After Gambia Coup Bid, UN Jeff Feltman's Quiet Trip, UNdisclosed, FUNCA Asks Why

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, February 4 – Going back to late December, the UN has said the coup attempt in Gambia was important to it, even as it was mis-reported. Now it seems the UN does not want to be reported at all.

  On February 4, having seen mention in the African press, Inner City Press asked UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon's spokesman Stephane Dujaric:

Inner City Press: Can you confirm that Mr. [Jeffrey] Feltman is going to Gambia on a follow-up to Mr. [Mohammed ibn] Chambas' visit?

Spokesman Dujarric:  I do believe he is in Gambia, and we will get more details.

Inner City Press:  And is there some reason that his schedule is not public? I mean, this was reported in the press there.  It seems when he goes places, he's representing the Secretary-General.

Spokesman:  I think we try to share his schedules.  Sometimes things fall through the cracks.  But, we try to be as open and transparent as we can

Inner City Press / FUNCA: Can you ask [the Department of Political Affairs] to put it online?

Spokesman:  Thousands of [Department of Political Affairs] staffers are probably watching this briefing.

Inner City Press:  I’m sure.

  Not only are Feltman's schedules not made public, as now formally requested by the Free UN Coalition for Access - just after this exchange, Ban Ki-moon held a lunch with scribes the Q&A of which has not been released. Click here for that.

The Gambia coup attempt was discussed for a second time in the UN Security Council on January 8, but discrepancies emerged.

On December 31, Secretary General Ban Ki-moon said that he “encourages the establishment of a transparent investigation into the events of 30 December, in compliance with due process and respect for the rule of law.”

  The call for a transparent investigation was missing from the January 8 briefing by UN official Chambas, who told the Security Council  “I am planning to visit Banjul on 14-15 January and meet with President Jammeh. I will reiterate our firm condemnation of any attempt to seize power by unconstitutional means, and encourage the Gambian authorities to work with the support of international partners, to ensure the credibility of judicial procedures and the respect of human rights.”

  Afterward Inner City Press asked Chambas about the different, and on behalf of the Free UN Coalition for Access about radio station Taranga FM, shut down during the coup bid and now told to play only music.

   Chambas told Inner City Press he had not heard of the station -- Inner City Press in the hallway urged him to tune it in while he is in Bangui, to see if it is only music -- and spoke of trying to liberalize West Africa. We'll see.

  Before 10 am on December 31, Ban Ki-moon issued a 123 word statement calling for restraint and an investigation of the attempt in the The Gambia, albeit not mentioning the name of the target of the coup, Yahya Jammeh.

  After the Security Council's 45-minute meeting, Inner City Press asked the Council's president who is supposed to do the investigation Ban had called for before the meeting. He responded that UN official Chambas will go to Banjul; Inner City Press later learned and published that this will take place on January 2.

  Reuters however reported that "Following brief talks at the U.N. Security Council, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon called for a transparent investigation into the events and also urged restraint."

 This is false. 

   Ban's statement was at 9:37 am; the Security Council meeting didn't start until 10 am, and didn't end until 10:45 am. (At that time, Inner City Press asked Ban's Under Secretary General for Political Affairs Jeffrey Feltman for more detail; he replied that since Ban had issued a statement, he had nothing to add -- all too common at the UN, as pointed out and opposed by the Free UN Coalition for Access.)

  Reuters was not present at the UN Security Council stakeout before, during or after the meeting on Gambia (Tweeted photo here), and apparently not in the UN building either. The crediting on the above quoted story is"Reporting by David Lewis and Diadie Ba in Dakar, Lesley Wroughton in Washington, Louis Charbonneau in New York; Writing by David Lewis and Matthew Mpoke Bigg; Editing by Giles Elgood."

  Six journalists listed; one outright falsehood. What does Reuters do in these cases? We've asked management including Stephen J. Adler before, amid censorship, withno real answer. #ReutersFail.

  Since then, African Union commission chief Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma has expressed "preoccupation" and rurged deepening "democracy and the respect for human rights."

  By the time of Ban's 9:37 am December 31 statement, later misrepresented by Reuters, the US had already issueda statement: “The United States is aware of reports of a coup attempt on December 30 in The Gambia. We strongly condemn any attempt to seize power through extra-constitutional means. We regret the loss of life and call on all parties to refrain from further violence.”

    Thirteen hours later when Ban Ki-moon issued his statement, he went a bit further and cited calm and called for an investigation, apparently by Jammeh's government itself:

“The Secretary-General is following closely developments in The Gambia. He reiterates the United Nations principled condemnation of all attempts to seize power through unconstitutional means. Referring to reports that indicate that the situation in Banjul is calm, he calls for all parties to exercise restraint and to refrain from further violence. 

“Noting the seriousness of any attempt to overthrow governments by force, the Secretary-General encourages the establishment of a transparent investigation into the events of 30 December, in compliance with due process and respect for the rule of law. In that regard, he urges the Government of The Gambia, and its security and defense forces to act in full respect for human rights. The United Nations will continue to closely monitor the situation.”

  When the UN Security Council meeting on the topic began at 10:10 am on December 31, there were tumbleweeds at the stakeout in front. Some may denounce The Gambia, but at the UN or at least in its press corp, there is not apparently much interest.

  When the meeting ended, in less than 45 minutes, Inner City Press asked Feltman about it. He said since the SG had issued a statement, he had nothing to add. In 2015, theFree UN Coalition for Access will be pressing for all UN Under Secretaries General to answer questions. 

  Finally, the Security Council's president for December, from Chad, came and summarized the meeting, saying that UN official Chambas, previously the head of UNAMID in Darfur, will file a report. There have been problems with UNAMID's reporting. 

 (Again in terms of micro-news, Inner City Press is exclusively told by sources that Chambas will go to Gambia on Friday, January 2. Since the UNSC President was asked on camera when Chambas would go and only said "soon," call it a coup scooplet.)

  Inner City Press asked the outgoing Security Council president about the December 30 closed door meeting about Sudan throwing out two UN officials, Yvonne Helle and Ali Al-Za'tari. He said he couldn't speak, nothing had been agreed to. Which is why the UN Secretariat should have spoken and taken questions, as FUNCA requestedand will continue to request in 2015. Watch this site.

    

After Gambia Coup Bid, Taranga FM Radio's All Music by Jammeh's Decree, UN Hasn't Heard, FUNCA Asks

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, January 8 – The Gambia coup attempt was discussed for a second time in the UN Security Council on January 8, but discrepancies emerged.

On December 31, Secretary General Ban Ki-moon said that he “encourages the establishment of a transparent investigation into the events of 30 December, in compliance with due process and respect for the rule of law.”

  The call for a transparent investigation was missing from the January 8 briefing by UN official Chambas, who told the Security Council  “I am planning to visit Banjul on 14-15 January and meet with President Jammeh. I will reiterate our firm condemnation of any attempt to seize power by unconstitutional means, and encourage the Gambian authorities to work with the support of international partners, to ensure the credibility of judicial procedures and the respect of human rights.”

  Afterward Inner City Press asked Chambas about the different, and on behalf of the Free UN Coalition for Access about radio station Taranga FM, shut down during the coup bid and now told to play only music.

   Chambas told Inner City Press he had not heard of the station -- Inner City Press in the hallway urged him to tune it in while he is in Bangui, to see if it is only music -- and spoke of trying to liberalize West Africa. We'll see.

  Before 10 am on December 31, Ban Ki-moon issued a 123 word statement calling for restraint and an investigation of the attempt in the The Gambia, albeit not mentioning the name of the target of the coup, Yahya Jammeh.

  After the Security Council's 45-minute meeting, Inner City Press asked the Council's president who is supposed to do the investigation Ban had called for before the meeting. He responded that UN official Chambas will go to Banjul; Inner City Press later learned and published that this will take place on January 2.

  Reuters however reported that "Following brief talks at the U.N. Security Council, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon called for a transparent investigation into the events and also urged restraint."

 This is false. 

   Ban's statement was at 9:37 am; the Security Council meeting didn't start until 10 am, and didn't end until 10:45 am. (At that time, Inner City Press asked Ban's Under Secretary General for Political Affairs Jeffrey Feltman for more detail; he replied that since Ban had issued a statement, he had nothing to add -- all too common at the UN, as pointed out and opposed by the Free UN Coalition for Access.)

  Reuters was not present at the UN Security Council stakeout before, during or after the meeting on Gambia (Tweeted photo here), and apparently not in the UN building either. The crediting on the above quoted story is"Reporting by David Lewis and Diadie Ba in Dakar, Lesley Wroughton in Washington, Louis Charbonneau in New York; Writing by David Lewis and Matthew Mpoke Bigg; Editing by Giles Elgood."

  Six journalists listed; one outright falsehood. What does Reuters do in these cases? We've asked management including Stephen J. Adler before, amid censorship, withno real answer. #ReutersFail.

  Since then, African Union commission chief Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma has expressed "preoccupation" and rurged deepening "democracy and the respect for human rights."

  By the time of Ban's 9:37 am December 31 statement, later misrepresented by Reuters, the US had already issueda statement: “The United States is aware of reports of a coup attempt on December 30 in The Gambia. We strongly condemn any attempt to seize power through extra-constitutional means. We regret the loss of life and call on all parties to refrain from further violence.”

    Thirteen hours later when Ban Ki-moon issued his statement, he went a bit further and cited calm and called for an investigation, apparently by Jammeh's government itself:

“The Secretary-General is following closely developments in The Gambia. He reiterates the United Nations principled condemnation of all attempts to seize power through unconstitutional means. Referring to reports that indicate that the situation in Banjul is calm, he calls for all parties to exercise restraint and to refrain from further violence. 

“Noting the seriousness of any attempt to overthrow governments by force, the Secretary-General encourages the establishment of a transparent investigation into the events of 30 December, in compliance with due process and respect for the rule of law. In that regard, he urges the Government of The Gambia, and its security and defense forces to act in full respect for human rights. The United Nations will continue to closely monitor the situation.”

  When the UN Security Council meeting on the topic began at 10:10 am on December 31, there were tumbleweeds at the stakeout in front. Some may denounce The Gambia, but at the UN or at least in its press corp, there is not apparently much interest.

  When the meeting ended, in less than 45 minutes, Inner City Press asked Feltman about it. He said since the SG had issued a statement, he had nothing to add. In 2015, theFree UN Coalition for Access will be pressing for all UN Under Secretaries General to answer questions. 

  Finally, the Security Council's president for December, from Chad, came and summarized the meeting, saying that UN official Chambas, previously the head of UNAMID in Darfur, will file a report. There have been problems with UNAMID's reporting. 

 (Again in terms of micro-news, Inner City Press is exclusively told by sources that Chambas will go to Gambia on Friday, January 2. Since the UNSC President was asked on camera when Chambas would go and only said "soon," call it a coup scooplet.)

  Inner City Press asked the outgoing Security Council president about the December 30 closed door meeting about Sudan throwing out two UN officials, Yvonne Helle and Ali Al-Za'tari. He said he couldn't speak, nothing had been agreed to. Which is why the UN Secretariat should have spoken and taken questions, as FUNCA requestedand will continue to request in 2015. Watch this site.

    

IMF Disburses $18.4 to Mali, Sanogo & Arrest of PM No Problem if Donors Like It, French Connection

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, January 28 -- When the International Monetary Fund board voted Monday to disburse $18.4 million to Mali, it raised not only funds but questions.

   The IMF's embargoed press release recounted how an earlier IMF disbursement had been "derailed by the March 2012 coup d'etat and its aftermath."

   Inner City Press asked the IMF's head of mission Christian Josz what had changed, given that coup leader Amadou Sanogo is still a power in the Malian Army, and the prime minister Josz met with in November, Cheick Modibo Diarra, had since been arrested in his home and not allowed to leave the country.

   Josz replied that the change had been the willingness of donors to contribute to Mali -- a product of the French military intervention -- and the effect on GDP growth projections, which had fallen from 5.6% to negative 1.5% before going back up.

   The French military intervention, then, brought money to Mali through the IMF, run by France's former finance minister Christine Lagarde.

   Inner City Press asked a follow up, whether the IMF board had considered the various impacts on GDP growth if the African-led force AFISMA takes the lead instead of France, and if northern Mali is given political autonomy.

  Josz protested that the IMF only considers "macro-economics." But in this case, it seems that the sudden willingness of France and other Western donors to contribute, after bombing, is what turned things around for the IMF.

  In turn, the IMF says it is only disbursing funds because the Western donors are now willing. It's a circle, and sometimes it can be lucrative, if only to the tune of $18.4 million, to be the subject of a military intervention. Confidence can rise!

  Josz said that 95% of Mali's GDP is from the south, where a new coal mine in opening. He said a third mobile phone operator is opening in Mali. He compared the $18.4 million to a $110 million gap.

(Back on March 22, 2012, Inner City Press asked the IMF about the coup which had just occured in Mali and they respond with a quote from Josz: 'The economic program of the government of Mali supported by the IMF remains on track," click here for that.)

   Josz when he visited the country in November met also with Tienan Coulibaly, then Minister of Economy, Finance and Budget. A Tieman Coulibaly showed up at the UN in December as the Foreign Minister, and Inner City Press asked him about Sanogo and the arrest "in the airport" of then prime minister Cheick Modibo Diarra.

Tieman Coulibaly said of course Sanogo still has a role, and dispute where Cheick Modibo Diarra had been arrest -- not in the airport, but in his home. Video here from Minute 5:40. Is that better? Watch this site.

Mali's New FM Coulibaly Denies 2d Coup, Admits Sanogo Is Involved, ECOWAS Says Shouldn't Be, Sovereign Decision?

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, December 20 -- When is accepting the leader of a coup d'etat a purely internal matter of a sovereign state?

  The question arose Thursday about Mali after the UN Security Council adopted a resolution authorizing a mission to work with the Malian army to re-take the north of the country.

  While Mali was lobbying for the resolution, its prime minister resigned at 4 am Bamako time; UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon's meeting with the then-foreign minister was canceled.

  Now the new foreign minister Tieman Coulibaly is in town, and Inner City Press asked him if Captain Amadou Sanogo, who led the earlier coup, is still involved, and why that prime minister resigned at 4 am after being arrested at the airport. Video here from Minute 5:10.

  He was not arrested at the airport, new foreign minister Coulibaly cut in. He said prime minister Diarra -- the brother of a former UN Under Secretary General -- resigned for the good of the country: it "was necessary to move forward, the former prime minister had become a problem for Mali. Satisfied?" Video here from Minute 5:40.

  Moments later Inner City Press asked Cote d'Ivoire Ambassador Bamba, speaking for the West African group ECOWAS, if Sanogo should still be involved. No, Bamba answered.

  The final stakeout of the day, and perhaps year, was by Moroccan Ambassador Loulichki, the President of the Security Council through December 31. Inner City Press asked him about the seeming split between the Malian representative's statement and that of Bamba for ECOWAS: should Sanogo still be involved?

That is a sovereign matter up to the Malians, Loulichki said. So what does it mean when the Security Council calls for the restoration of democracy, or of deposed leaders -- is that an interference with sovereignty. There are double standards, and then triple standards. Watch this site.

UNODC Say No Contact with Guinea Bissau Military Junta, GA, Ban Ki-moon UNclear

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, September 27 -- While the UN remains elusive about whether Guinea Bissau's post-coup leader Manuel Serifo Nhamadjo will speak for the country in the General Assembly, and whether he will meet with Secretary General Ban Ki-moon or his team, the head of the UN Office of Drugs and Crime Yuri Fedotov was more clear midday on Thursday.

  Inner City Press asked Fedotov about UNODC's work in and analysis of Guinea Bissau, including whether, since the April 12 coup d'etat, UNODC has worked with the post-coup government. Inner City Press asked asked whether UNODC believes drug trans-shipment has increased or decreased since the coup.

  Fedotov replied, "Unfortunately, it is clear the trans-shipment of drugs through Guinea Bissau is increasing. It puts an additional challenge."

  On whether UNODC works with the post-coup government, he replied that it "obviously" does not even have any contacts with what he called the "military junta." Fedotov said:

"So far we keep our profile very low. We keep alive facilities we helped to install in Guinea Bissau, including transnational crime unit. Obviously as you understand we don't have any contacts with members of the military junta in Guinea Bissau. But we are keeping the modest assets we built, in close coordination with all UN programs and fund present there... That is an issue we are discussion with colleagues. I've had several meeting in New York. We'll continue to pursue matter and we'll see what could be done in this particular context."

One wonders, who has Fedotov met with about this while in New York for the General Assembly? With whom has Manuel Serifo Nhamadjo met? Watch this site.

Exclusive: At UN, Paraguay's Post-Lugo Arrival at CELAC Suspends Meeting

By Matthew Russell Lee, Exclusive

 

UNITED NATIONS, September 21 -- The 67th UN General Assembly had its first argument about legitimacy on Friday, days before the General Debate. A meeting of CELAC, the Caribbean and Latin American group, had been scheduled from 10-1 and 3-6 in Conference Room 5 of the UN's North Lawn building.

 

But an attendee ran out near 11 am and exclusively told Inner City Press that the meeting was "suspended" when a representative of "post-Lugo," some say "post-coup" Paraguay came in.

 

Paraguay has already been suspended from MERCOSUR, and now the fight has extended to the UN in New York. Inner City Press confirmed and tweeted it. A few hours later, the afternoon session of CELAC was listed as "Canceled."

 

Inner City Press approached the UN Permanent Representative of one of the CELAC members and asked about the meeting's suspension.

 

"There was no meeting," he said with a smile. He predicted, "Maybe he won't come in the future, he will be absent, so this does not happen again." Watch this site.

On Mali, France Says ECOWAS Hasn't Asked for Money, Talks Envoy for Sahel

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, August 10 -- After French Ambassador Gerard Araud read out a UN Security Council press statement on Mali late Friday afternoon, Inner City Press asked him two questions about the country.

First, Inner City Press asked Araud for France's position on what Morocco has proposed, a dedicated envoy for Mali, different from West Africa envoy Said Djinnit who they say is already overworked with issues ranging from piracy in the Gulf of Guinea to the coup d'etat in Guinea Bissau.

Araud replied that it is a French idea, for an envoy to the Sahel. Inner City Press asked if this would be separate from UNOWA and Said Djinnit. Araud replied that the identity of the envoy is not France's concern. But can one person do these disparate jobs, well?

Inner City Press also asked who would PAY for the proposed ECOWAS force to Mali. Earlier on Friday, Araud said that the idea for a neutral force for the Eastern Congo and its border with Rwanda would be too costly.

Araud said that so far, no specific request for funding from ECOWAS has been received. But isn't that what this is all about? Watch this site.

After Guinea Bissau Coup, UN Just Follows, Confers with Drug Kingpin Host

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, April 13 -- More than a day after the coup d'etat in Guinea Bissau, UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon's spokesman issued the following statement:

"The United Nations is following reports of armed activities heard in Bissau on 12 April. The Secretariat is in close consultation on the matter with the Special Representative of the Secretary-General to Guinea-Bissau and the United Nations team on the ground."

Ban's wan response stands in contrast to the speed which which he "deplored" the failed rocket launch by his old nemesis North Korea. His envoy to Guinea Bissau, Joseph Mutaboba, hosted a listed drug kingpin in the UN compound there.

Then again, Ban's briefer to the Security Council Friday morning about North Korea was Oscar Fernandez Taranco, the Argentine who recently schooled his own country on how to raise the Malvinas or Falkland Islands at the UN, and who went to post-coup Maldives and in essence gave Ban's blessing. Could he do the same in Guinea Bissau?

More seriously there was talk of giving a UN Security Council mandate to the Angolan soldiers who are already in Guinea Bissau.

There was less said, at least at the UN, at the disappeared blogger Aly Silva, author of Ditadura do Consenso. Guinea Bissau was dealt with by the Council between North Korea and Syria. Portugal's Permanent Representative Cabral was asked to specify who much time the Council spent on North Korea versus Guinea Bissau. That's not the way to judge it, he said. Some issues can be quickly solved. Which one would that be? Watch this site.

Mali Coup Reignites UNSC Fight About Libya, Gold Mine Questions UNanswered

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, March 23 -- The coup d'etat in Mali did not come out of nowhere. After the fall of Gaddafi in Libya, arms and fighters flowed back to Mali. Soldiers were being ordered to go north to face the Tuareg without having the right, or even any, weapons.

On March 17 there were protest by young soldiers in Gao Saturday then in Kati near Bamako, about the government's handling of the situation in the south. They mutinied.

On March 21 it was said the UN Security Council would get a briefing under Any Other Business. But it was put back for a day. By the time the Council got briefing on March 22 at 4:30 pm -- several diplomats arrived late, from an Arria formula meeting on Syria -- the coup in Mali was entrenched.

Inner City Press is informed that the briefing, Lynn Pascoe, was pointedly asked about gold mining in Mali, but did not answer. Here are some of the companies involved: Iamgold Corp., Avion Gold Corp., Randgold Resources Ltd. and Cluff Gold PLC.

There are reports that coup leader Amadou Haya Sanogo received US military training. The US has yet to cut off military aid. The International Monetary Fund on March 22 answered Inner City Press' question about Egypt, but not one about Mali, then or since.

A larger issue is that groups previously supported financial by Gaddafi now have empty bank accounts. And so guns are picked back up - and proliferated weapons are there.

The Security Council has long delayed a Presidential Statement about the Sahel. Some, from the West, want to refer to Libya only in terms of humanitarian issues. Others want to tie it to security, now in light of the coup in Mali. A new draft is being circulated with an eye toward adoption Monday or Tuesday unless the silence procedure is broken. Watch this site.