Child Soldiers in Sudan and Myanmar, No UN Comment on Sri Lanka, LRA on Move

By Matthew Russell Lee
www.innercitypress.com/caac1sudmysri112709.html

UNITED NATIONS, November 27 -- In South Sudan, both local officials and humanitarian groups are calling for the UN Mission in Sudan to do more to protect civilians from the Lord's Resistance Army, UN child soldier expert Radhika Coomaraswamy told the Press on November 25. She also acknowledged that the government of Myanmar continues to recruit child into its "vast" army, while declining to comment on children and armed conflict issues in her native Sri Lanka.

While in Sudan, Ms. Coomaraswamy met with the governor of Western Equatoria after she met with humanitarian groups. The latter urged that UNMIS do more to protect civilians, and that the Security Council strengthen the Mission's mandate if that is the only way to make UNMIS take these actions. The governor echoed these concerns.

After her briefing, Inner City Press asked Ms. Coomaraswamy whether the governor or the NGOs raised this concern firm. She replied that the NGOs raised it to her, so she asked the governor.

Inner City Press asked about reports that the LRA is moving into South Darfur. Ms. Coomaraswamy said that the LRA is said to be "moving up the Central African Republic" to the border with South Darfur. Video here, from Minute 35:43. Since Ms. Coomaraswamy's November 25 briefing, the Justice and Equality Movement rebels have fired back, saying she did not visit their camps, click here for that.

Later in the briefing, on non-Sudan questions, Inner City Press asked about the Than Shwe government's continued recruitment of child soldiers in Myanmar, and about the just announced moves on internally displaced persons including children in Sri Lanka's internment camps.

Ms. Coomaraswamy replied, in a seeming partial defense of Myanmar, that the recruitment takes places at the "regional" level -- every place is in a region, isn't it? -- and that if the UN gets an action plan with the military junta, it will be allowed to verify. We'll see.

On Sri Lanka, on which Inner City Press posed questions to Ms. Coomaraswamy as Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Children and Armed Conflict, she replied that she has appointed Patrick Cammaert to go there from December 5 to 11, that he will hold a press briefing after that and answer all Sri Lanka questions. Video here, from Minute 46:57.

In the past, Ms. Coomaraswamy has at least proffered some answer to Sri Lanka questions. Ironically, by appointing Cammaert, she now defers all questions to him. But he is in UN Headquarters much less than she is. After the briefing, Inner City Press told Ms. Coomeraswamy that the test will be if Cammaert is as accessible, that is, able to be accessed, as she is. Again, we'll see after December 11. Watch this site.

Footnote: Inner City Press has asked UNICEF about a child soldier issue raised to it in Georgia, and has been promised an answer. While Ms. Coomaraswamy was not asked about it on November 25, one wonders how many issues are out there, from Yemen to the Philippines, and what her Office should do to make these known. Watch this site.

And see, www.innercitypress.com/caac1sudmysri112709.html

As UNHCR Pulls Back from Deal with Nestle, It Fudges on Future Bluewashing

By Matthew Russell Lee
www.innercitypress.com/unhcr4nestle112709.html

UNITED NATIONS, November 27 -- Two weeks ago, the UN's refugee agency told Inner City Press on the record that despite Nestle's alleged involvement in child labor in Cote d'Ivoire and abusive water practices, "we are in discussion with Nestle about cooperation on future projects that will help deliver clean water and support small scale farming initiatives for refugees."

Inner City Press published an article about this prospective "bluewashing," citing non governmental organizations which had made UNHCR aware of their concerns about Nestle record.

On November 22, UNHCR sent the NGOs two messages, first that "there is currently no plan for an agreement with Nestlé but we do not rule out the possibility in the future." Asked a follow up by the NGOs to confirm that no deal would be announced in late November, UNHCR's Sybelle Wilkes replied that "I can confirm that there is no agreement and no planned agreement."

Inner City Press asked Ms. Wilkes and Ms. Melissa Fleming, in light of her earlier in the month "we are in discussion with Nestle about cooperation," to confirm the last assurance to the NGOs, that there is "no planned agreement" between UNHCR and Nestle.

But Ms. Fleming said she was traveling, and Ms. Wilkes would not confirm her own earlier statement, instead stating "I'm writing to follow up on a question you sent to Melissa Fleming. I can confirm that there is no agreement with Nestle, but UNHCR does not rule out the possibility in the future." Why wouldn't she say for the record what she'd told the NGOs, that there is "no planned agreement"? Can UNHCR be trusted? Why stonewall? Why fudge?

In fact, UNHCR came under fire this month in the UN budget committee, for failing to provide documentation for many of its expenditures. There are many well meaning people working for UNHCR, but the way the agency is being run is not consistent.

And Nestle, under fire for its participating in the UN's CEO Water Mandate as well as UN Global Compact, has a history of paying money to try to make problems go away. Previously it demanded compensation from Ethiopia for a subsidiary nationalized decades ago, then tried to diminish the backlash with a donation to UNHCR. Watch this site.

And see, www.innercitypress.com/unhcr4nestle112709.html

As UN's Strategy Fails in Eastern Congo, No Accountability for Alan Doss or UK Mining Firm, "Enough Already"

By Matthew Russell Lee
www.innercitypress.com/doss7boot112609.html

UNITED NATIONS, November 26 -- On its enabling of rape and murder in the Congo, the UN is either in denial or doesn't care, close observers increasingly conclude. On November 25 the UN's Congo sanctions experts leaked their report which concludes among other things that the UN Mission in the Congo is adding to the humanitarian catastrophe in the Kivus and is a failure.

Long after news and extensive quotes from the report were disseminated all over the world, Inner City Press asked UN Associate Spokesman Farhan Haq for the response of Ban Ki-moon and his scandal plagued Congo envoy Alan Doss.

Haq replied that the report is not yet official and so there will be no comment. He went on to say that the UN will continue with the military operation Kimia II, even moving into an undefined "new phase" in December. Video here, from Minute 13:48.

Inner City Press asked a simple yes or no litmus test question: is MONUC still supporting the Congolese army unit led by Colonel Zimulinda, named by UN Special Rapporteur Philip Alston as responsible for murder and at least 10, but probably 40 or more, rapes?

Haq said he didn't know, but claimed that Alain Le Roy's -- and he emphasized, Alan Doss' -- November 1 unrelated suspension of assistance to some units of the 213th Brigade made it clear the UN's hands are clean, in essence. Apparently, after Alston's detailed report on Zimulinda, nothing has been done.

The Security Council had a meeting on November 25 about Congo Sanctions. But members said they did not discuss the report, only the "regime" of sanctions.

Sources tell Inner City Press that it is because the report accuses not only the UN Secretariat but also member states of complicity in death in Congo that the report is being delayed, and the experts saw fit to selectively leak it. Only at the UN.

Combined with Alan Doss' nepotism scandal and mis-management of MONUC, this report would an most credible organization lead to the dismissal or removal of the manager at issue.

But Alan Doss is British, and the UK is a Permanent Member of the Security Council. If the past is any guide, a new UK post of similar power would have to be arranged and even delivered before the clearly needed change at MONUC could be made.

Beyond the lack of accountability within the UN system, there is a lack of corporate responsibility. As highlighted, Malaysian Smelting Corporation and Thailand Smelting and Refining Company, which is part of the UK metals group AMC, are among the companies again identified by the Group of Experts as sourcing minerals from suppliers who have links with killers and rapists.

The report among other things concludes that the CNDP, even after purported integration into the Congolese army, still maintains a network which now uses the army and UN to take mines over from the FDLR. That is, the UN has allowed itself to get sucked into favoring one criminal enterprise over another, and the denying this to the world. The UN experts group cut through the veil, but are so far being ignored. Watch this site.

Footnote: Days after the coordinated leak of the report, U.S. television network CBS' 60 Minutes show of November 29 will show the Enough Project's John Prendergast in the DRC tracking conflict minerals, relating them to cell phones and mp3 players. While we intend to watch, one wonder why the Enough Project, not unlike its response to the mass killing in Sri Lanka, has been retiscent to make the needed criticism of the compromised leadership of the UN Mission MONUC. Even those who are supposed to bring accountability don't, for their own reasons. Watch this site.

And see, www.innercitypress.com/doss7boot112609.html

Venezuela Wants Colombia in UN Council Agenda, Unlike Honduras and Sri Lanka

By Matthew Russell Lee
www.innercitypress.com/unsc2colven112509.html

UNITED NATIONS, November 25 -- Venezuela has asked the UN Security Council to put Colombia on its agenda, in a seeming shift in Hugo Chavez' foreign policy.

Venezuela is among those countries often opposing UN intervention into "internal matters" of countries such as North Korea or Sudan. And while Venezuela's request sites seven U.S. bases in Colombia, Venezuela has recognized South Ossetia and Abkhazia as independent nations, despite them have large Russian military installations.

On November 25, Venezuelan Ambassador Jorge Valero strode into the Security Council to deliver a package of documents to this month's Council president, the Ambassador of Austria. Then he made a similar visit to the president of the General Assembly, Ali Treki. A Treki staffer told Inner City Press that while Venezuela has requested an appointment, they had not disclosed the topic.

Moments after visiting Treki, Ambassador Valero came to the briefing room and announced his countries request that "the Security Council... include in its work agenda the examination of Colombia's serious armed conflict." In support, Valero cited the number of internally displaced people.

One immediately thought of the conflict in Sri Lanka, which this year alone generated 300,000 IDPs. Still, Venezuela's allies blocked inclusion of Sri Lanka into the Security Council's agenda. Why is Colombia different?

Inner City Press asked Valero to confirm that his country had opposed inclusion of Honduras onto the Security Council's agenda, and to explain the Venezuelan or Chavez position on Russian military bases in Abkhazia and South Ossetia. Video here, from Minute 32:32.

Ambassador Valero, appearing to read from notes, declined to provide any answer on Abkhazia and South Ossetia. As to Honduras, he said that several Latin countries had asked the General Assembly to get involved, and want the Assembly still involved. But why not the Security Council?

Valero sited this month's Protection of Civilians resolution of the Security Council as the basis for his request. Perhaps that's the argument: since the Sri Lankan deaths and displacement happened in the months before Council resolution 1894, there is no need to be consistent. We'll see.

And see, www.innercitypress.com/unsc2colven112509.html

IMF Murky on Angola's Oil, Bond and China Deals, Doles Out $1.4 Billion

By Matthew Russell Lee
www.innercitypress.com/imf1angola112509.html

UNITED NATIONS, November 25 -- Days after announcing a $1.4 billion arrangement with Angola, the International Monetary Fund held a press conference call to offer explanations. At the end, things were murkier than before. Inner City Press asked if the IMF had been able to fully assess the income and distribution of revenue from the state owned oil company Sonangol.

The IMF's Lamine Leigh, who led the Fund's missions to Angola in August and September, replied that "in the context of our negotiations, Sonangol participated fairly well." Inner City Press asked, since Sonangol has accounts in off shore financial centers and tax havens, if the IMF had gotten to the bottom of these accounts.

After a long pause, Lamine Leigh proffered another answer, that the government has "committed to steps in the more general area of resource revenue transparency." But what about the Sonangol accounts?

Inner City Press asked about the statement by IMF Deputy Managing Director and Acting Chair Takatoshi Kato that in Angola "measures will be taken to strengthen further the regulatory and supervisory framework." The IMF's Senior Advisor on Africa Sean Nolan replied that the IMF analyzed the effect of the exchange rate on borrowers and "on the banks."

In fact, Angola's government has gotten billions in pre-export oil loans from, for example, BNP Paribas, Standard Chartered and Deutsche Bank. The latter has made similar loans in Turkmenistan, assailed by transparency and human rights advocates. How much of the IMF's new arrangement benefits these banks?

In fact, the questioner after Inner City Press, cutting off follow up, was from Standard Bank. Other than Inner City Press, the only other media questioner was from Reuters.

Before the call ended, Inner City Press was able to ask about Angola's reported $4 billion bond sale planned for December. Sean Nolan said that the IMF's "understanding" with Angola does involve a "fundraising effort," but that the timing was not agreed to, the IMF does not "micromanage" to that extent. Nolan added that there is an agreement on an "overall limit."

"Is it four billion dollars?" Inner City Press asked.

Nolan replied that the precise limit will be "clear in the documents," which have yet to be released. Why play hide the ball?

Nolan praised the country for "appointing reputable financial and legal advisers for the transaction" -- JPMorgan Chase will be the manager.

Nolan continued that the actual size of the bond sale will depend on how much "concessionary lending" Angola gets from "countries with a strong record of financial support to Angola."

Inner City Press asked if the size of China's loans to Angola -- China gets 16% of its foreign oil from Angola -- were known by the IMF or considered.

"That hasn't figured in our discussions," the IMF's Nolan responded. Why not? Watch this site.

And see, www.innercitypress.com/imf1angola112509.html

At UN, Of 4 P.M. Karaoke But Retirement Parties Banned, Spokesman Toasted Off Record?

By Matthew Russell Lee
www.innercitypress.com/un1karaoke112409.html

UNITED NATIONS, November 24, updated -- With the UN facing budget problems and accusations of corruption and of working with murderous Congolese army unit, at 4 p.m. on November 24 the head of the UN's Office of Human Resources Management convened a meeting in her office for a karaoke session.

Inner City Press was informed of the sing-along with outraged UN staff, and sent Ms. Pollard a request for confirmation and comment, which as of press (and karaoke) time was not returned.

A call, however, to Ms. Pollard's office -- asking "when the the karaoke begin?" -- yielded the response, "the invitation said 4 o'clock but they're still setting up." We'll call that confirmation.

Meanwhile with the UN Department of Public Information, for example, a staff member from New Zealand who served the UN for 28 years recently asked to begin her retirement party at 4 p.m. on a Friday and was rejected. Perhaps the OHRM karaoke, unlike a tribute to a long time staff member, can be written off as a team building exercise.

Update of 5 p.m. -- Ms. Pollard did to her credit respond:

From: Catherine Pollard [at] UN.org
Date: Tue, Nov 24, 2009 at 4:36 PM
Subject: Re: Press question(s)
To: Inner City Press

Dear Mr. Lee, Thank you for your interest. This is an internal OHRM event that I have organized in recognition of the work done by OHRM staff in the spirit of the Holiday season. Best regards, Catherine Pollard

While OHRM sources say Ms. Pollard had wanted to start the karaoke at 2 p.m., her answer is appreciated, and another question is being posed.

Likewise the reception, also on November 24 but starting at 4:30 p.m., for reporters to meet and "raise a toast" to incoming Spokesman Martin Nesirky. He declined to confirm to the Press that he was getting the job, then on November 23 took to the briefing room to make a statement downplaying the role of Korean speaking in his selection. But he took no questions after his statement. Will the toast raising be on the record?

Update of 5:30 p.m. -- while on or off the record did not become an issue, it was clarified that Mr. Nesirky beings on December 7, which to some is a day which will live in infamy. We hope not.

Footnote: Inner City Press was seated, it was said, next to Mr. Nesirky at the UNA-USA gala on the night of November 23 at Cipriani's on 42nd Street. But the prosciutto and mozzarella salad with pear assigned to Mr. Nesirky sat uneaten while UNA's Tom Miller spoke at length about the "Land Mine Treaty" and Business Council, four events for 150 executives. He toasted William J. McDonough, of whom no one was explained any safeguards between his role in private finance and with Planet UN.

In the audience were the Ambassadors of, for example, Uganda, Iraq and Viet Nam (South Korea's came late at 8 o'clock), UN officials like Warren Sach and the Capital Master Plan's Michael Adlerstein -- who declined to say even where he was sitting -- Kim Won soo and, of course, the Secretary General.

After a high school teacher spoke, passionately, Leslie Stahl said she'd be in his class any day. In the audience, not paying the listed $1500, were other teachers in training from Colombia University. The UN contains many worlds, some nose to the grindstone, some fancy and others... karaoke. We try to cover all levels.

And see, www.innercitypress.com/un1karaoke112409.html

As Africans Threaten Ban on UNDP Post, Panel Unnamed Beyond Diarra, Downgraded Conference

By Matthew Russell Lee
www.innercitypress.com/undp4deputy112409.html

UNITED NATIONS, November 24 -- The controversy over the number two position in the UN Development Program, which the African Group says was committed to it but which was slated to be given to a Costa Rican candidate, "has the potential to cost Ban Ki-moon a second term," an African official told Inner City Press on Tuesday.

"The African Group will blame Ban," he said, adding that Mr. Ban is being "misled by his senior advisor. The Africans won't accept the Egyptian either," he said, referring to reports that rather than the recommended Cameroonian candidate or "another African woman," the Ban administration is now considering handing the post to Egypt's Permanent Representative.

Inner City Press, which has exclusively covered the story for a week, has been told that UN official Cheick Sidi Diarra, who attempts to cover both small island developing states while purporting to fill the merged Office of the Special Advisor on Africa, was on the panel interview candidates for the UNDP post.

Sources on the panel say that they recommended two candidates, the Cameroon "doctor economique" Inner City Press has previously reported on, and an African woman. At the November 24 noon briefing, Inner City Press asked Ban's outgoing Spokesperson Michele Montas if Diarra was on the panel, and to confirm who the other member were.

"We don't comment on members of the panel," Ms. Montas replied. Video here, from Minute 22:40.

Inner City Press then asked simply for confirmation of who named the panel. Even this, Ms. Montas declined to answer, saying it's "different groups for different departments."

Finally, Inner City Press asked who makes the decision on the Associate Administrator post at UNDP: Ban Ki-moon or Helen Clark? Ms Montas said the position is "approved by both."

On November 23, Inner City Press asked a UNDP spokesman and Assistant Secretary General -- and Assistant Administrator -- Olav Krjoven about the number two post. The UNDP spokesman said "we can take that up immediately afterwards." Video here, from Minute 22:40.

But after the press conference, about energy poverty, the UNDP spokesman would not say when Helen Clark will finally be available for questions. We'll have something to say after the nomination is made, he said. But by then it will be too late.

Also on November 23, Inner City Press asked the previously head of UNDP's executive board, Ambassador Carsten of Denmark, whether the post has been committee to the African Group, and whether given the percentage of UNDP's work that is in Africa, whether having an African in this senior post might be important.

Ambassador Carsten replied that while he didn't "want to go into the Associate Administrator" issue, he rejects any "sub geographic" claims. He said "we accept a link between Administrator and Associate between donor and development partners" but "we would not like to narrow it down." Video here, from Minute 20:10.

So despite the African Group's statement that the post was committed to them, now a major European donor denies it, the Secretary General's Spokesperson tries to deflect questions and responsibility for the decision, and the Secretariat prepares, reportedly, either to push ahead with the Costa Rican nomination or the Egyptian "diversion." Watch this space.

Footnote: it's not as if Helen Clark is running UNDP so well, a development expert told Inner City Press, pointing at the "failure" of the upcoming South -South Cooperation meeting in Nairobi, which was downgraded from a summit to a "ministerial" to, now, only involving ambassadors. Helen Clark, who appears to have the travel (and DSA) bug, will go, December 1 to 3. But the promised heads of state and ministers will not be there. Great planning, UNDP...

And see, www.innercitypress.com/undp4deputy112409.html

As UN Enables Rapists in Congo, Supports Guinea's Dictator, Ban Preaches Without Questions

By Matthew Russell Lee
www.innercitypress.com/un1rape112409.html

UNITED NATIONS, November 24 -- Speaking about rape on November 24, the UN and its Secretary General Ban Ki-moon called on governments and particularly men to stop condoning violence against women.

There's a major problem, though: the UN's own peacekeeping Mission in the Congo, MONUC, continues to work with army units which have been accused of mass rape by the UN's own human rights experts. The UN's own Department of Political Affairs has advised keeping in power Guinean dictator Moussa Dadis Camera, even after public rapes by his troops in September 2009.

When Mr. Ban held a forty minute press conference on Tuesday -- with the questions explicitly limited to the topic of violence against women -- one would have expected the controversy about the UN's engagement with Congolese army units accused of rape to be asked about, and Mr. Ban to give an answer.

Before the press conference began, a staff remember from the Office of the Spokesperson for the Secretary General asked for the names of journalists who wanted to ask questions. Inner City Press went up and put itself on the list, the third name on the list.

But during the question and answer session, Ban's outgoing Spokesperson Michele Montas skipped over Inner City Press on the list, took four other non-UN questions ranging from Lebanon to Iran and finally a softball question about why donors don't give the UN more money for this issue. Could it be a lack of credibility?

Waiting in the hall outside the briefing room were Ban's chief of staff Vijay Nambiar and his counterpart for Deputy Secretary General Asha Rose Migiro. Apparently, the Ban administration thinks it is well served by openly seeking to exclude questions about its and the UN's own performance. And it is not yet clear things will improve.

On November 23, Ms. Montas successor Martin Nesirky came to the briefing room to make a statement downplaying his Korean language skills and their role in his selection, and then refused to take any questions, including afterwards by e-mail (while responding to other journalists' more supportive e-mails).

To Mr. Nesirky Inner City Press has opined, in writing, that if you are going to come make a statement in the UN briefing room, you should be prepared to answer questions on it. Likewise, if the UN is going to preach about not condoning violence against women, it should answer questions such as this one, which Ms. Montas jumped out of the order on her Office's own list not to take:

In the Democratic Republic of the Congo, UN Special Rapporteur Philip Alston issued a report that, for example, a unit of the Congolese Army under Colonel Zimulinda abducted and raped more than a dozen refugees. The DRC government said Zimulinda's unit will continue in the Kimia II operation, and MONUC under Alan Doss has yet to stop assisting Zimulinda's unit. (The Alain Le Roy announced did not concern this unit). In Guinea, Inner City Press understands that the UN Department of Political Affairs is advising that Moussa Dadis Camera remain in power, at least for now, despite the very public rapes committed by his troops. What can the UN do to make sure it does not continue to enable rogue army units named as abusing woman by the UN's own Special Rapporteurs?

Will the UN ever answer this? Watch this space.

Footnotes: in fairness, we note that Mr. Ban himself once made a point of taking a question from Inner City Press, about Afghan election related security, even as Ms. Montas sought to exclude the question. Emphasis on: once.

On the issue of sexual violence and courts, we highly recommend Jina Moore's recent writing about such courts in Liberia, on problems of evidence collection and due process. On the flip side, it is widely acknowledged that the UN staffer in Liberia who recently died or committed suicide had long been involved in video taping sex acts with minors. The UN appears to have covered it up. Watch this site.

And see, www.innercitypress.com/un1rape112409.html

UN Reverses Again on NGO Expulsion, Dodges Questions on Uzbek Border Closing and Nigerians in Bakassi, Malay Visit

By Matthew Russell Lee
www.innercitypress.com/unngo3credentials112309.html

UNITED NATIONS, November 23, updates below -- After first taking the entry pass of a non governmental organization which spoke at the General Assembly stakeout after the vote on the Goldstone report on Gaza and then denying it, the UN on November 23 announced that the entry pass would be restored. The NGO disagrees.

As Inner City Press first reported, the NGO was asked to sign a statement or "admission" that it had broken "some security rules." The initially offered statement alleged a political basis for the expulsion, but the UN refused the statement. According to Monday's UN announcement it had apparently been sanitized. But see below.

In the same November 23 noon briefing, Inner City Press asked three question, not a single one of which got answered. Video here, from Minute 19:03. Is the UN aware of Nigerian complaints about the treatment of their countrymen in the Bakassi peninsula? Deputy Spokesperson Marie Okabe said the Department of Political Affairs would update her if any important new development occurred. So this is not important?

Inner City Press asked about Uzbekistan closing its border with Kazakhstan. Does the UN, which a new center in Ashkabat, have something to say? Ms. Okabe said she would ask the Department of Political Affairs.

How about a read out of Secretary General Ban Ki-moon's November 22 meeting with the prime minister of Malaysia? If it was a meal, Ms. Okabe said, we won't have a read out. Not even if Sri Lanka was on the menu?

Worse, when a correspondent asked about Honduras and the elections slated for Sunday, Ms. Okabe answered as if the question were about Pakistan. Video here, from Minute 18:46. In any event -- no comment on either! Watch this site.

During the November 23 noon briefing, Deputy Spokesperson Marie Okabe read out loud:

"And I just got an update to what we had mentioned to you when we were asked about updates regarding the pass card belonging to Anne Bayefsky. We have just been informed by the Department of Safety and Security that there has been an amicable agreement, in which Ms. Bayefsky would admit to have breached some security rules and would have her pass cards returned to her.So, that’s what I have for you."

Afterwards, Inner City Press received this:

Subj: update
From: anne@hudsonny.org
To: mlee@innercitypress.org
Sent: 11/23/2009 10:52:38 P.M. Eastern Standard Time

Hi Matthew,

Just to let you know that I was told by a reporter this evening that the UN had announced at the noon briefing they had reached an agreement with me to sign some kind of confession written by them and to return my pass thereafter. I am very surprised that the UN would fabricate such an announcement for the world's press knowing full well that no such agreement had been reached. All I knew was that they intended to require me to sign a statement (which they would draft unilaterally) and if I were to sign their statement (which I had not yet seen at the time of the press briefing), then they intended to return my pass.

Watch this site.

Update 2: And 23 and 1/2 hours after the questions was asked, this arrived, which we publish in full:

Subj: Your question on Nigeria and Bakassi
From: unspokesperson-donotreply at un.org
To: Inner City Press
Sent: 11/24/2009 11:57:00 A.M. Eastern Standard Time

Regarding your question yesterday about "a call in the Nigerian parliament for the UN to take action about incidents that happened in Nigeria in the Bakasi peninsula and to somehow enforce this Greentree Agreement" ...

"UN Civilian Observers are liaising closely with the Government of Cross-River State in Nigeria to assess the situation of those displaced from Bakassi. The UN is working with both Nigeria and Cameroon in the framework of the Follow-Up Committee to ensure continued compliance with Greentree Agreement."

And on Uzbekistan, even three days later, still nothing. Watch this site.

And see, www.innercitypress.com/unngo3credentials112309.html

In Sri Lanka, IDPs Given Passes, NGOs Told Not to Complain to UN, Election Games

By Matthew Russell Lee
www.innercitypress.com/lanka1sri1elections112309.html

UNITED NATIONS, November 23 -- Sri Lanka'a Rajapaksa administration, facing a challenge from military leader Sarath Fonseka, announced "freedom of movement" for those interned in the Vavuniya camps, starting December 1, in the run up to snap elections now set for January.

The UN's Secretary General Ban Ki-moon on November 21 immediately issued a statement praising the government's announcement, and on November 23 his top humanitarian envoy John Holmes came to the UN briefing room to in essence add to the praise.

Despite reports to the contrary from non governmental organizations on the ground, Holmes said there's no ban on movement except for safety, "physical safety." Inner City Press asked about statements by Oxfam in Sri Lanka that even "freedom of movement" will involve a system of passes and only limited numbers of days outside the camps. Video here, from Minute 35:42.

Holmes replied that people will be able to leave for "days at a time," saying this "looks like freedom of movement as most would define it." But signing in and out of a camp surrounded by barbed wire, with any limitation on the number of days out, is not how many define freedom of movement.

Inner City Press asked Holmes about a letter from the government of Mannar to NGOs, telling them to suspend any operation not approved by the Presidential Task Force headed by presidential brother Basil Rajapaksa. Holmes shrugged that the PTF is in charge.

Holmes called any connection between the announcement, made just after Fonseka left the military and was reputedly drafted into running and two days before Mahinda Rajapaksa called for snap election in January, "speculative," while he said that the efficacy of the UN's pushing for the IDPs was surely a factor in the announcement.

A large international NGO working in Sri Lanka was told by Basil Rajapaksa to deal only with the government, and to stop complaining to the UN. Inner City Press asked Holmes about this, and he said he is "not sure that is a hugely important point."

But to some, a government telling NGOs not to complain to the UN is not a small thing.

It was the UN's quiet pull out from Kilinochchi that presaged the killing of civilians that would occur. So for the UN to be less than concerned with the government tries to cut off the flow of information to the outside world is not a good sign. Watch this site.

And see, www.innercitypress.com/lanka1sri1elections112309.html

Speaking for UN Past and Future, Nesirky Appears, Outsourcing Denied of Planet UN's Tours

By Matthew Russell Lee
www.innercitypress.com/dpi1begend112309.html

UNITED NATIONS, November 23, updated -- Those who praise the UN are in turn repaid. Hence for the pro-UN filmmaker and author Romuald Sciora, a book signing event in the UN Bookstore on November 20. Sciora was introduced by the chief of the Department of Public Information Kiyo Akasaka. Also present was the head of DPI's Outreach Division Eric Falt, in charge of the bookstore and tour guides (as well as photo ops, click here).

Inner City Press asked a question, and Sciora's response was, "I know you, last time I was here you were mean to me." Mechant was the word he used, in French. In his response, the word "siege" -- meaning a seat on the Security Council -- was mistranslated as headquarters, as in moving the UN's to Europe.

Sciora's film praised the UN, and Inner City Press asked if it considered abuse by peacekeepers. Afterward a crew member of Sciora's contacted the Press, and said he had never been paid. And when he complained, he was told he was being petty, to ask for promised payment for a work about UN.

A few weeks ago, UN tour guides told Inner City Press some of their work was being outsourced. Inner City Press asked two UN officials, both of whom denied it. One of them asked dismissively, where do you hear these things?

Now it is confirmed: the UN has hired a firm to offer audio tours of the UN, without any tour guides present. The outside vendor provides team leaders who "are not allowed to interact" with those on the tour, according to DPI. So, less cost, less staff: outsourcing. But the UN calls this good.

A gaggle of Chinese spokespeople filled the UN's briefing room last week, and outgoing UN spokesperson Michele Montas gave them a long talk. Inner City Press asked to attend, but was told to leave the room. Looking through the frosted glass, one wondered what lessons the UN's stonewalling Office of the Spokesperson might have for China, where a information purveyor working with the parents of children killed in the Sichuan earthquake was just given a three year jail sentence.

Martin Nesirky, who never directly replied to a request from the Press on the morning of November 17 that he confirm his new position, and whose fluency in UN working language French has been questioned in the briefing, starts on December 7. And in between?

At the noon briefing of November 23, Mr. Nesirky made an announced appearance, to state on language that he speaks German, Russian and English, and "a little bit of Korean" as well as a bit of French. He dost protest too much?

Mr. Nesirky left the rostrum without taking any questions, and left the briefing room before the Humanitarian Coordinator spoke. He will apparently be available on November 24 for an hour, no indication on what basis. In the interim questions have been submitted, since in the UN briefing room, usually if someone makes a statement, they then take questions.

Update: And the response / auto-responder: "I am out of the office until Friday 27 November. For OSCE-related matters please contact" OSCE. Watch this site.

And see, www.innercitypress.com/dpi1begend112309.html

In Haiti, UN Peacekeepers Shoot Live Ammo as Crowd Control

By Matthew Russell Lee
www.innercitypress.com/haiti1shooting112209.html

UNITED NATIONS, November 22 -- In Haiti on November 10, UN peacekeepers fired live ammunition resulting in injuries to civilians. Inner City Press asked spokesperson Michele Montas about the incident, and about UN peacekeepers using live ammunition instead of rubber bullets. Video here, from Minute 12:31. Inner City Press also asked about the credibility of previous UN investigations.

Ms. Montas replied that after an emergency landing, "some Haitians entered the helicopter." She said a person in the helicopter fired and a cartridge hit a civilian. She also said that "a person in the plane.. shot in the air." (This is reminiscent of the incident in 2008 during the Security Council's visit to Goma in the Congo, where a UN security official shot his weapon in the plane to try to show that it was empty, triggering an all night bus ride by Ambassador to Kigali, Rwanda.)

Inner City Press asked if it is UN protocol to shoot live ammunition in the air. Shooting in the air is the protocol, Ms. Montas answered.

Later on November 20, Inner City Press spoke with a senior UN peacekeeping official, who explained that UN Formed Police Units have rubber bullets, but that in this case is was "military people."

Reportedly, these were either Chilean or Sri Lankan soldiers -- the UN wouldn't say -- if the latter in all probability previously involved in the conflict in norther Sri Lanka in which the U.S. and others have found presumptive war crimes.

UN officials in New York and Port au Prince have reportedly received a letter that in 2005 "a Jordanian soldier's brutal rape and sodomizing a Haitian mother of five in Haiti. The report was sent to the UN, the victim complained to the UN. The investigation process never led to a resolution that was ever revealed to... the victim. In 2007, it was discovered and reported that girls as young as 13 were having sex with U.N. peacekeepers for as little as $1 in Haiti. Moreover, Sri Lankan soldiers were accused of systematically raping Haitian women and girls, some as young as 7 years old."

And what have they done about it so far? Nothing, apparently.

The UN has still refused to disclose the outcome of its repatriation from Haiti of over 100 Sri Lankan peacekeepers on allegations of sexual abuse and exploitation. It's said that in the future, aggregate data will be reported, either by Peacekeeping Mission or Troop Contributing Country, but not both. Talk about lack of accountability. For more information, Inner City Press was referred to a person at the Sri Lankan Mission who recently testified as to why Sri Lanka continues to use land mines...

And see, www.innercitypress.com/haiti1shooting112209.html