Amid More Killings in East Darfur, UN & Ladsous Invisible, UK and US Missions Asked by FUNCA: Any Security Council Action?

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, August 11 -- After "dozens" or now "hundreds" were killed in East Darfur, with the figure of 100 dead on August 10 alone, one wondered if the UN Security Council would meet or issue a Press Statement about it.

  There is a billion dollar "peacekeeping" mission in Darfur, with a protection of civilians mandate. UN Peacekeeping chief Herve Ladsous visited Sudan in July; he met with International Criminal Court indictee president Omar al Bashir. 

  Inner City Press has asked Secretary General Ban Ki-moon spokespeople what the goals and accomplishments of this Ladsous - Bashir meeting were, without substantive response.

  During this deadly fighting, which spread from Saturday into Sunday, August 11, where WAS the billion dollar UNAMID mission? 

  Where was Ladsous? Before disappearing from sight, Ladsous had his spokesperson Kieran Dwyer spoon-feed an answer to Inner City Press' June 24 question about the UN Mine Action Service in Somalia funneling information to the US with another media. See #LADSOUS2013, The History through Twitter, Part 1 here, Part 2 here.

  The Free UN Coalition for Access, which seeks to open and make more fair access to information not only from reclusive UN Secretariat officials like Ladsous but also from the Security Council, directed a question to the UK and Ambassador Mark Lyall Grant, Council "pen-holders" on Darfur: is any meeting or statement planned? 

  The same was directed by @FUNCA_info to UNAMID and to the US Mission and new Ambassador Samantha Power, who gave a speech Saturday in California to the group behind #KONY2012, Invisible Children.  There's a lot of invisibility going on at the UN. Watch this site.

   

Amid Calls for Accountability for UN Sending Pilots to Death in South Sudan, Herve Ladsous Stonewalls

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, July 26 -- More than six months ago inSouth Sudan, the UN Mission sent four Russian helicopter pilots out, who were shot down and killed by the SPLA.

On July 25, Russian Ambassador to the UN Vitaly Churkin told reporters Russia demands punishment for the military who opened fire on the helicopter, as well as for the UN staffers "who had made the decision to send the helicopter to a dangerous zone." He said there are difficulties with the latter, as most of those who were responsible for dispatching the copter “don’t work with the mission any longer." Ah, mobility.

On July 25, Secretary General Ban Ki-moon's Spokesperson's Office slipped in a mere three minute noon briefing just as Rwanda's foreign minister lit into UN Peacekeeping for other failings, in a speech in the Security Council. Inner City Press ran from the Council to the briefing room at 12:03 but was told "it's over."

  So on July 26 Inner City Press left a Syria related stakeout in the North Lawn and ran to ask for response to Churkin's pointed comments from the day previous, including that the UN had already shown his mission their report.

But when Inner City Press, also on behalf of the Free UN Coalition, asked the helicopter question, all Ban Ki-moon's deputy spokesman Eduardo Del Buey said was, we've seen the media reports, we'll have to ask DPKO.

Why hadn't they ALREADY asked DPKO? Why didn't DPKO, presumably seeing what was said, provide some if-asked for the Spokesperson's Office? Or is the goal, as so often with DPKO under Herve Ladsous, simply not to answer the question, while promises of an answer are always offered?

After six pm on Friday, six hours after the briefing, no answer had been provided. Ladsous' failing are not only in the Congo, in Haiti, Darfur and the Golan Heights. For South Sudan alone, it's time for #LADSOUS2013. Watch this site.

   

As UN Peacekeeping's Ladsous Seeks Friendly Coverage of Mali, Dodges War Crimes Questions

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, July 10 -- UN Peacekeeping chief Herve Ladsous recently traveled to Sudan, where he met with Omar al Bashir who has been indicted for war crimes and genocide. 

  While there, Ladsous bragged that his peacekeepers have become more aggressive, even “kept the body” of an assailant they killed.

  In New York, Inner City Press asked if this complied with the Geneva Conventions, not to say Islamic law. But these questions have not been answered.

  Ladsous went to Mali, where the French government he served for years including at the UN during the 1994 Rwanda genocide has been bragging of its central role in the upcoming July 28 elections.

  In New York, Inner City Press asked repeatedly if Ladsous' Department of Peacekeeping Operations supports units of the Congolese Army depicted involved in war crimes, rapes, arming the FDLR militia and even looting UN compounds in the Group of Experts report, the full text of which Inner City Press exclusively put online on June 29.

  That day, 11 days ago, Inner City Press asked Ladsous four spokespeople -- Kieran Dwyer, Andre-Michel Essoungou, Josephine Guerrero and Anayansi Lopez -- for a yes or no answer. Receipt was confirmed, and an answer promised. But no answer has been provided. This is a pattern: video compilation here.

  Now 11 days after that question, and after Ladsous skipped out on a question and answer stakeout he was supposed to hold on July 9, there's this quote in AP: “Herve Ladsous told a group of reporters Wednesday that the new U.N. peacekeeping force in Mali will also be helping to provide security for the election.”

  So rather than answer questions that are asked, including at the UN's noon briefing, Ladsous sneaks around trying to find friendly coverage that will not ask him about war crimes, whether in 1994 or by the Congolese army units he supports in 2012 and 2013.

  The issue is now raised that the International Criminal Court has jurisdiction over the situation in the DR Congo - that is, Ladsous' MONUSCO mission - and in Mali, the MISUSMA mission.

  Days ago, MINUSMA answered a question about its role in the election to the new Free UN Coalition for Access, formed to make the UN more transparent and officials like Ladsous answer. But now, as predicted, MINUSMA has stopped answering, a simple question about its mandate and the ICC.

This is what Ladsous is doing to the UN, and UN Peacekeeping. #LADSOUS2013. Watch this site.

   

On Report of DR Congo Army Rape & Torture, UN Stonewalls Inner City Press 3 Days & Counting: #Ladsous2013

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, July 2 -- Does the UN probe abuses by its partners in the Congolese Army or try to cover them up?

  More than three days have passed since Inner City Pressexclusively published the full text of the new Group of Experts report, including details of Congolese Army involvement in rape, torture, child soldier recruitment andtrade of conflict gold.

  On June 29, Inner City Press asked four spokespeople of UN Peacekeeping chief Herve Ladsous to answer a simple question: does Ladsous' DPKO provide support to the units links to these abuses.

  Several of the spokespeople had “out of office” auto-responders. Kieran Dwyer's said he is gone until July 16, but for media inquiries to contact Andre-Michel Essoungou.

  But Andre-Michel Essoungou's e-mail said he was out of the office, too. In any event, it was he who seized the UN Television microphone at Ladsous' orders to try to avoid a question about the 135 rapes in Minova by the Congolese Army, video here.

  The spokesperson who did on June 29 acknowledge receipt, when asked again on July 1 replied, “We are looking into your questions... We'll add the new [FARDC units] and get back to you as soon as possible.”

  But since then, nothing. At the July 2 UN noon briefing, Inner City Press asked UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon's deputy spokesperson Eduardo Del Buey:

Inner City Press: a couple of questions about the Democratic Republic of Congo. One, there is South African article today saying that the South African troops that are part of MONUSCO would become part of the intervention brigade, but there is some memorandum of understanding that is yet to be signed. I’d heard that it was all systems go with the intervention brigade, are there documents that were meant to be signed and what are the issues that are holding it up?

Deputy Spokesperson: Well, we’ll have to check on that for you, Matthew.

Inner City Press: And I wanted to ask you whether DPKO has provided you any answers to the various battalions and regiments that I asked them about Saturday, I asked you about yesterday, just to know, yes or no, whether MONUSCO works with those units.

Deputy Spokesperson: No, I have got no reply on that.

  Why not? How can DPKO have a conditionality policy without knowing -- and disclosing -- which units it works with?

  Meanwhile Radio Okapi, which has many committed workers but which is controlled by the UN misison MONUSCO, has confined the Group of Experts report to its “Media Review.”

    Bloomberg News in Kinshasa credits Inner City Press for the exclusive publication of the full text report, here. The new Free UN Coalition for Access, interested in the responsiveness and objectivity of UN (social) media, hastwice asked Radio Okapi when it itself will dig into the Group of Experts report. So far, no answer.

  And with Roger Meece gone, and Martin Kobler not coming until August, @FUNCA_info's questions to MONUSCO have gone unanswered. 

   What a bad time to leave a mission without a chief.Then again, see what Ladsous has done with DPKO, video here. Watch this site.

  

On Minova Rapes, UK On Zero Tolerance & Kang on DPKO, But No Answers from #Ladsous2013

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, June 4 -- The UN's partners in the Congolese Army committed at least 135 rapes in Minova in late November, with very few arrests since. What is the UN Security Council, and the UN's humanitarian arm, doing about it?

Inner City Press on June 4 asked June's Security Council president Mark Lyall Grant about the Minova rapes, and about Tanzanian president Kikwete's comment that Rwanda should negotiate with the FDLR militia. 

  Lyall Grant spoke of "zero tolerance," as the UN does, but it remains unclear if the Council during his month will inquire into the Department of Peacekeeping Operations' questionable implementation of its Human Rights Due Diligence Policy.

  When new Assistant Secretary General for humanitarian affairs Kyung-wha Kang appeared at the day's noon briefing, Inner City Press asked her about follow-through on Minova. 

  She said, essentially, to "ask our colleagues at DPKO." But Inner City Press asked DPKO chief Herve Ladsous just that, for an update on Minova, on May 29 and he said, "You know I do not respond to you." Nor has any update been provided since.

  On the FDLR, Lyall Grant spoke broadly about the Intervention Brigade. But what about doubts of its objectivity, given that it is led by a Tanzanian commander? Watch this site.

Footnote: Inner City Press also asked Lyall Grant if the UK favors maintaining the media access and workspace that existed at the Security Council before and during the relocation. He said that's up to "DPI and the journalists." We'll have more on this.

UN Cover Up of Minova Rapes Omits Both Words From Ladsous "Summary," New Rapes, No Update, #LADSOUS2103

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, May 30 -- How does the UN cover up mass rape by its partners? 

  Most recently on May 29, when Inner City Press asked the UN's Herve Ladsous about 135 counted rapes in Minova by the Congolese Army, Ladsous said, "you know I don't respond to you." Video here.

  Inner City Press encouraged him to pretend someone else, less critical of his record, had asked the question and provide an update. But he did not.

  On May 30, the Department of Peacekeeping Operations rather than put online a transcript of Ladsous' press conference as it did in February, put online only a"summary" -- which made no mention of Minova, or rape, or Ladsous' refusal to answer.

  This is like some dictatorial countries: they simply erase the question. Ladsous tried this before, asking UNTV to edit out the final portion of a stakeout so that Inner City Press' question -- which he refused to answer -- could not be heard.

It happened on December 18, 2012, when Ladsous directed his spokesman to seize the UNTV microphone to try to keep Inner City Press from asking a question about the Minova rapes. Video here.

And now, they reverse previous practice and don't release a transcript, but only a summary which does not mention the 135 rapes.

In fact, there may have been more than 135 rapes. On May 30 Inner City Press asked Ban Ki-moon's deputy spokesperson Eduardo Del Buey about a report of 88 rapes in Minova -- and for the update on accountability it had asked Ladsous for the day before.

Del Buey said the update would now start being sought. The wheels didn't start the day before, when Ladsous was asked? Apparently not. It's a cover up, you see. A cover up in plain sight and with the implicit approval of Ladsous' bosses, the Secretary General and.... guess who? Watch this site.

At UN on Peacekeeping, Herve Ladsous Omits Abyei & Golan, DRC Questions UNanswered

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, May 29 -- It was a solemn ceremony Wednesday at the UN, with Department of Peacekeeping Operations chief Herve Ladsous citing three examples of the least measure of sacrifice: the killing of Indian peacekeepers in Jonglei, those from Niger in western Cote d'Ivoire, and from Pakistan in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

  Particularly because this is serious, there are question that must be answered about each of these three, and others not mentioned by Ladsous, including recent killing in Abyei and kidnapping in the Golan. But Ladsous, for now, refuses to answer Press questions. See May 29 video, here and embedded below.

In Jonglei the question arose: why didn't the peacekeepers have a sufficient Armored Personnel Carrier?

In Cote d'Ivoire DPKO (of which Ladsous is the fourth French chief in a row) openly sided with French ally Ouattara, essentially covering up the killing of perceived Gbagbo supports in the Nahibly camp according to no less than Amnesty International.

In the Congo, Ladsous' own history as French Deputy Permanent Representative to the UN in 1994, rebutting others to support the escape of genocidaires into the Eastern Congo, raises questions about his Mission's objectivity.

  But if like Inner City Press you ask that question, Ladsous calls it "insinuation" and refuses any more. This has happened since last May -- one year now. He has refused questions on the introducing of cholera into Haiti, taking advice from an alleged war criminal, doing little to protect IDPs in Darfur.

  Now on the Golan, he stands accused of knowing of involvement from Qatar in the kidnapping of UN peacekeepers. Will he answer? Watch this site.

As More Peacekeepers Grabbed, Ladsous Flees to Friendly Scribes, Hiding: #LADSOUS2013

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, May 16 -- With UN peacekeepers repeatedly being kidnapped in the Golan Heights, and recently killed in Abyei and the Congo, Herve Ladsous the fourth French chief in a row of UN Peacekeeping has allowed his fear of the Press to mute the UN's message.

More peacekeepers have been grabbed in the Golan, but shockingly the UN itself put out no announcement. Rather, Ladsous summoned a few friendly scribes. The reporting was muted. Perhaps Ladsous is scared.

In the General Assembly on May 15, an email was waved from the podium about the UN -- "the highest levels of DPKO," UN Peacekeeping, as it turns out -- being aware of the role of Qatari intelligence and the Syrian opposition "ambassador" in Doha in the previous kidnapping of Filipino UN peacekeepers.

This is a serious charge, but neither the UN nor Ladsous have answered it. Now when more peacekeepers are grabbed, the UN says nothing, and Ladsous can summon only his few friends.

Click here for a view of Ladsous repeatedly refusing to answer Press questions about his job: about mass rape by his partners in the Congo, about how will disarm the MNLA in Mali, about his push for UN drones in former French colony Cote d'Ivoire.

Why did Ladsous stop answering Press questions? More than one Security Council ambassador now links it to the questions Inner City Press raised about Ladsous' role during the Rwanda genocide as France's Deputy Permanent Representative, defending and ensuring the escape of genocidaires into Eastern Congo.

It is obvious to many that such a person should never have been put in charge of UN Peacekeeping. And beyond his past, his current mis-handling of mission in more than one continent cry out for action, or resignation. There is a Twitter hashtag, now used as a justification for Ladsous' stonewalling: #LADSOUS2013. There is time. It must end. Watch this site.

After Abyei Killings, South Sudan Says UN Peacekeping Doesn't Protect Civilians from Misseriya: #Ladsous2013

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, May 9 -- Following the May 4 killing of a UN peacekeeper and the Ngok Dinka paramount chief Kuol Deng Kuol, UN Peacekeeping Herve Ladsous refused to answer Inner City Press questions about the attack.

  On May 9, Inner City Press put three questions to South Sudan's ambassador to the UN Francis Deng -- the older brother of Kuol Deng Kuol -- about the attack and murder of his brother.

  Why doesn't UN Peacekeeping's UNISFA mission do a better job of protecting civilians in Abyei, particularly from the Misseriya?

  Deng said that although the mandate adopted by the Security Council should permit such protection -- he cited the Rwanda genocide -- UN Peacekeeping is not interpreting it that way. He said the UN Peacekeeping mission does not have credibility, leading to the Misseriya laying siege to a convoy with the Ngok Dinka chief inside.

  This same issue arose in Cote d'Ivoire, where UN Peacekeepers stood by as perceived Laurent Gbagbo supporters in the Nahibly camp for internally displaced people were killed and the camp burned down. A UN special rapporteur told Inner City Press the peacekeepers said they were not to engage with non state actors.

  Ladsous' DPKO denied it, then continued to repeatedly refuse Press questions -- and now this.

  Deng and South Sudan are calling for an investigation. But can the UN, particularly Ladsous' DPKO, investigate itself?

I nner City Press asked Deng of reports that Misseriya chief Bobo Nimir blaming UNISFA and consulting with South Kordofan government Ahmed Haroun, who is indicted by the International Criminal Court. 

  Deng replied that Bobo Nimir fils has previously acknowledge the existence of Dinka land, and so now may just be channeling Sudan government statements.

  Sudan, meanwhile, is increasingly angry about the Security Council's failure to condemn in a press statement the attacks on Umm Rawaba and Abu Karshola.

Inner City Press is told of a new draft resolution on UNISFA, on which the United States has the pen.

  Meanwhile, after Ladsous' refusal to answer Inner City Press' questions on Abyei, this was finally sent by Ban Ki-moon's spokesperson's office:

Subject: On Abyei.
From: UN Spokesperson - Do Not Reply [at] un.org
Date: Thu, May 9, 2013 at 1:10 PM
To: Matthew.Lee [at] innercitypress.com

In response to your questions on the recent attack in Abyei:

The UN mission in the area will begin an investigation into the attack as soon as the security situation allows.

The Department of Peacekeeping Operations is confident that its peacekeepers responded robustly to the incident.

The visit to the Diffra area was made at the rest of Ngok Dinka representatives who wanted to visit returnee locations.

   But is Ladsous' DPKO "robust" in protecting civilians from the Misseriya (or mobs in Cote d'Ivoire)? Watch this site.

UN Says 135 Rapes in Minova, Only 2 Arrests, UNSC Diplomat Tells Inner City Press It's Not Enough: #LADSOUS2013

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, May 8 -- Asked about 20 then 126 rapes in Minova in Eastern Congo, UN Peackeeping chief Herve Ladsous refused to answer for four months, one time even having the UN Television microphone seize to try to avoid Inner City Press' question about the rapes. Video here.

  Now at least a UN report has issued, raising the rape count in Minova to 135. But the threat Ladsous made, to suspend UN support to two battalions which he repeatedly refused to name, has been revoked.

  Inner City Press on May 8 asked Secretary General Ban Ki-moon's spokesman Martin Nesirky if the mere two arrests made so far, for 135 rapes, was enough to continue to support the 41st and 391st Battalions.

  Nesirky noted that 12 officers have also been suspended. Inner City Press conveyed this to a diplomat back at the Security Council, who laughed bitterly and asked, are they still getting paid while suspended? We need to see action, under the Due Diligence Policy.

But if Ladsous' fourth months of stonewalling is any guide, there will either be no substantive enforcement of the due diligence policy, or not transparency about it. We'll have more on this. Watch this site.

As Chief Killed in Abyei, UN Has Nothing To Say, Ladsous Effect?

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, May 4 -- Even as South Sudan officials in Juba confirmed the killing of chief Kuol Deng Kuol in Abyei, the UN which runs a Peacekeeping mission therewould not.

  Inner City Press heard of the murder on Saturday afternoon, New York time, and at 4:30 pm asked Secretary General Ban Ki-moon's three top spokespeople to confirm:

that chief Kwol Deng has been killed; that UNISFA has "closed" Abyei town; and any impacts on UNISFA peacekeepers.

Also, in South Sudan, is there any UN reaction to the detention of the acting editor of the Juba Monitor, Michael Koma?

And if the UN has any update on what DPA / Said Djinnit et al are doing regarding the deaths in protests in Guinea.

  But in more than three hours after, no confirmation, no response, nothing. This comes just two days after Department of Peacekeeping Operations spokesperson Kieran Dwyer, while trying to justify Herve Ladsous' refusal to answer any Inner City Press question, claimed that he answers questions.  Video here.

  Well, this is directly in the mandate of a DPKO mission -- and the mission has nothing to say. Something is wrong with DPKO, and now with the UN. Watch this site.

On Minova Rapes, ICP's Privacy Question Garners MONUSCO Response: The Roots of #LADSOUS2013

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, May 3 -- Not only did UN Peacekeeping chief Herve Ladsous for four months cover up the 126 rapes in Minova by the Congolese Army, his partners -- the UN also reportedly violated the victims' privacy.

  Click here for new video, Roots of #LADSOUS2013, with six refusals of Press questions, three of them on the Minova rapes.

  By contrast, Ladsous has repeatedly refused to name the two Army battalions which were involved in the rapes. The rapists are given privacy by the UN, but the victims reportedly are not.

  On April 30, Inner City Press asked Secretary General Ban Ki-moon's spokesperson Martin Nesirky about it:

Inner City Press: It has to do again with these rapes in Minova, but it is a different question; actually, quite different. It is reported in the French publication La Croix that in the course of investigating or looking into the rapes, that MONUSCO [United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo] staff encouraged doctors to give files of patients without their consent and then brought them a judiciary letter, tbasically doctors are quoted saying that they gave records that they shouldn’t have given, that were covered by privacy. I wanted to know, although obviously investigation is important and the battalions still haven’t been named, what’s the UN’s response to that? You have two competing goods... but are they aware of this allegation that they violated patient privacy and what do they say about it? Do they intend to do it in the future? Have they learned anything from it?

Spokesperson Nesirky: Let’s check with MONUSCO.

  But three days later, there was no answer. In fact, on May 2 Ladsous' spokesman Kieran Dwyer gave a five minute justification for Ladsous refusing to answer any of Inner City Press' questions, due to what he called "slurs." Video here.

  Yes, Inner City Press has questioned and reported on Ladsous' speeches and memos during the 1994 Rwanda genocide, when Ladsous was Deputy Permanent Representative of France, refuting those who opposed France helping the genocidaires to escape into Eastern Congo. That's not a slur - that's a fact.

  On May 3, Inner City Press asked the question again at the noon briefing, along with asking if new envoy Mary Robinson was looking into any follow-through on the Minova rapes. Inner City Press put the question to the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights as well.

On Friday afternoon, the following came in:

Subject: Your question on the DRC
From: UN Spokesperson - Do Not Reply [at] un.org
Date: Fri, May 3, 2013 at 3:39 PM
To: Matthew.Lee [at] innercitypress.com

We have the following from MONUSCO:

"In carrying out their investigations on allegations of human rights violations, including sexual and gender-based violence, UN Human Rights Officers are guided by strict guidelines and basic principles that must be followed at all times. Such principles include 'do no harm', meaning that the safety and best interest of the victim always have to be prioritized, the right of victims to privacy and confidentiality and the informed consent of the victims prior to sharing information with a third party. Psychological and physical consequences of sexual and gender-based violence are also taken into account by UN investigators in the process of preparing and conducting human rights investigations, and thus such investigations are regularly coordinated with various partners with medical and psycho-social expertise.

The UN Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, MONUSCO, is concerned about some inaccuracies contained in La Croix article, including mention to the fact that, under Congolese law, medical staff is allowed to refuse to disclose information to judicial authorities in the context of a criminal investigation. This is false."

   The two paragraphs -- privacy and compulsory provision of medical information -- are contradictory. Given Ladsous' months' long refusal to answer Press questions about the Minova rapes, it is difficult to know how to assess the Mission under his control's allegation of falsity. But we'll try. Watch this site.