On Sudan, HRW Chides UNAMID, ICG on Aid into Blue Nile from Ethiopia, Amnesty Report Online (as is FUNCA)

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, June 21 – In Sudan, International Criminal Court indictee Ali Kushayb continues killing in Darfur and the SPLM-North rebels shell Kadugli, recently killing a UN peacekeeper there.

In New York, the International Crisis Group, Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International held a join press conference on Friday. 

  On Kushayb, Inner City Press asked HRW's Jehanne Henry about the UNAMID peacekeeping mission responding on June 5 that “fighting between Miseria and Salamat tribes took place [but] UNAMID has not observed Muhammad Ali Abdel-Rahman (also known as Ali Kushayb) in Darfur.”

  Henry replied that while UNAMID has a strong protection of civilians mandate, it is not fulfilling this mandate, there are many examples and this is just one. Video here, from Minute 27:13.

We have noted in the past a reticence by HRW to criticize the UN. Perhaps because UNAMID is a hybrid mission with the African Union, it is different? One wonders: when Ken Roth met with Ban Ki-moon, was the weakness of UNAMID brought up?

  And why has HRW said so little about DPKO's Herve Ladsous' lack of communication and action about the rapes in Minova by two units of the Congolese Army he continues to support? 

  About Ladsous' proposed use of the Chadian Army, on the UN's list of child soldier recruiters, in the MINUSMA mission in Mali – which not only Watchlist but also WorldVisior have criticized?

On the evening of June 20, Inner City Press asked top UN Humanitarian Valerie Amos about Amnesty's report on Blue Nile; she said that Sudan is offering to let aid in “cross line” but is opposed to cross border entry from South Sudan, which the SPLM-North is insisting on. 

  The question is whether the insistence on cross border aid is, as in Syria, used for political purposes by some.

  Renzo Pomi of Amnesty declined to get into cross-border aid, saying it is being discussed but not yet put on paper. He noted divisions in the UN Security Council, and said he'd more closely review what Amos answered Thursday night. We'll await that. The Amnesty report, including recommendations to international NGOs and UN agencies, is online here.

  EJ Hogendoorn of the International Crisis Group said if the aid into Blue Nile couldn't be cross-line, it should be cross border. He said this might be possible from Ethiopia, which would be less problematic for Sudan.

  One wonders how the killing of an Ethiopian peacekeeper in Kadugli, pretty clearly by the SPLM-North, will impact Ethiopia's positions on Sudan and South Sudan.

  The Ethiopia idea was something new, at least in UN world – just as when ICG's Comfort Ero told Inner City Press of Mali, “there must be a willingness to include all armed groups at table if they are willing to end armed struggle.” 

  That was not pen-holder France's thinking; Ero was also willing to publicly note that Romano Prodi with his Sahel report had been slow. Now that it's out – and underwhelming – we'll be writing on that soon. Watch this site.

Footnote: In a note on the ICG / Ero press conference on Mali, the UN Correspondents Association and some of its Executive Committee members' attempt to get the investigative Press thrown out of the UN was reviewed. On Friday, the first question went to UNCA, taken by a person who lost when running for the Executive Committee. We've said it before: given the payment of dues, this amounts to questions being for sale at the UN. So says the FREE UN Coalition for Access, now tweeting questions, often from journalists denied access or answers by the UN, from@FUNCA_info. Onward.

On ICC and Sudan, No UN Response on ICC Indictee Ali Kushayb Rampages, Chad Courted for UN's Mali Mission

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, June 5 -- Sudan and the International Criminal Court are on the UK Presidency's program of work for the UN Security Council for this morning. A UK government twitter account has announced it will be covering it. (There are obstacles, under the UK Presidency, to independent blog-style social media coverage of the Council, hence today's approach, click here for that.)

  So what is the UN doing about the ICC indictees in Sudan? The UN has offered free flights on UN helicopters to indictee Ahmed Haroun, as Inner City Press covered extensively.

  On June 4, Inner City Press asked Secretary General Ban Ki-moon's spokesperson Martin Nesirky:

Inner City Press: in Darfur it is reported that, that, that, that Ali Kushayb, who is one of the ICC [International Criminal Court] indictees, was seen in April as part of an attack on a village; and I wanted to know, since UNAMID is there, are they aware of that? Are they aware of the involvement of an ICC-indicted individual in this attack and, if so, what do they think of it? Do they think that this proves that that the ongoing involvement of these individuals in war crimes?

Spokesperson Nesirky: I’ll check with UNAMID, Matthew. I think you had one other question.

  Yes, but what about that one? In the 19 hours since, no answer from UNAMID or DPKO has been provided. In fact, the update on the Congolese Army's 135 rapes in Minova that Inner City Press asked DPKO chief Herve Ladsous for on May 29 -- he said, "You know I don't respond to you," video here -- has still not been provided.

  How about Chad, which invited indictee Omar al Bashir but is being courted to be part of the UN mission in Mali? So what about the UN and the ICC indictees? Watch this site.

On Darfur, While U.S. Lobbies for Lockheed, Sudan Says No, UK On ICC Moves

Byline: Matthew Russell Lee of Inner City Press at UN
www.innercitypress.com/unsc6postafrica070208.html

UNITED NATIONS, July 2, updated July 4 -- On Darfur, some views are easy to hear, others require more work. Wednesday in front of the Security Council chamber, the United States' envoy to Sudan Richard Williamson told the Press that the UN as well as Khartoum are to blame for there being only 600 additional peacekeepers in Darfur since the beginning of the year, rather than the 3,600 the U.S. had called for. He said that the U.S. has expressed its support for the second in command of the mission, Rwandan general Karake Karenzi, despite him being charged with war crimes by a Spanish magistrate in February.

Inner City Press asked about the July 15 expiration of the first of two possible three month extensions of the $250 million no-bid contract with Lockheed Martin's PAE subsidiary, for peacekeeping camps in Darfur. "PAE has the experience," Williamson said. "It would be prudent if they are allowed to continue performing the service. There'd be a substantial lag if you tried bring someone else new in," he continued. "I have raised it at the highest level in Sudan, Under-Secretary General [Susana] Malcorra has raised it. Hopefully by July 15 there'll be a sorting out." Video here, from Minute 5:05.

But when Inner City Press asked the UN, spokesman Nick Birnback replied that " you are correct that Ms. Malcorra has recently returned from visiting Darfur. No contract extension for PAE has been requested. The Government of Sudan was requested to allow finalization of the works under the contract which will go beyond July 15th, including all equipment being imported." From this, it appears that the issue has already been sorted out and decided -- the contract will not be extended, and another contractor will have to be named by July 15.

In El Fasher UNAMID Camp, June 2008, (c) Matthew Russell Lee

Likewise while Williamson said the U.S. has conveyed its support for indicted General Karenzi, Inner City Press has learned that the UN Secretariat has written to Rwanda asking them to propose a substitute general. Sudan's Ambassador to the UN Abdalmahmoud Abdalhaleem Mohamed asked Inner City Press, why didn't the Secretary-General consult with the African Union before writing to Rwanda, since it is a hybrid force?

Ironically, Sudan and the United States are on the same side of the issue of indicted General Karenzi continue to serve as deputy commander of the Darfur peacekeeping mission, with the Secretariat taking a different view. Abdalmahmoud Abdalhaleem Mohamed also told Inner City Press that UK Ambassador John Sawers believes that International Criminal Court prosecutor Luis Moreno Ocampo should hold off on any further indictments, at least for now, since there is a new Darfur mediator, Djibrill Yipene Bassole of Burkina Faso. This appeared at odds with Amb. Sawers public positions, including while recently in Sudan, Abdalmahmoud Abdalhaleem Mohamed noted. [Update -- the UK Mission has said that Abdalmahmoud Abdalhaleem Mohamed has "erroneously quoted" Ambassador Sawers, "they did talk about ICC, but John [Sawers] said it was a matter for the court, he didn't say that any new indictments should be delayed." Duly noted, even on the 4th of July. Sawers has appeared ambivalent before, about the ICC, click here for one example.]

On Lockheed Martin and PAE, "they are history," Sudan's Abdalmahmoud Abdalhaleem Mohamed said on July 2, "no extension will be granted." Having since spoken with DFS chief Malcorra, we will have more soon on all this.

Footnote: On July 1 at the UN, Inner City Press asked China's special envoy to Sudan Liu Guijin about his statement, a week previous in Beijing, that some Western media and NGOs misrepresent China's role in Sudan and turn rebel groups against China. Inner City Press asked if he was aware of a statement at the UN on June 17 by John Prendergast, that Chinese oil workers could be targeted. "Yes I have heard of that," Liu Guijin said. But while Western NGOs and countries focus only on the responsibility of Khartoum and of China, on July 2 Chad's president Idriss Deby said he will not speak with Sudan's president, nor with rebels who seek to topple him. Who is criticizing Chad for adopting this stance? Alongside or despite of Francee's inaction, might the UK? We'll see.

And see, www.innercitypress.com/unsc6postafrica070208.html

In Sudan and in New Film, War Crimes Questions Unanswered, Ahmad Harun's Narrow Escape Recounted

Byline: Matthew Russell Lee of Inner City Press in Africa
www.innercitypress.com/unsc2khartoum060408.html

KHARTOUM, June 4 -- As UN Security Council members in Khartoum prepare to visit Darfur tomorrow, in New York International Criminal Court prosecutor Luis Moreno-Ocampo finalizes testimony and, it's said, an additional indictment. Already indicted Ahmad Harun has reportedly been involved in Khartoum's battle in the south at Abyei. A 17-minute film just put online by the Aegis Trust shows blurry-faced survivors of attacks on three towns in Darfur naming Harun as providing money and orders to Ali Kushayb, to directed looting and killing. Omda Yahya is named as one direct victim of Kushayb. Click here to view the film.

In one clip, Ali Kushayb is said to claim to have killing orders directly from the president, called on his "thuraya" or satellite phone. Still, when Inner City Press asked UK Ambassador John Sawers, co-leader of the Council's visit to Sudan, if he intended to mention the ICC indictments in meetings with President Omar Al Bashir, or today with his advisor Nafie Al Nafie, Amb. Sawers said the meetings would be confidential. Speaking on June 3 in Juba in South Sudan, Sawers did not not mention the indictments in the list of issues he said he would be raising.

Regarding efforts to execute the arrest warrants, a story has emerged, a close call for Harun. He was to travel to Mecca in December for the Haaj. While his defenders advised him to go primarily by land, with a bit of sea to Yemen, he had decided to save time and fly. Meanwhile the ICC, it brags, had convinced some neighboring countries to divert Harun's flight, force it to land and arrest him. A country that shares the Nile is thought to have been enlisted to help. At the last minute, Harun got off the plane.


Some say Harun was tipped off, some say by Saleh Gosh, described as among other things a U.S. national security asset who's passed on information about Al Qaeda suspects.

While the Aegis Trust online film goes out of its way to redact names of so far unindicted people, the website includes a "Wanted" poster of Musa Hilal, click here for view.

The ICC has been asked, why not also indict the rebels? Wednesday the press traveling with the Security Council is being offered interviews with alleged child soldiers recruited by the Justice and Equality Movement, some from Chad. The response is that no country has presented evidence. Of course this is passing the buck.

Sudan might well have proofs to show, but no interest in buttressing the legitimacy of the ICC. Speaking of which, with the U.S. still not a member, how can the U.S. applaud these indictments?

And how can the UK, which loudly played a role in the Security Council's referral of the situation in Darfur to the International Criminal Court on March 31, 2005, now through Amb. Sawers said that faced with evidence of systemic killing of civilians in Somalia, the Council should not interfere by making any referral to the ICC, despite requests from Somali civil society? And what are Moreno-Ocampo, the Aegis Trust, et al. saying and doing about Somalia? These are questions for which answers will be sought, in Sudan, Chad and elsewhere. Watch this site.

Footnote in fairness on the Aegis Trust: this is the group which at UN headquarters, as reported exclusively by Inner City Press, when their display about Rwanda garnered complaints from Turkey about a reference to genocide against Armenians, consented to the display being taken down, and a line about "Ottamans" being inserted, along with other changes. One is seeking consistency, between regions, conflicts and continents, but finding little.

And see, www.innercitypress.com/unsc2khartoum060408.html

As UN Council Heads to Africa, Justice in Confidential Meetings, Impunity Not Mentioned

Byline: Matthew Russell Lee of Inner City Press at UN
www.innercitypress.com/unsc1pre053008.html

UNITED NATIONS, May 30 -- As the UN Security Council members set off to six countries in Africa, questions have been raised about the place on their agenda of justice, as well as of transparency. UK Ambassador John Sawers briefed the media about the three days the delegation will spend in Sudan, in Khartoum, Juba and Darfur. Inner City Press asked if the issue of the two International Criminal Court indictees, Ahmad Harun and Ali Kushayb, will be raised to President Al Bashir. Ambassador Sawers replied that "of course our conversations with all the various leaders that we meet will be confidential and we'll decide at the time what to say to the press afterwards." Video here, from Minute 26:34.

Rather than answer the question directly, he went on to cite the Council's terms of reference for the trip, which he said include underlining the importance of compliance with all previous Security Council resolutions, the rules of law and due process. He did not mention impunity.

Inner City Press asked Ambassador Michel Kafando of Burkina Faso whether, during the Cote d'Ivoire leg of the trip, the recently-raised issue of sexual abuse and exploitation by UN peacekeepers will be pursued with the UN Mission's senior leadership. Ambassador Kafando said, "These are important issues that we cannot just gloss over," and said they would be raised even to the leadership of the country, including president Laurent Gbagbo. He went on to note that the Security Council is only supporting the political process, mediated by the president of Burkina.

Less restrained was French Ambassador Jean-Maurice Ripert, who along about the four has full charge of two separate legs of the trip, Democratic Republic of the Congo and Chad, in connection with which he twice mentioned the Central African Republic. He did not say whether in Chad there will be any meetings with opposition or human rights groups.

While South African Ambassador Dumisani Kumalo was upbeat about the talks in Djibouti between Somalia's Transitional Federal Government and some of the opposition, Inner City Press' sources in Mogadishu, deemed to dangerous for a UN visit, indicate that the portion of the Alliance for the Re-liberation of Somalia that is meeting with the TFG has been losing support and credibility, that splits in the ARS are developing despite the positive spin deployed by the UN. Still available online is this expose, which raises questions that the trip should help answer.

And see, www.innercitypress.com/unsc1pre053008.html