Inner City Press: leer

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Wednesday, November 4, 2015

On South Sudan, Inner City Press Asked Why UN Not in Leer Amid Deaths, UK PR Rycroft Says UNSC Discussed

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, October 26 -- Whom is the UN in South Sudan protecting? What are its priorities? On October 26, Inner City Pressasked UN Spokesman Stephane Dujarric about Leer, below.

On November 4, after the UN Security Council's closed door consultations with UNMISS chief Ellen Loj, Inner City Press asked Council President for November Matthew Rycroft of the UK if UNMISS offering protection in Leer and places like it was discussed.Video here. Fast transcription by InnerCityPro.com:

Inner City Press: On South Sudan, there are parts of the country where they’ve said people are being killed and there’s no UNMISS presence. Was there any discussion by Ms. Loj?

Amb Rycroft: Yes, we had a good discussion with Ms Loj about the extent to which UNMISS is adequately prepared and resourced to fill its mandate, which had been adapted recently. It’s an ongoing discussion with her and the mission and DPKO about what they expect.

Here were the Elements to the Press that Rycroft read out, fast transcribed by InnerCityPro.com

On South Sudan, the Security Council had a briefing from Ellen Loj, the Special Representative of the Secretary General, on the challenges facing the UN Mission in South Sudan. The Council agreed to the following four press elements.

First of all, we welcomed the agreements on security arrangements in Juba.

Secondly, we welcome the release of the African Union Commission of Inquiry report which makes very grim reading.

Thirdly, we express deep concern over continued fighting, particularly in Unity and Upper Nile states, and attacks against civilians and [de]tension of the UNMISS barge and UN personnel in Nile State, raising concern across the Council.

Fourthly, the Security Council was united in reiterating its readiness to take all appropriate measures to respond to such violations of the ceasefire, abuses against civilians, and attacks on UN peacekeepers.

(At the same Q&A stakeout, which Rycroft has committed to hold throughout the month after closed door consultation, Inner City Press asked him about Sudanese troops in Yemen -- he's seen the reports but had no comment on November 4 - and when the "Any Other Business" meeting on Burundi will be held. There is not yet a date. Video here.)

Back on October 26, Inner City Press asked UN Spokesman Stephane Dujarric:

Inner City Press: I wanted to ask you about South Sudan, there's reports by something called the protection cluster there that 80 civilians have been killed mostly by Government attacks in Leer County in the month of October. So people there are asking, where is UNMISS [United Nations Mission in South Sudan]? And it seems that UNMISS has not sent any patrols. They're in Bentiu. And I wanted to know, can you find out if there's any plan…

Spokesman: Where is UNMISS? UNMISS has been, I think, providing protection for more than 100,000 civilians and has been doing a superhuman job, for lack of a more adequate diplomatic word, in terms of trying to protect as many civilians as possible. The Mission does send out patrols where it can and observes what it can. I will take a look at that specific report and get back to you.

Inner City Press: Yeah. It seems like in Bentiu, they have peacekeepers from Mongolia, Ethiopia, India and Ghana…

Spokesman: No, I am well aware of where peacekeepers are. You're also talking about a country that's currently in the middle of a civil conflict. I think the Mission is doing… is stretching itself and doing whatever it can to protect civilians. So as I said, I will look into that specific report.

Well, here's from the report by the Protection Cluster: "Over a three week period between 4 and 22 October, at least 80 civilians were reportedly killed in Leer County. Among these were at least 57 children, 29 of whom drowned while fleeing attacks.2 Widespread use of sexual violence was also reported, with contacts on the ground reporting over 50 cases of rape. IDPs further reported that Government forces shot into swamps at fleeing civilians, burned houses, and abducted women and children."

We'll have more on this.

From September 29, 2015: An internal UN document leaked to Inner City Press, which is exclusively publishing it today, shows the high degree of dysfunction in the country, and in the UN.

UN's South Sudan Report, Sept 2015, Leaked to Inner City Press by Matthew Russell Lee

Here are some quotes, the full document we have put online here:

Within South Sudan the inextricable link with the Government’s political party SPLM with the SPLA military has exacerbated the crisis and this bond is also a potential stumbling block to finding a peaceful solution in the future. Currently the Government cannot adequately protect its population or institutions and therefore by extension is also unable to provide adequate protection to UN personnel or assets. The fragmentation of the military from the beginning of the crisis, the misuse of national security agencies and the economic status resulting from the collapse of state structure and drop in income, has led to further political instability.

This assessment defines that the UN is not a primary target for direct violence. However, this situation could change if the economic situation declines further, the military armed conflict continues and tensions rise within PoC sites.

Currently there is no mainstreaming of Security within the planning of UN activities/ programmes. Therefore, the policy that defines that security needs to be involved at all levels of management to ensure security is considered/ mainstreamed into all activities or programmes is not applied, specifically in UNMISS.

The high prevalence of alcohol and illicit drug use within the PoC sites has exacerbated violence and criminal behaviour directly impacting upon UN and AFP personnel working or living within or adjacent to the PoC sites. The smuggling of weapons into the PoCs poses a potential Direct Threat to UNMISS and AFP staff.

Continued accusations by government actors or affiliates that the PoC sites are sanctuary for supporters of the SPLA in Opposition also make the PoC sites a target; this point was actively demonstrated in the attack in the Bor in April 2014 resulting in the death of 55 IDPs within the UNMISS site.

Prior to December 2013, the UN was well regarded by the South Sudanese for its role in the drive towards independence from Sudan, for its humanitarian interventions and for efforts to protect civilians. But the ongoing crisis in South Sudan has also negatively impacted on sentiments and threats directed to UN personnel in the course of their work, for example IDPs insisting that national staff not from their preferred ethnic group are removed from programme activities in POC sites and some Ugandan UNPOL having to wear civilia clothes and be removed from POC duty due to active UPDF military support for the
Government of South Sudan.

In March 2014, a labelling error was discovered whilst transporting containers loaded with duty equipment for the UN Ghanaian peacekeepers in Unity State which brought strained relations to even a lower point. The error was exploited to galvanise hostility towards the UN in favour of the government by falsely presenting the UN as supplying weaponry to the opposition. It took elaborate interventions, investigations
and communications to clear the false impression that this created.

[ICP note: the same type of "labeling" or "clerical" error occure this months with weapons headed to MONUSCO. This is what UN Peacekeeping has become under Herve Ladous, who linked peacekeepers' rapes to "R&R, here.]

On 26 August 2014 under suspicious circumstances a UN contracted helicopter crashed near Bentiu in Unity State, killing three (3) aircrew and injuring one (1) other, underlining the threats involved in working within South Sudan. Investigations into the cause of the crash were inconclusive.

There have been increasing reports of criminal acts occurring within the Protection Of Civilian (POC) sites; also there have been a number of serious assaults against the UN and other humanitarian workers, sometimes involving weapons which
has resulted a few times of hospitalisation of personnel. These incidents have, and continue to affect not only the civilians seeking refuge at UN sites, but also the ‘safety and security’ of individual UNMISS and Agencies Funds and Programmes (AFP)
personnel.

"In February 2015 there was an alleged sexual assault of a Canadian INGO by a subcontractor for a UN Agency in UNMISS Bentiu team site."

[ICP note: the UN and UNICEF have not addressed this; the head of UN Peacekeeping, Herve Ladsous, has linked rapes to R&R.]

As the fighting also continues at a pace within Sudan on two fronts – Darfur and Nuba Mountains (South Kordofan in particular) the impact for the whole border region cannot be ignored. Sudan Armed Forces (SAF) are also carrying out
aerial bombing campaigns in the Nuba Mountains but also extending into South Sudan in November 2014 to hit alleged JEM targets in Raja, Western Bahr el Ghazal which killed 24 people including women and children.

South Sudan lacks an adequate air traffic control system, countrywide. The government took control of the country’s airspace from Sudan in 2011, but to date has not issued any “Notice to Airmen” (NOTAMs.). There are areas, however, that the government has declared a “no fly zone” (i.e. over the Presidential Palace in Juba), suggesting that the government reserve the right to fire upon an aircraft that violates this airspace.

The SPLA-io has reportedly mined the roads to the north of
Bentiu resulting in several incidents of vehicles being destroyed and civilian casualties. This is of particular concern to the UN as these routes are a vital corridor in delivering humanitarian aid.

The existing EU sanctions delivered in July 2014 had little impact on the deescalating of the crisis."

We'll have more on this.

On South Sudan, After African Union Finds No Cooperation by UNMISS, UN Claims AU Made No Request

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, October 28 -- The UN's peacekeeping mission in South Sudan, under Herve Ladsous, has been slow to report on crimes against (some) civilians, much less to protect them as this month in Leer. Inner City Press on October 28 asked the UN to respond to criticism from the African Union, that

"the Commission was unable to access any data in the possession of the UNMISS which has been
documenting the violations committed since the start of the violence in December 2013 — despite the resolution of the Security Council mandating it to cooperate with AUCISS."

On November 4, Inner City Press asked UN Assistant Secretary-General for Human Rights Ivan Simonovic about it, as trascribed by InnerCityPro.com:

Inner City Press: The AU report on South Sudan that came out – it seemed to say, “the commission was unable to access any data in the possession of UNMISS which had been documenting the violations committed since the start of the violence in December 2013.” I know there’s a human rights team in UNMISS; what’s behind the AU saying they were unable to get data?

Simonovic: In the other part of the report, they also praise cooperation with the human rights team there, in the sense of logistics, in the sense of support, indicating the victims that were afterwards interviewed by the group. The information that has nt been shared was procedure related. It was a requirement that there was to be a formal request for the information sharing. Such a request, to the best of my knowledge, has never been properly, formally filed. And this was the reason. However, there was quite an extent of cooperation and informal information.

Inner City Press: The issue of privacy was cited. Was the idea that the UN has a separate standard for sharing information with an international human rights body?

Simonovic: Well, it is the same procedure as would be employed for example in cooperating with the ICC. With the ICC there are also protocols. Unfortunately they are sometimes quite bureaucratic and take some time for some reason, in this case..

Here's from the AU Report's Paragraph 27: "the Commission was unable to access any data in the possession of the UNMISS which has been documenting the violations committed since the start of the violence in December 2013 — despite the resolution of the Security Council mandating it to cooperate with AUCISS."

So, despite the UN's claims about "Rights Up Front," not only did UNMISS not comply with general requirements of reporting on harm to civilians - the AU says UNMISS didn't even comply with UN Security Council resolutions. Who will answer for this?

On October 28, Inner City Press asked UN Spokesman Stephane Dujarric:

Inner City Press: I'm sure you've seen finally, after much delay, the AU [African Union] released its report on South Sudan. There's a lot in it, and many people are saying many things about it, but the thing I'd wanted to ask about is the section that has do with the UN. And it says… this is in paragraph 37. And this is… it's sort of surprising. It says, "The commission was unable to access any data in the possession of UNMISS [United Nations Mission in South Sudan] which had been documenting the violations committed since the start of the violence despite the resolutions of the Security Council mandating it to cooperate with AU CISS. So what does DPKO [Department of Peacekeeping Operations] say?

Spokesman: Well, obviously, we welcome the report and the issuance of the report, which the Secretary-General has called for, had called for. I think the issue of transparency is an important one, as is the issue of accountability. As for the details of the report, I think we're still reading through it. So if I have something to add…

Inner City Press: Right. Eventually, there's some direct allegations about the mission…

Spokesman: I understand.

Inner City Press: Okay. I have one more...

On October 29, Dujarric returned with this, on which Inner City Press followed up:

Yesterday I was also asked about the report of the African Union on the human rights situation in South Sudan.

I can tell you that in line with relevant Security Council resolutions, the UN Mission supported the African Union Commission of Inquiry.

The Mission fully cooperated with the Commission's investigation team at all stages of its work in South Sudan, in accordance with standard practices and policy, including the need to preserve confidentiality and to protect victims and witnesses.

This support is acknowledged in the report of the Commission, in its paragraph 3 where it states that the Commission would like to thank the former Special Representative of the Secretary General, her interim successor, and their team for the immense support provided to the Commission in the course of its work in South Sudan.

Inner City Press followed up:

Inner City Press: thanks for the response on the African Union report. But, obviously, I mean, they said that no data was provided to them. So maybe there's some... I just... I guess I would like you to explain, because this same issue seemed to have come up with the rapes in the Central African Republic, that the UN seems to have some reading of confidentiality, which either makes it impossible to make information available or, in this case, you know...

[Cross talk]

Spokesman: I think they're two different... very much two different cases. The case in the Central African Republic, as you know, is the subject of an inquiry.

On South Sudan, you know, obviously, people can interpret it different ways. Obviously, there is a need to respect the confidentiality of witnesses and victims. When you are a human rights investigator and you collect those names and the witnesses, you do so in confidence. So it's important to protect that. I think it's clear from the AU mission's report that, overall, they were very grateful for the support and work from the peacekeeping mission.

Inner City Press: But they said any... the Commission was unable to access any data in the possession of UNMISS.

Spokesman: Well, I think people can have different interpretation.

Inner City Press: Right.

Spokesman: The AU have... has said what it has said and I have said what I have said.

An internal UN document leaked to Inner City Press, which exclusively published it here, shows the high degree of dysfunction in the country, and in the UN.

Wednesday, October 28, 2015

On South Sudan, Inner City Press Asks UN After African Union Finds No Cooperation by UNMISS, No Answer

Monday, October 26, 2015

On South Sudan, Inner CIty Press Asks Why UN Not in Leer Amid Deaths, Spokesman Cites Camp - in Bentiu

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, October 26 -- Whom is the UN in South Sudan protecting? What are its priorities? On October 26, based on NGO and AP reporting, Inner City Press asked UN Spokesman Stephane Dujarric:

Inner City Press: I wanted to ask you about South Sudan, there's reports by something called the protection cluster there that 80 civilians have been killed mostly by Government attacks in Leer County in the month of October. So people there are asking, where is UNMISS [United Nations Mission in South Sudan]? And it seems that UNMISS has not sent any patrols. They're in Bentiu. And I wanted to know, can you find out if there's any plan…

Spokesman: Where is UNMISS? UNMISS has been, I think, providing protection for more than 100,000 civilians and has been doing a superhuman job, for lack of a more adequate diplomatic word, in terms of trying to protect as many civilians as possible. The Mission does send out patrols where it can and observes what it can. I will take a look at that specific report and get back to you.

Inner City Press: Yeah. It seems like in Bentiu, they have peacekeepers from Mongolia, Ethiopia, India and Ghana…

Spokesman: No, I am well aware of where peacekeepers are. You're also talking about a country that's currently in the middle of a civil conflict. I think the Mission is doing… is stretching itself and doing whatever it can to protect civilians. So as I said, I will look into that specific report.

Well, here's from the report by the Protection Cluster: "Over a three week period between 4 and 22 October, at least 80 civilians were reportedly killed in Leer County. Among these were at least 57 children, 29 of whom drowned while fleeing attacks.2 Widespread use of sexual violence was also reported, with contacts on the ground reporting over 50 cases of rape. IDPs further reported that Government forces shot into swamps at fleeing civilians, burned houses, and abducted women and children."

We'll have more on this.

From September 29, 2015: An internal UN document leaked to Inner City Press, which is exclusively publishing it today, shows the high degree of dysfunction in the country, and in the UN.

UN's South Sudan Report, Sept 2015, Leaked to Inner City Press byMatthew Russell Lee

Monday, February 3, 2014

In South Sudan, UN's Ladsous Met No Opposition Figures Only Kiir, Of UNICEF Backpacked Troops

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, February 3 -- The South Sudan trip of UN Peacekeeping chief Herve Ladsous is over, the UN announced on February 3, saying he met with Salva Kiir but no mention of anyone in the opposition.

Inner City Press asked how, then, the UN could be viewed as impartial much less a monitor of the at-best shaky cessation of hostilities agreement. Inner City Press also asked UN spokesperson Martin Nesirky about photographs of Kiir's SPLA soldiers equipped with UNICEF backpacks.

Nesirky said such use would be inappropriate; Inner City Press continues to await a requested comment or explanation from UNICEF. An eagle eyed reader of Inner City Press spotted a "UK backpack," so that's being inquired into as well.

Ladsous meeting only with Kiir seems tone-deaf, particularly amid reports that Kiir's SPLA -- perhaps with UNICEF equipment -- destroyed Machar's birthplace of Leer.

In South Sudan a spokesperson for Riek Machar, Lul Ruai Koang, has said that the army of Salva Kiir has taken and destroyed Leer in Unity State, in violation of the cessation of hostilities agreement signed in Addis Ababa.

Leer is Machar's birthplace. Koang said "the latest destruction of Leer town... has no strategic, operational or tactical importance," and that Kiir derived vengeful "satisfaction" from it being burned down.

Doctors Without Borders MSF has said, "There are no longer any patients or staff left at Leer hospital." It seems, however, that the UN has said nothing. The head of UN Peacekeeping Herve Ladsous during his visit is set to meet only "with senior [Kiir] Government officials." This is hardly impartial. The line is: leering at the re-taking of Leer?

Previously, James Gatdet Dak, has accused the Ugandan troops of violating the cessation of hostilities agreement signed in Addis Ababa and attacking the Machar forces around Bor in Jonglei state.

On January 31 Inner City Press asked UN spokesperson Farhan Haq to state any UN view on the Ugandan troops continued presence in South Sudan and any UN role in monitoring the cessation of hostilities agreement.

Haq said that UN Peacekeeping chief Herve Ladsous, in South Sudan on February 2, will meet with "senior Government officials."

Well, if that's all he meets with, what role COULD his UN Peacekeeping have in impartial monitoring? It's like in the DRC: his UN Peacekeeping takes sides, based at least there on history. From the UN transcript, video here and embedded below:

Inner City Press: South Sudan, first, I wanted to know whether there’s any UN view of Riek Machar saying he stands to be charged with treason and that will set back all the, what was agreed in Addis. And I want to know, does the UN think that at this point charging or threatening to charge Mr. Machar with treason is productive? And also whether the UN agrees with Norway, which is one of this troika group, saying that the Ugandan… they believe at this point that the Ugandan troops that assisted the SPLA in retaking cities should leave. And finally, is there a UN role in monitoring of what was agreed in Addis? I know that you said Mr. Ladsous will be there and will be discussing… I didn’t hear the phrasing… is there a UN role in monitoring what was agreed to?

Acting Deputy Spokesperson Haq: Yes, in terms of what I just read, yes. He’ll meet with senior Government officials to discuss the implementation of the recently signed ceasefire agreement and that will be one of his tasks. We’ll provide updates when we get them of his trip. Regarding the monitoring mechanism, I believe earlier this week we stressed the importance of having a monitoring mechanism, and I said at that point that the UN Mission in South Sudan — UNMISS —would try to assist as needed for the work of the monitors. But this is a separate monitoring mechanism that’s being set up.

Inner City Press: So will he meet with the other side, say, Mr. Machar, or the other side that reached the agreement in Addis?

Acting Deputy Spokesperson: We’ll try to provide you with some details of his meetings once we get them. As I said just now, I just had the announcement of his trip. But we’ll try to do that. Certainly, he’s trying to meet with all parties and we hope that the parties continue to abide by the terms of the ceasefire agreement and work with each other and we would urge them to refrain from any unhelpful actions.

We'll see what updates the UN and UN Peacekeeping actually give.

UN envoy in Juba Hilde Johnson of Norway, closely aligned with Kiir, has during the crisis been substantially lower profile than her deputy Tony Lanzer. On January 31 Inner City Press asked if the UN (and Hilde Johnson) share the view of Norway, that Uganda's troops which helped dislodge Machar's from Bor and Bentiu should now leave South Sudan. Haq did not answer this either.

So what is the UN doing in South Sudan? For example, what has the UN Development Program accomplished? A close observer opines, as to constitutional review, that UNDP "funded the process including the commission yet the process was never inclusive. Its members were mainly individuals from the ruling party. They supported the same constitution that gave powers to the President and they reported its completion as a success." Sounds like the UN...

Right before the South Sudan cessation of hostilities (and cessation of "hostile media") deal was signed, Inner City Press asked Haq about the deal, and allegations against the UNMISS mission. Video here and embedded below.

The signed deal, we note, has as one of three IGAD Special Envoys the Sudanese General Mohamed Ahmed Dabi, whose role in Syria in 2011 for the Arab League gave rise to much criticism. Look at him now.

Inner City Press asked UN Security Council president Jordan's Senior Deputy Permanent Representative if the UN would have any role under the Monitoring and Verification Mechanism. He wasn't aware of you. His summary said the members of the Security Council "condemned the accusations" against UNMISS. One wondered: what if they're true?

In his noon briefing response, Haq said the UN was "monitoring" the talks. He refused to comment on the allegations, calling them statements by South Sudanese officials. But what about the underlying facts? Did the UN return government vehicles? Did a UN staff member send text messages for rebels?

Haq would not answer. He referred back to his comments of two days before -- which said the government minister of information was banned from entering an UNMISS camp not only for arms, but also cameras. Could the cessation of hostile media policy be in place?

That the UN banned from one of its bases a South Sudan minister citing his armed guards is one thing. But the UN has also cited that the minister's party had cameras. What's wrong with that? Especially when the UN publishes its own photographs of those inside the camps?

Inner City Press on January 21 asked deputy UN spokesperson Farhan Haq to confirm that the Minister was blocked. Haq confirmed it, citing both arms and cameras. Video here.

Inner City Press asked, what's wrong with cameras? It and the Free UN Coalition for Access have protests against various forms of attempted censorship by and at the UN. Haq backed off on cameras. But he'd said what he said, and not improvising: it was a written script. So what gives?

With Uganda bragging of its role in re-taking Bor in South Sudan, the marginalization and double standards of the UN are ever more in focus.

For week the Press asked the UN about Ugandan troops' presence in South Sudan, and if the UN as elsewhere at least called for restraint in the re-taking of population centers.

The UN dodged the questions, as recently as January 16 saying the Ugandans' presence -- offensive as now confirmed -- was just a bilateral matter between governments, and saying its focus is on protecting civilians in its bases.

What is the message of Uganda bragging of having helped Salva Kiir retake Bor from rebels loyal to former vice president Riek Machar? What is the UN's role, if any, in the "cessation of hostilities" talks in Addis Ababa? The UN on those wouldn't even call for more inclusion of women, as it has for example on the Syria talks in Switzerland. We'll have more on this.

In South Sudan, the lack of transparency by UN Peacekeeping does not serve it. On December 30, Department of Peacekeeping Operations chief Herve Ladsous admonished South Sudan to not put in "caveat" on accepting troops from any country.

Though Ladsous didn't name the country -- for reasons that soon became obvious -- and later in the week UN spokesperson Farhan Haq declined to specify any country being considered for South Sudan, later on December 30 at the UN Mission of an African (and troop contributing) country Inner City Press was told Ladsous was trying to push into South Sudan peacekeeping from Morocco. Click here for more on that.

After telling Inner City Press "I don't answer you Mister," Ladsous dodged about the impact of shifting peacekeepers out of Darfur, where two had just been killed, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Then he mentioned, for South Sudan, "half a regiment" from the MINUSTAH mission in Haiti. UN Video here, from Minute 3:09.

Now, which country's half-regiment could that be? Questions have been asked, particularly in light of UN Peacekeeping's dubious record in Haiti: the introduction of cholera, multiple cases of sexual abuse or exploitation, nearly always followed by mere repatriation and no update on any discipline meted out, for example in the case of repatriated Sri Lanka peacekeepers.

The website of the UNMISS mission in South Sudan lists fully 55 countries as contributing peacekeepers (Morocco notably is NOT among them) and some additional countries contributing UN Police, including Zimbabwe.

On January 2 Inner City Press asked UN acting deputy spokesperson Farhan Haq:

Inner City Press: Yes, Farhan. I wanted to ask you two questions about peacekeeping in South Sudan. One is that, it’s reported that India is unhappy with not being consulted in some of the ways their peacekeepers were used and intends to send its own military team to meet with its peacekeepers there. I wanted to know, separately, [Permanent Representative Asoke Kumar] Mukerji has, over the holidays, said that the Force Intervention Brigade may put peacekeepers in danger. What’s your response to that? And also, if you could confirm, I’ve heard that the UN wants to send Moroccan peacekeepers to South Sudan and they’re pushing back. And one of their reasons for pushing back is that Morocco is not a member of the African Union due to the Western Sahara. And I wanted if it’s DPKO’s (Department of Peacekeeping Operations) position that countries don’t have a right to have a sort of principled, political stand on why they wouldn’t take peacekeepers? Or should they take anyone that DPKO sends?

Acting Deputy Spokesperson Haq: Well, first of all, we wouldn’t comment on the specifics of how we’re trying to bring more peacekeepers in. We, as you know, are in touch with a number of Member States trying to build up the forces, as was approved by the Security Council. And when we have details of which countries are coming in, we’ll provide those details at that point. But, I don’t have any specific names to give up until more arrivals come in.

Inner City Press: I ask that only because Mr. [Hervé] Ladsous at the stakeout made a big point of saying, it’s not… when the house is on fire, anyone must be taken. So, I just wanted to know, can you say… is that the UN’s position? That even if there’s a political, principled stated reason not to take them… that wouldn’t… that should be overridden?

Acting Deputy Spokesperson: For us, the priority is to get as many peacekeepers in as we can. They’ve been authorized by the Security Council. We’re trying to get the right numbers in order to stop the bloodshed as soon as we possibly can. So, that’s our priority. But, if we have any specific announcements to make about different countries joining in, we’ll make it at that point. But, that’s not ready at this stage.

Inner City Press: And on India?

Acting Deputy Spokesperson: I wouldn’t have any comment on that. Is that it? Okay? Pam?

Correspondent: Hi, Farhan. I’d like to just correct the record that was established at this briefing a few weeks ago that the UN Correspondents’ Association has not… does not have any new Samsung TV sets in the room, never has had and has never accepted any donation or loan from the UN for Samsung TVs. Thank you.

Acting Deputy Spokesperson: Yeah, thanks. I’m in receipt of a letter from the United Nations Correspondent’s Association, which says, which does read: “Please be advised that there are no new Samsung TV sets in the UNCA room and have never been. And the UN Correspondents’ Association has not accepted a donation or loan of new Samsung TVs”. Thanks for that update. We’ll try to get any updated guidance about the language that we had earlier received. Yes?

Inner City Press: Because I’m thinking maybe you’ll correct the transcript on theanswer that was given to me in writing about the television. If so, do you have any response about the note verbale that was filed by Syria that we previously discussed here?

Acting Deputy Spokesperson: No, there’s no response to that at present. But, yes, if there’s any fresh language on the language that was given to you, we’ll try to correct the record here. Yes, Lou?

Watch this site.

Sunday, February 2, 2014

In South Sudan, Machar's Birthplace Leer Said Destroyed by Kiir, Ladsous Only with Kiir's Government?

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, February 2 -- In South Sudan a spokesperson for Riek Machar, Lul Ruai Koang, has said that the army of Salva Kiir has taken and destroyed Leer in Unity State, in violation of the cessation of hostilities agreement signed in Addis Ababa.