Burundi's UN Rep Calls UN 2015 Part of “Axis of Evil,” ICP Asks Spox Who Denies, Dodges

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, February 27 -- How little does today's UN care about Burundi? They dodge and ignore questions - and, it seems, cover up famine. Still, new Secretary General Antonio Guterres in a delayed February 23 report says, of Pierre Nkurunziza, "an attempt by the president to seek a fourth term in office under the current circumstances would risk intensifying the crisis and undermining collective efforts to find a sustainable solution." But is Guterres' holdover spokesman Stephane Dujarric listening? He wouldn't even say where Guterres is, click here for that. (Portugal, he said when Inner City Press asked again February 27).

 Now Burundi's Ambassador to the UN Albert Shingiro, hitting back at even the use of the term "four term," has tweeted: "With the intention of destabilizing #Burundi in 20 the same axis of evil that failed regime change in15,invents another magic word'4th term'."

  On February 27, Inner City Press asked UN Spokesman Dujarric about this quote, and for a second time about the UN training Burundi security forces in CAR on drone usage. Dujarric said he didn't think of the UN as in an axis of evil. He didn't answer on the fourth term, word invention, or the UN providing drone training. We'll have more on this.

   Pressed, Shingiro has said he wasn't called Antonio Guterres part of an Axis of Evil, since he wasn't UN Secretary General in 2015. But could hapless, corruption plagued Ban Ki-moon be a part? More like the Axis of Mediocrity. 

 And did Guterres really "invent" fourth term as a "magic word"? Or wouldn't a Pierre Nkurunziza run for election in 2020 be a run for a fourth term? How will the UN react to this? For now, Guterres spokesman Dujarric - who has previously been the face not only for AoE Ban Ki-moon but also Kofi Annan before that - won't answer the most basic question. Dujarric too is a fourth term man. We'll have more on this -- and this, that Shingiro previously outed his own second Twitter account by tweeting a photo with the UN's evicter in chief Cristina Gallach, here. Axis of Evil, indeed.

 Now the UN is training the Burundi security forces in how to use drones; Army spokesman Gaspard Baratuza -- himself repatriated from the UN Mission in the Central African Republic after Inner City Press questions (credited on AllAfrica.com here) bragged about it and refused to answer about Burundi's use of drones. 

  So Inner City Press on February 24 asked UN Spokesman Stephane Dujarric why Herve Ladsous' UN is training this already problematic Burundi contingent in the use of drones. Video here from 25:50. Dujarric didn't substantively respond to that question and on Inner City Press next question about Ladsous, Dujarric ran off the podium and out of the room. UN DPI under Cristina Gallach produced a video with the audio of the question cut, see here at end. This is today's UN.

  Not only Gallach, who is now set to be out on March 31, but Dujarric who is trying to hold on while refusing to answer questions, ill-serve new Secretary General Antonio Gutteres, who in a delayed reported sent to the UN Security Council on February 23 says of Nkurunziza "an attempt by the president to seek a fourth term in office under the current circumstances would risk intensifying the crisis and undermining collective efforts to find a sustainable solution."

  Likewise an attempt by Dujarric, who has become increasing abusive in defending corruption under Ban Ki-moon, to stay on will undermine the UN. Watch this site.

 On the morning of February 22, Inner City Press submitted questions including about Burundi to UN holdover spokesman Stephane Dujarric who had canceled the day's noon briefing.

  More than two hours later, having no response at all, Inner City Press posed a (UN cover up of) Burundi famine question to new Secretary General Antonio Guterres, adding audibly that his spokesman Dujarric is not answering basic Press questions. Video here; compare to footage of UNTV of Cristina Gallach, which at end cuts audio as Inner City Press is asking Guterres about UN leak on famine in Burundi.

 On February 23, Inner City Press at the noon briefing asked Dujarric about Burundi, video here, UN transcript here.

   The UN email lists famine in Kirundu Muyinga, Cankuzo and Ruyigi in Burundi.

  The UN is belatedly repatriating Burundi military figure Budigi from its Peacekeeping mission in the Central African Republic, after Inner City Press twice asked the UN why it deployed a person who burned down Radio Publique Africaine.

  The first time Inner City Press asked, the UN didn't even transcribe Budigi's name. So Inner City Press asked again. When the UN Spokesperson's office finally had an answer, it did not email it to Inner City Press, but rather waited to read it out at the February 21 noon briefing.

 Inner City Press then asked UN deputy spokesman Farhan Haq why Budigi wasn't caught in what the UN claims its its routine first screening. Video here. This has not been explained. Watch this site.

  When self-styled Burundi facilitator William Mkapa drew up a list of participants, he allowed Pierre Nkunrunziza to in essence choose his interlocutors, making their participation contingent on Nkurunziza granting them provisional immunity. 

  This and Burundi's request to Tanzania to have opponents arrested should be raised in the February 23 UN Security Council meeting about Burundi. But it will be behind closed doors, and penholder France's constant quote when Inner City Press asks is the vague "we never give up."

  In Burundi, government electricity and water authority (Regideso) employee Lydia Nibogora was murdered and dumped. Sources Inner city Press has come to trust say it is because she blew the whistle on corruption. There should be an investigation, but where is the UN? We'll have more on this.

Inner City Press on February 17 asked, video here, UN transcript here.

Inner City Press on February 16 asked, UN transcript here: 

Inner City Press: the Government itself has said it's not going to participate.  So I wanted to know if you have any kind of update to what you said yesterday.  And, also, a Burundian minister has visited refugees in Uganda.  This has given rise to protests, because there's a sense that… that, by visiting people that fled the country in fear of their lives, there's essentially a threat to them to be repatriated or refouled back to Burundi.  I wanted to know if the UN has a view on that.   And, finally, I'd asked some weeks ago about a guy called Budigi, a Burundian military figure that was involved in the burning down of Radio Publique Africaine.  And it's, again, reported by Radio Publique Africaine that this Nicolas Budigi is part of UN CAR, the UN Mission in Central African Republic.   And so Stéphane had said he'd look into it.  I wanted to know, have you found out that this… whether or not… can you confirm that the guy is there?  And, if not, what does it say about the vetting that's being conducted by DPKO (Department of Peacekeeping Operations)?

Deputy Spokesman:  Yes, our peacekeeping colleagues have been looking into this matter.  I think they're trying to gather details on this now.  Once we have that, we'll let you know.  Regarding the participation by the parties in the Arusha talks, we do regret the decision by any invited participant to decline attendance of the consultations to be held in Arusha under the auspices of the East African Community (EAC) and facilitated by former Tanzanian President Benjamin Mkapa.  We urge the parties to demonstrate the necessary flexibility to make a negotiated solution possible, and the UN will continue to support the process led by the EAC.

  On February 14, after Inner City Press asked a second time (and about the constitution, here), the UN sent Inner City Press this response, which we publish in full: "Special Adviser Benomar is in Arusha at the invitation of the Facilitator, former President Benjamin Mkapa, to support his efforts. The Facilitator has invited both the government and opposition and offered assurances to those members of the opposition who are on a Burundian Government arrest warrant list that they will not face arrest or extradition while in Tanzania."

  Meanwhile, an Nkurunziza minister is "visiting" refugees who fled Nkurunziza into Uganda, giving rise to protests.

 Inner City Press first asked the UN's deputy spokesman Farhan Haq on February 13 how the UN can support this. With the answer UNclear, and just before Haq called Inner City Press an obsessive a*hole, Inner City Press asked him, from the UN transcript: 

Inner City Press:  The other thing I wanted to ask about was on the Burundi talks is, you'd said yesterday that the UN is doing everything possible to make sure they're inclusive and that there shouldn't be preconditions.  And I wanted to get your response now.  The ruling party, CNDD-FDD, has said, quote, we are not going to sit with people who are under arrest warrants.  So this means that the peop… that… that exactly what you were saying yesterday you're opposed to will take place in these talks.  And I wanted to know, will Mr. [Jamal] Benomar nonetheless attend?  Will there still be UN funds to support a process in which large parts of the opposition are not allowed to participate?

Deputy Spokesman:  We'll check with Mr. Benomar what his intentions are on that.

From the February 14 UN's transcript:

Inner City Press: In Burundi, the talks that are re-beginning, there's a list out of the participants, but it says at the bottom of the lists that the… the opposition's attendance is contingent on discussions with Pierre Nkurunziza to grant conditional immunity.  Since the UN is supporting this process, is it really a process if one side gets to choose who from the other side can attend?  What is the role of the UN in ensuring inclusivity of the talks?

Deputy Spokesman:  We have stressed and will continue to stress the need for all talks to be inclusive.  And we want, therefore, all people to be able to participate in a manner that is not conditional.

Inner City Press:  But, what is… I mean, conditioned on immunity.  This is a letter… this is a document from Mr. [Benjamin] Mkapa, and he seems to be accepting that Pierre Nkurunziza can choose who can attend.

Deputy Spokesman:  We're in touch with the parties, and we're doing what we can to ensure that talks will be as inclusive as possible.

  So what is the UN doing?

  On top of Mkapa's attempt to up his pay to $1500 a day, and inclusion in his team of a person named in a previous UN sanctions report for DR Congo, there are more and more questions about this facilitation. But the UN, which "supports" it, won't even disclose the delay and blocking of its visas. 

  Herve Ladsous, the fourth French national in a row to run UN Peacekeeping, overrode recommendations and continues to pay the Nkurunziza government for Burundian peacekeepers accused of 25 rapes in the Central African Republic. This is calling out for action and cuts, and a re-thinking of how and by whom UN Peacekeeping should be run. Watch this site.

While the UN claims, even now, that it vets the peacekeepers it deploys before it deploys them, it has already had to repatriate a number, from Burundi. On January 24 Inner City Press asked about another, but the UN in its transcript didn't even take down the name. Video here,UN transcript here and below.

   At the confirmation hearing for Nikki Haley, nominee as US Ambassador to the UN, on January 18 Haley three times said that countries whose peacekeepers abuse should not keep getting paid.

  Inner City Press asked the UN and UK about this, with the example of the UN having chosen to keep paying Burundi for 800 troops even after the UN's own inquiry charged 25 rapes by Burundian soldiers in the Central African Republic.

  UK Ambassador Matthew Rycroft signaled agreement, that sexual abuse by peacekeepers should be met by repatriation. Tweeted video here. But simply to be replaced by troops from the same country, to get paid? 

(During Rycroft's answer, there was a smirk at the mention of Burundi, from US state media that's had John Kerry on its Board - perhaps aflashback to Liberians, here. We may have more on this.)
 UN deputy spokesman Farhan Haq called it a "case by case" decision, tweeted video here. But who decided it, and why?

As Burundi "facilitator" William Mkapa reconvened talks, the attendees list obtained by Inner City Press shows not only Ken Vitisia, of whom we're previously written, but also Francis Mnodolwa.

   Inner City Press previously on December 29 asked the UN's holdover spokesman Stephane Dujarric to comment on the inclusion of an individual listed in the November 2009 DR Congo sanctions Group of Experts report, without answer. (Dujarric answered only two and a half of the 22 questions Inner City Press submitted: and those only to defend Ban Ki-moon and himself.)

  Now, from Paragraph 74 of that report:

"The Group has been informed by several sources, including a source close to Mr. Ndagundi, that he has close links to the ruling Counseil national pour la défense de la démocratie-forces pour la défense de la démocratie (CNDD-FDD) party in
Burundi.. Mr. Ndagundi.s Burundian telephone records also show 27 communications from April to September 2009 between himself and the number used by Francis Ndoluwa, the ambassador of the United Republic of Tanzania to Burundi, a former general in the Tanzanian military. A source close to Mr. Ndagundi informed the Group that he works closely with the Ambassador."

  So there is yet another of Mkapa's team that is close to the CNDD-FDD. 

On January 16, Inner City Press asked the UN's deputy spokesman Farhaq Haq, video here, UN Transcript here.

  On January 11, long after the UN Security Council ostensibly mandated the deployment to Burundi of 228 UN Police, no progress had been made. Inner City Press asked UN Spokesman Stephane Dujarric, UN transcript here: 

Inner City Press: Has there been any progress in deploying the 226 police that the Security Council also mandated for Burundi to Burundi?  Do you have any update on that?

Spokesman:  No.  None that I can report.  Go ahead.  Last one.

   While corpses are found in Burundi and the government blocks the deployment of both the UN Police and UN Conflict Prevention staff ostensibly called for by the UN Secretariat and Security Council, the government's supporters try to side with either UN censors like Under Secretary General Cristina Gallach, who evicted and restricts the Press which reports on Burundi, or more generally UN staff. 

It is more than a little ironic. UN staff are being PNG-ed and having visas denied from Burundi.

   While the UN says little and does nothing about this, they made a point of ordering Inner City Press to stop broadcasting on Periscope, with voice-over, a Town Hall meeting with new Secretary General Antonio Guterres, which was on the UN's public UN Webcast website. And the government supporters, saying Inner City Press entered the meeting (it didn't) and picking up on the anti-Press maze Cristina Gallach of Spain and DPI has created, piled on. The UN of Gallach has brought this on; this is how the UN is perceived and to this has it sunk.

   There is also a strange announcement of a 500 Euros loan being arranged from a shadowy, seemingly dormant company “Biz Planners.” We'll have more on this.
 Benjamin Mkapa as Burundi mediator has kept his mind on his money, and his money on his mind, even as amid assissination of minister, closing down of NGOs. Well placed sources exclusively teold Inner City Press that Mkapa demanded a raise -- up to $1500 a day -- and was rejected.

Mkapa then took his demand to the East African Community heads of state. Will he get the payday? By declaring Pierre Nkurunziza legitimate because Ambassadors still present their credential to him, Mkapa is working for the money. But $1500 a day?

   There are other of his advisers gunning for up to $500 a day, including one who is said to have previously help arm CNDD-FDD related groups. Yes, we'll have more on this.

On January 4, Inner City Press asked about the Security Council's (lack of) Follow through on Burundi, to Ambassador Delattre of France, the "penholder" on Burundi. Tweeted video here.

More here.

From Western Sahara, ICP Asks If UN Reassigned Shen, Since Spox Refuses Answers, Read-outs

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, February 27 – Morocco's King Mohammed VI spoke to UN Secretary General on February 24, his media reported, while Guterres' spokeman Stephane Dujarric ran out of the UN Press Briefing Room as Inner City Press asked him about a leaked letter to the UN staff ousted from Western Sahara by Morocco. 

 On February 27, Inner City Press asked Dujarric again about the letter and to state any reassignments of MINURSO staff members ousted by Morocco. Dujarric has refused to answer that, so Inner City Press asked based on its sources if MINURSO's (former?) Deputy Chief Security officer Lihong Shen has been reassigned to South Sudan.

  Dujarric, as is his strategy, then said archly he doesn't have access to personnel files. But he said he was unaware of any reassignments - seemingly, a cover up. And do it goes.

  Inner City Press asked Dujarric why, until previously at the UN, the call with Morocco's King was not disclosed or read-out, nor the in person meeting with Polisario. Dujarric called it delicate diplomacy. If these were done these days in Washington, the media would scream. We'll have more on this.

  On February 24, Polisario's representative at the UN met Guterres, he tells Inner City Press. But why wasn't it on Guterres' public schedule? And why no read-out of the call? Polisario has issued this statement, Google-translated:

"The Frente POLISARIO shares the concerns of the UN Secretary-General on the current situation in the region Elgargarat in Western Sahara and supports its call for respect for the spirit and letter of the cease-fire in effect since 1991 as part of the implementation of the UN-OAU settlement plan whose outcome remains the holding of a self-determination referendum for the people of Western Sahara.

However the Frente POLISARIO wishes to reiterate that the situation Elgaragarat is not an isolated one and therefore a consideration of the status of the Western Sahara decolonization process as a whole is able to allow exceeding the voltage current. At the time of establishment of the cease-fire, there were no roads, no commercial traffic between the wall of the Moroccan occupation and the Mauritanian border. The existence of such trafficking today is a violation of the status of the Territory and the cease-fire because it is a change of the status quo in the buffer zone.

Moroccan decision today to roll back, a few hundred meters, his troops near Elgargarat is window dressing and not hide contempt for international legality Rabat, obstinacy and refusal for almost three decades, to allow the implementation of Council resolutions security and the General Assembly on Western Sahara.
The current situation and everything that can result is the sole responsibility of Morocco that prevents the implementation of the settlement plan, refuses negotiation, hampering efforts of the Personal Envoy, expelled at will the staff of MINURSO with impunity violate human rights and plunders natural resources of the Territory.

The Frente POLISARIO reiterated its support for the efforts of the Secretary-General and his Personal Envoy for the implementation of UN resolutions enshrining the inalienable right of the Saharawi people to self-determination and independence."

And here's Morocco's response by its state media MAP, albeit behind a paywall, here.

   Inner City Press' February 24 question to Dujarric and his deputy including about where Guterres is have gone unanswered. What is wrong with today's UN?

   Even after Morocco threw portions of the UN Peacekeeping mission out of Western Sahara, when the UN Security Council met on the topic on February 22 it was not listed on their agenda and afterward the President of Council told Inner City Press he couldn't remember how many of the Morocco-ousted staff were still banned from Western Sahara. Video here.

  After the UN's holdover spokesman Stephane Dujarric who refuses to answer Inner City Press' written questions has claimed he is unaware of any of the ousted staff being reassigned to other UN missions, on UNTV on February 23, Inner City Press on the morning of February 24 exclusively publishedi a letter from the UN's Herve Ladsous, that the UN "will contact these staff members and discuss a way forward in the coming weeks." Letter published by Inner City Press on Scribd here.

  But when at the UN's February 24 noon briefing Inner City Press began asking "Spokesman" Dujarric about the letter, he immediately ran off the podium and out of the briefing room (after this). And UN DPI under Cristina Gallach produced a video file where the audio cuts off in the middle of the Western Sahara file. See here, at end. Both should leave; March 31 is too long.

On Western Sahara, ICP Publishes Ladsous on Ousted Staff, Here, Spox UNaware of Reassignment by Matthew Russell Lee on Scribd

Permanent member France has ensured it remain this way, and has managed to get its fifth national in a row put atop UN Peacekeeping, to succeed Herve Ladsous who again and again told Inner City Press, I don't answer your questions, until it was evicted from its office and remains restricted by Spain's Cristina Gallach. Last week Inner City Press asked what to expect from Antonio Guterres, see below. 

 On the afternoon of February 22, with Western Sahara on the Security Council's agenda, Inner City Press asked French Ambassador Francois Delattre how many of the ousted UN staff are still out, and about the meeting. He said to Ask his colleague, who would attended, joking "cheap shot." Video here.

 At the Security Council stakeout, at least four Moroccan diplomats held vigil, including the sponsor of UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights' Eric Tistounet's book party. 

After cover up man Herve Ladsous left, it was said the President of the Council would speak at the stakeout.  When he did, Inner City Press asked for a summary, at least how many of the ousted UN staff had returned. I don't remember, was the answer. Video here.

  So on February 23, Inner City Press asked UN Spokesman Stephane Dujarric how many have (not) returned, and if any have been reassigned to other UN missions. From the UN transcript:

Inner City Press: yesterday, after the consultations in the Council about MINURSO (United Nations Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara), I asked the President of the Council if Mr. [Hervé] Ladsous had provided a number of the staff that had yet… had been ousted that had yet to be returned.  And he said, yes, a number had been provided.  He didn't say that he could remember the number, but I'm assuming that you can remember the number.  How many are still out?

Spokesman:  Well, I don't have to remember it because I have it written down in front of me, which is very good.  I can tell… I know there have been a lot… a number of questions about the level of the mission in Western Sahara.  We're obviously continuing our efforts to restore full functionality to the UN Mission, to MINURSO.  At this time, there remains 17 staff who have been unable to rejoin the mission after requested… being requested to depart by Morocco, and efforts continue to enable their return.  The Department of Peacekeeping Operations (DPKO) and MINURSO remain in close touch with staff members concerned in order to keep them informed of the current situation.

Inner City Press:  One follow-up.  I've heard that some of these people have been assigned to other missions.  Is that the case?  And, if so, does it kind of acknowledge--

Spokesman:  I'm not aware of those people having been reassigned to another mission. 

  We'll have more on this. 

Back on February 16 at a rare panel discussion on Western Sahara just off Manhattan's Park Avenue, a questioner brought the proceedings to a halt when he asked about Trump adviser Steve Bannon working in MINURSO.  Several audience members - on both sides, as it turned out - asked, Why? From the podium came the answer that the reference was to John Bolton. The Q&A continued.

  Inner City Press asked about Antonio Guterres, who recently gave the top position in UN Peacekeeping to yet another French official, Jean-Pierre Lacroix the fifth in a row, and what his views may be on Western Sahara.

  Amy Goodman of Democracy Now responded that as a former Portuguese prime minister Guterres should remember, and be asked about, East Timor. Video here, from Min 1:30:26. Consider it an assignment.

 The event was at Hunter College's Roosevelt House and included Prof Sandra Babcock, lawyer Katlyn Thomas, Madeleine Bair of Watching Western Sahara and Mohammed Ali Arkoukoum of the Saharawi Association in New York. The final questioner, with a pro-Morocco perspective and some supporters with filming phones, came in from Boston.

  Back on January 27 after the UN Security Council held a closed door meeting about Western Sahara, Inner City Press asked the Council's President for January Olof Skoog of Sweden what happened in the meeting. Video here.

  Specifically, Inner City Press asked Skoog how many of the 83 members of the MINURSO peacekeeping mission expelled by Morocco have be able to return.

 Skoog did not give a number, but said that MINURSO is still no up to full functionality. He mentioned Guerguerat.

  Inner City Press asked if Morocco's attempts to join the African Union, and the impact that might have on the political negotiations, had been discussed. Skoog said no.

  There was no time to ask about the Norwegian oil fish ship that, it seems, violated the recent European court ruling. And less than two hours later, guards citing the eviction / Press downgrading order of Spanish UN official Cristina Gallach demanded to know where Inner City Press' "minder" was, putting an end to a diplomat's provision of information to Inner City Press. This is today's UN.

Exclusive: UN Cyprus CFO Who Got Cypriot Citizenship Was Long Ago Outed to UN Big Wigs, Failure

By Matthew Russell Lee, Exclusive

UNITED NATIONS, February 26 – Amid delay of the UN's Cyprus talks, Inner City Press on February 21 asked about the delay and the case of the "Chief Financial Officer of UNFICYP [United Nations Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus who] has been recently granted citizenship of Cyprus.... is there any policy on host countries of peacekeeping missions giving citizenship to internationals that are based there?"

   UN Deputy Spokesman Farhan Haq replied, "I'm not aware of someone from UNFICYP taking Cypriot nationality, but I'll check on that."

  Five days later, after UN lead spokesman Stephane Dujarric on February 24 ran out of the UN Press Briefing Room as Inner City Press asked about UN Peacekeeping (and thelack of UN due process for journalists) and declined written questions after that, we have this exclusive report.

  The CFO of UNFICYP is named Husein Moussa. Complaints about his have been lodged against him since at latest May 2016 in e-mails and attachments UN Under Secretary Generals Atul Khare, Jeffrey Feltman and Herve Ladsous, among others. Inner City Press is exclusively publishing the contents of a May 6, 2016 email leaked to it, here, and a series of attachments about Husein's Moussa's lack of academic verification, here.

  Beyond violating the Status of Forces Agreement between the UN and Cyprus by obtaining Cypriot citizenship, Moussa is charged in the May 2016 email with using UN vehicles after-hours and a variety of other irregularities: "Husein Moussa, the Chief Finance and Budget Officer, continuously and freely used the UN owned vehicle throughout his assignment to UNFICYP, i.e., since 2002." (So much for Ban Ki-moon's supposed mobility policy.) 

  Also that "Husein Moussa had mentioned to a friend of his that the information about his university degree he had provided in his PHP was not true... If the brushing of this case under the carpets continues, I will refer the details to the international media for another UN scandal they will publish with great pleasure."

  Now that this has happened, and the UN's two holdover spokesmen have refused to provide basic answers and even run out of the briefing room and ignore written questions, it has become an issue in the Cyprus talks, one of the few possibly fruitful UN diplomatic efforts in the past decade. Corruption and scapegoating makes today's UN even less able to be fit for purpose. We'll have more on this.

From the UN's February 21, 2017 transcript:

Inner City Press: I wanted to ask you on Cyprus a general question and then something very specific.  One is, where does it stand on the talks?  As of at least the last reporting, it may not restart because of the request by the Turkish Cypriots that the Cyprus President denounce this new law or get it repealed.  So, want just an update on that.  And the other one has to do with it's a very specific story in the press there that the Chief Financial Officer of UNFICYP [United Nations Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus] has been recently granted citizenship of Cyprus.  And so the Turkish Cypriot side finds that strange and says, I guess he's an international civil servant but what explains, is there any policy on… on host countries of peacekeeping missions giving citizenship to internationals that are based there?  Thanks.

Deputy Spokesman:  Well, I'd have to check about that.  I'm not aware of someone taking… from UNFICYP taking Cypriot nationality, but I'll check on that.  Regarding your initial question, our envoy, Espen Barth Eide, did meet with the parties late last week to continue discussions in terms of finding a way to bring them back together for talks.  We don't have any new date for talks between the leaders to announce at this point.

   Then no answers, UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric running out of the briefing room amid Inner City Press questions and refusing its written questions since, while continuing the restrictions on Inner City Press' journalistic access at the UN imposed in early 2016. UNfailing.

As YouTube Hinders Publication of UN Q&As, Censorship by Google Algorithm, UNappealable

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, February 26 – With the large social media platforms like Google and Facebook vowing to use algorithms to prevent terrorist recruitment and for other purposes, the crudeness of results, intended or not, has come to the fore. Like many independent media, Inner City Press publishes its coverage and associated commentary not only on its website but on a number of third party platforms like YouTube,Twitter, Facebook, Scribd and SoundCloud. YouTube is owned by Google, and like its parent allows publishes to monetize their material with advertisements.

But do YouTube and Google behind it engage in censorship? This week, as Inner City Press ramps up its fight against the eviction of its shared office in the United Nations while asking questions about UN corruption and incompetence, including in Yemen and Syria, it has received a series of e-mails from YouTube that its videos on these topics "cannot be monetized" with advertisements.

   The emails said “We didn't approve your video(s) for monetization because the content in your video(s) or video details may not be advertiser-friendly.... Controversial or sensitive subjects and events, including subjects related to war, political conflicts, natural disasters and tragedies, even if graphic imagery is not shown... We depend on our user community to flag inappropriate videos to us for our review.”

  Even after appeal, videos whose titles including the word "Nusra" for example are deemed ineligible for monetization.

  But they are video of questions and answers (sometimes) at the UN, of protests in the streets of New York, etc. Inner City Press has written,  to Monetization then to Press [at] YouTube.com:

“The videos you are saying are “not advertiser-friendly” are videos of media questions and answers with United Nations spokespeople and diplomats. They are news. The message sent yesterday and today said “you can request an additional review below” - this is a request for review. Look at the videos: they are Q&As in the UN Press Briefing Room.

This is also a request to be informed if it was any complaint to YouTube / Google which triggered this denial of monetization, and if so if it came from the UN or any[one else.]
I note that Reuters, got one of its anti-Press emails to the UN banned from Google Search with a frivolous DMCA filing: https://www.chillingeffects.org/notices/1457339#now [HRW] https://lumendatabase.org/notices/1457339#

Please confirm receipt and review the above and restore monetization, answering the question. Google and YouTube should not be involved in any form of censorship, including the denial of monetization of news footage."

   Now on February 26, YouTube has sent this: 

"Hi Inner City Press, After reviewing your video, we’ve confirmed that the content in your video or video details aren’t advertiser-friendly. As a result, your video can’t be monetized.

"In Golan After UN Peacekeepers Hand Over Guns to Nusra, UN Won't Say If Ladsous Ordered It"

YouTube reserves the right to make the final decision about video monetization."

  So, like at the UN on unilateral decisions to target, evict and restrict particular media, and like some decisions by Twitter to which we will next turn, there is no appeal. (UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric, who has bragged about the UN's "use" of YouTube, ran out when Inner City Press asked about this, here.) This is UNacceptable. We'll have more on this.

Samantha Power Uses Churkin Obituary To Promote Herself, Shakespeare in the Park

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, February 26 – Samantha Power today uses the death of Vitaly Churkin to (try to) show what an open minded person she is. It comes a month after she and her portrait - it has not been replaced - left the US Mission to the UN, and six weeks after she said the indictments of Ban Ki-moon's brother and nephew for using the UN to sell real estate "have nothing to do with the UN." (Power also scoffed at the UN bringing cholera to Haiti.)

   Power writes that she is saddened -- that she was criticized for crocodile tears, calling Churkin a "deeply caring man" after having demanded publicly if he wasn't even "a little bit creeped out" by the type of killing of children she said nothing about in Yemen.

  Power quotes what Susan Rice told her, fine; she recounts a Churkin e-mail, apparently to show how she worked him. She tells stories apparently to show "deep caring," not by Churkin but by herself, taking Ambassadors to Shakespeare in the Park and Churkin to her parents house in Yonkers. Oh the humanity!

  There are those in the UN who liked Samantha Power for what they think she stood for. By the same token, Power and the Obama administration were unrelentingly defenders of the UN for what they said it stood for. But were either right?

  On January 13 Samantha Power took up the UN Press Briefing Room for more than an hour to extol her and Obama's virtues. Her outgoing spokesman called early on two US Voice of America affiliates. 

 Between questions, Inner City Press asked, What about the indictment of Ban Ki-moon's brother and nephew? Tweeted video here.

  Power looked over and said, “I don't have any comment. It's not something that involves the UN.” 

  Well, no. The indictment by the US Attorney's Office says Ban's nephew repeatedly cited his family's access to the Amir of Qatar to help selling a building in Vietnam. Ban knew of this for at least a year and a half. Any UN OIOS investigation? But Samantha Power was never about reforming the UN.

   Inner City Press asked, What about Haiti cholera? Power smirked / shrugged, and her spokesman moved on. So the UN bringing cholera to Haiti and killing 10,000 people, not paying a penny - that "is not something that involves the UN?" We'll have more on this.

   When the UN killed 10,000 plus people in Haiti by bringing cholera, what did the Obama administration do? The issue wasn't even mentioned in Power's 8000 plus word Exit Memo. Nor was Burundi or Yemen, where US-made cluster bombs have been dropped on schools and hospitals. A problem from hell, indeed.

   Power and her Deputy Permanent Representative for Management and Reform Isobel Coleman have said nothing about the indictment for bribery of Ban Ki-moon's brother and nephew for using the UN, nor about the John Ashe / Ng Lap Seng UN briefing case about to come to trial. 

They did nothing when  the Press which asked the UN about this corruption was thrown in the street and remains restricted still today, ten months later, despite a request from the Government Accountability Project.
  Specifically, Power, Coleman and the Mission / Administration did nothing when Ban and his holdover head of communications Cristina Gallach had investigative Inner City Press thrown out onto First Avenue. They were asked in writing (by the Government Accountability Project), at the UNSC stakeout (Power) and in Washington (Kirby). Nothing. The UN is trying to give its office to an Egyptian state media which rarely comes in, never asks questions.

   The failure to reform during a UN-sympathetic Administration in Washington will make the coming scrutiny all the more painful. Call it a Problem From Hell.

 When the UN Security Council members met about South Sudan on December 15, the best they could do was extend the mandate of the UNMISS mission for a single day. Even then, there was already news of UNMISS having given arms to warlord, or “rebel general,” James Koang.

 Inner City Press asked US Ambassador Samantha Power about this on December 16 and she said she hadn't read it. On December 19, even while fielding a pre-picked question on South Sudan, Power still refused to answer. Video here.

 We'll have more on this.

In South Sudan, UN Gives China Its Own Base ForOil Deals With Kiir, Civilians UNprotected

By Matthew Russell Lee, Exclusive

UNITED NATIONS, February 25 – Alongside much vague hand-wringing at the UN about South Sudan, downplayed is the failure of the organization and the Obama administration on the country. Not only is their famine - it is an open secret, now reported by Inner City Press, that much of the UN Peacekeeping mission is so close to the Salva Kiir government that it cannot be counted on to protect non-Dinka civilians.

  For now let us consider the Chinese contingent, with the own base, partially outed for failing to protect civilians last summer in July. It was not a mistake: multiple sources tell Inner City Press that the goal here is economic relations with the Kiir government, for oil. Should the UN be used this way?

  The issue is soon to be raised directly to US Senate Foreign Relations Committee chairman Bob Corker, and to whomever in the new Administration can be reached. While the 40%  UN budget cut draft Executive Order was delayed, how can this administration accept a US mission used by China for economic purposes? We'll have more on this.

  With the UN speaking more about South Sudan, including a four-speaker press conference on February 22 manipulated by holdover spokesman Stephane Dujarric, its reflexive covering up for the Salva Kiir government continues. Inner City Press has been sent, by outraged whistleblowing UN staff, the following internal directive, which pretends that those robbing UN staff are NOT in fact with the government. Finding no answers from "spokesman" Dujarric even to questions on which he has been given an if-asked answer by those above him in the UN system, we publish it in full.

"Ref: 025/SB/02/23/2017 It has come to the attention of UN Security that criminals in civil clothes operating in pairs or individually and purporting to be personnel of Host Government National Security are operating around prominent supermarkets/stores in Juba and targeting UN/INGO personnel for harassment and robbery. These individuals accost unsuspecting staff members coming out of the supermarket and flash identification cards as personnel of National Security. They immediately accuse staff members of having gone to change money inside the supermarket and seek to search the pockets of staff members to determine if any currency exchange has been made or not. It is their assessment that staff members with more than 5000 SSP must have changed money. Reports received indicate that this scenario is continuously playing out and staff members are falling victims to these criminals.

The following advisory are recommended to ensure the safety and security of staff:

Do not carry large sums of money on you whilst moving in town. Staff members should not agree to be subjected to bodily search except when their lives are in danger.   Park UN vehicles at designated car park inside the supermarket if one is available. Staff members should avoid the temptation of changing money in supermarkets as some of these venders may be collaborating with the criminals. As much as possible avoid driving alone in town. Staff members driving alone are more vulnerable targets. Always remember to drive with doors locked and windows closed. Never leave the car unless forced to do so. Do not display items (phones, laptop- bag, handbags etc) openly in your car. Put them on the floor, under the seat or preferable in the boot of vehicle.  Avoid argument and struggle with an armed robber. Report all security incidents, unusual happenings/activities, or events to the SIOC Duty Officer on 0922777765 or Juliet Sierra Base immediately and pass as much as possible information (who, where, when) to the duty officer."

   The UN system seems intent on covering up the disappearance of South South opposition figures in Kenya, where Ban Ki-moon made his own son in law Siddharth Chatterjee the UN Resident Coordinator.

 On February 7, Inner City Press asked Stephane Dujarric, Ban's old spokesman, still speaking for the UN, transcript here: 

Inner City Press: You talked about South Sudan, and I wanted to ask you, are aware of an order among the UN Humanitarian Air Service to basically try to discourage Kenyan nationals from going to any IO-controlled territory because of the capture of IO officials in Kenya?  [Cross talk]

Spokesman:  No...

  Dujarric referred to one of the UN agencies the transition process at which is entirely murky. So here now is the document leaked to Inner City Press, put on Scribd here.

UNHAS Document Leaked to Inner City Press Has UN Discouraging Kenyans' Travel to SPLA-I/O Areas in South Su... by Matthew Russell Lee on Scribd

  This comes at a time when the failures of Herve Ladsous' UNMISS are being raised, including in Washington, and is published in light of danger and the UN Spokesman refusing to answer questions. We'll have more on this.

On January 11 after South Sudan said that it will not, in fact, accept the 4,000 new peacekeepers for the Regional Protection Force, Inner City Press asked UK Ambassador Matthew Rycroft about it. Video here; UN transcript here:

Inner City Press: On South Sudan, the government say they’re not going to take the regional protection force. What do you think the Council can or should do?

Amb Rycroft: They committed earlier to accept the regional protection force. They are obliged to accept it, given Security Council decisions, and we call on them again to accept that regional protection force in the interest of longer term stability in South Sudan.
When the UN Security Council members met about South Sudan on December 15, the best they could do was extend the mandate of the UNMISS mission for a single day. Even then, there was already news of UNMISS having given arms to warlord, or “rebel general,” James Koang.

 Inner City Press asked US Ambassador Samantha Power about this on December 16 and she said she hadn't read it. On December 19, even while fielding a pre-picked question on South Sudan, Power still refused to answer.Video here.