Corrupt UN DPI Edits Burundi and Oromo Protests Out of Ethiopia Presser, Censors Await Smale

By Matthew Russell Lee, Photos and video

UNITED NATIONS, September 2 – With the UN Security Council presidency for September being taken over by Ethiopia's Tekeda Alemu, Inner City Press on September 1 asked Ambassador Alemu four questions, including on Burundi (on the Council's agenda) and the Oromo Protests, a major human rights issue. Video here. But when the UN Department of Public Information wrote up the press conference, it did not even MENTION Burundi, much less the Oromo protests. See UN document here. 

What is wrong with UN DPI, a corrupt UN Department which spends $200 million a year in public funds, but doe not even has any rules, content neutral or otherwise, on how it accredits and/or restrictsthe independent press which covers the UN? Where is the new head of DPI, Alison Smale?   In response to Inner City Press asking why Burundi, where even the UN says there is a risk of genocide, is not on his September Program of Work nor on the agenda of the Council's visit to Addis Ababa, Alemu on September 1 - not covered by the UN - said that you can't compare Burundi to Central African Republic, that Burundi has “strong state institutions.” But it is that very “strength,” which some say the country shares with Ethiopia, and with until recently military-ruled Myanmar about which Inner City Press also asked, that has led to the human rights violations. In this context, Inner City Press asked Alemu about the Oromo protests - and crackdown - in his country. He diplomatically chided Inner City Press for not having asked in private, saying that social media has played a dangerous role. Meanwhile the UN brags about its (propaganda) social media work. We'll have more on this. Alamy photos here. Earlier on September 1 in Alemu's briefing to countries not on the Security Council, Bangladesh specifically asked that the Council remain seized of the situation in Myanmar. When Inner City Press asked Alemu about this, he said he still had to inform himself more about that situation. The Security Council is traveling to Addis from September 5 through 9, when alongside African Union consultations the Council's member will meet for an hour with Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn, Alemu said. The Council will receive the “maiden briefings” late in the month of the new Under Secretaries General of OCHA and on Counter-Terrorism. There will be peacekeeping on September 20, during the High Level week of the UN General Assembly, and Yemen on September 26. But tellingly, there will not be Burundi. And when Alemu added Mali to a September 5 meeting, despite his answer to FUNCA, not all media were told. Watch this site.

For Ethiopia's UNSC Month, No Burundi, Oromo Protests Should Be Private, Concern at DRC

By Matthew Russell Lee, Photos

UNITED NATIONS, September 1 – With the UN Security Council presidency for September being taken over by Ethiopia's Tekeda Alemu, Inner City Press on September 1 asked Ambassador Alemu four questions, the answers to which sketch out the Ethopian government's worldview. In response to Inner City Press asking why Burundi, where even the UN says there is a risk of genocide, is not on his September Program of Work nor on the agenda of the Council's visit to Addis Ababa, Alemu said that you can't compare Burundi to Central African Republic, that Burundi has “strong state institutions.” 

But it is that very “strength,” which some say the country shares with Ethiopia, and with until recently military-ruled Myanmar about which Inner City Press also asked, that has led to the human rights violations. In this context, Inner City Press asked Alemu about the Oromo protests - and crackdown - in his country. He diplomatically chided Inner City Press for not having asked in private, saying that social media has played a dangerous role. On the other hand, when Inner City Press asked Alemu at the end about the murders of two UN experts Michael Sharp and Zaida Catalan, he replied that while the DR Congo is due to sovereignty the one to investigate the murders, the gruesome nature of the killings put a “great responsibility” on the DR Congo. We'l have more on this. Alamy photos here. Earlier on September 1 in Alemu's briefing to countries not on the Security Council, Bangladesh specifically asked that the Council remain seized of the situation in Myanmar. When Inner City Press asked Alemu about this, he said he still had to inform himself more about that situation. The Security Council is traveling to Addis from September 5 through 9, when alongside African Union consultations the Council's member will meet for an hour with Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn, Alemu said. The Council will receive the “maiden briefings” late in the month of the new Under Secretaries General of OCHA and on Counter-Terrorism. There will be peacekeeping on September 20, during the High Level week of the UN General Assembly, and Yemen on September 26. But tellingly, there will not be Burundi. Watch this site.

On Ethiopia, Inner City Press Again Asks UN of Protests, Ban Ki-moon's Spokesman "Has to Check," Corruption

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, August 8  -- Despite the UN having offices in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, it had nothing to say about the crackdown on the protests this month. Inner City Press asked UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon's spokesman Farhan Haq about the protests on August 8, Vine here; Banning the Press film below.

  Haq said the UN would "have to check;" he went on to say the UN, with its large offices in Addis Ababa, had nothing to say about restrictions on the Internet. UN transcript here and below. This is Ban Ki-moon's UN.

August 8 transcript:

 Inner City Press: I was kind of expecting some statement by the UN about the protests and killings in Ethiopia over the weekend.  There was a large-scale protest in… in the rest of the country but even in the capital, where the UN has a big office.  How… what is the UN's response to how many people does it think was killed?  Does the UN have any role in trying to… to resolve this tension on the Oromo protests?

Deputy Spokesman:  Well, as you know, we have concerns to make sure that all peaceful protests are allowed to proceed, and we would have concerns about any problems regarding that.  Regarding this specific protest, we'll need further details, but… so we're following up with our offices there.

ICP Question:  But what steps has the UN taken… I mean, given that, you know, it has these offices in Addis and there… by all… many accounts peaceful protesters shot and… you know, shot and killed in Ethiopia over the weekend.  What steps is the UN taking?

Deputy Spokesman:  Well, we'll check about our response to this particular thing.  Like I said, we encourage peaceful protests to proceed everywhere in the world and would have concerns anywhere.  As you know, we have offices in many, many countries around the world.  That's not a particular point of concern.  We are concerned, whether we have an office in a place or not.  

Earlier this year the UN likewise had nothing to say about the crackdowns that has led to the killing, reportedly, of over 140 Oromo people, when Inner City Press on January 11 asked UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon' spokesman Stephane Dujarric. Video here.

On June 16, with now 400 reported killed, Inner City Press asked Ban's Dujarric if Ban even raised the issue when he met Ethiopia's Prime Minister, UN transcript here: 

...in Ethiopia 400 people have been killed and tens of thousands detained during protests since November?

Spokesman:  No, I'll be honest with you, I have not seen that report.  But, I'll see if we can get some language on that.

Inner City Press: Is it fair to say that the Secretary-General, when he met with the Prime Minister of Ethiopia, did not raise this issue of the Oromo protests?  There had been big… it's been raised to the UN a number of times…

Spokesman:  I will refer you to the readout, which will stand as the record of the meeting.

 So, no.

 On January 29, Inner City Press was thrown out of the UN Press Briefing Room on Dujarric's orders; on February 19, Inner City Press was physically ousted from the UN compound, audio here, petition here.

 On March 8, back in with a much restricted pass, Inner City Press asked the UN's spokesman Dujarric, video here, UN transcript here (the UN didn't even look up the name of the tribe, Suri - UNreal) Vine here.

Inner City Press: I've asked before about the Oromo protest, but I'm asking now, there are photos and it may or may not be, you know, somehow doctored.  But, there's a pretty troubling evidence, pictures, circulating about in Ethiopia these tribesmen, [inaudible] tribesmen, also being part of this displacement, basically chained up, in a chain gang situation.  Given that the UN has a big office in Ethiopia and given some outcry about the actions of the Government of late, is the UN aware of this?  And what follow-up has been done since… since the Secretary-General went through there on trying to either defuse tensions or make sure that people are not chained up…

Spokesman Dujarric:  I think the Secretary-General had expressed his wish to see people being able to express themselves and demonstrate peacefully in a respectful manner, respect to their rights.  I will… on the particular case you mentioned, I haven't seen it...  No, I haven't seen it.

Worse, six days later when Inner City Press asked again, Dujarric said exactly the same thing, that he hadn't seen it. He did not saw if he'd looked (away). Vine here; transcript here:

Inner City Press: I can't remember if it was you or Farhan [Haq], because I didn't get an answer from either, having to do with Ethiopia.  And there was a widely circulated photograph, not of the Oromo protest, but actually of the Surma tribesmen locked up as a… in a chain gang fashion.  And their land is being taken.  It's a pretty disturbing photo.  Farhan, I think, said he would look into it.  I wanted to know, has your office looked into it, and what does the UN…?

Spokesman:  I haven't seen anything, but I will try to get something.

 When Ban was in Ethiopia for the African Union Summit, he gave a number of speeches but said NOTHING about the Oromo protests. On February 1 Inner City Press asked Dujarric about this silence, transcript here:

Inner City Press: When he was in Addis Ababa, I combed over the statements that the Secretary-General made, but I wanted to know whether he said, did anything or had any meetings about these Oromo protests in which more than 140 people have been killed as… you know, you've answered sort of within… with some statements here in the briefing room, but while he was there, did the issue come up?  Did he do anything on it?

Spokesman:  I would refer you to the readouts we've put out.

 In which there was NOTHING about the Oromo protests and deaths. This is Ban's UN. And this: Ban's spokesman Dujarric made an implicit threat to Inner City Press on February 1, see here.

 On January 18, Inner City Press asked Dujarric's deputy Farhan Haq,video:

Inner City Press: on Friday I'd asked Stéphane [Dujarric] about this protest outside by Oromo people.  And he'd said… he had something, I guess, he read, saying the UN hopes for dialogue.  But, in hearing more about it, it seems… there were 140 people killed, according to Human Rights Watch, and there are many people still detained from those protests, and there's been an attempt to close down communications from some of the areas that were subject to the protests.  Since the UN has this office in Addis, is there anything… do you have anything beyond asking for dialogue, is there any request that those detained be released, that there be an investigation of the deaths or a stopping of what people call censorship there? 

Deputy Spokesman Haq:  Well, what I have to say is simply that the Secretary-General calls on the Government of Ethiopia and protesters to engage in a constructive dialogue to address the issues at hand, and the Secretary-General continues to stress the importance of respect for peaceful protest and freedom of assembly.  Have a good afternoon, everyone.

 On January 15, there was a large Oromo demonstration across First Avenue from the UN. Inner City Press broadcast it live on Periscope, with interviews, putting it on YouTube, here.

  Then Inner City Press went in and asked UN Spokesman Dujarric,video here, transcript here:

Inner City Press: it seems inevitable to ask you.  There's a big protest in front of the building by Oromo people saying that more than 140 of them have been killed by Ethiopia.  So I'd asked you about it on Monday.  You said you don't have anything but you'd check.  What does the UN know given that it has an office in Addis about these killings?

Spokesman Dujarric:  On the protests, we're obviously very much aware of the protests not only going on outside but in Ethiopia itself.  I think the Secretary-General would call on the Government and the groups concerned to hold a constructive and peaceful dialogue and also to ensure that all those who want to protest are able to express themselves freely and free of harassment as it is their right.

Inner City Press: You just announced an Ethiopian general heading UNISFA-

Spokesman Dujarric: soldiers from any nationality, as you know, for serving in DPKO, in peacekeeping missions, they go through a screening policy to ensure that the individuals and the units themselves are free of any human rights violations.

  We'll have more on this. For now, note that the UNSC's upcoming trip, from which Inner City Press was Banned, goes through Addis Ababa. Will anything be said about Oromo?

The UN report on rapes in the Central African Republic, released on December 17, found that UN Peacekeeping's Under Secretary General Herve Ladsous “illustrate[s] the UN's failure to respond to allegations of serious human rights violations in the meaningful way.”

 Ladsous has yet to take any questions about the report.  Now the Office of the UN Spokesperson refuses Press questions on reports that "peacekeepers" from Burundi, France, Gabon and Morocco paid fifty cents for sex with children in CAR. On the morning of January 12, Inner City Press asked three separate UN spokespeople, in writing:

"In light of the Jan 11-12 Washington Post report that “ in interviews, U.N. officials said the peacekeepers were from Gabon, Morocco, Burundi and France. The prostitution ring they allegedly used was run by boys and young men who offered up girls 'for anywhere from 50 cents to three dollars,' according to one official,” please state the current status of these 'peacekeepers' from Morocco, Gabon, France and Burundi - and the status of the waiver USG Ladsous gave to the Burundian contingent.

 By the morning of January 15, no answer, nothing...

On Ethiopia, Inner City Press Again Asks UN of Oromo Protests, Ban Ki-moon Didn't Raise, His Spokesman Hasn't Seen

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, June 16  -- Despite the UN having offices in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, it had nothing to say about the crackdown that has led to the killing, reportedly, of over 140 Oromo people, when Inner City Press on January 11 asked UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon' spokesman Stephane Dujarric. Video here.

On June 16, with now 400 reported killed, Inner City Press asked Ban's Dujarric if Ban even raised the issue when he met Ethiopia's Prime Minister, UN transcript here: 

...in Ethiopia 400 people have been killed and tens of thousands detained during protests since November?

Spokesman:  No, I'll be honest with you, I have not seen that report.  But, I'll see if we can get some language on that.

Inner City Press: Is it fair to say that the Secretary-General, when he met with the Prime Minister of Ethiopia, did not raise this issue of the Oromo protests?  There had been big… it's been raised to the UN a number of times…

Spokesman:  I will refer you to the readout, which will stand as the record of the meeting.

 So, no.

 On January 29, Inner City Press was thrown out of the UN Press Briefing Room on Dujarric's orders; on February 19, Inner City Press was physically ousted from the UN compound, audio here, petition here.

 On March 8, back in with a much restricted pass, Inner City Press asked the UN's spokesman Dujarric, video here, UN transcript here (the UN didn't even look up the name of the tribe, Suri - UNreal) Vine here.

Inner City Press: I've asked before about the Oromo protest, but I'm asking now, there are photos and it may or may not be, you know, somehow doctored.  But, there's a pretty troubling evidence, pictures, circulating about in Ethiopia these tribesmen, [inaudible] tribesmen, also being part of this displacement, basically chained up, in a chain gang situation.  Given that the UN has a big office in Ethiopia and given some outcry about the actions of the Government of late, is the UN aware of this?  And what follow-up has been done since… since the Secretary-General went through there on trying to either defuse tensions or make sure that people are not chained up…

Spokesman Dujarric:  I think the Secretary-General had expressed his wish to see people being able to express themselves and demonstrate peacefully in a respectful manner, respect to their rights.  I will… on the particular case you mentioned, I haven't seen it...  No, I haven't seen it.

Worse, six days later when Inner City Press asked again, Dujarric said exactly the same thing, that he hadn't seen it. He did not saw if he'd looked (away). Vine here; transcript here:

Inner City Press: I can't remember if it was you or Farhan [Haq], because I didn't get an answer from either, having to do with Ethiopia.  And there was a widely circulated photograph, not of the Oromo protest, but actually of the Surma tribesmen locked up as a… in a chain gang fashion.  And their land is being taken.  It's a pretty disturbing photo.  Farhan, I think, said he would look into it.  I wanted to know, has your office looked into it, and what does the UN…?

Spokesman:  I haven't seen anything, but I will try to get something.

 When Ban was in Ethiopia for the African Union Summit, he gave a number of speeches but said NOTHING about the Oromo protests. On February 1 Inner City Press asked Dujarric about this silence, transcript here:

Inner City Press: When he was in Addis Ababa, I combed over the statements that the Secretary-General made, but I wanted to know whether he said, did anything or had any meetings about these Oromo protests in which more than 140 people have been killed as… you know, you've answered sort of within… with some statements here in the briefing room, but while he was there, did the issue come up?  Did he do anything on it?

Spokesman:  I would refer you to the readouts we've put out.

 In which there was NOTHING about the Oromo protests and deaths. This is Ban's UN. And this: Ban's spokesman Dujarric made an implicit threat to Inner City Press on February 1, see here.

 On January 18, Inner City Press asked Dujarric's deputy Farhan Haq,video:

Inner City Press: on Friday I'd asked Stéphane [Dujarric] about this protest outside by Oromo people.  And he'd said… he had something, I guess, he read, saying the UN hopes for dialogue.  But, in hearing more about it, it seems… there were 140 people killed, according to Human Rights Watch, and there are many people still detained from those protests, and there's been an attempt to close down communications from some of the areas that were subject to the protests.  Since the UN has this office in Addis, is there anything… do you have anything beyond asking for dialogue, is there any request that those detained be released, that there be an investigation of the deaths or a stopping of what people call censorship there? 

Deputy Spokesman Haq:  Well, what I have to say is simply that the Secretary-General calls on the Government of Ethiopia and protesters to engage in a constructive dialogue to address the issues at hand, and the Secretary-General continues to stress the importance of respect for peaceful protest and freedom of assembly.  Have a good afternoon, everyone.

 On January 15, there was a large Oromo demonstration across First Avenue from the UN. Inner City Press broadcast it live on Periscope, with interviews, putting it on YouTube, here.

  Then Inner City Press went in and asked UN Spokesman Dujarric,video here, transcript here:

Inner City Press: it seems inevitable to ask you.  There's a big protest in front of the building by Oromo people saying that more than 140 of them have been killed by Ethiopia.  So I'd asked you about it on Monday.  You said you don't have anything but you'd check.  What does the UN know given that it has an office in Addis about these killings?

Spokesman Dujarric:  On the protests, we're obviously very much aware of the protests not only going on outside but in Ethiopia itself.  I think the Secretary-General would call on the Government and the groups concerned to hold a constructive and peaceful dialogue and also to ensure that all those who want to protest are able to express themselves freely and free of harassment as it is their right.

Inner City Press: You just announced an Ethiopian general heading UNISFA-

Spokesman Dujarric: soldiers from any nationality, as you know, for serving in DPKO, in peacekeeping missions, they go through a screening policy to ensure that the individuals and the units themselves are free of any human rights violations.

  We'll have more on this. For now, note that the UNSC's upcoming trip, from which Inner City Press was Banned, goes through Addis Ababa. Will anything be said about Oromo?

The UN report on rapes in the Central African Republic, released on December 17, found that UN Peacekeeping's Under Secretary General Herve Ladsous “illustrate[s] the UN's failure to respond to allegations of serious human rights violations in the meaningful way.”

 Ladsous has yet to take any questions about the report.  Now the Office of the UN Spokesperson refuses Press questions on reports that "peacekeepers" from Burundi, France, Gabon and Morocco paid fifty cents for sex with children in CAR. On the morning of January 12, Inner City Press asked three separate UN spokespeople, in writing:

"In light of the Jan 11-12 Washington Post report that “ in interviews, U.N. officials said the peacekeepers were from Gabon, Morocco, Burundi and France. The prostitution ring they allegedly used was run by boys and young men who offered up girls 'for anywhere from 50 cents to three dollars,' according to one official,” please state the current status of these 'peacekeepers' from Morocco, Gabon, France and Burundi - and the status of the waiver USG Ladsous gave to the Burundian contingent.

 By the morning of January 15, no answer, nothing...

SG Ban Ki-moon in London Claims He's a Scapegoat, Press Questions on CAR Rapes, Haiti Cholera, Oromo Protests, Burundi, Corruption Ignored

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, February 5 -- In the run up to UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon's appearance today in London, people were asked to submit questions using the hashtag #AskBan.

  Inner City Press submitted questions about Ban's UN preaching accountability while claiming immunity for bringing cholera to Haiti, rapes in Central African Republic, back-down on protection in Burundi, silence on Oromo Protests in Ethiopia, Yemen, UN corruption.

  Clearly, not all of these issues would be addressed in Ban's appearance with UNA-UK and Jeremy Greenstock in Central Hall. But none of them?

  Instead, Ban took pre-screened softball questions -- like his spokespeople do it at UNHQ in New York -- and closed with the claim that he is just a scapegoat. (SG, get it?).

  Was Ban's UN a “scapegoat” for negligently bringing cholera to Haiti, killing 10,000 people and paying not a penny to the families of those killed, many left without their breadwinner or housing?

  Was Ban a scapegoat when he went on a “victory tour” with Mahinda Rajapaksa in Sri Lanka in 2009?

  Are UN peacekeepers under DPKO's Herve Ladsous “scapegoats” when they sexually abuse children in CAR, have it covered up and Ladsous still in his job, after Ladsous linked the rapes to “R&R”?

  Ban made claims about promoting women - when as simply one example when he sat, UN Photo-ed, wiht his "senior advisers" on North Korea on January 6, 2016, is was decidedly male, here.

   People clap because they like the UN, or the idea of the UN, or what they think the UN is. Up close, it's a different story. Below are just some recent (February 4, 3, 2, 1) examples.

The  UN won't provide a simple list of when and to whom it “lent” the UN Press Briefing Room, from the “reservation” Spokesman Dujarric gave to the entourage of French President Hollande on September 23, 2014 until his murky “lending” of the UN Press Briefing Room to UNCA on January 29, 2016 and subsequent ejection of Inner City Press.

  UN Deputy Spokesperson Farhan Haq on February 4  instead of even purporting to answer Inner City Press' questions openly guessed at the motivation of the questions. Vine here, full video here. The question concerned Ng Lap seng, indicted for bribery at the UN; Haq said if you can look into corruption at the UN Correspondents Association (a Ng fundee who was lent the room on January 29), go do so.

  But the UN has said it is auditing Ng's and Sheri Yan's dealings with and at the UN, which must include UNCA, which is given a large UN room, and the Press Briefing Room too, off the record sit-downs with Ban Ki-moon (two of whose closest associates were at the founding of Yan's Global Sustainability Foundation), and sells seats with Ban for $6,000.

  Haq refused to answer. Inner City Press aksed, When does Stephane [Dujarric, the lead spokesman who said who gets to use the Press Briefing Room is really his decision] get back? "Whenever he wants," Haq said. This is today's UN. We'll have more on this.

 On February 3, Inner City Press for the second day in a row asked UN Deputy Spokesperson Farhan Haq to provide a list of to whom his office, or simply lead UN Spokesman Stephane Dujarric, “lent” the UN Press Briefing Room. Haq on February 3 now said there is no list, but they have the information.

  So Inner City Press asked a question about the information: has the UN Press Briefing Room been “lent” to any affiliate or fundee of Ng Lap Seng or the Global Sustainability Foundation, named in the US Attorney's corruption indictment.

  Haq said, “No.” But since the UN Press Briefing Room was, Dujarric said, “lent to UNCA” on January 29, and UNCA has taken funds from Ng Lap Seng's entities, Inner City Press asked Haq if he was sure.

  Haq insisted that money is not asked for to lend the UN Press Briefing Room. But that was not the question: has it been lent to a grantee of Ng Lap Seng.

   As Inner City Press was still asking, Reuters' UN correspondent Michelle Nichols, holding Reuters' apparently Permanent seat on the UNCA board, cut in, saying “You're clutching at straws.” Video here



  Inner City Press was not asking Reuters any question. On February 2, the former Reuters UN bureau chief cut in, as did the Agence France Presse correspondent Carole Landry (who is also on UNCA's board). We'll have more on this.

  Dujarric didn't show up at the February 2 noon briefing, so Inner City Press had to ask his Deputy, Farhan Haq. The UNCA representative, Reuters retiree Evelyn Leopold, immediately tried to cut off the question with a loud, “Here we go again.” (This was echoed afterward by Carole Landry the English language correspondent of Agence France Presse, silent when the UN Press Briefing Room was given over to Hollande and others were asked to leave). Here's Periscope of the glass box the AFP scribe "reports" Inner City Press was "hidden" in; here's February 2 video:


 UN transcript:

Inner City Press: I'd wanted to ask Stéphane this, but I'm… I'll… I guess I'll ask you it.  Yesterday, I was trying to ask, and I think I was cut off, but my question was, he said, "Who gets to use this room is really my decision."  So, I wanted to ask you, it's something I've asked him before…

UNCA Representative, cutting in:  Here we go again.

Deputy Spokesman:  Let's make sure that everyone gets the opportunity to ask questions, please.

Inner City Press:  Thanks.  What I wanted to ask is that there was… there was an instance in 23 September 2014, where the French delegation of François Hollande used the room.  There was some… it was called a misunderstanding.  I have some communication with Stéphane.  At that time… I guess what I want to know is, between then and now, how often does this happen?  And is it really the case that one individual decides who uses the room?  And I ask because we're often told here that everything is about Member States.  And so, I wanted to know, between 23 September 2014, and Friday when it was, again, I guess rented… lent out… excuse me… to UNCA [United Nations Correspondents Association], how many private uses of this room have there been?  And I'm asking because, given that it's an extraordinary claim to say it's one person's decision who uses it, I'd just like to know how many times was it used?

Deputy Spokesman:  It's our office that gets consulted on these matters.  There's a big difference between providing rooms for briefings, where we try to make sure that briefings are open to all reporters, and providing the room just as a room for a different sort of event by an organization or by a group.  But, in any case, it's our office that controls the use of the room.

Inner City Press:  So, do you have the information?  Can you give a list?

Deputy Spokesman:  It's not really…

Inner City Press:  It's important because at least it…[avoids misunderstanding when something is public and when it is not]

Deputy Spokesman:  Yes, we have the…

Inner City Press:  …when something is public and when it's not.  Excuse me.  I'm sorry.  I mean…

Deputy Spokesman:  I was being assured your question would be accorded with due respect, so please do not talk over my answers.

Inner City Press:  Sure.  I wanted to clarify.  Go ahead.

Deputy Spokesman:  The basic point is, yes, you know, we know who holds meetings in this room.  We're the ones who have the keys.  We hold the responsibility for opening of the room up.  We do that primarily for press briefings.  Every now and then, there are things like organizational meetings or other things that are not briefings.

Inner City Press:  So, why is there a problem providing that list, if you have the list and you, obviously, have the information?  Is it somehow confidential?

Deputy Spokesman:  It's not confidential.  But, frankly, the problem with the room last Friday had to do with a violation caused by one individual hiding in the room, surreptitiously recording colleagues…[See glass box here]

Inenr City Press:  I didn't hide.  Again… I'll say it again.  I'm sitting there live tweeting it and Periscoping it.  So, it's hardly hiding.  But, I want to ask you again, in the spirit of transparency, you have the information.  This doesn't seem like there's any reason that it's secret.  Just can you provide a list of uses of this room by your office lent out between 23 September 2014 and Friday?

Deputy Spokesman:  I can ask Stéphane, but honestly, this is something that we provide information for our colleagues in the Department of Public Information.  It's not a secret.  And it's… and to that extent, but I don't want you to muddy the issue.  The problem of last Friday was not a problem having to do with the use of the room.

Inner City Press:  I'm not muddying the information.

Deputy Spokesman:  That was entirely legitimate.  What’s unusual is for one person to…

Inner City Press:  When François Hollande held a press conference here, I was asked to leave.  They said they would call security, and I didn't leave, because I feel there's a right to cover events in this room.  If you can provide the list, you should provide the list.

Deputy Spokesman:  All right.  You can say what you want to justify your actions.

   So, Haq admits that his or Dujarric's Office maintains a list -- but eight hours and counting after the briefing refuses to provide it. Inner City Press asked for it again: there is no diplomatic basis for withholding it. This shows why there should be a UN Freedom of Information Act, something which while requested by the Free UN Coalition for AccessBan Ki-moon has tellingly done nothing about during his opaque tenure.

   Instead of providing this basic information, Haq claimed Inner City Press is “mudding the waters” of having covered the January 29 meeting of UNCA, including about this group's offering of space in the UN to those who pay it money, from an entirely visible, glassed in box, from which Inner City Press live-tweeted and live-streamed Periscope video.Here's saved Periscope video of what this “hiding place” looks like. 

  We'll have more on this - and will continue to pursue the list of UN privatization of the Press Briefing Room. Watch this site.

 But UN Spokesman Stepane Dujarric on February 1, when Inner City Press asked him under what rule he had given over the UN Press Briefing Room to the UNCA groups which charged $6,000 to sit with Ban, said “who gets to use this room is really my decision.” Vine here.

   Really? The use of the UN Press Briefing Room is decided, without any rules, by this one individual? The same individual who often dodges Inner City Press' questions by saying “It's up to member states”?

   But there are other problems here. After Dujarric previously lent the UN Press Briefing Room on September 23, 2014 to the entourage of the president of Dujarric's native France Francois Hollande, video here, it was then indicated that it wouldn't happen again. 

  Then on September 25, 2014 when Inner City Press asked Dujarric “please state which countries during this UNGA have used the UN Press Briefing Room for briefing not open to all UN correspondents, other than France at 11 am on September 23. (Also, what was your role on September 23 around 11 am in the room behind the Press Briefing Room podium?)”

  Dujarric replied, in writing, “I dont have the information on the first point for you. On the second, I'm not sure that I understand it except that I was just looking into the room. I tend to be a curious person.”

   Dujarric “didn't have the information” on private use of the UN Press Briefing Room, which use he says “is really my decision”? We'll have more on this.

  On Wall Street in December 2015, the UN Correspondents Association (UNCA) sold seats with Ban Ki-moon for $6,000 ($12,000 for a full table). Inner City Press asked Ban's spokesman Stephane Dujarric how this could be and was first told, As long as it's transparent.

 UNCA previously took money from Macau-based casino magnate Ng Lap Seng, now under house arrest for bribery at the UN, and gave him a photo op with Ban. Now the UN or at least Dujarric gave this UNCA, now the UN Corruption Association, its UN Press Briefing Room -- and on January 29 threw out the Press seeking to cover this meeting of a group that has sold the UN and Ban, amid scandals.

  On February 1, Inner City Press went to the next UN noon briefing to asked Dujarric what the rules for throwing media out of the UN Press Briefing Room are, and to explain his poking at Inner City Press' phone to stop its Periscope streaming broadcast of the event in the UN Press Briefing Room, video here, transcript here.

 Dujarric cut off questions, including about his "lending" of the UN Briefing Room to the entourage of France's Francois Hollande - which will continue. In fact, the UN omitted or censored Inner City Press' entirely audible question about  Hollande from the transcript. Dujarric made a threat. This is today's UN.

   (This Periscope video show how non-hidden this box is.)

 Sitting in a glassed in booth live-tweeting and livestreaming Periscope video cannot be called "hiding," even in the UN.

 Inner City Press pointed out the obvious: this booth is entirely glassed in and visible from the podium he spoke at, and from the rostrum used on January 29 by UNCA's head Giampaolo Pioli and two board members (one from US government Broadcasting Board of Governors, as is relevant to the censorship bid contrary to the US First Amendment.)

  Dujarric cut off Inner City Press' follow up question; uniquely the entire first row of the briefing room was this day filled with UNCA board members, two from Agence France Presse (they asked nothing), and Pioli, who also asked nothing. One wondered if Dujarric, who on January 29 told Inner City Press it should "join UNCA" arranged or collaborated with this dubious "show of force."

 At least, unlike January 29, Dujarric did not jab at Inner City Press' camera, and the Reuters correspondent who twice blocked the camera with paper on January 29 did not do so this time.

  One is left wondering if the UN's Dujarric believes he can eject any media, at any time, from any event in the UN Press Briefing Room, and if he, Reuters or UNCA will try the same camera-banning they engaged in on January 29 in the UN Press Briefing Room at the UN Security Council stakeout. Watch this site.

  At the January 29 noon briefing, Inner City Press asked Dujarric about Ban's paid / sold appearances, transcript here.

  On January 29, UNCA leadership including Giampaoli Pioli, two scribes for the US Broadcasting Board of Governors, one from Reuters and others demanded that Inner City Press not cover a meeting in the UN Press Briefing Room.

  Suspending their meeting in which they discussed among other tawdry topics selling UN space to those who pay them money, UNCA called in UN Spokesman Dujarric and his deputy and then UN Security, who are the request of Dujarric asked Inner City Press to leave.

  There were ironies aplenty. Not only about a group of "correspondents" trying to close and make secret their meeting in the UN Press Briefing Room, but also that it was Dujarric who told Inner City Press that the UN Press Briefing Room would not again be "lent out," after Inner City Press challenged the lending out to French President Francois Hollande.

   Dujarric, deploying the F-bomb, Vine here, told Inner City Press, Yes, I am ordering you out, you can put it in your story. Vine here. He tried to turn Inner City Press' camera phone off. Vine here.

 His deputy, pointing at Inner City Press, told some of the scribes, "He lies a lot" -- after providing patently false answers about UN peacekeeping and other topics.

  The Voice of America correspondent Margaret Besheer, last seenclaiming there were Liberians in Burundi, to which in an untransparent process she (and Reuters and AFP) accompanied the recent Security Council trip, made comments which most contexts are deemed antithetical to free press. She's done it before (see this letter to Dujarric); she said "go on your meds."

  Pioli, landland to Sri Lanka's ambassador who then gave him an UNCA / "UN" screening to that country's war crimes denial film, insisted that to stand up for the right to cover meetings in the UN Press Briefing Room one must be crazy. He never asks questions: he's a landlord. See here. 
 Here's more to be said, but for now, here is the video.

  Ban's interaction with this UN Corruption Association are NOT transparent. The new Free UN Coalition to Access, which on January 27 thanked the New York State Comptroller and others at a 1:15 pm press conference with no one in UNCA's "holy seat," has repeatedly critiqued this lack of transparency, as journalists should. 

  Amazingly, while this UN Corruption Association routinely tries to lure briefers away from the UN Press Briefing Room, now the UN gives it that room for this meeting: UN Censorship Alliance. We'll have more on this.

  On January 20, Inner City Press received a solicitation:
 
"UNA-UK is delighted to invite you to an event with H.E. Ban Ki-moon, Secretary-General of the United Nations, on the morning of 5 February 2016... We are giving UNA-UK members and supporters the opportunity to book their place before tickets go on general sale and also recognising your ongoing support by offering a discounted rate (tickets will be £10 reduced from £15).

Click here to book your place - use the code [removed upon UNA-UK request] to claim your discount."

  So you can only hear Ban Ki-moon on London for 15 pounds - or 10 pounds if you join the organization. In New York, UNCA charges money (and only distributes information the UN gives it to those who pay its dues) - and still charges to sit with Ban.

 With the UN embroiled in scandals including the indictments of the former President of the General Assembly John Ashe and Macau businessman Ng Lap Seng and the founder of South South News, on December 14 the UN Correspondents Association sold seats with Ban Ki-moon for $6000.  Periscope I here;  Periscope II here.

UN corruption, never reformed, rises from the Ashes, courtesy of UNCA, now the UN Corruption Association.

  And yet, from inside Cipriani Wall Street, one of the musicians paid to play has an open mind, and when shown reporting on UN corruption asks, Should I make a scene? Tweet here.

 Just ask, who here paid $6000 as solicited by UNCA to sit with Ban Ki-moon. And why pay it? With Ng Lap Seng, it's clear.

Reporters Without Borders (RSF) said Ban supports journalists. But the UNCA he's supporting tries to get them out of the UN. RSF did good work of late. But willful blindness does not help journalists.

The new EU representative naively said, First UNCA; the Turkish mission tweeted a photo of Ban (after its Perm Rep hob-nobbed with him in front of Monaco's painting, ignoring the invasion of Iraq, whose Ambassador arrived in tux to the Corruption Ball, we excuse him.)

 Since UNCA previously at such an event at Cipriani sold photo ops with Ban Ki-moon to now-indicted Ng Lap Seng, who will be this year's Ng Lap Seng?  Into Cipriani, this time the one on Wall Street, passed many tuxedoed individuals never seen at the UN. What were they buying? What safeguards had been added since Ng Lap Seng and John Ashe? None.

  New PGA Mogens Lykketoft arrived, as did Deputy Secretary General Jan Eliasson and David Nabarro, who stopped in the rain to speak with Inner City Press, as did another Under Secretary General. How can the UN and its group of scribes remain so UNreformed, despite indictments and public scandal?

The bureau chief of Voice of America, who previously tried to get Inner City Press thrown out of the UN after it reported on UNCA corruption, the boss Giampaolo Pioli renting one of his apartments to Sri Lanka's ambassador then screening his war crimes denial film in the UN, this time seemed to give the finger, flip the bird to the press. Ah, journalism.

Is it journalism to solicit and take money from those you ostensibly cover? Where does it go? We'll have more on this.

  Earlier on December 14 UNCA lobbed three softball questions to Ban -- none on Burundi, for example -- from the former president of UNCA Pamela Falk, then the current vice president and finally the current questioner for UNCA. Inner City Press loudly asked a question about the killings in Burundi, which Ban declined to answer. Vine here.

  Inner City Press for the new Free UN Coalition for Access asked Ban's spokesman Stephane Dujarric about the propriety of UNCA selling seats with Ban. Dujarric said, "As long as it's transparent." Is that the standard?


One would expect the UN press corps, even the entity the UN itself chooses to set aside first questions for, to be pursuing rather than be involved in the scandals.

 One might also expect UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon to be more cautious of colluding in events in which access to him  has been sold.

  But with the UN Correspondents Association, this year more than ever, that is not the case. The group or its leadership, headed by Italian paparazzi scribe Giampaolo Pioli who after trying to get the investigative Press thrown out of the UN now covers actors like Morgan Freeman while others at his paper cover the UN, is selling seats with Ban Ki-moon for $6,000.

  In response to Press questions about this UNseemly sale of access, Ban's spokesman said "as long as it's transparent." Will that keep the indictments from expanding?

Inner City Press on December 11 spoke with indictee Frank Lorenzo,pictured here with Ban Ki-moon, as written up by "Italian News."


This year's sale of Ban, like to Ng Lap Seng in 2011, is an Italian job, run by pazarazzi / "correspondent" / landlord Giampaolo Pioli.

 How does this UNCA sleaze fest differ from the South South Awards, inextricably linked to the indictments of Ng Lap Seng, South South News' Frank Lorenzo and former President of the General Assembly John Ashe? Hardly at all. So what will happen? We'll have more on this.

Here is a photo of Ban Ki-moon at South South Awards with several indictees, here.

 For now we can report that at the December 11 closed door session on "Revitalization of the General Assembly," both the UN's Controller and Ban Ki-moon's new chief of staff Edmond Mulet made arguments for post-Ashe reforms that a number of member states found far too little. And Ban is slated to have seats next to him sold for $6000. We'll have more on this too.

  On December 10, days after Pioli used the large room the UN gives to UNCA, its UN Censorship Alliance, to campaign for a Security Council seat for his native Italy by giving out free meats, the view into the Club was blocked. So much for transparency.

  Here is a photo of the Clubhouse:



  The flier on the glassed-in bulletin board, under the "election" results, is of fine recently deceased journalist Haider Rizvi. Inner City Press'obituary hinted at it, but now we're compelled to say: UNCA, or its sidekick, tried to get him thrown out of the UN. There'll be a memorial for Haider, which can be participated in online,  on December 12 - in Lahore. Truth is what journalism is about. But here's Pioli on Morgan Freeman:



 UNCA's "elections" had no competition at all for the officer seats, now doled out to AFP, France 24, the US Broadcasting Board of Governorsand ANSA from holdover president Giampaolo Pioli's native Italy.

  This UNCA "leadership" represents Italy and France, and old media -- tellingly, those new media which chose to run (Inner City Press quit UNCA after its censorship bid) for lesser UNCA seats were not selected. Also tellingly, the UN Spokesperson's office promoted the scam election, using its loudspeaker to try to get out the vote (for candidates who had no opponents.)

 The ringmaster, Giampaolo Pioli, came through the UN Security Council stakeout not to ask any question or even listen to answers on South Sudan or Syria; he glad handed his unopposed slate and then headed to the UN bar. He has arranged more Italian toasting, seeingly part of Italy's actually-opposed campaign for a Security Council seat (more on this in future dispatches).

  It's become the UN's Censorship Alliance - having tried to get the investigative Press thrown out of the UN - and the UN Corruption Association, selling photo ops and seats with Ban Ki-moon.  Call them Ban Ki-moon shots.

  While calling for an audit of sale of UN access under John Ashe, should Ban openly allow access to him to be sold? He appears intent on doing so, or operating by inertia, on automatic pilot. Inner City Press now learns that Ban's twice delayed report on the cover up of peacekeepers' rapes in the Central African Republic will be pushed further back, after the sell-out, buried. We'll have more on this.

 UNCA's awards, such as they gave to South South News for money, include awards and payments to entities who've served on their own Board.

  In 2011 under then (and now) president Giampaolo Pioli, UNCA took money from the South South News of now-indicted Ng Lap Seng, then gave South South News an UNCA award and gave Ng Lap Seng a photo op with Secretary General Ban Ki-moon.

  Now in November 2015, Pioli has solicited $6000 from UN Ambassadors for seats at the “VIP” table at the UNCA “Ball” on Wall Street: to sit with Ban Ki-moon. Here is UNCA's pitch:

"Dear Ambassador,

The United Nations Correspondents Association is honored to invite you to participate and contribute to the 20th annual UNCA Awards event with guest of honor U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and H.S.H. Prince Albert II of Monaco, recipient of the 2015 Global Advocate of the Year Award for climate change.  Exclusive raffle prizes include business class airline tickets around the world with hotel accommodations and a grand prize FIAT 500X car. As your esteemed presence will ensure the success of this event, we are pleased to send you the below opportunities to attend the gala dinner:

Mission Table Special Price / $6000 (half-table) 5 seats at VIP table at the gala event
                                      
Special Ambassador Contribution / $2,000 -1 VIP ticket for Ambassador with premium seating to dinner + 1 complimentary VIP ticket for spouse or guest -Special acknowledgement of the Ambassador and the Mission in the UNCA Awards Journal of the evening -Additional tickets for UN Diplomats of the Mission can be purchased at the special price of $750 each

Giampaolo Pioli, UNCA President
Please make all checks payable to 'UNCA Awards Committee'
Contributions to the UNCA Awards Committee are tax deductible.
The UNCA Awards Committee is a 501-c(3)"

 This is precisely the type of sale of access involved in the indictments of Ng, Sheri Yan and Frank Lorenzo.

  While others are announcing audits and freezing such contacts, UNCA under Pioli is bulling forward, charging ever more money, getting ever further from journalistic purposes.

  On November 20, Pioli's UNCA circulated a list of candidates with no competition for any of the six officer positions. It also pre-announced its awards, including to Reuters (on its Board) and others. We'll have more on this.

    For the three running unopposed for five president slots, two were already on the UNCA board during the relevant time period; the other isPioli's former protege at Quotidiano Nazionale. It's an Italian thing.

   Running for Treasurer? It's Agence France Presse, whose previous correspondent tried to use a position on the UNCA board to censor Press coverage of Herve Ladsous, the fourth Frenchman in a row atop UN Peacekeeping.

  Reuters is in the mix, too, and another which joined Pioli in trying to censor coverage of Pioli unilaterally approving a Sri Lankan government war crimes denial film for a “UN” screening, after Pioli rented one of his apartments to Palitha Kohona, Sri Lanka's Ambassador to the UN. This is UN. But amid the new scandals at the UN, this is something new: watch this site.



Footnote: Inner City Press after Pioli's and others censorship bid, and attempt to get Inner City Press thrown out of the UN (uncovered along with documents still to be published by a Freedom of Information Act request, here, and questioned by the New York Civil Liberties Union), quit the UNCA board and co-founded, with another who'd quit UNCA as corrupt, the Free UN Coalition for Access.

 FUNCA does not seek any automatic first questions, but opposes the UN setting aside first questions for an entity which, as now shown, isenmeshed in the very UN scandals that must be asked about. Watch this site.

On Oromo Protests, Inner City Press Asks UN Why Ban Ki-moon Said Nothing While in Ethiopia

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, February 1 -- Despite the UN having offices in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, it had nothing to say about the crackdown that has led to the killing, reportedly, of over 140 Oromo people, when Inner City Press on January 11 asked UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon' spokesman Stephane Dujarric. Video here.

 When Ban was in Ethiopia for the African Union Summit, he gave a number of speeches but said NOTHING about the Oromo protests. On February 1 Inner City Press asked Dujarric about this silence, transcript here:

Inner City Press: When he was in Addis Ababa, I combed over the statements that the Secretary-General made, but I wanted to know whether he said, did anything or had any meetings about these Oromo protests in which more than 140 people have been killed as… you know, you've answered sort of within… with some statements here in the briefing room, but while he was there, did the issue come up?  Did he do anything on it?

Spokesman:  I would refer you to the readouts we've put out.

 In which there was NOTHING about the Oromo protests and deaths. This is Ban's UN. And this: Ban's spokesman Dujarric made an implicit threat to Inner City Press on February 1, see here.

 On January 18, Inner City Press asked Dujarric's deputy Farhan Haq,video:

Inner City Press: on Friday I'd asked Stéphane [Dujarric] about this protest outside by Oromo people.  And he'd said… he had something, I guess, he read, saying the UN hopes for dialogue.  But, in hearing more about it, it seems… there were 140 people killed, according to Human Rights Watch, and there are many people still detained from those protests, and there's been an attempt to close down communications from some of the areas that were subject to the protests.  Since the UN has this office in Addis, is there anything… do you have anything beyond asking for dialogue, is there any request that those detained be released, that there be an investigation of the deaths or a stopping of what people call censorship there? 

Deputy Spokesman Haq:  Well, what I have to say is simply that the Secretary-General calls on the Government of Ethiopia and protesters to engage in a constructive dialogue to address the issues at hand, and the Secretary-General continues to stress the importance of respect for peaceful protest and freedom of assembly.  Have a good afternoon, everyone.

 On January 15, there was a large Oromo demonstration across First Avenue from the UN. Inner City Press broadcast it live on Periscope, with interviews, putting it on YouTube, here.

  Then Inner City Press went in and asked UN Spokesman Dujarric,video here, transcript here:

Inner City Press: it seems inevitable to ask you.  There's a big protest in front of the building by Oromo people saying that more than 140 of them have been killed by Ethiopia.  So I'd asked you about it on Monday.  You said you don't have anything but you'd check.  What does the UN know given that it has an office in Addis about these killings?

Spokesman Dujarric:  On the protests, we're obviously very much aware of the protests not only going on outside but in Ethiopia itself.  I think the Secretary-General would call on the Government and the groups concerned to hold a constructive and peaceful dialogue and also to ensure that all those who want to protest are able to express themselves freely and free of harassment as it is their right.

Inner City Press: You just announced an Ethiopian general heading UNISFA-

Spokesman Dujarric: soldiers from any nationality, as you know, for serving in DPKO, in peacekeeping missions, they go through a screening policy to ensure that the individuals and the units themselves are free of any human rights violations.

  We'll have more on this. For now, note that the UNSC's upcoming trip, from which Inner City Press was Banned, goes through Addis Ababa. Will anything be said about Oromo?

The UN report on rapes in the Central African Republic, released on December 17, found that UN Peacekeeping's Under Secretary General Herve Ladsous “illustrate[s] the UN's failure to respond to allegations of serious human rights violations in the meaningful way.”

 Ladsous has yet to take any questions about the report.  Now the Office of the UN Spokesperson refuses Press questions on reports that "peacekeepers" from Burundi, France, Gabon and Morocco paid fifty cents for sex with children in CAR. On the morning of January 12, Inner City Press asked three separate UN spokespeople, in writing:

"In light of the Jan 11-12 Washington Post report that “ in interviews, U.N. officials said the peacekeepers were from Gabon, Morocco, Burundi and France. The prostitution ring they allegedly used was run by boys and young men who offered up girls 'for anywhere from 50 cents to three dollars,' according to one official,” please state the current status of these 'peacekeepers' from Morocco, Gabon, France and Burundi - and the status of the waiver USG Ladsous gave to the Burundian contingent.

 By the morning of January 15, no answer, nothing...

On Oromo Protests, Now US Power Expresses Concern to Ethiopia's FM Tedros, Inner City Press Asked UN, Canned Statements

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, January 18 -- Despite the UN having offices in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, it had nothing to say about the crackdown that has led to the killing, reportedly, of over 140 Oromo people, when Inner City Press on January 11 asked UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon' spokesman Stephane Dujarric. Video here.

 On January 15, there was a large Oromo demonstration across First Avenue from the UN. Inner City Press broadcast it live on Periscope, with interviews, putting it on YouTube, here and below.

  On January 23, the US Mission to the UN issued this read-out from Addis:

"U.S. Permanent Representative to the United Nations Ambassador Samantha Power met with Ethiopian Foreign Minister Tedros in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia on January 23, 2016. Ambassador Power and Foreign Minister Tedros discussed the situation in Burundi and the need for an inclusive political dialogue outside Burundi, which remains the only credible and sustainable route to securing a political solution. Ambassador Power and Foreign Minister Tedros also discussed the political and security situation in Somalia, and Ambassador Power thanked the Foreign Minister for Ethiopia’s leadership on regional security issues, including its ongoing support for implementation of the peace agreement in South Sudan, which it played a catalytic role in helping secure.

"Ambassador Power expressed her deep alarm over the current drought and food crisis in Ethiopia and reiterated the United States’ commitment to support Ethiopian efforts to address huge humanitarian needs. Ambassador Power expressed the United States' concern for the deaths of protesters in Oromia and encouraged the Ethiopian government to engage in a dialogue to address Oromo political and economic grievances. Finally, Ambassador Power stressed the importance of a free and independent civil society in Ethiopia.

"Later in the day, Ambassador Power met with seven Ethiopian civil society leaders. Ambassador Power noted the courageous efforts made by the journalists, lawyers and nongovernmental organization leaders to try to preserve space for civil society and deepen civic engagement in Ethiopia. Ambassador Power thanked the leaders for their commitment to a more transparent and inclusive society despite the challenging political environment in which they work. Ambassador Power assured the civil society leaders of the United States’ continued support for human rights, development and security in Ethiopia, as well as our core conviction that the three objectives go hand in hand."

  The question is, how concerned?


  Then Inner City Press went in and asked UN Spokesman Dujarric,video here, transcript here:

Inner City Press: it seems inevitable to ask you.  There's a big protest in front of the building by Oromo people saying that more than 140 of them have been killed by Ethiopia.  So I'd asked you about it on Monday.  You said you don't have anything but you'd check.  What does the UN know given that it has an office in Addis about these killings?

Spokesman Dujarric:  On the protests, we're obviously very much aware of the protests not only going on outside but in Ethiopia itself.  I think the Secretary-General would call on the Government and the groups concerned to hold a constructive and peaceful dialogue and also to ensure that all those who want to protest are able to express themselves freely and free of harassment as it is their right.

Inner City Press: You just announced an Ethiopian general heading UNISFA-

Spokesman Dujarric: soldiers from any nationality, as you know, for serving in DPKO, in peacekeeping missions, they go through a screening policy to ensure that the individuals and the units themselves are free of any human rights violations.

  We'll have more on this. For now, note that the UNSC's upcoming trip, from which Inner City Press was Banned, goes through Addis Ababa. Will anything be said about Oromo?

The UN report on rapes in the Central African Republic, released on December 17, found that UN Peacekeeping's Under Secretary General Herve Ladsous “illustrate[s] the UN's failure to respond to allegations of serious human rights violations in the meaningful way.”

 Ladsous has yet to take any questions about the report.  Now the Office of the UN Spokesperson refuses Press questions on reports that "peacekeepers" from Burundi, France, Gabon and Morocco paid fifty cents for sex with children in CAR. On the morning of January 12, Inner City Press asked three separate UN spokespeople, in writing:

"In light of the Jan 11-12 Washington Post report that “ in interviews, U.N. officials said the peacekeepers were from Gabon, Morocco, Burundi and France. The prostitution ring they allegedly used was run by boys and young men who offered up girls 'for anywhere from 50 cents to three dollars,' according to one official,” please state the current status of these 'peacekeepers' from Morocco, Gabon, France and Burundi - and the status of the waiver USG Ladsous gave to the Burundian contingent.

 By the morning of January 15, no answer, nothing...

On Oromo Protests, Inner City Press Asked UN of Ethiopia's Detentions, Censorship, Canned Statement Repeated

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, January 18 -- Despite the UN having offices in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, it had nothing to say about the crackdown that has led to the killing, reportedly, of over 140 Oromo people, when Inner City Press on January 11 asked UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon' spokesman Stephane Dujarric. Video here.

 On January 18, Inner City Press asked Dujarric's deputy Farhan Haq,video:

Inner City Press: on Friday I'd asked Stéphane [Dujarric] about this protest outside by Oromo people.  And he'd said… he had something, I guess, he read, saying the UN hopes for dialogue.  But, in hearing more about it, it seems… there were 140 people killed, according to Human Rights Watch, and there are many people still detained from those protests, and there's been an attempt to close down communications from some of the areas that were subject to the protests.  Since the UN has this office in Addis, is there anything… do you have anything beyond asking for dialogue, is there any request that those detained be released, that there be an investigation of the deaths or a stopping of what people call censorship there? 

Deputy Spokesman Haq:  Well, what I have to say is simply that the Secretary-General calls on the Government of Ethiopia and protesters to engage in a constructive dialogue to address the issues at hand, and the Secretary-General continues to stress the importance of respect for peaceful protest and freedom of assembly.  Have a good afternoon, everyone.

 On January 15, there was a large Oromo demonstration across First Avenue from the UN. Inner City Press broadcast it live on Periscope, with interviews, putting it on YouTube, here.

  Then Inner City Press went in and asked UN Spokesman Dujarric,video here, transcript here:

Inner City Press: it seems inevitable to ask you.  There's a big protest in front of the building by Oromo people saying that more than 140 of them have been killed by Ethiopia.  So I'd asked you about it on Monday.  You said you don't have anything but you'd check.  What does the UN know given that it has an office in Addis about these killings?

Spokesman Dujarric:  On the protests, we're obviously very much aware of the protests not only going on outside but in Ethiopia itself.  I think the Secretary-General would call on the Government and the groups concerned to hold a constructive and peaceful dialogue and also to ensure that all those who want to protest are able to express themselves freely and free of harassment as it is their right.

Inner City Press: You just announced an Ethiopian general heading UNISFA-

Spokesman Dujarric: soldiers from any nationality, as you know, for serving in DPKO, in peacekeeping missions, they go through a screening policy to ensure that the individuals and the units themselves are free of any human rights violations.

  We'll have more on this. For now, note that the UNSC's upcoming trip, from which Inner City Press was Banned, goes through Addis Ababa. Will anything be said about Oromo?

The UN report on rapes in the Central African Republic, released on December 17, found that UN Peacekeeping's Under Secretary General Herve Ladsous “illustrate[s] the UN's failure to respond to allegations of serious human rights violations in the meaningful way.”

 Ladsous has yet to take any questions about the report.  Now the Office of the UN Spokesperson refuses Press questions on reports that "peacekeepers" from Burundi, France, Gabon and Morocco paid fifty cents for sex with children in CAR. On the morning of January 12, Inner City Press asked three separate UN spokespeople, in writing:

"In light of the Jan 11-12 Washington Post report that “ in interviews, U.N. officials said the peacekeepers were from Gabon, Morocco, Burundi and France. The prostitution ring they allegedly used was run by boys and young men who offered up girls 'for anywhere from 50 cents to three dollars,' according to one official,” please state the current status of these 'peacekeepers' from Morocco, Gabon, France and Burundi - and the status of the waiver USG Ladsous gave to the Burundian contingent.

 By the morning of January 15, no answer, nothing...

On Oromo Protests, UN Had No Response to Inner City Press, Now Cites Dialogue in Ethiopia

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, January 15 -- Despite the UN having offices in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, it had nothing to say about the crackdown that has led to the killing, reportedly, of over 140 Oromo people, when Inner City Press on January 11 asked UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon' spokesman Stephane Dujarric. Video here.

 On January 15, there was a large Oromo demonstration across First Avenue from the UN. Inner City Press broadcast it live on Periscope, with interviews, putting it on YouTube, here.

  Then Inner City Press went in and asked UN Spokesman Dujarric,video here, transcript here:

Inner City Press: it seems inevitable to ask you.  There's a big protest in front of the building by Oromo people saying that more than 140 of them have been killed by Ethiopia.  So I'd asked you about it on Monday.  You said you don't have anything but you'd check.  What does the UN know given that it has an office in Addis about these killings?

Spokesman Dujarric:  On the protests, we're obviously very much aware of the protests not only going on outside but in Ethiopia itself.  I think the Secretary-General would call on the Government and the groups concerned to hold a constructive and peaceful dialogue and also to ensure that all those who want to protest are able to express themselves freely and free of harassment as it is their right.

Inner City Press: You just announced an Ethiopian general heading UNISFA-

Spokesman Dujarric: soldiers from any nationality, as you know, for serving in DPKO, in peacekeeping missions, they go through a screening policy to ensure that the individuals and the units themselves are free of any human rights violations.

  We'll have more on this. For now, note that the UNSC's upcoming trip, from which Inner City Press was Banned, goes through Addis Ababa. Will anything be said about Oromo?

The UN report on rapes in the Central African Republic, released on December 17, found that UN Peacekeeping's Under Secretary General Herve Ladsous “illustrate[s] the UN's failure to respond to allegations of serious human rights violations in the meaningful way.”

 Ladsous has yet to take any questions about the report.  Now the Office of the UN Spokesperson refuses Press questions on reports that "peacekeepers" from Burundi, France, Gabon and Morocco paid fifty cents for sex with children in CAR. On the morning of January 12, Inner City Press asked three separate UN spokespeople, in writing:

"In light of the Jan 11-12 Washington Post report that “ in interviews, U.N. officials said the peacekeepers were from Gabon, Morocco, Burundi and France. The prostitution ring they allegedly used was run by boys and young men who offered up girls 'for anywhere from 50 cents to three dollars,' according to one official,” please state the current status of these 'peacekeepers' from Morocco, Gabon, France and Burundi - and the status of the waiver USG Ladsous gave to the Burundian contingent.

 By the morning of January 15, no answer, nothing...

On Ethiopia, UN Had No Response on Oromo to Inner City Press, Answers Banned

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, January 13 -- Despite the UN having offices in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, it has had nothing to say about the crackdown that has led to the killing, reportedly, of over 140 people. Inner City Press on January 11 asked UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon' spokesman Stephane Dujarric about this - but Dujarric gave no answer.Video here.

  Now that Ethiopian authorities say they are canceling the underlying Oroma plan, the UN still has no comment. Inner City Press on the morning of January 13 asked Dujarric and two other UN spokespeople the following: “On “Ethiopia's government is set to abandon plans to expand the boundaries of the capital, Addis Ababa, which have caused months of deadly protests,” please now provide UN comment - and explain why transcript of Jan 11 noon briefing, where ICP asked about Oromo deaths, has not been online: http://www.un.org/press/en/content/noon-briefings.”

  Four hours later and counting, there was no answer, and the transcript was still not online. This is today's UN.

The UN report on rapes in the Central African Republic, released on December 17, found that UN Peacekeeping's Under Secretary General Herve Ladsous “illustrate[s] the UN's failure to respond to allegations of serious human rights violations in the meaningful way.”

 Ladsous has yet to take any questions about the report.  Now the Office of the UN Spokesperson refuses Press questions on reports that "peacekeepers" from Burundi, France, Gabon and Morocco paid fifty cents for sex with children in CAR. On the morning of January 12, Inner City Press asked three separate UN spokespeople, in writing:

"In light of the Jan 11-12 Washington Post report that “ in interviews, U.N. officials said the peacekeepers were from Gabon, Morocco, Burundi and France. The prostitution ring they allegedly used was run by boys and young men who offered up girls 'for anywhere from 50 cents to three dollars,' according to one official,” please state the current status of these 'peacekeepers' from Morocco, Gabon, France and Burundi - and the status of the waiver USG Ladsous gave to the Burundian contingent."

 By the morning of January 13, no answer, nothing, nor to a separate Inner City Press question about Burundi nor to this:

Inner City Press: RE “Filming for fictional television show at UNHQ, 13 January 2016 - Please be advised that filming for a fictional television show will take place on UN premises, as well as along 1st Avenue, on Wednesday, 13 January 2016” - please state what the TV show is, or explain why won't say.

 Neither was this answers, on the fantasy of accountability at the UN.

On January 5, Ladsous' mission in CAR issued a press release about yet more allegation of sexual abuse of minors by its peacekeepers, below.

Back on January 5,  Inner City Press asked the Permanent Representative of New Zealand and of Uruguay, President of the Security Council for January, about the report(s). Video here.

 Now on January 11-12, the Washington Post reports on CAR "peacekeepers" from Burundi, France, Gabon and Morocco paying between fifty cents and three dollars for sex with children as young as 13 years old. But for some reason the Washington Post does not mention the BOSS of UN Peacekeeping, Herve Ladsous. Why not?

  Babacar Gaye is mentioned, as well as his replacement; Anthony Banbury is quoted, and even Ban Ki-moon, from a canned speech. But Ladsous is not mentioned, despite the section about him in the report released December 17. The UN cannot reform itself.
Ambassador Gerard van Bohemen of New Zealand expressed concern. Ambassador Rosselli of Uruguay said in his national capacity that allegations should be dealt with has his country had, apparently a reference to Haiti. It appears the Security Council will take up this matter.

  Earlier at the January 5 UN noon briefing, Inner City Press asked UN Spokesman Stephane Dujarric if now Ladsous, in the Security Council right then on CAR, would belatedly answer questions, since the firing / scapegoating of former mission chief Babacar Gaye clearly didn't end the rapes. From the transcript:

 I wanted to ask but CAR, since you have this new report.  One, I guess I’d like to… since Mr. [Hervé] Ladsous is briefing the Security Council today about CAR and has yet to answer any questions on the CAR sexual abuse allegations report… I guess it’s a timely request… can he do a stakeout, take questions on it?  Because it seems like Babacar Gaye was fired, but the problems go on.  So this is a request.  It seems like a reasonable one

 But as noted (and Vined, here), Ladsous did not answer.

 Here is Ladsous' mission's press release on January 5:

"5 January 2016 – As the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in the Central African Republic (MINUSCA) is investigating fresh allegations concerning both sexual exploitation and abuse (SEA) and other misconduct by UN Peacekeepers and international forces in Bangui, SRSG Parfait Onanga-Anyanga and the Force Commander today met with members of MINUSCA Military and the Police in the Central African’s capital.

The SRSG reiterated its unwavering commitment to the Secretary-General's Zero Tolerance policy and reminded them that there will be no complacency for perpetrators or accomplices of such crimes which traumatize the life of vulnerable people and which also tarnish the Peacekeepers identity, the honour of their country and the UN flag. "The blue beret or the bleu helmet you wear represents hope for the vulnerable population of the CAR," Parfait Onanga-Anyanga said.

The SRSG also announced on-going discussions with the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights to carry out joint actions as part of the reinforcement of MINUSCA's ability to combat this SEA. Other upcoming measures include the establishment of a Police-Force joint brigade to identify SEA perpetrators and deter the occurrence of new cases. He underlined the need to conduct patrols in the IDP camps in close collaboration with the Central African internal security forces. He also renewed his commitment to protect whistleblowers.

The Mission continues to investigate each and every allegation of a misconduct. A fact finding mission is currently underway in this regard.

The National Authorities have been informed in Bangui and The Troop Contributing Countries in question have been informed officially in New York. SRSG Onanga-Anyanga calls on them to conduct their own national investigative processes immediately. The UN's Office of Internal Oversight Services will also be involved as appropriate.

The entire UN family is collaborating in addressing SEA in the broader context of upholding highest standard of conduct and discipline within the organization. Over the past week, UNICEF staff from the office in Bangui have undertaken four visits to meet with four alleged minors victims. UNICEF is working with a local partner to help the girls receive medical care, and is assessing their psychosocial needs. The girls were also provided with clothes, shoes and hygiene kits.

The SRSG reiterates that all international personnel and units will be held accountable to the highest standards of behaviour and conduct.  “There is no place in UN peacekeeping for those who betray the trust of the people we are here to help”, he said."

  While Ladsous, typically, hasn't taken any questions about his role, not only from Inner City Press but apparently from anyone else, on December 22 UN Deputy Spokesperson Farhan Haq announced that Zeid al Hussein would be appearing that afternoon at the UN Security Council stakeout, for Q&A.

  Inner City Press ran to the Security Council -- but when Zeid al Hussein left the Council Chamber, he walked past the stakeout. Later Inner City Press was told this was because he had the flu.

  Now Zeid's counter-move to the report, saying that all OHCHR staffers have to report allegations of sexual abuse directly to him so he is not surprised by seeing it in the media, appears in the Paper of Record a/k/a Gray Lady.

 Zeid al Hussein should have, and should, take wider questions on this. Unless he is "going Ladsous."

 Or going OIOS. Back on December 18, Inner City Press asked the UN:

Inner City Press: I wanted to ask you again about yesterday’s released Central African Republic report.  What I wanted to ask, in reading it more closely, that given the finding about the now left the UN head of OIOS (Office of Internal Oversight Services)… first of all, can you say… you answered yesterday that Mr. [Anders] Kompass is still under investigation.  Given how pretty definitive the report is, is he under investigation in connection with the release of the CAR report or with the Western Sahara allegations or…

Spokesman Stephane Dujarric:  I have no… I don’t have those details.

Inner City Press:  Given that Miss [Carman] Lapointe’s deputy, Mr. [Michael] Stefanovic, recused himself and spoke out basically against what she was doing and that a Mr. Finness continued, is there any… of Mr. Finness is the third one down…

Spokesman:  I don’t think Mr. Stefanovic is her deputy.  He’s the investigator chief.

Inner City Press:  Exactly.  I guess what I’m saying is the finding… I mean, for example, they looked at this chief of staff of Ban Ki-Moon and not Ban Ki-Moon.  They looked at her activities at the meeting in Turin, in setting up the meeting, whether if it was appropriate or not.  In the case of OIOS, is it… the things that OIOS did, is it entirely contributable to Ms. Lapointe or are they the continuing?  Is the continuing of the investigation of Mr. Kompass consistent with the directive of the report?

Spokesman:  The investigation, as far as I know, is continuing.  And I’m not going to analyse the rest of your question.

Once the report came out from under embargo at the noon briefing Inner City Press asked UN Spokesman Stephane Dujarric what Secretary General Ban Ki-moon will do about the findings against Ladsous, and that he escaped the “abuse of authority” moniker only because “the mandate of the Panel is to assess whether an abuse of authority has occurred in connection with the Allegations.”

 Since the abusers Ladsous let into MINUSCA were not the French troops who are accused of rape -- these troops are not in MINUSCA -- Ladsous' malfeasance is not “in connection” with the Allegations. But is it acceptable?

  Dujarric seems unfamiliar with the report; he implied that the third person found to have abused authority was the Ethics Officer, when it was a lower level official in CAR. Inner City Press asked what this all says about Ban Ki-moon's management, along with the John Ashe / Ng Lap Seng and Bernardino Leon scandal, a question Dujarric did not allow Inner City Press to asked Ban himself on December 16. “Those are your words,” Dujarric replied. Yes, they are.

  When the Panel's three members held their press conference, Inner City Press asked about Ladsous' failure to vet and his linking of rapes to “R&R.” Video here.  Marie Deschamps said pointedly she wouldn't comment on Ladsous' remarks; Yasmin Sooka said these are crimes for punishment, not recreation.

  As the last question, Inner City Press asked what it had wanted to ask Ban, and tried to ask Dujarric: what does this say about Ban's management? Video of Q&A here.