Climate Change Compromise by Australia Has No Chance, Pachauri Says, India Agrees

By Matthew Russell Lee
www.innercitypress.com/un2climate092109.html

UNITED NATIONS, September 21 -- Two days before the vaunted climate change event at the UN General Assembly, a compromise proposal for the upcoming Copenhagen climate change negotiations was made by Australia, the world's largest per capita emitter of greenhouse gases. The Australian proposal would, as described by Climate Change minister Peggy Wong, would allow each country to set a national schedule of emissions.

Hours later, Inner City Press both UN climate expert Rajendra Pachauri and Indian environment minister Jairam Ramesh what they thought of Australia's idea. Ramesh said that India does not agree with what he called Australia's "binding" plan, that what is it proposing to do is to up its reporting from every six year to every two years. He said he has proposed to the European Union an annual dialogue on climate change, and would ask the same of the United States.

While Pachauri left the front table of the panel discussion, held at Vermilion Restaurant on Lexington Avenue four block for the police-surrounded UN, Inner City Press caught up with him and asked point blank, what chance do you think the Australian proposal has? "None," Pachauri said. For the reasons said by Minister Ramesh? Yes, he said.

Earlier in the Q&A, a questioner had referred to what she said what that day's New York Post, with "We're Screwed" on the front page. "That was a hoax," Ramesh gently said. He added that India would be foolish not to use its coal reserves.

And see, www.innercitypress.com/un2climate092109.html

Amid Tales of Iran Torture, UN and Ban Urged To Speak, Treki Role Questioned

By Matthew Russell Lee
www.innercitypress.com/iran1bantreki092109.html

UNITED NATIONS, September 21 -- As Iran's Mahmoud Ahmadinejad prepares to speak Wednesday before the UN General Assembly, across First Avenue on Monday two non-governmental organizations briefed the press on the arrests and killings of protesters that followed the recent contested election. By cellphone, 24-year old computer scientist Ebrahim Sharifi told the Press about his abduction on June 22 leading to a week of torture, mock execution and rape.

Sharifi has since fled Iran, having been told the rest of his family is also in danger. He worked on the campaign of Mehdi Karroubi; later, the government accused Karroubi -- or Mir-Hussein Mousavi -- of paying Sharifi to make the allegations.

While many of the protests of Ahmadinejad's UN visit focus on the nuclear or Israel issues, the International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran and Human Rights Watch on Monday called on the UN General Assembly to adopt a resolution appointing a special envoy to Iran.

Inner City Press asked for the panelists' review of the performance of UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon on the Iran human rights and democracy issues. Steve Crawshaw of HRW was typically diplomatic, saying that while he is sure there is "robust" advocacy by the UN "behind closed doors," it is "very important that [Ban] makes his voice heard... repeatedly." In fact, Ban's Spokesperson has been asked repeatedly for comment on Iran, and has declined comment.

Since the new General Assembly is headed by Libyan Ali Treki, Inner City Press asked if this might have any impact on the likelihood of the Assembly addressing these Iran issues. Crawshaw, again diplomatic, said that while he didn't wish to pre-judge, every country should be worried when people are shot and killed. Yeah...

Footnote: at a briefing for countries' missions to the UN, the NY Police Department predicted 12,000 protesters of Ahmadinejad, diplomatic sources in the meeting tell Inner City Press...

And see, www.innercitypress.com/iran1bantreki092109.html

At UN, Gays Called Touchy by Assembly Chief, Dodging on Swiss and Libyan Payments

By Matthew Russell Lee
www.innercitypress.com/treki1paygay091909.html

UNITED NATIONS, September 19 -- In a surreal press conference on September 18, the new Libyan president of the UN General Assembly Ali Abdussalam Treki veered from refusing to answer a question about his country's recent proposal to cut Switzerland into three parts because it is not on the Assembly's agenda to favoring the criminalization of homosexuality despite a General Assembly vote to the contrary only last year. Video here, from Minute 29:53.

Inner City Press asked Treki, twice, about Libyan President Qaddafi's letter to the UN proposing the dismemberment of Switzerland, reportedly due to Qaddafi's son being arrested in the country for abusing domestic workers. Video here, from Minute 7:20.

Treki answered that "I am not going to answer questions out of my capacity as chairman of the General Assembly's Sixth Forth session." Video here from 11:45.

But when Treki was asked about the vote in the General Assembly last year urging the decriminalization of homosexuality, he was not as restrained or diplomatic. He said "that matter is very sensitive, very touchy. As a Muslim, I am not in favor of that... it is not accepted by the majority of countries." This last would seem to contradict the vote in the General Assembly last year.

Treki continued that some countries allow homosexuality, "thinking it a kind of democracy... I think it is not." While basing his statement on Islam -- he said there are "two billion" Muslim in the world -- he also said that "probably Jewish and Buddhist and Hindu" communities are against it. Video here, from Minute 29:53. Of course if it is raised in the 64th session, he conceded, the Assembly members will have to decide.

Strangely, even 24 hours after Treki's statements, in a not badly attended press conference at the UN, captured by UN TV, not a single article yet in Google News -- until this one -- mentioned Treki and gay or homosexual. Perhaps the positions are to be expected, at the UN. [The UN's write up of the press conference omitted the Switzerland question entirely, and sanitized the gay answer to one line, here.] Perhaps news editors are already looking to what they hope will be freakish events, statements and meetings in next week's General Assembly meeting. But it has already begun...

Footnote: Inner City Press has asked Treki's spokesman Jean-Victor Nkolo how many people in Treki's Office of the President of the General Assembly will be paid by the Libyan government. Mr. Nkolo returned the next day to say that none would be paid by Libya. Inner City Press asked if Treki will be paid by Libya this year. Nkolo repeated again and again that past practice will be followed, without answering the question. He has committed to answer it going forward. From the UN's September 16 transcript:

Inner City Press: Mr. Treki himself, will he be compensated by Libya during this year or will he receive no compensation? How is he actually going to be paid this year?

Spokesperson: The work and the treatment of the President of the sixty-fourth session of the General Assembly will not be different from past practice and ongoing procedures in the United Nations.

Inner City Press: Does that mean that his native country will be paying him? That’s all I am asking.

Spokesperson: It only means that what Mr. Treki will be doing and the context into which he will be working will not be different from what has been going on and from what is in line with the budgetary and United Nations practices as we know them.

Correspondent: Not everybody knows them.

Inner City Press: Yeah. And there have been differences…

Spokesperson: Then I’ll come back to you and provide them to you.

Watch this site. Click here for story on Treki from June 2009.

And see, www.innercitypress.com/treki1paygay091909.html

As UN's Bed Bugs Spread, Incoming Diplomats Warned of Itching, No Answers, Talk of Gaddafi's Tent

By Matthew Russell Lee
www.innercitypress.com/uncmp8bedbugs091809.html

UNITED NATIONS, September 18 -- As diplomats from all over the world descend on the UN General Assembly Hall on First Avenue and 45th Street, in the UN's "swing space" building one block west another form of infestation has for a second time been concerned, as spreading -- bed bugs.

An internal UN directive issued after Inner City Press' first exclusive report on the infestation urges calm, saying that bed bugs' "medical significance is mainly limited to the itching and inflammation from their bites, and in some rare cases, allergic reaction."

Inner City Press exclusively reported the first find of bed bug on the ninth floor of the UN's Albano Building, where during the UN's Capital Master Plan the documents for UN meetings are prepared, on September 11 and 16. Now, the "infestation" has spread to other floors, according to the internal UN directive of September 17:

"Pest control contractors have confirmed an infestation of bed bugs on a number of floors in the Albano Building. On the advice of the specialized contractor and in line with industry best practice extermination measures for the entire Albano Building are being taken over the weekend of 19 and 20 September and follow up measures will be taken two weeks later."

This is the UN's busiest week of the year, worst possible time for a bed bug infestation at the UN. Yet the UN internal directive tries to downplay the dangers and problems posed by bed bugs:

"A common concern with bed bugs is whether they transmit diseases. Although bed bugs can harbor pathogens in their bodies, transmission to humans is highly unlikely. For this reason, they are not considered a serious disease threat. Their medical significance is mainly limited to the itching and inflammation from their bites, and in some rare cases, allergic reaction."

Yet people spend thousands of dollars trying to get bed bugs out of their houses. If bed bugs are brought home from the UN, who will pay? Even on the health issues, the source of the UN's medical advice is not clear.

It is understood that the bed bugs were introduced by the UN's moving contractor, which also works other jobs with beds and furniture. This same company went to the other swing spaces, on Madison, Third and Second Avenues, and also has already come back and forth into UN headquarters carrying boxes.

"Gaddafi's tent sounds pretty good now," one wag said, referring to the Libyan leader's rejected proposal to stay in a tent on the UN's North Lawn or even Central Park.

The internal UN directive says there may be bugs in other UN premises beyond the 46th Street Albano Building:

" A broadcast email will provide specific guidance to all affected staff in the Albano Building on how to leave their workspace when they finish work before the weekend and regarding their return to work after the weekend. With the assistance of the pest control experts, the Facilities Management Service is checking other buildings for possible infestations and will take other measures as appropriate."

Inner City Press reported the bed bugs on September 11, and published a leaked internal confirmation on September 16. On September 17 there was no UN noon media briefing, only a scripted briefing by Secretary General Ban Ki-moon at which no such questions were allowed or answered.

There ostensibly was a mid-day UN media briefing on September 18, but it was scheduled for only 15 minutes. Spokesperson Michele Montas arrived with only nine of the minutes remaining, read out loud a series of press releases and then said that no questions could be asked. She said to Inner City Press, "I will answer you questions later." Video here, from Minute 9:38.

But while Inner City Press submitted a simple question about the bed bugs to Ms Montas and her Associate, no answer has been given, and the response appears to be that no answer will be given. If and when the UN's actual response on and plan to deal with the now confirmed bed bugs is received, we will publish it. For now, watch out, and watch this site.

And see, www.innercitypress.com/uncmp8bedbugs091809.html

After Bloodbath on the Beach, Sri Lanka Offers Fish Balls with a View of UN

By Matthew Russell Lee
www.innercitypress.com/untrip8may2srilanka091709.html

UNITED NATIONS, September 17 -- It was a night of fish balls and denials, high above the UN. In a 38th floor that the government of Sri Lanka has rented for seven years now, the country's new Ambassador to the UN Palitha Kohona invited and greeted members of the UN press corps, urging them to eat his chips and fish balls, drink wine red or white or orange juice.

Inner City Press attended as one might a car crash: it was impossible, after seeing the barbed wire rings camps of Vavuniya and the bombed-out bloodbath on the beach not to accept an invitation to see the Sri Lankan government's other Janus face.

Kohona shook hands for over an hour, telling the same story more than once. He recounted how good the view had been when he worked for the UN, on the 32nd floor in the Treaty Section. He didn't do it for a salary, he said, but rather for the feeling of knowing he was helping a child somewhere in the world.

Inner City Press asked how long the people in the camps would remain locked up. Let me tell you, Kohona said, the bulk of them will be home by the end of the year. What about reports that of the 10,000 who recently left Manik Farms, over half were simply taking to other camps? Kohona called that mischievous, of course there are interim camps. He asked pointedly about the victims of Hurricane Katrina in the U.S., those still not returned home.

UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay has said both sides in Sri Lanka may have committed war crimes. Even after that, Kohona claimed that no one in the UN system had criticized Sri Lanka. Inner City Press asked him, isn't the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights part of the UN? No, Kohona answered, she has a different status. What about UN children and armed conflict adviser Radhika Coomaraswamy? She is closer to the UN, Kohona said. There are rules about what she can say.

Top UN humanitarian John Holmes, when he went to Sri Lanka early in his term, was called a "terrorist." His statements, it seems, changed after that. Kohona spoke about the meetings in Kandy in May, which Inner City Press witnesses, when cameramen told John Holmes to sit down and not block the view of the Rajapaksa brothers and of Ban Ki-moon. He's not used to that, Kohona said. He's not only a UN official but also a Sir, Sir John Holmes.

The apartment, despite the view, had a looted feeling. There was empty spaces on the walls with electrical outlets behind them. I am bringing my belongings, Kohona said, referring to a sound system. He denied that the UK had refused him a visa. He justified the government's expulsion of UNICEF Spokesman James Elder, an Australian, saying Elder violated UN rules by speaking out. Some say Sri Lanka listens in on the UN. We will have more on this and other on-the-ground developments in Sri Lanka. This article strives to just describe a surreal evening in UN world.

Kohona was naturalized as Australian, and was seconded to the UN by that country's foreign service. After four year he was supposed to return, but he says his boss Hans Corell urged him to stay. He did, for another six years until Mahinda Rajapaksa invited him to return from the diaspora to "live in a gilded cage, surrounded by guards" and put words on his final assault. There are stories still circulating in the UN, which will be told another time.

Kohona bragged Thursday how he put the treaties online. It is password protected, some pointed out, but they are online. Inner City Press asked about about the Convention on the safety of UN Staff members, referring to the UN system staff detained and they say tortured. Kohona did not answer. He chatted up interns, he glad handed long time correspondents. It seems light years away from the video depicting the Sri Lankan Army performing summary executions. It was talk of views, or carrots and dip and fish balls. Take one, Kohona said. They are a Sri Lankan delicacy. He said he will be UN active. This is something we will cover.

And see, www.innercitypress.com/untrip8may2srilanka091709.html

UN Cyprus Envoy Downer Brags of Asia Business, Says No Conflict But What Safeguards?

By Matthew Russell Lee
www.innercitypress.com/uncyp2conflicts091709.html

UNITED NATIONS, September 17 -- Former Australian foreign minister Alexander Downer, now working for the business consultancy Bespoke Approach and part time for the UN on Cyprus, was again asked Thursday by Inner City Press if the two roles might conflict, and what safeguards the UN has in place.

Mr. Downer said most of his work with Bespoke Approach is in East Asia, with Indonesia and China. He said that because he was foreign minister of Australia for twelve years, he has good relations with China, "better than many people I know." Some thought this sounded like a form of advertisement, as did Downer's statement that he was asked about Cyprus during a dinner with Indonesia's Foreign Minister a few weeks ago.

Downer said that he does no work with Cyprus, Turkey or Greece, and by this appeared to mean he does not negotiate contracts in the three, not that Bespoke Approach does not have business relations with enterprises active there.

Inner City Press asked about an initiative in Australia to ban former minister from serving as lobbyists for two years. While Downer said this must have been passed only yesterday, since he'd never heard of it, from the audience in the briefing room Australian parliamentarian Paul Neville clarified that Queensland and New South Wales are moving on such a ban.

Mr. Neville added that working for the UN wouldn't be considered lobbying. But what about working for Bespoke Approach?

Downer's connection in this regard was listed in a recent story about the ban on lobbying for two years:

"The State Government will restrict the activities of political lobbyists to guard against corruption, cronyism and conflicts of interest. In London last night, Premier Mike Rann announced a ban on former ministers acting as lobbyists for two years after leaving Parliament. Lobbyists will be listed on a public register from which they could be struck off if they breach rules governing integrity, honesty and ethics...

adelaidenow.com.au

PUSHING THEIR BARROW

KEY SOUTH AUSTRALIAN LOBBYISTS AND THEIR CLIENTS

BESPOKE APPROACH

Former Liberal minister Alexander Downer

Former Labor senator Nick Bolkus

Former Liberal staffer Ian Smith

Clients include: Minmetals Australia,

Clarke Energy, Forbes Oil & Gas,

Yanzhou Coal Mining Company Limited,

Billabong Australia

Earlier this year, the Australian reported

"Former Labor senator Nick Bolkus was paid a reported sum of $136,500 to lobby the Rann Government on behalf of the beleaguered South Australian Jockey Club, a board member says. SAJC director Bill Spear, who brought legal action last November against the state's biggest gallops club that resulted in its chief executive being sacked, yesterday raised further questions about the board's conduct... Mr Spear had earlier confirmed that during the past two months, while the board and the SAJC's now-sacked chief executive Steve Ploubidis were the subject of an independent inquiry over vote-rigging and alleged corruption, two payments each of about $68,000 were made to Mr Bolkus for lobbying on behalf of the club. Mr Ploubidis denies the allegations. Mr Spear said payments in excess of $10,000 had required board approval, which, to his knowledge, had not been forthcoming in this case. Mr Bolkus is a founding partner in Adelaide lobbying firm Bespoke Approach, with former Howard government foreign minister Alexander Downer, and businessman Ian Smith, who is married to former senator Natasha Stott Despoja."

Downer said that he fills out a form for the UN Secretariat. But it is not clear if this form lists Bespoke Approach's clients. The UN's safeguards against conflicts by part time envoys appear lax, all the more so after the questions that have arisen since part time UN envoy to Niger, Canadian ex-diplomat Robert Fowler, was kidnapped while on non-UN business, visiting a Canadian owned gold mine. Click here for that story -- more than a week after basic questions were put to the Office of the Spokesperson for the Secretary General, still no answers have been received.

Footnotes: Paul Neville the parliamentarian explained to Inner City Press that he has been sent to New York for the UN General Assembly for the next thirteen weeks. Responding to Robert Fowler's detour in Niger, Neville said that if he ventures beyond New York City, he has to get his own insurance.

Inner City Press also asked Downer about leaked UN documents about his role in Cyprus, and will report that -- and attach some of the documents -- separately. Watch this site.

And see, www.innercitypress.com/uncyp2conflicts091709.html

With UN's Ban Shielded from Nepotism Questions, Scandals Brew, Defenses Outsourced to Mission

By Matthew Russell Lee
www.innercitypress.com/unsys3nepotism091709.html

UNITED NATIONS, September 17, updated twice -- While questions having swirled all summer around Ban Ki-moon's leadership of the UN, Mr. Ban belated held a pre-General Assembly press conference on September 17. But the management, human rights, nepotism and even corruption short falls in Ban's UN that have been discussed in diplomatic circles and in the media were scarcely mentioned.

No questions were allowed on two human rights short falls, Sri Lanka and Myanmar, much less on the nepotism scandals festering at the highest levels of the UN. It's as if these issues were censored out, after having been strangely outsourced to South Korea's Deputy Permanent Representative to the UN, who recently invited Inner City Press to a lunch with only one topic: the integrity of Ban Ki-moon. [See Amb. Kim Bong-hyun's reply, in full below.]

Thus, it's not that Team Ban is unaware of the questions. After a leaked e-mail by Ban's envoy to the Congo Alan Doss surfaced and was first published by Inner City Press, Ban's Deputy Spokesperson Marie Okabe told the Press Ban was very concerned and expected a report on the matter when he returned to New York from his vacation in South Korea.

That was a month ago but when Inner City Press, denied a chance to question by Ban's Spokesperson Michele Montas, asked Ban on his way out about the case of Alan Doss, Ban muttered "that is still going on," presumably referring to the investigation.

Ban's spokesperson, who previously referred Inner City Press to Ban's main adviser Kim Won-soo about the issue (Mr. Kim subsequently canceled the meeting), should at least have allowed a question about Ban's actual management of the UN.

Ban's lack of action is attributed by some, including prospectively a major U.S. newspaper, to questions about two recent hirings of Ban's son in law Siddarth Chatterjee. First he was hired, without any competitive process, by Ban's envoy in Iraq Staffan de Mistura to be his chief of staff, a position for which many said Chatterjee did not have the diplomatic and political background.

Since de Mistura had previously hired the son of Kofi Annan's chief of staff Iqbal Riza, many saw a pattern, of the hiring of top UN leaders' children as a way for far-flung officials to be viewed favorable in Headquarters.

As de Mistura left Iraq, Ban's son in law resurfaced hired by the UN Office of Project Services to head a whole regional bureau. While UNOPS refused to answer the simple question of whether Chatterjee's job is at the D-1 or D-2 level, it has since emerged that the post was upgraded to D-2 in connection with a process in which Ban gave UNOPS more freedom over its human resources practices. While it is said Chatterjee for now is at the lower of the two Director levels, he can be upgraded at any time, without public announcement.

"Two supposedly lateral moves resulting in reality in a meteoric rise up two levels," as one observer wryly puts it, "only at the UN." Meanwhile Chatterjee has taken to telephoning Indian newspapers which have picked up Inner City Press' coverage of the issue and telling them to remove articles and comments from the Internet, in the face of legal threats.

After Ban's adviser Kim Won-soo canceled the meeting, which it was emphasized would be off the record or on background, about the still unanswered Chatterjee questions, Inner City Press received a lunch reach-out from the Deputy Permanent Representative of South Korea's mission to the UN, Kim Bong-hyun. Over a sizzling bowl of beef and noodles, the hospitable DPR Kim repeated again and again that Ban is a man of integrity, although from an earlier generation of Korean diplomats.

DPR Kim made detailed arguments about Ban's son in law's promotions and threats for censorship; that seemed to be the purpose of the lunch. On the Alan Doss matter, he first expressed concern about the "leeway" e-mail, then recovered and argued that Ban's hands are tied by rules making it difficult to fire UN staff. But Doss is Ban's personal envoy to the Congo. There is no way to pass the buck. DPR Kim nodded and said Ban would be sure to know and do something about the Doss issue. But it hasn't happened yet.

While DPR Kim gave no indication that his outreach was off the record or even on background, normally these indirect defenses of Ban would not have to be used or reported, if Ban himself would address the issues in at least one of the fifteen largely scripted answers he gave on Thursday. A weak communications strategy has helped get Ban into the situation is his, entering this General Assembly. And thing do not appear to be getting better.

Footnotes: Ban's Spokesperson, as Inner City Press first publicly reported, is set to retire in November. Those who multiple sources say are vying to replace her include Eric Falt of the UN Department of Public Information [but see below], two journalists who have covered the UN, and an official of the UN Foundation...

Another UN mis-hiring scandal, which Inner City Press asked Ban Spokesperson about in writing on August 27 has still not been answered to or even commented on. Watch this site.

Update of Sept. 17, 4:45 p.m. -- For the record we have received this denial from Mr. Falt: "I wish to inform you that I am very happy with my job as Director of Outreach in DPI and am not currently applying to any other position."

Additional communication has been received from the South Korean Mission to the UN, clarification has been sought, but has not yet been received. Watch this site.

Second update -- we have received the following from Ambassador Kim of Korea and publish it in full:

Subj: from Amb.Kim of Korea
From: [ ]
To: Matthew Lee [at] innercitypress.com
Sent: 9/17/2009

Dear Matthew,

I just read your article titled "with UN's Ban Shielded...." of Sept. 17, 2009. I found that facts of the article were distorted and I was misused. My purpose to invite you to the lunch the other day was to exchange views about agenda of the new session of the GA.

My message to you was that the press should listen to both parties concerned, otherwise the press would lose its balance and credibility.

However, on the contray to my intention, you initiated to explain the stroy of Alan Doss to me, including the biting rumor of a staff of UNDP and quoted me as making detailed arguments about SG's son in law.

I did not know the story of Alan Doss at all and I din not know the details on the stroy of the son in law of the SG. I answered to your questions as to the two cases based on my common sense as a career diplomat. I answered that there were rules and regulations for hiring and firing staff in any organization. I added that I knew there was a commission for the appeal of staff in the case of infringement of interest. Also I urged you to look into the rules and regulations about the prodedure of promotion in the UN.

I said that the procedure of promotion regarding to the son in law of the SG was supposed to be transparent and based on merits. I further expressed my view that answers related to those questions should be sought in the framework of the legal institution of the UN and advised you not to try to personalize the issue.I strongly request you to carry the above explanation in your blog as an exercise of right of reply.

Sincerely,

Kim Bong-Hyun, Pd.D.
Ambassador, Deputy Permanent Representative
Permanent Mission of the Republic of Korea to the United Nations

Entirely agreeing with the right to reply, we nonetheless note that very little was said about the upcoming General Assembly session, while much was said about the Mona Juul memo, the possible motives and the "Asian" style of diplomacy. Detailed arguments were made about whether the Secretary General's son in law was initially a P-4 or P-5, and is now a D-1 or D-2 (the post has been upgraded to D-2). If nepotism is a problem in the UN, as many think it is, it is difficult to report on and address the issue without giving specific example: that is, personalizing the issue.

What seemed and seems significant is that while the Secretary General and his team are reticent to address or even take questions on these nepotism issues, the Deputy Permanent Representative of the Secretary General's native South Korea made the arguments, with detailed information about the Secretary General's son in law.

While this may be a credit to Ambassador Kim Bong-hyun, these arguments should be coming, on the record, from the Secretariat itself, and they should not be evading or not allowing questions on the issue. Frankly, it is unclear if Ambassador Kim Bong-hyun disagrees with this analysis of the weakness of the Secretary General's current Office of the Spokesperson. But we appreciate his right of reply and so publish the above in full. Watch this site.

And see, www.innercitypress.com/unsys3nepotism091709.html

In Sri Lanka, Speed Up All Removals from IDP Camps, UN's Holmes Says, of Due Process and Dolphin Vans Dismissed

By Matthew Russell Lee
www.innercitypress.com/untrip8may1srilanka091609.html

UNITED NATIONS, September 16 -- In Sri Lanka, the UN funds and works in what the government calls welfare centers and others characterize as internment camps. From these camps, the government removes people it thinks have supported the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam rebels. Also, according to BBC and others, pro-government militia groups "disappear" internees in what are called dolphin vans. The UN's positions on these issues are not clear.

At a Wednesday news conference, Inner City Press asked top UN humanitarian John Holmes if there are militias in the camps, and if it knows and tries to raise toward international standards the government's protocols for grabbing, arresting and taking away people in UN-funded IDP camps. Video here, from Minute 31:58.

Holmes said that while allegations about disappearances are made in the media, they are not heard from UN agencies or "from NGOs." This last seemed strange, since Inner City Press has been told about the disappearances by just such civil society sources. Given the government's willingness to deport NGO staff and even UNICEF's Colombo based spokesman, these groups are afraid to speak.

So is the UN itself investigating the troubling allegations? It is not clear. Even on the incontrovertible process of "screening" and removing people from the IDP camps, Holmes said the UN can do little. It is their right, he said, referring to the Sri Lankan government.

In fact, Holmes seemed to only be asking that the detentions and removal proceed more rapidly, so that "legitimate" IDPs can go and stay with host families.

He said there are at least 10,000 people in "rehabilitiation" camps, and he claimed that the Red Cross can visit all of them, something that's disputed on the ground.

Clearly, the Sri Lankan government has vigorously pressed the UN to acknowledge that can do whatever it wants, up to and reportedly including detaining and torturing UN system staff members. Now we have reached a point where the UN defers from even commenting on due process for people in UN-funded IDP camps, and only says that the government should do its culling more speedily -- that is, in a sense, with even less due process. Send in the dolphin vans!

And see, www.innercitypress.com/untrip8may1srilanka091609.html

On Sri Lanka Detentions, UN's Top Lawyer Won't Opine, of Privileges and the Pen

By Matthew Russell Lee
www.innercitypress.com/ola1srilanka091609.html

UNITED NATIONS, September 16 -- While two UN system staff members remain incarcerated in Sri Lanka after what they say was government torture, in New York the UN is preparing for more countries to sign more treaties and conventions during next week's General Assembly. Inner City Press asked top UN lawyer Patricia O'Brien, during her news conference Wednesday promoting the treaty event, about the two UN system staffers. Video here, from Minute 42:01.

The Treaty Event booklet distributed at the UN lists the Convention on the Privileges and Immunities of the UN and the Convention on the Safety of UN and Associated Personnel. Sri Lanka has acceded to both of them, during the General Assembly meetings in 2003. But are they being complied with and enforced?

"I am not here to speak about enforcement" of the Conventions, Ms. O'Brien said. She referred to the UN's ironically titled "depository" role, and that she also advised the Secretary General on the "application of treaties."

But where do these interpretations go? In Sri Lanka, the country head for the UN made belated statements about the disappeared staff that many thought ignored the government's responsibility under the Conventions. Amin Awad did not assert that the staffers were immune, at least within the scope of their work for the UN, but only that the government should inform the UN of the detention.

"We are not going to get into interpreting specific provisions," Ms. O'Brien said.

Recently Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, under fire for weak performance including in Sri Lanka, convened his Under Secretaries Generals including Ms. O'Brien and her Political Affairs and Peacekeeping counterparts.

Afterwards the Press was told that these USGs will be taking questions more often, to explain the UN's positions. Some thought this responded to a part in the leaked memo by Norwegian diplomat Mona Juul, that Ban has chosen weak or faceless USGs.

But if the UN wants to get its position out, how can its top lawyer try to limit a rare press conference to the treaty event, not even the treaties themselves? There are also questions about the UN's involvement in the Cambodia genocide tribunal, Somalia piracy enforcement, policing the (further) abuse of the UN's name, including for commercial gain, and of the UN's and OLA's commitment to freedom of speech and of the press. To run from these questions, news conferences are now artificially limited.

At the end, Ms. O'Brien tried to explain her refusal to answer basic policy questions by saying since she advise Ban on some matters, it is all cover by attorney client privilege. This is not a defense or justification used by the chief legal officers of other international organizations, and it ill-serves the UN, human rights -- and UN staff and the rule of law. Watch this site.

Footnote: on the lighter side, Inner City Press asked Ms. O'Brien about the incident in July in which William Kennedy Smith, at the event at which the U.S. signed the Disabilities Convention, asked for the ceremonial pen. He was refused and told that the UN has only one pen. Inner City Press asked, does the UN have only one pen? Video here, from Minute 44:28.

Ms. O'Brien replied that the UN does not have a budget to give pens, not of this quality, but might seek a budget allocation. William Kennedy Smith actually offered to buy the pen, right there. Would that comply with the law? As on so many other things, the UN's top lawyer has no comment.

And see, www.innercitypress.com/ola1srilanka091609.html

UN Says It Still Helps Honduran Election, Democracy Day Study and Video, Karzai To Win?

By Matthew Russell Lee
www.innercitypress.com/un1democracy091509.html

UNITED NATIONS, September 15 -- While the Ambassador of Honduras to the UN representing ousted president Mel Zelaya has been quoted that the UN will be stopping planned funding of the November election in Honduras, UN Assistant Secretary General Oscar Fernandez-Taranco told the Press on Tuesday that UN technical assistance will continue.

Inner City Press asked Fernandez-Taranco, at a Democracy Day news conference, about the UN's approach to Honduras as well as Sri Lanka. Fernandez-Taranco said that in Honduras, "the UN has been providing assistance" to the Independent Electoral Tribunal since November 2008, and continues providing assistance. Video here, from Minute 42:40.

Off camera, Inner City Press asked Fernandez-Taranco about the Honduran Ambassador's quote, about UNDP cutting funding. We are in discussions, Fernandez-Taranco said, adding that no "written request" to cut UN assistance has been received. This contradicts the reported comments of Honduran ambassador Jorge Arturo Reina...

Fernandez-Taranco's comments came at a press conference about a WorldPublicOpinion.org study of the public's view of political tolerance in 24 countries. Notably, North Korea and Myanmar were not included. China was, but WPO's Steve Kull said that in China the question about the views of opposition parties was omitted. Four countries were surveyed for views of the exclusion of indigenous people: the US, Mexico, Chile and Argentina.

Kull called these the countries with significant indigenous populations, excluding from this list India and Indonesia, among others. This group always reports happy results: everyone loves the UN, there is an emerging consensus for apple pie.

Footnote: the US Mission to the UN held a reception, also to celebrate Democracy Day, to promote a "Democracy Challenge" video contest. As reporter grumbled that the the invitation's lunch -- or was it "launch"? -- was mere finger food, the master of ceremonies mocked elections in Iran and Afghanistan. He said it will be a demonstration of democracy, people voting on the Internet to choose the winning video. But can they vote multiple times? Will Hamid Karzai's video escape a run off?

And see, www.innercitypress.com/un1democracy091509.html

UN's Inability to Protect from LRA in S. Sudan Blames on Resources, Alan Doss Case Stasis

By Matthew Russell Lee
www.innercitypress.com/lra2unmis091509.html

UNITED NATIONS, September 15 -- The Lord's Resistance Army rebels have been killing and kidnapping civilians in South Sudan, where the UN has a peacekeeping mission. In late August, the head of the UN's Department of Field Support Susana Malcorra was quoted, quite reasonably, saying that a strengthening of the mandate of that mission, UNMIS, would be necessary to better protect civilians.

But at UN Headquarters in New York, the Office of the Spokesperson announced on August 28 that Malcorra had been misquoted. Inner City Press asked, "she didn’t mention the Security Council mandate?" The Spokesperson said, "No."

On September 15, Inner City Press asked Ms. Malcorra is she had mentioned the Security Council mandate, and she said yes. She recounted that after meeting with the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Uganda, she was asked about South Sudan and said that for UNMIS to do more, the mandate would have to be changed. Video here, from Minute 39:54.

Inner City Press asked if she thought the mandate should be strengthened. Ms. Malcorra answered that it would also require more resource, more "enablers," to allow mobility to combat the LRA. Alain Le Roy, the head of the Department of Peacekeeping Operations, added that even before a strengthening of mandate, the UN Missions in South Sudan and the Congo are "sharing information." He said that the Ugandan Army is "active in the Central African Republic," chasing the LRA. But do they go into South Sudan?

Inner City Press also asked Alain Le Roy about the pending investigation of the head of the Congo Mission, Alan Doss, for having written to the UN Development Program asking for "leeway" in the hiring of his daughter. Secretary General Ban Ki-moon has, through his Deputy Spokesperson, said he is very concerned, and that he expected to receive a report upon his return to New York last month.

While Le Roy, after praising Doss, referred to a joint UNDP-OIOS report that is still supposedly ongoing, Ban was said to be expecting a report on what had been done on August 18. Nothing's been heard since. Watch this site.

Footnote: Inner City Press also asked Le Roy about a report, from the Daily Nation of Kenya, that a supply of weapons for the UN's Congo Mission MONUC was hijacked and stolen in the Rift Valley of Kenya. Le Roy said he hadn't heard about it, but the report is online right here. When UN weapons fall into unknown hands, it's reported, there should be some follow through...

And see, www.innercitypress.com/lra2unmis091509.html