By Matthew Russell Lee
UNITED NATIONS, May 24 -- A week after the day against homophobia, the Australian Lesbian Medical Association won a vote at the UN for recommendation as special consultative status to ECOSOC.
When ALMA's application came up, Pakistan sought to put it off, asking for a copy of a scientific paper mentioned in its application. Bulgaria took the floor to call this a delay tactic, and called for a vote.
There are 19 members of the NGO Committee. Two were listed as "absent" -- Burundi and Cuba. Of those listed as present, nine voted yes, six voted no, and two abstained.
The nine "Yes" votes as recorded by Inner City Press in the room were the USA, Venezuela, Belgium, India, Israel, Nicaragua, Peru and Turkey.
The six "No" votes were China, Morocco -- which also opposed or questioned groups dealing with Western Sahara -- Pakistan, Russia, Senegal and Sudan.
The abstainers were Kyrgyzstan and Mozambique, which Secretary General Ban Ki-moon just visited.
Inner City Press has asked, does Ban's Secretariat monitor this NGO Committee, and try to assert leadership?
On the other hand, the US alone blocked or delayed the Islamic African Relief Agency, saying it funded Osama Bin Laden, and asking for more information: which UN agencies funded it?
Sudan complained that while the US question blocked the groups, questions about ALMA did not. But ALMA had the votes. Did the Islamic African Relief Agency? Watch this site.
Footnotes: China spotted a group which said it had consultative status on its web site while applying for it; Russia wondered if those who disagree with gay rights don't themselves have their rights violated. The NGO Committee is one of the few places in the UN where such clashes occur in the open, on the record.
