As UN Admits Transporting ICC Indictee Harun to Abyei, NGOs & US Have Yet to Speak

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, January 11 -- The UN Mission in Sudan transported and assisted International Criminal Court indictee Ahmed Harun, UN spokesman Martin Nesirky confirmed to Inner City Press on Tuesday, because the UN finds Harun helpful in dealing with violence in Abyei.

Nesirky implied that the UN will continue to transport Harun, saying that the UN "will continue to provide necessary support to key players." Video here, from Minute 13:48.

Inner City Press asked why the UN transported Harun, not only in light of his ICC indictment for war crimes in Darfur, but also of the capacities of the Sudanese Air Force, which has recently conducted bombing raids in and near Southern Sudan.

If the Sudanese Air Force can bomb, Inner City Press asked, why can't it fly Harun to Abyei? Nesirky did not answer this question. Nor would he tell Inner City Press if UNMIS, led by Haile Menkerios, had checked with UN Headquarters' Office of Legal Affairs or Ban Ki-moon before transporting an indicted war criminal.

It seems to some that the Sudanese government of Omar al Bashir, who has also been indicted by the ICC for genocide as well as war crimes, has no lack of capacity to transport its official Harun, but instead wanted to get the UN further involved in undercutting the war crimes indictments.

Already, Haile Menkerios and his counterpart at the Mission in Darfur UNAMID Ibrahim Gambari attended the inauguration of Omar al Bashir. Inner City Press asked Nesirky, without answer, if the UN would provide transport and assistance to other ICC indictees, including Joseph Kony of the the Lord's Resistance Army, widely thought to be in South Darfur.

UN Security Council in Sudan w/ Gambari, 10/10 (c)MRLee

Earlier on January 11, Inner City Press asked representatives of non-governmental organizations active on Sudan about the UN's transport of ICC indictee Harun. David Abramowitz, the Director of Policy and Government Relations of the group Humanity United, said that he wasn't aware of the reports of Harun being transported, "I have not seen that report."

Nor has the US administration, including its Mission at the UN, yet spoken on the matter. Some wonder whether they were consulted, even whether, in light of the offer to delink Darfur from the offer to remove some sanctions on Sudan in exchange for the South Sudan referendum, if the US agreed.

Sam Bell, the Executive Director of the Genocide Intervention Network / Save Darfur Coalition, said he hadn't seen the report confirmed, but either way it did not send a good message to the people of Darfur, where Harun was indicted for war crimes: "already Darfuri are suspicious of UNAMID and UN personnel."

In fact, Harun was indicted for working with and organizing the type of nomadic tribes which are accused of the killings in Abyei, and now in South Kordofan state as well.

Nesirky told Inner City Press that "Governor Harun was critical" to bringing the Miseriya tribes together. Video here, from Minute 15:58.

So in this view, it is not only a matter of the fox guarding the hen house: the UN has taken to transporting the fox to the hen house. Where will there be accountability? Watch this site.

After Ivorian One-Off, Red Flag on African Elections for UN, Brooke Anderson's Farewell

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, January 11 -- When American diplomat Brooke D. Anderson was tapped to move from the US Mission to the UN in New York to become deputy chief of the National Security Agency in Washington, another Ambassador on the UN Security Council commiserated with Inner City Press what a “big loss to USUN” it would be.

Monday night at the Waldorff towers, Ms. Anderson was bid farewell by many of her past and recent Security Council colleagues, for examples the Permanent Representatives of Gabon, Brazil and Russia, previous member Austria and new member India. Susan Rice said how much she would miss Brooke, then to party on.

The talk turned to the UN and African elections, the topic of a closed door briefing earlier on Monday. “The UN is not supposed to be a supra national body,” the Permanent Representative of the Democratic Republic of Congo complained. “At some point a red flag will be raised.”

Another Ambassador, serving on the Council, said that Laurent Gbagbo had brought about the beginning of the end of his command in Cote d'Ivoire by basing his power in recent years on UN Security Council resolutions “instead of the Ivorian constitution.”

Two members, one Permanent and the other wanna-be, agreed that Ivory Coast would be the last time that UN would be in the position of certifying an election or its winner. The phrase used in the Council was sui generis, a Latin phrase meaning "one of a kind" much used with regard to Kosovo.

Earlier on Monday, Inner City Press had asked the UN's part time Special Advisor on Africa if he was every consulted, by Lynn Pascoe of the Department of Political Affairs before his briefing on African elections, or with regard to Cote d'Ivoire. No, he said, I specialize in economic and development issues.

What about actions on Ivorian cocoa customs revenue? He replied that Ban Ki-moon's envoy Choi Young-jin is doing a “great” job.

An African Permanent Representative who had seen the question and answer rolled his eyes and asked, “What else is he going to say?”

So who dares speak truth to power, and say when a policy is wrong? The US abstained from the General Assembly resolution against arbitrary executions, and couldn't or wouldn't explain why. One surmised it concerned drones, but the official line, repeated Monday night, vaguely referred to “misreadings of international humanitarian law.”

Introduced on Monday night was Ms. Anderson's (at least temporary) successor, David Dunn. He's a 32 year State Department veteran who served, among other things, as US Ambassador to Zambia and Togo.

It was explained that the formal replacement is “pending in Congress,” as is that for the long vacant position at USUN for management and budget. It has been filled for some time by Joseph Melrose, observed by Inner City Press working the General Assembly floor at 4 am on December 23-24, 2010 on the budget.

A Council press statement on Cote d'Ivoire was agreed to and read out by Bosnia's Deputy Permanent Representative at 6 pm on Monday. Since Ms. Anderson was in charge of negotiating the text, its adoption presumptively had something to do with, and was a tribute to, her farewell reception which began mere minutes later.

We note in no particular order her first stakeout (on Guinea-Bissau), a later one on Cote d'Ivoire, an initial dispute with USUN whether she would be the Mission's Number Three or Four official (the former, as Rosemary DiCarlo did not end of overlapping with Alejandro Wolff, with whom one would still like to speak about the 2009 meeting with the ICC's Luis Moreno Ocampo about Omar al Bashir's billions, minutes as Wikileaked classified by Mr. Wolff) -- and the response, ultimately true, that Ms. Anderson didn't care so much for titles. We wish her well.

In Haiti, UN Calls Criticism “Claptrap,” Defends IOM On Pepper Spray Report

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, January 10 -- The UN refuses to accept criticism, even where as in Haiti it is faced with street protests telling it to leave, and critiques by high officials of the regional organizations the UN says it works with and respects.

Inner City Press asked Nigel Fisher, the UN Resident Coordination in Haiti, to respond to comments by former top Organization of American States envoy Ricardo Seitenfus, that the UN has spent too much on violent policing in Haiti. “Claptrap,” was Fisher's response. Audio here, from Minute 28:45.

Fisher derided Seitenfus for saying Haiti is being used as a “humanitarian laboratory.” While he claimed to only be involved in the UN's development side, Fisher defended the huge MINUSTAH Peacekeeping bills as being about strengthening the rule of law in Haiti.

But on the rule of law, Inner City Press asked Fisher about a documented incident in Camp Imakale in Cite Soleil in December, in which UN peacekeepers pepper sprayed protesters who say that the International Organization for Migration predicated aid on reducing public protest.

Fisher said he couldn't imagine IOM “conditioning assistance on stopping criticizing the government.” (In fact, it was criticism of IOM and of the UN which was allegedly being discouraged.)

Seitenfus put his job at risk in order to speak up for what he saw as mistreatment of Haitians. Fisher offers knee jerk responses. The UN's performance does not improve.

For weeks, Inner City Press has asked the UN how much former UN Spokesperson Michele Montas has been paid. At first, Martin Nesirky said he “would not comment.” Then he suggested to “ask MINUSTAH.” Finally this arrived:

Subject: Re: Your question regarding Special Advisor in Haiti
From: UN
Date: Wed, Jan 5, 2011 at 2:52 PM
To: Inner City Press

In response to your query with the Spokesperson of the Secretary General regarding Ms Montas's appointment to MINUSTAH, please find the answer below.

"Following the devastating earthquake of January 2010, which had a severe impact on the substantive sections of MINUSTAH, Ms Montas was engaged by the mission's senior leadership as the D-1 Special Advisor to the Head of Mission. Her contract will terminate on 30 June 2011, when the post itself will be eliminated, as part of the mission's post-surge readjustment."

Watch this site

Amid Ivorian Chaos, UN Council Meets on 24 African Elections, Shrunken Horizon

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, January 10 -- Elections in Africa this year, and whether and how the UN should be involved in them, was the only topic agreed on for this month's forward looking or “horizon” meeting of the UN Security Council.

The discussion takes place amid the chaos of the Cote d'Ivoire election, where UN envoy Choi Young-jin declared Alassane Ouattara the winner, leading to protests in the Security Council by permanent member Russia.

In advance of UN political affairs chief Lynn Pascoe providing a closed door briefing to the Council, one Council member told Inner City Press that while UN technical assistance to elections is not viewed as controversial, being as involved as in Cote d'Ivoire would be a subject of debate.

Another member showed Inner City Press a list of 24 elections in Africa this year: including Chad (for which no request for UN assistance is expected, following the ejection of the UN peacekeeping mission last year),

Central African Republic (later this month), Democratic Republic of Congo (in connection with which the UN peacekeeping mission may be further slimmed down at President Kabila's request),

Egypt (Mubarak's son), Gabon, Ivory Coast (legislative), Benin, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Liberia, Guinea, Djibouti, Madagascar, Mauritania, Nigeria, Niger, Seychelles, South Africa, South Sudan, Sao Tome, Uganda, Zambia and of course Zimbabwe.

In November, Pascoe's briefing included a wider range of issues, which some members protested. This time, the Bosnian presidency limited the issues in advance to just this one.

A real “tour d'horizon” of issues threatening international peace and security might have included, for example, the violent protests in Tunisia and Algeria. One assumes that the UN's Department of Political Affairs is not blinded to that. But the Security Council will not be hearing about or discussing these issues.

Nor will the Council be discussing Sudan, even after 33 deaths in Abyei over the weekend. One member predicted the Council will wait for initial results of the South Sudan referendum. Watch this site.

Amid Discussion of Cutting Cocoa Customs & Paying Gbagbo Army, UN Is Listening

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, January 7 -- In and around the UN in New York there is open talk about trying to cut off Laurent Gbagbo's access to cocoa customs in Cote d'Ivoire, or to paying bribes to his military to defect. But is UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon part of these discussions?

Among Security Council members the date of January 16 is named for when payment is due to Gbagbo's military. One Ambassador told some of the press that Gbagbo's military is being told that “the ICC is watching,” and that ICC prosecutor Luis Moreno Ocampo told the Council that not only Ouattara but also Gbagbo recently called him. France is described as trying to blockade cocoa custom funds to Gbagbo.

Inner City Press on January 7 asked Ban's spokesman Martin Nesirky if, during Ban's video conferences with his envoy in Abidjan Choi Young-jin the two speak on these topics. “The Mission monitors such developments with a close eye,” Nesirky replied. He added that “the Mission keep Headquarters informed... They assess every aspect across the spectrum.” Audio here, from Minute 18:40.

To some, this was a surprising answer.

When Ouattara called for a Special Forces action against Gbagbo and Inner City Press asked Nesirky about it, he replied that the UN favors a diplomatic solution. Watch this site.

Inner City Press asked Nesirky how the UN could conclude that the deadly fighting in Douekou was not related to the Gbagbo - Ouattara standoff. Rather than explain, Nesirky read out a note that a seven person team from Abidjan will go to Douekou with aid and to assess. Then what?

On Sudan, UN Won't Specify When Khor Abeche Blockade in Darfur Reported, Nor When Le Roy Asked For More Troops

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, January 7 -- On Sudan, the UN appears engaged in one-way communication, not in answering questions. Two days after a senior UN official, insisting that he not be named, told the Press that the government of Sudan had blocked food resupply to Tanzanian peacekeepers in Khor Abeche in Darfur, UN spokesman Martin Nesirky simply refused to provide any information about the incident. Audio here, from Minute 10.

Inner City Press, for the second day in a row, asked why the UN's envoy in Darfur Ibrahim Gambari had not publicly complained of the blocking of resupply to his peacekeepers. Nesirky said that blockage of resupply of UN peacekeepers by host governments take place “not only in Darfur.”

It is not clear to which UN missions Nesirky was referring: Liberia? Haiti? The UN in Cote d'Ivoire last month loudly protested the mere threat of a blockade, and Ban Ki-moon said other member states should break any blockade. But this was and is not said in Darfur.

Turning to South Sudan, Inner City Press asked Nesirky to specify when top UN peaceekeeper Alain Le Roy asked Sudan to agree to an increase in peacekeepers. On January 6, Sudan's Ambassador to the UN said he had been in a meeting with Le Roy for two hours the previous day, and Le Roy never made the request.

“You don't expect me to contradict the Under Secretary General for Peacekeeping Operations,” Nesirky said.

It was another opportunity to rebut a public allegation of misspeaking by a high UN official, which the UN Spokesperson's Office declined. “Ask DPKO,” Nesirky said, as he's referred Inner City Press to the UN Mission in Kosovo about a UN judge freeing a person accused of organ trafficking.

Several Security Council diplomats have told Inner City Press there is the Council less and less satisfaction with the performance of Ibrahim Gambari, who at the same time is drawing more and more praise from Sudan's government. But will there be accountability? Watch this site.

In Cote d'Ivoire, Questions of Cocoa Customs, Ouattara Calls for Special Forces

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, January 6 -- As the stand-off in Cote d'Ivoire continues, talk around the UN in New York turned to money: specifically, how to cut off Laurent Gbagbo's funds. The US applied financial sanctions to Gbagbo and his wife Simone. France, it was said, was looking into how the Gbagbo government continues to collect customs, particularly on cocoa.

Inner City Press asked an Ivorian diplomat, now representing Alassane Ouattara, how he is getting paid. The diplomat shook his head and said “it is difficult.” Others say that automatic payments continue to Ivorian diplomats for now, but may soon stop.

While UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon mentioned in his read out of a call with Ouattara that he took note of Ouattara's call for an International Criminal Court investigation, Inner City Press asked Ban's spokesman what he thought of Ouattara urging a “special forces” operation:

Inner City Press: Mr. Ouattara in Côte d’Ivoire has said that he’s written to Ban Ki-moon, asking for some sort of an ICC [International Criminal Court] investigation in Côte d’Ivoire. Can you confirm receipt of that letter? And also, he’s also called for a special operations action against Laurent Gbagbo, presumably to remove him from the country or otherwise. What does the UN think of that call?

Spokesperson Martin Nesirky: Well, on the first one, we’re checking to see whether there’s been a letter, but what I would mention is that, as I think you know, the Secretary-General spoke to President Ouattara by telephone, and — that was on 1 January — and on the readouts, we said that the Secretary-General took note of President Ouattara’s call, during their conversation, for an early International Criminal Court investigation as a credible signal for accountability. On the second point, we’ve seen those reports. As we’ve repeatedly said, we support the diplomatic efforts of ECOWAS [Economic Community of West African States] and the African Union. They’re working hard to find a political solution to what is obviously a very difficult situation, and we think it’s important that they are allowed to have the time to make that diplomatic process work.

Inner City Press: Would it be fair to say that the UN doesn’t look favourably on the idea of special operations? Is that what you’re saying?

Spokesperson: I’m saying that the diplomatic process is an important aspect here. ECOWAS and the African Union have been playing an important role, which the Secretary-General supports. And, as I’ve mentioned, he is in close touch with ECOWAS and the African Union on this matter.

Security Council sources tell Inner City Press that during the negotiation of the most recent Press Statement on Cote d'Ivoire, there was a request that the statement call for a “peaceful” solution, but that the United States did not want this word in.

The Council source asked Inner City Press, rhetorically, “Isn't the UN supposed to be about peaceful solutions?” And what about that call by Ouattara for a special forces operation? Watch this site.

On Sudan, Questions of Expulsion of Darfur Rebels & Ocampo on Bashir's Billions

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, January 6 -- As the UN and Security Council engage in happy talk about the South Sudan referendum, events in Darfur get worse and worse.

On January 6 Inner City Press put questions to the UN Permanent Representatives of the US and Sudan, and to the UN itself. On background, a number of Council sources said that the African Union - UN Hybrid Operation in Darfur is not pushing hard enough for access to civilians in harm's way. But the focus is on the referendum.

Inner City Press asked US Ambassador Susan Rice:

Inner City Press: this agreement by Salva Kiir to eject or stop the rebel groups from Darfur from being in South Sudan. Is it a positive thing? Does it help resolve things in Darfur, the idea that they wouldn't have to go back? It was announced by Salva Kiir.

Ambassador Rice: Our view has long been that it's vitally important that both parties to the CPA refrain from, in any way, direct or indirectly supporting rebel or proxy activity against the other. And so we urged that, to the extent that that has been the case, that it cease.

But if the fighting that's hurting civilians is by the government against the rebels, how is pushing the rebels back into Darfur going to make things better? Inner City Press asked the UN:

Inner City Press: yesterday during a background briefing, a senior [UN] official said — about Sudan — said of Sudan that there had been, during the fighting in Khor Abeche in Darfur, that a Tanzanian battalion had fed IDPs [internally displaced persons] with their own rations and had been unable to be re-supplied due to Government restrictions on the re-supplying, it seemed to be, of the peacekeepers. Can you confirm that there was a time during that fighting that even the UN peacekeepers were unable to get their supplies in? And if so, was that ever said publicly, and — it seems like in other countries, they complained when its peacekeepers were being in any way blockaded. Did that take place in Khor Abeche, as it seemed to be said yesterday?

Spokesperson Martin Nesirky: Let me find out.

But seven hours later there was no answer. Inner City Press asked Sudan's Permanent Representative about Khor Abeche, if Sudan had blocked resupply of peacekeepers. The Sudanese Ambassador again offered praise for UNAMID, then said that when there is fighting, movement is restricted for the peacekeepers' own good.

While top UN peaceekeeper Alain Le Roy had told the press that he requested a boost in UN troop levels but Sudan would not agree, Sudan's Ambassador said he was in a meeting with Le Roy on January 5 and Le Roy made no such request. The UN should clarify this.

Inner City Press asked asked Sudan's Ambassador about the allegations by International Criminal Court prosecutor Luis Moreno Ocampo that Omar al Bashir spirited $9 billion out of the country. He replied it was ridiculous, that Lloyds had immediately denied it.

(As Inner City Press reported at the time, Lloyds was in the news for violating sanctions in Sudan and elsewhere.)

Inner City Press asked about the meeting on this topic between Ocampo and Susan Rice and Alejandro Wolff at the US Mission to the UN, memorialized in a Wikileaked cable. (Ambassador Rice has twice said she doesn't recall the meeting.) Sudan's Ambassador said this showed that Ocampo was “taking his orders” from sources other than the ICC. We will have more on this.

As UN Dodges on Korean Press Reports on Ban's 2d Term, Empty Korean Desks

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, January 6 -- Ban Ki-moon's relations with the press, particularly the Korean press, were on display Thursday at the UN.

At the day's noon briefing, Inner City Press asked Ban's spokesman Martin Nesirky about a story in the Korea Herald quoting a “senior UN official” -- on information and belief senior advisory Kim Won-soo -- that Ban “said it was extremely unfortunate that he was named as a [South Korean] presidential contender in opinion polls despite having repeatedly said that he has no intention to run in the presidential elections.”

The Korea Herald also published these quotes: “It is our duty to free Secretary General Ban from domestic politics so he can serve the world,' Han Seung-soo, chairman of the Global Green Growth Institute, was quoted as saying by the Yonhap news agency. 'Repeated mentions of his name in domestic politics would be disadvantageous for him as he performs his role as the U.N. secretary general.'”

Inner City Press asked Nesirky if Han Seung-soo is still functioning as an advisor to Ban on climate change, and if he was speaking for Ban. Nesirky replied that Ban too busy on such issues as Cote d'Ivoire and Sudan, which Inner City Press also asked about, to have time for the Korea Herald article.

Then Nesirky abruptly called the day's noon briefing to a close, say that Ban was about to tour the press area.

Upstairs, Ban and his titular chief of staff Vijay Nambiar moved slowed around the press floor, shaking hands and commenting on whether the cubicles are adequate for journalism. Inner City Press said that enclosed walls were needed for “quiet diplomacy,” at which Ban laughed.

After touring the cluster of Japanese media desk in what has been dubbed the A or Asian room, Ban was shown the entirely empty side of the room devoted to Korean publications. Ban read their names. An enterprising journalist informed Ban that often the Korean do not come in to use their desks, while other reporters need space - and some long time reporters are being ejected from their UN desks.

While Ban did not respond to this, Choi Soung-ah who works in Nesirky's office told the reporter that “we are aware of that.” Inner City Press has previously reported on this -- click here, and watch this site.

IMF Postpones Kosovo & Pakistan, Waiting for Stronger Governments, Dodges on Sudan But Answers on Tunisia

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, January 6, updated -- Questions of Pakistan and Kosovo and the International Monetary Fund's longing for strong governments arose at the IMF's fortnightly media briefing on Thursday. Inner City Press asked, and IMF spokesperson Caroline Atkinson read out with a cautionary note, the following on Pakistan:

“On Pakistan, what is the IMF's thinking after the assassination of Punjab's governor, as the government loses power -- [here Ms Atkinson added, “those are Matthew's words”] -- is it realistic to think the IMF's conditions will be met?”

In response, she said Pakistan has been given nine additional months. But what will be different then?

Later in the briefing, Ms. Aktinson read out the rare Balkan question, also from Inner City Press:

“On Kosovo, what are the IMF's views on Mr. Thaci's proposal to double public sector salaries, and on the Council of Europe's allegations this once and seeming future PM was involved in organ trafficking?”

How ever distasteful the organ reference may have been to Ms. Atkinson, she replied that “we have, as Matthew may know, an eighteen month” program with Kosovo, the December consideration of which has been postponed.

A link between these two may be that while the IMF does impose conditions on its loans, it prefers to say that governments, particularly legislatures, have approved or even chosen between the choices presented by the IMF. This legitimates the IMF, and also may help in collecting the money down the road.

Kosovo is in political turmoil, and Pakistan no longer even controls large swaths of its territory -- nor, apparently more importantly to the IMF, its political space.

Submitted but not acknowledge during the briefing by Ms. Atkinson was this question, about Tunisia:

“On Tunisia, given the IMF's role and statements, what can IMF say about the unrest that has followed the death of protester Mohamed Bouazizi and others?”

We will await the IMF's acknowledgment and answer of this question, and a more detailed response on Sudan and the IMF's role in the debt issues, on which the UN has said “the Bretton Woods institutions are taking the lead.” Watch this site.

Update of 1 pm - Two hours after deadline, the following arrived, with the notation that it should be attributed to an IMF spokesperson:

“We deeply regret the recent surge of violence in Tunisia. The IMF remains engaged with the Tunisian authorities and follows the developments closely. Unemployment in Tunisia has declined slightly in the last decade, but remains high, especially among the young. In this context, IMF staff continues to encourage the authorities to pursue structural reforms critical to achieve higher growth, enhance competitiveness and address the problem of persistent high unemployment. Such reforms include measures to increase productivity by improving the business environment, reforming labor market policy, increasing capital investment, and modernizing and strengthening the financial sector.”

We'll have more on this.

UN Was Silent as Bashir Blocked Food to Khor Abeche in Darfur, Referendum Talk

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, January 5 -- The Sudanese administration of Omar al Bashir blocked even food resupply to UN peacekeepers near Khor Abeche in South Darfur last month, a senior UN official off-handedly told the Press on Wednesday.

At a UN background briefing about the upcoming South Sudan referendum, Inner City Press asked the senior UN official -- who insisted on being identified that way -- about the lack of human rights reporting by the African Union - UN Hybrid Operation in Darfur under the command of the UN's Ibrahim Gambari.

The senior UN official responded that a forthcoming UNAMID report, apparently after the referendum begins, will document restrictions on access and movement imposed by the government and the Darfur rebels.

The official said there have been 39,000 additional IDPs since the Security Council's visit in October 2010.

The official cited the Tanzanian batallion for using their own food supplies to feed displaced people in Khor Abeche, and running out of food due to governmental prohibitions on resupply. The official said, "They were not able to be resupplied for days on end because the government was restricting our movements of our supply trucks."

The question is, why wasn't this reported in real time by UNAMID? By contrast, last month both Ban Ki-moon and Alain Le Roy speaking about Cote d'Ivoire openly invited other members states to help break any blockade by Gbagbo forces on peacekeeper resupply. But in Darfur, the UN and Ibrahim Gambari stayed quiet.

On the referendum, Inner City Press asked the official about the status of oil and water sharing talks, the division and possible forgiving of Sudan's foreign debt, and the citizenship rights of Southerners in the North.

The senior UN official said that citizenship has still not be agreed on, predicting this will have to wait for a package deal including Abyei and the delayed popular consultation in Blue Nile state and South Kordofan.

The official admitted that the UN is not much involved in the important debt talks -- Inner City Press has previously asked the IMF about this -- and said that water is as important as oil in Sudan.

Inner City Press asked the UN official about South Sudan's announcement it will push out Darfur rebels. The UN official praised this, naming in particular Minni Minnawi "who has been in Juba." It was the Minni Minnawi group the government was attacking in Khor Abeche.

A projected video hook up from UNMIS itself was not held. Inner City Press asked the senior UN official to explain UNMIS chief Haile Menkerios' praised of Omar al Bashir's “courage” and leadership.

The senior official official essentially repeated the praise, calling Bashir's recent statements unexpectedly positive. He noted that "Senator Kerry made some positive remarks." But what about the outstanding indictments for genocide and war crimes? Watch this site.

At UN, Nepal Opposition Letter Delayed & Ignored, Landgren to Burundi

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, January 5 -- Two weeks before the mandate of the UN Mission in Nepal was set to expire, UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon named UNMIN chief Karin Landgren as his representative to Burundi.

This telegraphed that the UN would ignore the plea by the Nepali opposition that the UN stay on. On January 3, Inner City Press e-mailed Ms. Landgren some simple questions, asking her

“to state your current role in Burundi. Charles Petrie told me he was leaving November 1, then December 31. Are you currently handling both Nepal and Burundi? Who is currently in charge of UNMIN? And when will you arrive in Burundi? Who is in charge there right now?”

There was no answer, so Inner City Press sought to ask the question at the UN's noon briefing on January 4. Ban Ki-moon's spokesman Martin Nesirky pointedly did not allow the question, walking about of the room.

On January 5, Inner City Press again tried to ask Nesirky, finally blurting out, “Why did Ban Ki-moon move Karin Landgren to Burundi?” Nesirky again refused to answer, using the time instead to say that the Security Council was meeting about Nepal later in the day, and claiming that there was no time for him to answer, since the Bosnian president of the Council was about to begin. (The Bosnian briefing did not start for at least another ten minutes).

Nevertheless, after the repeated refusal to answer the Nepal questions, Nesirky's office sent this:

From: UN Spokesperson - Do Not Reply [at] un.org
Date: Wed, Jan 5, 2011 at 12:55 PM
Subject: Your question on Karin Landgren
To: Inner City Press

Ms. Karin Landgren was named by the Secretary-General on 31st December to be the new SRSG in Burundi. She remains currently in charge of our mission in Nepal, UNMIN, and will continue there through the scheduled end of its mandate on 15 January. She will take up responsibilities in Burundi soon thereafter. Mr. Charles Petrie left Burundi on 26 December. Until the arrival of Ms. Landgren, the Chief of Staff of BINUB in Bujumbura has been designated as Officer in Charge.

The question remains, why so publicly pull Landgren from Nepal even as the opposition was calling for the UN to stay, and writing to the Security Council to make that request?

While Nesirky's Office told Inner City Press that the letter was received on January 3, on January 4 a Permanent Five member of the Council's Permanent Representative told Inner City Press that the letter had not been circulated. That took place on the morning of January 5. When Inner City Press asked this month's Council president about the letter at the stakeout, after he read a short press statement, the President refused to answer. Video here.

It appears that because Charles Petrie was leaving Burundi on December 26 -- after quitting on November 1 -- the UN felt a need to name a replacement as of December 31. This reflects, using a sports team metaphor, how shallow the UN's bench of diplomats is: there was apparently no one else to take over in Burundi. Watch this site.

Footnote: India's ambassador, on his way into the Council on January 4, told Inner City Press that UNMIS was "over... wind up." The Council President told Inner City Press on January 5 that most on the Council thought the Mission should end. Another Council diplomat explained: for five years, no progress, but they kept asking us to stay. Now we are leaving. "Good riddance."

Mogadishu in Manhattan Redux, The Return to Represent Somalia at UN of Idd Beddel Mohamed

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, January 5 -- After more than a year's absence from the UN in New York, Somali diplomat Idd Beddel Mohamed has returned, following the appointment of a new foreign minister of the Transitional Federal Government.

Wednesday he stood in front of the UN Security Council waiting to attend a briefing for all UN member states on January's program of work of the Council -- but refused to answer Press questions such as, “Are you the Somali Permanent Representative now?”

There has been something of a coup in the Somali Mission to the UN. Before Idd Beddel Mohamed's return, sources in the Mission snarked that Idd Beddel Mohamed had been remiss in December 2009 when, after another change in the TFG, he was ordered back to Mogadishu.

The sources said Idd Beddel Mohamed refused to return to Somalia, but instead went to Canada. They told Inner City Press a variety of things, not yet published, about Idd Beddel Mohamed's time in Canada.

Then they said that the new foreign minister of the TFG had written directly to UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon re-naming Idd Beddel Mohamed a representative, and saying that the long time Permanent Representative was being recalled to Somalia.

Inner City Press immediately asked Ban Ki-moon's Spokesperson's Office to confirm receipt of such a letter, on December 23. Having no answer, Inner City Press repeated the question several times between Christmas and New Years. Finally this answer arrived:

From: UN Spokesperson - Do Not Reply [at] un.org

Subject: Answer

To: Inner City Press

We can confirm receipt of a 17 December letter from the Somali Foreign Minister recalling the Permanent Representative for consultations. The Permanent Representative himself sent the Secretary-General a 22 December letter confirming his recall.

Inner City Press prepared to write a follow up article, but wanted to speak to Idd Beddel Mohamed himself. But on January 5 in front of the first UN Security Council meeting of the year, Idd Beddel Mohamed refused to answer any Press questions.

Even as diplomats from two other African countries, to whom Idd Beddel Mohamed was speaking, stopped to great Inner City Press, Idd Beddel Mohamed scowled and looked away. Apparently he did not like the story about his time in Canada. We are always eager to hear, and publish, more. But it is clear that the chaos in Mogadishu is playing out in real time in Manhattan, and now without any explanations.

Also on Somalia, Inner City Press asked India's Permanent Representative to the UN Hardeep Singh Puri, incoming chairman of the Somalia sanctions committee, to comment on the TFG's (and Puntland's) use of the private military contractor Saracen, which is affiliated with the brother of Yoweri Museveni of Uganda, main TFG supporter. He said he will study and comment on this shortly. Video here. Watch this site.

As UN Confirms Darfur Rape, Council Claims IDP Camp Arrests “Addressed”

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, January 5 -- Sudan will be the issue most frequently discussed by the UN Security Council in January, but the deteriorating situation in Darfur is becoming an afterthought with very little follow-up.

The month's program of work was confirmed Wednesday by Council president Ivan Barbalic of Bosnia, with three days of briefings about Sudan, beginning January 6 with a briefing by Benjamin Mkapa and the UN's Haile Menkerios, who on New Years Eve praised Omar al Bashir for his “courage” and leadership.

That Bashir is under indictment for genocide and war crimes in Darfur did not seem to be of concern to Menkerios or the UN Secretariat, whose spokesman Martin Nesirky on Wednesday spoke of the release of a kidnapped UN peacekeeper in Darfur “courtesy” of Bashir's government.

Nesirky also belatedly answered a question Inner City Press had been asking since last month, about two reported rapes by Bashir's forces in Tawila, near UN peacekeepers under Ibrahim Gambari's command. Nesirky issued a long read out, concluding that one rape was been verified -- but not two! We will have more on this.

Inner City Press asked Barbalic about Bashir's arrest of three people who met with the Security Council delegation to Darfur in October 2010, of which Barbalic was a part. While Barbalic paused to say how moved the visit had made him -- he said “we can only cry aloud permanently” -- he claimed that the arrests have somehow “been addressed.” Video here. That is not the case.

We will follow all three Sudan briefings at the Council -- but will Darfur remain just an afterthought? Barbalic said that Southern Sudan and Darfur are connected. Most recently, Salva Kiir of the SPLM has reportedly agreed to push all Darfur rebels -- and refugees? -- out of South Sudan. Watch this site.

As UN Misses Gbagbo Forces' Deadly Raid on Opposition Office, Ban's Spokesman Passes Buck to DPKO Missions

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, January 4 -- What is the UN doing in Cote d'Ivoire and whom is it protecting? After forces of Laurent Gbagbo raided the offices of the opposition Democratic Party of Ivory Coast, Inner City Press asked the UN to confirm whether one or four people had been killed, and to state where other that the Golf Hotel is it protecting, even just in Abidjan.

UN spokesman Martin Nesirky, who earlier spoke about the ONUCI Mission's “patrols,” replied that UN peacekeepers had “sought to gain access but it was not yet possible.”

Inner City Press asked whether the UN was purporting to protect offices of opposition political parties, or by implication their officials.

“The focus is the Golf Hotel,” Nesirky said. As the UN says when civilians are slaughtered or raped in Eastern Congo, he said UN peacekeepers “can't be everywhere all the time.” Here we're talking about a foreseeable attack on an opposition politicial party's office right in Abidjan. The UN couldn't be there?

Outside the UN Security Council, Inner City Press learned that the Council will in all probability have consultations on Cote d'Ivoire on January 5. “We're still consulting” a source told Inner City Press, “but it looks like it will be tomorrow.

At the noon briefing, Nesirky added that he would “defer to [his] colleagues in the Mission” to provide further answers. Video here, from Minute 22:22.

Nesirky, who is the spokesman not only for Ban Ki-moon but for the UN Secretariat, which includes UN peacekeeping missions, increasingly engages in this passing of the buck. In just the past ten days, he has told Inner City Press to go ask the UN Mission in Kosovo about a UN judge who let an organ theft defendant go free.

He has allowed the UN - African Union Hybrid Operation in Darfur to go 11 days without answering a question about rape by Sudan government officials right next to UN peacekeepers.

Most recently Nesirky has told to go ask MINUSTAH in Haiti how much the UN pays an official. We'll have more on that one, and the others. Watch this site.