By Matthew Russell Lee
UNITED NATIONS, May 30 -- How does the UN cover up mass rape by its partners?
Most recently on May 29, when Inner City Press asked the UN's Herve Ladsous about 135 counted rapes in Minova by the Congolese Army, Ladsous said, "you know I don't respond to you." Video here.
Inner City Press encouraged him to pretend someone else, less critical of his record, had asked the question and provide an update. But he did not.
On May 30, the Department of Peacekeeping Operations rather than put online a transcript of Ladsous' press conference as it did in February, put online only a"summary" -- which made no mention of Minova, or rape, or Ladsous' refusal to answer.
This is like some dictatorial countries: they simply erase the question. Ladsous tried this before, asking UNTV to edit out the final portion of a stakeout so that Inner City Press' question -- which he refused to answer -- could not be heard.
It happened on December 18, 2012, when Ladsous directed his spokesman to seize the UNTV microphone to try to keep Inner City Press from asking a question about the Minova rapes. Video here.
And now, they reverse previous practice and don't release a transcript, but only a summary which does not mention the 135 rapes.
In fact, there may have been more than 135 rapes. On May 30 Inner City Press asked Ban Ki-moon's deputy spokesperson Eduardo Del Buey about a report of 88 rapes in Minova -- and for the update on accountability it had asked Ladsous for the day before.
Del Buey said the update would now start being sought. The wheels didn't start the day before, when Ladsous was asked? Apparently not. It's a cover up, you see. A cover up in plain sight and with the implicit approval of Ladsous' bosses, the Secretary General and.... guess who? Watch this site.
