By Matthew Russell Lee
UNITED NATIONS, April 7 – While the UN pleads with European countries to provide peacekeepers, some European countries are even more eager to deploy on their own to African countries than the countries are to receive them. Take the strange case of Italy and Niger. It was announced that Italy would send some 400 soldiers, regarding border patrol and surveillance. But then Niger demurred, and Italy is said to blame Niger's colonial and uranium master, France. Both countries, by the way, support Francophone Cameroon's Paul Biya in cracking down on the Anglophone minority. Italy, now less frequently seen around the Security Council during the second leg of its shared term with the Netherlands, is also said to be having problems deploying in Tunisia. We hope to have more on this. The new colonialism, and it is that, is not as easy as the first round. But as Cameroon shows, it is a cynical and deadly game. Libya too: nearly exactly one year ago the UN's servile role in Libya was exemplified on 4 April 2017, when long time UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric cut off a Press question, to Italy, about its deal with and reported arming of tribes there in an attempt to stem migrant flows. So on April 5, Inner City Press asked Dujarric's Associate Spokesperson Eri Kaneko, from the UN transcript:
Inner City Press: I tried yesterday at the UNMAS [United Nations Mine Action Service] press conference to ask this question. There was a conference held in… Friday in Rome between the Italian Interior Ministry and what was described as tribes from Libya, particularly from the parts not controlled by the UN-recognized Government. And at least some press accounts say that Italy has agreed to provide weapons to the tribes, basically to stop immigrant… migrants or refugees from coming to their soil. So, what I wondered is, what's the UN's involvement in this? One, what do they think of a country arming tribes, if that's what took place? In any event, what is the UN… either Mr. [Martin] Kobler or… or… or anyone else in the UN system, UNHCR [Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees], are they involved in any way in this Italian interchange with Libyan tribes?
Associate Spokesperson: I mean, as you know, the UN is not a military force or has no military force in Libya, but I'm sure that the Italians are in touch with our team on the ground. We'll check with them what they think about this development.
Question: Right. But, I guess… well, okay. Check… check, if you could?
Associate Spokesperson: Yoshita?
Associate Spokesperson: I mean, as you know, the UN is not a military force or has no military force in Libya, but I'm sure that the Italians are in touch with our team on the ground. We'll check with them what they think about this development.
Question: Right. But, I guess… well, okay. Check… check, if you could?
Associate Spokesperson: Yoshita?
Eight hours later, there was nothing, no answers. On April 4, the cut off was at a press conference co-chaired by Italy's deputy ambassador to the UN; Libya is one of the countries the UN says it does mine action work in. But when Inner City Press asked about Libya, and Italy, spokesman Stephane "The Evicter" Dujarric cut in and disallowed the question. Later he allowed others to ask “off topic” questions.
