prince Zeid to send observers. And I'm just wondering, since a week ago, you said you hoped to have something from DPA [Department of Political Affairs]. Is DPA aware of this? Are they watching this? And what do they say about it?
Spokesman Dujarric: I think we're… as I said, if I have any comment to make on this particular situation or any other situation, I shall make them. Obviously, if people appeal to the Human Rights High Commissioner, you should follow up with them.
Spokesman Dujarric: I think we're… as I said, if I have any comment to make on this particular situation or any other situation, I shall make them. Obviously, if people appeal to the Human Rights High Commissioner, you should follow up with them.
That's called passing the buck. On the mornings of June 12 and 13 Inner City Press went more formal, in writing: "On Morocco and Rif, give the large demonstration in Rabat over the weekend and use of tear gas in Rif, at least 86 arrested, reiterating for eighth time Inner City Press' question: what is the SG's or DPAs comment on this, to the Moroccan authorities?" This was not answer before noon, at noon or in the 29 hours and counting after. Meanwhile, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Prince Zeid has been asked for "urgent intervention in order to note in particular the serious violations of human rights perpetrated against the Riffian population especially the militants of the non-partisan and non-violent citizen movement set up seven months ago, since the 29th October 2016 after the death of Mohcine FIKRI crushed in a garbage truck. At this moment, more than 80 activists have been abducted, tortured and detained by the Moroccan authorities, several of them were sent to Casablanca remained without legal assistance for more than five days, and others are detained in the city of Al-Hoceima without any legal assistance in the first three days until their presence before the court of Al-Hoceima. There are strong confirmations that torture has been inflicted on several detainees and confirmed in Al-Hoceima and Casablanca by their Lawyers present at first audience or before the crown prosecutor in Casablanca, and as announced by several detainees in Casablanca before their arrest, they are ongoing hunger strike [and so request by, among others] the European Coordination Committee of support to the popular Movement in the Rif: To deal with this urgent human situation and urge the presence of human rights observers in the region, especially in trial procedures as requested by our Lawyers. To shed full light on the various attacks perpetrated by the Moroccan authorities, which only perpetuates a campaign of reprisals against militants and civil pacific protesters,Protecting the Rif people from state terrorism perpetrated by all the police forces present in the Rif region, we are certain that this would send a strong message to the Moroccan leaders who had been little worried for continuing to perpetrate violent abuses against the Riffian people since decades." Inner City Press also asked Guterres' holdover spokesman Dujarric on June 9, from the UN transcript: Inner City Press: on this issue of Rif, I want to ask you, now there's the use of tear gas on protesters and at least two journalists have been arrested and taken to Casablanca for questioning, and charges are unclear. They're from AWAR TV and Rif Press. I know three days ago you said you'd hoped to get something. What does DPA [Department of Political Affairs] think about this?
Spokesman: You know, obviously, as a matter of principle, we believe wherever that people have a right to demonstrate peacefully but, more specifically, I have nothing to share with you.
Spokesman: You know, obviously, as a matter of principle, we believe wherever that people have a right to demonstrate peacefully but, more specifically, I have nothing to share with you.
Nothing. Then he refused to say where Secretary General Guterres will be. From the UN June 7 transcript: Inner City Press: I wanted to ask you, yesterday, you'd said that hopefully today you would have something after 4:00… on the situation in the Al Rif region of Morocco.
Spokesman: I don't have anything for you.
Inner City Press: So when you said that you might have it, does that mean that DPA [Department of Political Affairs] is…
Spokesman: No, it just means…
Inner City Press Be quiet?
Spokesman: That I… I'm sorry?
Inner City Press: No, no… Does it mean that…
Spokesman: It just means that I don't have anything to share with you.
Spokesman: I don't have anything for you.
Inner City Press: So when you said that you might have it, does that mean that DPA [Department of Political Affairs] is…
Spokesman: No, it just means…
Inner City Press Be quiet?
Spokesman: That I… I'm sorry?
Inner City Press: No, no… Does it mean that…
Spokesman: It just means that I don't have anything to share with you.
This is today's UN. Back on April 9 Inner City Press reported UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres' proposal of Horst Kohler of Germany to replace Christopher Ross as the UN's Western Sahara envoy. Guterres' holdover spokesman Stephane Dujarric, when Inner City Press, repeatedly refused comment. On May 5 Dujarric said Guterres "has communicated to his parties his preferred candidate to replace Christopher Ross, you know, who had announced his intention to leave. Right now, the Kingdom of Morocco has not yet responded to the information passed on to it." As of June 1, when Inner City Press asked Dujarric again, no update. Nor even on June 5, after Guterres' letter. And on Al-Rif, after the arrest of two more protest leaders, on June 6 Inner City Press asked Dujarric, UN transcript here: Inner City Press: I did want to ask you because I'd asked last week and I… given the reporting around world about the… the situation in the Al Rif region of Morocco, not only was the one protest leader arrested and called for a general strike, now two other protest leaders, Najik Alhamjik [phonetic] and Silia Zianni [phonetic] were both arrested. And there's been a press fallout of… expulsion of reporters and now a report… a newspaper in Bahrain ordered closed for reporting on the protests. So… I guess I'm asking you again, it seems like it's a… it's a…
Spokesman: Yeah, I don't have anything for you on this today. I should hopefully have something for you tomorrow. But, obviously, on the issue of the press, we stand loud and clear for the rights of reporters to report.
So, tomorrow. The UN didn't even Google the names of those arrested. On June 5 when Inner City Press asked "Do you have anything on Morocco and Rif?" the UN Spokesman Dujarric said, "No, I do not." Then he indulged for the third time a lengthy question from the Moroccan state media he and the Department of Public Information give multiple resident correspondent full access passes to, while restricting Inner City Press. Also on June 1, Inner City Press asked Dujarric about the now six days of protest in the Al-Rif region of Morocco, following the crushing of fish salesman Mouhcine Fikri and now the arrest of protest leader Nasser Zefzafi for supposedly "undermining the security of the state." But all Dujarric said was that he had nothing on Morocco today - no prepared statement. Video here at 18:16. On June 2, Inner City Press asked Dujarric's Deputy Farhan Haq, UN transcript here: Inner City Press: there's a press release by Amnesty International entitled “Morocco Rif protestors punished with wave of mass arrests”. It says that the… Morocco in the [inaudible] had carried out a chilling wave of arrests rounding up scores of protestors, activists and bloggers in Rif, northern Morocco. And I know that yesterday I'd asked, and you'd said that Stéphane [Dujarric] had no… had nothing on it. Is… is DPA [Department of Political Affairs] unaware of this? Does DPA have any comment on what's taking place and what Amnesty International has put out this press release about?
Deputy Spokesman: No, no, the Department of Political Affairs is aware of the situation, and we're checking on them about a reaction. We'll let you know once they have a reaction to give.
Spokesman: Yeah, I don't have anything for you on this today. I should hopefully have something for you tomorrow. But, obviously, on the issue of the press, we stand loud and clear for the rights of reporters to report.
So, tomorrow. The UN didn't even Google the names of those arrested. On June 5 when Inner City Press asked "Do you have anything on Morocco and Rif?" the UN Spokesman Dujarric said, "No, I do not." Then he indulged for the third time a lengthy question from the Moroccan state media he and the Department of Public Information give multiple resident correspondent full access passes to, while restricting Inner City Press. Also on June 1, Inner City Press asked Dujarric about the now six days of protest in the Al-Rif region of Morocco, following the crushing of fish salesman Mouhcine Fikri and now the arrest of protest leader Nasser Zefzafi for supposedly "undermining the security of the state." But all Dujarric said was that he had nothing on Morocco today - no prepared statement. Video here at 18:16. On June 2, Inner City Press asked Dujarric's Deputy Farhan Haq, UN transcript here: Inner City Press: there's a press release by Amnesty International entitled “Morocco Rif protestors punished with wave of mass arrests”. It says that the… Morocco in the [inaudible] had carried out a chilling wave of arrests rounding up scores of protestors, activists and bloggers in Rif, northern Morocco. And I know that yesterday I'd asked, and you'd said that Stéphane [Dujarric] had no… had nothing on it. Is… is DPA [Department of Political Affairs] unaware of this? Does DPA have any comment on what's taking place and what Amnesty International has put out this press release about?
Deputy Spokesman: No, no, the Department of Political Affairs is aware of the situation, and we're checking on them about a reaction. We'll let you know once they have a reaction to give.
Hours later, still nothing. From the June 1 UN transcript: Inner City Press: Two questions on Morocco. One is, there have been six days of protests in Al-Rif region following the crushing of a fishmonger, which obviously echoes what happened in Tunisia, and now the arrest of protest leader Nasser Zefzafi. So, I wanted to know… he's called for a three-day strike. It's being reported all over the world. Is the UN or DPA [Department of Political Affairs] aware of it? And do they have any words of wisdom of how it should be addressed?
Spokesman: No, I don't have anything on Morocco for you today.
Inner City Press: On the envoy or the Special Adviser, personal envoy on Western Sahara, has there been any response in terms of confirming…?
Spokesman: I think we're… we may be nearing the end of a process. So, as soon as we have something to announce, we shall.
Spokesman: No, I don't have anything on Morocco for you today.
Inner City Press: On the envoy or the Special Adviser, personal envoy on Western Sahara, has there been any response in terms of confirming…?
Spokesman: I think we're… we may be nearing the end of a process. So, as soon as we have something to announce, we shall.
Today's UN is a failure. Back on May 31, Inner City Press asked Dujarric, UN transcript here: Inner City Press: So the UN Global Compact has a provision where if NGOs or civil society complain against a corporation, they set up a talk, because that's the one thing that seems to be required of corporations is to actually engage with their critics. So there's a company called [inaudible], which is under fire for exploitation of natural resources in Western Sahara. And a group commented, and the Global Compact set up a dialogue between them and then cancelled it, saying that there had been leaks, and if there are leaks, no discussions. And I just wanted to know, the group itself is unclear who is leaking. They think the Global Compact did. But is that… does… has the Secretary-General… since he's come in, has he looked at this mechanism of the UN having a body that raises corporations? And is it enough to say…
Spokesman: The Global… first of all, we have to look in the specific case. The Global Compact has, throughout years, removed companies that have not lived up to its ideals. I will look into the specific case you mention.
Spokesman: The Global… first of all, we have to look in the specific case. The Global Compact has, throughout years, removed companies that have not lived up to its ideals. I will look into the specific case you mention.
Hours later, nothing. Dujarric's office didn't even look it up to get the company's name, preferring to call it "inaudible." It is Vigeo Eiris. On May 15, Dujarric said"the last update I had is that we had not gotten approval from… the formality on a name to replace Mr. Ross. We're still awaiting clearance." While pro-Morocco trolls insist this doesn't ascribe the delay to their King, in context it surely does. We'll have more on this: more questions, more stories. Watch this site. Dujarric also, again, refused to explain the now week-long censorship of the Western Sahara stakeout of April 28. Now, after ten days of censorship, the UN has annexed the stakeout to this video and put it online, While it dispenses with pro-Morocco trolls' arguments, explanations of the delay, and policy, remain needed. Inner City Press asked Dujarric for both and was told the UN likes to re-invent the wheel; no explanation was offered for the Turkish Cypriot Community getting their own, immediately archived UNTV stakeouts and this ten day delay. Watch this site. A ship moving phosphate taken from Western Sahara to New Zealand has been impounded in South Africa: the Marshall Islands flagged bulk carrier NM Cherry Blossom. The issue is the illegality of Morocco's exploitation of the natural resources of the Western Sahara territory it occupied, a question Inner City Press asked about at the UN Security Council stakeout on April 28, still not put online by the UN. So on May 4, Inner City Press asked UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric about both issues: the ship and exploitation of Western Sahara's natural resources. On the first, Dujarric merely alluded to Antonio Guterres' report. On the UN's ongoing censorship of the April 28 Q&A stakeout including on exploitation of resources, Dujarric said he has nothing new - it's been six days and we will keep asking. At Morocco's "Universal Periodic Review" at the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva on May 2, the representative of the US urged the Kingdom of Morocco to release detained journalists, and Sweden called on Morocco to respect freedom of the press. This call is apparently not heard by Morocco's Ambassador to the UN Omar Hilale, who even after Inner City Press published a blurring Morocco-AU document at his request used the UNTV microphone to claim that all of Inner City Press' publication are anti-Morocco. Nor is the call heard by the UN, which five days after the back to back stakeouts by Hilale and the Polisario representative has refused to put the latter video online. Inner City Press for the third day -- "question 228" by Hilale's count -- asked Dujarric about the delay; he again offered no explanation despite this same scenario having arisen in the past. From the May 3 UN transcript: Inner City Press: I’m sorry to ask you this again, but it’s… the stakeout took place Friday. It’s now Wednesday. So it’s five days later. You’d said that it’s something working on. I’d like you to explain it, because in April 2016, after, I think, a shorter period of time, it was decided to append the Polisario stakeout behind Algeria. What’s the difference now?
Spokesman: When I’m ready to have something to announce. I will announce it and I will explain it.
Inner City Press: Does that solution…?
Spokesman: That’s all I can say.
Spokesman: When I’m ready to have something to announce. I will announce it and I will explain it.
Inner City Press: Does that solution…?
Spokesman: That’s all I can say.
Censorship. After several delays, the UN Security Council renewed for one year the mandate of its Western Sahara mission MINURSO at 6 pm on April 28. Final resolution put on Scribed by Inner City Press here. After the vote when Morocco's Permanent Representative to the UN Omar Hilale came to the UNTV stakeout, and after questions from Moroccan state media, Inner City Press asked Hilale three questions, on Horst Kohler as possible new envoy, on the C-24 Committee visiting the regions, and what Morocco had accomplished by ousting the MINURSO peacekeepers. Hilale rather than answering used the podium to, as he put it, give some statistics. 6-second Vine Camera video here.
He said that Inner City Press has asked 225 questions about the conflict in the past year - quelle horreur -- and had had the temerity to write 150 articles about it. Inner City Press pointed out that it has written more about other countries, such as these days Cameroon. But Hilale went on from there. Video here. Three days after the stakeouts, the UN Department of Public Information had put on its website only two of the three speakers that evening (May 1 photo here). So on May 1 Inner City Press asked the UN's holdover spokesman Stephane Dujarric, video here, UN transcript here: Inner City Press: This happened before, so maybe you’ll have an answer to it. On Friday, after the meeting on Western Sahara, in the Security Council, there were three stakeouts, Morocco, Algeria and then Polisario. And three days later, only Morocco and Algeria are up and not Polisario. Now, the last time it took several days, and then it was appended behind Algeria. How did the same thing happen again, or it hasn’t even been… [inaudible]
Spokesman: I can look into it.
Inner City Press But isn’t it… I mean, after last time…
Spokesman: I said I would look into it.
Spokesman: I can look into it.
Inner City Press But isn’t it… I mean, after last time…
Spokesman: I said I would look into it.
Seven hours later, nothing. So here is part of the video. What is wrong with the UN, and its DPI?
