UN Refuses to Confirm Darfur Rapes After 11 Days, Speaks Only of South Sudan Referendum Off the Record

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, January 4 -- Eleven days after reported rapes by Sudanese government authorities in Tawila right next to peacekeepers of the UN - African Union Hybrid Operation in Darfur, the UN in New York still refused to deny or confirm and explain inaction on the rapes.

The rape took place on Christmas, after which Inner City Press asked UN spokesman Martin Nesirky repeatedly about the incident. No answer was provided then, nor at the first in person press briefing since Christmas, on January 4.

Inner City Press asked again, citing a report now in the UN's own ReliefWeb site. That's another one you asked the previous week, Nesirky said, as if that were responsive. He said he would revert “when we get an answer.” Video here, from Minute 34:50.

But one would assume that the UN's $1 billion UNAMID mission, headed by Ibrahim Gambari, would be able to answer an e-mail from Ban Ki-moon's spokesman in less than eleven days.

Some surmise that the UN is looking away from abuses in Darfur in order to focus on the referendum in Southern Sudan, on which the UN has scheduled a press briefing for January 5 by two officials who will refuse to let their names be used.

Ban's envoy for the referendum Haile Menkerios on New Years Eve on the record praised the “courage” and leadership of Sudanese president Omar al Bashir, whose forces are accused of the rapes the UN has refused for 11 days to confirm.

Likewise, Nesirky and his deputy Farhan Haq have refused to confirm or deny that Ban's Department of Political Affairs told NGOs that, among other things, they do not expect results from the referendum until February 2.

“When we get an answer,” Nesirky said on January 4, cutting off the question. So does DPA not answer Nesirky's calls?

Or is this all a ruse not to answer simple factual questions that the UN deems inconvenient, such as about rape right next to UN peacekeepers in Darfur?

In front of the UN Security Council on January 4, a diplomat of a Permanent Five member stopped to tell Inner City Press that while the Council will meet at least three times about Sudan this month, “the outstanding issues are more important than the referendum itself.” Watch this site.

As Sri Lanka Speaks of “Conditional Visas” for Ban's Panel, UN Switches to “Potential Visit," No Answer on to Whom Ban Spoke

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, January 4 -- Eighteen days after UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon said his Panel on Accountability would go to Sri Lanka, his spokesman Martin Nesirky now openly called it a “potential visit,” and refused to answer Inner City Press' questions about who Ban spoke with before his December 17 announcement, and if even the Panel's staff would visit Colombo.

Each work day between Christmas and New Years, Nesirky refused to answer six questions Inner City Press asked each day. Nesirky insisted, as he did on January 4, that he has “no new guidance” from the Panel.

Nesirky told Inner City Press that "between Christmas and New Years [we had] a number of exchanges... nothing has changed in the guidance I have for you." Video here, from Minute 6:32.

That is, that Ban and his Panel refuse to provide Spokesman Nesirky with information as basic as who in the Sri Lankan government they spoke with.

With public reports now speaking of “conditional visas” and the Panel being limited to “making representations” to the Lessons Learnt & Reconciliation Panel set up by President Mahinda Rajapaksa, whose brother directed military operations during the bloody events in 2009, Nesirky claimed that “we were fairly clear on where things were, and they remain there.” What?

Ban's acting Deputy Spokesman Farhan Haq has twice told Inner City Press that Ban's Panel's work goes beyond speaking with the LLRC. But then, without answering any of Inner ity Press' pending questions, he told BBC's Sinhalese service that perhaps Ban's panel, contrary to what Ban said on December 17, will NOT go to Sri Lanka.

Did Ban Ki-moon actually have an agreement from the Rajapaksa administration -- apparently absent its minister of external affairs G.L. Peiris -- for a less restriction visit to Sri Lanka by his Panel? Or did he agree that his Panel would only “make representations” to the LLRC members? This should be clarified, but Ban's spokesmen have refused to. Watch this site.

At UN, Susan Rice Still Blank on ICC Meeting on Bashir's Billions, UK Calls Iran Tour Diversionary, Bosnia Bilats

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, January 4, updated -- US Ambassador Susan Rice was asked Tuesday about Ivorian president Laurent Gbagbo and Sudan's Omar al Bashir's billions.

Rice called Gbagbo a serious concern, and reiterated to Inner City Press that she still does not recall any meeting with International Criminal Court prosecutor Luis Moreno Ocampo about Bashir diverting money to foreign bank accounts.

As Bosnia assumes the presidency of the UN Security Council for January, other Council members' Ambassadors arrive for bilateral consultations on the month's program of work. Susan Rice went first, and spoke afterward to the Press. She predicted an “interesting” 2011, with the Council being joined by countries which seek a more permanent presence: India, South Africa, Germany.

Inner City Press showed Rice a follow up story quoting “one senior American official” as “aware of the prosecutor's investigation.” Rice said she had seen the story, but still did not remember the meeting with Ocampo memorialized in a State Department cable published by WikiLeaks. I think I would remember that, she said.

UK Permanent Representative Mark Lyall Grant went in second for consultations. On Iran's invitation to some countries to take a nuclear tour of the country, Lyall Grant called it “diversionary,” but noted the upcoming round of talks.

Inner City Press asked Lyall Grant about a Swiss report that UK foreign secretary William Hague said he would look favorably at sending troops -- the article implied UK troops -- to Cote d'Ivoire. I've been away, Lyall Grant said, but I doubt he meant UK troops, rather that he would support a vote to send troops.

On his way out, Lyall Grant said on the Middle East that anything that leads to a resumption of negotiations will be good. He declined to comment on the new line up of the Council -- whether for example India might support China in driving Myanmar entirely off the Council's agency, or others support the pro-sovereignty position Russia took on Ivory Coast -- saying “at least let us meet” before asking for comment.

Inner City Press asked Lyall Grant about Nepal. He said the opposition letter which the UN Secretariat told Inner City Press on January 3 had been received had still not been circulated. Yes, he noted, Karin Landgren has got another job. Click here for the Jan. 3 Inner City Press piece on Nepal.

Whoever was third on the schedule came late -- Bosnia's Ivan Barbalic left the Council at 10:50, saying that one Ambassador was late, “Vitaly” was expected later in the morning: Russia's Ambassador Churkin.

Passing by the Security Council but not entering, a diplomat from Georgia stopped to ask Inner City Press why the Council doesn't at least ask for a briefing from Secretary General's representative to the Geneva talks about Abkhazia. “Russia is keeping it off the agenda,” the diplomat complained. Watch this site.

Update of 11:41 pm -- as India's Permanent Representative Hardeep Singh Puri walked in to the Council, Inner City Press asked him what are India's priorities for the month. “Full support for the Bosnian presidency,” he said quickly. Inner City Press asked, What about Nepal?”

“The mission is over,” he said. “Wind up.”

Amid Calls in Nepal for UN to Stay, Ban Reassigns Landgren, Limits Talks to Asset Disposal

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, January 3 -- Amid calls from some in Nepal for the UN to stay, Secretary General Ban Ki-moon has re-assigned his top envoy from Nepal, Karin Landgren, to another rudderless UN Mission, in Burundi.

Inner City Press asked the UN for its response to the request that it stay in Nepal to deal with the rebel fighters still in the cantonments. The UN responded:

Date: Mon, Jan 3, 2011 at 1:16 PM
From: UN Spokesperson - Do Not Reply [at] un.org
Subject: Answer
To: Inner City Press

On Nepal

"We received the letter from the Government of Nepal on 3 January and will respond. We have been in detailed discussions with the government over the disposal of UNMIN assets."

By limiting the discussion to the “disposal of UNMIN assets,” the UN Secretariat has already in essence answered the letter, in the negative: No. The same was true of re-assigning Ms. Landgren to replace Charles Petrie in Burundi, when there were still two weeks to go in the UN's Nepal mandate.

The UN Security Council is slated to hear from Ms. Landgren on January 5, the second working day of Bosnia's Council presidency.

But Ban has already pre-determined things with his re-assignment of Ms. Landgren.

Some used to think the UN had done a good job in Nepal. Its manner of leaving now seems to disprove that.

Is it any wonder that troubled Burundi demanded the shrinking of the UN's Burundi mission from 450 staff to a mere 60? And when WILL Charles Petrie re-surface in Somalia, and wearing what hat? Watch this site.

On Sudan, UN Ends 2010 in Dream World on Darfur & Rape, Praising ICC-Indicted Bashir's "Leadership" & Courage

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, December 31 -- The UN in Sudan is living in a dream world. As President Omar al Bashir ended participation in the Darfur peace talks in Doha, UN envoy to Sudan Haile Menkerios praised Bashir's “courage” and leadership.

The joint UN - African Union mediator Djibril Bassole issued a UN propaganda statement about the Doha process, entirely ignoring Bashir's move and the facts on the ground.

Inner City Press asked Secretary General Ban Ki-moon's spokesman about reported rapes near UN peacekeepers in Darfur and was told to just “ask UNAMID.”

But ever since Inner City Press in October with the UN Security Council visited the Joint UN - African Union Mission in Darfur inquiring about UNAMID's Ibrahim Gambari's moves to hand five supporters of Fur rebel Abdel Wahid Nur over to Bashir, that Mission has refused to answer any of the questions Inner City Press has submitted.

Meanwhile Ban's spokesman has simply ignored and refused to acknowledge receipt of this question:

On Sudan, please confirm or deny that the Department of Political Affairs in a recent briefing to NGOs said that

UN projects no consolidated results before end Jan – result likely to be announced February 2.

Major technical challenges now are training staff, deploying materials, and being ready to handle results management (this is still a serious risk because little done to prepare for results period)

Probability of extension to polling remains high

Arab League visit to Sudan (Qaddafi and Mubarak) - castigated Bashir, pretty clear now that LAS will not try to spoil what is almost international consensus on recognition - there is even talk they will offer an independent S. Sudan membership in the LAS.

Bosnian Presidency likely to take cues from US and UK.

Ban's Spokesman's Office has now twice ignored this question about statements that NGOs have to Inner City Press attributed to Ban's DPA. The UN tries to live in its own world about Sudan. But in 2011, this will be more difficult. Watch this site.

On Sri Lanka, Amid Confusion About Ban's Panel, UN Has Nothing Further to Say

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, December 31 -- At the UN at the end of 2010 confusion reigned, not only on Cote d'Ivoire but also concerning Secretary General Ban Ki-moon's panel on accountability for war crimes in Sri Lanka.

Rather than answer if the Panel or its staff would travel to the country and under what conditions, Ban's Spokesman on December 31 told Inner City Press “We are aware of your keen interest. If and when there is something to add we will let you know. We have checked again and there is nothing further to say for now... It may be that you do not get answers to every question.”

Ban on December 17 announced his Panel would go to Sri Lanka, and he praised President Mahinda Rajapaksa for his “flexibility.”

But later Rajapaksa's Minister of Information Keheliya Rambuklwella said the “panel would only be allowed to give evidence at the LLRC sittings and for no other purpose. 'They will not be permitted to carry out investigations, record evidence or visit places of their choice without prior government approval,'” he said.

What was the flexibility Ban had praised? What of Ban's acting Deputy Spokesman Farhan Haq's statement to BBC's Sinhalese service that the panel might not even go to Sri Lanka, but only speak with the LLRC in some other location?

Inner City Press, which traveled with and covered Ban's visit to Sri Lanka in May 2009 and has covered the Panel since, all week sought answers from the UN to these questions.

On December 23 when Inner City Press asked, Haq said there would be no noon briefings for the next 11 days, but that lead spokesman Martin Nesirky would answer questions. Transcript below and here.

But when Inner City Press submitted Sri Lanka questions to Nesirky and his team from December 26 onward, there was no answer until December 29 -- and then, only a warmed over answer, which Haq reiterated on December 30, ignoring four Inner City Press questions:

From: Farhan Haq [at] un.org
Date: Thu, Dec 30, 2010 at 12:20 PM
To: Inner City Press, Martin Nesirky [at] un.org, Soung-ah Choi [at] un.org
Subject: Re: Press Qs on deadline re Sri Lanka & OSSG failure to answer, 13 still outstanding

As I made clear to you at the time, the panel has not confirmed travel to Sri Lanka yet. The arrangements would need to be right. It is NOT the case that the panel would only talk to the LLRC. The panel made clear to me that their work is broader than simply dealing with the LLRC. That's all we have to say on it for now.

Comparing this to Cabinet Spokesperson Minister Keheliya Rambukwella's reported statement about the visas and limits on the Panel, it seemed that either the UN is belatedly standing up to the Rajapaksa government or that the UN doesn't read cited news reports, or both.

And so later on December 30, Inner City Press went to the UN Office of the Spokesman. There, no answers were given to many questions, including these six Sri Lanka questions previously submitted to Haq:

1) did or will the staff of the Panel go to Sri Lanka?

2) what agreements or understanding have been reached about with whom the Panel will speak in Sri Lanka?

3) with whom in the Sri Lanka government did Ban or the UN speak before his Dec 17 announcement, talking into account that the External Affairs Minister Peiris later said he learn of it in the media?

4) why have you refused to answer these questions?

5) did you speak to all three members of the Panel? When?

6) has the UN sought to clarify with the Sri Lanka government that, contrary to what its Cabinet Minister has said, the Panel would speak to people in Sri Lanka beyond the LLRC?

Inner City Press was told that the Office of the Spokesman would be open on December 31. But a visit at 3:25 pm found no one there. Instead, this was sent to Inner City Press:

From: UN Spokesperson - Do Not Reply at un.org
Date: Fri, Dec 31, 2010 at 1:21 PM
Subject: Answers
To: Inner City Press

On Sri Lanka: We are aware of your keen interest. If and when there is something to add we will let you know. We have checked again and there is nothing further to say for now... It may be that you do not get answers to every question.

The results of this stonewalling include articles in Sri Lanka like “Further Confusion Over Experts Panel.” WHY Ban's UN remains silent will be a topic for 2011.

As Sudan Ends Doha Talks on Darfur, UN Ignores Questions of Rape & Referendum

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, December 30 -- When Omar al Bashir of Sudan threatened to pull out of the Darfur peace talks in Doha, Inner City Press asked the Office of the Spokesman for UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon of comment. The question was ignored, then after a complaint answered thusly: “On the Doha peace talks: We have asked for a response and will send it when we have it.”

After this delay, Bashir actually pulled out of the Doha talks. Inner City Press went to the Spokesman's Office in the basement of UN headquarters but still received no comment. Another senior Ban Ki-moon official said “it's up to Bassole,” the joint UN-African Union mediator. He, it appears, has not spokesperson.

But, days ago, Inner City Press asked Ban's Spokesman's Office to “Confirm or deny reports of Sudanese government rapes near UN peacekeepers in North Darfur.

Even in a response after Inner City Press complained, this question was ignored. So was this:

On Sudan, please confirm or deny that the Department of Political Affairs in a recent briefing to NGOs said that

UN projects no consolidated results before end Jan – result likely to be announced February 2.

Major technical challenges now are training staff, deploying materials, and being ready to handle results management (this is still a serious risk because little done to prepare for results period)

Probability of extension to polling remains high

Arab League visit to Sudan (Qaddafi and Mubarak) - castigated Bashir, pretty clear now that LAS will not try to spoil what is almost international consensus on recognition - there is even talk they will offer an independent S. Sudan membership in the LAS.

Bosnian Presidency likely to take cues from US and UK.

Ban's Spokesman's Office simply ignored this question about statements that NGOs have to Inner City Press attributed to Ban's DPA. After an argument that December 31 is another day to answer, the question has been reiterated by Inner City Press. Watch this site.

On Sri Lanka, UN Insists Its Panel Would Not Only Talk to LLRC, 4 Questions Refused

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, December 30 -- Responding to the Sri Lanka government's claims to the contrary, the UN insisted on December 30 that “it is NOT the case that the Panel would only talk to the LLRC,” President Mahinda Rajapaka's Lessons Learnt & Reconciliation Commission.

Earlier on December 30, Inner City Press asked UN spokesmen Farhan Haq and Martin Nesirky four questions about Secretary General Ban Ki-moon's panel on accountability for presumptive war crimes in Sri Lanka in 2009:

Martin & Farhan -- On Dec 23 and at the beginning of this week I asked you about the Panel's trip to Sri Lanka which Ban Ki-moon announced on December 17. My Sunday question was very specific and easy to answer. But it has not been answered...

Now it is reported that “Cabinet Spokesperson Minister Keheliya Rambukwella said the government would grant visas to the members of the Panel only to go before the government appointed LLRC and not to conduct any investigations on their own. Rambukwella said that the government initially objected to the Panel's visit to Sri Lanka, as it was to conduct an inquiry. However, the government has decided to grant visas to the Panel since it has been stated that the members only wished to meet the LLRC.” http://www.colombopage.com/archive_10C/Dec30_1293719415JR.php

The failure to answer, or to have noon briefing, is now more problematic than ever. Before 12:30 today, please state:

1) did or will the staff of the Panel go to Sri Lanka?

2) what agreements or understanding have been reached about with whom the Panel will speak in Sri Lanka?

3) with whom in the Sri Lanka government did Ban or the UN speak before his Dec 17 announcement, talking into account that the External Affairs Minister Peiris later said he learn of it in the media?

4) why have you refused to answer these questions? On deadline.

While still not answering any of the four questions, Haq responded with the following:

From: Farhan Haq [at] un.org
Date: Thu, Dec 30, 2010 at 12:20 PM
To: Inner City Press, Nesirky [at] un.org, Soung-ah Choi [at] un.org
Subject: Re: Press Qs on deadline re Sri Lanka & OSSG failure to answer, 13 still outstanding

As I made clear to you at the time, the panel has not confirmed travel to Sri Lanka yet. The arrangements would need to be right. It is NOT the case that the panel would only talk to the LLRC. The panel made clear to me that their work is broader than simply dealing with the LLRC. That's all we have to say on it for now.

Comparing this to Cabinet Spokesperson Minister Keheliya Rambukwella's reported statement about the visas and limits on the Panel, it seems that either the UN is belatedly standing up to the Rajapaksa government or that the UN doesn't read cited news reports, or both.

Perhaps Cabinet Spokesperson Minister Keheliya Rambukwella is negotiating through public statements. Perhaps the Panel's staff is in or traveling to Sri Lanka to scope out a possible trip by the Panel -- which Ban Ki-moon announced as a fact on December 17.

Was Ban Ki-moon himself only negotiating publicly with his December 17 statement?

The four questions Inner City Press has asked are simple and should be answered. Watch this site.

As Sri Lanka Brags of Limits on UN War Crimes Panel, UN Stonewalls Press

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, December 30 -- The UN has apparently agreed to further limit the scope of its Panel on accountability in Sri Lanka, while ignoring and even prohibiting Press questions for two weeks now.

After Secretary General Ban Ki-moon on December 17 bragged that the Panel would travel to Sri Lanka, and praised President Mahinda Rajapaksa for “flexibility,” the country's foreign ministry called the trip into question, saying it was only it a response to a newspaper notice by Rajapaksa's own Lessons Learnt & Reconciliation Commission seeking “representations.”

Ban's acting Deputy Spokesperson Farhan Haq then said that the UN panel might not travel to Sri Lanka at all, but meet the LLRC elsewhere. Inner City Press at the UN's noon briefing on December 23 asked about this, and about the UN's decision to cancel all noon Q&A sessions in the work week starting December 27.

Haq said that that Panel has a scope beyond the LLRC and that details of the trip would be announced. He claimed that other reporters had asked that noon briefings not be held “so they don't have to come in” to work, but promised Ban's lead spokesman Martin Nesirky would answer questions in the coming week.

Soon it was reported from Sri Lanka that Ban's Panel's chief of staff might be the one to visit Sri Lanka. Inner City Press formally asked Haq and Nesirky to confirm this. Rather than provide a yes or no answer, Haq said the UN building was closed on December 27.

But on December 28 and 29, Nesirky did not answer the question either. On December 29, he had another staff member send answers to other questions, including re-sending a refusal to answer than Inner City Press had already been given weeks previously. On Sri Lanka, nothing.

After all this stonewalling, it is today reported that

“Cabinet Spokesperson Minister Keheliya Rambukwella said the government would grant visas to the members of the Panel only to go before the government appointed LLRC and not to conduct any investigations on their own. Rambukwella said that the government initially objected to the Panel's visit to Sri Lanka, as it was to conduct an inquiry. However, the government has decided to grant visas to the Panel since it has been stated that the members only wished to meet the LLRC.”

"It has been stated” where? If the UN was engaged in something other than obvious stonewalling, we might know if the UN had stated and agreed to this new limtation on the Panel. Watch this site.

For update on UN's belated statement, click here.

In Cote d'Ivoire, UN Says It Works WITH Gbagbo on Mercenaries, Jeunes Patriotes

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, December 29 -- While the UN in Cote d'Ivoire has confirmed the presence of mercenaries from Liberia, its response has been to work with the military of Laurent Gbagbo to patrol the borders for Liberian “refugees.”

Meanwhile, the new Ouattara-nominated Ambassador to the UN Yousoufou Bamba told Inner City Press on Wednesday that the mercenaries are “embedded in the Republican guard” of Laurent Gbagbo. Exclusive Inner City Press video here.

The UN Office of the Spokesperson for Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, after refusing for days to answer Ivorian questions from Inner City Press, on Wednesday evening provided some responses. It confirmed that the peacekeepers attacked on Tuesday were from Bangladesh and said that “the situation returned to normal thanks to the intervention of the Chief of Staff of the Defence and Security Forces, General Philippe Mangou” -- that is, thanks to Gbagbo's military.

The UN seemingly does not want to explicitly acknowledge that it is thanking Gbagbo's military for stopping an attack by Gbagbo affiliated Jeunes Patriotes. Then the UN recited Inner City Press' question on mercenaries:

Inner City Press: What has the UN done about mercenaries in Cote d'Ivoire since Alain Le Roy confirmed the UN's sighting of mercenaries in that country?

UN Spokesman: ONUCI has confirmed the presence of Liberian mercenaries on Ivorian soil. ONUCI is fulfilling its mandate to assist the Government of Côte d’Ivoire in monitoring the borders, with particular attention to the situation of Liberian refugees and to any cross-border movement of combatants.

But Bamba said that the Liberian are already embedded in Gbagbo's forces, by implication BEFORE the most recent election.

Bamba also said that the Ouattara "administration" is entirely confined to the Golf Hotel, so it cannot be with Outtara that the UN is "monitoring the borders" -- only with the very Gbagbo military which has "embedded" mercenaries.

In other answers, the UN denied having any knowledge of the blocking of any media in Cote d'Ivoire, including RTI which it has accused of hate broadcasts. Watch this site.

In Sudan, Disarmament Irregularities Freeze UN Program in Referendum Run Up

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, December 29 -- Mismanagement and corruption in the UN system, hardly rare, sometimes comes to light at a particularly bad time. Such is the case in Sudan with irrregularity in the disarmament programs run by the UN Development Program.

Less than a month before the Southern Sudan secession referendum which many predict may give rise to a renewed civil war, UNDP confirmed in response to questions from Inner City Press that it has suspended seeking funding for its disarmament programs.

This is the answer provided to Inner City Press by the UN's Spokesman's Office:

From: UN Spokesperson unspokesperson-donotreply [at] un.org
Subject: Answers to your questions
To: Inner City Press
Date: Wed, Dec 29, 2010 at 7:42 PM

SUDAN Please provide the UN system's response..

Our colleagues at UNDP provided the following: “The UN’s DDR programme in South Sudan is facing challenges. The UN’s team in Sudan was concerned that the total number of former combatants, and women associated with the armed forces, that have been reintegrated has been low. That is why we commissioned an independent review and why an internal audit is currently on going. UNDP management expects that the review will enable us to improve the focus of the programme, assess the objective conditions for its implementation and take a critical look at the project and local capacities on the ground. It will also help us in terms of the redesign of the programme and only then will we seek future funding.

“We take audits and evaluations very seriously so as to improve our performance on the ground. The issues you highlight in your questions are being critically examined. Once the review has been thoroughly studied and the audit completed, it is vital that corrective measures be taken rapidly and in consultation with all parties involved.

“The overall political context under which this programme operates is the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA). As you know, some of the planning assumptions in the CPA have not yet materialized on the ground, increasing the complexities and challenges of implementing the programme.

“More broadly, this programme is operating in a state that is recovering from a long civil war. That has a very significant impact on the results of reintegration --whether it is the abject poverty in many rural areas, the lack of opportunities or the almost non-existent infrastructure.

“That being said we owe it to the people of South Sudan and our donors to make this programme as successful as possible despite all of the difficulties. We are always looking for ways to improve it and make the intra-UN cooperation more effective.”

While the investigation and suspension of requests for more funding is all to rare in the UN system in response to unveiled irregularities, it comes at a very bad time. Some call it inexcusable. Watch this site.

On Sudan, As UN Tells NGOs of Polling Delay, No Result to Feb 2, No Answers

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, December 29 -- While the UN had said that the Southern Sudan referendum slated for January 9 is a major priority, the UN has stopped answering media questions about it.

The UN Department of Political Affairs told non-governmental organizations that it expects the polling to be delayed or extended, Inner City Press is informed, and that results will not be available until at least February 2.

Meanwhile the UN system is embroiled in a corruption inquiry in Sudan, about which the UN in New York has not answered questions. Inner City Press has formally asked Ban Ki-moon's top two spokespeople about

“a confidential UN report as disclosing that some 50 UN experts working for the DDR program in south Sudan had received exorbitant salaries of 14 million US dollars... some UN experts had received salaries of fake names that do not exist in the UN payroll... The official in charge of coordinating the DDR program with the UN in Sudan, Osman Nuri, on Tuesday claimed that the UN had only released 39.967.380 out of 105.068.169 US dollars provided by the donors for the DDR program...Nuri, further recounted that the official in charge of coordinating the DDR program in south Sudan, William Deng, has noticed that enormous amounts of money were being spent outside the purview of the program. Nuri said that these two facts made the government suspicious that the UN was abusing donors’ fund.”

On December 23, UN acting Deputy Spokesman Farhan Haq said that he was canceling the regular noon briefings, but that top spokesman Martin Nesirky would answer questions. But throughout this week, Nesirky and Haq have provided no answers at all to Inner City Press' questions about Sudan and other UN topics formally submitted to them.

On December 29, after Inner City Press asked for an explanation, Nesirky replied that answers would be provided that day. But at close of business at 4:50 pm on December 29, no answers at all have been provided. Watch this site.

At UN, Ouattara's Bamba is Installed, Speaks of Genocide But Not How He's Paid

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, December 29 -- In New York on Wednesday, Laurent Gbagbo's former Ambassador to Austria Yousoufou Bamba became the Ouattara-nominated Permanent Representative of Cote d'Ivoire to the UN. After a ceremony with Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, Bamba sat to take questions.

Inner City Press asked Bamba if the Ouattara government can confirm Gbagbo's use of mercenaries, and if it would support an investigation by the International Criminal Court of Gbagbo and his supporters. Inner City Press is putting exclusive video of the full Q&A online, here.

Bamba said first the killings must be stopped, before there is any discussion of the ICC. He referred, as the UN has, to markings on doors based on tribal affiliation, and said things are close to a “genocide.” He said there are Liberian mercenaries embedded in Gbagbo's Republican guard.

With state broadcasters whom the UN has likened to those in Rwanda in 1994 now off the air outside of Abidjan, Inner City Press asked if Ouattara's forces had been involved in taking the stations off the air. Bamba refused to comment, just as the UN has.

In light of Soro statements seeming to call for military action by ECOWAS, Inner City Press asked Bamba if Ouattara too supports outside intervention. Bamba said that there is a negotiation taking place that is sensitive, and that he would not discussion intervention, nor safe passage for Gbagbo.

Inner City Press asked Bamba about his previous service to Gbagbo. Bamba responded that he is a civil servant of 25 years, who served under pre-Gbagbo Ivorian leaders. Later, Inner City Press asked Bamba how he is being paid, he called it “too personal” and said only that in his years as a civil servant he had developed savings.

Since Bamba insisted repeatedly on his years as a diplomat, Inner City Press asked what he made of Russia's opposition in the Security Council to the press statement noting ECOWAS' recognition of Ouattara as the election's winner, and Russia's opposition to the change in credential from Djedje to himself. I was not here in those meetings, Bamba said, refusing to comment further.

The presentation of credential ceremony included the same Ivorian Mission Deputy who served under Djedje, and has held the seat since. US Ambassador Susan Rice told Inner City Press he had not gone over to "the dark side," and he will apparently continue.

How big a change Bamba will be remains to be seen. Watch the video -- click here -- and watch this site.

Footnote: present at Bamba's handshake with Ban Ki-moon was Ban's spokesperson Martin Nesirky. Throughout this week, Inner City Press has directed to Nesirky questions about Cote d'Ivoire, Sudan and other UN topics, without any answers. On Wednesday morning, Nesirky indicated there would be answers later in the day. As of this publication at 2:30 in the afternoon, no answers have been received. We'll have more on this.

After NYC Blizzard, Jail Bus Stuck in Snow, Unplowed Outer Borough Blame Game

By Matthew Russell Lee

NEW YORK CITY, December 28 -- In the aftermath of the NYC blizzard of 2010, the streets left unplowed included Baxter Street, directly behind the Manhattan courthouses and detention facilities.

At dusk on December 27, as Inner City Press was on its way to the courthouse, it came upon an NYC Corrections Department bus stuck in the snow. Exclusive video here.

As several City workers and machines tried to extricate the bus, two police cars were behind the bus with their sirens on. A passerby wondered at the possibility of a jail break.

On 42nd Street and Fifth Avenue in front of the Public Library, already the snow was turning to ponds of slush in every crosswalk.

In the outer boroughs, even in the following days, many streets had not yet been plowed. Click here for Inner City Press footage of a street in Astoria, Queens, unplowed two day after the blizzard.

Corrections Dept bus stuck in snow, Dec. 27, 2010 (c) MRLee

Astoria councilman Peter Vallone fils denounced the lack of plowing, saying that emergency services vehicles could not get through and not enough planning had been done.

Astute Astorians have noticed the rundown signs on Vallone's Councilmanic and law office, as well as his name on the City's green garbage cans, taking credit for them.

Bronx state senator Ruben Diaz pere sent out pictures of buses stuck in the snow, noting that none including Mayor Mike Bloomberg had suggested they put chains over their tires.

Those impacted include, for example, a young worker at the A-Wah restaurant on Catherine Street in Chinatown, unable take the subway home to Sunset Park in Brooklyn and so sleeping in the store. The Beijing duck sandwiches and salt chicken are good, but so is a good night's sleep.

There will be a continued blame game until and even after the snow melts. Watch this site.

With UN Under Fire on 3 Continents, Vacation for Ban Ki-moon's Spokesmen

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, December 28 -- With the UN under fire on at least three continents in Cote d'Ivoire, Sudan, Haiti and Sri Lanka, Ban Ki-moon's spokesman's office appears to have taken a vacation.

On December 26 and 27, Inner City Press submitted questions about mercenaries and communications in Cote d'Ivoire, promised UN visits to Sri Lanka, and the killing of civilians in Darfur.

While these questions could easily have been answered by e-mail, the first day UN acting Deputy Spokesman Farhan Haq provided only a five word answer: “UNHQ is closed on Monday.”

Did that mean there is no support for example for the UN Mission in Ivory Coast, or that no questions could be answered?

Inner City Press re-submitted questions on the evening of December 27, for a deadline of 12:30 pm on December 28. Haq had already announced that UN noon press briefings would be canceled, allegedly because UN correspondents this week wanted less access to information.

But Haq said that Ban's main spokesman Martin Nesirky would be back and answering questions.

The December 28 deadline came and went without even an acknowledgment that these questions were received:

What does the UN / ONUCI know about, and what has it does about, the communications used by the Jeunes Patriotes in Cote d'Ivoire to coordinate the reported attacks?

Please state whether or not the UN / UNAMID have participated in any way in the inquiry into the Tabra / Tabarat killings of September 2010 reportedly being conducted by NCP-appointed special prosecutor for Darfur Abdel-Dayem Zumrawi. http://www.sudantribune.com/Pursuit-of-justice-in-Darfur,37410

Particularly in light of Ban Ki-moon's recent sejour in Cambodia, what if anything has the UN done about “On December 17, Seng Kunnaka, a Cambodian employee with the United Nations World Food Program in Phnom Penh, was arrested on charges of incitement under article 495 of the new penal code after he shared an article with two co-workers. While the contents of the article are unclear, it was printed from KI-Media, a website that publishes news, commentaries, poetry, and cartoons that are sharply critical of the government, including a recent series of opinion pieces lambasting senior officials regarding a border dispute with Vietnam”? http://bikyamasr.com/wordpress/?p=23621

Please state what if anything the UN has done to seek accountability for the killing of Charlotte Wilson and 20 other people traveling on Titanic Express bus in Burundi in 2000. http://www.amnesty.org.uk/news_details.asp?NewsID=19158

Haq had left questions about Haiti, Somalia and other hotspots unanswered before he left, setting an auto-responding e-mail to say he would not return until January 4. Where was Nesirky?

A close member of Ban Ki-moon's team meanwhile wrote to wish Merry Christmas. The questions were put to him to, to try to get some answers. So far, none. And so it goes in Ban's UN.

Footnote: while it is often argued, not least by South Korea's Mission to the UN, that Ban Ki-moon works hard, the unprofessional lack of response and accountability by his two lead spokesman speaks volumes. Watch this site.