In Yemen, Houthi Rebels Took Tanks in Amran, Sources Say, France Working for Total

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, July 14 -- Three days after the UN Security Council issued a press statement about the Houthi rebels' takeover of Amran, sources in Yemen and in the Council tell Inner City Press of crisis and dysfunction.

   In Amran, they say, the Houthis had agreed that soldiers and officers in the garrison would be allowed to leave and be replaced by military police. But after that, they stormed the garrison, seized tanks and also summarily executed officers, including the general in charge.

  Why wasn't this reflected in the Security Council's press statement? Sources tell Inner City Press to opposition to a stronger statement not only from the US but also from France. 

  This they attribute to French oil company Total having had a good (or abusive) deal under Saleh, and now feeling excluded under Hadi. They describe a meeting of "arrogant" Total executives with Hadi, that almost led to the Total team being totally thrown out. And now this.

    Outgoing French Ambassador Gerard Araud has in his final months been dodging press questions, from double standards through Western Sahara to French military business in northern Mali. One hopes that the coming change leads to more responsiveness -- and transparency.

  On July 11 the President of the Security Council for July, Ambassador Gasana of Rwanda, came to the Council stakeout after 6 pm.  He read an agreement to statement; Inner City Press asked if the "spoilers" referred to include Saleh. This was not answered, nor a question about the delay in the statement. But now this. 

Yemen is cited by the UN and its Security Council as one of their successes. When the government in Sana'a deported journalist Adam Baron, what did the UN do or say? 

 Back on May 9, Inner City Press asked UN deputy spokesperson Farhan Haq, video here, transcript here:

Inner City Press: Yemen has deported a journalist named Adam Baron, who was described as one of the few foreign correspondents in the country, and I wanted to know if the Secretariat or Mr. Benomar has any comment on that?

Deputy Spokesman Haq: I don’t have any comment on that at this stage, no.

   Now, Yemen has rejected entry by another journalist, Tik Root.

  Meanwhile, the Yemeni government bragged of being praised by the UN, even as it is the only country, according to Under Secretary General for Management Yukio Takasu, which has been banned from voting in the General Assembly due to a failure to pay dues.

  Yemen has until May 16 to seek an exemption. But couldn't the UN use that as some leverage for free press -- if it wanted?

State media SABA on May 7 reported:

SANA'A, May 07 (Saba) - Interior Minister Abdo al-Tarib met here on Wednesday with Under Secretary-General of the United Nations Department of Safety and Security Kevin Kennedy.

During the meeting, al-Tarib and Kennedy discussed the possible means to enhance mutual security cooperation Yemen and the UN. The Minister underlined the Interior Ministry's adherence to strengthen the cooperation relations with the UN in the security field.

For his part, Kennedy praised the great successes achieved by the security services in cracking down on terrorists, stressing the UN's willingness to strengthen cooperation with Yemen.

So what about deporting journalists? When Inner City Press on behalf of the new Free UN Coalition for Access asked the UN Secretariat for comment on the jailing by Ethiopia of journalists including the Zone 9 bloggers, no comment came. The UN has a big office in Addis. What of its success story in Yemen? Watch this site.

   

UN Silent on Press Bans in Myanmar & Yemen, Claims Answered on Ethiopia on May 2 to Inner City Press & FUNCA

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, May 9 -- Today's UN is often silent as journalists are deported or censored; now its Office of the Spokesperson claims to have made statements that were never heard.

   On May 9 Inner City Press on behalf of the Free UN Coalition for Access asked about attacks on press freedom in Yemen, Myanmar and Ethiopia. Video here.

   On the first two, the UN had no comment. On the last, the UN inserted into the transcript a claim it had said something on May 2. But the statement was neither in the UN's transcript of that day, nor was it sent to Inner City Press. From UN's May 9 transcript:

Inner City Press: And on press freedom, can I ask these questions? Ok, I wanted to ask you… and see whether there’s a comment on any of these. One is, Yemen has deported a journalist named Adam Baron, who was described as one of the few foreign correspondents in the country, and I wanted to know if the Secretariat or Mr. Benomar has any comment on that?

Deputy Spokesman Haq: I don’t have any comment on that at this stage, no.

Inner City Press: Myanmar has deported a journalist called Angus Watson for supposedly reporting on media freedom protest. Is Mr. Nambiar or the UN Secretariat have any comment on that?

Deputy Spokesman: Again, at this stage there’s no comment. We’d have to look at what the details of the case are.

Inner City Press: And Ethiopia has jailed and US based twitter has suspended the accounts of the so-called Zone9 bloggers that I asked here about a week ago. Since there’s a UN office in Addis, I’m wondering, are they aware of this arrest of journalists and now suspensions of their accounts or on what basis that would have been?

Deputy Spokesman: I believe we have some language on this, but I don’t have it with me right now. But we’ll try to share that with you, if we’ve got it.

[The Spokesperson had said the following on 2 May 2014:

Matthew, you asked earlier this week about journalists in Ethiopia. I want to draw your attention to a statement by the High Commissioner for Human Rights, issued today. In it, Navi Pillay says she is deeply concerned by this recent wave of arrests and the increasing climate of intimidation against journalists and bloggers prevailing in Ethiopia. Pillay also notes that the Ethiopian authorities continue to use the Charities and Societies Proclamation Law, the Anti-Terrorism Proclamation and the Mass Media Law to restrict the rights to freedom of expression, association and assembly. She says that the fight against terrorism cannot serve as an excuse to intimidate and silence journalists, bloggers, human rights activists and members of civil society organizations. And that working with foreign human rights organisations cannot be considered a crime. You can see her full statement online.]

But here is the UN's May 2 transcript, which does not contain any of that. Nor did Inner City Press receive that by email. This same claim to have sent an answer happened earlier this week on a supposed response about UN Peacekeeping moving Ghanaian soldiers weapons by road. So it goes at the UN.

  

As Yemen Bans Another Journalist, UN Has No Comment, FUNCA Asks

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, May 9 -- Yemen is cited by the UN and its Security Council as one of their success, which between South Sudan, Haiti and the Central African Republic are increasingly rare.

So when the government in Sana'a deported journalist Adam Baron, what did the UN do or say? 

 On May 9, Inner City Press asked UN deputy spokesperson Farhan Haq,video here, transcript here:

Inner City Press: Yemen has deported a journalist named Adam Baron, who was described as one of the few foreign correspondents in the country, and I wanted to know if the Secretariat or Mr. Benomar has any comment on that?

Deputy Spokesman Haq: I don’t have any comment on that at this stage, no.

   Now, Yemen has rejected entry by another journalist, Tik Root.

  Meanwhile, the Yemeni government bragged of being praised by the UN, even as it is the only country, according to Under Secretary General for Management Yukio Takasu, which has been banned from voting in the General Assembly due to a failure to pay dues.

  Yemen has until May 16 to seek an exemption. But couldn't the UN use that as some leverage for free press -- if it wanted?

State media SABA on May 7 reported:

SANA'A, May 07 (Saba) - Interior Minister Abdo al-Tarib met here on Wednesday with Under Secretary-General of the United Nations Department of Safety and Security Kevin Kennedy.

During the meeting, al-Tarib and Kennedy discussed the possible means to enhance mutual security cooperation Yemen and the UN. The Minister underlined the Interior Ministry's adherence to strengthen the cooperation relations with the UN in the security field.

For his part, Kennedy praised the great successes achieved by the security services in cracking down on terrorists, stressing the UN's willingness to strengthen cooperation with Yemen.

So what about deporting journalists? When Inner City Press on behalf of the new Free UN Coalition for Access asked the UN Secretariat for comment on the jailing by Ethiopia of journalists including the Zone 9 bloggers, no comment came. The UN has a big office in Addis. What of its success story in Yemen? Watch this site.

   

As Yemen Deports Journalist and Brags of Praise from UN, What Will UN Do? FUNCA Asks

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, May 8 -- Yemen is cited by the UN and its Security Council as one of their success, which between South Sudan, Haiti and the Central African Republic are increasingly rare.

So when the government in Sana'a deported journalist Adam Baron, what did the UN do or say? So far, nothing.

Instead, the Yemeni government bragged of being praised by the UN, even as it is the only country, according to Under Secretary General for Management Yukio Takasu, which has been banned from voting in the General Assembly due to a failure to pay dues.

State media SABA on May 7 reported:

SANA'A, May 07 (Saba) - Interior Minister Abdo al-Tarib met here on Wednesday with Under Secretary-General of the United Nations Department of Safety and Security Kevin Kennedy.

During the meeting, al-Tarib and Kennedy discussed the possible means to enhance mutual security cooperation Yemen and the UN. The Minister underlined the Interior Ministry's adherence to strengthen the cooperation relations with the UN in the security field.

For his part, Kennedy praised the great successes achieved by the security services in cracking down on terrorists, stressing the UN's willingness to strengthen cooperation with Yemen.

So what about deporting journalists? When Inner City Press on behalf of the new Free UN Coalition for Access asked the UN Secretariat for comment on the jailing by Ethiopia of journalists including the Zone 9 bloggers, no comment came. The UN has a big office in Addis. What of its success story in Yemen? Watch this site.