Uganda Media Closures Brought to Ban Ki-moon's Attention, Free Press Begins at Home - in UNHQ?

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, May 23, updated -- Calling in from Kigali, Rwanda to the UN noon briefing in New York, Secretary General Ban Ki-moon's spokesperson Martin Nesirky described a visit to the genocide memorial in the rain; somber.

  Inner City Press asked if Ban had met with Congolese -- not Congolian -- opposition and if he was aware of the letter directed at him from the wife of opposition deputy Eugene Diomi Ndongala.

  While still awaiting an answer to that question [see below] and another, Nesirky's office did answer another of Inner City Press' questions, asked recently at the noon briefing and again Thursday in writing: "On Uganda, I'd like to ask again if any Secretary General or Secretariat views on actions against the media -- Daily Monitor, Red Pepper, Dembe FM and KFM -- in the run up to the S-G's arrival."

Well less than an hour later, this response was provided, which we publish in full:

Subject: Your question on Uganda
From: UN Spokesperson - Do Not Reply [at] un.org
Date: Thu, May 23, 2013 at 12:40 PM
To: Matthew.Lee [at] innercitypress.com

Regarding your question on media in Uganda, the Spokesperson has the following to say:

The issue involving the closure of certain media in Uganda has been brought to the Secretary-General’s attention.

The Secretary-General is not in a position to make judgments about the specific circumstances of this case; however, it goes without saying that for the United Nations, as a matter of principle, freedom of speech and expression are fundamental and universal rights.

The Secretary-General believes that, in any democracy, it is essential for there to be freedom of expression and for the media to be able to carry out its functions freely and independently.

  We'd like to know more about this bringing to the attention of the S-G, but the answer's appreciated. 

  Inner City Press and the Free UN Coalition for Access are still waiting for denouement on the attempted ban on flyers and on media workspace in front of the renovated Security Council, and on the installation of a UN Security camera directly above the entrance to the office of Inner City Press and FUNCA, asked at the noon briefing on May 23. 

 Have these, particularly the former, been brought to Ban Ki-moon's attention? Watch this site.

Update: later on Thursday, the UN told Inner City Press: "Regarding your question at noon on whether the UN has received a letter concerning Eugene Diomi Ndongala, of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, that letter has not been received so far."  Then again, it was a lettre ouverte -- an open letter....

For Ban Ki-moon's Great Lakes Trip, Focus Not on Minova Rapes or Uganda Media Crackdown But State Dinner, Sources Tell Inner City Press

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, May 21 -- Ahead of the arrival of UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon and his Intervention Brigade in the Democratic Republic of Congo, the Congolese Army was using attack helicopters just outside of Goma.

  At the UN noon briefing on May 21, Inner City Press asked Ban's deputy spokesman Eduardo Del Buey if the Congolese Army units involved in 135 rapes in Minova, the 41st and 391st Battalions, were involved in the fighting. Del Buey said he would have to check. Video here, from Minute 6:38.

  This seems like something UN Peacekeeping should know, and quickly, after its Herve Ladsous stonewalled on the rapes for four months. Click here for video of Ladsous refusing Inner City Press questions about the rapes.

  Ban Ki-moon speaking from Mozambique, his stop before the DRC, said the new fighting only proved the need for the Intervention Brigade. To some, it seemed like circular logic.

  But well placed sources have told Inner City Press of another, equally telling conflict. As Ban and World Bank chief Jim Kim prepared for their stop after the DRC, Rwanda, the sources say Ban was angry he was not being offered a state dinner.

  While the Ban's Jim Kim was said to be "more relaxed" about it, Ban was not. One source muses, "What are Ban's priorities?"

  There is certainly a lot of pomp and circumstance with Ban's UN, with retinues of body guards and protocol officers. "Style over substance," one of the sources put it.

  Also at the May 21 noon briefing, Inner City Press asked Del Buey if there would be a state dinner -- he said he didn't know -- and if there had initially been on planned (he did not answer.) 

  Del Buey ended the briefing even as Inner City Press tried to ask another question, on only its third topic of the day.Video here, from Minute 9:38. What was the rush? And so it goes in Ban's UN.

  Also, a lack of or only belated transparency. Even with regard to this trip, when Inner City Press asked if Ban would visit Mozambique, after UNICEF tweeted it, Ban's office of the spokesperson refused to confirm. Then of the DRC leg, the MONUSCO mission even announced it at a press conference, but Ban's office refused to confirm. Control freaks too, then, or at least less than press friendly.

  Inner City Press asked if Ban's UN has any comment on crackdowns on the media in Uganda, the Daily Monitor, Red Pepper, Dembe FM and KFM,  where Ban will be going next. I would not want to pre-judge, Del Buey said. Or would that be, predict? Watch this site.