On Inaction in Abyei, Ban's UN Says It Was "Not Mandated" to Oppose Sudan Army: Rwanda Redux?

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, December 20 -- Despite the UN's claims to have learned from its peacekeepers' shameful inaction in Rwanda and Srebenica, things have hit a new low at the UN of Secretary General Ban Ki-moon and his Department of Peacekeeping Operations, which he put under Herve Ladsous, the fourth Frenchman in a row in the position.

Inner City Press on Tuesday asked Ban's spokesman Martin Nesirky about the UN's inaction in Abyei, both in light of an Amnesty International report that "peacekeepers from the UN Mission in the Sudan (UNMIS) were stationed in Abyei during the May violence but failed to take any 'meaningful action' and a previous, perhaps even more damning because internal UN Development Program report.

"'Former UNMIS personnel told Amnesty International that a decision was made not to militarily engage with the Sudan Armed Forces (SAF) because SAF was better equipped,' Amnesty said. AFP* was unable to reach UN officials who could respond to the allegations."

When Inner City Press asked Nesirky about this quote, that "a decision was made not to militarily engage with the Sudan Armed Forces because SAF was better equipped," Nesirky did not deny it.

Rather, Nesirky twice said "that Mission was not mandated to oppose forces of the state." Video here, from Minute 14:52.

The UN mission in Rwanda in 1994 was under Chapter 6 of the UN Charter, but UN peacekeepers' inaction is still said to be a source of shame to at least some UN officials.

Inner City Press began to asked Nesirky, "Didn't UNMIS have a protection of civilians mandate" -- but Nesirky tried to turn to one of the handful of other questioners in the briefing room. Video here, from Minute 15:18.

Inner City Press protested that it was a serious question, on which it had the same right to follow up as Nesirky had earlier granted questions about Camp Ashraf in Iraqand Deputy Secretary General Asha Rose Migiro's visit to sign the book of condolences for Kim Jong-Il at the mission of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea.

Reiterating the unanswered query concerning the UN's and UNMIS' duty to try to protect civilians, Inner City Press explicitly asked about the UNDP report of May 22, 2010 stating that "The Force Commander [Major General Moses Bisong Obi] advised that they saw the SAF build-up and attack coming but they were unable to stop it. There had however been assurance by SAF that UN would not be targeted."

Inner City Press asked, when did Obi know what the Sudanese Armed Forces were going to attack? Who provided the "assurances" to him? Video here, from Minute 15:49.

Nesirky merely repeated that UNMIS "was not mandated to oppose forces of the state."

Never again? Hardly.

Footnotes: In the quote above, that AFP (Agence France Presse) "was unable to reach UN officials who could respond to the allegations" seems strange, given that the UN Department of Peacekeeping Operations is being run by the fourth Frenchman in a row, Herve Ladsous.

As noted, the French mission to the UN did not even know, the day of the announcement, that Ban was appointing Ladsous and not younger fellow Frenchman Jerome Bonnafont. When Inner City Press reported this, the French mission used a French media outlet -- AFP -- to harass Inner City Press for more than a month.

Notwithstanding France's role during the Rwanda genocide (and Ladsous' defense of it while serving as France's Deputy Permanent Representative in the Security Council in 1994), what would France have to say to the position that UNMIS "was not mandated to oppose the forces of the Sudanese state"? Watch this site.

In Final S. Kordofan Report, UN Airbrushes Out Its Own Inaction, Cover-Up?

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, August 15 -- When the UN released its final, edited human rights report on Southern Kordofan on August 15, references to inaction by UN peacekeepers had been dropped. The initial report, which UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon's spokespeople continually derided as "leaked" and subject to editing by the UN Department of Peacekeeping Operations, stated for example that

"29. On 8 June, an UNMIS independent contractor (IC) was pulled out of a vehicle by SAF in front of the UNMIS Kadugli Sector IV Compound in the presence of several witnesses, while UN peacekeepers could not intervene. He was taken around the corner of the compound and gunshots were heard. Later he was discovered dead by UNMIS personnel and IDPs. Several sources confirmed that the victim was an active SPLM member." (Emphasis added.)

Weeks later, when the edited version was released, this paragraph appeared with the key phrase "while UN peacekeepers could not intervene" entirely removed, as if the Egyptian UN peacekeepers had not been there:

"17. On 8 June, an UNMIS individual contractor (IC) was pulled out of a vehicle by SAF in front of the UNMIS Kadugli Sector IV compound in the presence of several witnesses. He was taken away from the vicinity of the compound and gunshots were heard. Later he was discovered dead by UNMIS personnel and IDPs. Several sources confirmed that the victim was an active SPLM member."

There are other difference betwen the original and edited reports. But how can the UN justify airbrushing out the presence of its inactive peacekeepers? Inner City Press asked the Anglical Bishop of Kadugli about the peacekeepers, and he said the Egyptian troops were not impartial, were close to Khartoum and did nothing. Now the UN system airbrushes it out.

Inner City Press asked US Ambassador Susan Rice last week about the UN's withholding and editing of its report and she replied:

"On Kordofan, let me just say-yes, we're looking forward to the release of the report that we requested back in June. We think that it's important for the United Nations-whether it's through its dwindling presence on the ground or through the human rights agencies and authorities-to give us, the member states, as clear a picture as they can of the unfolding humanitarian circumstances in Southern Kordafan, and to provide insight and investigate the allegations of abuses."

Now on the UN's airbrushing out of its own inaction and complicity, what will the US, France, UK, South Sudan, other member states and even NGOs do? Watch this site.

UN Peacekeepers' Inaction in Abyei & S. Kordofan UNanswered for by Moses Obi

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, July 27 -- In the wake of documented inaction by UN Mission in Sudan peacekeepers earlier this year, at a briefing by UN force commanders on Wednesday Inner City Press asked for an explanation of the remaining-in-base of the Zambian battalion in Abyei, then the Egyptian battalion in Southern Kordofan.

The question was not answered, on the theory that of the four force commanders on the podium, Darfur but not UNMIS was represented. (There are separate issues of inaction in Darfur, with respect to Tawila and verifying Antonov bombings by Khartoum.)

But Inner City Press was told to direct the question afterward to the force commander of the new “two-s” UNMISS in South Sudan, Major General Moses Bisong Obi.

Since Obi was in charge of UNMIS during the incidents in Abyei and Southern Kordofan, the latter the subject of a scathing report by representatives of the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights that Inner City Press has put online, he seemed to be the right person to answer for the inaction.

But when Inner City Press approached Obi, as had been suggested on the record during the press conference, Obi said this should not be the subject of a private interview, and refused to answer any questions about it.

As Obi left the building with other force commanders, the Security Council began a closed door meeting about the new all Ethiopian force in Abyei, UNISFA.

Inner City Press has also asked the assembled force commanders if this model, of one-country missions (in this case with a force commander from Ethiopia as well) is a good one. There was no answer to that either.

Rather, UNAMID's Lieutenant General Patrick Nyamvumba said that “only” 135 patrols have been blocked by Khartoum, out of 20,000. While questions remains about why these patrols are blocked, and about Tawila, at least Nyamvumba gave an answer.

For Moses Obi, who was in charge of UNMIS when at least two of its battalions failed to protect civilians, what accountability is there?

The UN report states, as simply one example, that

42. On 8 June, UNMIS Human Rights witnessed the movement of four armed men (two armed civilians and two Central Reserve Police) carrying weapons in and out of the UNMIS Protective Perimeter without any intervention from the UNMIS peacekeepers guarding the premises. The armed men conducted identity checks on the IDPs. Eyewitnesses interviewed reported that the armed men abducted three IDPs from the vicinity of the UNMIS Protective Perimeter on suspicion that they were supporters of the SPLM.

Questions and answers about UN peacekeeping, and the UN more generally, often devolve into either it's all good or all bad. But the reality is, some UN Missions, SRSGs and Force Commanders do well and are transparent and some do and are not. Surely Nigeria has other, qualified potential force commanders.

A problem with the UN is that there seems to be no correlation between performance and keeping (or getting) your job.

Some say this extends to the prospective new chief of UN peacekeeping, Jerome Bonnafont, France's Ambassador to India. Despite UN denials and no-comments on Inner City Press' Bonnafont scoop of three weeks ago, the Press has again been told that Bonnafont has told diplomats that he has the UN job. What military experience does he have?

At Wednesday's noon briefing, Inner City Press asked about Nepal's complaint that despite being the Number Six troop contributor its candidate for force commander at MINURSO in Western Sahara was bypassed and a Bangladeshi named.

While Ban Ki-moon's spokesman Martin Nesirky wouldn't say why, outgoing DPKO chief Alain Le Roy to his credit came and explained that “speaking French” is a plus in Western Sahara, and said that while Nepal's didn't, Bangladesh's candidate does. We'll see. We'll also publish any response provided, even late, to questions, video via here, about the UN inaction (and status) in Abyei and Southern Kordofan. Watch this site.

Sudan Killing in Kordofan, & UN Inaction, Detailed in UN Report, Online

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, July 20 -- Amid Sudan's slaughter in Southern Kordofan despite UN peacekeepers being there, inaction by the Egyptian contingent of the UN Mission in Sudan has been the subject of increasing shock and disgust.

On July 20 after trying to ask UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon about it when he took questions about climate change at the Security Council stakeout, Inner City Press asked Ban's spokesman Martin Nesirky about the "leaked" report, particular these sections in paragraphs 42 and 29:

42. On 8 June, UNMIS Human Rights witnessed the movement of four armed men (two armed civilians and two Central Reserve Police) carrying weapons in and out of the UNMIS Protective Perimeter without any intervention from the UNMIS peacekeepers guarding the premises. The armed men conducted identity checks on the IDPs. Eyewitnesses interviewed reported that the armed men abducted three IDPs from the vicinity of the UNMIS Protective Perimeter on suspicion that they were supporters of the SPLM.

29. On 8 June, an UNMIS independent contractor (IC) was pulled out of a vehicle by SAF in front of the UNMIS Kadugli Sector IV Compound in the presence of several witnesses, while UN peacekeepers could not intervene. He was taken around the corner of the compound and gunshots were heard. Later he was discovered dead by UNMIS personnel and IDPs. Several sources confirmed that the victim was an active SPLM member.

Earlier this month a Dutch court said that immunity was no defense to the liability of peacekeepers for deaths in Srebrenica. These descriptions - in the UN's own report -- non “intervention” by UN peacekeepers echo that. Inner City Press is putting the report online, here.

UN spokesman Nesirky said in response that the above-quoted report “ has not yet been finalized.”

Inner City Press asked if it would be edited by the UN Department of Peacekeeping Operations:

Inner City Press: I’m looking at this, the UNMIS human rights report about Southern Kordofan and it’s beyond what is being sort of reported publicly, it has a paragraph very specifically saying on 8 June UNMIS human rights witnessed armed people coming in and out of the UNMIS protection perimeter without any intervention from the UN peacekeepers guarding the premises. The allegation is that the Egyptian peacekeepers of that unit were either sided with the Government or chose to not act. And what I am wondering is, if, since this is the UN’s own report, what’s the next step? Is the Secretary-General going to order some kind of an inquiry?

Spokesperson Nesirky: Well, first of all, as you well know, the report has not yet been finalized, and Mr. Šimonovic' made that quite clear when he spoke to you here the other day. That’s the first point. The second is that we’re extremely concerned about the allegations that are out there, including those that have been brought to light in the report, which is not yet finalized. So, I think we need to ensure that that report goes through the right procedure before more details are given on that. But suffice it to say that many people within the UN community, from the Secretary-General down, are extremely concerned about the alleged incidents that there have been and the reports that we are hearing.

Inner City Press: The one thing I wanted to know is, it seems from the way Mr. Simonovic said it, that this joint reporting to the Office of the High Commissioner on Human Rights and to DPKO, so, since the allegation, at least the one that I just read out, is against DPKO, what’s their role in editing the finalizing report?

Spokesperson: Well, I think let’s be really clear, there is nothing unusual in that arrangement. Wherever there is a mandate within a peacekeeping mission mandate to look at human rights, there should be a human rights component — in other words, people who deal with that. And of course, as Mr. Šimonovic' explained, there is a dual reporting role. A report of that nature of course will need to be seen by the principals concerned in the Office and in the Department. And that’s normal procedure.

Inner City Press: When you’re saying it’s finalized, it describes things that happened on a particular day. Is there some idea that this will be changed in a final report?

Spokesperson: I do not know what the final version will look like. But as you all know, this, the document that has been circulated, or rather leaked, is not the final version. And it is still in the process of being finalized. But as I have said, it is already clear that there are very serious allegations out there, not just in the report that’s being talked about and which Mr. Šimonovic' spoke about at some length the other day, but more generally. And those reports are alarming and we’re extremely worried about them, the Secretary-General included.

Some wonder why, if Ban Ki-moon is so extremely worried about this, he did not mention or take any questions on it on July 20 outside the Security Council. The numbers of executed are high. Here is another paragraph:

28. An UNMIS staff member who was detained by SAF at their military facility in Umbattah Locality reported during his detention, that he saw over an estimated 150 dead bodies of persons of Nuban descent scattered on the grounds of the military compound. Some of the bodies appeared to have bullet wounds and he reported a large quantity of blood on the ground. He reported a SAF soldier told them that they had all been shot dead.

In the face of this UN reporting, why stand on the principle that the report “is not finalized?” We will pursue this. Watch this site.

On Sudan, Could an UNMIS “Wrap-Up” Resolution Provide S. Kordofan Protection?

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, July 8 -- As the UN Security Council adopted its resolution for 7000 peacekeeping troops in South Sudan, behind the scenes negotiations continued to see if a separate resolution on the dissolving UN Mission in Sudan was needed, and what it could accomplish.

Sudan's president Omar al Bashir, indicted by the International Criminal Court for genocide in Darfur, has ordered the UN mission in North Sudan to start winding down the moment South Sudan declares independence.

But the political coordinator of a BRICS country told Inner City Press that it is possible that a “wind-up” resolution could provide for UN peacekeepers staying in the violent border areas of South Kordofan and Blue Nile at least while the mission is being wound up.

“That would require the consent of Bashir,” a representative of a Permanent member of the Council pointed out, adding that the UN Department of Field Support and Office of Legal Affairs, headed by Patricia O'Brien, had been asked to opine if a wind up resolution is needed.

The spokesman of another Permanent member said that negotiations were continuing, even on the eve of South Sudan's independence, with Ban Ki-moon in Khartoum, meeting with not with Bashir but foreign minister Ali Karti.

“It would be a good message to have such a resolution,” the representative said, indicating the UN was not just getting thrown out. But isn't it?

At Friday's UN noon briefing, Inner City Press asked Ban's acting deputy spokesman Farhan Haq about reports that the Egyptian UN peacekeepers in Kadugli in Southern Kordofan sat by while civilians were killed right outside their gates, and that two Nuba UN local staff were killed.

Haq denied the later, and pointed to earlier statements on the former. Inner City Press is still waiting for a response from UNMIS promised earlier in the week. Better hurry up: for now, UNMIS is over on July 9. Watch this site -- and this, Inner City Press July 7 debate on BloggingHeads.tv about Sudan.

As Sudan Pulls US & UK Diplomats from UN Helicopter, Raising of Stakes?

By Matthew Russell Lee, Exclusive

UNITED NATIONS, June 16, updated -- When a UN Mission in Sudan helicopter landed in White Nile state, the Sudanese government took a US and a UK diplomat off the plane.

As described to Inner City Press by a spokesman for the UK Mission to the UN, the Sudanese authorities said they had not been notified of the flight and therefore questioned its purpose and passenger list.

Inner City Press asked US Ambassador Susan Rice about a “US diplomat arrested in Sudan.” She said, “I don't think that's the right word,” and went into the Security Council for a closed door meeting about violence involving the Sudanese Armed Forces and militias and tribes they support.

Asked if this detention should been as a raising of the stakes by Khartoum, the UK Spokesman told Inner City Press no. He could not name another time that Sudanese authorities have similarly questioned the use of UNMIS facilities by UK diplomats, but posited that the issue was more that the UNMIS helicopter had not given notice of its landing in Magennes than the identity of the passengers.

As UN Welcomes Election Haroun Claims, Council Trip Stalls on Haroun Meeting

By Matthew Russell Lee, Exclusive

UNITED NATIONS, May 17, updated -- After Ahmed Haroun, indicted by the International Criminal Court for war crimes in Darfur, declared victory in the recent election in South Kordofan, the UN Mission in Sudan put out a statement “welcoming” the election.

Now in the Security Council, sources tell Inner City Press, there is controversy over what to do if Haroun is at the airport when the Council arrives on its trip later this month.

At least one Council member is pointing at UNMIS' statement as a basis for meeting with Haroun. Others, including an African member, say it would be very “difficult.”

There was a lunch with the Permanent Five members of the Council, South Africa and Nigeria. Gabon was supposed to come but didn't, sources say. US Ambassador Susan Rice invited US envoy Princeton Lyman. While one of the non-Western P-5 say that his country and the US are “on the same page about North - South” issues, the Haroun issue remains a problem.

UNMIS and the UN Secretariat have added to this problem by, at least twice, flying Haroun to Abyei.

In New York on May 16, Inner City Press asked UN spokesman Martin Nesirky about the allegations by the SPLM in South Sudan that Haroun rigged the election. Nesirky pointed again at the statement, emphasizing that the UN “urges all parties to remain calm, and encourages those with complaints regarding the electoral process to address them through legal means or dialogue.”

On May 17 Inner City Press asked Nesirky, in the context of “legal means,” if the UN had any comment about Khartoum's National Congress Party government retaining two journalists for their coverage of the elections in South Kordofan.

Nesirky merely said the UN is aware of the reports, and that the Mission, UNMIS, is checking into it.

But UNMIS has repeated said it was checking into killings, mostly of Dinka, in Abyei and environs, most times without following up. In fact, UNMIS has at least twice offered free flights to Ahmed Haroun, despite his history of organizing attacks.

Inner City Press also asked Nesirky about a report in Sudanese state media that UNMIS is already moving out of North Sudan, shifting equipment from Kadugli, Port Sudan, El-Obeid and Khartoum down to Juba in the South.

Nesirky responded that any extension of UNMIS' mission is up to the Security Council. But shouldn't the Secretariat be able to confirm or deny movements by the peacekeeping missions it administers?

Update of 7:20 pm -- when UNSC President for May Araud emerged from the Council past 7 pm Tuesday, Inner City Press asked him about Haroun. After a pause, he said sever words: "We are not going to meet him." Watch this site.

As South Sudan Slams UNMIS for Flying Haroun, UN Drowns Out Critique

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, March 21 -- As the UN Security Council convened Monday afternoon about tensions in Sudan, Pagan Amum of Southern Sudan complained to Inner City Press about the UN Mission in Sudan not doing enough to counter destabilization by Omar al Bashir's National Congress Party, and even flying into Abyei on a UN helicopter NCP member Ahmed Haroun, indicted by the International Criminal Court for war crimes in Darfur.

Inner City Press has asked Secretary General Ban Ki-moon's spokesman Martin Nesirky for the UN's response to evidence made public by the SPLM, without response.

Likewise, Press questions about the specifics of and decision making behind UN flying ICC indicted war criminal Ahmed Haroun have yet to be answered.

While Amum was delivering this request for help and critique of UNMIS at the Security Council stakeout, Ban's spokesperson's office broken in on the public address system with a belated answer to a question asked over the weekend and at the noon briefing, effectively drowning out what Amum was saying.

And that... says it all. Watch this site.

UN MIssion in Sudan Flew ICC Indictee Haroun on Special Copter, Contrary to UN Claim, "There Are No Regular Flights"

By Matthew Russell Lee, Exclusive

UNITED NATIONS, February 12 -- Not only did the UN provide air transportation to Ahmed Haroun, indicted by the International Criminal Court for war crimes in Darfur -- the UN also lied or misspoke about it, Inner City Press has found.

After first obtaining confirmation from the UN that it flew Haroun to a meeting in Abyei of nomadic tribes of the kind he organized in Darfur to burn villages down, Inner City Press repeatedly asked for the specifics of the flight, and if the UN had sought or received reimbursement from the Sudanese government (which, it must be noted, has its own air force which could have flown Haroun, just as it bombs Darfur and the border with Southern Sudan).

After first refusing to answer, the UN belated sent this answer:

From: UN Spokesperson - Do Not Reply [at] un.org
Date: Tue, Feb 1, 2011 at 2:17 PM
Subject: Your question on Ahmed Haroun
To: Matthew Russell Lee [at] InnerCityPress.com

In accordance with its mandate, the Mission provides the necessary support to those key players in their pursuit to find a peaceful solution. In this context, at the request of the Government and on a space available basis, UNMIS provides seats on its flights to Government officials on official business related to the peace process, without any financial implications to the Government and at no additional operational costs to the mission.

But on February 11 when Inner City Press finally had an opportunity to see and ask questions of the chief of the UN Mission in Sudan Haile Menkerios, he answered that there was no regular flights between Southern Kordofan State and Abyei, and that the UN had flown Haroun by special helicopter.

Menkerios told Inner City Press, “There is no direct flight to Abyei. We flew him there in order to take him... We flew him by helicopter to Abyei because there is no flight.”

That is to say, the answer provided by the UN in New York was false, apparently intentionally so, when it said “at no additional operational costs to the mission” and “on a space available basis.” There was only “space available” for ICC indictee Haroun because the UN made a special flight, which cannot have been “at no additional operational costs to the mission.”

While some argue, as Menkerios did on February 11, that it is a good or necessary trade off to provide transport and legitimacy to an indicted war criminal if it might forestall violence threatened (even if by the indictee himself), it seems clear that a public organization like the UN should at least be transparent about it.

The context here is that, apparently in exchange for the government of Omar al Bashir allowing the Southern Sudan referendum, the UN has stayed quiet as things have gotten worse for civilians in Darfur, where Haroun is accused of committing war crimes.

The UN has yet to answer if Menkerios checked with top UN lawyer Patricia O'Brien (who has refused to take questions from the Press) or with Secretary General Ban Ki-moon himself.

Note: ever since the Office of the Spokesperson for Ban Ki-moon provide the February 1 answer above, Inner City Press has repeatedly posed this follow up question in writing:

“On your answer that Ahmed Haroun, indicted by the ICC for war crimes in Darfur, flew on a pre-existing UN flight, in light of footage from interview in South Kordofan which Haroun arranged with UN plane on camera behind him, please state who else was on the flight with him, how frequent UN flights between Abyei and South Kordofan are and what size aircrafts are used.”

Other than Menkerios on February 12, there has been not answer from the UN. Watch this site.