By Matthew Russell Lee
UNITED NATIONS, November 23 -- As the UN rushed Tuesday to do a press conference with Johnson & Johnson, it allowed only a single question, about Darfur. Inner City Press asked if the UN and the UNAMID mission have the capacity or the will to confirm or deny reports of Sudanese government “air raids on large areas in North Darfur on Kariyari, Boba, Furawiya, Wadi Howar and up to Alkhaim.”
UNAMID cannot confirm those reports, replied acting deputy spokesman Farhan Haq. He said Gambari has actually been visiting North Darfur, and we have some information available on that.” But where? Of late Inner City Press has asked for UN confirmation or denial of various government attacks and killing in Darfur, and the UN has brushed off the questions during its briefing, and not responded afterwards.
Meanwhile in his November 22 address at Seton Hall in New Jersey, called his re-election speech, Secretary General Ban Ki-moon claimed that “in Darfur.... for years, conflict raged... today, the mission continues to protect civilians.” Continues?
From the November 23 UN transcript:
Inner City Press: I wanted to know if the UN can confirm that JEM [Justice and Equality Movement] rebels in Darfur are saying that there has been a week of bombing campaigns by the Government in North Darfur, and I am just… There have been a number of questions that have built up for UNAMID [African Union-United Nations Hybrid Operation in Darfur] to either confirm or deny, and Mr. Ban’s speech said that somehow Darfur is now so peaceful. Is UNAMID actually tracking… does it have any capacity or will to report on bombing by the Government in Darfur?
Acting Deputy Spokesperson Haq: UNAMID has not confirmed this attack. Mr. [Ibrahim] Gambari has actually been visiting North Darfur, and we have some information available on that, but there is no confirmation of these particular reported attacks. And with that, I have to clear the room for our next guest.
Also still unanswered, despite being submitted in writing to Haq and the Spokesman Martin Nesirky:1) On Darfur, some question why JMAC data is not on UNAMID's web site, some say it is routinely and selectively leaked. Please respond, and whether these figures include Tarabat market.
2) Please confirm or deny that staff of Mr. Deng's Prevention of Genocide office are asked to work on his books, quantify what amount of time and whether this complies with UN rules, and if the books should be attributed to the UN.
This last question has actually been asked three times without answer, as have questions about the Secretary General's links with Sri Lanka and its leadership, which Ban's spokesman Martin Nesirky has said may never be answered.