UNITED NATIONS, December 10 – The United Nations does some good work but is increasingly a platform for unaccountable self-styled thinkers who got their well compensated positions through murky processes including nepotism and are entirely comfortable restricting and even evicting their critics while, of course, they blather about freedom of the press and purport to fight corruption. This is happening at the very top of UN headquarters as Inner City Press has been covering of late - but it is once again on display in Kenya, host to the UN's regional UNON office. There the UN Resident Coordinator Siddharth Chatterjee, who was given the job without recusal by his father in law Ban Ki-moon, was notably silent as an election was reversed and opposition and civilians killed and detained. (Now the NASA coalition has postponed its December 12 event. What did Sid so during Kenya's detention of David Ndii - as little as the UN is doing for Patrice Nganang in Cameroon?) Or perhaps Sid did Chat - he blocks Inner City Press on Twitter, and has recently knee-jerk and conveniently come to the defense of UN Deputy Secretary General Amina J. Mohammed, claiming that the questions about her signing 4000 rosewood certificates for murky export to China from Nigeria and reportedly Cameroon, unanswered even to the UN CITES meeting in Geneva in late November, is “fake news.” In his view, the 95,000 people petitioning the UN to investigate Mohammed are deluded and to be blocked. This from a UN Resident Coordinator who threatened legal action again, or in the alternative a job for, an Indian journalist who picked up Inner City Press initial reports of Chatterjee's nepotistic rise through the UN system. Why did Staffan de Mistura name Sid his chief of staff in Iraq, and threaten those who commented on it? Then UNOPS? Why have the questions about the specifics of Siddharth Chatterjee's much use time during a bloody military campaign (including the killing of civilians) in Sri Lanka yet to be answered? Sid's pattern of threats and finding proxy defenders has now spread to the 38th floor of the UN. And "Social Media" Sid's practice of blocking critics on Twitter spread to the Resident Coordinator in Cameroon - who reversed and disavowed it - and to the the UN's Yemen Envoy and also to the UN Department of Public Information's perennial Number Two. How far into scandal and lack of transparency has today's UN of Secretary General Antonio Guterres and his Deputy Amina J. Mohammed fallen? Now while Guterres has decided not to hold any end of year press conference, Guterres on December 8 held a by invitation only session with some media from Japan, where he intends amid world crises and his own administration's scandal to visit for a relatively obscure health conference, only for money. See here, saying Guterres met with Japanese media on December 8 prior to his trip. Guterres had no news; it was only about the money, as he proved on November 21 when his UN used $1 million from China Energy Fund Committee even after the indictment for bribery of CEFC's Patrick Ho. But will Guterres' promiscuous sycophantry, between Japan and China, get him caught? He's counting on the sycophants who will "honor" him on December 15 on Wall Street, charging $1200 a table to see him. We'll have more on this. Also, now Guterres' swearing-in ceremonies, which had been open to the press and public under him and his predecessor Ban Ki-moon are no longer listed in the UN Department of Public Information's Media Alert, and Press questions about whether this was an oversight (to escape oversight) or for an explanation go unanswered. This as the Guterres and his DPI chief Alison Smale, set to belatedly be sworn in on December 6, ignored the calls of thousands as an environmental and corruption matter to investigate Amina Mohammed's UNanswered scandal of mass-signing certificates for endangered rosewood already shipped to China and as a media freedom matter to stop subjecting the Press which pursue UN corruption stories to more restrictions than other, some no-show, outlets. Smale has been on the job, or in the UN, since September. She has yet to respond to four separate inquiries despite in October saying she recognized the need to show the courtesy of a response. (Two days later her DPI issued a new threat to Inner City Press' accreditation). Guterres has yet to take questions on why his UN used $1 million from China Energy Fund Committee even after CEFC chief Patrick Ho was indicted for bribery in the UN. Amina Mohammed has refused to answer Press rosewood questions. Meanwhile Guterres is trying to sell purported reforms, for recently in a December 4 session of the UN's Fifth (Budget) Committee. On December 5, after Guterres spokesman Stephane Dujarric dodged Inner City Press' questions about the session, the UN Department of Public Information's Media Alert for December 6 did not provide notice of or access for Guterres' belated swearing in of his censor in chief at DPI, Alison Smale. Photos here. Amina Mohammed is also, according to her oft-empty schedule, supposed to be at the swearing in, perhaps further explaining the decision to close it to the press. Inner City Press immediately wrote to the UNresponsive Smale and Guterres, and MALU, with this: "Hello. The UN MALU Media Alert for December 6 has just been e-mailed out at 8:12 pm and Inner City Press has a question that it needs answered: SG Guterres' schedule for Dec 6 lists the swearing in of three senior officials including DPI's Alison Smale for 9:45 am. But DPI's Media Alert lists its first event at 10 am. Until now, swearings-in of USG have always been public, open to independent Press and in the Media Alert. Was this a mistake by DPI, or is there now even less transparency in this, as in other matters, by the UN? Inner City Press and FUNCA need to know now, to plan arrival at MALU at 9:15 am for the 9:45 am swearing in. This also informs you, as Maher Nasser was informed on the record in August, that the no-show, no-question Egyptian state media Akhbar al Yom assigned Inner City Press' long time shared work space S-303 has not come in in weeks, and has asked a single question in two years. Reversal is required." The absence continued on December 8, during the Jerusalem meeting co-requested by Egypt. On December 8, Inner City Press asked Dujarric to explain, UN transcript here: Inner City Press: In the past, events in which the Secretary-General, including the previous one and even this one, has sworn in officials, to swear in their allegiance to the global public have always been open press. Now they are not. So I wanted to know, I came in earlier for the one with Alison [Smale] and two others and was told it’s closed; but I just wanted to know, given particularly the purpose of the ceremonies, not just a handshake it’s actually a… what is the reasoning behind it?Spokesman: I think we are making some adjustments, and obviously there was the UN photographers there, UN TV, so that material is available to everybody. Thank you." This transcript cut out Inner City Press audibly saying, Why go toward being less transparent? to which Dujarric claimed it's translucent. Inner City Press said and says, murky and opaque. Note for example that when Guterres swore in Mohammed, it was open press, Inner City Press covered and live streamed it and there have been follow up questions about the cost and composition of the delegation. Now, they try to close the historically open swearing-in ceremonies to the press: this is today's UN. Watch this site. The UN has dodged Press questions for a month about UN Deputy Secretary General Amina J. Mohammed signing thousands of certificates for rosewood already exported from Nigeria and it seems Cameroon to China, just before she took up her UN position. Most recently, after UN correspondents who tried to help her evade the questions declared she is being "vilified," the CITES meeting in Geneva declined China's open and Nigeria's more stealth lobbying to close the case, and issued a decision that "With regard to trade in specimens of Pterocarpus erinaceus: b) Parties should not accept any CITES permit or certificate for Pterocarpus erinaceus issued by Nigeria unless its authenticity has been confirmed by the Secretariat, noting that China and Nigeria have existing CITES document exchanging mechanism to verify the authenticity of all CITES permits and certificates for Pterocarpus erinaceus issued by Nigeria. c) Range States and importing countries should pay particular attention to trade in Pterocarpus erinaceus to ensure that trade in this species only takes place when Parties are satisfied that it is in line with the requirements of the Convention. d) The Standing Committee welcomed the invitation by the Government of Nigeria to conduct a technical mission to Nigeria and invited the Secretariat to provide any relevant information on compliance with the Convention related to trade in Pterocarpus erinaceus to the Standing Committee." This scandal will no go away, even if as some predict Mohammed does. Watch this site. The UN becomes less transparent by the day. For more than two weeks UN Spokesman Stephane Dujarric had dodged and refused questions from Inner City Press about Deputy Secretary General Amina J. Mohammed signing 4,000 certificates for rosewood illegal logged in Cameroon and parts of Nigeria and already in China. Now in the absence of answers a cursory review of the UN's so-called "public disclosure" website finds that Amina Mohammed nine months into her tenure as Deputy SG has not filed any disclosure: she is not even listed. This stands in contrast, for example, to the UN's envoy to Afghanistan Tadamichi Yamamoto, who signed his Public Disclosure form on October 23, 2017 (Residential property, joint ownership, Japan; Mortgage, Mitsui Sumitomo Bank, Japan) and another of the few Japanese UN high officials, Izumi Nakamitsu who signed her Public Disclosure form on January 18, 2017 (Two residential properties, joint ownership, Sweden; Mortgage, Handelsbanken, jointly held, Sweden). In other murky news, after Secretary General Antonio Guterres went to Lisbon for four days (while spokesman Dujarric refused Press requests to disclosure the cost of that trip, like Amina Mohammed's to Cape Town), he will soon travel to Japan, for a merely regional health conference. We'll have more on this. As to Mohammed, the export to China of illegally harvested rosewood, reported on by Le Monde on November 3 with reference to UN Deputy Secretary General Amina J. Mohammed who signed the certificates, also involves "smuggling from Cameroon." See EIA video, here. This may put a new light on the UN's inaction on the Cameroonian government's killings and Internet cut off in the Anglophone zones. Cameroon's Ambassador to the UN, while saying he'd call upstairs to ensure Inner City Press couldn't go there any more (the UN's Department of Public Information did threaten Inner City Press' accreditation for Periscope broadcasting in connection with photo ops on the 38th floor), also bragged that the DSG's opposition to separatism in Biafra led to the same position on Cameroon. And just as UN envoy Chambas went and preached One Nigeria, failing UN envoy Francois Fall called Southern Cameroons secessionists "extremists," on DPI's UN Radio no less. They say in journalism, Follow the Money. But in this case it may be, Follow the Rosewood, or Kosso. In terms of money: Joe Biden appeared at the UN on November 3, and tables were sold for up to $50,000. One might think, after the proved corruption of the UN in the Ng Lap Seng / John Ashe trial for events in this same Delegates Dining Room, charging this kind of money for sitting with a “senior UN official” would be a thing of the past. Or after Antonio Guterres was questioned after taking a golden statue from Paul Biya, the 35-year rules of Cameroon. But no. On November 6, Deputy Secretary General Amina J. Mohammed appeared, took an award and gave a speech at an event in Washington for which $25,000 sponsorships were offered, here, by a publication which covers and is promoted by the UN (while following up on November 9 on Le Monde's November 3 story, no mention of Cameroon.) On November 9, Inner City Press asked the UN Spokesman Stephane Dujarric, UN transcript here: Inner City Press; as you know or you or Farhan [Haq] had said, she just recently received the Diplomat of the Year Award from Foreign Policy down in DC. Was she aware of this story being in preparation when she accepted the award? Often, to receive the award, you have to be present. How long were the discussions? Spokesman: I think some of those questions should be addressed to Foreign Policy. She was fully aware that the story was going to come out when she received the award." No Cameroon. Ban Ki-moon allowed the corruption of Ng Lap Seng, and Antonio Guterres has done thing to reverse it. In fact, Guterres left through the same door Biden came in, one hour before, using public funds to fly to his home in Lisbon, using a 15 minutes speech there on Monday to justify a three day UN paid junket. And his spokesman refused to answer questions, even about his one on one lunches on the 38th floor, where Inner City Press' use of Periscope during photo ops has allowed Guterres' DPI under Alison Smale to threaten its accreditation. All of this takes place while Guterres covers up mass killing in Cameroon, and is prepared to be sold himself, on Wall Street no less. We'll have more on this. On November 2, Guterres' spokesman Stephane Dujarric announced that "on Monday, the Secretary-General will be in Lisbon to participate in the Web Summit 2017, which brings together the leaders of key Internet companies with officials from different Governments. You are aware of the attention the Secretary-General has been devoting to the uses of the Internet." Really? Guterres was silent for example when Cameroon cut off the Internet for 94 days this year; his Department of Public Information has threatened Inner City Press' accreditation for unspecified violation by live-streaming a Guterres photo op using Twitter's Periscope platform. But why did Guterres take this speaking gig, which it turns out is for only 15 minutes at 7:25 pm on the evening of Monday, November 6? Inner City Press asked Dujarric, who refused to state with whom Guterres had a formal lunch meeting in the UN dining room with UN funds on November 3, where Guterres will be on Saturday and Sunday. Dujarric replied: "sg will be in lisbon over the weekend." It sure seems like that's why he took the Lisbon speaking gig. And in fact, even before 5 pm on Friday, November 3, Guterres left the UN with bodyguards, in a three-car convoy. Who is paying for all this? On October 27, after Guterres' spokespeople stonewalled Inner City Press for three days on his plans for a grip and grin meeting in a Cameroon airport with Paul Biya, who has killed hundreds this year as well as cutting the Internet Guterres loves so much, they also refused to say how Guterres personal, or shall we say Lisbon-focused, travel is paid for, and how much it costs. From the UN transcript: Inner City Press: If he goes to Lisbon, Portugal, does he take UN security with him? In which case, where do they stay, and what are the costs? How are they borne? Deputy Spokesman: However he does his stopovers, he does it at the least cost to the UN. And a lot of times, what that means is traveling with a smaller delegation, and it also means traveling on commercial flights. He does take specific steps, and he's been very conscientious over these months of making sure that he travels with as slim a delegation as he has. Inner City Press: My question is just who's paying for his security if he goes to Lisbon? And also I'm aware that he sent some people in advance to CAR. They didn't travel with him, but they were actually part of the party. So is there an attempt to bifurcate traveling trips so that some people are not considered to be traveling with him. For example, the UN photographer, I'm aware, went days in advance. Why was that? Deputy Spokesman: Well, sometimes advance teams go out when it's needed to do that. For us, in terms of the Department of Public Information, there are many times when it's useful for us to send our media crews in advance to get different coverage for the sort of pieces and features that they do. Inner City Press: Can we just get the cost? It's a straight transparency question. Deputy Spokesman: The costs of travel are calculated over the year and shared with the Member States, and that's how we do it. All right. Have a good weekend, everyone." Antonio sure will - on the public dime. Back on July 29, the day after guilty verdicts on six counts of UN bribery in the case of Ng Lap Seng, UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres flew to Split for a seven day vacation on the Dalmatian islands, according to sources there. Guterres' spokespeople did not disclose the travel or any week-long absence to the press covering the UN, at least not to the Press evicted and still restricted for covering Ng's bribery. This lack of transparency stands in contrast to the executive branch in Washington and even New York routinely disclosing travel including vacation travel. But the UN has no press protections either - Guterres has been asked. Meanwhile his spokespeople says the UN should get paid for the UNreformed corruption shown in the Ng trial and verdict. We'll have more on this. When UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres on July 27 had a brief meeting with Qatar's Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani, Qatar state media and other UN based photographers went up. Alamy photos here. There were complaints how short the handshake was; Inner City Press noted that on the UN side of the table were only four people, all men, including Jeffrey Feltman. Periscope video here. Guterres was scheduled to be at another meeting in 25 minutes time. So will the UN help solve the stand-off in the Gulf? It seems unlikely. The UN never answered Inner City Press' questions of if Feltman had visited Saudi Arabia and if not, why not. Back on July 19 Guterres.had a meeting and photo op with Spain's Foreign Minister Alfonso María Dastis Quecedo. Inner City Press went to cover it, Alamy photos here, Periscope video hereincluding of whether Dastis should write "una poema" in the UN visitors' book. Inner City Press barely arriving on time due to the crowd of tourists at the UN's visitors entrance. It has been this waysince Spain's now-gone Under Secretary General Cristina Gallach had Inner City Press evicted from and still restricted at the UN after Inner City Press asked her about attending indicted Macau-based businessman Ng Lap Seng's South South Awards, and allowing Ng fundees improper events in the UN. Although Guterres did not continue Gallach's contract - she lobbied to stay, but failed - her negative impacts are still in evidence. The Spanish Mission to the UN, now off the Security Council, likewise did nothing to reign Gallach in. But surely they are lobbying Guterres to get another Under Secretary General position, even as their Fernando Arias Gonzalez runs against six others to head the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons. We'll have more on this. The day before on July 18 Guterres had a meeting and photo op with the Dominican Republic's Foreign Minister Miguel Vargas Maldonado (Alamy photos here, Periscope video here); it came one day after in the UN bribery case against Ng Lap Seng a video of then then-President Leonel Fernandez Reyna visiting South South News near the UN was discussed. That video is here. South South News was a bribery conduit, its funds used for gambling by Dominican Deputy Permanent Representative Francis Lorenzo in Las Vegas and Atlantic City while the UN's Department of Public Information let SSN's content into UNTV archives and let Ng fundees have impermissible events in the UN. On July 18, Guterres' Deputy Spokesman Farhan Haq refused to answer Inner City Press' yes or no questions about South South News and the UN. After the July 18 photo op, Inner City Press had nowhere to edit - for seeking to cover an event in the UN Press Briefing Room in pursuing the UN / SSN corruption story, Inner City Press was evicted and still restricted. The 38th floor apparently loves it.On July 10 Guterres has a photo op with Colombia's Foreign Minister Maria Angela Holguin Cuellar. It was supposed to be in his office in UN Headquarters at 4:30 pm. But on little notice he moved it to his - make that, the UN and the public's - mansion on Sutton Place and 57th Street, at 4 pm. Inner City Press jumped on the city bus up First Avenue, broadcasting a Periscope video about the change, when suddenly it was urged to stop broadcasting by a board member of the UN Correspondents Association, which Guterres' deputy spoke before last week and whose former president Giampaolo Pioli's Hampton's gratiuty-fest the UN acting head of Public Information Maher Nasser attended, the UN Censorship Alliance. This is today's UN. Still, up on Sutton Place UN Security brought up a sniffing dog in a UN 4x4, and two quick photos were allowed before Guterres escorted Holguin onto "his" elevator. Back at the UN, the door to the UN Security Council stakeout was locked, and the turnstile where targeting Inner City Press' ID pass no longer works was guarded by new UN Security who didn't even recognize the UN minder. Still, we got thisPeriscope, despite UN censorship which continues.
UNITED NATIONS, September 25 – After the Kenya elections results the UN praised on August 12 were thrown out on September 1, Inner City Press immediately asked the three top spokespeople of UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres for comment. There was none then, and when Guterres took some media questions on September 5, Inner City Press loudly asked Guterres if he has any update to its praise of Kenya's now reversed election. Video here. Now on September 25, Inner City Press asked Guterres's spokesman, UN transcript here: Inner City Press: In Kenya, the… the UN staff member on leave, Roselyn Akombe, has said she's facing death threats. There's also reports of investigation of her role in the… in the Electoral Commission and the arrest of a… of a member of parliament for allegedly insulting the President, [Uhuru] Kenyatta. I'm just wondering, what is the UN… the UN, since it has an office in Nairobi and is seeing these things take place, including the arrest of parliamentarians for verbal insults to the President, does the UN have any response to what's taking place…?Spokesman: I don't have anything on that. You're welcome to check also with the office in Nairobi." But the head of the UN office in Nairobi, Ban Ki-moon's son in law Siddharth Chatterjee, blocks Inner City Press. Back on September 5 Guterres stopped - and then bragged that his official letter (a belated one on Myanmar) will be in Dujarric's office. Not a single question, or even sentence, was about Africa, where most of the UN's peacekeeping operations are. On September 11, Inner City Press asked Dujarric about Uhuru Kenyatta saying if Raila Odinga is elected president in the re-run election on October 17, his party will remove him from office: "even if he is elected, we have the opportunity in two months, three months to remove him." Dujarric wouldn't criticize even this, and refused Inner City Press' question on UN Roselyn Akombe, except to refer to some written request that has never been shown to the public. Then Dujarric walked off; see this. Back on September 5, three hours after Guterres refused its question, the UN sent Inner City Press this: "Regarding your question on the Kenyan election process, we have the following to say: The United Nations takes note of the Supreme Court’s ruling on the 8 August 2017 presidential elections. The Secretary-General's position, as conferred in previous statements and calls, has been that parties should take their grievances to Court and respect the Court’s decisions, which both Jubilee and NASA have demonstrated today. He reiterates his call on all political leaders and their supporters to respect and abide by the ruling of the Court, as the legal and constitutionally mandated body with the highest authority to decide on this matter." On September 7, Inner City Press asked Dujarric, UN transcript here: Inner City Press: on Kenya obviously, the drought readout. But, as I'm sure you know, beyond what you emailed after the Secretary-General's stakeout, the election results were thrown out, and now, there's an enormous fight around the Electoral Commission. Given that there's one on-hiatus UN DPA [Department of Political Affairs] staffer on the commission and given that person being now ousted from the commission was a former UNDP staffer, there are many people in Kenya wondering what the… if the UN is, in fact, impartial in this case. What is the UN's view of the… of the Electoral Commission dispute? And is Ms. Roslyn Akombe still on…? Spokesman: She's still on special leave. I think the ruling of the Supreme Court is something we've taken note of. I think the Secretary-General, in an interview that he did yesterday, I think said it was a sign of democracy, of the democratic process. From the beginning, I think we have been calling on parties who had grievances to follow the legal pathways. That has happened. It is now up to the Kenyans and the established procedures to be followed. Inner City Press: So, I mean, just because as you may have seen, the President [Uhuru] Kenyatta of Kenya has called the head of the Supreme Court a "crook" and said that if he wins on a second term he will "take care of the Court". So, does that… I didn't see this interview, but is that within… within… in keeping with the Secretary-General's saying that everyone is following the legal procedure? Spokesman: "That would not be." The dubious August 8 electoral results have been thrown out by the Supreme Court, because the "Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission" IEBC) “failed, neglected or refused to conduct the presidential election in a manner consistent with the dictates of the constitution." At the UN, Secretary General Guterres had very quickly congratulated August 8 "winner" Uhuru Kenyatta; since then Guterres' spokesman Stephane Dujarric has dodged and then refused Inner City Press' questions. On the morning of September 1, Inner City Press asked Dujarric and his top two deputies: "On deadline, what are the comments of the Secretary General and, separately, of the UN's Resident Coordinator in Kenya, and the USG of DPA, on the throwing-out of the August 8 electoral “win” of Uhuru Kenyatta? Again, what is the status of Roselyn Akombe with the UN, especially now? Confirm or deny that the DPA post held by Taye Brook Zerihoun was offered to Monica Juma, and separately if, after August 8, she said she didn't (any longer?) want the position. Please now answer Inner City Press' August 28 questions about Kenya, and the entirely unanswered questions from August 29 and August 30. Please confirm receipt of this email." But Dujarric and his deputies didn't answer, didn't confirm receipt or even put out anything on Kenya. The UN is corrupt. Will Kenyatta still come speak at the UN General Assembly high level week on September 20, scheduled as put online by the Free UN Coalition for Access (also cracked down on by the UN), here? What of the cravenly pro-Kenyatta work of UN Resident Coordinator in Kenya Siddharth Chatterjee, the son in law of former Secretary General Ban Ki-moon whom Ban gave the job without any recusal? When Inner City Press asked its questions, Chatterjee blocked Inner City Press on Twitter and UN Headquarters said that' fine. The UN has become a place of censorship for corruption. We'll have more on this.
UNITED NATIONS, January 25 – With at least two South Sudanese threatened with deportation by Kenya, Inner City Press on January 25 asked UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric for the UN's response. From the UN transcript:
Inner City Press: extradition questions, not South Korea extradition but are you aware of the impending extradition of South Sudanese human rights lawyer Samuel Luak, who defended Pagan Amum? Basically, a number of highly respected groups are saying that, if he’s deported, he will face unjust treatment. So I’m wondering, has the UN…
Spokesman Dujarric: I, I have, don’t have an update here, but, again, you can check locally with the mission.
Inner City Press: So that would be the resident coordinator? I’m talking about in Kenya.
Spokesman: In Kenya, you can check with the UN Information Centre in Nairobi.
Dujarric was until December 31 the spokesman for Ban Ki-moon, who before he left the UN promoted his own son in law Siddharth Chatterjee to the top UN post in Kenya, as Resident Coordinator.
In fact, in Sri Lanka Ban's son in law is implicated in presumptive war crimes, the Jaffna Hospital massacre and the crushing of civilians with tanks. And it's from him that Ban took his advice on Sri Lanka, where Ban oversaw the killing of more than 40,000 civilians.
Tellingly, as the UN's Resident Coordinator in Kenya, Ban's son in law Chatterjee has remained silent not only on the targeting of South Sudanese, but on the protests profiled in a study released by Article 19, here.
Ban's son in law ignores Ban's supposed “Rights Up Front,” given his action in Sri Lanka (see below) and because he is entirely unaccountable: he could only be fired by Ban Ki-moon, his father in law. Nepotism is harmful.
On December 3 Inner City Press reported the ever-increasingly likelihood that Ban Ki-moon's son in law Chatterjee was involved in crimes of war in Sri Lanka, which neither Ban's spokesman Stephane Dujarric nor Chatterjee himself when asked in the UN lobby was willing to answer.
For some time Inner City Press has heard that Chatterjee, as part of the Indian Peace Keeping Force in Sri Lanka, was a war criminal. Inner City Press asked Ban's spokesman Dujarric if Chatterjee was involved in the Jaffna University raid, or the Jaffna hospital massacre, without answer.
UNITED NATIONS, December 3 -- Two weeks after Inner City Press formally gave UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon's spokesman Stephane Dujarric a link to an Internet page about Ban's brother Ki-ho engaged in mining in Myanmar's Shan state through South Korean firm KD Power -- as well as Bosung -- the response has been to have the page removed from the Internet.
This comes after Ban's son in law Siddharth Chatterjee, promoted by Ban without recusal to the highest UN position in Kenya, ordered an article about nepotism removed from the website.
Now Inner City Press can further report the ever-increasingly likelihood that Ban Ki-moon's son in law Chatterjee was involved in crimes of war in Sri Lanka, which neither Ban's spokesman Stephane Dujarric nor Chatterjee himself when asked in the UN lobby was willing to answer.
For some time Inner City Press has heard that Chatterjee, as part of the Indian Peace Keeping Force in Sri Lanka, was a war criminal. Inner City Press asked Ban's spokesman Dujarric if Chatterjee was involved in the Jaffna University raid, or the Jaffna hospital massacre, without answer.
That is precisely the unit that tried to raid Jaffna University (video here), and after suffering losses, committed atrocities against civilians, not only at Jaffna hospital but also running them over with tanks. Running civilians over with tanks and crushing them: a war crime. We'll have more on this.
On December 2, Ban's spokesman Stephane Dujarric blythely announced that Ban will travel from December 7 to 9 to receive an anti-corruption award presented by the Emir of Qatar.
On November 28 Ban's spokesman Stephane Dujarric said that he understands Ban Ki-ho no longer works for KD Power. But when Inner City Press asked when was the last time Ban Ki-moon spoke with his brother Ki-ho, Spokesman Dujarric said glibly that he has no clue, and hasn't returned with any answer.
While Team Ban, including the South Korean Mission to the UN which on November 10 asked Inner City Press for the since-disappeared KD Power link, and the Bosung links, think they have ended this particular inquiry into nepotism by asserting Ban Ki-ho is no longer with KD Power, they have not answered even once on Bosung.
Inner City Press has submitted questions to Ban Ki-ho at Bosung but they have not been responded to.
Now consider this, from Kenya: "government has signed a memorandum of understanding with two Korean firms for the development of the coffee value chain. The agreement with Good Beans Limited and Bosung Company to the tune of Sh202 million will see the establishment of a coffee processing and packaging plant."
The UN has refused to answer on Ban's nephew "Dennis Bahn" working for Colliers, which does business the UN as a landlord in New York (as well as using Ban's and the UN's name to attempt other real estate deal). The UN has refused to even look into a Myanmar government report of Ban's brother Ki-ho on a "UN delegation" in Myanmar, where he does business. Now this. Watch this site.
On November 30, Inner City Press asked Ban Ki-moon's deputy spokesman Farhan Haq, UN transcript here: Inner City Press: there's one thing I wanted to ask you, which is, I've been ask… I've asked both and you Stéphane several times about the business of Ban Ki-ho in Myanmar. And the most recent thing that Stéphane said was that he… the brother of… Ban Ki-ho is no longer with KD Power, but he's still with Bosung. He's still listed with Bosung.
And so I wanted to ask you whether there's ever going to be an answer on this Government of Myanmar statement that Bosung and a UN delegation toured the country in advance of business, because it seems like… and I've also found that Bosung does some business in Kenya. So I'm encouraging you, I guess… I don't know how… how exactly you… you clemence… you collect such information, but if… if… if the brother of the Secretary-General was on a UN delegation, it seems to be an eminently straightforward question. So I'm asking you again…
Deputy Spokesman: We have no information suggesting that he was part of any UN delegation. So beyond that, it would really be a question for whoever is employing him.
ICP Question: Bosung hasn't answered either. I've written to Bosung. That's what you said to do. So I'm going to keep… I mean…
Deputy Spokesman: Well, we don't control them. It's up to them to reply.
ICP Question: So who do you ask, in terms of the UN delegation? Can you tell me who was on the delegation?
Deputy Spokesman: I have no information about a UN delegation in this capacity.
Are they just not trying, trying to run out the string and Ban's clock?
Dujarric has said he would "buckle up" and answer the UN delegation, Bosung and other outstanding questions, but hasn't -- this despite him onNovember 29 telling Inner City Press that earlier that day he had spoken with Ban who said he'll return to South Korea in "mid-January." (Notably, Bloomberg View controlled by the same Bloomberg who Ban made a UN Special Envoy, is now saying Park should hang on until the end of the year so that Ban could run, see here: "If she departs near the end of the year, an election for her successor could be held in March. That would allow United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon time to finish out his term and, if he wishes, run to replace her.) From scandal to scandal - we'll have more on this.
Let's review: Inner City Press discovered that Ban Ki-moon's brother Ki-Ho's firm KD Power was thrown out of the UN Global Compact, the UN's easy-to-stay-in blue-washing mechanism for corporations. See here.
What does it say about Ban Ki-moon's actual commitment to human rights if he can't even get his own brother to meet the minimal requirements of the UN Global Compact? Inner City Press asked November 25 in writing, to three of Ban's spokespeople, and got no answer.
So on November 28 Inner City Press asked Ban's lead spokesman Stephane Dujarric, UN transcript here:
Inner City Press: on the brother of Ban Ki-moon, Ban Ki-ho and KD Power Company, there's a letter. They joined the Global Compact, and the signatory for KD Power was Ban Ki-ho. They've been expelled from the Global Compact as of 21 September 2015. So given what the Secretary-General has said about the Global Compact, does he find anything ironic that his brother's company for which he signed a letter has been expelled? And, two, the brother, Farhan [Haq], in your absence, said ask these questions about the mining in Myanmar and the UN delegation to the companies. I've now written to the email address that's on the brother's thing, and there's no response.
Spokesman: My understanding is that the Secretary-General's brother no longer works for the company. I think the Secretary-General would expect the Global Compact to enforce its rules in the same manner with every company, whether his brother may… had worked for the company or had not. I think that's… I think the Secretary-General welcomes the Global Compact's conducting of its… and enforcing of its rules and regulations blindly.
ICP Question: Given… given the still unresolved issue of… while he was engaged in mining in Myanmar, his mentioning by a government website as being a part of a UN delegation in the country, I'd like to ask you, just factually, when's the last time Ban Ki-moon spoke with his brother?
Spokesman: I have no clue.
Yeah - no clue. Later on November 28, a senior Ban Ki-moon official came to Inner City Press, while it was confined to a minder, aided it for asking about when Ban last spoke to his brother.
Might the game have been to have the South Korean mission, which also asked Inner City Press for the KD Power and Bosung links on November 10, make the contact for Ban?
KP Power's since-violated “Letter of Commitment” to Ban Ki-moon was signed by his brother Ban Ki-Ho, put on Scribd here by Inner City Press, without any disclosure of the direct family relationship, just as Ban's son in law Siddharth Chatterjee, whom Ban promoted to the top UN job in Kenya, never discloses this relationship in his self-serving, human rights up front-free pieces which are run by Thomson Reuters and some others as a way to curry favor with Ban Ki-moon.
Ban Ki-moon can't or won't even get his son in law Siddhart Chatterjee, whom he promoted to the UN Resident Coordinator position in Kenya, to comply with his post-Sri Lanka failure "Rights Up Front" scheme. Sidd stayed silent amid targeting of South Sudanese in Kenya, and killings by police. In fact, the UN and Sidd have refused to divulge his role in killings in Sri Lanka.
Back on November 9 Inner City Press sent Dujarric and others this, of which Dujarric in the hallway confirmed receipt - note that the first link was then disabled, so that it leads nowhere:
"I am sending three links regarding Ban Ki-moon's brother Ki-ho (through Bosung and KD Power) doing mining in Myanmar and touring with a UN delegation.
"Memorandum of Understanding with KD Power of South Korea, which is managed by Mr. Ban Ki-Ho, brother of UN Secretary-General Mr. Ban Ki-Moon, for the exploration of Magnesium as well as cooperation in power sector in the eastern Shan State of Myanmar. "
This is Ban Ki-moon censorship, this time to try to conceal nepotism and exploitation of resources in a war zone, using the UN's name.
Meanwhile Ban's spokespeople have refused to respond to or even comment on the underlying conflict of interest, now telling Inner City Press its only way forward with the story is to contact two South Korean firms, KD Power and Busong Powertec, that Ban's brother Ki-ho works with. The firms' websites are entirely in Korean and have no e-mail contacts except to the webmaster. Master of censorship and nepotism.
On September 27, Inner City Press directly asked Chatterjee about it, on Periscope. here.Vine here.Chatterjee hardly answered the long-standing questions; nor did Ban's spokesman. Neither set up the requested interview.
Now in November, Ban's spokespeople have refused to answer about Ban's brother Ki-ho's mining in Myanmar after Ki-ho toured with a "UN delegation," referring all questions to websites in Korean like this, see below
On November 21, Inner City Press asked Ban Ki-moon's lead spokesman Stephane Dujarric, UN transcript here:
Inner City Press: I wanted to get to the bottom of this. This has, again, to do with the Secretary-General's brother Ki-ho. And I just want to make clear what I'm requesting. Farhan has said, ask certain things of the two companies that he works with in Myanmar. And most of the websites are entirely in Korean, but I'm doing my best to do that.
But my request to your office is, there is a Myanmar Government website whose URL I sent to you, whatever, 12 days ago that says there was a UN delegation that he was a part of. What I'm asking you… and the companies are not going to give it… is, what was that UN delegation? Is there… can you… I guess I…
Spokesman: I have not been able to find any information or confirmation of that, but I will keep looking.
Inner City Press: I wanted to ask is to understand what you said yesterday: so now nine days ago I provided there were three links, these are links to Government websites in Myanmar, one of which refers to Ban Ki-ho, the brother of the Secretary-General and a visiting delegation of the United Nations. Yesterday in the last answer, you seemed to say you found nothing on him working with the UN, but the allegation or what I'm asking you to confirm or deny is, one, that he does business in Myanmar, mining, through the two companies that I named; and, two, as the Government of Myanmar website states, that he was related to this visiting delegation of the UN. So I want to understand: it's not whether he has a job with you, I don't think that he does, why would he have been part of a delegation of the United Nations and was any ethical review done, given that he is a relative of the Secretary-General?
Deputy Spokesman: Well, I don't have any comment on non-UN work that is being done by someone who is not a UN person. I wouldn't be able to characterize what work different private companies or private individuals do. That's outside of my purview. I'm not aware that he has any involvement with the UN.
ICP Question: But what I'm asking, I just wanted to be very clear, the website of the Government of Myanmar talks about this as a joint delegation to do business involving the brother on the one hand and the visiting UN delegation. So all I was asking you, it's actually just a straight factual question: since the Government of Myanmar said this visit took place and the date is on it and you've been given the link, who was on the delegation? What was the purpose of the delegation?
Deputy Spokesman: He is not part of a UN delegation that I'm aware of, so I wouldn't have any information. It would be information, in other words, possessed by someone else, a company or something else but we as the UN don't have that.
ICP Question: For the UN side of this, the UN delegation, can you find out who was there? I'm willing to… if you tell me which… doesn't say which agency, if you tell me who in the UN system?
Deputy Spokesman: I'm not aware of any UN delegation that participated in this work so I don't know who you would go to for that. I think you need to go to the companies for which this person works and ask about the work that he did. They are the one whose can speak for him. I cannot.
But while the UN tries to pass the buck on this scandal to Ban Ki-ho's two companies, their websites are entirely in Korean. Click here. When Google-translated, one get this: "KD POWER is currently conducting an off-grid photovoltaic power plant project in Khaloke Village, Yangon, Myanmar through the Ministry of Knowledge Economy's Korean Micro Energy Grid (K-MEG) project."
So again, Ban Ki-ho IS doing business in Myanmar. What was his role in the "UN delegation"? This is a scandal, amid Ban's Nambiar's UNdisclosed briefing about "giving time" amid government killing in Myanmar. Watch this site.
Inner City Press: my second question on Myanmar was, it’s now eight days ago that… when Stéphane [Dujarric] asked, I sent him links, including to a Myanmar Government website, about Ban Ki-moon’s brother through KD Power, engaged in mining in the country, and with Bosung Powertec, engaged in a tour with a visiting UN delegation. So I’m just wondering, this… the South Korean mission also asked me for the same links, and I gave them to them. I’m not sure in what capacity they asked for them, but it seems like… what is the answer on the brother of the Secretary-General engaged in financial activity in Myanmar as part of a UN visiting delegation? Have you determined what was his role in what the Government says is a UN delegation?
Deputy Spokesman Farhan Haq: I haven’t any information about him participating in any UN work.
Why not?
On November 9, Inner City Press since Ban's spokesman had refused to answer asked again, then provided the UN links and to the South Korean Mission to the UN at their request. From the November 9 transcript:
Inner City Press: I'd asked about the brother of the Secretary-General, and two articles, both of which remain online… they have not been taken down, one of which says that he's involved in magnesium mining in Myanmar, and the other one links him by name to a UN delegation which toured Myanmar. So you said you can't verify it. And I wanted to know, is that can't or won't? Because it seems like if there's an article describing a UN delegation touring for financial reasons a controversial conflict zone, it should be able to be… are you willing to at least look into what the delegation may have been and whether…
Spokesman: You know, send me the article. I haven't seen the article. And, again, please try not to get the… my double chin with your periscope. It's very annoying.
Inner City Press: Okay. Maybe we can lower the podium....
After the briefing Inner City Press sent Dujarric and others this, of which Dujarric in the hallway confirmed receipt - note that the first link was then disabled, so that it leads nowhere:
Hello. I am sending three links regarding Ban Ki-moon's brother Ki-ho (through Bosung and KD Power) doing mining in Myanmar and touring with a UN delegation.
"Memorandum of Understanding with KD Power of South Korea, which is managed by Mr. Ban Ki-Ho, brother of UN Secretary-General Mr. Ban Ki-Moon, for the exploration of Magnesium as well as cooperation in power sector in the eastern Shan State of Myanmar. "
2) " Bosung Power Technology Co., a power supply material manufacturer where Ban’s younger brother Ki-ho is a vice president"
"Bo Sung Powertec Co., Ltd, BUYANG INDUSTRIAL Co., Ltd, Germany Recycle Engineering Co., Ltd and visiting delegations from the United Nations"
Who was on the UN delegation?
Was any UN Ethics office opinion sought for Ban Ki-ho's role in a UN delegation in a war-torn country in which he does / gets business?
Why / how is this appropriate?
Also for Ban's brother's business engagement in the UAE with Han Seung-soo, UN official who gives speeches in that capacity in the UAE while being on the board of Doosan, which also does business there.
Inner City Press is still requesting a copy of the Secretary General's Oct 14 speech to the Council of Korean American (for which they sought $100,000 sponsorships), his Saudi water speech, and list of carbon off-sets bought that he cited in his SIPA speech.
There is more to ask; never received any response to the below.
Later, Inner City Press received this from the South Korean mission to the UN:
"Korean mission... I'm writing to ask your help. At the UN noon briefing you mentioned Mr. Ban ki ho had tour with UN delegayions and there is a published article about Mr. Ban's tour with UN delegation. Could you please send the article or provide the link you mentioned?"
Inner City Press provided the links and more - but again wonders what is the relation between South Korea's Mission to the UN and Ban Ki-moon, now that he wants to run for President of South Korea. We'll have more on this.
Back on November 7, Inner City Press asked Ban's spokesman Stephane Dujarric not only about Western Sahara - even as it was again threatened for this - but also about Ban's brother, video here
Inner City Press: I’d asked you last week about the Ethics Office, and you’d said there were too many connections in terms of Han Seung-soo and Ban Ki-ho, but I have one specific question. I see you waiting, so I’m going to…
Spokesman: Go ahead.
ICP Question: Okay. And the question is as follows: There’s a published article, whose link I can provide you, which says that Ban Ki-ho’s… the company Bosung is involved in magnesium mining in Eastern Shan State in Myanmar, which is a highly controversial human rights state. And the article states that Bosung went on a tour with, quote, a visiting delegation of the United Nations. So I think… you may or may not say this is a legitimate question, but if the brother of the Secretary-General is on a business delegation in Myanmar that’s described by a publication there as being with a delegation of the United Nations, I’d like to ask you, who was on that delegation?
Spokesman: I have… this is the first I’ve heard of it. I have absolutely no way to verify the information you’ve shared.
Okay there: Ban's brother Ki-ho is vice president of electric equipment firm Bosung (a/k/a Bo Sung), which has been on Myanmar tours with (unnamed) UN officials. See (and translate) this government web page, here:
"Industry, Republic of Korea Minister U Maung Myint Bo Sung Powertec Co., Ltd, BUYANG INDUSTRIAL Co., Ltd, Germany Recycle Engineering Co., Ltd and visiting delegations from the United Nations"
Ban's former chief of staff and vanity press book editor Vijay Nambiar is Ban's envoy on Myanmar. Did he go on this trip?
In terms of mining, see this: "Bright Time has signed an Memorandum of Understanding with KD Power of South Korea, which is managed by Mr. Ban Ki-Ho, brother of UN Secretary-General Mr. Ban Ki-Moon, for the exploration of Magnesium as well as cooperation in power sector in the eastern Shan State of Myanmar."
Is the UN's Special Rapporteur on human rights in Myanmar Yanghee Lee aware of this mining project in east Shan State, with the brother of UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon? Is the UN Ethics Office?
Doosan is providing the nuclear reactor. Ban's friend and mentor Han Seung-soo, whom Ban appointed to a senior UN position (which conveys diplomatic immunity) is on the board of directors of Doosan and has engaged closely with UAE on issues of Korean trade promotion and business. Han has most recently served on the jury of the UAE Energy Prize. Meanwhile, Ban's other brother Ban ki-sang served as an advisor to Keangnam, which developed properties in UAE for South Korean expatriates and businesses.
On October 6, Inner City Press asked Ban Ki-moon's spokesman Farhan Haq again about Ban's nephew's fraud conviction, and a surreal email Ban sent to UN staff about... fraud. Many staff called it hypocrisy.Beyond the Vine video here, second half. From the UN transcript:
Inner City Press: I wanted to ask you about an email that the Secretary-General sent, I think, to all staff about fraud yesterday. It was a blast e-mail, a UNHQ (United Nations Headquarters) broadcast. And it was sort of instructed staff to… that fraud is a serious matter. There's something called the 2017 Leadership Dialogue. And I guess, what triggered the e-mail. In having read it and published it, it's not clear. Is this something that's being newly announced? Why was this anti-fraud e-mail sent yesterday?
Deputy Spokesman: There are a number of internal e-mails that go out from time to time. This is simply another one of those, and it's on a topic that the Secretary-General feels is important.
ICP Question: And I guess… because I'd asked you this before, and I keep… I go… you had said that… to somehow to ask Colliers if the individual who's listed in the newspaper as the nephew of the Secretary-General as working for them at the time that the fraud that he was just convicted of occurred. But I'm asking you… I want to, I guess, just reiterate. As the UN, doesn't the UN have a duty, if it has existing contractors… and I just went by 45th Street today. The sign is still up, so the UN is doing business with Colliers. If a newspaper, widely circulated, says an employee of their company was convicted of fraud, isn't there some follow up totally outside of the familial relationship of the Secretary-General?
Deputy Spokesman: We do not determine the staffing of Colliers. You would have to ask them that. Have a good afternoon.
On October 5, just hours after Ban's replacement was selected and his deputy spokesman told Inner City Press Ban will no longer hand out top posts (as he did, for example, to his own son in law on August 26), Ban sent his first post-Guterres email to UN staff, shamelessly about... fraud:
Date: 5 October 2016 at 2:01:33 PM GMT-4 Subject: Message from the Secretary-General to Staff on Fraud and Corruption
Dear colleagues,
Anyone who works for the United Nations has a fundamental responsibility to act with honesty and integrity at all times. The vast majority of staff take pride in honouring this responsibility. But we operate in uniquely high-risk environments that expose our activities to significant risks. Fraud and corruption not only betray the trust placed in us by Member States; they damage our operations, our authority and our credibility, making it more difficult for all of us to do our work.
The comprehensive Anti-Fraud and Anti-Corruption Framework, issued through Information Circular ST/IC/2016/25 on 9 September 2016, is designed to help staff promote and maintain a culture of integrity and honesty across the range of our operations and activities. It details how our Organization acts to prevent, detect, deter, respond to and report on fraud and corruption. The United Nations has a zero-tolerance approach to fraud and corruption. This means that the administration will actively pursue all allegations, and will take all necessary disciplinary and contractual measures when wrongdoing is established.
The 2017 Leadership Dialogue – the discussion that all managers should have every year with staff who report to them – will focus on this Framework. I hope it will stimulate discussions between staff and managers at all levels on how the Framework can be applied.
Together, we must make every effort to promote the highest ethical standards for our United Nations, as we serve the world’s people.
Warm regards,
The Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon"
On October 2, Ban's deputy spokesman Farhan Haq replied that Ban has had "no contact" with his own nephew.
So on October 4, Inner City Press asked about Ban's nephew's connection with UNDP's property manager, UN transcript here:
Inner City Press: I understand that you'd said the Secretary-General has had no contact with his nephew Bahn Joo-hyun, but given that the article says that the acts that he engaged in were while he was an employee of Colliers International, which, if you remember this, there was back-and-forth. Their plaque is still up on the FF Building on 45th Street. I wanted to know, this is a UN question as opposed to a Secretary-General, if he doesn't speak to him. Is this individual, a nephew of the Secretary-General, still employed by Colliers? If so, does this finding by a court trigger any review of the UN's contracts with Colliers?
Deputy Spokesman: You would have to check with Colliers whether he's an employee. I wouldn't comment on someone who is not UN personnel.
Amid all this - and while refusing to answer basic questions - Ban Ki-moon has found a group to praise and flatter him, with photographs no less. This was sent to Inner City Press this afternoon by an amazed recipient, we publish it here:
"Dear colleagues, UNCA is pleased to inform you that a Photo Exhibition presenting the 10 years of United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, will take place at the end of November. Submissions are now open to all UN photographers to send their photos of Ban Ki-moon in action during his tenure. There will be a total of 25 photos selected to be exhibited at the opening of the event with the attendance of the Secretary-General.
Cia Pak, Scannews, will coordinate the submissions. Please see the instructions below on how to submit your work.
Best regards,
Giampaolo Pioli UNCA President"
We'll have more on this.
Meanwhile, "court has ruled a nephew of U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon pay $590,000 in damages to a South Korean construction firm that was at the center of a major lobbying scandal last year. The Seoul Northern District Court recently handed down the sentence to Ban Joo-hyun, son of the U.N. chief's younger brother Ban Ki-sang, on charges of fabricating documents that allegedly expressed the Qatari government's intention to buy a high-rise building belonging to the firm, Keangnam Enterprises Inc.
"Ban Joo-hyun, who was an executive of a U.S. real estate investment company at the time, is accused of receiving the money from Keangnam Enterprises in 2014 in exchange for arranging the sale of the skyscraper in Vietnam to the Qatari government. In the process, he reportedly told Keangnam that he could use the influence of his uncle to directly contact the Qatari king."
Ban's deputy spokesman Farhan Haq on October 3, when Inner City Press asked, declined comment except to say that Ban has "no contact" with his nephew. His brother's son? We'll have more on this.
Inner City Press was informed by whistleblowing UN staff that Ban is now attempting, contrary even to a new feather-bedding rule his issued to place his staff wherever they want in the UN system, to place his longtime personal / appointments secretary Eun Ha (Isabelle) Kim as a P-3 Professional in the UN Office of Protocol.
Ban's spokesman Stephane Dujarric on September 29 said he has "no idea" about such a position, while accusing Inner City Press of dragging people -- Kim? Or Mr Ban?" - through the mud. Video here.
On September 28 Inner City Press published more, from even more complaining staff. They tell Inner City Press that Ban ALREADY broke the rules, promoting Isabelle Kim from General Service to a P-2 professional position, and now ordering the Office of Protocol to create a P-3 post for Ms. Kim. Staff are angry that the rules Ban applies to them do not apply to those close to Ban.
On September 28, Dujarric told Inner City Press vaguely that there are many many to move from G to P, General to Professional. (Inner City Press previously asked Ban's deputy about UN Staff Rule 4.16 (ii) which states the following:
"Recruitment to the Professional category of staff from the General Service and related categories in the United Nations Secretariat: recruitment to the Professional category at the United Nations Secretariat of staff from the General Service and related categories having successfully passed the appropriate competitive examinations shall be made within the limits established by the General Assembly. Such recruitment shall be made exclusively through competitive examination."
So did Ms. Kim take and pass this required competitive exam? Dujarric didn't answer, in fact ran off the podium to avoid Inner City Press' follow up question, to confirm or deny Ms. Kim is Mrs Ban's niece.Video here. From the UN transcript:
Inner City Press: I've asked Farhan [Haq] about this kind of indirectly, but I wanted to ask you directly to get a confirmation or denial. We've received sort of complaints from a variety of staff members that a longtime aide of the Secretary-General Eun-ha Kim, or Isabelle Kim, may be in line for a P3 position in Protocol. The reason I'm asking you this is because it's not… it's more than one person that said this would be wrong. Their question is, how does a person go from general staff to professional staff? Is it through a competitive exam, and if it's not, what is the loophole…?
Spokesman: I'm not going to… I mean, you know, you may want to drag…
Inner City Press: It's not dragging.
Spokesman: …drag people through the mud.
Inner City Press: So you say.
Spokesman: And I'm not going to go into the details of individual staff members' cases, because I don't think it's fair for anyone who works in this organization. But all the rules are being followed, and this case does not involve the Secretary-General.
ICP Question: You say dragging through the mud, but my question is, I'm saying staff members at var… a variety of levels have said, since this G to P wall, which they think is wrong, applies to them and you have people with PhDs that can't do it, they're extremely interested to know how somebody close to the Secretary-General could do it?
Spokesman: There are various ways of people to go from G to P in this organization.
ICP Question: I read Farhan a rule that…
Spokesman: And I've seen it, and I'm telling that you all the rules are being followed.
ICP Question: Is there currently a P-3 post in protocol that exists?
Spokesman: I have no clue. Thank you
Ms. Kim, we note, was with Ban (and Han Seung-soo and others) up to fifteen years ago, when Han was President of the General Assembly and Ban, his chief of staff.
Also on that dream team: current South Korean ambassador to the UN and Ban promoted Oh Joon, former Ban promotee Yoon Yeocheol, Kim Bong-hyun who previously told Inner City Press to cover Ban more positively, and others - click here for the list, still online for now.
Inner City Press also asked Ban Ki-moon's in law if he had been present at and played a role in the Jaffna Hospital massacre in Sri Lanka. He did not deny this -- rather, he said it was not "pertinent." He said he would answer at an "opportune time."
Inner City Press: the Secretary-General's son-in-law, Siddharth Chatterjee. I know I'd asked you in writing, maybe ten days ago to be able to ask him the questions that your office hadn't answered. And I did find him in the lobby yesterday, and he said to me, "Oh, we'll find an opportune time." So it wasn't clear to me… and he also said, as to some of the questions, "They're not pertinent." I don't know if that referred to whether who the selection panel was or who the other candidates were. But it led me to want to ask you, did your office, in fact, ask him ten days when I asked you whether he would answer the questions? Because it seemed like he was unaware of the request. That's how he came off.
Spokesman: I think everyone is aware of your interest in speaking to Mr. Chatterjee, and it's not… you're welcome to contact whomever you want and request an interview. Whether or not they grant you one is really up to them.
ICP Question:relatedly, because there's now… I've seen this controversy around the resident coordinator for Syria. And some people are saying it's Mr. Ali Al-Za’tari to replace Mr. [TYacoub El] Hillo. And I just wanted to know, was the same process used? Can you say a little bit more about the inter-agency panel, DOCO…?
Spokesman: The inter-agency panel… every resident coordinator goes through the same process with the inter-agency panel. A recommendation is then sent to the Secretary-General, whether it's Mr. Za’tari or any of the other ones. I told you many-a-times on his… on Mr. Chatterjee that the Secretary-General stayed away from that process. We do expect the new humanitarian coordinator, resident coordinator, to arrive in Damascus very early next month and to take up his position. There is an acting… somebody acting in that stead until his arrival.
ICP Question: But in the same way that I asked you whether UNDPA (Department of Political Affairs) and the Secretariat was… played a role in the Kenya resident coordinator, because it seems that it's clear that they did in Syria… so did they in Kenya?
Spokesman: I will not go into any further detail than I already have.
Further? Ban's spokesman Dujarric has refused to provide basic information about the promotion, and about Chatterjee's military activities in Sri Lanka. Nor has he responded to Inner City Press' written request for information or to interview Chatterjee, a UN official who blocks Inner City Press on Twitter.
But Ban Ki-moon's son in law has hung around New York for more than a week, meeting with bankers and set on September 27 to meet Ban's deputy Eliasson. Ban didn't recuse himself from promoting his son in law, but does this side-step. Inner City Press at noon on September 27 asked Ban's deputy spokesman if Chatterjee, as resident coordinator, will answer questions on the way up or down. “We'll certainly convey your request.” Vine here.
While less than an hour before Chatterjee's visit to his father in law's 38th floor there was no answer, Chatterjee appeared in a staged Facebook Live, where he said “the Secretary General” without disclosing that Ban is his father in law. Vine here.
So Inner City Press went to ask Chatterjee about it. First, it told the UN Media Accreditation and Liaison Unit (MALU), to avoid any pretextual action as in February of this year by Ban's head of communications Cristina Gallach. Then it set up in the lobby. After getting other quotes or responses from Ambassadors and a foreign minister, Chatterjee and other man came down.
Inner City Press asked, Who were the other candidates? Who was on the panel? No answer. Inner City Press asked about the Jaffna Hospital. Chatterjee turned back and said he would set up a time to talk - strange, Inner City Press has been requesting that for some time - but to “turn that off,” meaning the authorized Periscope. Vine here.
Inner City Press remained to ask more questions. At a certain point the minder(s), officers and elevator man left - and then the cars left. It was over.
But Ban's increasing lawlessness is not limited to his son in law, nor to his mentor Han Seung-soo, who despite MOONlighting as a UN official and board member of Standard Chartered Bank and Doosan, this week dodged Inner City Press' questions unlike Jacob Zuma and Sheikh Hasina, here.
Exposing or even inquiring into the ever increase irregularities in the Ban Ki-moon administration give rise, as Inner City Press found earlier this year and during this General Assembly debate week, to retaliation.
Ban and Gallach are giving Inner City Press' long time work space to an Egyptian state media, Akhbar Al Yom, whose representative Sanaa Youssef rarely comes to the UN -- contrary to the stated requirement for resident correspondent accreditation, which has been stripped from Inner City Press -- and never asks any questions.
During UNGA debate week, Inner City Press could only cover a meeting on Yemen if accompanied by a minder(Gallach was asked about this, on camera) who asked who Inner City Press wanted to interview; it was locked out of the media "bullpen" then urged, mid-edit, to leave the small "focus booth" it's been reduced to using. Team Ban has been informed of all of this, responding that "time" will somehow solve it. How?
On September 23 Ban's and France's head of peacekeeping Herve Ladsous said openly, "I never answer your questions, Mister" when asked about rapes; Ladsous' UN spokesman got Ban's UNTV to keep the microphone away from Inner City Press. Video here.
After being told that Ban's son in law is in New York, Inner City Press has asked Ban's spokespeople, fully four of them:
"This is a request to interview the UN's Resident Coordinator in Kenya Siddarth Chatterjee, appointed to the job by his father in law Ban Ki-moon, in light of [him saying / Tweeting to another of his father in law's officials,] “Look forward to seeing you at UNGA." It seems he has appeared at the Princeton Club in NY.
"Since the OSSG has declined to answer several questions about Resident Coordinator Chatterjee, this is a request for the interview. Please advise asap."
So far, nothing. Chatterjee, as we've noted, blocks Inner City Press on Twitter - strange, for a UN Resident Coordinator.
Instead of answering the earlier questions, Team Ban arranged for Chatterjee's military commander Dalvir Singh to slam in Huffington Post Inner City Press' “accusations of human rights violations against Chatterjee. Major Chatterjee was a star member of my battalion, the 10th Para Special Forces, and at no time was my battalion or any member of my unit ever involved in any form of human rights violation.”
"Ban last month, his son-in-law sit da-Kenya resident coordinator of the United Nations whether the chatter in the decision to appoint. The United Nations Office of the resident coordinator as the national diplomatic missions to individual countries hit greets. Chapman, Mr. ban's youngest daughter, popping Hyun-Hee's husband. Hyun-hee and Chae was elected Secretary General of the UN ban popping were married in 2006. Hyun-Hee Mr. currently UNICEF Kenya Office is known to be being worked on.
This has never been a textbook case of ' human resources ' Office, saying the issue would be raised by the professional journalist Matthew Lee of inner city press, the media. Lee shunned the press ban this personnel (recusal) not to apply points to criticize. He said, "would call into question the qualities of chatter, nor at the UN for a long time, one of those who deny that. But he is considering ban evasion law that might have the application lies, "he said.
India is a special forces work on the chatter when the matter was a Huffington Post Moon vir Singh retired warden contributed from popping "always was a priority public than himself," and Office personnel are raised allegations of the accused journalists. He was working as a journalist for the "qualification (credential)-RI, suspicious and ethics awareness as the UN's bloggers" and not "evil?" is appealed
Not on the basis of the human rights abuses of false attacks ". Lee, the reporter himself the last few years, a series of critical reports about the ban were taken with them, and because of this, the UN resident journalists deprived of his or her eligibility status.”
On September 17, as Inner City Press covered the UN Security Council meeting on Syria, under Ban's eviction order it was first locked out of the UNSC stakeout, then told to leave the UN by a UN Security officer. This is Ban's UN. We'll have more on this.
On September 15, Inner City Press again asked Ban's spokesman about Chatterjee's record in Sri Lanka -- no answer - and the panel that "recommended" him to Ban. Vine here,UN transcript here, with the UN using many more "inaudibles" than on other questions:
Inner City Press: the last you answered about promotion of the Secretary-General’s son-in-law into the top post in Kenya was that you hoped that at least the agencies or some information about this inter-agency panel could be provided, and I think it should be. So I wanted to know do you have now any information on that…? [inaudible]
Spokesman: I don’t have an update, but if I have something, I will share it with you.
ICP Question: And I’d asked you in writing about… it goes back some time but about the son-in-law’s activities in Sri Lanka as part of the Indian peacekeeping force. And since he’s gotten his commander to write an op-ed saying that questions about this are unreasonable… [inaudible]
Spokesman: Whatever words I’ve had to say about… on this issue, I have used. I really have nothing else to add… [inaudible]
ICP Question: Right, but you said… the last thing you said was you would look into the inter-agency panel… [inaudible]
Spokesman: I have nothing… [inaudible] Yes, that I said. On the rest, I have nothing else to add.
Meanwhile Ban's son in law is using the first place his military commander dumped his piece to run propaganda interviews linking himself to the SDGs.
Singh's / Team Ban's piece from its first version to its second picked up links to Team Ban's raid on Inner City Press' office, and material from the UN Censorship Alliance. These suggestions came from within Ban's UNHQ.
Dalvir Singh wrote “To attack the UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon who happens to be Chatterjee’s father-in-law, using his service in Sri Lanka is not only absurd but deserves to be condemned in the strongest possible terms.” And then the threats began. This is a new low.
In Ban's cases, these "familial dealing" include not only the son in law promoted without recusal or transparency, now lashing out at the Press by proxy, but also the nephew, "Dennis Bahn," with a company managing UN real estate, during the name of the UN and his uncle to drum up more business, see below.
Now there is a scandal and conviction in South Korea with Ban's - and his nephew Bahn's -- fingerprints all over it. "South Gyeongsang Governor Hong Joon-pyo was found guilty Thursday of taking money from the late businessman and politician Sung Wan-jong and sentenced to 18 months in prison, ending his presidential ambitions. Hong, 62, stood trial on charges that he accepted 100 million won ($91,601) from the late Sung, former chairman of the Keangnam Enterprises."
Ban's brother Ban Ki-sang was a consultant to Keangnam for seven years; Ban's nephew Dennis "Bahn Joo-hyun said to a contact at Keangnam that he would invite his high-profile uncle to a social gathering, where members of the Qatar Investment Authority would be present."
For alleged violation of of the ICSC Standards, UN system whistleblowers such as Moncef Kateb of WIPO have been fired. But Ban does it openly: something about a fish and from the head, see also below.
The response to Inner City Press' questioning has been, as happened in 2012, threats. To this has the UN descended under Ban.
After Inner City Press asked about the textbook case of nepotism of Ban and his son in law, video here, Ban's spokesman Stephane Dujarric replied that an inter-agency advisory panel had been involved, before Ban signed the letter appointing his own son in law to the post. But Dujarric has refused to say who was on the panel, or who the other candidates were. Nor has he provided any information about Chatterjee's activities in Sri Lanka.
This is a new low for Ban Ki-moon's UN, widely viewed as having failed in Sri Lanka in 2009, and on Yemen and Burundi and elsewhere in 2016.
In terms of answering basic questions, when Inner City Press last year asked about the questionable real estate dealings of Ban's nephew Joo-hyun “Dennis” Bahn, with a company managing the 45th Street building of UNDP and who used the name of Ban and the UN to do dubious business, Ban's Spokespeople said they would not answer questions about Ban relatives who are not UN staff. (Then Ban and his USG Gallach evicted Inner City Press, NYT here, petition here.)
Now they won't answer basic questions about Ban relatives who ARE officials of the UN, promoted by Ban without recusal.
Now we note that a New York underwriter has put out an alert about “Joohyun Dennis Bahn” --
“Bulletin: NYSA000340 To:All New York State Agents, Office Counsel, and Managers
RE:Louis Cho, Joohyun Dennis Bahn, Dennis Bahn
Effective immediately, all policy-issuing offices are instructed not to accept any orders or close any transactions involving the people listed below without prior written approval of Stewart Title Insurance Company Agency Legal Services.
Louis Cho Joohyun Dennis Bahn Dennis Bahn
In the event you have an open order on the people listed above please email,” etc. It's all in the family. So is the sense of entitlement: in the midst of this, only last month Ban's nephew posted this, about buying his (seemingly many) Mercedes:
"I have been purchasing my Mercedes from Benzel-Busch for many years especially with Giovanni Barbaro. This dealership provides great service and Giovanni is there to work with you all the time. Once he lent his own company car as a loaner when there wasn't one available. Great overall experience and I would highly recommend this dealership as well as Giovanni."
Ironically, Ban appointed a UN Special Envpy on Road Safety, Jean Todt, who is on the board of directors of a company which runs cars and even online poker. A fish rots from the head.
When Inner City Press first reported on Ban accepting Sri Lankan military figure Shavendra Silva as an adviser, and the background to the screening of the Sri Lankan government's war crimes denial film "Lies Agreed To" inside the UN, the results included death threats and attempts to get Inner City Press out of the UN -- repeated, more disgustingly, in 2016.
In September 2016 an ally of Ban's son in law Chatterjee, Dalvir Singh, has called this series of articles, despite Ban's spokesman's stonewalling and refusal to answer, unfair -- "scurrilous, unfounded and mendacious accusations" by a "blogger."
Dalvir Singh wrote that Inner City Press, “a blogger of questionable credentials.... has hurled scurrilous, unfounded and mendacious accusations of human rights violations against Chatterjee. Major Chatterjee was a star member of my battalion, the 10th Para Special Forces, and at no time was my battalion or any member of my unit ever involved in any form of human rights violation.”
Thou dost protest too much. Beyond the Jaffna University heli-drop on October 11, 1987, there was the Jaffna hospital massacre ten days later on October 21, 1987. Here is the Wiki-time line (some say this may explain Ban's willingness to let the Saudi led Coalition off the UN's Children and Armed Conflict annex for attacks on health and other civilian facilities in Yemen)
"October 21, 1987 - 11h – The hospital environment came under cannon fire from the vicinity of Jaffna Dutch Fort and from overhead helicopters.
11h30 – A shell fell on the Outpatients Department (O.P.D) building. 13h – The chief consultant on duty was informed that Indian troops had been sighted at nearby Shanti Theatre Lane.
13h30 – A shell fell on Ward 8, killing seven persons. The chief consultant who went out with another doctor to survey the situation spotted some empty cartridges, suggesting that persons had been firing from inside the hospital premises. 14h – The chief consultant's attention was drawn to the presence of some armed LTTE fighters inside the hospital. The chief consultant went with Dr. Ganesharatnam and asked the group to leave the premises. The leader of the group agreed and they left.
14h5 – The chief consultant was informed that another group of LTTE men had come inside. Dr. Ganesharatnam requested that the chief consultant go with another doctor to speak to the LTTE group and ask them to leave. It is not clear if the LTTE men ever left the hospital.
14h, 16h – A few staff members left the hospital for lunch through the back door.
16h – Staff heard shooting for 15-20 minutes from the vicinity of the gasoline station on Hospital Road. No retaliatory fire from the hospital was heard.
16h20 and onward – According to an eyewitness, the IPKF entered the hospital grounds through the front gate, came up along the corridor and warned everybody inside the hospital. The IPKF fired into the Overseer's office and other offices. The eyewitness saw many of his fellow workers killed, including the overseer and an ambulance driver. The eyewitness also saw a soldier throw a grenade at a man, killing several people.
According to another eyewitness, the IPKF came into the Radiology room, which was filled with people including the patients evacuated from Ward 8, and fired indiscriminately. Those who pretended to be dead by lying on the floor escaped the attack.
Throughout the night a few bursts of fire and grenade explosions were heard.
October 22, 1987 - 8h30 – Dr. Sivapathasundaram was seen walking out of the hospital with three nurses. They were walking with their hands up shouting, "We surrender, we are innocent doctors and nurses."[3] Shots were fired; Dr. Sivapathasundaram was killed and the nurses injured.
11h – An Indian Army officer turned up at one of the wards and was confronted by a doctor. The doctor explained the situation to the officer and later, with help of the officer, she called out to her colleagues and those who were injured to come out with their hands up. About 10 staff members who were alive were escorted out. They found their colleague Dr. Ganesharatnam dead. Later in the day all the dead bodies in the hospital were collected and burned."
Amnesty International's 1988 annual report cites reports of the Indian Peace Keeping Force's rapes of Tamil women and extra-judicial executions. Was it from his son in law that Ban took his advice on Sri Lanka, before sending Vijay Nambiar, brother of general Satish Nambiar, for the “finish” in 2009?
More to the point, what is the relationship between Dalvir Singh's screed and Ban Ki-moon? Ban's son in law has grateful re-tweeted Dalvir Singh's article; beyond the continued stonewalling and eviction of Inner City Press, the Guardian wrote that the only time Ban got upset in their interview was in defense of his son in law Siddharth Chatterjee. So Ban Ki-moon is responsible... We'll have more on this.
Dalvir Singh says of Inner City Press "I have noted that he seems to be obsessed with Major Chatterjee since 2007 when his father-in-law Ban became the UN Secretary-General."
If true - that is, if not ghost written by Chatterjee, or his father in law's handlers, note the citation to the UN Censorship Alliance - why would this Indian military figure be "noting" Inner City Press' coverage since 2007? And doesn't this just indicate that Ban Ki-moon's ouster and eviction of Inner City Press in 2016, through Ban's USG Cristina Gallach, is blatant retaliation for coverage? This is censorship.
This is Team Ban's response to questions and stories about the John Ashe and Ng Lap Seng case, DPI Gallach's failure to do due diligence, all leading to ouster and eviction.
Dujarric refused to say who was on the inter-agency panel; he told Inner City Press to "ask UNDP," which in term told Inner City Press to ask something called the "DOCO" which doesn't have a spokesperson and has not answered questions submitted three days ago.
Dujarric didn't answer any of Inner City Press' questions submitted on Friday September 2 at noon, then rejected in-person questions calling them "ridiculous accusations." Dujarric canceled his briefing again on September 9. Meanwhile Ban's son in law Chatterjee's response is to block Inner City Press on Twitter, photo here.
This is Team Ban's response to questions and stories about the John Ashe and Ng Lap Seng case, DPI Gallach's failure to do due diligence, all leading to ouster and eviction.
Turns out Chatterjee, to get previous stories buried, as offered goodies only his father in law can dole out - we'll have more on this. And on these places in Sri Lanka during the time frame:
Velvettiturai; Kokuvil; Jaffna Hospital; Manippai; Sandilippai; Chunnakam, Mallakam, Uduvil, Manipay, Maruthanamadam and Inuvil; tellingly, journalists of “Eezha Murasu” and “Murasoli.” We'll have more on these. Meanwhile, while blocking Inner City Press, Sid Chatterjee's followers show / tell Inner City Press Sid is re-tweeting US Power, and photos of his father in law, here.
Inner City Press asked Dujarric who was on the panel that proposed Ban's son in law to him -- through DPA, it now appears -- to assess if they were independent from Ban, and who the other candidates, at least on the short list, were.
Dujarric has refused to provide this information, and has refused all other Inner City Press questions about Ban's son in law, including about his activities in Sri Lanka as part of the Indian Peace Keeping Force.
As Ban's spokesman knows, Ban was in Sri Lanka; the story can't wait. So Inner City Press reported that it has been told of Siddarth Chatterjee posing with dead and disfigured Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam; this has been described as a war crime.
Inner City Press twice this week asked Dujarric to describe and comment on Ban Ki-moon's son in law's activities in Sri Lanka; it is all the more pressing given the most recent UN promotion without recusal. Inner City Press also asked what forms and rules apply, a question also ignored by Dujarric with respect to a fundraiser held in the UN with Ban's past envoy to Sri Lanka, Vijay Nambiar. Inner City Press asked Dujarric to comment in this context on this, authored by Ban's son in law Sid Chatterjee: no answers.
And so in common journalistic practice, to assist reader in deciding whether to believe or not believe these reports of Chatterjee posing with dead and disfigured combatants in violation of the Geneva Conventions, we disclose that one of the sources clearly has an interest: Chatterjee's ex-wife Shirpa Sen.
She is a medical doctor; she has said Chatterjee threatened her to stop providing any information to Inner City Press and an Indian journalist whose publication Chatterjee got to remove a report about one of his promotions under Ban from the Internet. (Censorship seems to run in the family.)
The allegation is that Chatterjee dropped her and then saw his career path advance under his new father in law, Ban Ki-moon; he made threats to make the issues of the past go away.
We disclose this because readers have a right to know of the interest or animus of the source of information. Here is another online report; here on a court website is the decision on the divorce appeal. And here is an earlier report of Inner City Press asking Ban's spokespeople about Chatterjee's military record, in Sri Lanka Ban's 2009 visit to which Inner City Press covered in-person (Inner City Press has since been BANned, restricted.)
A direct comment of any kind from Ban Ki-moon's spokesman, requested all week, would have been preferable.
But Ban and his Under Secretary General for Public Information Cristina Gallach should not be able to censor by throwing the Press into the street, New York Times here,audio here.
Likewise Ban's spokesman cannot be allowed to prevent a timely article by simply refusing to even acknowledge questions submitted in writing, especially after he began the week telling Inner City Press (and the Free UN Coalition for Access which asked for in-person briefings) that he would be answering questions all week.
Ban Ki-moon's Spokesman did not answer these questions, nor on September 2 even acknowledge receipt of them. Whatever comes in, belatedly, we will publish.
Update: late on September 2, from UNDP to which Ban's spokesman Dujarric referred questions then refused to answer any, came this - not naming the panel or other candidates, but immediately published in full:
From: Anjali Kwatra [at] undp.org Date: Fri, Sep 2, 2016 at 9:36 PM Subject: RE: Press Qs on Resident Coordinator selection process for SG's son in law in Kenya: who on inter-agency advisory panel, who were the candidates, given nepotism issues raised by lack of recusal, referred by OSSG, thank you in advance, -Matthew To: Matthew.Lee [at] InnerCityPress.com
Dear Matthew,
Siddharth Chatterjee was chosen, in line with established selection process, by the Inter-Agency Advisory Panel of the United Nations. Mr Chatterjee is highly qualified for this role and was previously the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) Representative to Kenya. He has also worked in senior roles with the International Federation of the Red Cross & Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), UN Peace Keeping, UNICEF and UNOPS.
I would need to come back to you on your other questions.
Best, Anjali Kwatra Chief, Media and Advocacy United Nations Development Programme
Wait - was Siddharth Chatterhee ever with UN Peacekeeping? Inner City Press asked: "Thanks for this, but as I asked UN Spox this week, and UNDP earlier today, this is a request, given that the SG signed the letter appointing his son in law Mr. Chatterjee UN Resident Coordinator in Kenya, for the disclosure of
who was on the inter-agency advisory panel
and who the other candidates, at least on the short list, were
also - please state when and in what capacity Mr. Chatterjee was, as you say, in a senior role in UN Peace Keeping."
This gave rise to this curt answer: "All your questions need to be directed to DOCO. "
So Ban's Dujarric referred the questions about Ban's son in law to UNDP, which refers then on to DOCO. When one Googles DOCO, one gets "DOCO The Donut & Coffee Company."
Amid these UN scandals, corruption and nepotism, Ban Ki-moon is now on a two week tour seemingly meant to preview how he could be as South Korean president, visiting Singapore, Myanmar, now Sri Lanka, China and Laos.
For Ban Ki-moon's visit to Sri Lanka, which is seen as one of the (many) major failures of his UN tenure, Inner City Press asked Ban's spokesman Stephane Dujarric, "On the SG's son in law Siddharth Chatterjee, please describe in activities in Sri Lanka including with the IPKF -- locations, and if available confirmed kills -- including in light of this piece he authored."
Ban Ki-moon's Dujarric replied, six hours later: "It's not for me to comment on a staff member's writings on an activity that preceded employment with the UN."
This seems a strange position for an Organization ostensibly concerned with human rights. Could Shavendra Silva work for the UN? Well, he WAS an adviser to Ban.
In fact, some UN officials are required to sign pledges regarding their human rights records. So on September 2 at noon, Inner City Press asked Dujarric:
"On the Secretary General's son in law Siddharth Chatterjee's activities in Sri Lanka, you have not answered on what he DID, stating only that “It's not for me to comment on a staff members writings on an activity that preceded employment with the UN.”
In this light, please confirm or deny that there is a place a policy under which UN officials including USGs and ASGs (please specify what level the Secretary General's son in law is at, as Resident Coordinator in Kenya) must certify compliance with human rights, and state whether this covers time before UN employment." Inner City Press has also asked Dujarric: "This is a request that your Office confirm or deny that the Secretary General did not specifically mention the UNHRC resolution during his meeting with Sri Lanka President Sirisena, in light of a public report that “The President told us that Ban did not mention the UNHRC resolution even in the 10 minute one-to-one meeting he had with him. In fact Ban expressed satisfaction about the way the Sri Lankan government is handling the issue of reconciliation,” a reliable source in the President’s Office" said.
Five hours later, no answer. This is Ban Ki-moon's UN.
Including in light of the recent non-recusal, we linked to and quote this Sri Lanka piece by Ban's son in law Siddarth Chatterjee:
“The Sri Lankan Army deserves all our respect, gratitude and admiration. These are men who have proved worthy of their calling, and I pray that their fortunes reverse and they are able to inflict on the Tamil Terrorists(not Tigers, as tigers have honour too), a final decisive blow, that puts the LTTE in the dust bin of history. It is a period that calls for strong nerves, single-mindedness (of purpose) and intuitive convictions that success can still be yours after these reverses. They are men of sterling character, and I hope they overcome and demolish the LTTE, this organization of pathological tyrants and killers.”
Among these Sri Lankan Army heroes are several who would be put on trial for war crimes by any legitimate / international investigation, an issue which Ban is skirting. We'll have more on this.
In advance of Ban's latest junket, he or his propaganda team granted selected interviews to prepare the ground -- “interview” conducted in writing, without disclosure of who wrote the answers. Pro-Ban editorials by out of date diplomats were arranged (for example here, see comments). But how can blatant nepotism be explained away?
Inner City Press on August 26 asked Ban's spokesman which of Ban's aides it was who spun the Korea Times on Ban's chances to become South Korea's president in 2017, video here.
Under Ban the UN has become so lawless that Ban's son-in-law Siddharth Chatterjee was just named UN Resident Representative in Kenya without Ban recusing himself. Inner City Press reported and asked about this on August 25. On August 26, Ban's spokesman Stephane Dujarric confirmed that Ban had not recused himself, had in fact signed the letter giving his own son in law the job, see below.
It was repeatedly reported that Ban would be in Kenya today for the 6th Tokyo International Conference on African Development Summit, TICADIV or TICAD6. Inner City Press asked Ban's spokesman Dujarric if Ban would go there and was told to wait with bated anticipation. Now Ban is NOT there - right after his promotion of his own son in law there was exposed.
How is this acceptable in an international organization? Or this: Ban's mentor Han Seung-soo is a UN official allowed to be on the boards of directors of Standard Chartered, which has UN banking contracts, and Doosan which makes sales to countries Han gives “UN” speeches to.
On August 25, Inner City Press asked Ban's spokesman Stephane Dujarric if Ban had recused himself from any role in his son-in-law's promotion, video here.
Inner City Press: Mr. Chatterjee was named the UN representative in Kenya. So I wanted to know, what’s the process for the naming of a resident representative? And given this he’s the son-in-law of the Secretary-General, was there any recusal made? I’m not saying he’s not qualified. I’m not saying he’s not a long-time official. I’m just wondering what is the process…[inaudible]… for someone being named…
Spokesman: The regular process was used. The fact that he is, indeed, the son-in-law of the Secretary-General, I think, does not take away anything from his very strong service over the years…
Inner City Press: I’m asking about the process.
Spokesman: Thank you.
Dujarric's only response is that Chatterjee is qualified. That was not the question. After Inner City Press highlighted this, Ban's spokesman Dujarric returned on August 26 with a "supplemental" statement, which still confirmed that Ban had not recused himself, had in fact signed the approval of his own son in law for the promotion. Video here.From the UN Transcript:
Spokesman Dujarric: I also just wanted to give you a little bit more details on the issue you had raised yesterday with Mr. Chatterjee and expand on what I'd said. Mr. Chatterjee was chosen through the regular process which is basically that the candidates are chosen by an interagency advisory panel which… which does not… and especially in this case… did not involve the Secretary-General. I think he has been fully aware of the situation and has kept well away from the selection process. For RCs, the candidates are chosen and recommended by the interagency panel. The name of the recommended candidate is then given to the Secretary-General to sign off on. He does not involve himself… and as I said, especially in this case… involve himself in the selection… in the selection process. And I would just, again, reiterate Mr. Chatterjee's, I think, very strong qualifications in his career with ICRC and the UN over the years.
Inner City Press: I looked into it, too. It seemed like they sent it to the UNDG Chair and the Secretary-General. That's why I was asking yesterday.
Spokesman: No, I understand. The Secretary-General… the Secretary-General is very aware of the sensitivities of this case and has stayed well away from it. The final signature… because the way this works is the Resident Coordinator represents the UN, and it needs the agreement of the host country. So, the letter of appointment, in a sense, has to be signed by the Secretary-General. But, his name is given to him by the interagency panel.
Nor have the questions about Han Seung-soo, who refuses Ban's supposed call for public financial disclosure, been answered.
Instead, Inner City Press which has asked about each of Chatterjee's promotions though the UN system under Ban (for example to and from UNOPSincluding censorship by the son in law, like Ban) and in the past ten months about Ban's and his head of communications Cristina Gallach's links with the John Ashe / Ng Lap Seng UN bribery scandal, was ousted from the UN in February 2016 (audio here) and had its investigative files evicted onto First Avenue in April (video here). NYT here.
Since then Inner City Press has been BANned from covering UN events on the second floor unless it has a minder which stays with it all the time; sometime Inner City Press is told there are not enough minders, and coverage is entirely prohibited. This is censorship under Ban Ki-moon.
Gallach's DPI is giving Inner City Press' long time shared office to an Egypt state media, Akhbar Al Yom, whose UN representative Sanaa Youssef rarely comes to the UN, and never asks questions - Dujarric refused to confirm this obvious fact, saying he "does not take attendance" -- but who is a former president of the Ban-friendly UN Correspondents Association.
Inner City Press put the question of recusal to Ban's spokesman Dujarric entirely civilly, without (there) calling into question Chatterjee's qualification or history (including in Sri Lanka, to which Ban Ki-moon was then headed for a visit). Watch this site.
