With UN in Decay, Its Department of Public Information Focuses on Trying to Ban Dissent, Make 1-Party System for UN Censorship Alliance

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, June 17 -- The UN is in decay, poised to accept a listed child soldier recruiter as a troop contributing country in Mali, working with mass rapist Army units in the Congo. 

  In UN headquarters, Secretary General Ban Ki-moon's is trying to make it more difficult to cover these issues -- it is banning the press and public from the General Assembly; it has said the media can't work or write with any continuity in front of the Security Council.

And when the new Free UN Coalition for Access protests both of these reductions in access, the reaction of the UN Media Accreditation and Liaison unit has been to try to order the take-down of any sign of the Free UN Coalition for Access.

 MALU and some in DPI are seeking to maintain a one-party system for UNCA -- now, the UN Censorship Alliance -- which has not protested these reductions. In fact, UNCA lobbied for and signed on to rules banning the press and media workspace from the Security Council, and trying to outlaw any sign but its own.

  Here's what the UN Media Accreditation and Liaison Unit sent to Inner City Press at 6 pm on Friday, June 14: Dear Matthew, Following our conversation today, the posting of notices policy does apply to the FUNCA sign... I am afraid you will have to take the sign down."

  Then, after Inner City Press spent hours raising the issue higher in the Department of Public Information and it was indicated that it was solved, and that there would be some response on the other issues raised: access to the General Assembly and even simple compliance with MALU's commitment to put the promised phones in the focus rooms. 

  Nevertheless on the morning of Monday, June 17 while Inner City Press was trying to cover the Security Council's meeting on Children and Armed Conflict -- without a table to type on, electrical outlet too plug into or even functioning wi-fi -- MALU returned with this: 

"We are trying to apply the posting of signs policy to all... UNCA has its sign outside the space that has been assigned to that organization."

Why the UN gives a big space for private meetings by agroup that tries to get other media thrown out of the UN is another question. But here is the rule, recently promulgated by DPI and by UNCA, including its 2013 president Pamela Falk ofCBS and first vice president Louis Charbonneau of Reuters:

"Signs posted on doors are limited to entry restrictions – for example, 'do not disturb' or 'on air.' DPI will provide a name-plate for each accredited media organization."

UNCA is not a media organization -- far from it. Watch this site.

Exclusive: Ban Ki-moon's UN Tries to Remove Staff Union's Negotiated Rights, Ends Meeting, No Confidence Redux

By Matthew Russell Lee, Exclusive

UNITED NATIONS, June 16 -- Labor relations in the UN of Secretary General Ban Ki-moon have hit a new low, with his negotiators abruptly terminating a Staff Management Committee session in Mexico City, accused of trying to eliminate Staff Union negotiating rights.

  This follows the New York Staff Union's resolution of "no confidence" in Ban Ki-moon, and a May Day march in front of UN headquarters, protesting their treatment under Ban.Video here.

  Inner City Press has exclusively covered each of these, and each time when questioned Ban's Office of the Spokesperson has indicated that the rift would be solved. But if anything, things have gotten worse.

  The no-confidence resolution was the result of an amendment from the floor by a sub-set of the Union rooted in the Publishing Section, targeted for 99 job cuts. (There are other cuts, still unexplained, set for the Department of Peacekeeping Operations despite it stated build-up for Mali.)

  Now the official president of the union, who at least initially opposed the no-confidence resolution, has sent the e-mail below. Where is this headed? And where is Ban Ki-moon? (The answer is, traveling again, while the UN further decays).

From: NY Staff Union president Barbara Tavora-Jainchill
Date: 06/16/2013 03:12PM
Subject: Management terminates negotiations with staff unions - We are on our own

Dear Colleagues, It is with great disappointment that we inform you that the annual negotiations between the UN’s staff unions and global management, held this year in Mexico City, were terminated early by management Friday evening as unions vigorously defended you from attempts to remove negotiating rights.

The abrupt ending of the Staff Management Committee (SMC II) on its third of seven days means that key issues relating to the Secretary-General’s reform agenda are now left unresolved. These include mobility, introducing more transparent guidelines for downsizing, reviewing the situation of field staff, fixing the internal justice system, travel standards and a hiring freeze to protect General Service staff already on board.

We were surprised management should choose to terminate the meeting so early. Management had introduced a proposal after the document submission deadline to remove unions’ right to negotiate; a right unions had won after four years of dedicated campaigning. Staff unions wanted adequate time to get to the bottom of management’s proposal in order to make sure that a proper negotiating framework would continue to be in place. Management wanted to cut short this agenda item and move onto other issues, proposing to come back to it time-permitting. Staff put two options forward to overcome the disagreement including deferring the issue of negotiating rights to the following session. Management rejected them both and then insisted on the early termination of the meeting.

We continue to believe that a constructive dialogue between staff and management, as set out in the current framework (ST/SGB/2011/6), makes the United Nations strong especially when significant reforms are being proposed that impact staff welfare. We therefore urge management to return to the table and call for SMC to be resumed. Until that meeting is concluded, it goes without saying that none of the Secretary-General’s proposals on the agenda should be implemented.

We believe the early walk out by management demonstrates a lack of flexibility required for a negotiation and an irresponsible use of resources, both of the organization and of those unions that paid to send delegates to the meeting.

   And amid this, as Inner City Press has also exclusively reported, the UN has been paying $1200 for Romano Prodi to travel from Bologna to Rome - as Ban's envoy on the Sahel, no less. Watch this site.

UNDP Seeks Outside "Security Firms" in Somaliland, While Nicholas Kay Won't Say If UNSOM Will Close and Leave

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, June 15 -- While one part of the UN, Mogadishu-based Nicholas Kay as new head of the UNSOM, purports to be wooing Somaliland to accept his mission there, another part of the UN is soliciting bids for "professional security firms" to operate in Hareisa and Burao in Somaliland.

  Seeking such services, with bids still open until June 20, is the UN Development Program. 

  This is the same UNDP involved in handing over Somaliland's air space to Somalia, leading to the suspension of some UN flights in and out of the country, as Inner City Press reported. 

  Inner City Press has asked the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs and WFP Logistics, What's the status of UN flights into Somaliland?

  Now on the "UN Global Marketplace" UNDP is inviting, until June 20, qualified professional security firms to submit their interest for security guarding services at the United Nations Common Compounds (UNCC) in Hargeisa and UN Facility in Burao." UNDP specifies:

"The UNCC comprises of five blocks and open spaces covering a total of 13,849 sqm and serves as the sub-office for UNDP and other UN agencies. There are approximately 70 staff members in the compound at any one time. Security is also extended to the nearby UN dispensary in Hargeisa and the Joint UN facility in Burao. The Burao facility has 3 self-contained rooms two conference rooms and is enclosed in a perimeter wall.

The proposer will be responsible for enforcing UN rules and regulations governing the access to UN compounds and facilities under UNDPs control. The proposer should have knowledge of safety and security issues including experiences in operation of fire fighting equipment, assessment of potential threats and crime prevention, operating communication equipment, access control, guarding compounds, patrolling, handling incoming suspicious parcels and dealing with crowds."

  To understand these seemingly different approaches from two parts of the UN -- which talk a lot under Secretary General Ban Ki-moon about being "One UN" -- Inner City Press has asked Nick Kay himself, through the Digital Diplomacy social media on which Kay responds for example to UK-based Somalis who claim that even asking about Somaliland makes one a lobbyist for separatism. 

How much of the UK's interest in Somalia is as a matter of domestic politics? 

  Inner City Press asked Kay, did Somaliland's foreign minister tell you UNSOM "should close"? What are the next steps? (One might add, how does this impact the procurement above, including staffing levels?)

  The larger point is, there are long-standing and legitimate claims in Somaliland, but the UN or at least parts of it simply ignore them. Is it a matter of bureaucracy? Of the "love of states"? Is it a double standard when compared to the UN's solicitude to other group's claims? These are questions the UN, in the first instance Nicholas Kay, should answer. Watch this site.

As Erdogan Cracks Down in Taksim Square, Ban Ki-moon Stays Silent As When Turkish Guards Beat UN Security in 2011

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, June 15 -- Today's crackdown in Turkey on peaceful protesters in Taksim Square and Gezi Park by the government of Recep Tayyip Erdogan has been met with silence from the UN and its Secretary General Ban Ki-moon.

  Ban issued his "warm congratulations" to Hasan Rowhani for winning the presidential election in Iran, at 5 pm Saturday New York time. But nothing on Turkey.

  Back on Friday September 23, 2011, Inner City Press first reported on an incident inside UN headquarters where Erdogan's personal guards "beat up" UN Security officers, breaking the ribs of one.

  Tellingly, when Ban's then chief of staff Vijay Nambiar run across First Avenue to the Turkish Mission -- again, first reported by Inner City Press -- it was to apologize to Erdogan.

  Many UN staff were outraged, that they could be physically beaten and Ban would take the other side. But Erdogan was throwing his weight around; some cited anger at the Palmer (and Uribe) report about the Gaza flotilla incident.

  Ban met with UN Security the next day, Saturday, September 24. Nine were suspended and told not to talk. Inner City Press first reported that too; others got on the story only on Monday and later. It was the beginning of a trend.

  But the real-world trend is the use of force, and UN silence and double standards. And it continues. Watch this site.

After Blaming South Sudan, UN's Half-Retraction Leaves It Online from Nigeria through Malaysia to Lebanon, via Reuters

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, June 15 -- With fighting continuing in Southern Kordofan the day after shelling killed a UN peacekeeper in Kadugli, a statement co-blaming South Sudan made and then retracted by the UN Department of Peacekeeping Operations continues to circulate on the Internet.

  This seems like the opposite of "peacekeeping"

  DPKO chief Herve Ladsous' spokesperson Kieran Dwyer put out a statement masquerading as a UN News article on June 14, that "'We condemn in the strongest terms this shelling. It is essential that the Governments of Sudan and South Sudan immediately cease hostilities and resume ceasefire negotiations,' Mr. Dwyer said."

  This statement including South Sudan, though corrected to "SPLM-North" without explanation by Reuters, remains online not only on Reuters' website, but also on the Daily Star in Lebanon; RTTnews.com; the Premium Times in Nigeria, via NAN; Euronews and the Star in Malaysia, both again with the quadruple byline "Reporting By Michelle Nichols in New York and Khalid Abdelaziz in Khartoum; Writing by Maggie Fick; Editing by Michael Roddy."

  At the June 14 noon briefing, Inner City Press asked Secretary General Ban Ki-moon's spokesperson Martin Nesirky:

Inner City Press: the attack on Kadugli, there have been shelling in the past by the SPLM-North [Sudan People’s Liberation Movement/Army] of the city of Kadugli. So, is it possible to say either who did it or at least what type of shells were used? By the same token there is also some dispute about an oil pipeline that was attacked in Abyei that caught fire. But, the main one I wanted to know is on Kadugli since it is an attack that killed a peacekeeper. It seems like there is only two parties could do it, either the Government or SPLM-North, or may be another rebel group, but what type of shell was used?

Spokesperson: Well, I do know that there is already an investigation under way to look into this incident in which, as we have said, one peacekeeper was killed and two more were wounded. This was obviously a serious incident which the Secretary-General has condemned and which he also referred to at the stakeout in his remarks just a little while ago as well. The most important thing is that the Government of Sudan and the SPLM-North suspend their hostilities immediately and resume ceasefire negotiations. As I have said, needless to say, after an incident of this kind, there is an investigation to try to understand and establish precisely what happened. And that is something that is under way. Therefore, we cannot really go into it any further about who may or may not have been responsible for it, okay.

There has been no update since by the UN. But the SPLM-North had said openly that they shelled Kadugli, and are moving in on it. So why did Ladsous' DPKO say South Sudan, then half-retract it, and now say nothing? 

On World Press Freedom Day this year, Inner City Press asked Dwyer how DPKO chief Herve Ladsous refusing to answer Press questions, on topics ranging from the UN's introduction of cholera into Haiti to accepting advice from a Sri Lanka military figure depicted the UN's own report as engaged in war crimes to mass rapes in the Congo, is consistent with DPKO's claim to support free press where it runs missions.

  Dwyer defended Ladsous' stonewalling, then changed the topic to return to what he claimed DPKO is most concerned with: South Sudan. Video compilation here.

Watch this site.

Now Somaliland Foreign Minister Tells UNSOM To Close and Leave, Will Nicholas Kay Keep Talking?

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, June 15 -- Two days after Somaliland through its foreign minister told UN envoy to Somalia Nicholas Kay that his UNSOM mission is not welcome in Somaliland, Inner City Press asked Secretary General Ban Ki-moon's spokesman Martin Nesirky for the UN's response. It was upbeat.

Now, from a Hargeisa Q&A with Somaliland foreign minister, Mohamed A. Omar

Q: What was the purpose meeting between you and Mr. Kay, and his elaboration ‘There is common will to continue the dialogue?

Mohamed A. Omar: We have explained to the SRSG the decision we have made regarding the political aspects of UNSOM's mandate in greater details. We have also exchanged our views on how the UN country teams can continue delivering humanitarian and development assistance, while the political section should be closed. We hope the UN will understand our concerns and continue to work with us in other area.

Q: Did he tell you gathering up their equipment for leaving?

Mohamed A. Omar: We told him that the political office should close.

Inner City Press has put the question to Nicholas Kay. Watch this site.

   Nesirky said he'd try to get an answer from the Department of Political Affairs. And soon this came in: "Mr. Kay met with the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Somaliland to further discuss UNSOM’s mandate and operations in Somaliland. There is a common will to continue the dialogue. We are following the situation closely and are in close contact with UNSOM. The United Nations is pleased that dialogue is continuing with Somaliland authorities."

  Inner City Press has obtained and is putting online the Somaliland letter. It says the UN

"ignores the reality of Somaliland's existence and functioning as an independent state since 1991 and the self-determination rights of our people. Since the purpose of such an office is to extend the remit of the federal government to Somaliland, my government is of the view that a UNSOM'S presences in Hargeisa will not be in the best interest of our country. Therefore, we can not allow UNSOM'S political office to function in Somaliland."

  The UN should not be surprised, though some perhaps are: as Inner City Press reported in April, Somaliland's letter to the Security Council was never distributed to the Council members. Then the UN system gave Somaliland's airspace to Somalia, triggering a ban on UN flights. Again: can Nicholas Kay turn this around? We'll see. 

As Secrecy of UN Security Council Debated in Secret,View from Media Table Gone For Now: Mali, DRC, Peacekeeping Failures

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, June 15 -- Not only is the UN Security Council secretive: even academic discussions about it are cloaked in secrecy.

  For two days there has been such a confab on Long Island in New York. In full disclosure, Inner City Press petitioned the sponsor, to attend and report from it. It was explained that it is an invitation-only scholarly retreat. So, no.

  But that's not to say that it can't and shouldn't be covered. Alternatively described as off the record or "Chatham House," we will summarize some issues without attributing them. 

  As an initial thought, in an age of social media, Chatham House ain't what it used to be. But we're going beyond the call of duty, and no even naming the sponsor. It's the thoughts that count.

  An easy consensus was reached that Security Council reform will not happen any time soon. It was diagnosed that France and UK favor some reform, not because they are reformers, but because they gain more from Permanent membership on the Council they others: the "illusion" of world power status. 

 If the Council continues to lose legitimacy, so do they.

  For that reason, they do most of the work, drafting up to 80% of Security Council "products" like resolutions and press statements. It is not clear if the correlation between such "pen-holding" and former colonial status was raised. If not, it should have been.

  Likewise the failure of UN Peacekeeping under Herve Ladsous to follow through on the UN's announced Human Rights Due Diligence and conditionality policies. 

 When the 391st and 41st Battalions of the Congolese Army committed at least 135 rapes in Minova in late November 2012, first Ladsous refused Press questions, then threatened to withdraw support. But this never happened, and there have been very few prosecutions. Still Ladsous refuses the question, May 29 video here. So where is the Security Council on this?

  It was noted that the Security Council is more likely to get involved in civil wars in Africa, and for a time in Europe, than anywhere else: read, Asia. 

 Consider this: while 40,000 civilians were killed in Sri Lanka in May 2009, the Security Council did not have a single official meeting on the topic, just a few "informal informals" with John Holmes and Vijay Nambiar down in the now-closed basement of the General Assembly.

  And on June 14 after the acclamation of John Ashe as new President of the GA, one of the generals most responsible, Shavendra Silva, toasted Ashe on behalf of the Asia Pacific Group. So it goes at the UN.

  Mali, Cote d'Ivoire, DRC and Libya were lumped together it seems as example of robut peacekeeping. But Libya was simply the authorization of a no-fly zone which turned into much more -- sure to come up if one is requested over Syria.

 Cote d'Ivoire was, well, a French thing, and DRC to some degree the same. And Mali? Should UN Peacekeeping be given over as it has been to four French heads of DPKO in a row?

  Some outside of the box topics arose, such as the place going forward of cyber security -- Chapter Seven travel or surfing bans against hackers, anyone? The monthly rotation of the Council presidency was praised but admitted to lead to a lack of continuity.

  Inner City Press would add, also a lack of transparency and accountability. Take for example the opaque decision that starting with the June 1 move-back there would no longer by a media worktable in front of the Council.

  Who decided? Inner City Press through the new Free UN Coalition for Access has asked and will continue to ask Permanent members of the Council. The blame is shifted to the UN Secretariat, or to certain Big Media members of the UN Correspondents Association board. 

 Who will own up to, or reverse, this reduction in media access? Watch this site.

UN of Ban Ki-moon Tries to Impose One Party System, Banning the Press & Dissent with its UN Censorship Alliance: Other Signs Outlawed

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, June 14 -- In the midst of reducing media access to the Security Council and General Assembly, the UN outlawed fliers which questioned the changes in policy, posted  by the new Free UN Coalition for Access. 

  Now the UN seeks to ban FUNCA's name from any journalist's office door, while allowing at least two signs of its UN Censorship Alliance, UNCA.

  Before putting this into a Kafka-esque rule about fliers and where journalists can and cannot work, staff of the UN Department of Public Information and scribes from Agence France Presse and Reuters simply tore FUNCA's fliers down, and in some cases defaced and even counterfeited them.

   The rules were agreed to by the old UN Correspondents Association, and now comes the punchline: while UNCA is given a large office at the top of the escalator on which two separate UNCA signs are posted, on June 14 DPI, contrary to previous communication, told Inner City Press which co-founded FUNCA that it cannot display a Free UN Coalition for Access sign on its door.

UNCA and DPI, together the UN's Censorship Alliance, are essentially trying to create a one party system. Despite the fact that UNCA does not represent all UN resident correspondents, and that in 2012 the UNCA Executive Committee devoted most of its meetings to trying to get Inner City Press thrown out of the UN for articles it wrote, the UN now tries through rules to outlaw any other organization.

DPI on March 18, 2013 conducted a non-consensual raid of Inner City Press' office, during which UNCA president Pamela Falk took photographs. Later Falk issued a legal threat through her CBSNews.com e-mail address demanding the Press "cease and desist" from even questioning for what purpose she took the photos.

On March 21, right after BuzzFeed called Secretary General Ban Ki-moon's spokesperson Martin Nesirky, photos taken during the raid, including of Inner City Press' desk and bookshelf, were leaked to BuzzFeed via an anonymous "Concerned UN Reporter" e-mail account. These photographs are identical to ones e-mailed around by DPI.

Now, after close of business on Friday, June 14 comes this, from the UN: "the posting of notices policy does apply to the FUNCA sign... I am afraid you will have to take the sign down."

While the UN Department of "Public" Information is on a witch hunt about dissent, it is not doing its job. Long ago DPI said that there would be intra-UN telephones to call the peacekeeping missions in the "focus booths." But there are no phones -- and no chairs. An African photographer constantly at the UN is being told he should go through the metal detector on each entrance, while a photograph with AFP, who rarely comes to the UN, is considered a resident correspondent, no metal detector.

There is still no table or surface to type on at the Security Council, as existed before and during the relocation. All space for the public and press to view the General Assembly has been eliminated. And DPI is focused on... banning fliers and even the sign of an alternative organization which dissents. Watch this site.

After a Killing in Sudan, UN Peacekeeping Names and Reuters Unnames South Sudan, Without Explanation

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, June 14 -- After the killing of a UN peacekeeper in Southern Kordofan, Inner City Press at the June 14 UN noon briefing asked Secretary General Ban Ki-moon's spokesperson Martin Nesirky whom the UN deemed responsible for the fighting and shelling. 

  Nesirky replied that the UN was investigating so he could not say more.

  But the UN Department of Peacekeeping Operations, and Reuters, had already named not only Sudan but South Sudan-- then dropped or "corrected out" the latter, replacing it with the name of the SPLM-North rebel group.

  Since the changes on Reuters / the Chicago Tribune and the UN web site weren't explained, it's impossible to know who made the mis-statement, or received a request for amendment and from whom.

  The initial Reuters story, with fully four bylines ("Reporting By Michelle Nichols in New York and Khalid Abdelaziz in Khartoum; Writing by Maggie Fick; Editing by Michael Roddy") ended with a quote from DPKO chief Herve Ladsous' spokesperson Kieran Dwyer: 

"It is essential that the governments of Sudan and South Sudan immediately cease hostilities, and resume ceasefire negotiations."

  Then on the Chicago Tribune's website the Reuters change is made, under this statement: "Corrects quote in last paragraph to remove reference to government of South Sudan."

  Does that mean Reuters misquoted its go-to Ladsous source Dwyer, and now "corrects quote"? Or that Dwyer corrected himself, to "remove reference to government of South Sudan"?

  On World Press Freedom Day this year, Inner City Press asked Dwyer how DPKO chief Herve Ladsous refusing to answer Press questions, on topics ranging from the UN's introduction of cholera into Haiti to accepting advice from a Sri Lanka military figure depicted the UN's own report as engaged in war crimes to mass rapes in the Congo, is consistent with DPKO's claim to support free press where it runs missions.

  Dwyer defended Ladsous' stonewalling, then changed the topic to return to what he claimed DPKO is most concerned with: South Sudan. Video compilation here.

  Now Dwyer is quoted by Reuters urging South Sudan to cease hostilities -- then the quote is corrected to "remove reference to government of South Sudan." 

 What's going on? Don't expect an answer, at least to the Press, from Herve Ladsous. But shouldn't they explain somewhere? Watch this site.

After Somaliland Said UNSOM Can't Function There, UN's Nicholas Kay Keeps Talking

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, June 14 -- The day after Somaliland through its foreign minister told UN envoy to Somalia Nicholas Kay that his UNSOM mission is not welcome in Somaliland, Inner City Press asked Secretary General Ban Ki-moon's spokesman Martin Nesirky for the UN's response.

   Nesirky said he'd try to get an answer from the Department of Political Affairs. And soon this came in:

"From: UN Spokesperson - Do Not Reply [at] un.org>
Date: Fri, Jun 14, 2013 at 12:34 PM
Subject: Your question on Somaliland
To: Matthew.Lee [at] innercitypress.com

Regarding your question on Somaliland at today's noon briefing, we have the following information from the UN Assistance Mission in Somalia (UNSOM) to share:

Following meetings with officials in Somaliland, the head of the UN Assistance Mission in Somalia, Mr. Nicholas Kay, said the following yesterday: 'I take very seriously the Somaliland government's concerns as expressed today. This is a complex and sensitive issue and I believe the mandate of the UN Assistance Mission in Somalia, UNSOM, can bring considerable benefits to Somaliland across a range of issues, while fully respecting its particular circumstances. I look forward to continuing the dialogue.'

Today, Mr. Kay met with the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Somaliland to further discuss UNSOM’s mandate and operations in Somaliland. There is a common will to continue the dialogue. We are following the situation closely and are in close contact with UNSOM. The United Nations is pleased that dialogue is continuing with Somaliland authorities."

  Inner City Press obtained and put online the Somaliland letter. It says the UN

"ignores the reality of Somaliland's existence and functioning as an independent state since 1991 and the self-determination rights of our people. Since the purpose of such an office is to extend the remit of the federal government to Somaliland, my government is of the view that a UNSOM'S presences in Hargeisa will not be in the best interest of our country. Therefore, we can not allow UNSOM'S political office to function in Somaliland."

  The UN should not be surprised, though some perhaps are: as Inner City Press reported in April, Somaliland's letter to the Security Council was never distributed to the Council members. Then the UN system gave Somaliland's airspace to Somalia, triggering a ban on UN flights. Can Nicholas Kay turn this around? We'll see. 

At UN, Ban Takes 2 Pre-Selected Questions on Syria, Proud to Get US Letter, Signed by Susan Rice, Africa as Footnote

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, June 14 -- The UN has always been tightly scripted. But under Secretary General Ban Ki-moon it's hit a new level. 

  The day after the White House said it is now convinced Syria has used chemical weapons and would send a letter to Ban, the UN announced Ban would make a statement and take "one or two questions."

  The venue was changed so that it could be broadcast live. The players assembled; Ban's special rostrum was rolled out.

  After congratulating John Ashe of Antigua and Barbuda for his selection as the next President of the General Assembly --as noted by Inner City Press, Sri Lanka military figure Shavendra Silva also offered praise, in the new General Assembly from which the press and public are banned -- Ban predictably turned to Syria.

  Ban cited the 93,000 killed figure released yesterday by the Human Rights Data Analysis Group, in a study the UN won't say -- and doesn't know -- who funded. That might have been one of the questions -- Inner City Press put it Thursday to the UN in Geneva and New York, without substantive answer. But no.

  Ban announced, proudly it seemed, that he just received a letter from the United States, but that it would be up to them to decide if it would be released.

(Outgoing US Ambassador Susan Rice was slated to do her own stakeout between 11 am and noon; when she did, she said it was she who signed the US letter.)

  Then Ban said he would take "two questions." Ban's spokesman Martin Nesirky announced the identify of both questioners before either began. Video here from Minute 5:56.

  The first was Pamela Falk of CBS, as the 2013 president of the old UN Correspondents Association, a group which just agreed with Ban's Secretariat to ban media workspace that pre-dated Ban's tenure at the UN Security Council. Seemingly in exchange, the UN is now pressing for the removal of any sign of the new Free UN Coalition for Access, even on journalists' office doors.

  But the right question wasn't asked, leading to shouted questions after Ban as he walked away. Soon he will go to China. On the road again. Watch this site.

Footnote: Ban confined to a concluding footnote the killing of a UN peacekeeper in Kadulgi, Sudan; while sometimes an item is last to give it prominence, here no question on it was taken. That is the place of Africa in today's UN -- yesterday, the UN's DESA released a report projecting the Sierra Leone will still have the lowest life expectancy at birth in the year 2095. 

  DRC and Guinea Bissau, which also have UN missions, were similarly profiled. Diplomats from each expressed disgust to Inner City Press on Thursday night, one saying "they just want to raise money." And so it goes.