Syria Rebels Used Sarin, UN's Del Ponte Strongly Suspects, Of UK's Trolls & Popova

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, May 6 -- Amid disputes of the scope of a UN chemical weapons probe in Syria, UN Human Rights Council appointee Carla Del Ponte has said this:

"Our investigators have been in neighboring countries interviewing victims, doctors and field hospitals and, according to their report of last week which I have seen, there are strong, concrete suspicions but not yet incontrovertible proof of the use of sarin gas... on the part of the opposition, the rebels, not by the government authorities."

  Now the question is, how fast can the UN Human Rights Council, or Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, or in the Security Council the Permanent Three (France, UK and US) walk back from this?

  Del Ponte previously caused a stir when she reported on the extraction and sell of organs from Serbian prisoners of war. 

  But her work on the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia before that had been such that she was put on the HRC's Syria panel.

  Now this.

  Last week at the Russian mission, a Russian state media reporter Anastasia Popova showed some of her footage from eight months inside Syria. 

  Inner City Press asked her about chemical weapons. She replied she had been in Khan al Asal, and had eye witness testimony that chemical weapons use was by the opposition.

  At the next UN noon briefing, Inner City Press asked Ban Ki-moon's spokesperson if his prober, Ake Sellstrom, would take a look at the information Popova assembled inside Syria. (Popova said the HRC's Paulo Pinheiro panel, which includes Del Ponte, had been unwilling to.) 

  The answer was yes. Now this. Again, how fast can Ban, the HRC or really the P3 walk back from this?

Footnotes: When Inner City Press reported on the session at the Russian mission, anonymous social media accounts associated with Reuters and others of the UN Correspondents Association board quickly made the false allegation that Inner City Press must be funded by the Assad government, then asked the UN's Stephane Dujarric to dis-accredit Inner City Press -- just after "World Press Freedom Day."

  We've noted that the UK Mission, also on social media but at least like Permanent Representative Mark Lyall Grant under its own name, produced its own World Press Freedom Day video, with four short interviews at least two of which we'll review in another post.

The UK "quartet" included Tim Witcher of Agence France Presse, who on March 8, 2013 filed a false complaint with UN Security saying Inner City Press "abused" French head of Peacekeeping Herve Ladsous.

 It also included, from Reuters, not Louis Charbonneau but Michelle Nichols, who did the same. Higher tech than Witcher, Nichols is associated with UNCA's trolling social media accounts which falsely and anonymously accuses others of being funded by Assad or Sri Lanka's defunct Tamil Tigers, leading to death threats. 

  World Press Freedom Day, indeed. Watch this site.

Banning Democracy? In Madagascar, Rajoelina's Run Violates Road Map, But UN Tells Inner City Press It's Merely Watching

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, May 3 -- Following up on its previous questions about Madagascar and the UN's seeming lack of concern about restrictions on political speech and failure to comply with the SADC "road map," Inner City Press on May 3 asked the UN:

Inner City Press: Today was the deadline for candidates to step forward in the elections. It turns out Mr. [Andry] Rajoelina has announced that he is running, which breaks a promise and, some say, breaks the road map. He has also denounced the candidacy of Lalao Ravalomanana. So, I am wondering: is the UN following this, as the last response you sent me said that the road map is being complied with, that there are, there are various ways, including Mr. Rajoelina expressing an opinion and now running, that the road map is not being followed; it seems to, some is not being followed. Is there any response from the UN today?

Spokesperson: We’ll check with DPA, with the Department of Political Affairs.

Some nine hours later, the UN sent Inner City Press this response:

Subject: Your question on Madagascar
From: UN Spokesperson - Do Not Reply [at] un.org
Date: Fri, May 3, 2013 at 9:16 P
To: Matthew.Lee [at] innercitypress.com

We can say the following in response to your question at the noon briefing:

The United Nations has learned today of Mr. Rajoelina's intention to run in the election. We are following developments in Madagascar very closely and are concerned about any action that could derail the progress made in the efforts to conduct peaceful and credible elections in the country. The Southern African Development Community (SADC) is in the lead and their mediation team is currently in Madagascar. The United Nations will continue to work with the regional leaders and the African Union to help Madagascar address whatever problems may emerge.

  But even before Rajoelina made his move, here were some of the problems:

  First, on April 29, UN spokesperson Martin Nesirky wrote to Inner City Press that “The Malagasy authorities have been complying with the 2011 SADC Road map”. However, there are many ways that the Road map has not been complied with. 

  The most obvious is the conditions that were put on Mrs. Lalao Ravalomanana in order for her to be able to return to her country. According to the agreement, Lalao Ravalomanana was forced to “refrain from making political statements and organize political rallies” in exchange for being allowed to return to her country to see her mother in hospital. This is proof that Transitional president Andry Rajoelina is not complying with Article 20 of the roadmap which states that political exiles will be allowed to return home unconditionally...

  The UN has a record of support for Rajoelina dating back to before the Rajoelina’s coup d’état was finalized. While the coup was in progress, the UN special envoy publicly voiced support for the provision of diplomatic protection for Rajoelina. Just a year ago, the UN collaborated with Rajoelina’s minister of communication to celebrate World Press Freedom Day, even as the minister was criticized for detaining journalists.

Ah, World Press Freedom Day at the UN... We'll have more on this.

Exclusive: UN Peacekeeping Leaked Memo Shows Plans To Abolish More Posts Despite Mali Build-Up

By Matthew Russell Lee, Exclusive

UNITED NATIONS, May 3 -- In the spirit of the May Day protest by UN staff against working conditions and "forced relocations," Inner City Press has obtained and is exclusively publishing a UN Department of Peacekeeping Operations / DFS memo bragging about "abolishing" posts "in line with the reduction of peacekeeping activities in the field."

  This line from the February 12, 2013 DPKO memo rings false, as its chief Herve Ladsous pushing for a mission in former French colony Mali, and for a build up in the Eastern Congo.

  But still DPKO wants to cut jobs, perhaps to replace them with drones like Ladsous proposes with the peacekeepers in Cote d'Ivoire .

  In the memo, DPKO / DFS eschews any review of how it makes the cuts, writing that "since most of the posts where unique in functions and levels it was impossible to use a Comparative Review exercise."

  Of 2012, DPKO / DFS writes of "23 posts abolished in New York and established in UNGSC. 16 staff members affected, six professionals and 10 General Service staff." And still more cuts are slated for July 2013 -- even as Ladsous moves to staff up in Mali.

  As we reported, also exclusively ("obsessively," Ladsous or his spokesman might allege) earlier today, the Department of General Assembly and Conference Management under "Next Steps" urged to "be prepared for any possible UNDT cases (assemble good records)." DPKO / DFS says to "be prepared for any possible UNDT cases." 

  UNDT is the UN Dispute Tribunal. Did DPKO / DFS "assemble good records" to defend its abolition of posts?

  Of most concern to DGACM, according to its memo, was and is "staff being intimidated by a small (?) group of outspoken staff."

  That would the staff members who proposed the "no confidence" resolution as to Secretary General Ban Ki-moon's leadership, which passed overwhelmingly.

  Rather than learn any lesson from that vote -- for example, don't in response to a Press question call those who work for you "selfish," as Ban characterized those staff in New York who oppose his mobility proposal -- management blames it on a "small (?) group of outspoken staff."

  And you know, on World Press Freedom Day, the UN doesn't like those who are "outspoken." At the WPFD event, Ladsous' spokesman Kieran Dwyer justified Ladsous' refusal to answer any questions from Inner City Press, here. But we will continue reporting - persistently. Watch this site.

UN Memo Brags of Cutting 99 Publishing Posts, Blames "Outspoken Staff"

By Matthew Russell Lee, Exclusive

UNITED NATIONS, May 3 -- In the wake of the May Day protest by UN staff against working conditions and "forced relocations," Inner City Press has obtained and is exclusively publishing a UN memo bragging about "abolishing" 99 jobs in Publishing. Click here.

  In a session in which other departments also bragged of cost cutting and job cuts, the Department of General Assembly and Conference Management recounted that Hurricane Sandy allowed it to drive the final nail into Publishing, vacating the third sub basement and leaving those who worked there without posts.

  While all 39 "Trades and Crafts" jobs, and 60 General Services positions, are to be abolished, the number of higher paid Professionals actually goes up. This is Ban Ki-moon's UN.

  Ironically, DGACM lists under "What We're Doing Well" the purported "frequent communications between management and staff." 

  Then, under "Next Steps," it urges to "be prepared for any possible UNDT cases (assemble good records)." UNDT is the UN Dispute Tribunal, where cases have already been filed. Did the UN "assemble good records" to defend its abolition of posts?

  Of most concern to DGACM, according to the memo, was and is "staff being intimidated by a small (?) group of outspoken staff."

  That would the staff members who proposed the "no confidence" resolution as to Secretary General Ban Ki-moon's leadership, which passed overwhelmingly.

  Rather than learn any lesson from that vote -- for example, don't in response to a Press question call those who work for you "selfish," as Ban characterized those staff in New York who oppose his mobility proposal -- management blames it on a "small (?) group of outspoken staff."

  And you know, on World Press Freedom Day, the UN doesn't like those who are "outspoken." We will be publishing another memo soon. Watch this site.

Scoop Update II: After ICP Asks of Sale of Internship AT UN, UN Spins It's Not a UN Internship; Who's RFK "Winner" Aygul?

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, May 2 -- Yesterday morning Inner City Press published an expose that an internship at the UN was and is being sold, online, for more than $20,000. Then at theMay 1 UN noon briefing, Inner City Press asked the UN to justify that

Inner City Press: people should pay $22,000 to work in the UN, it’s for the UN NGO Committee on Human Rights, for six weeks. They are auctioning it off openly to benefit something called the RFK Young Leaders Foundation. It says, you’ll learn how the UN really works.... I have written an article about it... I am wondering if the UN is comfortable with positions inside the building being sold for money online.

Spokesperson Nesirky: I’ll have to look into that; I am not aware of that particular unusual story, Matthew. [Video here, at 13:42]

  Nearly eight hours later after some others jumped on that story if only on Twitter, some far away giving credit or hat tips and some closer at hand troublingly not, the UN sent Inner City Press this answer:

Subject: Re: Your question today
From: UN Spokesperson - Do Not Reply [at] un.org
Date: Wed, May 1, 2013 at 7:53 PM
To: Matthew.Lee [at] innercitypress.com

Internships at the United Nations are not for sale and cannot be put up for auction. We are trying to find out the details of how this came about and have contacted 'charitybuzz.com'

Inner City Press immediately published this answer, in a second story noting that it had asked the RFK Center's Sierra Ewert:

"I am a journalist who covers the UN; this morning I wrote a story, then asked the UN a question, about the RFK Center's RFK Young Leaders role in the auctioning off of a "UN internship" for over $20,000 on CharityBuzz.com. I want to ask you, on deadline, what the RFK Center's knowledge of, involvement in, and position on this auctioning off of an internship at the UN is. Please respond ASAP."

  The RFK Center has yet to respond; some have come to its defense, or to the defense of Bruce Knotts. But is that the point?  Inner City Press put in other requests for comment.

   For what it's worth, the bidding started at $500 then got into a contest between "m.alam" and "Aygul," with the latter the interim (Young?) leader at $22,000.

  The UN, after publication of Inner City Press' second story, sent a "further to" clarification:

"Further to the earlier email, just to add that we do not believe that the internship in question is a UN internship. As mentioned, we are trying to establish the details of this case and have contacted 'charitybuzz.com.'"

  It was at this point, using precisely this "further to" language from Secretary General Ban Ki-moon's spokesperson's office, that another slowly came to the story. How did it happen? 

 What was the role of the spokesperson's office, which just last week didn't answer Inner City Press' April 25 noon briefing question about Ban meeting with former French president (and now investment adviser for Qatar) Nicolas Sarkozy -- then gave the answer to Agence France Presse? There is a growing pattern of this.

  The auctioned internship story has hit a nerve given the parallel debate about the ethics of unpaid internships; some have become aware of it through that world, and that's good. But in the smaller world of those who cover the UN, there are troubling developments on which we have also put in questions. In the UN fUN-house it is "World Press Freedom Day;" one would expect answers. Watch this site.