By Matthew Russell Lee
UNITED NATIONS, June 6 – UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres on May 14 in Viennatold UN staff that sexual exploitation and abuse is not relevant, only sexual harassment is. This statement was made amid allegations of physical sexual abuse by UNAIDS' Luiz Loures, and the purchase of sex by a D1 UNofficial in Somalia. Are those cases of harassment? Inner City Press asked the UN to explain Guterres' statement, below - and then was informed by sources in Vienna that the #MeTooUN problem there is wider than heretofor reported. An abrupt resignation at the International Atomic Energy Agency in Vienna, of Tero Varjoranta, was by some like Reuters linked to Trump's pull out from the Iran JPCOA deal. But Inner City Press is exclusively informed it is more tied to an incident witnessed by many, and inquired into by press pursuing the impunity in the UN system for sexual harassment and abuse. On May 30 Inner City Press asked the spokesman for Antonio Guterres, Stephane Dujarric, for Guterres' view of a reported cover up at UNHCR, which Guterres headed for 10 years. UN transcript here and below. Now there's more, and no response from Guterres' spokesman when Inner City Press asked him about it, even six hours later. The UN on June 4 settled a case filed by a former investigator saying she faced retaliation for raising concerns 15 years ago over the handling of a suspected rape case. "In the interest of both parties in seeing this matter resolved, a mutually satisfactory settlement has been reached today," UNHCR (which Guterres ran for 10 years) and former senior investigator, Caroline Hunt-Matthes, said in a joint statement. All details of the deal were concealed, but UNHCR said it "accepts there were matters which in hindsight could have been better managed in relation to the separation." Hunt-Matthes' contract with UNHCR was ended after she raised concerns in 2003 over the way investigations of suspected sexual assault and rape cases were handled. Guterres, "who was head of UNHCR at the time Hunt-Matthes was fired," recently claimed zero tolerance. Really? On June 5, Inner City Press asked Guterres' spokesman Stephane Dujarric, UN transcript here: Inner City Press: UNHCR, after a lengthy period of time, now just this week settling retaliation charges by a woman who was in charge of investigating rape cases at UNHCR, Ms. Caroline Hunt-Matthes. And it's described both as… as a problem for the UN system in how long it took to resolve her claim of retaliation, and it's also linked by at least one of the media's reporting on it, not Inner City Press, with the Secretary… the current Secretary-General, António Guterres, in his tenure at UNHCR. So, I'm wondering, does the Secretary-General think that 15 years is too long? Is…
Spokesman: I have not been briefed on the case, so I will look into it, and I will comment on it. But I honestly have not been briefed on it." Nor did he send any response hours later when he closed his office for the day. So on June 6, Inner City Press asked again, from the UN transcript: Inner City Press: yesterday, I'd asked you about this retaliation case at UNHCR, which UNHCR settled for a woman who had said she was fired for urging a full investigation of the rape of a Sri Lankan refugee by a UN staff member. And I wanted to know, since at least one media has linked it to… to… said this occurred on the watch of António Guterres, what is the Secretary-General's knowledge of it and position on it?
Spokesman: I would refer you to… to the joint statement that was issued by… by Ms. [Caroline] Hunt-Matthes and UNHCR, and we have nothing to add to it.
Inner City Press: Does he believe, as the head of the UN system, that a 15-year period to… to resolve a whistle-blower's claim of retaliation…?
Spokesman: I'm not going to get into the details of this case. That was obviously negotiated between the parties of which the Secretary-General in his current post had no impact on. It is obvious that these issues need to be dealt quickly. I think it is… with that in mind and with other things in mind that the Secretary-General… one of the first things he did was to ask for a strengthening of the whistle-blower policy, which was done fairly quickly, and his efforts to combat the issues of sexual harassment, to combat the issues of retaliation with systems that are open to staff, where staff can feel they can come through very quickly and directly.
Inner City Press: I guess the reason that I'd asked you is, was he aware of this case during his 10 years at UNHCR, and how would he explain the failure to… to… to resolve the… resolve the case one way or another…?
Spokesman: The system went through the way it did, and again, on this specific case, I would refer you to UNHCR." Ah, leadership. From the May 20 UN transcript: Inner City Press: I wanted to ask about the UN and child sexual abuse past and present. I'm sure you've seen the report in The Independent and maybe elsewhere all the UNHCR report that in OIOS [Office of Internal Oversight Services], in fact, which had the names, apparently, of NGOs whose staff members were involved in child sexual abuse, but chose not to make it… make them public, allegedly to defend or to protect child witnesses. Is that something that António Guterres, as a long-time head of UNHCR, supports? Does he believe that the OIOS report should, even at this late stage, be released? What's the purpose of withholding the names?
Spokesman: First of all, I think the case that's referred to occurred under the leadership of the High Commissioner before him, right. So I think any questions you should have addressed to UNHCR, but from my understanding that the report was newt published, a summary of the draft assessment report was published as a note for partners and made available. It can be found both on UNHCR and Save the Children's website. I think if you've looked at the progression of how the UN deals with this issue, since then and since the Secretary-General has taken office, I think we've seen great progress in terms of transparency, in terms of creating a climate where people can go and move forward. Obviously, we're not where we want to be yet, but I think great progress has been made.
Inner City Press: it's a 2002 report, but I'm assuming that it was known to him during his 10-year… 10-year tenure there, so although the report is available, it doesn't name the groups. That seems to be the key issue. Does he believe it should now be released?
Spokesman: As I've said, this is an issue for UNHCR to deal with and I've given you a part of the answer. Yes, sir." At IAEA Inner City Press' sources, understandably afraid of retaliation in Guterres' UN (which continues to restrict Inner City Press) say, "at a senior management retreat at the start of the year, the Deputy Director General was seen to publicly 'kiss a female subordinate long and hard'and then was seen retiring to the bed chamber with the female person. Nonetheless, Amano approved a contract extension for the DDG subsequently... In my view the DG also should resign for his cover up -but he is laying the ground for a fourth term citing DPRK denuclearization." Now, as global media ask restricted Inner City Press for more information, here is a bit more - and there is more than this - from IAEA whistleblowers, even as corporate wires cover up: "It’s all about ‘Kremsgate’ in late 2017, where the DDG Tero Varjoranta acted in front of up to 30 IAEA staff and touched 2 women. Senior management - including Director General Amano - have known about this since about October 2017 and taken no action. The DG himself knew of this. There was an internal investigation that supported the above facts. There are numerous witnesses in the Department of Safeguards. The two women have been badly impacted by the incidents. Witnesses are scared to talk due to lack of protection. The issue fits well into the global ‘you too’ dialogue. The perpetrator resigned without sanction, and returned to his home country Finland. With all of the usual UN benefits and no repercussions. The twofemale victims and the 30 odd witnesses are left traumatized and with no faith in the UN system." For now, rightfully so. This is today's UN, which confines Inner City Press to minders while serving corporate wire services pan seared corvina and wine, in exchange for no questions on the UN's sexual harassment scandal. On May 17, Inner City Press asked Guerres' deputy spokesman, UN transcript here, Inner City Press: Earlier this year, I asked a number of questions about UNFPA in India and the allegations of sexual harassment and abuse against a Diego Palacios there and there's just been a large press conference of NGOs (non-governmental organizations) in India, both saying that the… asking that the Secretary-General remove immunity from Mr. Diego Palacios and also tying it into the situation at UNAIDS (Joint United Nations Programme against HIV/AIDS) with Michel Sidibé, but I wanted to know an update from you. They seem to say at this press conference that Mr. Palacios hasn't really even been interviewed, that there's not… that the UN hasn't acted in any way on this detailed allegation of sexual harassment. Are you aware of what UNFPA has done, if the Secretary-General is aware of and may act on this request that immunity be removed, particularly given the inaction by the UNFPA?
Deputy Spokesman: As far as I'm aware at this stage, it remains in the hands of the UN Population Fund, and they're the ones who are looking into this, and we'll leave it in their hands.
Inner City Press: Recently, there was an abrupt resignation of a Deputy Director General of IAEA (International Atomic Energy Agency) in Geneva, Tero Varjoranta, and we've been hearing various reasons for it, and since the Secretary-General was just in Vienna, is he aware of any quote "#MeToo issues” at IAEA, and if so, what did he do while he's there?
Deputy Spokesman: I don't really have any comment to share on this. As far as I'm aware, the International Atomic Energy Agency said that he had stepped down for personal reasons, and so that is the information we have on that." Really. Guterres' statement was made at a staff Town Hall meeting for which he was 45 minutes late. After he said it, a staff member complained that her application to set up a #MeToo club had been denied and would Guterres help? He did not say yes. So on May 15 in New York, Inner City Press asked Guterres' deputy spokesman Farhan Haq, UN transcript here: Inner City Press: At yesterday's town-hall meeting in Vienna, one of the questions from the floor was from a self-described victim of sexual harassment within the UN system, and she asked Secretary-General whether he supported the idea of a "me too" club, I guess, within the UN in Vienna. He didn't seem to say yes. He seemed to say, well, if I understand it better. She said, do you support it, and they just moved on. Can you say now does the Secretary-General support the idea? She was apparently rejected by the UN in Vienna to set up this, such a club. Does he support that idea, and will he follow up with the staff member who asked him this explicitly in the town-hall meeting?
Deputy Spokesman: Well, first, we are trying to get input from all staff about what needs to happen in order to deal more effectively with sexual harassment, including through a survey of staff, and so we will try to evaluate what staff broadly say and see what steps need to be taken." Oh. Guterres also on May 14 said his attempted reform of the UN development system had "passed silence," with but without assessed contributions. On May 15 Inner City Press also asked Haq: He also seemed to say that, I don't know if that the assessed contributions, that the reform of the development system had passed through silence procedure; it still has not been voted on, but he seemed to say that it's passed, but without the Resident Coordinator system being funded through assessed contributions. What is his plan, given that it seems like that he thinks that now it's going to be approved by the General Assembly, hasn’t passed through, what is the plan to actually fund these resident coordinators?
Deputy Spokesman: Well, first, we will see what the final results are once the Member States agree on it. We hope in the coming days we will be able to provide some details about what the development reform is about. " Back on May 14 in New York at the UN noon briefing Inner City Press asked Guterres' deputy spokesman Farhan Haq if Guteres doesn't think the Loures cases is about sexual abuse, beyond harassment. Haq seemed to say Guterres uses these terms based on the identify of the victim, not the use of force or economicpressure. #MeTooUN? Days after first banning the Press from his photo ops with Al Sharpton and new Political Affairs chief Rosemary DiCarlo then prohibiting Inner City Press' livestreaming of a photo op with Finland's foreign minister even though UN Television shot videoand audio there, the UN in Vienna is promoting this, with no mention if Periscope is allowed or not:
Spokesman: I have not been briefed on the case, so I will look into it, and I will comment on it. But I honestly have not been briefed on it." Nor did he send any response hours later when he closed his office for the day. So on June 6, Inner City Press asked again, from the UN transcript: Inner City Press: yesterday, I'd asked you about this retaliation case at UNHCR, which UNHCR settled for a woman who had said she was fired for urging a full investigation of the rape of a Sri Lankan refugee by a UN staff member. And I wanted to know, since at least one media has linked it to… to… said this occurred on the watch of António Guterres, what is the Secretary-General's knowledge of it and position on it?
Spokesman: I would refer you to… to the joint statement that was issued by… by Ms. [Caroline] Hunt-Matthes and UNHCR, and we have nothing to add to it.
Inner City Press: Does he believe, as the head of the UN system, that a 15-year period to… to resolve a whistle-blower's claim of retaliation…?
Spokesman: I'm not going to get into the details of this case. That was obviously negotiated between the parties of which the Secretary-General in his current post had no impact on. It is obvious that these issues need to be dealt quickly. I think it is… with that in mind and with other things in mind that the Secretary-General… one of the first things he did was to ask for a strengthening of the whistle-blower policy, which was done fairly quickly, and his efforts to combat the issues of sexual harassment, to combat the issues of retaliation with systems that are open to staff, where staff can feel they can come through very quickly and directly.
Inner City Press: I guess the reason that I'd asked you is, was he aware of this case during his 10 years at UNHCR, and how would he explain the failure to… to… to resolve the… resolve the case one way or another…?
Spokesman: The system went through the way it did, and again, on this specific case, I would refer you to UNHCR." Ah, leadership. From the May 20 UN transcript: Inner City Press: I wanted to ask about the UN and child sexual abuse past and present. I'm sure you've seen the report in The Independent and maybe elsewhere all the UNHCR report that in OIOS [Office of Internal Oversight Services], in fact, which had the names, apparently, of NGOs whose staff members were involved in child sexual abuse, but chose not to make it… make them public, allegedly to defend or to protect child witnesses. Is that something that António Guterres, as a long-time head of UNHCR, supports? Does he believe that the OIOS report should, even at this late stage, be released? What's the purpose of withholding the names?
Spokesman: First of all, I think the case that's referred to occurred under the leadership of the High Commissioner before him, right. So I think any questions you should have addressed to UNHCR, but from my understanding that the report was newt published, a summary of the draft assessment report was published as a note for partners and made available. It can be found both on UNHCR and Save the Children's website. I think if you've looked at the progression of how the UN deals with this issue, since then and since the Secretary-General has taken office, I think we've seen great progress in terms of transparency, in terms of creating a climate where people can go and move forward. Obviously, we're not where we want to be yet, but I think great progress has been made.
Inner City Press: it's a 2002 report, but I'm assuming that it was known to him during his 10-year… 10-year tenure there, so although the report is available, it doesn't name the groups. That seems to be the key issue. Does he believe it should now be released?
Spokesman: As I've said, this is an issue for UNHCR to deal with and I've given you a part of the answer. Yes, sir." At IAEA Inner City Press' sources, understandably afraid of retaliation in Guterres' UN (which continues to restrict Inner City Press) say, "at a senior management retreat at the start of the year, the Deputy Director General was seen to publicly 'kiss a female subordinate long and hard'and then was seen retiring to the bed chamber with the female person. Nonetheless, Amano approved a contract extension for the DDG subsequently... In my view the DG also should resign for his cover up -but he is laying the ground for a fourth term citing DPRK denuclearization." Now, as global media ask restricted Inner City Press for more information, here is a bit more - and there is more than this - from IAEA whistleblowers, even as corporate wires cover up: "It’s all about ‘Kremsgate’ in late 2017, where the DDG Tero Varjoranta acted in front of up to 30 IAEA staff and touched 2 women. Senior management - including Director General Amano - have known about this since about October 2017 and taken no action. The DG himself knew of this. There was an internal investigation that supported the above facts. There are numerous witnesses in the Department of Safeguards. The two women have been badly impacted by the incidents. Witnesses are scared to talk due to lack of protection. The issue fits well into the global ‘you too’ dialogue. The perpetrator resigned without sanction, and returned to his home country Finland. With all of the usual UN benefits and no repercussions. The twofemale victims and the 30 odd witnesses are left traumatized and with no faith in the UN system." For now, rightfully so. This is today's UN, which confines Inner City Press to minders while serving corporate wire services pan seared corvina and wine, in exchange for no questions on the UN's sexual harassment scandal. On May 17, Inner City Press asked Guerres' deputy spokesman, UN transcript here, Inner City Press: Earlier this year, I asked a number of questions about UNFPA in India and the allegations of sexual harassment and abuse against a Diego Palacios there and there's just been a large press conference of NGOs (non-governmental organizations) in India, both saying that the… asking that the Secretary-General remove immunity from Mr. Diego Palacios and also tying it into the situation at UNAIDS (Joint United Nations Programme against HIV/AIDS) with Michel Sidibé, but I wanted to know an update from you. They seem to say at this press conference that Mr. Palacios hasn't really even been interviewed, that there's not… that the UN hasn't acted in any way on this detailed allegation of sexual harassment. Are you aware of what UNFPA has done, if the Secretary-General is aware of and may act on this request that immunity be removed, particularly given the inaction by the UNFPA?
Deputy Spokesman: As far as I'm aware at this stage, it remains in the hands of the UN Population Fund, and they're the ones who are looking into this, and we'll leave it in their hands.
Inner City Press: Recently, there was an abrupt resignation of a Deputy Director General of IAEA (International Atomic Energy Agency) in Geneva, Tero Varjoranta, and we've been hearing various reasons for it, and since the Secretary-General was just in Vienna, is he aware of any quote "#MeToo issues” at IAEA, and if so, what did he do while he's there?
Deputy Spokesman: I don't really have any comment to share on this. As far as I'm aware, the International Atomic Energy Agency said that he had stepped down for personal reasons, and so that is the information we have on that." Really. Guterres' statement was made at a staff Town Hall meeting for which he was 45 minutes late. After he said it, a staff member complained that her application to set up a #MeToo club had been denied and would Guterres help? He did not say yes. So on May 15 in New York, Inner City Press asked Guterres' deputy spokesman Farhan Haq, UN transcript here: Inner City Press: At yesterday's town-hall meeting in Vienna, one of the questions from the floor was from a self-described victim of sexual harassment within the UN system, and she asked Secretary-General whether he supported the idea of a "me too" club, I guess, within the UN in Vienna. He didn't seem to say yes. He seemed to say, well, if I understand it better. She said, do you support it, and they just moved on. Can you say now does the Secretary-General support the idea? She was apparently rejected by the UN in Vienna to set up this, such a club. Does he support that idea, and will he follow up with the staff member who asked him this explicitly in the town-hall meeting?
Deputy Spokesman: Well, first, we are trying to get input from all staff about what needs to happen in order to deal more effectively with sexual harassment, including through a survey of staff, and so we will try to evaluate what staff broadly say and see what steps need to be taken." Oh. Guterres also on May 14 said his attempted reform of the UN development system had "passed silence," with but without assessed contributions. On May 15 Inner City Press also asked Haq: He also seemed to say that, I don't know if that the assessed contributions, that the reform of the development system had passed through silence procedure; it still has not been voted on, but he seemed to say that it's passed, but without the Resident Coordinator system being funded through assessed contributions. What is his plan, given that it seems like that he thinks that now it's going to be approved by the General Assembly, hasn’t passed through, what is the plan to actually fund these resident coordinators?
Deputy Spokesman: Well, first, we will see what the final results are once the Member States agree on it. We hope in the coming days we will be able to provide some details about what the development reform is about. " Back on May 14 in New York at the UN noon briefing Inner City Press asked Guterres' deputy spokesman Farhan Haq if Guteres doesn't think the Loures cases is about sexual abuse, beyond harassment. Haq seemed to say Guterres uses these terms based on the identify of the victim, not the use of force or economicpressure. #MeTooUN? Days after first banning the Press from his photo ops with Al Sharpton and new Political Affairs chief Rosemary DiCarlo then prohibiting Inner City Press' livestreaming of a photo op with Finland's foreign minister even though UN Television shot videoand audio there, the UN in Vienna is promoting this, with no mention if Periscope is allowed or not:
1. Photo opportunity with the Secretary-General and the Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz
Date: Monday 14 May 2018
Time: 12.55 p.m. please arrive by 12:30 p.m.
Venue: Austrian Chancellery, Marmoreksalon, Chancellery
2. Joint press stakeout with the Secretary-General and the Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz
Date: Monday 14 May 2018
Time: 2.15 p.m.
Venue: Austrian Chancellery, Grauer Ecksalon, Chancellery
3. Photo opportunity with the Secretary-General and the Austrian President Alexander Van der Bellen
Date: Monday 14 May 2018
Time: 2.35 p.m.
Venue: Hofburg, Ballhausplatz, 1010, Vienna
4. Joint press stakeout with the Secretary-General and the Austrian President Alexander Van der Bellen
Date: Monday 14 May 2018
Time: 3.10 p.m.
Venue: Hofburg, Ballhausplatz, 1010, Vienna
5. Photo opportunity with the Secretary-General and the Austrian Foreign Minister Karin Kneissl
Date: Monday 14 May 2018
Time: 3.30 p.m., please arrive by 3 p.m.
Venue: Austrian Foreign Ministry, Minoritenplatz 8, 1010 Vienna
6. Photo opportunity for the arrival of the Secretary-General at the Vienna International Centre
Date: Monday 14 May 2018
Time: 4.10 p.m., please arrive by 3.45 p.m.
Venue: Plaza, Vienna International Centre
Guterres' lead spokesman (speechwriter?) Stephane Dujarric appeared to be with him, kissing cheeks in Vienna. And what of the growing #MeTooUN issues while he is in Vienna? Is Guterres going to take his absurd restrictions on and censorship of the Press on the road? Or create a double standard where the restrictions apply only inside UN headquarters? How long will he continue his rote expressions of support for UNAIDS' Michel Sidibe, who threatened staff with retaliation for speaking about against Luiz Loures? And given the statements, when will Guterres have to start recusing himself? Watch this site. Last month Guterres slightly delayed his trip to Saudi Arabia, but not by much. After accepting a $930 million check from the Saudi Crown Prince and in remarks not mentioning the civilians deaths caused by Saudi bombing of Yemen, now Guterres has delivered again, remarks praising Saudi Arabia's counter terrorism work. Some find it ironic; some call this trip "Blood Money II." But duty called. Before he left, Guterres who refused actually pointed Press questions with dismissive wave of the hand, delivered a 20 minute interview to Saudi aligned media. Now there, he is quoted with more praise of Saudi, by the Saudi Press Agency (to which his UN has given office space and full access while evicting and restricting the independent Press). The UN has yet to send out a transcript of Guterres' craven remarks quoted by the Saudi Press Agency, sending so far only a speech beginning "Your Excellency, Foreign Minister al-Jubeir, Your Excellency, Ambassador Al-Mouallimi, I want to express my deep gratitude to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for its generous support to the United Nations Counter-Terrorism Centre, a support without which the Centre, would probably never have been able to be born. And I thank Ambassador Al Mouallimi for his able chairmanship of this Advisory Board... I recently launched the United Nations Global Counter-Terrorism Compact, which I signed with the heads of 36 UN entities, the INTERPOL and the World Customs Organization." INTERPOL, of course, is used by some governments to arrest or travel ban their opponents. We'll have more on this. Only a week before as Guterres took off on his trip to China, Inner City Press which has pursued the UN bribery scandals of Ng Lap Seng and now the China Energy Fund Committee asked Guterres' spokesman Stephane Dujarric on April 6 if Guterres will address any of these issues during his five days in the country. Dujarric was dismissive, and ended the briefing. Video here; UN transcript here and below. This cutting off of public quesitons happened after Guterres gave a private (self) promotional interview to China's state media Xinhua, touting the trip and China as "absolutely essential" on the North Korea nuclear issue. Dujarric race off the podium made it impossible to ask him for Guterres' opinion on if the gifts given to Kim Jong Un on his recent train trip to China violated the UN's 1718 sanctions. Then again, the UN's own World Intellectual Property Organization helped on North Korea's cyanide patents without telling the 1718 Committee, and Guterres has been as hands-off with WIPO's Gurry as he has been with UNAIDS' Michel Sidibe on the sexual harassment and retaliation scandal. We'll have more on this.
Date: Monday 14 May 2018
Time: 12.55 p.m. please arrive by 12:30 p.m.
Venue: Austrian Chancellery, Marmoreksalon, Chancellery
2. Joint press stakeout with the Secretary-General and the Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz
Date: Monday 14 May 2018
Time: 2.15 p.m.
Venue: Austrian Chancellery, Grauer Ecksalon, Chancellery
3. Photo opportunity with the Secretary-General and the Austrian President Alexander Van der Bellen
Date: Monday 14 May 2018
Time: 2.35 p.m.
Venue: Hofburg, Ballhausplatz, 1010, Vienna
4. Joint press stakeout with the Secretary-General and the Austrian President Alexander Van der Bellen
Date: Monday 14 May 2018
Time: 3.10 p.m.
Venue: Hofburg, Ballhausplatz, 1010, Vienna
5. Photo opportunity with the Secretary-General and the Austrian Foreign Minister Karin Kneissl
Date: Monday 14 May 2018
Time: 3.30 p.m., please arrive by 3 p.m.
Venue: Austrian Foreign Ministry, Minoritenplatz 8, 1010 Vienna
6. Photo opportunity for the arrival of the Secretary-General at the Vienna International Centre
Date: Monday 14 May 2018
Time: 4.10 p.m., please arrive by 3.45 p.m.
Venue: Plaza, Vienna International Centre
