UNITED NATIONS GATE, June 20 – Antonio Guterres has turned the UN into a joke, literally. His refusal to even speak much less act on China's mass jailing of a million Uighurs by China on June 20 was mocked in the satiric publication The Onion, here.
Combined with Guterres' cover up through physical censorship of his financial links with UN briber CEFC China Energy, it adds weight to the demand this week by Rohinga groups that Guterres resign as UN Secretary General. The only ones who seem not to get the joke are those Guterres surrounds himself with: his Deputy Amina J. Mohammed with an equally laughable approach to the environment after backdating thousands of certificates to export endangered rosewood from Nigeria and Cameroon to China, and the largely state media, but also sycophantic Western correspondents, Guterres "raised a glass" with on the night of June 20, after the Onion's publication.
Mirroring others, Guterres cultivates a fawning media and punishes and bans critical press. A year ago Inner City Press from inside the UN covered his failure to hold a press conference in five months, while he planned to "raise a glass" with correspondents who never criticized him. (In fact, China has a veto on this group's board, here.)
Soon after, on 22 June 2018, Guterres had his Security led by Lt Ronald E. Dobbins physically push Inner City Press out of the UN, video here, a precursor to worse.
Here's another joke: on June 20, with Inner City Press banned by Guterres from any entry of the UN for 351 days, the UN Correspondents Association celebrated him in the UN General Assembly lobby, where he bloviated about press freedom while himself censoring.
This came two days after Uighur groups called Guterres shameful - but UNCA celebrated him.
This came the same day as Rohingya groups said Guterres should resign for failure and collusion. But UNCA celebrated him.
In fact, UNCA sells him, raising money off him at Cipriani in a total conflict of interest: the UN Censorship Alliance.
This as Guterres, while covering up his links to UN briber CEFC China Energy, doesn't even live up to his spokesman Stephane Dujarric's statement that there would be a UN statement after Guterres' "counter-terrorism" envoy's bluewashing trip to Xinjiang where China mass jails Uighurs.
With Guterres and his spokesman refusing to answer Press questions, now Inner City Press has in writing asked them to respond to this: "Dolkun Isa, president of theWorld Uyghur Congress, called the Xinjiang visit by Voronkov “an irrevocable mistake on the part of General Secretary Guterres.” “It is truly shameful for the UN that its Under Secretary for Counterterrorism Vladimir Voronkov visited East Turkestan and China at a time anywhere from one to three million Uyghurs have been locked up in Chinese concentration camps for more than two years,” he told RFA on Monday. “This official visit, approved by the UN General Secretary Antonio Guterres, allows China to link its crimes against humanity in East Turkestan as a necessary counterterrorism measure."
Those who frolic on the North Lawn with Guterres are complicit.A notice leaked by disgusted but complicity UN correspondents:
"The United Nations Correspondents Association has the pleasure to invite you to the launch of the 2019 UNCA Directory. We are delighted to announce that the annual reception will once again be held outdoors on the North Lawn facing the East River. Regional food, wine, cocktails, beer and more will be served! SAVE THE DATE Wednesday, June 19th 6:00 - 8:30 pm North Lawn, UNHQ Opening Remarks by UN Secretary-General António Guterres 6:30 pm Come and receive your copy of the new UNCA Directory!! Please RSVP by FRIDAY, June 14th to rsvpuncaevents@gmail.com The event is open to all UN correspondents *You must hold a valid UN ID to attend the event See you on the 19th!"
Cocktails with a genocide apologist in the UN lobby would seem like satire - but it happened. While the UN has yet to issue Guterres hypocritical remarks - claiming to be committed to press freedom, "even" of critical voices which he then linked to hate speech,here's from the Onion, which should be won't get the corrupt UNCA "UN journalism" award for this (Xinhua is on the UNCA awards committee) - "Speculating that there were probably dozens of people out there who had a handle on the situation, U.N. Secretary General António Guterres assumed Wednesday that someone was already doing something about the one million Uighur Muslims currently detained in Chinese internment camps in Xinjiang Province. “I presume there’s a group of some sort that stepped up after seeing China imprisoning a million of their own Muslim citizens for religious reeducation,” said Guterres... “Frankly, it would be weird if somebody didn’t see a Muslim minority being rounded up without trial and immediately jump into action by signing some sort of accord. Or maybe the whole Uighur thing was already wrapped up—I haven’t really looked into it recently. I mean, it started back in 2014, so there’s been plenty of time. Either way, there’s no chance in hell the world would just turn its back on a clearly oppressed people like this, right?” At press time, U.N. officials were reportedly delighted to hear China had already volunteered to sort out the issue themselves." That would be Stephane Dujarric. And yes, Chinese state media Xinhua is on the UNCA awards committee.
We'll have more on this. For now, Part III of III of the outmoded and absurd hard copy Directory for dictator lovers of the UN Censorship Alliance:
MILLER, Bill Global Connections Television; Washington International Moderator of GCTV & Columnist at WI Mailing Address: 111 Shelby Street, Frankfort, KY, 40601 Tel/Mobile: (502) 418-0029 Email: millerkyun@aol.comMIYAMOTO, Haruyo Fukada Tokyo Broadcasting System TV Correspondent Office: 524 West 57th St. #4350 New York, NY 10019 - MODARESS, Susan Independent Journalist (TV & Print) Office: United Nations Room S-0421- MULA, Halil RTV21– Kosovo National TV Office: United Nations Room S-3112B - MULVONI, Donatella Freelance Office: United Nations Room S-422- NADER, Samar Elnashra Newspaper Writer and Producer Office: United Nations Room S-3112A- NAJAFZADEH, Kamran I.R.I.B. Correspondent Office: United Nations Room S-0403 -NAJJAR, Yassein Almadar News LLC Tel: (201) 863-6060 - NAZLOYAN, Anna iLUR.am- NAZZAL, Khawla Emirates News Agency WAM; Office: United Nations Room S-342B -54 - NGUYEN, J. Tuyet German Press Agency/DPA, Hamburg (NA) Office: United Nations Room S-319 - NICHOLS, Michelle Emily Reuters (NA) Office: United Nations Room S-321 - NOAIN, Idoya El Periodico (D) Office: United Nations Room S-330C -- NYAKU, John African Business Network Communications Office: United Nations Room S-0332 - OAKFORD, Samuel The New Humanitarian Office: United Nations Room S-03112C - OSHIMA, YUMIKO Nikkei Correspondent Office: 1325 Avenue of the Americas Suite 2700 New York, NY 10019- PAK, Cia SCANNEWS (NA) Office: United Nations Room S-331 - PANAGOS, Dimitrios Greek American News Photos (NA) Athens News Agency- PANAYIOTOU, Panayiotis Phileleftheros (Cyprus) Office: United Nations Room S-333 -PANCHERI, Giovanna Sky TG 24 US & UN Correspondent Office: 12th Avenue of the Americas New York, NY 10036 - PANDHI, Vijay The Himachal Times (D) Chief Editor & Freelance Office- PATTERSON, Daniel CNET and CBS News Contributor Senior Producer Office: 28 East 28th Street New York, NY 10016 - PAVIA, Will The Times of London (D) Office: United Nations Room S-346A - PELIT, Asli Voice of America, Turkish Correspondent Office: United Nations Room S-309 - PFAEFFLE, Walter Austria Presse Agentur (APA), Vienna; Germerica.com (WEB) Office: United Nations Room S-0307 Other: 340 E 64th St. #16G New York, NY 10065 - PINNER, Kevin Sankei Shimbun Reporter Office: 150 East 52nd Street, 34th Floor New York, NY 10022
PIOLI, Giampaolo Quotidiano Nazionale, Italy (D), La Nazione, Italy( D), Il Resto del Carlino (D), Il Giorno (D), Quotidiano.net (I) Office: United Nations Room S-422A-2 - PITIGALA KANKANAMGE, Adeesha Independent Television Networks LTD- PLESEA, Gabriel Freelance Reporter (Romanian Media) Address: 85-30 60th Road #2 Middle Village, NY 11379 - PONTECORBOLI, Gianna Lettera 22 (NA) Office: United Nations Room S-420C New York, NY 10017 Other: 531 Main St., Roosevelt Island, NY 10044 -PRICE, Amanda Ruth Al-Jazeera English Senior Producer Office: United Nations Room S-0322 - RAMPELOTTO, Luiz Europa Newswire Office: United Nations Room S-303B- RAMPINI, Federico La Repubblica UN Bureau Chief Office: United Nations Room S-406 - RATER, Philippe Dominique Agence France-Press (AFP) UN Correspondent Office: United Nations Room S-316 - RATNER, Ellen Talk Media News (R/NA) President Office: United Nations Room S-422A - REILLY, William Xinhua News Agency (NA) Special Correspondent Office: United Nations Room S-313 - REINL, James Independent journalist with Al Jazeera, Middle East Eye and others - RICHTER, Cristelle ARD German Television Producer Office: United Nations Room S-406B - RIVERA, Marisela Yomiuri Shimbun Office: United Nations Room S-0418 -
ROBECCO, Valeria ANSA News Agency (NA) Office: United Nations Room S-305 RODRIGUEZ, Carmen-Maria Radio Marti US Office of Cuba - ROTH, Richard CNN (TV) Office: United Nations Room S-402 - SABET, Sadegh SCANNEWS (NA) Office: United Nations Room S-331-SAINT-MARTIN, Emmanuel France 24 (TV) Office: United Nations Room S-0341- SALA DE TORRESSOLANOT, Maria Del Carmen France 24 Spanish US Correspondent Office: 20 Pine Street #919 New York, NY 10005 -SALOOMEY, Kristen Al Jazeera English (TV) Office: United Nations Room S-322 - SARCINA, GIUSEPPE Corriere Della Sera Correspondent Office: 2600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW Washington, DC 20037 - SATO, Fumitaka NHK—Japan Public Broadcasting Senior Correspondent Office: 1177 Avenue of the Americas New York, NY 10036 -
SCHLESINGER, Stephen Freelance Address: 500 West 111th Street, #4A New York, NY 10025 - SEMPRINI, Francesco La Stampa (D) Office: United Nations Room S-348B -SHANG, Xuqian Xinhua News Agency Office: United Nations Room S-0313- SHIN, Yong Il The Korea Times; The Hankook Ilbo Office: United Nations Room S-0332D - SHINJO, Soichi Fuji Television Network News Office: 150 East 52nd Street, 34th Floor New York, NY 10022 - SINGH, Yoshita Press Trust of India (NW) Chief Correspondent Office: United Nations Room S-0335C- SOFI, Horacio Freelance - STEA, Carla Global Research (I) Office: United Nations Room S-330 - SUMI, Toshiyuki Mainichi New York Bureau Chief Office: 420 Lexington Ave, Suite 2546 New York, NY 10170 - TAN, Liling Feature Story News Correspondent Office: United Nations Room S-0340 - TAWFIK, Nada BBC (TV) UN/NY Reporter Office: United Nations Room S-412 -TSITSAS, Athanasios Antenna TV (Greece); Real News & Radio - UCCIARDO, Frank TRT World UN Correspondent Office: United Nations Room S-302- UETSUKA, Mayu Sankei Shimbun New York Bureau Chief Office: 150 East 52nd Street, 34th Fl. New York, NY 10022 - VACCARA, Stefano La Voce di New York (I); Radio Radicale (R), Rome Editor in Chief Office: United Nations Room S-0301 -VARGAS, Luke Nathaniel Talk MediaNews Chief Foreign Correspondent Office: United Nations Room S-422A-VILLAR SANJURJO, Mario EFE News Agency Office: 25 West 43rd Street, Room 1114 New York, NY 10036 - VYAS, Rohit TV Asia News Director Office: 76 National Rd, Edison, NJ 08817 - WACHTEL, Jonathan News Media Consultant - WAINER, DAVID Bloomberg LP Journalist Office: United Nations Room S-0315 - WANG, Jiangang Xinhua News Agency Office: United Nations Room S-313 - WESCHLER, Joanna Security Council Report Deputy Executive Director Office: 711 Third Avenue Suite 1501 New York, NY 10017 -WHITE, LENKA Mainichi Newspaper UN Correspondent Office: United Nations Room S-0418 - WILLIAMS, Ian Tribune, weekly, London UK; Office: United Nations Room S-317B WURST, James LGMA-TV - XIE, E Xinhua News Agency Correspondent Office: United Nations Room S-0313 - XU, Xiaolei Xinhua News Agency Correspondent Office: United Nations Room S-313 - YAMAGUCHI, Genji Kyodo News Office: 780 Third Avenue, Suite 1101 New York, NY 10017 - YANG, Chun China Central Television Chief Correspondent, NY Bureau Office: United Nations Room S-417 - YANG, Jun People’s Daily of China Office: 415 East 37th Street, #17K New York, NY 10016- YOSHIDA, Kaori Nikkei Office: United Nations Room S-0418- YURUK, Betul Anadolu News Agency Reporter Office: United Nations Room S-423 -ZAMPAGLIONE, Arturo OnuItalia; La Repubblica Editor, Special Correspondent Office: United Nations Room S-406 - ZEHIL, Sylviane L’Orient Le Jour (D) NY & UN Bureau Chief Office: United Nations Room S-419A New York, NY 10017 Other: 5 East 22nd Street, Suite 25C New York, NY 10010 - ZOUPANIOTIS, Apostolos Cyprus News Agency (NA); Cyprus Broadcasting Corporation (TV); Kathimerini Cyprus; Greek News Office: United Nations Room S-333 -
ZHU, Xili China Central Television (CCTV) Office: United Nations Room S-417- ZHU, Jing Economic Daily UN Bureau Chief Office: United Nations Room S-334
Also the "Executive Committee" / politburo:
Valeria Robecco, ANSA News Agency Room: S-305 Mobile: (973) 413-0864 Email: valeria.robecco@gmail.com Executive Officers: Melissa Kent, CBC/Radio-Canada - UNCA First Vice President 2019 FIRST VICE PRESIDENT Melissa Kent, CBC/Radio-Canada Room: S-342 Phone: (212) 546-0510 Mobile: (646) 238-5876 Email: melissa.kent@cbc.ca Jianguo Ma, Xinhua News Agency - UNCA Second Vice President 2019 SECOND VICE PRESIDENT Jianguo Ma, Xinhua News Agency Room: S-313 Phone: (917) 868-3210 Email: mjg222888@gmail.com Luke Vargas, Talk Media News - UNCA Third Vice President 2019 THIRD VICE PRESIDENT Luke Vargas, Talk Media News Room: S-422A Phone: (212) 918-1995 Email: luke@talkmedianews.com Carole Landry, Agence France Presse - UNCA Treasurer 2016-2019 TREASURER Carole Landry, Agence France Presse (AFP) Room: S-316 Phone: (212) 759-8183 Mobile: (917) 832-5415 Email: carole.landry@afp.com Seana Magee, Kyodo News - UNCA Secretary 2014-2019 SECRETARY Seana Magee, Kyodo News Room: S-304 Phone: (212) 508-5475 Mobile: (347) 512-5506 Email: seanamagee2003@yahoo.com Members at Large: Nabil Abi Saab, Al Hurra TV - Member at Large, UN Correspondents Association Executive Team 2018-2019 Nabil Abi Saab, Al Hurra TV Room: S-416A Phone: (212) 308-2317 Mobile: (202) 413-4666 Email: nabisaab@alhurra.com Erol Avdovic - Member at Large, UN Correspondents Association Executive Team 2017-2019 Erol Avdovic, Webpublicapress Room: S-345 Phone: (646) 875-5121 Email: erol.avdo@gmail.com Oscar Bolanos, OMB News - Member at Large, UN Correspondents Association Executive Team 2018-2019 Oscar Bolanos, OMB News Phone: (202) 629-5100 Email: ombyvozque@gmail.com Sherwin Bryce-Pease, SABC South Africa - Member at Large, UN Correspondents Association Executive Team 2019 Sherwin Bryce-Pease, SABC South Africa Room: S-415 Phone: (917) 703-4470 Email: s.brycepease@gmail.com Farnaz Fassihi, Wall Street Journal - Member at Large, UN Correspondents Association Executive Team 2017-2019 Farnaz Fassihi, Wall Street Journal Room: S-338A... Widad Franco, NHK Japan Broadcasting - Member at Large, UN Correspondents Association Executive Team 2017-2019 Widad Franco, NHK Japan Broadcasting Room: S-414 Maria Khrenova, TASS News Agency - Member at Large, UN Correspondents Association Executive Team 2019 Maria Khrenova, TASS News Agency Room: S-04CR1 Edith Lederer, Associated Press - Member at Large, UN Correspondents Association Executive Team 2019 Edith Lederer, Associated Press Room: S-320 Betul Yuruk, Anadolu Agency - Member at Large, UN Correspondents Association Executive Team 2019 Betul Yuruk, Anadolu Agency Room: S-423 Giampaolo Pioli, Quotidiano Nazionale - Member at Large, UN Correspondents Association Executive Team 2017-2019 Giampaolo Pioli, Quotidiano Nazionale Room: S-422 Phone: (212) 371-1099 Mobile: (917) 287-3969 Email: giampioli@aol.com
From a year ago:
The last time Guterres held a press conference at UN headquarters was more than five months ago, on January 16. On that day, Inner City Press asked Guterres why he had not acted on the killings by the Cameroon government and had not even started an audit of the China Energy Fund Committee UN bribery case in which CEFC's UN representative Patrick Ho was and is jailed. Since then, still no audit and no action on Cameroon.
Now after five months Guterres will on June 26 finally hold a second press conference. But on the same day, he is also the guest of honor of the UN Correspondents Association: “This year marks UNCA's 70th anniversary, celebrating seven decades of journalism committed to reporting on the UN and its many causes and objectives [1!]" The Free UN Coalition for Access questions the propriety of this focus on the UN's "causes" rather than simply covering the UN as it is. But FUNCA has timely sent this: "This is a timely response to your statement that 'The event is open to all UN correspondents, Please RSVP by FRIDAY, June 22nd to RSVPUNCAEvents@gmail.com... Opening Remarks byUN Secretary-General António Guterres, 6:00 pm (LOCATION TBC).' A UN correspondent, by choice not a member of UNCA, is hereby timely requesting to be informed where SG Antonio Guterres will be making remarks, and to cover it. Please confirm receipt and provide response. On deadline, thank you in advance." Now what? Guterres' holdover spokesman Stephane Dujarric has continued to restrict the Press that asks him the most questions, in favor of a no-show Egyptian state media whose correspondent Sanaa Youssef is a former president of UNCA and who hasn't asked the UN a question in more than a decade. Now Dujarric has teamed up with three UNCA members to try to claim that covering his privatization of the UN Press Briefing Room is somehow inappropriately aggressive. This is censorship. We'll have more on this.
