Amid Congo Election "Chaos," US Rice "Concerned" But Says UN Is Not Key, Up to Congolese

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, November 28 -- With election problems including killings from Kasai through Katanga, Kinshasa to South Kivu, Inner City Press late Monday asked US Ambassador Susan Rice about charges the UN and its envoy Roger Meece are acting biases for Joseph Kabila, and if the elections are up to snuff.

Rice replied that "we're concerned by reports of violence and indeed some deaths today in various parts of the country... This election was conducted by the Congolese at their insistence. It was not, like the prior election, one that was in effect organized and orchestrated by the United Nations. The United Nations does not have a central role either in the conduct of the election or even the certification of these elections."

Congolese sources say that opposition figure Etienne Tshisekedi, who asked for UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon to remove Meece, is most concerned that the international community will "rush to certify" Kabila as the winner.

Rice continued, "we think it's very important for the Congolese to respect the processes that have been provided by the electoral authorities, to refrain from violence, and we hope that when the situation clarifies that the disturbing reports we've heard today will prove to be the exception rather than the rule. But we need to wait and see."

Again, Congolese sources have marveled that even donors to the electoral process have remained silence as campaigning was banned and other irregularities multiplied. How far will it go? Watch this site.

On Child Soldiers, UN to Obo Only With Armed Security, Thai Resolution Backstory

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, November 28, updated -- While the Central African Republic's Obo region has now gotten a visit from a UN official, Radhika Coomaraswamy, it remains unclear if or when the UN will respond to calls to serve the area.

Inner City Press asked on Monday and was told that there are "discussions" of UNICEF opening a regional office, and that on her trip Coomaraswamy had armed security. One wondered: where were the US military advisers in the area to help hunt the Lord's Resistance Army?

Back in May, Inner City Press reported on requests

"to establish at least some kind of UN presence in CAR's Haut-Mbomou prefecture and its capital Obo. Only two international medical NGOs serve the area, where children are abducted by the Lord's Resistance Army, according to Laura Perez of the Internal Displacement Monitoring Center. Inner City Press asked Ms. Perez why the UN was constrained from at least purporting to serve the area. She replied that there is a weekly airplane flight to Obo but that the UN Department of Safety & Security says UN staff can only go with a military escort."

Now Coomaraswamy has gone. But when Inner City Press asked her if the UN is now establishing any presence in Obo, she said not yet, the UN serves it through an Italian NGO, later identified as COOPI. Video here, from Minute 11.

Inner City Press asked if DSS still requires military escort. [The answer has been amended or supplemented below.] Yes, she said, she was escorted by "AMISOM" -- then she corrected herself, the Ugandan People's Defense Force, UPDF. Video here, from Minute 17:39.

We don't always fasten on corrected misstatements. But here the fact that Ugandan troops serve as AU / AMISOM peacekeepers in Somalia seems to give them a different hue in the Central African Republic. Should the UN be traveling with the UPDF? Not all would say yes.

Click here for photo of Coomaraswamy with UPDF in Obo.

Update: despite what was said at the noon briefing and reported above, late Monday afternoon after initial publication of this article Coomaraswamy's office told Inner City Press "The SRSG was not escorted by the UPDF or any military. DSS provided security. This was simply a mistake in the noon briefing."

If NGOs stated in May that the UN was not providing service in Obo due to DSS saying they needed military escort, it is important that this be clarified.

Inner City Press asked Coomaraswamy about the Thai-sponsored resolution that passed in the Third Committee, without a vote, during her absence, which earned the Western characterization as "Trojan Horse" resolution meant to send a message to Coomaraswamy to reign herself in. Click here for Inner City Press story, which is updated below.

Coomaraswamy replied that the first draft caused some "alarm," but the draft that passed is "not of concern."

Inner City Press is informed that the US, represented by John F. Sammis, asked that Thailand in its statement explicitly says that the word "continue" applied also to "acting in full observation" - in essence, that Coomaraswamy HAD been acting appropriately.

Thailand did include this in its statement, but apparently Sammis did not hear it. He asked for a suspension and marched to the back of the conference room. Once he was shown the statement that was read out, he returned to his seat -- without apologizing, it is said. The US administration says it plays well with others at the UN - but does it?

Finally, Inner City Press asked Coomaraswamy about Myanmar. She said, as she has before, that Myanmar may soon sign an action plan on child soldier recruiting, the remaining issues involve "access." Don't they always? We'll have more on this.

At UN on US - Pakistan Attack, "No Line," No Resolution, No Comment by Ban Ki-moon

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, November 28 -- After a US attack in Pakistan killed more than 20 Pakistani soldiers, Inner City Press on Monday asked UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon's Deputy Spokesman Eduardo del Buey what the UN had to say about it, if it thought greater care should be taken.

"We're aware of the reports," del Buey said, "we'll see if we get a line on that." Video here, from Minute 25:42.

This appears to mean that the Office of the Spokesperson will wait to see if Ban or his team -- Ban's on his way to South Korea -- comes up with a short statement about this cross-border attack. A member of Ban's team told Inner City Press that such a statement is unlikely.

When del Buey was pressed, he said that "to the best of my knowledge, neither the Security Council nor General Assembly has passed a resolution on the situation." That, of course, is another question. Ban's office puts on statements on less deathly incidents that are less of a threat to international peace and security. Why not this one?

(c) UN Photo
Ban in Pakistan, comment on killing of 28 soliders not shown

A Permanent Representative serving on the Security Council told Inner City Press no one had raised it Monday morning in the Council, and that Inner City Press should seek out Pakistan's ambassador Haroon. Pakistan is joining the Security Council on January 1. Watch this site.

Facing Congo Election Questions, UN Uses Excuse of the East, Defers to Kabila

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, November 28, updated below -- When the UN spoke Monday at noon about the Democratic Republic of the Congo elections, which have seen complaints about lack of ballots, prohibitions on campaigning and a call for the UN to remove its envoy Roger Meece as biased for the incumbent Joseph Kabila, all Deputy Spokesman Eduardo del Buey did was read a Ban Ki-moon statement that had been circulated on Friday.

Inner City Press asked del Buey what the UN's response was to after-arising events, for example to the blockage of opposition candidate Etienne Tshisekedi at Kinshasa's airport during a time he should have been able to campaign. Video here from Minute 27.

Del Buey read again from Ban Ki-moon's pre-blockage statement, that security is the primary responsibility of the government: that is, incumbent Kabila and his allies.

There are reports of polling places without ballot in Beni, five dead in Lumumbashi, no electrical power in Bas Congo, gunfire...

The other excuse offered by del Buey was that the "bulk" of the UN's forces in the Congo are concentrated in the East. First, there are reports of irregularities there, too, including involvement of nationals of Rwanda across the border. Second, UN helicopters have flown over Kinshasa while campaigning was blocked. What is the UN's role?

Earlier on Monday, Inner City Press asked this month's president of the UN Security Council, Portuguese Ambassador Cabral, if events of the weekend in the Congo would be discussed by the Council.

"I don't know," Cabral told Inner City Press. "Obviously there's concern about the situation there. The situation is not a quiet one to say the least... We had consultations last week on it."

But things have changed in the past week. Both answers seem to reflect the lack of focus on the UN on the Congo elections, the lack of follow through, or perhaps a deference to Permanent Five members of the Security Council's views. But how can these, or the UN, in the future criticize similar moves in other elections? What level of irregularities does the UN accept? Watch this site.

Update of 3:15 pm -- outside the UN Security Council for a meeting about Libya, Inner City Press asked US Ambassador Susan Rice about the DRC elections, about Tshisekedi saying Meece should leave. "That tells you more about Tshisekedi," she answers. Still nothing from the Security Council. Watch this site.

As DR Congo Campaigning Outlawed, Plea to UN Answered by Stale Statement

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, November 27 -- With even campaign rallies outlawed in the Democratic Republic of the Congo before the elections slated for November 28, on November 25 the UN sent out a statement by Secretary General Ban Ki-moon.

The statement did not call for an end to restrictions on campaigning, and said that it was under embargo and couldn't be published until Sunday, November 27 (without saying if this referred to New York or Kinshasa time).

If the UN was trying to use its bully pulpit to improve the anti-democratic mood in the eve of the election, it seemed strange to speak so far in advance, and under embargo.

In fact after Ban's statement in advance, which some called a "mind-reading" statement, was circulated a crisis occurred at the Kinshasa airport.

The main rival to Joseph Kabila Etienne Tshisekedi was blocked at the airport from going to campaign. Some of his supporters assembled; it was reported that an entreaty was made to the UN to intervene in favor of democracy, in this case, campaigning.

Another Kabila rival Vital Kamerhe, blamed the violence on pro-Kabila security forces. "The republican guard are in Kinshasa’s streets," he said. "That’s like how things started in Cote d’Ivoire, with the armed forces of the elite."

Whatever one thinks of the erratic Tshisekedi, with whom Ban met in June, one might have expected the UN to at least verbally side with democracy and campaigning. But on the ground, while Ban's statement remained under embargo, all the UN did was offer to escort Tshisekedi home, not to campaign.

Back on November 23, Inner City Press asked Ban's associate spokesman Farhan Haq about the election and Mr. Tshisekedi:

Inner City Press: I wanted to ask you about the Democratic Republic of the Congo elections. Now a candidate has been killed, Marius Gangale, and a lot of people are saying that foreign missions in Kinshasa are saying that there may be a delay past the 28th. I know that Mr. [Roger] Meese briefed the Council, but I am not sure what he said. Does the UN believe, should there be a delay to get the logistics in place, and what can they say about this killing of one of the candidates?

Associate Spokesperson: Well, as you know, we have supported a number of consecutive elections in the DRC [Democratic Republic of the Congo] and are hopeful that this one will go ahead on schedule. Mr. Meese did in fact brief the Security Council about the arrangements, and we continue to provide the support we can, including, of course, the security presence in the country. At the same time, of course, we are concerned about any violence against any side or by any side. And we are encouraging all sides to remain calm and pave the way for peaceful and smooth elections.

Inner City Press: Is he speaking with this opposition figure, Mr. [Etienne] Tshisekedi, because I went back and looked at the video where he had met with Ban Ki-moon, Tshisekedi... Is there some attempt by the UN to get Mr. Tshisekedi to sign on to these principles for the election, and do you think he will sign by the 28th?

Associate Spokesperson: It is hard to predict what any particular individual will do. We have been encouraging all sides to maintain calm and maintain a peaceful atmosphere that would be conducive to holding credible and free elections.

Nothing more was heard from Ban Ki-moon's Office in response to this until November 25: a statement that said it couldn't be reported until November 27.