In Mali, UN John Ging Contrasts Needs with IBK's Jet, Sees Ethnic Cleansing in Central African Republic

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, June 19 -- Returning from Mali, UN aid official John Ging took questions from the press and answered with a candor too rare in the UN system. 

  Inner City Press asked about Mali's president having spent $40 million on a new airplane. (Inner City Press' story on the International Monetary Fund's criticism of the purchase, reiterated at the IMF's June 19 embargoed briefing, is here).

  Ging contrasted the jet purchase with the human needs he saw in the country --  here is a link to OCHA's Mali page -- and said he agreed with the IMF's criticism.

  Inner City Press asked who is in control in Kidal? Ging replied that humanitarians deal as they must with whoever is in de facto control of territory.

  Beyond Mali, Ging said in the Central African Republic, “there has been an ethnic cleansing under our watch.”

The Free UN Coalition for Access thanked Ging for holding briefings when he returns from trips -- here's hoping Oscar Fernandez Taranco does so when he returns from Sri Lanka -- and for his candor.

  If the UN had more officials like Ging its denials in Haiti, of bringing cholera, and in Sri Lanka of doing far too little (and worse), would not be what they are today. Watch this site.

   

On Syria, Insider Spins ICP on Division Into 3, Alawites by Coast for Russian Port

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, July 11, updated -- After a full day of Syria action at the UN Security Council, a non Council member offered a cynic's explanation for it to Inner City Press on Wednesday night.

  "They aim to divide Syria into three," the diplomat told Inner City Press, "with the Alawites controlling a small strip by the coast, so Russia can have a port. The Kurds will get their piece, and of course the Sunnis. It will be federalism, it will all be constructive ambiguity like in Iraq. But it will happen."

  Inner City Press asked the diplomat if as expected given his position he agreed with Qatar arming the Syrian opposition. "Of course not," he said, "it's destructive. But who is going to stop them?"

  The reason, he said, for the West's cautious approach on Syria is that simply removing Assad without having a successor ready would put Israel's border at risk. "And no one has emerged," he continued. 

  "The best model is Yemen, with the technical step down of Ali Saleh, no ICC, and he can return later. That's what's needed here."

  Another UN source protested that "Assad has killed too many," that he must go to the Hague. 

  The main source and cynic laughed. "You are being idealistic, that's not how these things work. They are arranged among the P-5, and they happen. And until World World Three, the Security Council will not be reformed." 

  While this last may be true, Inner City Press pointed out that the cynic's theory had a number of problems, not least the massive ethnic cleansing required and even in one view underway, with backing from the Gulf.

   But the cynic like the debate had moved on. Watch this site.

In Wake of Ethnic Cleansing, Dubious Kyrgyz Referendum Supported by UN -- and U.S.?

By Matthew Russell Lee
www.innercitypress.com/un7kyrgyz061610.html

UNITED NATIONS, June 16 -- Despite over 100,000 ethnic Uzbeks having been forced by violence out of Kyrgyzstan, the UN's man in Turkmenistan Miroslav Jenca has said the UN supports still holding the country's post-coup referendum on June 27.

Inner City Press asked UN Associate Spokesman Farhan Haq on June 16 is this might not be rewarding ethnic cleansing, and whether the UN believed that those who had to flee Kyrgyzstan should be allowed to vote in the referendum:

Inner City Press: with this number of people displaced and shooting still going on, what would the UN say to those who say that an ethnic minority that’s being targeted here won’t be able to vote in the referendum, thereby rendering it less than legitimate?

Associate Spokesperson: As far as that goes, yes, Mr. Jenca does believe that the referendum needs to go ahead. Our Electoral Affairs Division also is supportive of this. We realize the challenges, given the level of displacement, but the Electoral Division is in touch with the relevant electoral bodies in Kyrgyzstan and we’re trying to see what alternatives can be done to make sure that people exercise their right to vote.

Inner City Press: Do you believe that the 100,000 Kyrgyz citizens now in Uzbekistani camps should be allowed to vote in the election?

Associate Spokesperson: We believe that all steps should be taken to make sure that all of the Kyrgyz population can vote. The question, you’re right, there is a very strong logistical challenge at this stage, and we’ll have to see how that can be resolved. But our electoral people are in touch with the relevant authorities in Kyrgyzstan on this.

Inner City Press: Mr. Jenca, from his statement that it must go forward, it seems like he thought that it’s been resolved, or is he saying that it should go forward if it’s resolved or…?

Associate Spokesperson: He believes that, at this current stage, there is a series of options, all which have their difficulties and their problems. And the best way forward is to continue with the referendum, and try to address all the various challenges that have been caused by this displacement.

The referendum would install Roza Otunbayeva -- a former UN staffer -- in power through 2011, and approve Constitutional changes. To do so weeks after ethnic cleansing raises questions. What is the position of the United States, whose Robert Blake is headed to Bishkek this week? As Uzbeks call it ethnic cleansing or "attempted genocide," what does the US war crimes off, or Samantha Power, have to say?

More from the rest of the UN transcript:

Inner City Press: on this readout of the Secretary-General’s call with Islam Karimov of Uzbekistan. Am I misreading it? Did he ask that the border be opened so that people there that still are facing violence are able to cross or did he not?

Associate Spokesperson: Just to read back the readout, which we just got, he said that he highly appreciated Uzbekistan’s constructive efforts in addressing the alarming humanitarian situation in Kyrgyzstan, particularly in opening the border for refugees and providing for their care despite limited resources.

Inner City Press: Why did they report that it was open at first and then it was closed? Is it open or closed?

Associate Spokesperson: As we’ve said in the last couple of days, there were contradictory reports on this. We’ve been getting information on UNHCR, and like I said, the Secretary-General just earlier today spoke with President Karimov and this is the readout that I have.

Question: [inaudible] what about this report that this crisis was deliberately triggered off, that report by the United Nations?

Associate Spokesperson: This is from comments that were made by my counterpart at the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, Rupert Colville. I’d just refer you back to Mr. Colville’s remarks, where he talked about identifying five specific incidents of attacks a few days ago. And that’s part of the public record that we have in our briefing notes from there.

How can the UN say that an attempted genocide or ethnic cleansing was planned, without saying who planned it? Watch this site.

And see, www.innercitypress.com/un7kyrgyz061610.html