Inner City Press Asks UN of Burundi Abuse of IDPs, No Answer In 6 Days, But Ruhororo, Ousted

By Matthew Russell Lee

WASHINGTON, March 18 -- Six days ago Inner City Press asked UN Spokesman Stephane Dujarric, about UN (in) action in Burundi. UN transcript here:

Inner City Press: On Burundi, there are these IDP [internally displaced person] camps inside the country, one of which is called Mutaho, there are published reports, Radio Republique Africaine and elsewhere, that people in the camps are being accused of being supporters of the anti-Pierre Nkurunziza movement.  They're being searched for weapons.  Some have now fled these camps.  I wanted to know, does the UN have any role, does the UN system, IOM [International Organization for Migration] or UNHCR have any role?

Spokesman Dujarric:  I will check with UNHCR.

 Six days later from Dujarric, who threw Inner City Press out of the UN Press Briefing Room, here has been no answer, as on so many Press questions to Ban Ki-moon's UN on Burundi.

 On March 20, this was reported:

"From the beginning of March 2016 police harassment increased in the principal Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) camps of Ruhororo (North of Burundi) and Bukirasazi (Centre of Burundi) and Mutaho (Centre of Burundi) and Bugendana (Centre of Burundi). Each IDP camp is populated by at least 3000 persons that fled the 1993 ethnic massacres. Residents suggest that dozens of youths were arrested and detained at different police stations before being transferred to Ngozi (North of Burundi) and Gitega (Centre of Burundi). Hate speech is often utilized to threaten IDPs whose majority are Tutsi. Mr. Vincent Gahungu, former member of the parliament who fled the country in January, told Radio Humura Burundi (March 9, 2016) IDPs are subjected to police, administration harassment and death threats as they are frequently accused of supporting rebels and insurgents." h/t Vital Nshimirimana

As Burundi's Pierre Nkurunziza government stepped up the killing and censorship of opponents, its lobbyists in the U.S. capital, Scribe Strategies, were paid $60,000 to among other things set up interviews with US-government broadcaster Voice of America and the French government's France 24.

  Nkurunziza's party the CNDD-FDD paid Scribe Strategies $59,980 on November 10, 2015. Scribes has this month disclosed, for the six month period ending January 31, 2016, that in exchange for this money it arranged for example for Nkurunziza's adviser to be "interviewed" on Voice of America and France 24.

  Scribe Strategies also, during the reporting period, was paid to arrange for Sam Kutesa, a former President of the General Assembly who was involved with many of the same donors named in the corruption case against his predecessor John Ashe, to be "interviewed" by Voice of America about his tenure as PGA, during which he was as now foreign minister of Uganda.

  Inner City Press has covered not only the John Ashe / Ng Lap Seng / Frank Lorenzo / Sheri Yan corruption case, but also Kutesa's dealings with the highest reaches of Ban Ki-moon's UN Secretariat, for example here and here.

 On February 19, Inner City Press was thrown out of the UN on two hours notice. Audio and petition here. On February 22 Inner City Press was told it was Banned from all UN premises. After three days reporting on the UN from the park in front of it, and stories in BuzzFeed andBusiness Insider, Inner City Press re-entered the UN on a more limited "non-resident correspondent" pass, under which on March 10 UN Security ordered it to leave the UN as it worked in the UN lobby at 8 pm. Video here; UN Spokesman Stephane Dujarric's March 11 justification here.

  The underlying UN rule only says that non-resident correspondents can only come into the UN up until 7 pm. But the UN's goal, it seems, is to prevent or hinder coverage of UN corruption, which usually doesn't take place in the UN Press Briefing Room. (January 29, 2016 and September 8, 2011 -- Frank Lorenzo, UNdisclosed -- are notably exceptions.)

  Lobbying the deciding UN official, Under Secretary General for Public Information Cristina Gallach, were the honchos of the UN Correspondents Association, including France 24 and, as in 2012, Voice of America.

  Scribes Strategies' disclosures do not (have to) mention the Nkurunziza government's lobbying in and around the UN. We'll have more on this.
 
  Back on March 9 when the Burundi configuration of the UN Peacebuilding Commission met, the conference room was too small and the meeting was not televised, at least not to the outside world (see below). There was talk of Burundi's Pierre Nkurunziza have allowed two of four closed radio stations to re-open.

But Special Adviser Jamal Benomar said these two stations were not critical of the government; beyond that, it has emerged that the stations' directors had to sign a commitment about their future coverage. Some in the UN, it is clear, would like to do just this - in fact, that's why Inner City Press could not watch the meeting on UN in-house TV in its shared office the UN has seized, and so came to the meeting.

  In Conference Room 8, the Permanent Representatives of Tanzania, Belgium, Burundi, Norway, The Netherlands, and others, and Deputies from France, Rwanda and others. France was given the floor first in the debate; its Deputy Alex Lamek after a bland speech left the meeting, his seat taken by another French mission staffer. Belgium called for a re-opening of all media without restriction.

  There were other speeches, but Inner City Press had to go upstairs, with its its currently reduced access pass, and ask the UN's Deputy Spokesperson why Ban had praised the re-opening, with restrictions, of only two of the four radio stations closed. Vine here; UN transcript here:

Inner City Press: About Burundi.  You'd said that the Secretary-General discussed it with the [German] Foreign Minister.  Just came from a meeting down in Conference Room 8 of the Burundi configuration peacebuilding, and there Mr. [Ivan] Šimonovic said that the two radio stations that were reopened were forced to sign commitments about their future coverage.  And Mr. [Jamal] Benomar said that the two stations were not critical of the Government.  I'm asking you because the Secretary-General praised this as a move toward freedom of the press, the reopening of two stations in Burundi.  And now two people that work for him said that they were never critical of the Government and they were forced to sign commitments about their future coverage.  So, I wonder, what did he mean by that?  Was this really a positive step, or was there some difference of opinion between the 38th Floor and these other two floors that these gentlemen are on?

Deputy Spokesman Haq:  No, no, the Secretary-General's comments were regarding the general principle of allowing media to go about their tasks.  Obviously, we would be concerned about any restrictions imposed upon the media, but at the same time, we appreciate any efforts to open up space for freedom of expression and freedom of the press
Inner City Press:  But, what about telling a media, as a condition of reopening, it has to commit to a certain kind of coverage?  That's what they're discussing down in Conference Room 8.

Deputy Spokesman:  Ultimately, what we want is for the media to be free to do their work unconditionally.

  This is ironic: audio here, petition here. We'll have more on this.
 On January 28, Inner City Press asked UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric about a meeting held but not televised on January 27, at which it was urged that mass grave sites in Burundi be preserved as evidence,video here, transcript here.

On January 29, Inner City Press asked Dujarric again, transcript here. 

  So it's all on Zeid, nothing from Ban Ki-moon, who appears to be playing this like he did Sri Lanka...

 At the UN Security Council stakeout, Inner City Press waited -- including through two North Korea questions, and softballs -- then asked if this UN use of Burundian troops makes sense. There has yet to be an answer, although there are indications one might be forthcoming. (More than 24 hours later, no).  Here for now is about the US training Burundian troops. Watch this site.

  We're told that Ambassador Albert Shingiro, who blocks the Press on Twitter, told the scribes that US Power said she would send “a strong message to the government of Rwanda." Again, Shingiro blocks the Press on Twitter: some diplomat.

   On January 22, Inner City Press asked UN Deputy Spokesperson Farhan Haq for the UN's response to Pierre Nkurunziza denying the existence of his party's youth militia, and why there was no video or even audio stream of the Security Council's - and Nkurunziza's -- press statements. Video here.

  Haq replied that "the facilities are difficult," that the UN Spokesperson's Office had reached out to the traveling party for information but hadn't gotten any. The Free UN Coalition for Accesscalls this a failure.

  Burundian civil society has written to Ban seeking the repatriation of the country's peacekeepers. Inner City Press has put the letter from Vital Nshimirimana to Ban online here, and will be asking the UN about it. Watch this site.

  On December 30 Nkurunziza threatened to have his forces attack peacekeepers proposed for the country.


Obtained by Inner City Press

Ladsous' lack of vetting was criticized in the recently released report into the cover up of peacekeepers' rapes in the Central African Republic. Earlier, Inner City Press exclusive reported on Ladsous in his October 1, 2015 meeting with Burundi's vice president saying that he is "pragmatic" on human rights.

 On December 16 Inner City Press was banned from questions to Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, but learned from the mission MINUSCA that Baratuza was already in Entebbe. Inner City Press asked several Security Council members, then Ban's spokesman Stephane Dujarric on December17.

Dujarric told Inner City Press Baratuza's deployment is suspended and he is being repatriated: "based on the information we've received regarding the Lieutenant Colonel, his deployment has been suspended, and he will be repatriated back to Burundi." Video here. Dujarric told Inner City Press this shows the UN system working - on a day when a report on rapes was issued showing UN Peacekeeping under Herve Ladsous not sufficiently vetting for human rights. We'll have more on this.



 Amid the escalating killings in Burundi, summary executions in neighborhoods opposed to Pierre Nkurunziza's third term stand out. But Burundi Army spokesman Gaspard Baratuza was quoted on December 12 blaming all of the deaths on attempts to steal weapons to free prisoners.

   Inner City Press heard that Mr. Baratuza was already in the process of being deployed to the UN Peacekeeping mission in the Central African Republic (MINUSCA) even when he was giving these quotes, issuing statements and speaking to state-owned radio, and so asked MINUSCA's acting spokesperson, “Is Gaspard Baratuza of Burundi's army getting a MINUSCA job?” Ultimately, after the questioning, he didn't.
 
   But the UN should have to say more. Inner City Press has repeatedly asked the UN how its Department of Peacekeeping Operations under Herve Ladsous vets those who deploy to UN missions; Inner City Pressexclusively reported on an October 1, 2015 meeting in which Ladsous told Burundi's Vice President Joseph Butare that he is “pragmatic” on human rights.



 Ban Ki-moon and his spokesman declined to take Inner City Press' questions on December 16, as they did on December 14. Vine here.  Watch this site.

On Burundi, Inner City Press Asks UN About Abused IDPs in Mutaho, Answer Promised, Doesn't Come

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, March 14 -- When the Burundi configuration of the UN Peacebuilding Commission met on March 9, the conference room was too small and the meeting was not televised, at least not to the outside world (see below). There was talk of Burundi's Pierre Nkurunziza have allowed two of four closed radio stations to re-open.

But Special Adviser Jamal Benomar said these two stations were not critical of the government; beyond that, it has emerged that the stations' directors had to sign a commitment about their future coverage. Some in the UN, it is clear, would like to do just this - in fact, that's why Inner City Press could not watch the meeting on UN in-house TV in its shared office the UN has seized, and so came to the meeting.

 On March 14, Inner City Press asked one of the evicters, UN Spokesman Stephane Dujarric, about UN (in) action in Burundi. Vine here; UN transcript here:

Inner City Press: On Burundi, there are these IDP [internally displaced person] camps inside the country, one of which is called Mutaho, there are published reports, Radio Republique Africaine and elsewhere, that they're being… people in the camps are being accused of being supporters of the anti-Pierre Nkurunziza movement.  They're being searched for weapons.  Some have now fled these camps.  I wanted to know, are these camps… does the UN have any role, does the UN system, IOM [International Organization for Migration] or UNHCR have any role?

Spokesman:  I will check with UNHCR.

  By the end of the day, as on so many Press questions to Ban's UN on Burundi, there was no answer.

  In Conference Room 8, the Permanent Representatives of Tanzania, Belgium, Burundi, Norway, The Netherlands, and others, and Deputies from France, Rwanda and others. France was given the floor first in the debate; its Deputy Alex Lamek after a bland speech left the meeting, his seat taken by another French mission staffer. Belgium called for a re-opening of all media without restriction.

  There were other speeches, but Inner City Press had to go upstairs, with its its currently reduced access pass, and ask the UN's Deputy Spokesperson why Ban had praised the re-opening, with restrictions, of only two of the four radio stations closed. Vine here; UN transcript here:

Inner City Press: About Burundi.  You'd said that the Secretary-General discussed it with the [German] Foreign Minister.  Just came from a meeting down in Conference Room 8 of the Burundi configuration peacebuilding, and there Mr. [Ivan] Šimonovic said that the two radio stations that were reopened were forced to sign commitments about their future coverage.  And Mr. [Jamal] Benomar said that the two stations were not critical of the Government.  I'm asking you because the Secretary-General praised this as a move toward freedom of the press, the reopening of two stations in Burundi.  And now two people that work for him said that they were never critical of the Government and they were forced to sign commitments about their future coverage.  So, I wonder, what did he mean by that?  Was this really a positive step, or was there some difference of opinion between the 38th Floor and these other two floors that these gentlemen are on?

Deputy Spokesman Haq:  No, no, the Secretary-General's comments were regarding the general principle of allowing media to go about their tasks.  Obviously, we would be concerned about any restrictions imposed upon the media, but at the same time, we appreciate any efforts to open up space for freedom of expression and freedom of the press
Inner City Press:  But, what about telling a media, as a condition of reopening, it has to commit to a certain kind of coverage?  That's what they're discussing down in Conference Room 8.

Deputy Spokesman:  Ultimately, what we want is for the media to be free to do their work unconditionally.

  This is ironic: audio here, petition here. We'll have more on this.
 On January 28, Inner City Press asked UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric about a meeting held but not televised on January 27, at which it was urged that mass grave sites in Burundi be preserved as evidence,video here, transcript here.

On January 29, Inner City Press asked Dujarric again, transcript here. 

  So it's all on Zeid, nothing from Ban Ki-moon, who appears to be playing this like he did Sri Lanka...

 At the UN Security Council stakeout, Inner City Press waited -- including through two North Korea questions, and softballs -- then asked if this UN use of Burundian troops makes sense. There has yet to be an answer, although there are indications one might be forthcoming. (More than 24 hours later, no).  Here for now is about the US training Burundian troops. Watch this site.

  We're told that Ambassador Albert Shingiro, who blocks the Press on Twitter, told the scribes that US Power said she would send “a strong message to the government of Rwanda." Again, Shingiro blocks the Press on Twitter: some diplomat.

   On January 22, Inner City Press asked UN Deputy Spokesperson Farhan Haq for the UN's response to Pierre Nkurunziza denying the existence of his party's youth militia, and why there was no video or even audio stream of the Security Council's - and Nkurunziza's -- press statements. Video here.

  Haq replied that "the facilities are difficult," that the UN Spokesperson's Office had reached out to the traveling party for information but hadn't gotten any. The Free UN Coalition for Accesscalls this a failure.

 On January 21 Inner City Press in New York learned both of Pierre Nkurunziza plans to parade "community work" for the Security Council members on January 22 and has been provided with a letter promoting same, here.

  On January 21, Inner City Press and the Free UN Coalition for Accessasked UK Permanent Representative Matthew Rycroft about his stop-over on Addis Ababa, "will you as UK meet with AU before heading to Burundi? About AU's proposed deployment?"

   Rycroft replied, "Yes! Looking forward to meeting @AU_Chergui today. Will also return to Addis with whole UNSC after Burundi."

  In Addis, Chergui had filed the Concept of Operation for the MAPROBU peacekeeping mission. We'll have more on this.

  Burundian civil society has written to Ban seeking the repatriation of the country's peacekeepers. Inner City Press has put the letter from Vital Nshimirimana to Ban online here, and will be asking the UN about it. Watch this site.

  On December 30 Nkurunziza threatened to have his forces attack peacekeepers proposed for the country.


Obtained by Inner City Press

Ladsous' lack of vetting was criticized in the recently released report into the cover up of peacekeepers' rapes in the Central African Republic. Earlier, Inner City Press exclusive reported on Ladsous in his October 1, 2015 meeting with Burundi's vice president saying that he is "pragmatic" on human rights.

 On December 16 Inner City Press was banned from questions to Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, but learned from the mission MINUSCA that Baratuza was already in Entebbe. Inner City Press asked several Security Council members, then Ban's spokesman Stephane Dujarric on December17.

Dujarric told Inner City Press Baratuza's deployment is suspended and he is being repatriated: "based on the information we've received regarding the Lieutenant Colonel, his deployment has been suspended, and he will be repatriated back to Burundi." Video here. Dujarric told Inner City Press this shows the UN system working - on a day when a report on rapes was issued showing UN Peacekeeping under Herve Ladsous not sufficiently vetting for human rights. We'll have more on this.



 Amid the escalating killings in Burundi, summary executions in neighborhoods opposed to Pierre Nkurunziza's third term stand out. But Burundi Army spokesman Gaspard Baratuza was quoted on December 12 blaming all of the deaths on attempts to steal weapons to free prisoners.

   Inner City Press heard that Mr. Baratuza was already in the process of being deployed to the UN Peacekeeping mission in the Central African Republic (MINUSCA) even when he was giving these quotes, issuing statements and speaking to state-owned radio, and so asked MINUSCA's acting spokesperson, “Is Gaspard Baratuza of Burundi's army getting a MINUSCA job?” Ultimately, after the questioning, he didn't.
 
   But the UN should have to say more. Inner City Press has repeatedly asked the UN how its Department of Peacekeeping Operations under Herve Ladsous vets those who deploy to UN missions; Inner City Pressexclusively reported on an October 1, 2015 meeting in which Ladsous told Burundi's Vice President Joseph Butare that he is “pragmatic” on human rights.



 Ban Ki-moon and his spokesman declined to take Inner City Press' questions on December 16, as they did on December 14. Vine here.  Watch this site.

Burundi Prez Adviser Said to Buy Twitter Followers, Like UNCA in 2014, Trolls Now

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, March 10 -- In Burundi the killing of opponents of Pierre Nkurunziza's third term, and the closing of radio stations are serious business. Less serious but not unrelated are charges that Presidential adviser Willy Nyamitwe is buying Twitter followers and retweets. Inner City Press has seen this before, with the UN Correspondents Association and its president, see below. 

Inner City Press exposed UNCA in 2014; these days it does not tweet at all, preferring to hide behind anonymous troll accounts that are followed by UN Spokesman Stephane Dujarric and the head of the UN Department of Public Information. Here's from the exposer of Nyamitwe, sent to Inner City Press:

“Last week followers of W. Nyamitwe increased in 1 day by 20,000. He had also suddenly thousands of retweets. I did a quick analysis of who was retweeting, saw a pattern and looked at who they are and when they joined it appears also saw a pattern. It's obvious he bought followers and retweets. High officials like Tom Perreillo were always in tweets. The high number of retweets could then suggest that W. Nyamitwe tweet is endorsed by 'many.' I hope you'll soon get your UN office back. I and many others do appreciate your investigation work!” [Graphs and h/there and here] He has a reply, here

   The seizure of ICP's shared office in the UN, and its Banning from covering events on the second floor -- UN Security Council reform on March 9, Counter-Terrorism including in Sri Lanka on March 10 -- was, at least initially, at the demand of this same follower-buying UNCA.

Back in May 2014, with the UN Correspondents Association through Pamela Falk having tried to brand every UN press conference and even UN Security Council presidency with the name UNCA, it was perhaps not surprising that UNCA under her leadership bought Twitter followers, as reported May 9 and 10.

   The reason this is pernicious is that UNCA not only doesn't defend journalists -- it has dragged its feet after French Ambassador Gerard Araud told a still dues-paying UNCA members "you are not a journalist, you are an agent" -- it has actively tried to get the investigative Pressthrown out of the UN, and then tried to cover it up, see filing here. This is a pattern.

  After the spike in followers of the UNCA account from 300 to 5,500 was exposed, photo of graph here, it was quickly fixed or covered up, with the number falling to 300 again. 

  Simultaneously, Falk also surged with fake followers, to 9,600. Photo of graph, here. When this was exposed, the number quickly fell in half. Then there were two weight-loss messages, then the account disappeared.

  Now Falk has re-appeared, admitting she had "fake followers" but claiming she was targeted by some "bot." But there's a problem: the spike in her UNCA occurred at the same time, and once publicly exposed was quickly solved, without going offline. So how DID Falk, and relatedly UNCA, suddenly get what Falk admits were fake followers?

   Falk blusters that the (imaginary?) targeter, who wanted UNCA to look like it had more followers, should "get a life." But it is Falk and UNCA which, only considering recent weeks, complained to Security Council Affairs when told a staffer didn't know Falk but only the omni-present Free UN Coalition for Access.

  It is Falk who tried to use the top level of the Department of Public Information to tell UNTV camera-people what they can film and what they can't, and took the time to edit out a one second cut-away of FUNCA expressing skepticism at her claims about UNCA in a canned speech, see below.  Get a life, indeed.

  Background: Still there are UNanswered questions about whose moneywas used to pay to buy the admitted fake followers. But the question of who bought them appears to be definitely resolved. Just as UNCA's account shot up in the last week of April -- only to fall precipitously after being exposed -- so too Pam Falk's own account shot up in late April -- higher than previously reported.

  For a self-described employee of publicly-traded CBS, isn't fraudulent inflation of audience a problem?

   Then, on May 21, Pamela Falk's Twitter account disappeared.

   This trace remains: see photo of graph here, showing Falk suddenly jumping to over 9600 followers. After exposure, more than half of those were dropped, and now the account is gone. Guilty knowledge? Compare to UNCA's sudden leap, here. Case closed -- or opened, as to CBS and inflation of audience.

  And now the UNCA further debased by Falk's Twitter follower fraud says it will belated "open" the room the UN gives it, as the UN's Censorship Alliance, on June 10 - with its name on it. The name, now, is fraud - or hucksterism. There was buzz of weight-loss advertisements. Did the purchase of fake followers lead to this? Who paid for UNCA's fake Twitter spike?

   The reason this is pursued is that UNCA has become the UN's Censorship Alliance, having tried to get the investigative Press thrown out of the UN, then dragging its feet when asked to speak up for other attacked journalists, and now even trying to dictate to UNTV what it can and cannot film. 

  Falk complained within the Security Council when she and her circle were not sufficiently known for her taste. Did that trigger the move for fake Twitter followers, and the disappearance? Assuming a reappearance, for what? More censorship?

   Also as detailed below, after Falk complained to the top of the UN Department of Public Information that UN TV camera operators dared film skeptical reaction to her May 1 "press freedom" speech, now Falk has uploaded the speech with the skepticism edited out - unloading it in the name of "UNCA Journalists." UNCA, already the UN's Censorship Alliance, is being taken ever lower.

  UNCA went up to 5,500 on May 3, 2014. See photo of graph which counters cover-up, here. That UNCA's middle followers had few to no connections to the UN, journalism or international affairs and little profile information except some pornographic come-ons was noted in an article on the evening of May 9, here.

  By May 10, the UNCA account's followers had suddenly fallen back down below 300, in what some are calling a cover up, as Falk's UNCA did once exposed for lining up for a free Samsung television through the UN and the South Korean mission. Once exposed, it was canceled - and Falk's UNCA demanded a "correction." And now? There are calls for an explanation of the spike and collapse, who paid for it, even, was UN wi-fi used. Not that the UN would pursue, much less fix, that...

  In order to prop up its UN Censorship Alliance, the UN gives UNCA a big room on the third floor. It has been closed and scarcely used for months, as a big screen TV (Samsung through the South Korean mission until exposed) and other UN work was done. Now Falk announces that in four weeks time a toast will be raised mid-day then the room will be open 10-4, for "all" correspondents. If so, why name it for the Censorship Alliance? To prop it up.

   On May 1, Falk comfortable trying to dictate how and who UN Television filmed on World Press Freedom Day.  

  According to multiple sources, Pamela Falk of CBS complained to the top of the Department of Public Information that UNTV dared cut away to a shot of a skeptic during her speech claiming UNCA protects journalists. Video here on Inner City Press' YouTube channel (on full video on UN website, here, from Minute 30).

  But Falk uploaded, in the name of UNCA Journalists, a ham-handedly edited version of her speech with only the skeptical cut-away removed. This is censorship; there are other words for it as well. Falk has been pitching the video to, for example, the UN Spokesman and an account @NelsonMandela.

  Since then, Falk has tried to promoted it this way: 

“I liked a @YouTube video from Pamela Falk, 2014 World Press Freedom Day Pamela Falk, President, U N”

  Now that the video and the UNCA attempt to censor that it spawned are known, other critics have come forward. This doesn't represent us, said one. Another brought up the surge in Falk's UNCA twitter accounts low number of followers, pointing out hundreds in a row with little identifying information, some with pornographic profiles, concluding, "they're bought followers."

  Now, even after the reversal or cover-up, the question of precisely how this happened remains, and new questions need answering.

  These included "EXTREMELY DOMINANT BBW," "Nudist * Foreskin lover #BBBH" and "the finest of erotic events and vacations" as well as being padded by executives and stringers for Falk's CBS, like Sharon Hoffman, Nick Barnets and Luke Fredberg. 

  These and hundreds of other followers bought by UNCA were removed between May 9 and May 10.

  The month started when UNCA's 2013-14 president Pam Falk grandiosely attempted to launch a Twitter hashtag promoting the group. An UNCA member, rather than obediently tweeting the contrived tag, noted online that when Falk claimed the "GA commends UNCA every year," UNTV camera cuts to @innercitypress shaking head in disbelief, too funny.”

 (The UNTV video, which we went back and found for the reasons below is online here, from Minute 30.)

  As we first diplomatically recorded, the UNTV control room got a complaint about their camera angles. This is called attempted censorship, as is this Digital Millennium Copyright Act filing with Google, here.

  Now we can report based on multiple sources that Falk herself complained to the top of DPI - and that this complaint, rather than being as it should have been laughed at and rejected, was passed on to the control room, trying to dictate even what the camera operators film as cut-aways. 

  This is outright censorship: the UN's Censorship Alliance's reverse flow.

  In 2012, some on UNCA's Executive Board tried to pursue the investigative Press for its coverage of UN official Herve Ladsous and also separately of France's ambassador Gerard Araud, then moved forexpulsion based on coverage of Sri Lanka. Now, UNCA's president demands that the UN itself change how it films, to censor opposition.

  Out in the real world, the UN Secretariat had no comment onEthiopia's jailing of journalists including the Zone 9 Bloggers, when asked about it by the new Free UN Coalition for Access. As we covered on May 8, the UN has yet to speak on Yemen's deportation of one of the few (but more than two) non-Yemeni journalists working in the country. The next story is Myanmar - watch this site.

On Burundi, PBC Hears Re-Opened Radios Are Restricted, Inner City Press Asks Ban's Spox

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, March 9 -- When the Burundi configuration of the UN Peacebuilding Commission met on March 9, the conference room was too small and the meeting was not televised, at least not to the outside world (see below). There was talk of Burundi's Pierre Nkurunziza have allowed two of four closed radio stations to re-open.

But Special Adviser Jamal Benomar said these two stations were not critical of the government; beyond that, it has emerged that the stations' directors had to sign a commitment about their future coverage. Some in the UN, it is clear, would like to do just this - in fact, that's why Inner City Press could not watch the meeting on UN in-house TV in its shared office the UN has seized, and so came to the meeting.

  In Conference Room 8, the Permanent Representatives of Tanzania, Belgium, Burundi, Norway, The Netherlands, and others, and Deputies from France, Rwanda and others. France was given the floor first in the debate; its Deputy Alex Lamek after a bland speech left the meeting, his seat taken by another French mission staffer. Belgium called for a re-opening of all media without restriction.

  There were other speeches, but Inner City Press had to go upstairs, with its its currently reduced access pass, and ask the UN's Deputy Spokesperson why Ban had praised the re-opening, with restrictions, of only two of the four radio stations closed. Vine here; UN transcript here:

Inner City Press: About Burundi.  You'd said that the Secretary-General discussed it with the [German] Foreign Minister.  Just came from a meeting down in Conference Room 8 of the Burundi configuration peacebuilding, and there Mr. [Ivan] Šimonovic said that the two radio stations that were reopened were forced to sign commitments about their future coverage.  And Mr. [Jamal] Benomar said that the two stations were not critical of the Government.  I'm asking you because the Secretary-General praised this as a move toward freedom of the press, the reopening of two stations in Burundi.  And now two people that work for him said that they were never critical of the Government and they were forced to sign commitments about their future coverage.  So, I wonder, what did he mean by that?  Was this really a positive step, or was there some difference of opinion between the 38th Floor and these other two floors that these gentlemen are on?

Deputy Spokesman Haq:  No, no, the Secretary-General's comments were regarding the general principle of allowing media to go about their tasks.  Obviously, we would be concerned about any restrictions imposed upon the media, but at the same time, we appreciate any efforts to open up space for freedom of expression and freedom of the press
Inner City Press:  But, what about telling a media, as a condition of reopening, it has to commit to a certain kind of coverage?  That's what they're discussing down in Conference Room 8.

Deputy Spokesman:  Ultimately, what we want is for the media to be free to do their work unconditionally.

  This is ironic: audio here, petition here. We'll have more on this.
 On January 28, Inner City Press asked UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric about a meeting held but not televised on January 27, at which it was urged that mass grave sites in Burundi be preserved as evidence,video here, transcript here.

On January 29, Inner City Press asked Dujarric again, transcript here. 

  So it's all on Zeid, nothing from Ban Ki-moon, who appears to be playing this like he did Sri Lanka...

 At the UN Security Council stakeout, Inner City Press waited -- including through two North Korea questions, and softballs -- then asked if this UN use of Burundian troops makes sense. There has yet to be an answer, although there are indications one might be forthcoming. (More than 24 hours later, no).  Here for now is about the US training Burundian troops. Watch this site.

  We're told that Ambassador Albert Shingiro, who blocks the Press on Twitter, told the scribes that US Power said she would send “a strong message to the government of Rwanda." Again, Shingiro blocks the Press on Twitter: some diplomat.

   On January 22, Inner City Press asked UN Deputy Spokesperson Farhan Haq for the UN's response to Pierre Nkurunziza denying the existence of his party's youth militia, and why there was no video or even audio stream of the Security Council's - and Nkurunziza's -- press statements. Video here.

  Haq replied that "the facilities are difficult," that the UN Spokesperson's Office had reached out to the traveling party for information but hadn't gotten any. The Free UN Coalition for Accesscalls this a failure.

 On January 21 Inner City Press in New York learned both of Pierre Nkurunziza plans to parade "community work" for the Security Council members on January 22 and has been provided with a letter promoting same, here.

  On January 21, Inner City Press and the Free UN Coalition for Accessasked UK Permanent Representative Matthew Rycroft about his stop-over on Addis Ababa, "will you as UK meet with AU before heading to Burundi? About AU's proposed deployment?"

   Rycroft replied, "Yes! Looking forward to meeting @AU_Chergui today. Will also return to Addis with whole UNSC after Burundi."

  In Addis, Chergui had filed the Concept of Operation for the MAPROBU peacekeeping mission. We'll have more on this.

  Burundian civil society has written to Ban seeking the repatriation of the country's peacekeepers. Inner City Press has put the letter from Vital Nshimirimana to Ban online here, and will be asking the UN about it. Watch this site.

  On December 30 Nkurunziza threatened to have his forces attack peacekeepers proposed for the country.


Obtained by Inner City Press

Ladsous' lack of vetting was criticized in the recently released report into the cover up of peacekeepers' rapes in the Central African Republic. Earlier, Inner City Press exclusive reported on Ladsous in his October 1, 2015 meeting with Burundi's vice president saying that he is "pragmatic" on human rights.

 On December 16 Inner City Press was banned from questions to Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, but learned from the mission MINUSCA that Baratuza was already in Entebbe. Inner City Press asked several Security Council members, then Ban's spokesman Stephane Dujarric on December17.

Dujarric told Inner City Press Baratuza's deployment is suspended and he is being repatriated: "based on the information we've received regarding the Lieutenant Colonel, his deployment has been suspended, and he will be repatriated back to Burundi." Video here. Dujarric told Inner City Press this shows the UN system working - on a day when a report on rapes was issued showing UN Peacekeeping under Herve Ladsous not sufficiently vetting for human rights. We'll have more on this.



 Amid the escalating killings in Burundi, summary executions in neighborhoods opposed to Pierre Nkurunziza's third term stand out. But Burundi Army spokesman Gaspard Baratuza was quoted on December 12 blaming all of the deaths on attempts to steal weapons to free prisoners.

   Inner City Press heard that Mr. Baratuza was already in the process of being deployed to the UN Peacekeeping mission in the Central African Republic (MINUSCA) even when he was giving these quotes, issuing statements and speaking to state-owned radio, and so asked MINUSCA's acting spokesperson, “Is Gaspard Baratuza of Burundi's army getting a MINUSCA job?” Ultimately, after the questioning, he didn't.
 
   But the UN should have to say more. Inner City Press has repeatedly asked the UN how its Department of Peacekeeping Operations under Herve Ladsous vets those who deploy to UN missions; Inner City Pressexclusively reported on an October 1, 2015 meeting in which Ladsous told Burundi's Vice President Joseph Butare that he is “pragmatic” on human rights.



 Ban Ki-moon and his spokesman declined to take Inner City Press' questions on December 16, as they did on December 14. Vine here.  Watch this site.

In Burundi, Ban Ki-moon Praises What Nkurunziza Signed, Here, But Which Opposition? Which Prisoners?

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, February 23 -- After UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon on New Year's Eve issued a statement surreally praising the Burundi “talks” held in Entebbe, Uganda, multiple sources told Inner City Press these not really talks but rather a photo op. The January 6 session announced for Arusha did not happen.  Inner City Press requested to cover the UNSC's trip to Burundi, but was UNtransparentlyrejected.

Ban Ki-moon took no press with him to Burundi - and then praised Pierre Nkurunziza's decision on the media, after having decided, through his Under Secretary General Cristina Gallach, to throw Inner City Press out of the UN.

 Ban made much of Nkurunziza's ostensible commitment to release political prisoners and meet with "the opposition." But which opposition? And which prisoner? Inner City Press is publishing what Nkurunziza signed, here and here, and these questions from the ground:

Article 1 mentioned categories of those who are supposed to be realized. The common fact is that those mentioned in the article do not have any relation with the Ongoing political unrest. Actually, we were excepting the realise of FNL, MSD, and all political prisoners such as insurgents, and the above mentioned opponents to the regime. But none of them would fall under the categories evoked by the article.

 On Ban Ki-moon's meeting with Nkurunziza: Is the dialogue going inclusive. We shall be able to see it if Nkurunziza says that is going to meet key opposition figures and the civil society leaders, including Nyangoma (CNARED), Sinduhije (Red Tabara), Nininahazwe Pacifique, etc. When? And where? Remember Nkurunziza said that he'll never seat on same table with co-plotters, protest and insurgent leaders as well. So, what is the guarantee that he changed is mind? We'll have more on this.

In Bujumbura on February 23, Ban said:

"I welcome the decision by His Excellency President Nkurunziza to withdrawal some media bans, cancel the arrest warrants and release detainees as good will gestures. President Nkurunziza told me this morning that he will release a list of twelve hundred detainees and take other measures. I have asked him, while I welcome these generous support and measures but I would expect that additional measures should be taken. This is an encouraging step. I hope again additional measures will be taken."

  On February 19, Ban's guards and DPI threw Inner City Press out of the UN, physically, and have yet to restore its Resident Correspondents pass.

But even from the park in front of the UN on 43rd Street in Manhattan, Inner City Press interviewed Security Council ambassadors about Ban's trip, which despite his typical lack of transparency has in fact begun on February 22.

Inner City Press tweeted a photo, here, and reports from sources that already, five men have been killed in Bujumbura and Gisozi while Ban is in the country.

Echoing again Ban's ill-fated "victory tour" in Sri Lanka in 2009. He is to meet Pierre Nkurunziza on February 23. Watch this site.

 For February 13, the UN in Burundi issued a warning to its own staff to be careful ("prudent") about a demonstration organized by Pierre Nkurunziza's ruling party. Inner City Press is putting it online, here.

  One won't find that notice on the website of the UN "Information" Center or UNIC in Bujumbura, at least not as of February 17. (The siteis mostly just... Ban Ki-moon.)

 But that UNIC is being cited for the handed-out news that Ban Ki-moon will visiting, Feb 22-23. On February 17, Inner City Press asked UN Spokesman Stephane Dujarric to confirm what the UNIC had said -- and he wouldn't. Video here. From the UN transcript:

Inner City Press: I wanted to ask you, on Burundi, the UNIC (United Nations Information Centre) in Bujumbura, Beatrice Nibogora is quoted that Ban Ki-moon will visit the country February 22nd and 23rd.  Is that the case?

And what are his goals?  And is he aware of the recent pattern of house demolitions and seizures of those who have left?

Spokesman Dujarric:  I think the Secretary-General is very clearly aware of the situation in Burundi and the continued violence and the lack of progress on the political talks.  And when we're able to officially announce the visit, we will.

Inner City Press: it seems like it was announced there.  Was there some [reason]?

Silenced even before he goes. On February 18, Inner City Press asked again, from the UN transcript:

Inner City Press: I’d very much expected you to announce the Burundi trip.  And the reason I ask you is, the person that announced it was the UNIC, the UN office in Bujumbura.  So is the… can you… and Member States have already been informed of it.  Is there some reason that you’re not…

Spokesman:  Once we’re ready to announce, we will announce the trip.  In fact, I may have something related to that shortly.

Inner City Press:  Okay.  And I wanted to… on Burundi, substantively, the Defence Minister has proposed a reintroduction of the death penalty in the country, specifically with regard to the… to events since May.  And I wanted to know… I mean, I know that the UN is presumably generally against the death penalty, but in this particular case, its… its reintroduction in light of the turmoil, do you have a comment on that?

Spokesman:  I think not just presumably and generally, specifically we are against the death penalty, and I think we would deplore, you know, I think any… we would want to see a movement away from the death penalty and not towards the death penalty.

Inner City Press:  Just one last thing on trips, do you mind?  I just wanted… since we’re on the same topic, I wanted to… I’m trying to think of how the best way to do it is.  On… if the… if the Secretary-General is going to Burundi, presumably he’s not taking any press.  But I wanted to ask you, on trips where press is done, just to explain how it’s done.  I know that on the Council’s trip to Burundi, it was said it was done through your office.  And I wanted to know, was that always the case?  And if it’s not the case, how is it done in some other cases through particular Security Council members?  Who decides that?

Spokesman:  It’s up to the Security Council to decide.

Inner City Press:  All 15, like…

Spokesman:  It’s up… [inaudible]

Inner City Press:  They just tell your office?

Spokesman:  I work for the Secretary-General, who I’ve just told Mr. Abbadi is independent.  So I cannot speak…  [inaudible]

Inner City Press:  If one member contacts your office…

Spokesman:  Matthew, you’ll have to speak to the Security Council members concerned or the presidency. 

  That would be France.

For now all Inner City Press will say is, remember Ban's "victory tour" of Sri Lanka in 2009 . That one, Inner City Press covered - and things have proceeded.

 On February 15, Inner City Press asked Ban's deputy spokesperson Farhan Haq, UN transcript here.

  Then nothing from the UN Spokesperson's office about any Ban trip.

At the February 5 UN noon briefing, Inner City Press asked Ban's Deputy Spokesperson Farhan Haq about Burundi, video here, transcript here.  

  Handpicked to go and memorialize the trip was Reuters, which barely reported what happened. There is a history, of Reuters UN bureau hereand here; on February 3, Reuters correspondent Michelle Nichols went so far as to cut off Inner City Press' questions to the UN, Vine here.

  On February 3 Reuters' UN bureau chief Lou Charbonneau, a censor,  channeled a UN (DRC) report -- note not only the former Reuters official turned Eritrea sanctions “experts” exposed by Inner City Presshere, but also that this same now discredited Reuters / UN individual was previously ON the DR Congo panel. Typically, Reuters did not actually put the report online.

  Inner City Press in the spirit of transparency is publishing the (update) report, dated January 15, 2016, signed by Coordinator Gaston Gramajo, and its two paragraphs about 18 Burundian combatants, here. 

DR Congo "Group of Experts" Progress Report Including on Burundi by Matthew Russell Lee

Readers can draw their own conclusions, including about the mandate and motivation, and if these 18 is really the way it would go.

 At the African Union Summit in Addis Ababa, Ban Ki-moon barely if at all pushed for peacekeepers for Burundi; his or France's head of UN Peacekeeping Herve Ladsous had largely undercut the idea with a memo than Inner City Press published in full.

(Inner City Press has reported the UN Peacebuilding Configuration will visit February 15-19, click here for that.)

Inner City Press on February 3 asked Ban's Deputy Spokesperson Farhan Haq, transcript here.

On February 2, Inner City Press similarly asked the UN's Haq, transcript here.

  Meanwhile, on January 29, the UN Spokesman threw Inner City Press out of the UN Press Briefing Room then on February 1 made this threat, here. This was echoed on February 2. 
 On January 28, Inner City Press asked UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric about a meeting held but not televised on January 27, at which it was urged that mass grave sites in Burundi be preserved as evidence,video here, transcript here.

On January 29, Inner City Press asked Dujarric again, transcript here. 

  So it's all on Zeid, nothing from Ban Ki-moon, who appears to be playing this like he did Sri Lanka...

 At the UN Security Council stakeout, Inner City Press waited -- including through two North Korea questions, and softballs -- then asked if this UN use of Burundian troops makes sense. There has yet to be an answer, although there are indications one might be forthcoming. (More than 24 hours later, no).  Here for now is about the US training Burundian troops. Watch this site.

Inner City Press asked Ban's spokespeople about the trip on January 20, 21 and 22 - including asking why the UN was not providing a video or at least audio stream of the January 22 press encounters, says it has a  "UN Information Center" in Bujumbura, which produced a smiling photo of the French deputy ambassador Alexis Lamek on the tarmac. The UN said it couldn't.

  Local media in Burundi put online a video in which Lamek spoke at length; afterward a pro-government Burundian media quoted Lamek that "we" take seriously the question of interference by Rwanda to destabilize Burundi and will be working on it.

  But the four scribes handpicked to accompany the Security Council trip, inlcuding Agence France Presse, it seems, for some reasons didn't cover it. Why? We'll have more on this. Instead, AFP, Reuters andVoice of America (which saw "Liberians" then cited auto-correct) filed near-identical stories with no quotes from opposition figures or attacked journalists. None of the three even tweeted on January 23, other than Reuters as a robot: talk about Old Media.

  How could "Agence France Presse," handpicked to publicize the UNSC trip co-led by France, not even cover the controversy?

  We note that the French Mission to the UN said that Lamek was being misrepresented (the same French Mission has tried to shield Lamek from critical Press questions, which here on Vine Lamek has refused to answer even when entirely audible). Later an AFP quote emerged of Lamek saying that any AU force, even the 100 human rights observers, should significantly focus on the Rwandan border.

  On the evening of January 23 the UN has put up select clips including a mere 16 seconds of French deputy ambassador Lamek, much less than the local Burundian media present at the same press encountered had.  If the UN filmed the press encounters, why did it so selectively edit them?

  More specifically, now, who decided on the edits?

Inner City Press, which is the media which on January 22 asked for the live-stream, has asked the UN, publicly on Twitter, here, and in more detail by e-mail to three top UN spokespeople:

"having just seen that your Office put online edited video from Burundi, must ask: why did UN edit the footage it has, with no Burundi government speaker, and only 16 seconds of France, penholder in the UNSC on Burundi? Please provide the full footage, in response to this request and, separately, online. Would also still like answers to questions below" on Burundi.

 And still no answers at all, the next day. Watch this site.

  The UN spokespeople refused to say, but beyond the pro-government "religious leaders" that they cited, the Council also met with at least some of the concerned members of civil society, and some journalists who inevitably raised the issue of attacks and censorship. This was not mentioned by the UN.

  We're told that Ambassador Albert Shingiro, who blocks the Press on Twitter, told the scribes that US Power said she would send “a strong message to the government of Rwanda." Again, Shingiro blocks the Press on Twitter: some diplomat.

  One of the four handpicked pass-throughs opined that "the fact that Council members presented Nkurunziza with a largely unified message on the different issues was seen as a positive sign that they had come closer to a common position." So they traveled to Burundi to work on their own issues? We'll have more on this - and on the Council's junket-ending meetings in Addis, if not on Oromo protests, than this we've asked about. Watch this site.

   On January 22, Inner City Press asked UN Deputy Spokesperson Farhan Haq for the UN's response to Pierre Nkurunziza denying the existence of his party's youth militia, and why there was no video or even audio stream of the Security Council's - and Nkurunziza's -- press statements. Video here.

  Haq replied that "the facilities are difficult," that the UN Spokesperson's Office had reached out to the traveling party for information but hadn't gotten any. The Free UN Coalition for Accesscalls this a failure.

 On January 21 Inner City Press in New York learned both of Pierre Nkurunziza plans to parade "community work" for the Security Council members on January 22 and has been provided with a letter promoting same, here.

  On January 22, even after the Council's meeting with Nkurunziza was over, when Inner City Press asked the UN for a read-out there was none, nor any good explanation of why the UN with its country team could not arrange at least an audio stream of the Council's (and Nkurunziza's) press statements.

 Tellingly, IWACU reports that bike taxi and motorcycle taxi drivers offered money to protest in favor of Nkurunziza weren't, after the fact, paid: here.

On January 19 at the UN, Inner City Press asked Uruguay's Vice Minister for Foreign Affairs Jose Luis Cancela, chairing the Security Council debate on Protection of Civilians, about Burundi and the Council's trip. Video here.

  On January 21, Inner City Press and the Free UN Coalition for Accessasked UK Permanent Representative Matthew Rycroft about his stop-over on Addis Ababa, "will you as UK meet with AU before heading to Burundi? About AU's proposed deployment?"

   Rycroft replied, "Yes! Looking forward to meeting @AU_Chergui today. Will also return to Addis with whole UNSC after Burundi."

  In Addis, Chergui had filed the Concept of Operation for the MAPROBU peacekeeping mission. We'll have more on this.

  Burundian civil society has written to Ban seeking the repatriation of the country's peacekeepers. Inner City Press has put the letter from Vital Nshimirimana to Ban online here, and will be asking the UN about it. Watch this site.

  On December 30 Nkurunziza threatened to have his forces attack peacekeepers proposed for the country.


Obtained by Inner City Press

Ladsous' lack of vetting was criticized in the recently released report into the cover up of peacekeepers' rapes in the Central African Republic. Earlier, Inner City Press exclusive reported on Ladsous in his October 1, 2015 meeting with Burundi's vice president saying that he is "pragmatic" on human rights.

 On December 16 Inner City Press was banned from questions to Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, but learned from the mission MINUSCA that Baratuza was already in Entebbe. Inner City Press asked several Security Council members, then Ban's spokesman Stephane Dujarric on December17.

Dujarric told Inner City Press Baratuza's deployment is suspended and he is being repatriated: "based on the information we've received regarding the Lieutenant Colonel, his deployment has been suspended, and he will be repatriated back to Burundi." Video here. Dujarric told Inner City Press this shows the UN system working - on a day when a report on rapes was issued showing UN Peacekeeping under Herve Ladsous not sufficiently vetting for human rights. We'll have more on this.



 Amid the escalating killings in Burundi, summary executions in neighborhoods opposed to Pierre Nkurunziza's third term stand out. But Burundi Army spokesman Gaspard Baratuza was quoted on December 12 blaming all of the deaths on attempts to steal weapons to free prisoners.

   Inner City Press heard that Mr. Baratuza was already in the process of being deployed to the UN Peacekeeping mission in the Central African Republic (MINUSCA) even when he was giving these quotes, issuing statements and speaking to state-owned radio, and so asked MINUSCA's acting spokesperson, “Is Gaspard Baratuza of Burundi's army getting a MINUSCA job?” Ultimately, after the questioning, he didn't.
 
   But the UN should have to say more. Inner City Press has repeatedly asked the UN how its Department of Peacekeeping Operations under Herve Ladsous vets those who deploy to UN missions; Inner City Pressexclusively reported on an October 1, 2015 meeting in which Ladsous told Burundi's Vice President Joseph Butare that he is “pragmatic” on human rights.



 Ban Ki-moon and his spokesman declined to take Inner City Press' questions on December 16, as they did on December 14. Vine here.  Watch this site.

In Burundi, Ban Ki-moon Praises Nkurunziza on Media, Press Banned from UNHQ by Gallach

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, February 23 -- After UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon on New Year's Eve issued a statement surreally praising the Burundi “talks” held in Entebbe, Uganda, multiple sources told Inner City Press these not really talks but rather a photo op. The January 6 session announced for Arusha did not happen.  Inner City Press requested to cover the UNSC's trip to Burundi, but was UNtransparentlyrejected.

Ban Ki-moon took no press with him to Burundi - and then praised Pierre Nkurunziza's decision on the media, after having decided, through his Under Secretary General Cristina Gallach, to throw Inner City Press out of the UN.

In Bujumbura on February 23, Ban said:

"I welcome the decision by His Excellency President Nkurunziza to withdrawal some media bans, cancel the arrest warrants and release detainees as good will gestures. President Nkurunziza told me this morning that he will release a list of twelve hundred detainees and take other measures. I have asked him, while I welcome these generous support and measures but I would expect that additional measures should be taken. This is an encouraging step. I hope again additional measures will be taken."

  On February 19, Ban's guards and DPI threw Inner City Press out of the UN, physically, and have yet to restore its Resident Correspondents pass.

But even from the park in front of the UN on 43rd Street in Manhattan, Inner City Press interviewed Security Council ambassadors about Ban's trip, which despite his typical lack of transparency has in fact begun on February 22.

Inner City Press tweeted a photo, here, and reports from sources that already, five men have been killed in Bujumbura and Gisozi while Ban is in the country.

Echoing again Ban's ill-fated "victory tour" in Sri Lanka in 2009. He is to meet Pierre Nkurunziza on February 23. Watch this site.

 For February 13, the UN in Burundi issued a warning to its own staff to be careful ("prudent") about a demonstration organized by Pierre Nkurunziza's ruling party. Inner City Press is putting it online, here.

  One won't find that notice on the website of the UN "Information" Center or UNIC in Bujumbura, at least not as of February 17. (The siteis mostly just... Ban Ki-moon.)

 But that UNIC is being cited for the handed-out news that Ban Ki-moon will visiting, Feb 22-23. On February 17, Inner City Press asked UN Spokesman Stephane Dujarric to confirm what the UNIC had said -- and he wouldn't. Video here. From the UN transcript:

Inner City Press: I wanted to ask you, on Burundi, the UNIC (United Nations Information Centre) in Bujumbura, Beatrice Nibogora is quoted that Ban Ki-moon will visit the country February 22nd and 23rd.  Is that the case?

And what are his goals?  And is he aware of the recent pattern of house demolitions and seizures of those who have left?

Spokesman Dujarric:  I think the Secretary-General is very clearly aware of the situation in Burundi and the continued violence and the lack of progress on the political talks.  And when we're able to officially announce the visit, we will.

Inner City Press: it seems like it was announced there.  Was there some [reason]?

Silenced even before he goes. On February 18, Inner City Press asked again, from the UN transcript:

Inner City Press: I’d very much expected you to announce the Burundi trip.  And the reason I ask you is, the person that announced it was the UNIC, the UN office in Bujumbura.  So is the… can you… and Member States have already been informed of it.  Is there some reason that you’re not…

Spokesman:  Once we’re ready to announce, we will announce the trip.  In fact, I may have something related to that shortly.

Inner City Press:  Okay.  And I wanted to… on Burundi, substantively, the Defence Minister has proposed a reintroduction of the death penalty in the country, specifically with regard to the… to events since May.  And I wanted to know… I mean, I know that the UN is presumably generally against the death penalty, but in this particular case, its… its reintroduction in light of the turmoil, do you have a comment on that?

Spokesman:  I think not just presumably and generally, specifically we are against the death penalty, and I think we would deplore, you know, I think any… we would want to see a movement away from the death penalty and not towards the death penalty.

Inner City Press:  Just one last thing on trips, do you mind?  I just wanted… since we’re on the same topic, I wanted to… I’m trying to think of how the best way to do it is.  On… if the… if the Secretary-General is going to Burundi, presumably he’s not taking any press.  But I wanted to ask you, on trips where press is done, just to explain how it’s done.  I know that on the Council’s trip to Burundi, it was said it was done through your office.  And I wanted to know, was that always the case?  And if it’s not the case, how is it done in some other cases through particular Security Council members?  Who decides that?

Spokesman:  It’s up to the Security Council to decide.

Inner City Press:  All 15, like…

Spokesman:  It’s up… [inaudible]

Inner City Press:  They just tell your office?

Spokesman:  I work for the Secretary-General, who I’ve just told Mr. Abbadi is independent.  So I cannot speak…  [inaudible]

Inner City Press:  If one member contacts your office…

Spokesman:  Matthew, you’ll have to speak to the Security Council members concerned or the presidency. 

  That would be France.

For now all Inner City Press will say is, remember Ban's "victory tour" of Sri Lanka in 2009 . That one, Inner City Press covered - and things have proceeded.

 On February 15, Inner City Press asked Ban's deputy spokesperson Farhan Haq, UN transcript here.

  Then nothing from the UN Spokesperson's office about any Ban trip.

At the February 5 UN noon briefing, Inner City Press asked Ban's Deputy Spokesperson Farhan Haq about Burundi, video here, transcript here.  

  Handpicked to go and memorialize the trip was Reuters, which barely reported what happened. There is a history, of Reuters UN bureau hereand here; on February 3, Reuters correspondent Michelle Nichols went so far as to cut off Inner City Press' questions to the UN, Vine here.

  On February 3 Reuters' UN bureau chief Lou Charbonneau, a censor,  channeled a UN (DRC) report -- note not only the former Reuters official turned Eritrea sanctions “experts” exposed by Inner City Presshere, but also that this same now discredited Reuters / UN individual was previously ON the DR Congo panel. Typically, Reuters did not actually put the report online.

  Inner City Press in the spirit of transparency is publishing the (update) report, dated January 15, 2016, signed by Coordinator Gaston Gramajo, and its two paragraphs about 18 Burundian combatants, here. 

DR Congo "Group of Experts" Progress Report Including on Burundi by Matthew Russell Lee

Readers can draw their own conclusions, including about the mandate and motivation, and if these 18 is really the way it would go.

 At the African Union Summit in Addis Ababa, Ban Ki-moon barely if at all pushed for peacekeepers for Burundi; his or France's head of UN Peacekeeping Herve Ladsous had largely undercut the idea with a memo than Inner City Press published in full.

(Inner City Press has reported the UN Peacebuilding Configuration will visit February 15-19, click here for that.)

Inner City Press on February 3 asked Ban's Deputy Spokesperson Farhan Haq, transcript here.

On February 2, Inner City Press similarly asked the UN's Haq, transcript here.

  Meanwhile, on January 29, the UN Spokesman threw Inner City Press out of the UN Press Briefing Room then on February 1 made this threat, here. This was echoed on February 2. 
 On January 28, Inner City Press asked UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric about a meeting held but not televised on January 27, at which it was urged that mass grave sites in Burundi be preserved as evidence,video here, transcript here.

On January 29, Inner City Press asked Dujarric again, transcript here. 

  So it's all on Zeid, nothing from Ban Ki-moon, who appears to be playing this like he did Sri Lanka...

 At the UN Security Council stakeout, Inner City Press waited -- including through two North Korea questions, and softballs -- then asked if this UN use of Burundian troops makes sense. There has yet to be an answer, although there are indications one might be forthcoming. (More than 24 hours later, no).  Here for now is about the US training Burundian troops. Watch this site.

Inner City Press asked Ban's spokespeople about the trip on January 20, 21 and 22 - including asking why the UN was not providing a video or at least audio stream of the January 22 press encounters, says it has a  "UN Information Center" in Bujumbura, which produced a smiling photo of the French deputy ambassador Alexis Lamek on the tarmac. The UN said it couldn't.

  Local media in Burundi put online a video in which Lamek spoke at length; afterward a pro-government Burundian media quoted Lamek that "we" take seriously the question of interference by Rwanda to destabilize Burundi and will be working on it.

  But the four scribes handpicked to accompany the Security Council trip, inlcuding Agence France Presse, it seems, for some reasons didn't cover it. Why? We'll have more on this. Instead, AFP, Reuters andVoice of America (which saw "Liberians" then cited auto-correct) filed near-identical stories with no quotes from opposition figures or attacked journalists. None of the three even tweeted on January 23, other than Reuters as a robot: talk about Old Media.

  How could "Agence France Presse," handpicked to publicize the UNSC trip co-led by France, not even cover the controversy?

  We note that the French Mission to the UN said that Lamek was being misrepresented (the same French Mission has tried to shield Lamek from critical Press questions, which here on Vine Lamek has refused to answer even when entirely audible). Later an AFP quote emerged of Lamek saying that any AU force, even the 100 human rights observers, should significantly focus on the Rwandan border.

  On the evening of January 23 the UN has put up select clips including a mere 16 seconds of French deputy ambassador Lamek, much less than the local Burundian media present at the same press encountered had.  If the UN filmed the press encounters, why did it so selectively edit them?

  More specifically, now, who decided on the edits?

Inner City Press, which is the media which on January 22 asked for the live-stream, has asked the UN, publicly on Twitter, here, and in more detail by e-mail to three top UN spokespeople:

"having just seen that your Office put online edited video from Burundi, must ask: why did UN edit the footage it has, with no Burundi government speaker, and only 16 seconds of France, penholder in the UNSC on Burundi? Please provide the full footage, in response to this request and, separately, online. Would also still like answers to questions below" on Burundi.

 And still no answers at all, the next day. Watch this site.

  The UN spokespeople refused to say, but beyond the pro-government "religious leaders" that they cited, the Council also met with at least some of the concerned members of civil society, and some journalists who inevitably raised the issue of attacks and censorship. This was not mentioned by the UN.

  We're told that Ambassador Albert Shingiro, who blocks the Press on Twitter, told the scribes that US Power said she would send “a strong message to the government of Rwanda." Again, Shingiro blocks the Press on Twitter: some diplomat.

  One of the four handpicked pass-throughs opined that "the fact that Council members presented Nkurunziza with a largely unified message on the different issues was seen as a positive sign that they had come closer to a common position." So they traveled to Burundi to work on their own issues? We'll have more on this - and on the Council's junket-ending meetings in Addis, if not on Oromo protests, than this we've asked about. Watch this site.

   On January 22, Inner City Press asked UN Deputy Spokesperson Farhan Haq for the UN's response to Pierre Nkurunziza denying the existence of his party's youth militia, and why there was no video or even audio stream of the Security Council's - and Nkurunziza's -- press statements. Video here.

  Haq replied that "the facilities are difficult," that the UN Spokesperson's Office had reached out to the traveling party for information but hadn't gotten any. The Free UN Coalition for Accesscalls this a failure.

 On January 21 Inner City Press in New York learned both of Pierre Nkurunziza plans to parade "community work" for the Security Council members on January 22 and has been provided with a letter promoting same, here.

  On January 22, even after the Council's meeting with Nkurunziza was over, when Inner City Press asked the UN for a read-out there was none, nor any good explanation of why the UN with its country team could not arrange at least an audio stream of the Council's (and Nkurunziza's) press statements.

 Tellingly, IWACU reports that bike taxi and motorcycle taxi drivers offered money to protest in favor of Nkurunziza weren't, after the fact, paid: here.
    At the January 21 UN noon briefing, Inner City Press asked UN deputy spokesperson Farhan Haq about the "community works" and meeting(s). Video here, UN transcript here:

Inner City Press:  I wanted to ask you this just because I'm trying to cover it, and I know that you'd said yesterday that the Special Adviser, Jamal Benomar, is in Burundi in part of the trip.  So what I wanted to ask you is, I've seen documents that show that the… the… the… tomorrow, the meeting with the President, [Pierre] Nkurunziza, will involve a demonstration of “community work”, i.e., people have been asked to go and I don't know if it's to show how happy they are — Gitega and Karuzi.  Does the Special Adviser… not the Security Council, does the Special Adviser of the Secretary-General believe that this type of… of… of show is the right one and will they be meeting with UPRONA and other opposition groups or prisoners currently in jail?

Deputy Spokesman Haq:  Well, we'll be able to provide details of the meetings once they've taken place.  As you know, the expectation is for the members of the Council to meet with President Nkurunziza.  That hasn't happened so far, but once that's happened, we'll see what the circumstances are and what the views of Mr. Benomar are.



 This is reminiscent of the type of dog-and-pony show Sri Lanka's then President Mahinda Rajapaksa put on for visiting UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon and that Inner City Press accompanied and covered(apparently not to the UN's and its allies' liking - it has been Banned from trips since.) But will the UNSC, unlike Ban, have the fortitude or leverage to reject a dog and pony show? Watch this site.

On January 19 at the UN, Inner City Press asked Uruguay's Vice Minister for Foreign Affairs Jose Luis Cancela, chairing the Security Council debate on Protection of Civilians, about Burundi and the Council's trip. Video here.

  On January 21, Inner City Press and the Free UN Coalition for Accessasked UK Permanent Representative Matthew Rycroft about his stop-over on Addis Ababa, "will you as UK meet with AU before heading to Burundi? About AU's proposed deployment?"

   Rycroft replied, "Yes! Looking forward to meeting @AU_Chergui today. Will also return to Addis with whole UNSC after Burundi."

  In Addis, Chergui had filed the Concept of Operation for the MAPROBU peacekeeping mission. We'll have more on this.

  Burundian civil society has written to Ban seeking the repatriation of the country's peacekeepers. Inner City Press has put the letter from Vital Nshimirimana to Ban online here, and will be asking the UN about it. Watch this site.

  On December 30 Nkurunziza threatened to have his forces attack peacekeepers proposed for the country.


Obtained by Inner City Press

Ladsous' lack of vetting was criticized in the recently released report into the cover up of peacekeepers' rapes in the Central African Republic. Earlier, Inner City Press exclusive reported on Ladsous in his October 1, 2015 meeting with Burundi's vice president saying that he is "pragmatic" on human rights.

 On December 16 Inner City Press was banned from questions to Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, but learned from the mission MINUSCA that Baratuza was already in Entebbe. Inner City Press asked several Security Council members, then Ban's spokesman Stephane Dujarric on December17.

Dujarric told Inner City Press Baratuza's deployment is suspended and he is being repatriated: "based on the information we've received regarding the Lieutenant Colonel, his deployment has been suspended, and he will be repatriated back to Burundi." Video here. Dujarric told Inner City Press this shows the UN system working - on a day when a report on rapes was issued showing UN Peacekeeping under Herve Ladsous not sufficiently vetting for human rights. We'll have more on this.



 Amid the escalating killings in Burundi, summary executions in neighborhoods opposed to Pierre Nkurunziza's third term stand out. But Burundi Army spokesman Gaspard Baratuza was quoted on December 12 blaming all of the deaths on attempts to steal weapons to free prisoners.

   Inner City Press heard that Mr. Baratuza was already in the process of being deployed to the UN Peacekeeping mission in the Central African Republic (MINUSCA) even when he was giving these quotes, issuing statements and speaking to state-owned radio, and so asked MINUSCA's acting spokesperson, “Is Gaspard Baratuza of Burundi's army getting a MINUSCA job?” Ultimately, after the questioning, he didn't.
 
   But the UN should have to say more. Inner City Press has repeatedly asked the UN how its Department of Peacekeeping Operations under Herve Ladsous vets those who deploy to UN missions; Inner City Pressexclusively reported on an October 1, 2015 meeting in which Ladsous told Burundi's Vice President Joseph Butare that he is “pragmatic” on human rights.



 Ban Ki-moon and his spokesman declined to take Inner City Press' questions on December 16, as they did on December 14. Vine here.  Watch this site.