FOIA Shows Hillary Clinton Was Told of Hutu Militia in Burundi, Of UN Spokesperson & Ladsous

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, January 30 -- Among the Hillary Clinton emails released late on January 29 by the US State Department was a single onementioning Burundi, which mentioned the FDLR (Hutu) militia being present in the country.

 Inner City Press, which has covered each of the State Department's FOIA releases and covers Burundi, tweeted a link to the email.  The adviser to Burundi's Pierre Nkurunziza replied that it was misleading -- not rare when confined to 140 characters -- and Inner City Press replied with a question.

  But it's worth noting that while the US couldn't even spell FDLR right, the current head of UN Peacekeeping Herve Ladsous wrote in 1994 as French Deputy Permanent Representative to the UN what he was trying to convince other Council members to embraces the escape of Hutu (genocidaires) into Eastern Congo, memo here.

  There they became the FDLR, which Ladsous then in his current job refused to fight. This is the same Ladsous who wrote his DPKO couldn't or wouldn't stop a genocide in Burundi, and refuses to answer Press questions about the rapes taking place under his watch.

  UN Spokesman Stephane Dujarric actively blocks Inner City Pressfrom even putting a question to Ladsous - and now Ban - and on January 29, ostensibly at the behest of the leadership of the UN Correspondents Association, ordered Inner City Press to leave the UN Press Briefing Room, Vine here, and physically reached to turn off Inner City Press' camera. Vine here. To this low has the UN sunk. Watch this site.

Like Burundi, Sri Lanka represents one of the lowest points of the last decade at the UN, from inaction in 2008 and 2009 to cover-ups since.  And while the US is now full of praise, a just released Hillary Clinton email, showing US knowledge that those who spoke to its Ambassador Rapp in 2012 were abused, raises new questions.

 The email, which Inner City Press found among the supplemental disclosure just put out by the US State Department, forwards from Cheryl Mills to the Secretary of State Clinton on February 10, 2012, a memo entitled, "Military Intelligence arrest & threatens people who spoke to Amb. Rapp."

  The memo says:

"The people are from the Selvapuram village in Mullaitivu. Ambassador Rapp visited that village yesterday. The villagers informed Amb. Rapp that during the final phase of the war (in 2009) they handed over their loved
ones to the Military. But since then they had not heard anything about their relatives whereabouts.

Now the military is forcing them to register their loved ones as dead. When the information about the meeting became public; the Sri Lankan military intelligence rounded up that area and is conducting investigations as to who gave evidence to Ambassador Rapp.

At least 5 people were taken to the military intelligence camp for more in depth investigations. They were also issued with death threats. The priest of the St. Jude's Church where the Ambassadors meeting took place was also detained at the military camp."

 And what did the US do? What has the UN done? We'll have more on this.

On January 4, 2016, Inner City Press which covered UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon's visit to Sri Lanka in May 2009, asked Ban's spokesman basic questions about Sri Lanka, which the UN has declined to answer for three days. From the transcript, video here:

Inner City Press: I wanted to ask you something on Sri Lanka, which is that, in the last couple of days, the President [Maithripala] Sirisena has said that there's no requirement of a special court for events in later stages of the conflict and also has announced some parcels of land to people in the north, but there seems to be a demand by the Tamil National Alliance that the military disoccupy land, that… private land that it continues to be in.  What's the UN's response to that?  What's the UN's, I guess, involvement, including through the peacebuilding commissioner and any other way…

Spokesman Stephane Dujarric:  I'll have to check… [cross talk] I don't have an update.  I'll check.

  Three day later, nothing. On January 7, Inner City Press asked about reports of torture in Sri Lanka in the last year, under President Sirisena.Video here, transcript here:

Inner City Press: there were two reports issued yesterday about torture in Sri Lanka, not in the past but in the last year as well while Mr. [Maithripala] Sirisena has been in the Government, a UK-based groupand a South Africa-based group, very detailed reports including, like, locations that they found.  What is… I mean… I guess…

Spokesman:  I will… I will check.

  While not answering any of those questions, on the evening of January 7 Ban Ki-moon issued a statement of pure praise of Sirisena, here. Has Ban's UN turned the corner on Sri Lanka or not?

Even as Ban and his spokespeople declined to answer basic follow up questions about Sri Lanka, about who in his Executive Office was informed of peacekeepers raping children in the Central African Republic, and about Burundi, his UN Correspondents Association now known as the UN Corruption Association, having charged $6000 for seats next to Ban, continues to promote him - without questions, literally.

  UNCA head Giampaolo Pioli, who tried to get the investigative Press thrown out of the UN for accurately reporting that Pioli had accepted rent money from Palitha Kohona, Sri Lanka's ambassador, then gave a "UN screening" on a war crimes denial film in the Dag Hammarskjold Auditorium, has issued this, only to those who pay UNCA money, leaked by a disgusted UNCA member:

"Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon would like to meet with UNCA members and all UN correspondents for the New Year's visit this Wednesday, Jan 6th, 2016 from 10:35 to 10:50 am in the UNCA room. It will be an opportunity for him to say a few words to all of our colleagues and to exchange his best wishes. There will not be a Q&A session but as in every year it is a great occasion to be together. Please attend."

 Well, no. Providing a rah-rah session with no Q&A is pathetic. And, "all correspondents" will not enter the UN Corruption Association, which charges money for access to Ban. But there are questions, including on Sri Lanka. For now, the January 6 "event" was canceled, so Ban could speak to / at the press from the UN Security Council stakeout, without taking questions.

The former President of the General Assembly John Ashe and four others have been indicted, Ashe for buying documents from Ban's UN Secretariat.

Ban's envoy to Libya Bernardino Leon was exposed by leaks as having taken instructions and then a job from the United Arab Emirates.

And Ban's head of UN Peacekeeping, Herve Ladsous, is listed in UN Dispute Tribunal documents as having tried to cover up child rapes in Central African Republic by peacekeepers from his native France.

  Inner City Press, which Ban's spokesman Stephane Dujarric did not call on despite calling two separate times on the same UN Correspondents Association scribe, asked audibly, “Do you have any update on the John Ashe indictment? Bernardino Leon? These were major developments this year.” Vine here.

  But Ban refused to answer the question. He walked out of the briefing room, shaking hands scribes. The press conference began with Dujarric setting aside the first question for the head of UNCA, who thanked Ban for attending an event on Wall Street for which UNCA charged $6,000 to sit with Ban. This is the UN Corruption Association.

  A question on or to cover up the sexual abuse scandal was arranged, with Agence France Presse congratulating Ban for this response to the sexual abuse scandal. (Senegalese Babacar Gaye was urged to resign, Ladsous who on camera linked the rapes to “R&R," video here, remains in place.)

Ban read out a wan answer on Burundi; his deputy spokeperson refused an Inner City Press question on Burundi at the previous day's noon briefing.  We'll have more on this.

Ban once promised monthly press conference but his last one was three months before, then nine months before that. On September 16 with the UN being less than successful in mediating in Yemen and Libya, Syria and South Sudan, accused of rapes in Central African Republic and killing 8,000 in Haiti with cholera (after 40,000 died in Sri Lanka with little response from the UN), Secretary General Ban Ki-moon was asked, What is your legacy?

  That question, nor none of the other 11 Ban's spokesman Stephane Dujarric selected, did not refer to the rape scandal, much less deadly cholera or the Sri Lanka report released earlier in the day in Geneva, after months of delay and supposed concern by Ban.

  Inner City Press asked, before the press conference ended and then again before Ban left the room, “Anything on Sri Lanka?” But there was nothing. Ban's spokesman Dujarric didn't even allow Inner City Press to put a question to UN Peacekeeping chief Herve Ladsous, who covered up rapes in DR Congo, Darfur and now CAR.

  Most recently, Ladsous linked rapes to a lack of “R&R,” rest and relaxation, video here.

Dujarric himself cut off Inner City Press questions on what Ladsous said, and declined to answer on Reddit in an “Ask Me Anything.” (He didn't say he's ANSWER everything, one wag pointed out.)

  But even beyond the scandals, Ban did not in his opening statement mention Somalia, or CAR, or Darfur; none of the questions selected by Dujarric was about Africa. (One wire points out Africa was part of a UN-at-70 question; noted.)

    Inner City Press also tried to ask about Burundi -- nothing - and South Sudan, on which we are preparing a story.

  It was Voice of America with the “What is your legacy” question. Ban said he'd answer next year. Inner City Press might answer sooner. Watch this site.

On DR Congo, Inner City Press Asks UN of Fighting ADF Without Gov't, FDLR Left Alone

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, December 2 -- Amid reports the UN in the DR Congo is fighting the ADF without the government's support, while refusing to similarly fight the FDLR, Innner City Press on December 2 asked UN Spokesman Stephane Dujarric, transcript here:

Inner City Press:  there are very detailed quotes from South African military officials saying that the Government said, “Don't do it,” and that the Government is trying to use non-cooperation or orders against the attack on ADF as leverage to both reduce the troop strength of MONUSCO [United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo] and to get the war… generals accused of war criminals to participate in UN war activities.  So, it seems like you should… like, is that not the case?  Do you maintain that the Government is fully cooperating with this…?

Spokesman:  I think what I'm telling you is that the UN operates its… fulfils its mandate in these particular instances in support of the Government.  As for operational or tactical details, I don't have those.

Inner City Press:  Just the one follow-up on that would be, if it's, as seems to be, at least, South Africa is stating, the UN feels comfortable taking military actions that it thinks is in support of the Government without the Government's full support.  Why hasn't it taken any of those against the FDLR [Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda], where the lack of Government cooperation is used as the excuse?

Spokesman:  I think each operation has its own… is sui generis, and I'm not going to second-guess the military decisions taken by the commanders on the ground."

 Inner City Press on October 7 exclusively reported the MONUSCO mission's use of 76 rockets and 400 rounds of ammunition near Pinga, which sources told Inner City Press resulted in civilian death, which Ladsous' DPKO then reflexively denied or covered up. Inner City Press raised this within the Security Council's P3 members as well, so far without effective response or reform.

 Now Le Monde belatedly chimes in -- with a storyagreeing that MONUSCO is failing, but also trying to say that Ladsous' DPKO is being falsely accused. If so, they have only themselves to blame: rather than respond to Inner City Press' October 7 noon briefing question with details, the UN had a carefully worded statement which remains at odds with what Inner City Press is informed as said at the internal DPKO / DFS meeting about the incident.

  And why WAS Ladsous' DPKO deploying this amount of force against a "minor" group and not the FDLR? Inner City Press has previously noted Ladsous' role in 1994, including this memo. We -- but perhaps not Le Monde -- will have more on this.

   Sources tell Inner City Press of a DPKO meeting concerning an excessive use of force by the UN Mission in the DRC (MONUSCO), through its Force Intervention Brigade, using 76 rockets or missiles and up to 400 rounds of ammunition near Pinga in Eastern Congo, ostensibly against the Mai Mai Cheka group.

   But at least one civilians was killed. There was no impartial investigation, the sources say. Rather, Ladsous' DPKO went in itself, and conveniently “discovered” a gun near the killed civilians, much like  some police departments “drop a piece” after a questionable shooting.

   Inner City Press is informed, by different sources, that this has been discussed among senior officials in Ladsous' DPKO, at the DPKO / DFS Directors' meeting on the morning of October 7.

   So why wasn't this said at the Security Council and stakeout where Kobler bragged to Inner City Press about the “zero tolerance” policy (while Ladsous has, on camera, linked rape to “R&R”)?

What is the mechanism to disclose the killing of civilians under Ladsous' DPKO? We'll have more on this - and on Ladsous including one of his meetings during UN General Assembly debate week. Ladsous' spokespeople, far from answering questions, go so far as to direct UNTV boom microphone operators to avoid Inner City Press, evenpreventing the Press from asking any questions to Mali's Foreign Minister Abdulaye Diop last week. We'll have more on all this.

Inner City Press Asks UN About South Sudan Contractors Detained, Journalists Killed, DR Congo Army and FDLR

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, October 30 -- With 12 UN contracts in South Sudan still detained, Inner City Press on October 30 asked UN Spokesman Stephane Dujarric, video here:

Inner City Press: in what you read and what was published in UN News Centre, is the allegation that the weapons were going to the opposition or going to the government to conduct further operations against the opposition?

Spokesman:  The allegations weren't made by us.  Questions were raised, I think including by you or somebody else, that there may have been going to somebody else, and there may be weapons on board.  The only weapons that were on board were those belonging to peacekeepers.  You would have to ask the opposition to see what their motivation was to grab this barge, take the fuel, but I can't…

Inner City Press: does UNMISS believe that the opposition was grabbing weapons they thought were meant for them…?

Spokesman:  There were no weapons on board.  Again, I think you have, besides the ones the peacekeepers had, which have not been returned.  Again, I can't speak to the motivation of people who have gone and committed illegal actions against the United Nations.  You have to ask them.

Inner City Press:  The more nitty-gritty question I wanted to ask is that most people there are saying that it's Johnson Olony, not Riek Machar.  You said that Mr. Ladsous had called Riek Machar.  It seems like it's another commander, Johnson Olony, who Mr. Gordon Brown has called a warlord, who may not be under the command of Riek Machar…

Spokesman:  I'm sure that contacts are being held from the ground.  From here, we spoke to Riek Machar, who portrays himself as the leader of the opposition, and therefore has responsibility.

 Inner City Press also on October 30 asked about Syrian journalists killed in Syria (video here) on behalf of the Free UN Coalition for Access, and about the Democratic Republic of the Congo (video here, from Minute 2:14)

Inner City Press: there's this case of two journalists from Syria from a group called Raqqa being silently slaughtered, Mr. Ibrahim Abdul-Qadir and Fares Hamadi, who were found killed, murdered, inside Turkey.  And so a number of press freedom groups are saying there should be an investigation.  The idea that these were guys seeking out a reporting about ISIS crimes.  Do the…?

Spokesman:  I don't need to look into that report.  I don't want to comment on something I'm not aware of...

Inner City Press: There's a long story in a publication called Kigali Today where they interview an FDLR person who they say has escaped into Rwanda and who gives a lengthy and detailed account of his time with the FDLR.  And he says repeatedly that the FARDC, the Congolese Army, works with the FDLR, that many FARDC commanders are in fact FDLR members, and the only weapons, the only ammunition FDLR has comes from the Congolese Government.  Given the mandate by the Security Council to neutralize the FDLR and given, I guess I'm wondering, what is the response of MONUSCO or the UN System to a seeming defrocking of a connection between the two?

Spokesman:  I did not read Kigali Today today.  Everyone is entitled to an opinion.

Inner City Press:  It’s more than an opinion.

Spokesman: You're entitled to an opinion.  I'm entitled to an opinion.  Obviously, as you know, MONUSCO, within parameters of its human rights due diligence policy, has been supporting the fight against the FDLR.

Inner City Press:  The purpose of my question was to say it seems in fact that the incoming president of Security Council, Mr. Rycroft, in a Twitter response today said that he hopes that MONUSCO can work with the Government to neutralize the FDLR.  The article alleges…

Spokesman:  I understand what your end goal is here.  The UN does work with the Government to the best of its ability within the parameters of its human rights due diligence policy.  And then that's it.  And then I'm going home.

  The UN's peacekeeping mission in South Sudan, under Herve Ladsous, has been slow to report on crimes against (some) civilians, much less to protect them as this month in Leer. Inner City Press on October 28 asked the UN to respond to criticism from the African Union, below. Inner City Press asked on October 26 about Leer, and on October 27 the UNcame back with this:

"Yesterday, Matthew you asked about South Sudan.  The Department for Peacekeeping Operations says that it is aware of reports of SPLA [Sudan People’s Liberation Army] attacks in Leer.  While the UN Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) does not currently have presence in Leer, it is looking at ways to improve its ability to assess the situation and enhance the protection of civilians by establishing longer and more established presence in southern Unity state."

But now that the African Union report has been released, there are more questions for the UN and Ladsous to answer.

 From Paragraph 27: "the Commission was unable to access any data in the possession of the UNMISS which has been
documenting the violations committed since the start of the violence in December 2013 — despite the resolution of the Security Council mandating it to cooperate with AUCISS."

  So, despite the UN's claims about "Rights Up Front," not only did UNMISS not comply with general requirements of reporting on harm to civilians - the AU says UNMISS didn't even comply with UN Security Council resolutions. Who will answer for this?

 On October 28, Inner City Press asked UN Spokesman Stephane Dujarric:

Inner City Press: I'm sure you've seen finally, after much delay, the AU [African Union] released its report on South Sudan.  There's a lot in it, and many people are saying many things about it, but the thing I'd wanted to ask about is the section that has do with the UN.  And it says… this is in paragraph 37.  And this is… it's sort of surprising.  It says, "The commission was unable to access any data in the possession of UNMISS [United Nations Mission in South Sudan] which had been documenting the violations committed since the start of the violence despite the resolutions of the Security Council mandating it to cooperate with AU CISS.  So what does DPKO [Department of Peacekeeping Operations] say?

Spokesman:  Well, obviously, we welcome the report and the issuance of the report, which the Secretary-General has called for, had called for.  I think the issue of transparency is an important one, as is the issue of accountability.  As for the details of the report, I think we're still reading through it.  So if I have something to add…

Inner City Press:  Right.  Eventually, there's some direct allegations about the mission…

Spokesman:  I understand.

Inner City Press:  Okay.  I have one more...

  On October 29, Dujarric returned with this, on which Inner City Press followed up:

Yesterday I was also asked about the report of the African Union on the human rights situation in South Sudan.

I can tell you that in line with relevant Security Council resolutions, the UN Mission supported the African Union Commission of Inquiry.  

The Mission fully cooperated with the Commission's investigation team at all stages of its work in South Sudan, in accordance with standard practices and policy, including the need to preserve confidentiality and to protect victims and witnesses.

This support is acknowledged in the report of the Commission, in its paragraph 3 where it states that the Commission would like to thank the former Special Representative of the Secretary General, her interim successor, and their team for the immense support provided to the Commission in the course of its work in South Sudan.

  Inner City Press followed up:

Inner City Press: thanks for the response on the African Union report.  But, obviously, I mean, they said that no data was provided to them.  So maybe there's some... I just... I guess I would like you to explain, because this same issue seemed to have come up with the rapes in the Central African Republic, that the UN seems to have some reading of confidentiality, which either makes it impossible to make information available or, in this case, you know...

[Cross talk]

Spokesman:  I think they're two different... very much two different cases.  The case in the Central African Republic, as you know, is the subject of an inquiry.

On South Sudan, you know, obviously, people can interpret it different ways.  Obviously, there is a need to respect the confidentiality of witnesses and victims.  When you are a human rights investigator and you collect those names and the witnesses, you do so in confidence.  So it's important to protect that.  I think it's clear from the AU mission's report that, overall, they were very grateful for the support and work from the peacekeeping mission.

Inner City Press:  But they said any... the Commission was unable to access any data in the possession of UNMISS.

Spokesman:  Well, I think people can have different interpretation.

Inner City Press:  Right.

Spokesman:  The AU have... has said what it has said and I have said what I have said.

An internal UN document leaked to Inner City Press, which exclusively published it here, shows the high degree of dysfunction in the country, and in the UN.

Before UK Presidency of UN Security Council in November, Amb Matthew Rycroft Fields Questions on Yemen, DR Congo, Ladsous, Tells FUNCA Will Stake-out

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, October 30 -- As the UK takes over presidency of the UN Security Council for November, its Permanent Representative Matthew Rycroft took and even answered Twitter questions for an hour on the morning of October 30, as the Council adopted a resolution about its Working Methods.

  Questions ranged from Yemen and the DR Congo to peacekeepers' sexual abuse, NGO involvement and transparency to the public of the Council's closed-door proceedings. Inner City Press asked Rycroft what he would do to make the Council more accessible to those impacted by it, for example in Burundi,  Yemen, Libya and Haiti, and if he or his Deputy Peter Wilson will hold question and answer stakeouts after closed consultations.

  The latter, Rycroft answered in the affirmative, adding that the UK mission will be using Periscope as well.

  How to supplement stakeout over coverage by UNTV is a question Inner City Press has been working and 'Scoping on; the UK take will be interesting to see.

   Asking about the MONUSCO mission in the DR Congo, and by Inner City Press about the mission's failure to try to “neutralize” the FDLR militia, Rycroft replied with worry for civilians and the hope that the government will work with MONUSCO.

  Given questions about the government's commitment to go after the FDLR as it did the M23, and given that DPKO's Herve Ladsous said the mission could go after the FDLR on its own, why hasn't it? This question hasn't been answered, nor any comment or action on Ladsous, on camera, including peacekeepers' rapes to “R&R.”

 Rycroft was urged to engage with the Saudi mission about airstrikes in Yemen - one wonders, aren't weapons being sold? - and to open up to NGOs. To this, he agreed; it was pointed out not only that the usefulness of NGO submissions is uneven, but that the UN has allowed in the NGOs of the now-indicted Ng Lap Seng, Frank Lorenzo and Sheri Yan. We'll have more on this.

Back on September 23, Inner City Press asked Rycroft similar questions not in the UN but a dozen blocks away at a Digital Diplomacy / “Soft Power” event by Facebook and Portland Communications. #Periscope video [was] here.

   Rycroft told Inner City Press that the best Security Council meetings he's been in have allowed in outside voices; he noted it is still not the custom to tweet from inside consultations, though perhaps it should be.

  Inner City Press asked the US State Department's Moira Whelan about US Ambassador to Libya Deborah Jones quitting Twitter back in March, after one of her tweets about bombing of the Tawerga was attacked. Whelan said the State Department wants to support its diplomats when they come under fire; Rycroft said if a diplomat's intentions were good and well-considered, they should be supported even if things go wrong.

   Facebook's Katie Harbath mentioned that India Prime Minister Modi would be meeting with Mark Zuckerberg; an hour later at the Indian delegation's press conference in the Waldorf Astoria's huge Empire room, there was confirmation of this and other tech meetings for Modi. (Inner City Press asked about UN Peacekeeping, whose chief Herve Ladsous recently linked UN rapes to “R&R” on video, here.)

  There was talk of the UN and social media; from Inner City Press' and the new Free UN Coalition for Access' perspective, the UN itself far too infrequently responds and engages, and much of the corporate press corps resents new media coverage of the UN, for example with the old UN Correspondents Association's Valeria Robecco saying multimedia is NOT a photographer to block coverage of the Pope's visit, click here for that. But we will continue: watch this site.
 

In DR Congo, Inner City Press Exclusive Oct 7 Report on UN Using 400 Rounds on Civilian Now Echoed by Le Monde

By Matthew Russell Lee, Follow Up on Exclusive

UNITED NATIONS, October 26 -- Even as the UN's envoy to the Democratic Republic of the Congo Martin Kobler was assuring Inner City Press of improvements in security while declining to comment on his leaked memo to UN Peacekeeping chief Herve Ladsous that Inner City Press published this week, Ladsous' Department was covering up a civilian killing in the DRC.

  That is how Inner City Press on October 7 exclusively reported the MONUSCO mission's use of 76 rockets and 400 rounds of ammunition near Pinga, which sources told Inner City Press resulted in civilian death, which Ladsous' DPKO then reflexively denied or covered up. Inner City Press raised this within the Security Council's P3 members as well, so far without effective response or reform.

 Now Le Monde belatedly chimes in -- with a storyagreeing that MONUSCO is failing, but also trying to say that Ladsous' DPKO is being falsely accused. If so, they have only themselves to blame: rather than respond to Inner City Press' October 7 noon briefing question with details, the UN had a carefully worded statement which remains at odds with what Inner City Press is informed as said at the internal DPKO / DFS meeting about the incident.

  And why WAS Ladsous' DPKO deploying this amount of force against a "minor" group and not the FDLR? Inner City Press has previously noted Ladsous' role in 1994, including this memo. We -- but perhaps not Le Monde -- will have more on this.

   Sources tell Inner City Press of a DPKO meeting concerning an excessive use of force by the UN Mission in the DRC (MONUSCO), through its Force Intervention Brigade, using 76 rockets or missiles and up to 400 rounds of ammunition near Pinga in Eastern Congo, ostensibly against the Mai Mai Cheka group.

   But at least one civilians was killed. There was no impartial investigation, the sources say. Rather, Ladsous' DPKO went in itself, and conveniently “discovered” a gun near the killed civilians, much like  some police departments “drop a piece” after a questionable shooting.

   Inner City Press is informed, by different sources, that this has been discussed among senior officials in Ladsous' DPKO, at the DPKO / DFS Directors' meeting on the morning of October 7.

   So why wasn't this said at the Security Council and stakeout where Kobler bragged to Inner City Press about the “zero tolerance” policy (while Ladsous has, on camera, linked rape to “R&R”)?

What is the mechanism to disclose the killing of civilians under Ladsous' DPKO? We'll have more on this - and on Ladsous including one of his meetings during UN General Assembly debate week. Ladsous' spokespeople, far from answering questions, go so far as to direct UNTV boom microphone operators to avoid Inner City Press, evenpreventing the Press from asking any questions to Mali's Foreign Minister Abdulaye Diop last week. We'll have more on all this.
  

In DR Congo, Ladsous Bans UN Fighting FDLR, But Now "Danger Pay" Extension Readied, Memo Here

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, October 5 -- For all the money the UN has spent (on itself) on the Democratic Republic of the Congo, what has been accomplished? The FDLR militia has not been eliminated: under UN Peacekeeping chief Herve Ladsous, a French diplomat in 1994, the UN has refused to take on the FDLR, after it "neutralized" the M23.

  Now outgoing UN envoy Martin Kobler has written to Ladsous and UN Security to request the continuation of "Danger Pay" in some areas of the DRC, not only in the Kivus. 

 One would think Ladsous would answer on this - but during the just completed UN General Assembly week, not only did he manipulate the UN stakeouts to prevent Press questions, he even banned them to (Francophone African) foreign ministers, for example Mali's Abduleye Diop, here.  But questions will continue.

On September 22 amid the arrest in the DR Congo of youth activists for democracy, Inner City Press asked if the UN had any comment:

Inner City Press: in the DRC, there's been a lot of, there's been unrest.  There were firing of the government coalition partners of Mr. Kabila that oppose a third term and there's been violence in the streets, so I was waiting to see what MONUSCO had to say.  Have they had anything to say?

Spokesman Stephane Dujarric:  I haven't gotten anything from them today.

Inner City Press:  Mr. [SRSG Martin] Kobler's been tweeting that he's on a farewell tour throughout the country.  When does he leave?  Who's the next…

Spokesman:  I think he announced, he announced his own departure a few weeks ago.  When a replacement will be announced, we will announce it.

Inner City Press:  And is he Libya-bound?

Spokesman:  Matthew, it's… We will announce the replacement for people who are leaving when we're ready to announce them. 

  Nothing was announced by the UN about the DRC; later on September 22 the US issued this:

“The United States is concerned by the September 18 convictions of four young activists and members of the group “LUCHA” (Lutte pour le changement or "struggle for change") by the Superior Court of Goma, Democratic Republic of Congo, and the impact that cases such as this could have on the stability of the country.

Authorities charged the youth with inciting public disobedience while they peacefully expressed their political views at an April 7th rally. The four activists – Tresor Akili, Sylvain Kambere, Gentil Mulume, and Vincent Kasereka – organized and participated in a protest to bring attention to the arrest and detention of fellow activists Fred Bauma and Yves Makwambala, who also were convicted for peacefully protesting against the Kabila government. They remain in custody in Kinshasa.

Such arrests, detentions, and convictions of political activists have a chilling effect on freedom of organization, assembly, and expression in the DRC. It is particularly important that the government protect these constitutionally accorded and internationally recognized rights during this period of active campaigning and public political debate as the DRC prepares for elections. As the four LUCHA activists pursue their appeal of this decision, and Mr. Bauma and Mr. Makwambala await their trial, we urge Congolese institutions to ensure a free, fair, and open legal process."

 And still the UN, with UN Peacekeeping under Herve Ladsous having its largest mission there, has nothing to say. And no progress against the FDLR, either. This is called... failure.

With the DR Congo's decision to ban a film about rape-treatment doctor Dennis Mukwege and the Panzi Hospital giving rise to protests from all over the world, the silence of the UN has been striking. So Inner City Press on September 4 asked the UN Spokesman, video here, transcript here:

Inner City Press: I may have missed it, but the Government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo has banned the screening of a film about Dr. [Denis] Mukwege at Panzi Hospital called "The Man Who Mends Women".  It's viewed as basically an outright censorship or an attempt to sweep under the carpet the sexual violence that Panzi Clinic tries to help women with.  What's the comment and sort of… I don't think MONUSCO (United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo), have they said anything?  Has the Secretary-General?

Spokesman Stephane Dujarric:  I don't think they have.  Obviously Dr. Mukwege is a good… is an amazing humanitarian, has done tremendous work and recognized internationally and by the UN and we would hope that his message is heard clearly, both nationally and internationally. 

  So the UN hadn't commented. For UN Peacekeeping, under recalcitrant Herve Ladsous, it's not surprising: Ladsous even refused to answer a Press question about the Panzi Hospital, see below. 

 But what about SRSG Martin Kobler?

 Kobler is being touted -- by unnamed diplomats using their scribes -- as Bernardino Leon's replacement as the UN's Libya SRSG. Could that be why he has not spoken out against censorship in his current post, the DRC? We hope to have more on this.

Back on January 22, UN Peacekeeping chief Herve Ladsous made a speech about freedom of the press in the Democratic Republic of the Congo Thursday to the US Security Council, and made excuses for not acting to “neutralize” the Hutu FDLR rebels as the UN did the largely Tutsi M23. 

Then Ladsous came to the Security Council stakeout, ostensibly to take questions.

  Inner City Press asked, “On the neutralization of the FDLR, what is the hold up?”

  Ladsous said "I don't respond to your questions, Mister." Video hereand embedded below.

   Then Ladsous turned and gave the question to Reuters. When that back and forth was over, Inner City Press asked if any of the countries in the UN's Force Intervention Brigade are well than willing to attack the FDLR, as senior diplomats at the UN have told Inner City Press.

   Ladsous refused to answer this question, and gestured that Ban Ki-moon's envoy to the DRC Martin Kobler, standing behind Ladsous at the stakeout, shouldn't answer it either. Reuters took or was given another question, distancing the FDLR from genocide.

   Finally Inner City Press asked both men what if anything UN Peacekeeping has done as the Kabila government has frozen the accounts of the Panzi hospital for rape victims.  Ladsous waved this off -- for months he waved off Press questions about mass rape in Minova by his partners in the Congolese Army, video here -- and walked away with this spokesman. 

 (One can only imagine the advise this “communications professional” is giving Ladsous. Perhaps he can help Ladsous address his history with Hutu groups as evidence in this memo. These are Press questions.)

   Kobler to his credit told Inner City Press he would come back and answer, and he did, albeit only some, and off camera. That will be another story. Because the story here is, how can a person in charge of UN Peacekeeping be allowed to refuse particular media's questions in this way? While, in classic UN fashion, giving a speech about freedom of the press, elsewhere? The weakness of current UN leadership comes to mind.

  But as many ask, WHY does Ladsous refuse to answer Inner City Press? While he has refused to answer that, too, it began when Inner City Press reported that Ladsous was not even France's first choice for the position - Jerome Bonnafont was.

   Tellingly, an Agence France Presse member of the Executive Committee of the so-called UN Correspondents Association complainedabout this Inner City Press story, and soon the Executive Committee of UNCA, under then and now president Giampaolo Pioli, made more complaint about that story, and another about Sri Lanka, demanding it be removed from the Internet.

   Inner City Press quit UNCA and co-founded the Free UN Coalition for Access, which demands that all UN Under Secretaries General answer questions. UNCA, for course, has said nothing about Ladsous' refusal. It is the UN's Censorship Alliance. More on this -- including video -- to follow.

   

ICP Asks UN of DR Congo's Crackdown on LUCHA, Nothing, Now US Speaks

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, September 22 -- Amid the arrest in the DR Congo of youth activists for democracy, Inner City Press on September 22 asked if the UN had any comment:

Inner City Press: in the DRC, there's been a lot of, there's been unrest.  There were firing of the government coalition partners of Mr. Kabila that oppose a third term and there's been violence in the streets, so I was waiting to see what MONUSCO had to say.  Have they had anything to say?

Spokesman Stephane Dujarric:  I haven't gotten anything from them today.

Inner City Press:  Mr. [SRSG Martin] Kobler's been tweeting that he's on a farewell tour throughout the country.  When does he leave?  Who's the next…

Spokesman:  I think he announced, he announced his own departure a few weeks ago.  When a replacement will be announced, we will announce it.

Inner City Press:  And is he Libya-bound?

Spokesman:  Matthew, it's… We will announce the replacement for people who are leaving when we're ready to announce them. 

  Nothing was announced by the UN about the DRC; later on September 22 the US issued this:

“The United States is concerned by the September 18 convictions of four young activists and members of the group “LUCHA” (Lutte pour le changement or "struggle for change") by the Superior Court of Goma, Democratic Republic of Congo, and the impact that cases such as this could have on the stability of the country.

Authorities charged the youth with inciting public disobedience while they peacefully expressed their political views at an April 7th rally. The four activists – Tresor Akili, Sylvain Kambere, Gentil Mulume, and Vincent Kasereka – organized and participated in a protest to bring attention to the arrest and detention of fellow activists Fred Bauma and Yves Makwambala, who also were convicted for peacefully protesting against the Kabila government. They remain in custody in Kinshasa.

Such arrests, detentions, and convictions of political activists have a chilling effect on freedom of organization, assembly, and expression in the DRC. It is particularly important that the government protect these constitutionally accorded and internationally recognized rights during this period of active campaigning and public political debate as the DRC prepares for elections. As the four LUCHA activists pursue their appeal of this decision, and Mr. Bauma and Mr. Makwambala await their trial, we urge Congolese institutions to ensure a free, fair, and open legal process."

 And still the UN, with UN Peacekeeping under Herve Ladsous having its largest mission there, has nothing to say. And no progress against the FDLR, either. This is called... failure.

With the DR Congo's decision to ban a film about rape-treatment doctor Dennis Mukwege and the Panzi Hospital giving rise to protests from all over the world, the silence of the UN has been striking. So Inner City Press on September 4 asked the UN Spokesman, video here, transcript here:

Inner City Press: I may have missed it, but the Government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo has banned the screening of a film about Dr. [Denis] Mukwege at Panzi Hospital called "The Man Who Mends Women".  It's viewed as basically an outright censorship or an attempt to sweep under the carpet the sexual violence that Panzi Clinic tries to help women with.  What's the comment and sort of… I don't think MONUSCO (United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo), have they said anything?  Has the Secretary-General?

Spokesman Stephane Dujarric:  I don't think they have.  Obviously Dr. Mukwege is a good… is an amazing humanitarian, has done tremendous work and recognized internationally and by the UN and we would hope that his message is heard clearly, both nationally and internationally. 

  So the UN hadn't commented. For UN Peacekeeping, under recalcitrant Herve Ladsous, it's not surprising: Ladsous even refused to answer a Press question about the Panzi Hospital, see below. 

 But what about SRSG Martin Kobler?

 Kobler is being touted -- by unnamed diplomats using their scribes -- as Bernardino Leon's replacement as the UN's Libya SRSG. Could that be why he has not spoken out against censorship in his current post, the DRC? We hope to have more on this.

Back on January 22, UN Peacekeeping chief Herve Ladsous made a speech about freedom of the press in the Democratic Republic of the Congo Thursday to the US Security Council, and made excuses for not acting to “neutralize” the Hutu FDLR rebels as the UN did the largely Tutsi M23. 

Then Ladsous came to the Security Council stakeout, ostensibly to take questions.

  Inner City Press asked, “On the neutralization of the FDLR, what is the hold up?”

  Ladsous said "I don't respond to your questions, Mister." Video hereand embedded below.

   Then Ladsous turned and gave the question to Reuters. When that back and forth was over, Inner City Press asked if any of the countries in the UN's Force Intervention Brigade are well than willing to attack the FDLR, as senior diplomats at the UN have told Inner City Press.

   Ladsous refused to answer this question, and gestured that Ban Ki-moon's envoy to the DRC Martin Kobler, standing behind Ladsous at the stakeout, shouldn't answer it either. Reuters took or was given another question, distancing the FDLR from genocide.

   Finally Inner City Press asked both men what if anything UN Peacekeeping has done as the Kabila government has frozen the accounts of the Panzi hospital for rape victims.  Ladsous waved this off -- for months he waved off Press questions about mass rape in Minova by his partners in the Congolese Army, video here -- and walked away with this spokesman. 

 (One can only imagine the advise this “communications professional” is giving Ladsous. Perhaps he can help Ladsous address his history with Hutu groups as evidence in this memo. These are Press questions.)

   Kobler to his credit told Inner City Press he would come back and answer, and he did, albeit only some, and off camera. That will be another story. Because the story here is, how can a person in charge of UN Peacekeeping be allowed to refuse particular media's questions in this way? While, in classic UN fashion, giving a speech about freedom of the press, elsewhere? The weakness of current UN leadership comes to mind.

  But as many ask, WHY does Ladsous refuse to answer Inner City Press? While he has refused to answer that, too, it began when Inner City Press reported that Ladsous was not even France's first choice for the position - Jerome Bonnafont was.

   Tellingly, an Agence France Presse member of the Executive Committee of the so-called UN Correspondents Association complainedabout this Inner City Press story, and soon the Executive Committee of UNCA, under then and now president Giampaolo Pioli, made more complaint about that story, and another about Sri Lanka, demanding it be removed from the Internet.

   Inner City Press quit UNCA and co-founded the Free UN Coalition for Access, which demands that all UN Under Secretaries General answer questions. UNCA, for course, has said nothing about Ladsous' refusal. It is the UN's Censorship Alliance. More on this -- including video -- to follow.

   

UN Has No Answers on Palestine Flag, Dodges on Drone, FDLR in DRC, SOuth Sudan, JEM Letter on Bashir

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, September 1 -- Two weeks after the UN through its Spokesperson's Office refused to release a copy of Secretary General Ban Ki-moon's speech to 150 bankers, calling it "private," the UN when it resumed its noon briefings  left unanswered 15 of the 25 questions Inner City Press posed last week.

On September 1, Inner City Press asked UN Spokesman Stephane Dujarric a series of questions, including (for the third time) the question it submitted about Palestine and its flag. Video here, transcript here:

Inner City Press: I'd asked your office last week and maybe now there's an answer about… on… I understand, obviously, it's pending in the GA, but a member of the Palestine delegation told me they've gotten a letter from the Secretariat about their readiness to install a flagpole.  I wanted you to confirm that letter.  And also whether protocol or OLA [Office of Legal Affairs] can confirm where the flag would go.

Spokesman:  No, I can't confirm the letter.  I'm not aware of the letter.  Obviously, the resolution needs to be passed, and then we will make whatever provisions need to be made if provisions need to be…

Inner City Press:  Right.  Does it go under "P" or does it go to the end of the line?

Spokesman:  As I said, I think we have to wait… we have to wait for the resolution to be passed or not passed.  And then we will make, we will make the necessary arrangements, but we're, we have to wait for instructions from the General Assembly.

Inner City Press:  Right.  I just wondered what the rule was, there's no rule…

Spokesman:  Obviously, I think we're moving into somewhat uncharted territory here.  So, we are always glad to get guidance from the General Assembly...

Inner City Press: I wanted to ask about the DRC [Democratic Republic of the Congo] and drones or drone.  The Congolese Government or army has said that six of its soldiers were killed in North Kivu by Rugari and it's pretty much in the area in which the FDLR is the strong armed group.  So, I wanted to know does MONUSCO [United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo] know anything about this, and has there been any progress on fighting the FDLR together with the…?

Spokesman:  I don't have an update from MONUSCO.  You can check with the Mission, but I don't have anything.

Inner City Press:  I'm asking because Mr. Kobler had said we're very close, or maybe it was Mr. Ladsous, but very close to working with the Government.

Spokesman:  I have not had any update, but you can check with the mission as well.

Inner City Press:  Yesterday there was… a small drone was flown above the UN traffic circle, and I saw it, so I went down.  I was told that, in fact, there had been… it was done by UNTV for something for the seventieth anniversary but that, this is why I'm asking you is that I was told, I don't know if it was formally or informally, that the FAA and the 17th Precinct, permission was sought from them.  So, because it often arises that the UN says it's exempt from things like Legionnaire’s Disease or a variety of other laws, if you don't know, can you check whether, in fact, it's true?

Spokesman:  You know, I think, first of all, I don't know if permission was sought or not sought.  What's important is, whether or not we are legally bound from, you know, to local or federal regulations here, it's very important that we are a good partner to our host city and our host Government, whether it's in cooling towers or other things.  So, it is, I would imagine, that our colleagues fully informed the relevant authority of what we were doing, and I would also imagine that the air space around the United Nations is fairly limited, and so I'm sure the drone must have flown over the City of New York or parts thereof.  So, I think there's nothing, there's nothing wrong or untowards with making sure that everybody is aware and that, if permission needs to be sought and whatever, I…

Inner City Press:  Can you just get… I guess the idea is that… were they informed or were they asked?  Because I think others can't fly drones whether they tell the precinct or not so…

Spokesman:  I think others, production companies, television crews fly drones all the time, so I think we did everything within our responsible needs....

Inner City Press: I wanted to ask again about South Sudan, one, whether you've been able to confirm this thing of the airport and UNMISS [United Nations Mission in South Sudan] staying away and also whether the UNMISS or the UN here has any comments on… on… on the… the South Sudan Government saying that the Ugandan troops may remain in the country despite the terms of the agreement…

Spokesman:  We've seen those reports.  I think it's important that all the signatories and the guarantors and all those involved in the talks in Addis and the signing of the deal live up to their, to their commitments.  On Juba airport, I understand that the authorities had… had temporarily closed it.  The authorities have run… run the airport, and I think we were duly informed.

Inner City Press:  And is that in-house that you were able to check?

Spokesman:  I don't know.  One last one.

Inner City Press:  Okay.  I want to ask about the… there's two letters.  One has to do with JEM has written an open letter, the Sudanese opposition group JAM has written an open letter to the Secretary-General about his trip to China very much focused on how he will engage or even be in proximity with Omar al-Bashir?  Have you seen the letter?  And what's your response?  They say the UN has been criticized for not doing enough to ensure the arrest of Mr. Bashir.  Do you agree or not?

Spokesman:  Well, I think it is up to Member States to live up to their commitments to the International Criminal Court.  The Secretary-General has absolutely no plans to interact with President Bashir.  There are no plans for any bilateral meetings between the Secretary-General and President Bashir.  We're obviously aware of his, of his presence in Beijing.  Okay.  We'll stop there. 

 For now.

On August 31, Inner City Press put some of the questions to returning Spokesman Stephane Dujarric, video here, UN transcript here:

Inner City Press: I wanted to ask about Myanmar, wiring and then some other unanswered questions.  On Myanmar, do you have any, does you or Mr. Nambiar have any comments on the laws now signed about, regarding inter, interfaith marriage and conversion?  There were a slew of laws that were described as these anti-Muslim laws.  And I know Mr. Nambiar briefed the Council but he didn't speak to us afterwards.

Spokesman Dujarric:  I don't have anything here.

Inner City Press:  Okay.  On the wiring, remember this issue of the lack of electrical outlets of any kind at the stakeout?  Nothing has happened in your absence.

Spokesman Dujarric:  It's, as much as I think my absence has to do, has any impact on anything that goes on in this building…

Inner City Press:  I'm checking…

Spokesman Dujarric:  It's New York.  It's… things take time.  Whether you're remodelling your house or putting new electrical plugs in off the Security Council, we are determined to get everybody the electrical power they need.

Inner City Press:  Okay.  And on this letter, I saw there was a letter, you know, the letter from, that was announced by your office from the Secretary-General to the Security Council about the mechanism for accountability, and it contained a draft letter back from Joy Ogwu for 31 August.  I wanted to know, has that been returned?  And I'd asked your office why it was…?

Spokesman Dujarric:  On the mechanism for?

Inner City Press:  The JIM mechanism for Syria chemical weapons…

Spokesman Dujarric:  No, it's in the hands of the Council.

Inner City Press:  Okay.  And I had a question about UNAMID [African Union-United Nations Hybrid Operation in Darfur] that I want to ask you, which was that this cancelled, there's been a big dispute about the AU visit to Darfur and whether… who cancelled flights.  Your office said that flights were cancelled.  Then UNAMID there said no flights were cancelled.  It's kind of important.  Which was it?

Spokesman:  I don't know.  I'll check.  Thank you.  See you tomorrow, maybe.

 Definitely maybe.

 On August 28 at 12:30 pm, Inner City Press submitted five questions, none of which were answered by 6:30 pm:

Aug 28 (1) On UNAMID, it is reported that "Ashraf Issa, spokesman of the UN peacekeeping mission, said in a press release last Monday that they never received any notification of flight restrictions in Darfur." Given previous answer, please clarify and state why this UNAMID "press release" was not sent out by unamid publicinformation like, for example, this one: "Cancellation of Press Briefing by African Union Peace and Security Council delegation in Khartoum "

Aug 28 (2) On the SG's letter he announced yesterday to the UNSC about the JIM mechanism on Syria chemical weapons, please explain why the draft response / approval letter is as submitted set to be signed by Joy Ogwu, who gives over presidency of the UNSC on August 31, less then five days from the SG's letter.

Aug 28 (3) Yesterday, Inner City Press was told in but not by the UN that if the draft resolution on raising the State of Palestine's flag at the UN passes, (1) it would go at the end of Member States, that is, nearest 42nd street and (2) that "the UN" has written a letter concerning its readiness to install the needed flagpole.

 I understand you will not comment on what may happen in the GA but I am requesting UN Secretariat (Protocol, OLA and/or DM/FMS) confirmation of where a non-member State's flag WOULD go, and on readiness to install the flagpole including that a letter to that effect has been written and sent.

Aug 28 (4) Please provide a summary of DPA's / USG Feltman's August 27 briefing to the UNSC about Burkina Faso, and specifically state whether it included the arson destruction of Radio Manegmoogo

Aug 28 (5) Please provide a summary of USG Nambiar's August 28 briefing to the UNSC about Myanmar, particularly but not only as regards the Rohingya / Rakhine State.

 Nor was any summary given was DPA's briefing on Burundi (although a belated answer to Inner City Press'questions earlier in the week was provided, and reported on this site, along with another answer about Somalia; see Mali, below.)

 On August 27, Inner City Press submitted five questions, two of them about South Sudan, one which Inner City Press had previewed the day before:

"August 27 (1) Please provide the comment and response of UNMISS, DPA and/or the Secretary General given his South Sudan statement yesterday to Salva Kiir's 12-page reservations, which we have published here:https://www.scribd.com/doc/276484376/On-South-Sudan-Salva-Kiir-s-12-Pages-of-Reservations-to-CPA

"August 27 (2) Relatedly on South Sudan, please (have UNMISS / DPKO) confirm or deny their knowledge of new fighting at Tayar port in Panyijiar county (Unity state)

"August 27 (3) Please state who from OIOS will be attending this in Manila:

'about 50 United Nations (UN) agencies, multilateral financial institutions, and inter-governmental organizations in a forum to discuss topics of common interests to the internal auditing profession. The RIAS 2015 will be held at the Asian Development Bank in Manila on 8 to 11 September 2015.'

and if any beyond IAD Director Eleanor Burns, please state the rationale including for the UN / public expenditure

"August 27 (4) UNIFEED in the past week circulated a video of DPKO USG Ladsous speaking about sexual abuse by peacekeepers, saying “leadership” must be held accountable, but taking no questions. The video appeared on the UN website, but has since been removed. Please state when the video was made, for what audience, and why it was removed from the UN Webcast website.

"August 27 (5) In Mali, please state MINUSMA's understanding of the situation in Anefis and what the UN intends to do."

This last August 27 question was answered, on August 28:

"On Mali, we are concerned by the impact of the recent cease-fire violations in Anefis on the peace process. Our efforts are currently geared towards a political resolution of this situation through dialogue. A "disengagement plan" is being discussed, which would see the parties return to their previous positions. We encourage all parties to accept this plan and focus their efforts on implementing the peace agreement. Meanwhile, MINUSMA is maintaining a robust posture to protect civilians and deter an escalation of the violence. The Mission maintains a 20 Km security perimeter around Kidal to protect civilians who could be threatened by new clashes."

  At  5 pm on August 27, responses to August 25 questions about Bring Back Our Girls and legionella were received, and a reiteration of the UN's read-outs of Ban in Paris with no mention of French troops' rapes in the Central African Republic.

 On August 26, Inner City Press submitted five questions, including of the type that would have had to be responded to at an in-person briefing: the UN being dissed by Yoweri Museveni, to whom Ban is deferring on Burundi, Ban's trip to Nigeria and Paris - did he raised rapes and Ladsous? - and UN Peacekeeping issues in DR Congo and Iraq. But 28 hours later, only a portion of one was answered:

  Here were the five questions Inner City Press submitted on August 26:

Aug 26 (1) At the signing in Juba, Uganda's President Museveni said that to invite the UN to your country is a vote of non-confidence in yourselves.The UN specializes in conserving terrorism. What is the UN system's response?

Aug 26 (2) Relatedly, what is the status of the SG naming an envoy to Burundi? Is the SG still deferring to President Museveni, now in light of the comments above made in Juba?

Aug 26 (3) On SG's trip: while in France, did the SG or his team raise to ANY French official the issue of the alleged sexual abuse of children in the Central African Republic by France's Sangaris peacekeepers? If so, to whom and what was said? While in Abuja, please confirm or deny that the SG received the petition from concerned citizens of Plateau State and attacks on villages there, and if confirm, state the SG's response. Same question again on letter from organizations of unpaid UN interns.

Aug 26 (4) On DRC, please state what steps the UN is taking to ensure that its cut off of aid to surrendered FDLR fighters will not result in attacks on civilians; please confirm that Taz Greyling, the chief of MONUSCO's demobilization, disarmament and reinsertion, said "We hope that FDLR will let them leave and have a chance at a normal life," and state the basis of that hope.

Aug 26 (5) Please state what UN DPKO is doing on Fiji's request that it expedite visa for Iraq for Fijian peacekeepers there.

 There was a sixth, about a(nother) UN junket, but it must wait to be asked until at least some answers arrive.

   On August 25, Inner City Press submitted five questions, one of which for the third time -- this one got a response, the only one of five August 25 noon briefings answerd on August 25:

 Here are other questions Inner City Press posed in writing to the UN Spokesperson's Office on August 25, not answered on August 25:

"Aug 25 (1) In South Sudan, what is the UN's response to MSF citing disease caused by lack of shelter and sanitation in the camps positioned within the United Nations base in Malakal? What is UNMISS and its UN partners doing? Also, please state UNMISS' and DPKO's awareness of an impending assault on Panyijjar county, Unity State...

"Aug 25 (3) Also on the Secretary General's trip, and the UN read-out for the SG's meeting with President Francois Hollande, please explain what the SG meant by his "commitment in addressing issues of misconduct, including sexual exploitation and abuse, by UN peacekeepers,” including as regards the USG for Peacekeeping Mr Herve Ladsous, and explain why sexual abuse by French “peacekeepers” in the Sangaris force was not mentioned or included in the UN read-out.

Here is a question answered on August 24:

Q Aug 24 (1) In Sudan, it is reported that North Darfur authorities banned UNAMID flights. Please confirm or deny this, when it happened and the UN's understanding of why, and the UN's response.

Answer: "On 22 August, the Government of Sudan denied authorization for UNAMID flights to and from El Fasher, North Darfur, with the exception of one flight from Khartoum. Media reports thereafter alleged that this decision followed accusations by North Darfur authorities that UNAMID did not adequately coordinate the visit of the African Union Peace and Security Council (AUPSC) with them, on 21 and 22 August. 

"UNAMID rejects these allegations and confirms that the Government of Sudan, including the authorities in North Darfur, was fully involved in preparing, coordinating and participating in the AUPSC visit to Darfur."

  While appreciated, what was the impact of banning flights to and from North Darfur? The UN answered Inner City Press' follow up question on the status of the Ban by saying its "understanding is that the flights are running now."

  Since then, UNAMID has told local media that there was no hinderance of flights. Is this covering up, like UN Peacekeeping under Herve Ladsous did on rapes in Tabit in Darfur, and in Minova in DR Congo before that?

 Here are the four other August 24 questions, two responded to on August 25, the other two still unanswered:

Aug 24 (2) In Somalia, now that AMISOM (which is supported by UNSOA) has admitted killing civilians at Merka (or Marka) in late July, what is the UN's response and how will the UN human rights due diligence policy be implemented?

[Inner City Press on August 25 asked UK Ambassador Matthew Rycroft about this; we hope to have more.]

Aug 24 (3) While in France, does the Secretary General or his team intend to inquire into the belated French investigation into the child sexual abuse alleged against French Sangaris forces in the Central African Republic?

Aug 24 (4) In DRC, it is reported that in Kinshasa earlier this month the authorities rounded up copies of the C-News newspaper (censorship) and that in July the director of Full Contact Radio station broadcasting in Kananga was taken into custody after a broadcast alleging governmental dysfunctions... In Uvira, in South Kivu province, in August 2015, there was the arrest of Brinal Nundun, a journalist from Channel 7 TV, who was reporting on Burundian refugees in Uvira at the headquarters of the NGO "Action Ku  Sidon." His equipment was seized. What is the UN, DPKO or MONUSCO response to this?

 On August 25 at 5 pm, this UN response was received: "On your question on the DRC: MONUSCO continues to monitor closely the human rights situation in the DRC, including the situation with regard to  journalists. Using its good offices to facilitate an environment conducive to a peaceful electoral process, the Mission continues to encourage the Government to uphold fundamental freedoms, including freedom of speech and freedom of the press. For example, the advocacy efforts of the Mission contributed recently to the release of a journalist who was in police custody in Uvira territory, South Kivu."

Aug 24 (5) It is said that Burundi police or security forces are to be deployed to MINUSMA in Mali. Please confirm or deny, and if confirm, state what screening would be in place given recent events in Burundi. Also, what is the UN's response to Amnesty International's report of Burundi security forces using torture?

  On August 25 at 5 pm the response below was received, and Inner City Press separately reported it as well:

"On your question on Burundi: There are currently no Military troops from Burundi in the UN mission in Mali (MINUSMA). As of 31 July, there were 14 Police officers from Burundi serving as individual police officers in MINUSMA police component. No deployment of Burundi police officers to MINUSMA is planned for the foreseeable future. Following reports alleging human rights abuses on the part of some elements of the Burundian police, a decision has been taken to suspend the deployment of Burundian police officers to peacekeeping missions."

   A follow up has been asked.

Update: on August 26, Inner City Press told Inner City Press, "On the 14 Burundian police officers, they will be rotated out of MINUSMA in the coming months according to the end of their respective terms (this rotation will be completed by March 2016)."
 
  With the UN embroiled in rape scandals, exposed as playing host to spying for the US National Security Agency while its Secretary General Ban Ki-moon gave a speech to 150 bankers later deemed “private,” is this dysfunction a product of the press not wanting answers or the UN not wanting to give them?

  On August 17, Inner City Press asked the UN's spokesperson for the day, Vannina Maestracci, about UN rapes in the Central African Republic and the Democratic Republic of the Congo before it, about the spying for the NSA and about Ban's speech on August 14 to 150 people at the Buffalo headquarters of M&T Bank, subject to government charges on unfair lending and on money laundering. Video here.

   UN Associate Spokesperson Maestracci began by saying that the UN's contracts with AT&T, which turned over all information to the US, would not be made public. From the UN transcript:
Inner City Press: Would it be fair to assume that UN contractors paid by the UN are assumed not to be spying on people inside the UN?

Associate Spokesperson Maestracci:  I don't know what the procurement contract entails, and I don't like assuming as a general rule.  Oleg.

Inner City Press:  Can we get a copy of the contract?

Associate Spokesperson Maestracci:  I doubt it.  Oleg.

 Inner City Press has since researched this and found a UN written policy militating for release of the contracts. Former UN Office of Internal Oversight Services chiefInga Britt Ahlenius, when she left, wrote to Ban that “I see no visible effort to deliver on your stated commitment to increased transparency.”

   Next on the UN rapes in CAR, on which Maestracci had read out a statement that UNICEF was providing the victim legal advice, Inner City Press asked

Inner City Press: You read out on UNICEF that they purport to be providing legal advice to the victim.  And I guess I just wonder, given that the… that the legal problem is caused by the UN system's own invocation of immunity, what advice are they giving, to sue those responsible or… it just seems like… isn't it kind of a conflict for the UN system to be the one providing, purporting to provide legal advice to a person victimized by the UN system who can't get justice because of UN immunity.  So, what's the advice, I guess I'm saying…?

Associate Spokesperson:  I'm not sure what the advice is because I'm here, not with UNICEF in the [Central African Republic], but I think they are showing all the possible avenues that she has and what she can do.  I mean, I think it's fairly… people might not know what these avenues are.  And it's important…

Inner City Press:  Can she sue UN?

Associate Spokesperson:  Can I speak?  And it's important for people to raise awareness and to make sure that they do know where to go.

Inner City Press: Where should she go?  I mean, I'm just saying it seems… it's a contradiction because if she tries to sue…
Associate Spokesperson:  And where…

Inner City Press:  …she's told that it's immune, that the UN is immune.

Associate Spokesperson:  That's not true.  There's an investigation going on.  And that, you know, it is going on.  Why don't we let it go on and see what it comes up with?

Inner City Press:  That's the second question I wanted to ask.
Associate Spokesperson:  You are so not interested in the answers.

Inner City Press: Yeah, I am interested. I wasn't getting an answer.  That's the problem.

Associate Spokesperson:  Erol, please.

 Vine here.

   So, for the second time Maestracci cut off the question, this time with the statement, “You are so not interested in the answers.” But even when Inner City Press emailed questions after the briefing to Maestracci and Ban's lead spokesman, no answers were received. This is today's UN.

  Further on the UN rapes, now in the DRC Congo, Inner City Press asked:

Inner City Press: Just for the record, the answer I was asking for is what legal advice UNICEF gave.  But, I hear… since you said to wait, I wanted to ask you this.  In 2012… I don't know if it was in this room or a previous UN briefing room… there was discussion of the rape of two girls in the DRC [Democratic Republic of the Congo] by three… they believe they're from Uruguay but three peacekeepers in the DRC.  This was alleged by Dr. Victoria Fontan of the UN University of Peace in Costa Rica.  It was said there would be an investigation, but nothing has ever been said of either the peacekeepers being held responsible or the SRSG [Special Representative of the Secretary-General] of the Mission at the time or DPKO [Department of Peacekeeping Operations].  So, I wanted to know… I'm asking you, I don't expect you necessarily to know from the podium, but this is an answer I'm extremely interested in — what happened?

Associate Spokesperson:  I don't know about the specific case obviously from 2012.  But, I think you've heard what the Secretary-General has been saying all of last week and what he's, what he's been pushing when it comes to both misconduct and… including… sorry, misconduct including sexual exploitation and abuse.  I mean, he's been very strong.  He has shown his resolve to push this forward and to make sure that there is, you know, institutional accountability, responsibility, but also that Member States provide us with the information that we ask because, as you know, there is a limit, some things are up to Member States.  But, obviously, he's very determined to make progress in this, in this area for the victims of misconduct.

Inner City Press:  But, what happened in this case?

Associate Spokesperson:  I don't know.  I just said that.
Inner City Press: I'm asking, can you ask DPKO?  The two victims’ names were Gisele and Esperanz…

Associate Spokesperson:  Sure.  Why don't you send me an e-mail rather than saying everything here.  Oleg.

   Another cut off. And to the detailed email sent after the briefing, no answer at all. This is today's or Ban's UN. Here was the final exchange of the day, about Ban Ki-moon's speech to bankers:

Inner City Press: there was an article in The Buffalo News saying that the Secretary-General had gone to Buffalo and given a speech in front of 150 people in the M&T Bank headquarters for a couple of reasons.  One… I'm interested because M&T Bank has a bank merger that's been stalled out for three years due to allegations of money-laundering and lending discrimination, but mostly I wanted to know, did he give such a speech?  Can we get the text of the speech?  Why wasn't it given in advance?  And did he raise these issues about lending fairness and money laundering in his discussions with the CEO of the bank?

Associate Spokesperson:  So this was mainly a private visit.  He went to visit Buffalo and Niagara Falls, actually, and he was invited by someone he's known for a long time to address this… this group of people that you've mentioned.  We didn't put it out, again, because it was mostly, mainly, largely, a private visit.  He was with his family over the weekend.

Inner City Press: Were the people there all employees of the bank?  Was…

Associate Spokesperson:  No, I think it was community leaders from all over Buffalo, if I understand correctly.

Inner City Press: Do you have the remarks?

Associate Spokesperson:  I'll check, but, again:  mainly private visit and I don't think we'd be sharing them.  Anything else?  Great.  Have a good afternoon.

   No answers. This is today's or Ban's UN, UNtransparent and worse - and the Free UN Coalition for Access opposes it. Watch this site.