UN FAO Taken Over By China and Qu While Guterres Mulls Giving UNODC To Tsang CEFC China Energy Bribes

By Matthew Russell Lee, CJR PFTracker

UNITED NATIONS GATE, June 23 -- While UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres who refused to disclose his links to UN briber CEFC China Energy and roughed up and banned the Press for asking about it, considers China's Andy Tsang to take over his Office of Drugs and Crime, the UN FAO on June 23 announced that Chinese government minister Qu Dongyu has been elected as the new director general of the United Nation’s Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), to succeed José Graziano da Silva from Brazil for a 4-year term at the corrupt FAO.

As to FAO: Guterres says he has a "zero tolerance" policy for sexual harassment, and for retaliation. But after Guterres imposed onInner City Press on ongoing ban against entering the UN, made permanent by his Alison Smale in an August 17 unappealableletter, his two spokesman on  are refusing to answer written questions from Inner City Press about Guterres ignoring victims of abuse and harassment, and about his own son Pedro Guimarães e Melo De Oliveira Guterres, doing business to Angola and Timor Leste as exclusively reported by Inner City Press. This is an exclusive, too: in a 31 October 2018meeting in Conference 6 in the UN from which Guterres has in retaliation banned Inner City Press for 119 days and counting, staff were initially told that "off color jokes" could not be sexual harassment. This from a UN official who admitted that if it were his family member who was the victim, he would go to the 17th Precinct of the New York Police Department. What hypocrisy, when this same part of the UN refuses to investigate and act on Guterres' Lieutenant Ronald E. Dobbins' July 3 (and June 22) assaults on Inner City Press with other UN DSS officers unnamed, and UN Security lobbies NYPD not to respond to Inner City Press' Freedom of Information Law requests. Another UN official said that harassed staff members are pressured not to go to the press.And in Rome, the UN's Food and Agriculture Organization mimics Guterres by attacking - there legally, not like Guterres physically with Security and lawlessly with a secret list - the media that reports on it. The Italian Insider has reported in detail on sexual harassment charges against FAO's human resources official Fernando Servan. 

On 22 May 2019, Inner City Press now banned from any entry of the UN for 322 days and counting, in writing asked Guterres and his spokesman Stephane Dujarric, "On sexual harassment, also, AGAIN, what is the SG's comment and action if any on that women attending a UN international civil servants conference complained to organisers over the presence of FAO Human Resources Director Fernando Servan who has been dubbed a 'sex predator'? UN trade union sources said they were raising with the UN Secretary General (SG) Antonio Gutteres their concerns about the Peruvian executive’s presence at the International Civil Service Commission meeting in New York given the SG's supposed policy of 'zero tolerance' of sexual harassment."

 Twelve hours later there was no answer at all. Guterres is entirely corrupt and should be impeached.

Back on November 6, still banned from the UN noon briefing for the 125th day and with no one who is allowed in asking about this, Inner City Press asked Guterres' spokesmen and Deputy and USG Smale questions including: "November 6-4: On UN system sexual harassment, what is the SG's comment and action on the involuntary kissing of an FAO staffer by Peruvian human resources official reported in The Italian Insider, and on FAO / official suing Italian Insider?" There was no answer to this, despite the promise Guterres' USG Alison Smale made not only to the Government Accountability Project then to Inner City Press, but also to the UN's own Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Information David Kaye, in her evasive answer two months after to his (some of) his questions about her ouster of Inner City Press -- no answer on appeal. Inner City Press asked the question again, sharpened, on November 7:

Hours later, rather than response by Guterres who claims he takes sexual harassment seriously, another buckpassing and bout of impunity as with Michel Sidibe at UNAIDS: "Regarding your questions on FAO, FAO has the following to say: 'The allegation was made in an article by the Italian Insider on a rumour concerning activities outside the workplace and, pending any formal complaint, it would be inappropriate to comment at this time.
FAO has a policy of zero tolerance towards any form of sexual harassment, sexual exploitation or abuse. The Organization is committed to ensuring a work environment that is free of harassment, in particular sexual harassment, as well as the highest standards of conduct for its employees with regard to sexual exploitation and abuse.'" So when UNSG Guterres is asked about FAO allowing rank sexual harassment,Guterres' spokesmen provide only the self-serving response of FAO which is suing the press that reported on the harassment, with Guterres silent or cheering, as he bans Inner City Press... Guterres after his junket in Lisbon is meeting with the UN Chief Executives Board, who have put up with his censorship and debasement of the UN, including the Director of FAO. We'll have more on this.
This Guterres cover up extends to what the UN views as separate, sexual exploitation and abuse. Inner City Press asked, without answer by close of business: "November 6-5: On UN sexual exploitation and abuse, yesterday you said “Vannina in my office has more information.” But all I was sent was the script / note that was read out, nothing additional. So what was the additional information you said on camera was in your office? Please immediately provide it - including figures for civilian personnel, partners, and personnel of UNSC authorized operation (not, it seems, on the Conduct and Discipline website)."  In the October 31 meeting - we have the names but out of respect for now for some current UN staff don't use them - an intern complained about the prevalence of sexual harassment for delegates or diplomats. It was claimed that Guterres is working on this - while he most recently had a female foreign minister change from a meeting in his office on the 38th floor to his residence on Sutton Place and even then summoned her upstairs, not from the flags and meeting room on the mansion's first floor but up into his personal quarters. A fish rots from the head. This meeting and the claims made about Guterres' responses were a matter of derision and disgust among many staff members - we'll have more on this.

This also was an Inner City Press exclusive: at the International Civil Service Commission, sexual harassment at which Inner City Press asked Guterres spokesmen about in person until roughed up and banned, the chairman Kingston Rhodes facing complaints is rounding up signatures of support, much like Louis Loures and now Michel Sidibe at UNAIDS. This is Guterres' UN: no standards, every man for himself and smash and ban the Press that asks. Here is a photo of the "petition" Kingston Rhoades has launched. We are also informed from UN / OIOS sources, not the filer, that a filing has been made with the Office of Internal Oversight Services, which has yet act on Inner City Press' filings on Cameroon, Guterres, Dujarric, Smale and others. This is Guterres' UN. And so, since corrupt Guterres, Smale and Dujarric continue to ban Inner City Press from their dying briefing since July 3, but we are here asking these questions: How many signatures one would need to clear a perpetrator?
How many signatures are needed to protect victims not only from sexual harassment, but from continuous retaliation and intimidation?
What are the duties of the UN staff during an investigation, are they allowed to harass further the victims and whistle blowers?
Is this how SG Guterres is protecting from victims from retaliation as he promised?
Is this what 'gender equality and empowerment of women" when women are used by those in power to attack the victims further?"   We'll have more on this.

In South Sudan, Second Email Leaked to Inner City Press Shows Problems in Wau, Malakal Cover Up

By Matthew Russell Lee, Exclusive series

UNITED NATIONS, February 19 -- In the UN's continued withholding of news and answers about South Sudan, the reports of the UN's own knowledge of abuses are now being withheld from its own impacted national staff.  So Inner City Press has published below from inside UNMISS.

  Beyond the UN's shameful failure to search for weapons and then to protect in its Malakal "Protection of Civilians" camp, and attempt to cover up the SPLA's shooting and looting in the camp, now the problems have spread to or re-appeared in Wau.

 Here is another internal email exclusively leaked to and published by Inner City Press, with names redacted for obvious reasons:

"From FAO Wau
From Wau: Subject: Serious Security Situation in Wau
Dear XXX

I hereby wish inform you about a serious security situation we are currently experiencing in Wau since yesterday evening.

Indeed security has been recently shaky in Wau and vicinity, but yesterday it worsened to the extent that many of our staff members had to seek for a refuge at night at the UNMISS compound.

Since this morning, all the vehicles are grounded at the office, as no driver could move and there is no authorization for any vehicle to move out of the UNMISS compound.

We are in contact with the FSCO, although no information has been circulated so far. With regards, XXXX”"

 In Malakal, while the UN publicly blamed violence on ethnic youth, internally it knew the SPLA was shooting and attacking IDPs, burning and looting in the UN Malakal camp.

Inner City Press exlusively published a leaked email proving this, then at the February 18 UN noon briefing asked UNspokesman Stephane Dujarric about this, UN transcript here:

Inner City Press:  I wanted to ask you, on Malakal, I’d saw that press release by UNMISS.  But I’ve also seen an e-mail inside the UN saying that the SPLA (Sudan People’s Liberation Army) entered the camp, shot and attacked IDP’s (internally displaced persons), that… that groups have been separated by ethnicity or tribe inside the camp and that there was looting of tents by the SPLA.  So I’m wondering… I’m asking you, why wouldn’t the UN report… would characterize as ethnic violence something that actually involves the Government of the country entering a supposed protection of civilian camp?

Spokesman:  I don’t have… you, obviously, have more operational details and are on more e-mail lists than I am, which is useful for you, not useful for me.  It is clear, from what I’ve just read out, that the Mission reminds all the parties and the Government to respect the sanctity of the camp.  And I think that speaks for itself.

  On February 17, Inner City Press' sources told it of violence in the UN's Malakal "Protection of Civilians" site, and after inquiry @InnerCityPress tweeted, "On #SouthSudan, ICP asked UN of SPLA besieging PoC site in #Malakal, no comment. Now it's worse: silence, @VOAnews bogus Qs."

  (The last was a reference to US-government Voice of America's questions to the UN; the same VOA "saw" Liberians in Burundi.)

  But it's gotten worse, both on the ground in Malakal and within the UN.  UNMISS belatedly put out a press release on five dead (and counting) in the PoC site, but did not mention the SLPA, instead

"The United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) strongly condemns the violence  that erupted last night  between Shilluk and Dinka youths in its Protection of Civilians site in Malakal... Violence involving the use of small arms, machetes and other weapons broke out between youths from both communities in the late evening on 17 February. According to preliminary reports, there have been 5 fatalities among the Internally Displaced Persons’ (IDP) community and approximately 30 injured."

  But internally, as exclusively provided to Inner City Press by whistleblowers (and pilfered by some other media without credit), the UN said to the UN Security Management Team (SMT) in Juba:

"Dear SMT Members,

SPLA troops numbering 50- 100 have entered the UNMISS POC Sector 1 and 2 in Malakal reportedly attacking IDPs, shooting sporadically, burning tents and looting properties. IDPs continue to flee into the former POC area and have now occupied and filled up former POCs 1, 2, 3, 4.  Casualty figures are yet to be updated.

 Sporadic shooting is continuing. Crisis Management Team is in session."

 So the UN knows the SPLA is shooting and attacking IDPs, burning and looting - but blames it on ethnic youth.

On February 11, Inner City Press asked UN Spokesman Dujarric, UN transcript here:

Inner City Press: On South Sudan,  yesterday I'd asked you about Maridi, and today I want to ask you about Mundri.  Seems like, basically, there are offences in at least these two places, maybe more, by the SPLA against the SPLA-IO.  And I'm just wondering, were you able to get any… did you hear anything back?

Spokesman:  Again, you should also take a look at the website from the Joint Verification Mechanism.  They are responsible for monitoring the implementation of the ceasefire.  So, their updates, I understand, are going up daily.  As soon as we get updates from the field, we share them with you.

 But this website is rarely updated. What IS the UN's job?

 On February 10, Inner City Press asked UN Spokesman Dujarric about Maridi, still no answer. Nor, from a week ago, about chemical weapons:

  UN Peacekeeping under Herve Ladsous hits new lows daily. On February 3 at a briefing in Juba largely triggered by leaks, UNMISS was asked about the use of chemical weapons in Mundri.

From the transcript:

"Answer: Please refer to the JMEC Monitoring and Verification Teams – I cannot comment."

 But Inner City Press is told by South Sudan sources that "fighting started early am the other morning around Katigiri and proceeded WNW towards Mundri.  Chemical agents were clearly within SPLA ammunition (mortar rounds, recoil-less rifles), the medics know the issue will be squashed."

  So Inner City Press in New York asked UN Deputy Spokesperson Farhan Haq about the deference in Juba to JMEC. From the UN transcript:

Inner City Press: in South Sudan, there are now people saying that chemical weapons were used in a place called Mundri.  And I wanted to know, I know that UNMISS (United Nations Mission in South Sudan) has started holding briefings there.  There's a question by a, quote, unidentified journalist about the chemical weapons, and the answer was, “Simply refer to the JMAC (Joint Mission Analysis Centre) monitoring and verification teams.”  And I wanted to know, how is it that the UN has a near-billion-dollar peacekeeping mission there but can't speak about an issue as important as chemical weapons?  And what is the state of the UN's knowledge on the reported use of chemical weapons by the Government side in Mundri?

Deputy Spokesman Haq:  Well, I mean, the basic point is that, at this stage, we don't have a confirmation of the use of chemical weapons.  If we do, we would report that.  It's a matter of serious concern.  We have a peacekeeping mission on the ground.  If it can confirm these reports, it will.

Inner City Press:  So the answer there given only to refer to JMAC actually meant the UN is trying to confirm it, and if it can, it will.

Deputy Spokesman:  If we have any solid information to confirm this, of course, we would follow up on that. 

   So what the UN said in Juba is belatedly cleaned up by UNHQ. But they also refuse to answer basic questions in NY, here.

  Previously, after Inner City Press published, the UN did a partial read-out at its noon briefing. But it left questions unanswered. Inner City Press asked UN Deputy Spokesperson Farhan Haq, UN transcript here:

Inner City Press:  the Yambio readout.  I have one just sort of factual question.  In that… can you confirm that the NGO compound that people have fled to is the A-D-R-A, or ADRA, compound?  And is it that the UN base in Yambio isn't large enough or set up to be the type of protection for civilians’ facility that's done elsewhere in the country?

Deputy Spokesman:  I wouldn't speculate on why civilians choose to go to one place or another.  The… remember, they are the ones who are estimated to have sought protection at the NGO compound.  I don't have the identification of that particular compound there.

  Here's the UN narrative Inner City Press published:

"at around 1040 am heavy fighting broke out in Yambio Town, details are unclear at this moment; according to earlier reports the SPLA Commandos at around 0530 am launched an operation against the Arrow Boys arm under the SSLM located in the Birisi area of Yambio township, the group in turn entered Yambio town and launched attack against the SPLA causing citizens to flee in panic.  Once the heavy shooting started a number of civilians around (40) forced their way into the UNMISS camp as vehicles were being processed at the main gate. They have since moved to the ADRA compound.

The Rwanbatt have now taken control of the main entrance and the citizens whom entered the compound have now moved to the adjoining ADRA compound. Alert status “WHITE” has been declared for Yambio town until further notice.

Point of note; the Arrow Boys under the SSLM are currently in peace negotiations with the government."

 Then, this UNMISS update:

"After shooting occurred in the early hours of the morning around 0530 hours; at 0830 hours the SPLA Commandos lunched operations against the Arrow Boys located in the areas of Birisi, Gangura, Yambio stadium, and the general areas of the Power Station and surrounding communities north east of UNMISS compound. A number of locals have taken refuge in the ADRA compound."

 For all the UN bragging it's ADRA doing the sheltering. From further inside UNMISS, from Inner City Press' sources:

"The Commandos attacked the arrow boys with whom they signed the peace agreement early this morning, and they engaged in battle at Uze river, the commandos have proceeded to Birisi, now the arrow boys have broken the bridge keeping the commando stranded in Birisi.  There was some random shooting in town and heading towards Uze again. One prominent civil servant has been shot dead and his driver.  All the youth and communities in Yambio have raised arms in any form to fight.

"The clashes began around 5 o’clock Thursday morning, according to a source. Gunfire has continued on and off until now, sources said. Casualties were reported though there are no concrete figures yet.

"Yambio market is reportedly empty with civilians seeking shelter in their homes or near the United Nations base in the town, a source said. That source said some people are afraid to reach the UN base because shooting has been heard in the area of the base.  The fighting took place mainly on the southern side of the town near the prison, according to sources. That area is near a frontline between the government-controlled Yambio town and Gangura Payam which is held by the South Sudan National Liberation Movement.

"The SSNLM is a militia led by ex-SPLA commanders from Western Equatoria. The SSNLM signed a preliminary peace agreement with the government in November, but the deal has yet to be finalized. Time for war."

So the UN knows this - but what do they say? Inner City Press obtained and on January 21 published this:

"On 19 January 2016 at about 21:22hrs in Juba, an UNMISS integrated patrol team was conducting operations when they were stopped by an SPLA vehicle containing eleven (11) armed soldiers.  The SPLA soldiers cordoned the convoy at gunpoint denying them permission to continue the patrol. After ten minutes of negotiation another three (3) SPLA vehicles arrived at the scene with about 30 armed soldiers. After 30 minutes the SPLA agreed to allow the UN patrol to return to UN House compound in convoy escorted by six (6) SPLA vehicles with about sixty (60) armed SPLA soldiers. During the negotiation SPLA soldiers reportedly advised that UNMISS should stop conducting night patrols without SPLA clearance otherwise there will be a consequences."

 So one side in South Sudan's civil war - in this case, Paul Malong's - orders the UN to stop patrolling at night, so it can do what it will. And the UN says nothing -- even when asked.

 At the January 20 noon briefing, Inner City Press asked UN Deputy Spokesperson Farhan Haq, UN transcript here:

Inner City Press: On South Sudan, I wanted to ask you to confirm that UNMISS (United Nations Mission in South Sudan) — yesterday in Juba an UNMISS patrol was stopped by several dozen SPLA (Sudan People’s Liberation Army) military people and I've seen a UN document that says that the SPLA told UNMISS to stop conducting night patrols without SPLA clearance; otherwise, there will be consequences.  Given the debate on the protection of civilians, will you confirm that this took place and what is the UN's response to the SPLA's request?

Deputy Spokesman:  No, I don't have any confirmation of that.  If we have any details from UNMISS down the line we will share that but, no, I don't.

  Inner City Press said, quite audibly, It's an UNMISS documents, but the UN did not transcribe it.

Back on January 11, Inner City Press asked Ban Ki-moon's spokesman Stephane Dujarric about the withheld situation reports, video here, transcript here.

  Even if that were true, what about civilians?

   Inner City Press published an internal UN Situation Report.

Back on December 9, the day after the UN belatedly confirmed ceasefire violations in South Sudan, only after Inner City Press published proof of the UN's knowledge and asked about it, then the UN Peacekeeping mission in the country shifted to either intentionally mis-reporting government actions in Yambio, or showing ineptitude in its response.

   Again receiving leaked UNMISS Situation Reports, Inner City Press found this paragraph:

"On 7 December 2015 around 20:00 hrs, heavy exchange of gunshots occurred in the area of Hai Kuba, Ikpiro in Yambio in Western Equatoria State. The shooting lasted approximately twenty to thirty minutes. Reportedly, the shooting started when the local authorities attempted to arrest three (3) local youths suspects."

But Inner City Press' sources said the arrests were political, of former Yambio Commissioner Angelo Bakote and 3 young men. So on December 9 Inner City Press asked, of protection, transcript here. Back on December 8 Inner City Press asked, video here, transcript here. 

For weeks amid fighting in South Sudan, Inner City Press has asked the UN why it refuses to report even what it knows. Even as Inner City Press has obtained, asked about and published emails showing the UN's knowledge of fighting, the UN spokesperson has repeated, Ask UNMISS.

   Inner City Press asked why UN Peacekeeping, led by Herve Ladsous, does not report on fighting of which it is aware, and how “no UN interest is involved” is consistent with the UN's protection of civilians mandate or claims.

   Dujarric wouldn't even attempt an answer to this policy question (which Ladsous refuses, like other Press questions, to answer). Dujarric repeated, as if it were an answer, that he has not seen the email.

  So Inner City Press published it, here:

"From: Enoch Penney Laryea @un.org

Sent: Wednesday, December 02, 2015 9:15 AM

To: SANTUR Abdulahi; Simon Agnew [WFP]; Christoffel Du Toit; Safari Djumapili [OCHA]; Ruiz, Domingo (FAOSS); Carlyne Romulus [at UNMAS] Sorin GIFEI [WFP], Shane Yates [UNCHR]; Abdikadir Tulicha; Sylvain Denairies; UNMISS-FHQ-J2;  John McCue (IOM); Gatluak Gatluak [and others at UNICEF], IMF

Subject: FW: Fighting in Busere - Western Bahr El Ghazal State

"Info received indicate that on 01 Dec 2015 at about 05:00 hours (LT) fighting erupted between SPLA and SPLA/IO at FIRKA and BUSERE (20 km South of Wau town). The fighting subsided around 10:00 hours. Military pickups and ambulances were observed transporting casualties along the airport road at high speed towards the military barracks. SPLA soldiers in the town were seen to be on high alert and on stand by mode.

"Comments: Reportedly the SPLA/IO group attacked SPLA at the affected area. When SPLA soldiers were sent to reinforce their colleagues they were also ambushed by the rebels leading to further casualties on the part of SPLA.

"Fighting is still ongoing as of 02 Dec 2015.

"No UN interest is involved at this time."

Again, why doesn't Ladsous' DPKO report this, and how is this “no UN interest is involved at this time” consistent with the UN's protection of civilians mandate or claims? We'll have more on this.

Inner City Press obtained the UN Security Situation Report for November 29, and finds in this internal report, exclusively published here:

"On 28 November 2015 at around 22:45 hrs, in Yambio town near Tourist Hotel along the main road, a UN Agency national staff member was reportedly involved in a traffic accident. UN Security responded to the scene of the incident and found another civilian vehicle turned over with the driver apparently dead inside the vehicle whilst the UN agency staff member sustained visible injuries in his head. The local police on the spot attempted to arrest the UN staff member involved in the accident, however,
after negotiation UN Security transported him to UN clinic for the medical treatment."

 Can you say, impunity?

From September 29, 2015: An internal UN document leaked to Inner City Press, which is exclusively publishing it today, shows the high degree of dysfunction in the country, and in the UN.

UN's South Sudan Report, Sept 2015, Leaked to Inner City Press byMatthew Russell Lee

  The full document we have put online here. A quote:

In March 2014, a labelling error was discovered whilst transporting containers loaded with duty equipment for the UN Ghanaian peacekeepers in Unity State which brought strained relations to even a lower point. The error was exploited to galvanise hostility towards the UN in favour of the government by falsely presenting the UN as supplying weaponry to the opposition. It took elaborate interventions, investigations
and communications to clear the false impression that this created.

[ICP note: the same type of "labeling" or "clerical" error occure this months with weapons headed to MONUSCO. This is what UN Peacekeeping has become under Herve Ladous, who linked peacekeepers' rapes to "R&R, here.]

We'll have more on this.

New Hillary Clinton Emails Have 10 On Ban Ki-moon, Of HEAL, Morocco or Guinea, Feltman and Darfur

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, July 1 -- Among the Hillary Clinton emails released by the US State Department on June 30 are 10 that mention UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon.

 Three are about the Copenhagen climate change conference and one is about NOT having UN Food and Agriculture Organization chief Jacques Diouf host a meeting.  

 Three are about the HEAL Africa facility in Goma, Eastern Congo (this overlaps with half of the six emails about Rwanda). In these, concern is expressed that a US program with Norway would undercut HEAL Africa.

On Darfur, when three Congressmembers criticized Obama's (lack of) policy, Rep Jim McGovern stayed out of it, liked food security (Hillary: when's that?) 
 Morocco gets confused with Guinea and the whole thing forwarded to Jeffrey Feltman, now with the UN.

 As noted, there are 28 that mention Sri Lanka, where over 40,000 civilians were killed in 2009.  The emails start on May 4 of that year, and mostly finish on May 21, when Hillary Clinton was to speak with then-President Mahinda Rajapaksa.

Finally in October 2009 there is talk about media and a letter to Sri Lanka's Permanent Representative to the UN,Palitha Kohona (who rented Manhattan real estate from head UN Correspondent, as exposed by Inner City Press and now the Free UN Coalition for Access).

  Some are entirely redacted, like on May 16, 2009 from Gautam Rana. But there is this, on May 4, 2009, link here:

From: Bums Strider
To: H
Sent: Mon May 04 09:36:17 2009
Subject: Some intel for you...

This is about Sri Lankan Govt and the Tigers...
I have a good source.
This was shared to me at my and Karen's Derby Party yesterday (can you believe the 50 to 1 odds winner?).

There was a meeting held with Geitner asked for and led by IMF... They told him you were intruding into his domain by ordering/telling IMF to suspend funding to Sri Lakan Govt.

UNCLASSIFIED U.S. Department of State Case No. F-2014-20439 Doc No. C05761169 Date: 06/30/2015

My take is that the people on the ground both with World Bank and IMF believe the Tigers need to be completely defeated and any collateral damage inflicted on private people by SL govt in process is ok... They also believe Tigers are better at propaganda than SL govt...

I have no idea what reality is... I know all about the conflict because there's been so much written over time but no idea of reality on ground.

My point is that IMF/World Bank is hoping to get Geitner to intervene and they recently played to his sense of who is US point person on IMF... So, that's what I know. I'll keep my ears open. 
   

On Syria, WFP & FAO Say Sanctions Ban Vaccines, Russia on Rebels' Chemical Weapons

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, July 9 -- The World Food Program released a detailed study about Syria on July 5 along with the Food and Agriculture Organization; it said “Vaccines are in short supply and sanctions prohibit imports.”

  On Tuesday Inner City Press asked WFP's Emergency Coordinator for Syria Muhannad Hadi about that line in the two UN agencies' report, given the claim that sanctions are not impacting items like vaccines.

  Hadi said “I can't talk about sanctions.” He did however say that harvests are down 40%. He described WFP workers trying repeatedly to get into conflict zones, adding that it doesn't matter to WFP who is doing the shooting that stops their entry.

Inner City Press asked about the seige of Aleppo, which even opposition supporters acknowledge is a rebel tactic to try to cut off Army supply lines. Hadi replied that WFP pre-positioned food in Aleppo. But how long will it last?

Hadi seemed genuinely knowledgeable about Syria. But if the UN can talk about sanctions and the impact in a joint report, why can't it explain what the line means, in person?

Just before Hadi's briefing about Syria, Russian Ambassador Vitaly Churkin told the press he'd given an 80 page submission about rebel use of chemical weapons in Khan al Asal.

Inner City Press asked Churkin if the submission jibed with the contemporaneous filming of Russia state television reporter Anastasia Popova, then asked Ban Ki-moon's spokesman Martin Nesirky if 80 pages was the most detailed submission yet. This, he wouldn't answer. Nor did he take questions about the Central African Republic, which he'd mentioned in his opening, or Haiti. Watch this site.

   

As Climate to UN Security Council, Just Words or Coal Mine Sanctions?

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, May 20 -- When Germany assumes the Presidency of the UN Security Council in July, it plans to devote its thematic debate to “the security implications of climate change.”

On Friday the German and Portuguese Missions to the UN held a panel discussion on the topic, during which the Foreign Minister of the Marshall Islands said that putting climate change on the Council's agenda wouldn't lead to “sending peacekeepers to close to coal mines.”

From the floor, the Permanent Representative of the Philippines said that too many issues were being sent to the Security Council: it is being “overloaded,” he said.

One proposal made was for the appointment of a Special Representative of the Secretary General on Climate and Security Response, to report to the Council every six months. But to what end, if the Council didn't then use its coercive powers on the issue, as it does on sanctions, travel bans and the authorization of force?

The Assistant Director General of FAO, Alexander Muller, said that the capital of Nigeria will grow by 400% by 2050. Belynda Petrie of OneWorld linked the xenophobic violence in South Africa to scarcity caused by climate change.

Madelena Lucas, an adviser to the Portuguese government, delated a quote that the fight for resources will shift from oil and gas to food and water. Afterward the Permanent Representative of Cape Verde said that for some small island states, history will end. One hopes not before July and the Security Council debate. Watch this site.

Footnote: a more lively UN event was found across First Avenue in the North Lawn building, where Maori from New Zealand offered greetings with spears and a conch shell. The Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues, from which some indigenous representatives have been blocked at governments' requests, soldiers on. More to follow.

In Somali Chaos, Japan and Germany Offer Separate Training, U.S. Cuts Aid

By Matthew Russell Lee
www.innercitypress.com/unon1somalia120809.html

UNITED NATIONS, December 8 -- Mirroring the chaos of the Transitional Federal Government in Somalia, donors and vultures and purported helpers are all working at cross purposes. Among the vultures we place a company called "Phoenix," which brags of having contracts with the TFG to train security forces in Jordan for deployment in Somalia. We will have more on this.

Meanwhile while the UN claims that it alone is authorized to train Somali forces, a senior UN official on Tuesday complained to Inner City Press that Japan and Germany are moving toward doing their own trainings, outside of Somalia.

This has reportedly angered the UN's envoy to Somalia Ahmedou Ould Abdullah enough that he has traveled to Tokyo. His spokesperson has repeatedly declined to answer questions from Inner City Press in the past.

Three top UN humanitarian managers for Somalia briefed the Press on Tuesday, about shortfalls in fundraising. Inner City Press asked if they have solved their dispute with the United States, which slowed aid because transfers to Al Shabaab would violate U.S. anti terrorism laws. Mark Bowden, the UN's Nairobi based humanitarian coordinator, confirmed his talks with "donors," stressing that time is of the essence.

Inner City Press asked Bowden about the UN urging the TFG president not to fire the police chief of Mogadishu, which nevertheless took place. Bowden confirmed the UN has concerned, but said they "come from the political side." Then what is Ould Abdullah doing in Japan?

In belated disclosure of how the TFG's parliamentarians were paid, Inner City Press was told that when the parliament contained 250 members, countries including the U.S., UK and Norway paid their salaries. When the parliament swelled to 500, the UN Development Program started paying, Inner City Press was told. UNDP itself has repeatedly refused to answer questions about its funding in Somalia.

Al Shabaab has ordered the UN World Food Program to stop importing food, to buy locally or not bring food in. The Food and Agriculture Organization's Graham Farmer conceded that bringing in food aid during the harvest season depresses the prices farmers get.

Does WFP buy locally in Somalia? Farmer said WFP tries to buy locally elsewhere, but does not do so in Somalia. Why not? Watch this site.

Footnote: Bowden's press conference was delayed, a spokesperson said, because he was blocked at the UN's visitors' entrance. Afterwards, Bowden told Inner City Press he showed his pass from the UN Office in Nairobi, but that this wasn't accepted at the UN in New York. Ironically, Kentucky Fried Chicken's Colonel Sanders impersonator got into the building with no problem, but the UN's humanitarian coordinator for Somalia was stopped...

And see, www.innercitypress.com/unon1somalia120809.html