UN Confirms Fighting in Darfur, Says JEM Not Exclusive, Deby Says UN Spies?

By Matthew Russell Lee
www.innercitypress.com/darfur2sla030510.html

UNITED NATIONS, March 5 -- After days of the UN saying it had no access to Jebel Marra in Darfur, and could not confirm the fighting there, late Friday top UN peacekeeper Alain Le Roy told Inner City Press that yes, we confirm confirm fighting between the SLA Abdul Wahid and the government.

Inner City Press asked for the response of the UN, which praised the deal between Khartoum and JEM, to JEM's later statement that it would renounce the deal if similar offers were made to other Darfur rebel groups. Video here, from Minute 3:19. Le Roy sputtered that JEM "has not repudiated the framework agreement."

Le Roy claimed that the Security Council was clear that "no one will have exclusivity of signing anything with the Sudanese authority." But who from the UN spoke with JEM's Khalil Ibrahim?

Inner City Press also asked Le Roy about his agreement with Chad's Idriss Deby, that the UN mission can remain only two more months and then must start leaving. How would this be possible, in the rainy season which begins in May? It will be difficult, Le Roy said. Video here, from Minute 11:40.

Also on Chad, Inner City Press asked about Deby's anger at those who say he did not want any observers to his upcoming election. Le Roy quickly responded that elections observations were not in MINURCAT's mandate. Even in the most egregious cases?

So it's like the UN's UNAMA in Afghanistan, snarked one cynic.

A Sudanese Mission source later told Inner City Press that the backdrop to Chad's President Deby ordering the UN to start leaving was his accusation that the MINURCAT mission was "spying." This was said with a certain glee.

And see, www.innercitypress.com/darfur2sla030510.html

On Darfur, UN Won't "Second Guess" Motives of JEM Deal As It Falls Apart, UNAMID Still Out of Jebel Marra

By Matthew Russell Lee
www.innercitypress.com/darfur1sla030310.html

UNITED NATIONS, March 3 -- Days after the UN praised the deal between Sudan's Omar al Bashir government and the Darfur rebels of the Justice and Equality Movement, JEM leader Khalil Ibrahim has threatened to pull out of the deal if Bashir signs similar pacts with other rebel groups.

Inner City Press asked UN spokesman Martin Nesirky if Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, his envoy Ibrahim Gambari or mediator Bassole had been aware of JEM's position when they praised the deal. Video here, from Minute 17:50.

Nesirky said "it's not for me or the UN to second guess what is motivating JEM people to say what they're saying." Perhaps not -- but if Mr. Ban called Darfur one of him major priorities, and he praised a deal which was based on excluding all Darfur rebels except JEM, it seems fair to ask what did Ban know and when did he know it? Otherwise, as many feel, it was just a fake announcement to give the false impression of progress and peace.

In fact, since the signing of the deal, the government and the Abdul Wahid Nur faction of the SLA have been fighting in Jebel Marra. Doctors of the World say 100,000 people have been displaced; there are reports of over 200 dead.

When Inner City Press asked at noon on March 2, the UN's deputy humanitarian chief Catherine Bragg said that the UN would be accessing Jebel Marra. But 24 hours later when Inner City Press asked again, Mr. Nesirky said the UN had not yet gotten in and therefore "can't confirm reports." Video here, from Minute 16:06.

Why this wasn't said at the beginning of the briefing, but rather was relegated to an "if asked," is not clear.

In fact, Nesirky tried to avoid having the Darfur question asked. After Inner City Press asked a first questions about the Congo, Nesirky declined to allow a second question, despite offering just that to others. Near the end of the briefing, Inner City Press got the question in, and Nesirky read an answer from a script.

Footnote: on the Congo question, about a national staff job action against MONUC, Nesirky said to "ask MONUC." After he read out a response about UNIFIL Inner City Press asked about the difference. Video here from Minute 15:45. "It's very clear," Nesirky said. "There is a difference between speaking with colleagues in MONUC and having the guidance." Moments after the briefing, one of Nesirky's assistance emailed the MONUC guidance to Inner City Press. So what about the double standard? Watch this site.

And see, www.innercitypress.com/darfur1sla030310.html