Amid Praise of Hammarskjold, UN Security Council Race and John Ashe Case, “What Would Dag Say?”

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, October 27 -- When Dag Hammarskjold was UN Secretary General, there was was a time he invited a dozen guests to his apartment on the Upper East Side for dinner. When they got there, Hammarskjold told his guests, Let us be quiet for the next two hours while we eat, and listen to Bach.

  This story was told by Hammarskjold's fellow Swede Jan Eliasson on Tuesday evening the UN's Economic and Social Council Chamber, along with readings from Hammarskjold's Markings and pieces of Bach and Beethoven.

 In a reception afterward, after remarks for the Hammarskjold Foundation and salmon tartar and endive leaves, Eliasson recounted a story that he said fell out of his notes, how Hammarskjold's diplomatic skill and respect for Chinese culture got gained a release by China as a birthday gift to him.

  One was left wondering what Hammarskjold would make up the indictment this month of recent President of the General Assembly John Ashe, of Dominican Republic Deputy Permanent Representative Frank Lorenzo and Macau based businessness Ng Lap Seng. What reforms would Hammarskjold be pushing for? Would they be more than a small task force and an internal audit of two foundations?

   It was also difficult not to think, at the event and then reception, of Sweden's run for two Security Council seat next June against Italy and the Netherlands. One attendee joked to Inner City Press about “playing the Hammarskjold card;” it must be noted that Finland tried something similar but was unsuccessful. What about the Margot Wallstrom card? What philosophers will Italy and the Netherlands put forward?

   At the reception, diplomats from three continents and Regional Groups told Inner City Press that in today's world, or at least today's UN, there is no time to think the way Hammarksjold did. Is this related to the waycorruption penetrated the UN, from award ceremonies in the Delegates Dining Room to Cipriani? What would Dag say? We'll have more on this. 

UN Day Has South Korean Sponsors, of Lang Lang, UNCA & GSF, What Would Dag Say?

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, October 19 -- The upcoming UN Day, on the UN's 70th anniversary, will be sponsored by South Korea, with performances by the Korean Broadcasting System's symphony and “K-Pop” artists, as well as Chinese pianist Lang Lang.

  Inner City Press on October 19 asked UN Under Secretary General Cristina Gallach how the sponsors were chosen, if all member states were notified they could put in proposals, and about her participation, admittedly early in her tenure as USG for Public Information, as events of the Global Sustainability Foundation, named in the charge sheet against John Ashe, Sheri Yan and Frank Lorenzo, and of the Lorenzo-affiliated South South Awards. Video here.

   Gallach genial referred the selection or “vetting” question to her colleague Maher Nasser, and said that UN Spokesman Stephane Dujarric's answer minutes earlier, on which we'll separately report, was her answer as well.

   Maher Nasser said that under previous USG Peter Launsky-Tieffenthal, the Vienna Philharmonic was to play at this 70th UN Day, but then (after Launsky-Tieffenthal returned to his native Austria) found it was unable. So South Korea stepped forward, Nasser said, adding that future sponsorships are open. We'll have more on this.

   Other UN Day events beyond the concert with Lang Lang -- who also gave a speech at the founding of the Global Sustainable Foundation and will appear at an UN Correspondents Association-affiliated event this week, including Spanish sculptures on October 24 in Central Park, and photographs and a show about Dag Hammarskjold's “Markings” inside the UN on October 27.  Some of these, the UN sent only to UNCA.

 Of the Ashe / Lorenzo scandal at the UN, one might well ask and try to answer, “What Would Dag Say?” What indeed. The UN can and must do better, including being more transparent. The Free UN Coalition for Access, along with others, is working for this. Watch this site.

Footnote: Since the UNCA representative who only last week demanded the first question when not called on, and told Inner City Press for FUNCA to “shut up,” did not on October 19 try to brand the briefing for UNCA, Inner City Press offered a general thanks to USG Gallach. It works fine that way: briefing are not for branding. But branding by UNCA, particularly given recent revelations, will be be accepted.
   

As IMF Stops $240M DRC Loan for Opacity, UN Stonewalls, Waits for Drones

By Matthew Russell Lee

 

UNITED NATIONS, January 31 -- The UN has been in the Democratic Republic of Congo for well over a decade, back to Dag Hammarskjold, in fact. And what has come of it?

   On Thursday Inner City Press posed Congo questions to the UN in New York, after the International Monetary Fund in Washington.

   During the IMF's embargoed morning briefing, Inner City Press asked about the IMF's freezing of $240 million in loans to the lack of transparency in the mining industry, which involves ENRC, Glencore and, of course, Freeport-McMoRan.

   An IMF spokesperson responded, before 11 am, "Hi Matthew, On your DRC question, the ECF arrangement expired on December 10, 2012... it was not extended as requested by the authorities because published information related to the transfer of mineral assets by a state-owned enterprise, which was considered necessary to complete the review, was deemed insufficient by the IMF."

   Then at the UN's noon briefing, Inner City Press asked about the UN's and now the DRC's delayed investigation into 126 rapes in Minova by the Congolese Army in November. UN deputy spokesperson Eduardo Del Buey would not explain by UN Peacekeeping chief Ladsous' statement that the probe would be finished in January is not being abided with. Video here, from Minute 6:54.

   But from what spokesman Del Buey said, it's again clear the UN is relying on and supporting Congo's government, no matter what. Inner City Press asked about two new leaked e-mails from inside MONUSCO, about its patrols on the Rwanda border.

   Del Buey said the UN would not comment on documents "that may or may not have been leaked" to Inner City Press -- despite the UN's MONUSCO mission just the day previous saying that the Press should check with the UN about such documents.  Video here at Minute 13:34. Transparency, anyone?

  Would the IMF lend to its UN family (dysfunctional) sibling UN Secretariat and Department of Peacekeeping Operations?

  Nor, five hours after the briefing, has Del Buey explained why Ladsous' supposedly urgent drone request will not be opened until the second part of March.

   Inner City Press put the same drone question, and one about the failure in Addis Ababa of Secretary General Ban Ki-moon's DRC framework, to outgoing Security Council president Masood Khan on Thursday afternoon.  Video here, from Minute 7:27.

  He called the differences in Addis "procedural," and deferred on the drone question. But at least he answered, all month, unlike Ladsous.  For the six minute beta #LADSOUS2013 video, click here. Watch this site.

At UN, Screening of Rajapaksa's Response to "Killing Fields of Sri Lanka," Itself Neven Shown in Ban Ki-moon's UN

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, September 2 -- After the bloody final stage of conflict in Sri Lanka in 2009, alongside stalled action at the UN and its Human Rights Council, a documentary was made. This "Killing Fields" film about Sri Lanka has still apparenlty not been seen by UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon. Nor was it ever screened inside the UN, but rather across First Avenue in what's called the Church Center.

But tellingly, this notice reached Inner City Press on September 1

"inviting all UN Correspondents to attend the screening of the documentary 'Lies Agreed Upon,' on Tuesday, September 6th at 2:00pm in the Dag Hammarskjold Auditorium. Ambassador Dr.Palitha Kohona and Ambassador Major General Shavendra Silva of the Permanent Mission of Sri Lanka will be present for a Q&A session following the screening. Sri Lankan Authorities state 'This video directly challenges the assertions contained in the CH-4 video, Sri Lanka's Killing Fields.'"

While there is more to report on this strange screening, what most obviously jumps out is that a screening inside the UN is being given to a response film which " directly challenges the assertions contained in" another film which was never shown inside the UN.

This might be seen as propaganda, or as indicative of Ban Ki-moon's UN. Inner City Press has five times asked if Ban had taken the time to see "Killing Fields," which is critical of the performance of the UN and Ban himself in the final stages of the Sri Lanka conflict.

Ban's now departed deputy spokesman Farhan Haq belatedly replied that Ban had been given a DVD copy which he would watch when he had time. But this has apparently still not occurred, by contrast to a screening for Ban, his family and staff of the film "The Whistleblower" which criticizes the UN under Ban's predecessor Kofi Annan.

The Whistleblower was shown in the UN, unlike "Killing Fields," which because the request conflicted with Ban Ki-moon's re-appointment in the General Assembly was not screened inside the UN, and moved across the street.

In fairness Ban is now away from New York, headed to Australia -- where he may hear Sri Lanka concerns -- New Zealand and Kiribati. So those who unilaterally scheduled for a screening in the UN of the Rajapaksa government's rebuttal to a film that itself was never shown in the US may wish to explain themselves. Watch this site.