By Matthew Russell Lee
UNITED NATIONS, November 26, updated below -- When Chad make it clear it wanted the UN's MINURCAT peacekeeping mission to leave its territory by November 30, there was some discussion of the UN Department of Peacekeeping Operations maintaining some of the Central African Republic presence of the MINURCAT force.
“It would have to be re-named,” Inner City Press was told. It was never down, and the UN peacekeepers turned over the town of Birao to the Central African Republic armed forces (FACA) two weeks early, on November 15.
Days later, the town fell to rebels of the Convention of Patriots for Justice and Peace, with numerous soldiers killed and civilians chased out of town and into the bush.
On the morning of November 26, Inner City Press on deadline was the Office of the Spokesperson for Secretary General Ban Ki-moon (OSSG) these questions:
“does the UN acknowledge that its November 15 handoff of Birao in CAR led quickly to a rebel takeover? How many have been displaced? What advance planning did the UN do? What is being done now?”
The OSSG had decided to cancel its normal noon press briefing on November 26, a UN work day, but said that it would answer questions. But as 6 pm passed in New York City and the UN grew dark, no answer at all had been provided to the above questions.
The CAR is one of the most neglected countries in the world, now by the UN as well.