In Darfur, UN Amos Not Meeting IDP Leaders Remains a Mystery, Politics Alleged

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, November 9 -- In Darfur at first when leaders of the Al Salam camp for internally displaced people wouldn't meet with Valerie Amos, the UN's Humanitarian Coordinator, Ms. Amos was quoted “I hope that here is no fear.”

It seems clear the reference was to the arrest and harassment of IDPs at the nearby Abu Shouk camp after they met with the UN Security Council on October 8.

But when Inner City Press asked the UN to explain this concern about fear, and to describe the UN's follow up on the Abu Shouk harassment, the response was that

“Valerie Amos did speak to two women at the Al Salam camp. But two of her meetings with camp elders could not take place. This failure to meet reflects the divisions in political opinions among IDPs and their subsequent inability to come up with an agreed message for Amos.”

Since this blaming of splits in the IDPs, and letting the Sudanese government off the hook for its harassment is a noticeable strategy of UNAMID under Ibrahim Gambari, on November 9 Inner City Press asked UN acting Deputy Spokesperson Farhan Haq if the answer his office gave Inner City Press on November 8 was from UNAMID, or from the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, which Amos runs.

It came from Amos' office, Haq answered.

Several human rights activists whom Inner City Press spoke with later on November 9 said this bodes badly. “Has Amos become part of the cover up?” asked on of them, contrasting her unfavorably with her predecessor twice removed, Jan Egeland.

The more fundamental question is, why would IDPs need an “agreed message” to speak with the UN's HUMANITARIAN coordinator? Is Ms. Amos already perceived a political, rather than humanitarian, actor?

If the statement about a split in the IDPs did come from her, shouldn't this concern her? Watch this site.

On Darfur, UN Confirms Amos Meeting Canceled, Blames IDP Splits Not Sudan Arrests

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, November 8 -- With UN Humanitarian Coordinator Valerie Amos in Darfur's Al Salam camp for internally displaced person, it was reported that camp leaders canceled a meeting with her out of fear. A month after the UN Security Council visited the Abu Shouk camp and spoke with IDPs, two were arrested and others harassed.

On November 8, Inner City Press asked Secretary General Ban Ki-moon's spokesman Martin Nesirky if Ban's Peacekeeping chief Alain Le Roy, or Darfur Mission chief Ibrahim Gambari, had in the month since gotten any closer to confirming or denying that those arrested met or planed the meeting with the Council on October 8. Video here.

Nesirky said he had no information on any confirmation, but that he would seek to clarify Amos' remark, quoted by Inner City Press, that “I hope that there is no fear” -- that is, of renewed harassment or arrest by Sudanese authorities.

Four hours later, the UN provided Inner City Press with an answer that confirms that Amos' meeting with sheikhs was canceled, but blames the IDPs themselves and not any fear of government harassment for the cancellation:

Subject: Your question on Valerie Amos in Sudan
From: UN Spokesperson - Do Not Reply
To: Matthew.Lee [at] innercitypress.com
Date: Mon, Nov 8, 2010 at 4:48 PM

Valerie Amos did speak to two women at the Al Salam camp. But two of her meetings with camp elders could not take place. This failure to meet reflects the divisions in political opinions among IDPs and their subsequent inability to come up with an agreed message for Amos.

Contrast that UN answer -- it is not clear who wrote it -- with this article , by Radio Netherlands citing AFP, and ask which is more credible...

“Leaders at a refugee camp in Sudan's war-torn Darfur region refused on Sunday to meet visiting United Nations aid chief Valerie Amos, an AFP correspondent reported.... On Sunday at Camp al-Salam on the outskirts of El-Fasher, the capital of the western region of Darfur, elders scrapped a planned meeting with Amos without giving reasons for their decision.

“'I hope that there is no fear,' Amos told reporters after the camp leaders failed to show up for their meeting. 'My understanding is that there are a number of issues that the sheikhs would like to raise with me, and they have said that they would raise them with me the way they wish,' she added.”

The statement provided later to Inner City Press by the UN does not explain Amos saying “I hope that there is no fear.” Watch this site.