Amid Haiti Debate, UN Stonewalls on Cholera, Says Government Welcomes It

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, October 3 -- Speeches on Haiti filled the Security Council all Wednesday morning. As simply two examples, Colombia Permanent Representative Nestor Osorio spoke of cholera; US Ambassador Susan Rice spoke of accountability for sexual violence (but apparently not of or for cholera).

  When it was over, Council president Gert Rosenthal gave a summary at the stakeout and offered to take questions. Inner City Press asked him of polls showing that half or more of people in Port of Prince do not want the MINUSTAH mission to stay. Inner City Press asked, what explained this?

  Rosenthal said that cases of sexual abuse, "two or three," were not helpful; he said that many in Haiti believe, rightly or wrongly, that the UN brought cholera into the country. (He added that the government indicates it wants MINUSTAH to stay.)

  Moments later, the head of MINUSTAH Mariano Fernandez followed and gave a short summary, starting in French. Inner City Press asked him the same question as to the Council President, about cholera and sexual abuse, specifically if he thought Uruguay's charge of "private violence" made real the UN's stated "zero tolerance" policy.

  Fernandez replied that he would not question the tribunals of a troop contributing country -- this seems a dubious practice -- and that he wouldn't comment on cholera since it is a legal matter. 

  Inner City Press tried to follow up, but was rebuffed by the Department of Peacekeeping Operations spokesman, the same one who ran interference for DPKO head Herve Ladsous to not answer questions about why his mission in the Congo was helping recruit Mai Mai militia to fight the M23 mutineers. 

Ladsous last week made another of his spokespeople whisper to boom microphone operation not to give the micto Inner City Press, and then called for Press questions to be erased from the UN Webcast.  A fish, as they say, rots from the head

  After two soft questions in Spanish, and with no help from the DPKO spokesman who seems to be under orders to play by and even expand the Ladsous Rules, Inner City Press managed to ask Ferandez the follow up: hasn't the UN's Office of Legal Affairs' head Patricia O'Brien's non-response to the cholera claim gone on too long? How can the UN preach rule of law, but bury a claim like this?

Fernandez again declined to comment. Inner City Press asked if MINUSTAH's investigation of the shooting death of a UN Police officer from Rwanda had been completed. Ferandez said the investigation continues, called it an accident, but said he would need more facts. Then he left. Will there finally be answers on this shooting death, and much longer outstanding cholera claim, any time soon? Watch this site.

After Bomb and Call to Ban Ki-moon, Turkey Visits Security Council, "Shell Related"

By Matthew Russell Lee, Exclusive

UNITED NATIONS, October 3, updated -- Turkey wasted no time. Right after a shell landed on the Turkish side of the country's border with Syria, foreign minister Ahmet Davutoglu called UN Secretary General and his envoy to Syria Lakhdar Brahimi.

Then at 1 pm on Wednesday Inner City Press exclusively witnessed Turkey's Permanent Representative to the UN Apakan and four other members of the Turkish mission walk into the Security Council. In the chamber there was an open debate on Haiti, but they did not turn that way.

When they emerged, Inner City Press asked Ambassador Apakan if his visit had been "Haiti related or shell related?"

"Shell related," he exclusively told Inner City Press. One assumes for now that a letter was delivered, or meeting held with this month's Council president, Guatemala. Watch this site.

Update of 1:45 pm - Inner City Press asked Security Council president Gert Rosenthal of Guatemala about Turkish Ambassador Apakan's visit and comment to the Press. Yes, Rosenthal said, Ambassador Apakan met with him, about the Akcakale "incident" there might a communication (that is, at least initially, a letter from Turkey) later in the day. Watch this site.

No Answers on Congo or Even Camp for Syrians by UN of Ban and Ladsous

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, October 3 -- These days it seems that the UN of Secretary General Ban Ki-moon and his top Peacekeeper Herve Ladsous only have eyes for Syria. 

 During General Debate week, neither man said nearly anything about Darfur, for example - but now four peacekeepers have been killed there. Might this have been a good place for the UN to show some leadership and focus on, during the General Debate, particularly since it Ladsous refused to answer another Press question about Sudan: what is the UN's role on resolving Abyei?

At Wednesday's UN noon briefing, Ban's spokeman Martin Nesirky had no answer to an Inner City Press question about public statements by the M23 mutineers in Eastern Congo that the killings in Goma are the fault of the government, and they may go in. Inner City Press asked,who does the UN think IS responsible for the killings in Goma?

   How can Ladsous' Department of Peacekeeping Operations, which has the large MONUSCO mission there, not have a statement?

Instead, the answers given and emailed out are all about Syria. But even on that, when Inner City Press asked about public reports that UN staff had fled the Za'atari camp for Syrian refugees in Jordan, spokesman Nesirky had no information or answer.

On the breakdown of talks, after Ban spoke with each, between the presidents of Malawi and Tanzania -- which whom Ban held a press conference or photo op on Tuesday -- spokesman Nesirky would only say, when Inner City Press posited that the General Debate week had not made things better, "That's your analysis." Yes it is.

Inner City Press asked again about Abyei, now the South Sudan's top negotiator Pagan Amum has said South Sudan won't negotiate about it anymore, contrary to Paragraph 8 of the Communique Nesirky previously referred the Press too after Ladsous refused to answer. Any UN comment? Any UN role? Watch this site.

Update of 1:17 pm -- when Turkey's Permanent Representative Apakan went in then exited the Security Council, Inner City Press asked him, "Haiti related or shell related?"  He exclusively told Inner City Press, "Shell related." Story soon.

Afghan UN Audits Find Contracts on Blank Paper, Musical Mispayments

By Matthew Russell Lee, Exclusive

UNITED NATIONS, October 2 -- Since June Inner City Press has published a series of internal audits of irregularities in the UN Development Program's Law and Order Trust Fund for Afghanistan. The UN's outgoing Afghanistan deputy Michael Keating told Inner City Press,"we need to be more explicit in acknowledging... the risks that are inevitably there with a program of this size and complexity and not try to hide those risks." Video here, from Minute 11:07.

   But now another troubling audit has come in from sources to Inner City Press, of UNDP's policy and advisory development Letters of Agreement in Afghanistan; two pages are being exclusively published today by Inner City Press. 

   The problems are myriad: money paid to the wrong Afghan ministry (in one case, to the Institute of Music instead of to the Ministry of Education); contracts on blank paper without letterhead at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs; no oversight, no required audits. Click here for Page 1 of this audit; click here for Page 2.

 Back on September 20, Inner City Press asked the UN system's top envoy to Afghanistan Jan Kubis about the series of audits of the Law & Order Trust Fund for Afghanistan published by Inner City Press over the past three months; he said there will be a public accounting.Video here, from Minute 3:37.

   This is more than Inner City Press has received from UNDP, which has sent a few responses but no direct comment on the exclusively published leaked audits. 

   Inner City Press asked Kubis about a letter the European Union sent to Kubis about the scandal, which Inner City Press put online here.

  Kubis said that the EU states are more and more convinced that the necessary steps are being taken by UNDP. He said the auditing of LOTFA is going on, but a midterm review will give rise to general public information.  But when?

    Inner City Press exclusively published three more audits. In LOTFA "Observation 19," the auditors drily note:

"During the course of our physical verification of assets, we noted that some of the assets, which were appearing in Statement of Assets, were not physically present."

 This diplomatic "not physically present" phrase, if accepted, would have a good future on all manner of criminal defense.

In Observation 18, the auditors state that "during the course of our audit we noted certain instances where purchase orders were not raised in respect of procurement of goods," including over $300,000 for the purchase of Toyota vehicles.

   Observation 17 "note[s] instances where evidences of required approvals by Special Procurement Commission were not available with the contracts" and "recommends that the provisions of the Afghanistan Procurement Law should be complied" with. Ya don't say.

  Beyond this UN system corruption, there is a more serious debate about the proposed spending on constructing a new electoral roll -- would it be done fairly for all groups and how much would it cost. This question could not be asked - Kubis had a flight to catch.

 On his way out he told Inner City Press that the electoral issue, and how the 19% budget cut to UNAMA is being (mis?) implemented, would still be issues when he comes to the UN next time. We aim to be here, and to ask. And now the UN Security Council is considering traveling to Afghanistan. Watch this site.

Travel Danger Makes Yemen Unlikely for UNSC, Kabul Pushed by Germans

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, October 2, updated -- After outgoing UN Security chief Gregory Starr briefed the Security Council Tuesday about safety in Afghanistan and Yemen, both of which the Council has considered visiting, several Council members emerged expressing concern.

  "Both are very dangerous," one told Inner City Press. "But at least in Afghanistan there is a presence and some security. Yemen? No way."

  The UN's envoy to Yemen Jamal Benomar also attended; members told Inner City Press he recounted the many times he's been in and out of the country without incident. Some were not convinced.

  "The Germans are really pushing to get us to Afghanistan," another member said. Germany leaves the Security Council in three months, and Afghanistan has been one of their focuses. The UK has the lead on Yemen, and has a Permanent seat on the Council.

  The decision on both trips was not taken at Tuesday's meeting, which broken up past 5 pm; it was postponed. "We got new information," a Council member told Inner City Press. "We have to check it out." Yemen looks unlikely, Afghanistan more possible.

  Since June Inner City Press has published a series of internal audits of irregularities in the UN Development Program's Law and Order Trust Fund for Afghanistan; top UN envoy Jan Kubis recent told Inner City Press there will be a "public accounting." 

  Now this afternoon, Inner City Press has exclusively reported on another audit showing that the problems are myriad: money paid to the wrong Afghan ministry (in one case, to the Institute of Music instead of to the Ministry of Education); contracts on blank paper without letterhead at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs; no oversight, no required audits. Click here for Page 1 of this audit; click here for Page 2. Watch this site.

DR Congo and Rwanda "On Hold," UNSC President Tells ICP, Belgium's Push

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, October 2 -- There was a flurry of activity on the Democratic Republic of Congo and its neighbor, Rwanda, at the UN in September but the topic is not even listed on the agenda of the Security Council for October.

  After last week's closed-door mini summit on the topic at the UN, Inner City Press was told that the most vocal in pushing sanctions against Rwanda was Belgium, for the allegations of support to the M23 mutineers made in the UN report coordinated by Steve Hege, whose 2009 writings about the FDLR and Rwanda have yet to be explained (they were taken off the Internet after Inner City Press linked to them).

  On Tuesday Inner City Press asked income Security Council president Gert Rosenthal of Guatemala why DRC is not on the agenda, is it just on hold? Video here, from Minute 22:48.

  Rosenthal told Inner City Press that on "Eastern DRC, the Security Council has been waiting for some type of agreement among the Great Lake governments, so far it has not come forth."

  Referring to Inner City Press' question he said, "the way you put it, the topic being on hold, is an accurate reflection of where we are right now. The situation is not good, and that is the reason we are reminding ourselves in the footnote that the topic may come to us this month, though not specifically scheduled."

Nor is there on the schedule any Department of Political Affairs or "horizon scanning" briefing. Watch this site.

Guinea Bissau Torn Between Togo and Portugal, On SC to 2013, Not on Agenda

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, October 2 -- After a dispute at the UN last week about who could speak for post-coup Guinea Bissau in the General Debate (no one, as it turned out), the situation in the country was not even listed in the Security Council's program of work for October.

  Inner City Press asked incoming Council president Gert Rosenthal of Guatemala, who had spoken of Mali, about the "other coup" in Guinea Bissau and what the Council would or could do. Video here, from Minute 22:48.

  Rosenthal told Inner City Press that Guinea Bissau is "a perfect example of how the Security Council works best when it's united -- meaning when not united we have difficulty drafting agreements. As you know there are difficult points of view among ECOWAS states, which are represented on the Security Council this year by Togo, and the Lusophones, represented in Security Council this year by Portugal."

  We note that Portugal is leaving the Council on December 31, 2012, while Togo has another year to go. But the Lusophone or CPLP position is what it is: will it be heard the same by the Council?

  Continuing, Rosenthal said it had been "difficult reaching a meeting of minds" on Guinea Bissau and this was "unfortunate for most members including my delegation, we think the Security Council should act."

  Responding on pre-coup leader Pereira being listed in the UN Journal as a General Debate speaker for September 28, and then being skipped over, Rosenthal told Inner City Press, "What happened in the General Assembly last week, we were unable to determine who speaks in name of present government of Guinea Bissau, is an example of how these situations can make agreements very difficult."

   Inner City Press asked a Lusophone or CPLP Permanent Representative earlier on Tuesday why Pereira hadn't spoke. He agreed, was the answer, after pressure. But "the other one" -- the post-coup leader -- "is not the one with the credentials." And so it goes at the UN -- at least until the end of the year? Watch this site.

Mayor Mike Bloomberg Has Entourage & Intern at UN for Maternal Health, Applause But Only 2 Questions

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, October 2 -- When Mike Bloomberg came to the UN on Tuesday it was billed on a press conference, albeit on the topic of maternal health in Tanzania. Still, one expected that more than two questions about be allowed in the 50 minutes, and that each opening speech wouldn't be met with applause, as happened.

  Who was it, filling the Dag Hammarskjold Auditorium? Bloomberg's entourage?

  There were jokes all around. Bloomberg said he was making UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon an honorary New Yorker; he also said the daughter of the speaker from the H&B Agerup Foundation was in the auditorium, and he'd speak to Ban to get her an "in" at the United Nations.

  Cursory research finds an Agerup (and Q-Med) scion already working as a press intern for the Bloomberg administration. So a Swedish medical patent magnate has his foundation co-fund a Bloomberg Philanthropies project; a relative works as a press intern for Bloomberg's New York City Department of Health. This is Bloomberg's New York.

  Since maternal health IS the fifth UN Millennium Development Goal, one wanted to ask what Bloomberg thinks should help with the MDGs (or SDGs) in 2015, when he will no longer be mayor. But only two questions were allowed, then Bloomberg followed Ban Ki-moon in leaving.

  Footnote: After Bloomberg left, his Twitter account if not he himself pitched the program to @NickKristof, who wrote in Sunday's New York Times about the Bangladesh and Sheikh Hasina "Hurting Women" -- gleened at the Clinton Global Initiative -- without even mentioning the turning back of the Rohingyas from Myanmar. 

  This too is Bloomberg's, and Kristof's, New York. But should it be the UN's?

At UN, Darfur Forgotten, 2 Areas UNserved, Eliasson Explains, Rice Says On It

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, October 2 -- Amid UN self congratulation about the agreements between Sudan and South Sudan announced last week in Addis Ababa, almost nothing was heard during the General Debate about Darfur, where the UN has a $1 billion peacekeeping mission, UNAMID.

  In a Tuesday UN press conference, Inner City Press asked new Deputy Secretary General Jan Eliasson about this omission, and also whether any progress has been made on getting aid into the Two Areas, Southern Kordofan and Blue Nile. 

  Earlier in front of the Security Council, Inner City Press asked US Permanent Representative Susan Rice about the Two Areas as well as Abyei.

   Ambassador Rice replied that as before, the African Union High level Implementation Panel and the UN's Haile Menkerios "will keep working" on Abyei; she added, seemingly referring to the Security Council, "we're going to stay on top of it, the Two Areas as well."

  Eliasson, who as Inner City Press noted previously served as UN envoy on Darfur, began by admitting that humanitarian aid has still not reached the Two Areas, despite previous statements. We're having a hard time "implementing" it, he said, citing continued fighting and danger.

  Cynically or not, Sudan's Permanent Representative Daffa-Alla Elhag Ali Osman told Inner City Press that his country puts the blame on the UN for not showing up at the Tripartite meetings in Khartoum, and says he wrote a letter to this effect to the UN. We will continue on this.

  On Darfur to which he used to be the UN envoy, Eliasson admitted that the problems are not solved there but it is receiving less and less focus. One wonders: isn't that in part the UN's fault?

  For the General Debate week, doesn't the UN Secretariat choose some issues it is going to push? Member states were going to push Syria. Shouldn't the UN speak at least about the areas where it has peacekeeping mission?

  UN Peacekeeping chief Herve Ladsous openly refuses to answer any Press questions, because of coverage he hasn't liked. One might reply, do a better job. But what about the claimed support other UN officials and oratory in the General Debate for freedom of the press? Watch this site. 

Amid Mali Spin, P5 to Meet Tuesday, All 15 on Thursday, OIC Wants In

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, October 2 -- Mali was referred to in many of the UN General Assembly speeches over the last week, but what is in fact being done?

  France has publicly offered to provide logistical help for the "re-conquest" of northern Mali. Inner City Press asked French Permanent Representative to the UN Gerard Araud Tuesday morning in front of the Security Council if France has a draft text.

  We have consultations on Thursday [on Mali], Araud replied. From others, Inner City Press learned that Tuesday itself, the Permanent Five members of the Security Council would meet about Mali.

  "They don't know how they want to proceed," a Council source told Inner City Press. The US State Department's "Assistant Secretary Carson said, 'let the re-conquest begin,'" the source continued, "then AFRICOM spun what he said and changed it. Now who knows."

   The Organization for Islamic Cooperation is also getting involved, with a humanitarian visit and to get more involved in the mediation. The mausoleums are the OIC's hook, and there are more of them left than is sometimes reported. Watch this site.

UN Debate Ends With Whimper, Kashmir to Nagorno-Karabakh, Circus Leaving

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, October 1 -- The week-long UN General Debate, which began with Barack Obama as second speaker Tuesday twice citing KFC but not once Sudan, Haiti or Congo, ended with a whimper and not a bang on Monday night.

  Monday in the morning Syria and Sri Lanka spoke of double standards. By the afternoon it was Palau talking of sharks, Portugal saying we are "impotent witnesses" to what Canada's John Baird called the "crimson tide" in Syria.

  In the UN Media Center, which had been standing room only during Obama's speech, a dozen scribes remained. But the UN couldn't wait to the end to throw them out. "After Venezuela we're shutting it down and calling security," Inner City Press was told. And so it closed, even as Dominica gave its speech.

Over in a photo booth above the GA Hall, Inner City Press watched the final 10 rights of reply play out. Pakistan's Deputy Permanent Representative said Jammu and Kashmir are not an integral part of India; the Indian political coordinator insisted that they were.

Azerbaijan's Permanent Representative said Armenia had abused its right to speak, and left the hall before the Armenian duo's second reply.

Eritrea downplayed its 2008 skirmish with Djibouti; Iran defended its right to peaceful nuclear use. In the end, new President of the General Assembly Vuk Jeremic of Serbia offered up a summary, smiling as he said how many spoke of territorial integrity. One thought of Kosovo, which does not have a seat. Nor does Somaliland, nor the apparently soon to be re-conquered Azawad in northern Mali.

Much of the week's action took place outside the UN, for example at the Waldorf Astoria where the Friends of Syria met on Friday. In the side hallways of the lobby, European and African diplomats talked in a hush about the M23 rebels, then went their separate ways. Deals were cut, then diplomats cut out. Only the bitterness remained, the backwash of conflicts, the rights of reply. But it will continue. Watch this site.

Sri Lanka Meets Ban Ki-moon, No Prageeth or Petrie Report, No Accountability?

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, October 1 -- It was on the final day of the week-long UN General Debate that Sri Lanka's G.L. Peiris spoke, along with North Korea, Belarus and Syria.

  Like these other three, Sri Lanka spoke out against any outside interference in its internal affairs. Unlike Syria, however, Sri Lanka has largely prevailed in this request. No one has been held accountable for the killing of civilians in 2009. Peiris bragged about redeveloping northern Sri Lanka, without saying who is benefiting.

  In the afternoon, before North Korea spoke, Inner City Press waited and attended the photo op between UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon and Peiris. Beyond UN Photo, the only other photographers present were both affiliated with the Sri Lankan government. 

  Visible was Permanent Representative Palitha Kohona and other Mission staff, but not his Deputy, general Shavendra Silva of whose presence on the UN Senior Advisory Group on Peacekeeping Operations Ban on February 8, 2012 told Inner City Press, "it was the member states that decided."

G.L. Peiris signed, Ban Ki-moon shakes, (c) MR Lee 

 After the October 1 meeting Ban issued a bland read-out:

"The Secretary-General met with H.E. Mr. G. L. Peiris, Minister for External Affairs of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka. They exchanged views on the post-conflict situation in Sri Lanka and cooperation with the United Nations.

"The Secretary-General noted the Government’s latest efforts to implement the recommendations of its Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission as well as the steady progress and remaining tasks on resettlement efforts in the North. He also emphasized the need to find a political solution without further delay to the underlying factors of the past conflict."

  So when is the report by Charles Petrie, about the UN's own inaction in 2008 and 2009, going to be finished -- that is, released to the public? Was the crackdown on journalists, including the disappearing of Prageeth Ehaliyagoda, raised by Ban Ki-moon?

  Is it difficult to know: Ban held a so-called "press encounter" on Monday, but no questions were allowed. On Tuesday, the UN Secretariat's description of the week will be given by Ban's new Deputy Jan Eliasson at 11:15 am. 

  And late on Monday in what some called garbage time it was announced that "Due to the press conference tomorrow by the UN Deputy Secretary-General, there will be no noon briefing by the Spokesperson."

   Will Eliasson take more than 45 minutes? In the past, a noon briefing might be canceled if Ban spoke at the same time. Now, it will be cancel for the Deputy, apparently in an attempt to get correspondents to focus on the UN's own messaging rather than ask questions, for example about Sri Lanka. This is Ban's UN.

UN "Press Encounter" on Chemical Weapons is All Syria, Allows No Questions

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, October 1 -- With chemical weapons in the news, when UN correspondents were urged to attended a media stakeout or "press encounter" with UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon on the topic from 2:40 to 3:00 pm on Monday, one assumed that questions could be asked. That's what would make it a press "encounter" or stakeout, right?

  Wrong.

  Ban arrived with the head of the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons, Ahmed Uzumcu, and launched into prepared remarks. He mentioned Syria three times; it was the only country that he mentioned.

  Then Uzumcu spoke, more briefly, also mentioning Syria. Inner City Press indicated it had a question -- two, actually -- but raised hand. But Ban and his spokesman turned and left. The encounter was over.

  As was the goal, Ban's comments were quickly disseminated. But what about questions?

  Among those that could be asked: are personnel of the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons present in Libya, particularly after the events in Benghazi? Which ARE the countries which have not met deadlines to destroy chemical weapons stockpiles? Do these include the host country? Why was this not mentioned?

  The UN Secretariat will be having another 30 minute press "inter-action" on October 2, about the events at the UN of the last week. But it will not be Ban Ki-moon, but rather his new deputy, Jan Eliasson. Watch this site.

Footnote: as Ban's spokesman pointed out to Inner City Press earlier, Ban has had a grueling series of 20 minute meetings to visiting heads of state and foreign minister in the past week. Understandable. But then don't call it a "press encounter," if no questions will be allowed. Some say, just film it up in Ban's office....

Canada Cites Principled End of Relations with Iran, Merges Other Embassies

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, October 1 -- When Canada's foreign minister John Baird delivered his country's annual UN General Debate speech Monday morning, the General Assembly Hall had many empty seats. 

  In the UN Media Center there were less than a dozen journalists, most of them paying no attention to Baird speaking on one of six screens projected in the front of the room.

  How far Canada has fallen, in the UN world, since its loud and unsuccessful run for a Security Council seat two years ago. It came in behind Germany and then Portugal, despite many arguing that the Council had and has too many European members.

   A number of diplomats from countries in the Arab and wider Muslim worlds said Canada's position on Palestine made their votes against Canada a "no-brainer," as one put it to Inner City Press.

   Baird on Monday focused on Syria, citing the"crimson tide of this bloody assault," then Iran, explaining that Canada broke off diplomatic relations "on principle." 

  But since Canada is closing embassies and/or merging them into UK embassies, some see principal - money - as well as ideology.

   Canada still says it is the seventh largest donor to the UN.Baird is not on Secretary General Ban Ki-moon's scheduled on October 1, and there was no read out of a meeting last week. Watch this site.