By Matthew Russell Lee, Patreon
BBC - Guardian UK - Honduras - ESPN
UN GATE, June 20 – Today we mark the passing of Edward Mortimer, speechwriter for Kofi Annan and moving force in the Sri Lanka Campaign even as the UN of Ban Ki-moon (and now Antonio Guterres) debase the UN by siding with the ethnic slaughter of Tamils in that country.
The FT has chimed in with their big picture, here. But Inner City Press will now publish this exchange, from before the time that current SG Antonio Guterres has had Inner City Press banned from the UN for 1084 days and counting:
Inner City Press wrote to the Sri Lanka Campaign, "I wanted to send you the answer I belatedly got (and published) from the IMF today. I'd appreciate it if you send back a comment; also on the developments in l'affaire Shavendra Silva: Frachette has "banned" him, but Ban Ki-moon has continued to say it is entirely up to member states, Sri Lanka is *still* trying... And, total long shot, on reports that Kofi Annan may be envoy to Syria..."
And Ed Mortimer responded, "Hi Matt. Fred forwarded your email. Can we leave the IMF to one side for a moment. On my two former bosses, let me say that I heartily congratulate Louise on her principled stand, and that I salute Kofi for his courage in undertaking what looks like the ultimate "mission impossible"… All best wishes, Edward."
That was a man, and an upstanding UN officials. Things have only declined since, hitting a new low with the censorship of Guterres.
On June 16, 2021 in a Zoom call with handpicked questions, regarding Haitians Ban said they should look to his successor Antonio Guterres (who has done even worse).
Ban did not mention his failure in Sri Lanka, and Inner City Press' question was pointedly not taken by moderator and ghostwriter Betsy Pisik. But here is what in "Resolved: Uniting Nations in a Divided World" he / they wrote
"Throughout my long diplomatic career, I have found that personal friend- ship is sometimes more effective than the formal relationship. Looking back, I think our relationship helped President Rajapaksa eventually accept the UN position."
After this hour long Ban Ki-moon Zoom session which found time for incomprehensible and softball questions, with the United Nations Correspondents Association's Valeria Robecco and assistant Melanie Giliati pulling the strings, Inner City Press in writing asked Guterres and his spokespeople Stephane Dujarric, Farhan Haq and Melissa Fleming and Cameroon (Guterres' Sri Lanka) and
"In a Zoom call today with handpicked questions, Ban Ki-moon said it is up to his predecessor to deal with what the UN has done in Haiti. What has Guterres does, and does he acknowledge Ban's book falsely claims that the Haiti lawsuit was in 2011 by 500 plaintiffs who sought $40 billion? On Sri Lanka, Ban writes that Rajapaksa "accepted the UN position." Is that SG Guterres' understanding?" No answer.
And what of the other online members of UNCA, now the UN Censorship Alliance, who collude in blocking questions about the UN's underperformance? We'll be having more on that, and on Sri Lanka, including UNCA's troubling history including banning Press for inquirying into financial connections to alleged war criminals. Watch this site.
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