Otunbayeva Tells Press Justice Had to Wait, UN Accountable Kyrgyz?

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, November 22 -- A week before she steps down from the Kyrgyz presidency, Roza Otunbayeva came on Tuesday to the UN which used to employ her.

Inner City Press asked Ms. Otunbayeva about the violence in 2010, mostly redirected against Uzbeks in Osh and Jalal Abad in the south, and about criticism in the International Inquiry headed up by Kimmo Kiljunen of her handing of accountability for the violence.

Otunbayeva said that she only had power a year and seven months, as a "crisis manager." She said that her successor Atambayev will work on the issues of the 445 Kyrgyz judges, perhaps replacing some.

Her answer rambled into issue of gender balance, that the prosecutor general is a woman, as is the head of the central bank.

Finally she mentioned the Kiljunen report, saying that "it is on the Internet," and that the government cooperated. But Kiljunen was barred from the country -- at the time, UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon remained silent on this blockage, his spokesman saying that Kiljunnen's was "not a UN report" -- and many of the recommendations are not being acted on.

During the recent elections, online news agencies were denied press accreditation.

Some countries are favorites, or have amassed good will, and Kyrgyzstan like Liberia is such a country. The UN wanted to claim credit for its dubious good work during the violence, and so was not critical afterward.

In other answers, Otunbayeva bristled when asked why her country didn't give in to Pakistan's request that it drop out of balloting for a seat on the UN Security Council in 2012-13.

She said Kyrgyzstan announced its candidacy in 1997, Pakistan only in 2005. She asked how she could have told her people they were dropping out -- are we a failing country or what?

She praised Turkey's Erdogan, to whom Ban Ki-moon was so quickly to apologize after UN Security personnel were injured by Erdogan's entourage; she said Japan didn't step forward with aid, trade or tax offers like China did. She was real politik, and says she'll stay in Kyrgyzstan after she steps down. But will there be accountability, and justice for Uzbeks? We'll see.

As UN Sends Staff to Kyrgyzstan, Rights Report Author Still Banned

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, July 17 -- After the Kyrgyz Parliament voted to bar entry by Kimmo Kiljunen, the author of a report on the ethnic violence in that country, the UN on May 26 told Inner City Press that it wasn't their report, “that’s really a matter for the Kyrgyz authorities and Mr. Kiljunen.”

Meanwhile two UN staffers from the Policy and Mediation Unit of the UN Department of Political Affairs headed to Kyrgyzstan this weekend, Inner City Press has learned.

When Miroslav Jenca, special representative of Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon for Central Asia, emerged after briefing the UN Security Council midday on Friday, Inner City Press asked him about Kyrgyzstan, Kiljunen and his report.

Standing with two aides, Jenca told Inner City Press that he has been pushing for “implementation” of the report's recommendations. He spoke about presidential elections, and said the UN Department of Political Affairs is involved in this as well, but will not be “too” involved.

“So, not like in Cote d'Ivoire?” Inner City Press asked. Both of Jenca's aide laughed. Jenca himself said said there's discussion of allow Kiljunen in to have a dialogue with the Parliament -- but that has not happened yet.

Nor, it seems, has Jenca or the UN done anything about the December 2009 murder in Altamy, Kazakhstan of Kygyz journalist Gennady Pavlyuk, who was thrown from a sixth story window with this legs and arms bound. The Kazakh police are now saying it was mere robbery. Where is the UN on this?

As Kyrgyzstan Bans Kiljunen, UN Ban Has No Comment, Sri Lanka Report Echoes

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, May 26 -- The UN's relationship with reports on ethnic violence and war crimes under Secretary General Ban Ki-moon gets more and more convoluted.

On Thursday, Kyrgyzstan's parliament voted to ban from the country Kimmo Kiljunen, the Finnish author of an independent report on last year's ethnic violence from entering the country, saying his findings were a threat to national security.

Inner City Press asked Ban's spokesman Martin Nesirky if Ban or the UN had any comment on Kiljunen being barred from entering Kyrgyzstan. Nesirky began by emphasizing that despite “logistic” support, Kiljunen's was not a UN report. He then said the report could be useful.

If the UN thinks the report could be useful, Inner City Press asked, why no Ban Ki-moon reacting to its author being banned from the country?

Nesirky said again, there would be no comment.

To some, this is similar to Ban's reaction to date to the Sri Lanka war crimes report that, under pressure, he commissioned from a Panel of Experts. While a recommendation was that Ban initiate an investigative mechanism, Ban immediately said that he cannot or will not do this without a vote by the General Assembly, Security Council or Human Rights Council.

It has been pointed out that the investigations are possible without such votes, for example in the case of the Democratic Republic of the Congo Mapping Report. Nesirky told Inner City Press he would respond to this comparison, but has not.

It emerged this week that Ban has not even transmitted the Sri Lanka report to the UN in Geneva.

Now, on another report -- albeit one further removed from the UN -- Ban has no comment on the report's author being banned from the country.

From the UN's May 26 transcript:

Inner City Press: on Kyrgyzstan, this Kimmo Kiljunen.

Spokesperson Martin Nesirky: Kiljunen, Kiljunen, yeah.

Inner City Press: okay, however said, he is now being blocked from the country. The Parliament has voted to bar him because of his report on the violence that was in Kyrgyzstan. Given the UN’s role, you know, and stated… he said that the UN sort of supports his report. Is that true and do you have any comment?

Spokesperson Nesirky: Well, first of all, you know, let’s be clear that it was not a UN report. Some technical, logistical advice was provided to Mr. Kiljunen and those who put together the report. It’s an important step in the right direction. Again, talking about the need for accountability for actions that took place and crimes that were evidently committed last year in Kyrgyzstan.

Inner City Press: but does the UN, if you are thinking it’s a useful thing, what about this, the country now seeking to bar the author of the report. Is that --

Spokesperson Nesirky: Well, that’s really a matter for the Kyrgyz authorities and Mr. Kiljunen. I don’t have any comment on that.