By Matthew Russell Lee
UNITED NATIONS, May 16 -- More than three hours after a Press request, and after Herve Ladsous' Department of Peacekeeping Operations spoon-fed half answers about another kidnapping of peacekeepers under his watch to friendly scribes, this written response was sent:
Subject: Re: Request for all information DPKO has providing about new detention of UN peacekeepers in the Golan, etc
Date: Thu, May 16, 2013 at 11:14 PM
From: Josephine Guerrero [at] un.org
To: Matthew Russell Lee [at] InnerCityPress.com
Cc's [many, including]: Kieran Dwyer [at] un.org, Andre-Michel Essoungou [at] un.org, FUNCA
Date: Thu, May 16, 2013 at 11:14 PM
From: Josephine Guerrero [at] un.org
To: Matthew Russell Lee [at] InnerCityPress.com
Cc's [many, including]: Kieran Dwyer [at] un.org, Andre-Michel Essoungou [at] un.org, FUNCA
Matthew, On the most recent detention of UN peacekeepers in the Golan:
In the early morning on 15 May, a group of unknown armed men broke into UN Observation Post 52, in the area of separation. Three Observer Group Golan unarmed military observers were taken and held for approximately five hours and were released unharmed. They returned safely to UN Observation Post 52 where they were met by the UNDOF Head of Mission.
It's appreciated, and Inner City Press immediately publishes it in full - but it doesn't answer Inner City Press' question at the May 16 noon briefing, about "the highest levels of DPKO" being aware of the role of Qatari intelligence and the Syrian opposition "ambassador" in Doha in the previous kidnapping of Filipino UN peacekeepers.
Nor does it answer when Inner City Press directly requested, more than three hours earlier, "for an explanation of how this information was disseminated on such a limited basis, including in light of DPKO spokesperson Dwyer's statements at UN World Press Freedom Day event." Video here.
Nevertheless, an anonymous social media account associated with the UN Correspondents Association quickly jumped in, defending Ladsous from the verdict of a Troop Contributing Country, that Ladsous is "a loser." Perhaps Reuters or UNCA should contributed troops: they are certainly willing to be servile. Watch this site.
