From Australian Horns in UN to Chinese Cumin Chops, French Censorship on Congo and Rwanda Is Not Savory: Review

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, September 30 -- At two UN receptions Monday night, there were lamb chops and diplomats, talks of France's censorship on Africa, but they could not have been more different.

At Australia's end of Security Council presidency reception, there was tremendous indigenous wooden horn music and views south to Williamsburg. There was French Permanent Representative Araud in a rare appearance, and the the fourth French head of UN Peacekeeping in a row, Herve Ladsous, regaling supine scribes with his, you know, bonne humeur.

  Araud's new deputy was to be found seven blocks south at a bigger reception at China's Mission to the UN. There, even arriving late, Inner City Press witnessed and greeted the Permanent Representatives of North Korea and Sweden leaving, along with UN Political Affairs chief Jeffrey Feltman and a slew of Permanent Representatives, from Bangladesh to Bolivia, Afghanistan to Turkey. Tweeted photo here.

  There it was learned that Araud, after his mission played trump to block coverage of the Security Council's trip to the Great Lakes, won't himself be going. Morocco was brought in at the end to save face. Reuters will be spewing propaganda on France's Genocide Joyride. And other Permanent Representative say they knew nothing about it. Is this any way to run an organization, other than one headed the way of the League of Nations?

  But there were excellent lamb chops -- at China's Mission, with cumin -- and shrimp and chicken and mushrooms, there was an open feeling, a country not so scared it had to limit coverage to those who already agree with it. The perception is that France is for free speech and press. But the reality is different. And lamb chops with cumin are better than without.

Footnote: in fairness to Australia, not only was Gary Quinlangracious and accessible in September, his staff explained not only the horn but also Aussie governance, and policing in South Sudan. Hats off. They will be back in November 2014 - watch this site.

   

After France Hand-Picks Scribes for DRC and Rwanda Trip, Australia Won't Even Confirm the Trip as MONUSCO Has: Of CAR, Leaks & Stakeouts

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, September 30 -- When outgoing UN Security Council president for September Gary Quinlan of Australia held his "wrap up" press conference on Monday, he twice referred to his country being the "pen holder" on items on the Council's agenda.

  Being the "pen holder" means the right to present the first draft of documents on the item. But has the Security Council allowed it to mean more than that, to the the extent of censorship?

  Earlier on Monday Inner City Press asked Secretary General Ban Ki-moon's spokesperson Martin Nesirky to confirm how decisions were made on which media could accompany the Security Council on its upcoming trip beginning in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

  Nesirky replied that the decisions were made "in consultation with the lead mission from the Security Council for the entire trip." Video here, from Minute 13:10.

  That "lead mission, the "pen holder" on DRC, is France, which supported the genocidaire government in Rwanda and their post-genocide escape into Eastern Congo.

  So Inner City Press asked Quinlan to explain the goals of this upcoming trip, and how not only the goal but which media can go were decided on.

  Quinlan declined to answer, or even to confirm that there IS a trip. Inner City Press told him, and has since tweeted evidence, that the MONUSCO mission run by Herve Ladsous (the fourth Frenchman in a row to head UN Peacekeeping) has already been talking publicly about the trip: October 3 in Kinshasa, October 4 in Goma.

Here is an article quoting MONUSCO's spokesperson Madnodje Mounoubai, picked up by the UN's own Radio Okapi.

So there is no basis not to answer. We hope to have more on this.

  Inner City Press also asked Quinlan why there had been n oaction in his month on the Central African Republic. He cited a ministerial meeting which France sponsored at the EU offices. But, surprise, surprise, Inner City Press was not informed of or invited to cover there, either.

Inner City Press asks and reports about CAR, and has in the past routinely been invited to EU briefings, particularly those involving as this did Kristalina Georgieva (who even on Monday was sending replied to the new Free UN Coalition for Access @FUNCA_info from the UNHCR meeting in Geneva on Syria, here.) But not this one.

Similarly for UNSC Africa trips in the past, in 2008 to the DRC and as it turned out Rwanda, and 2010 to Uganda and elsewhere, Inner City Press went after in one case it was explained that France tried to block or "veto" it (for noting France's history in the region), but then co-leader of the trip South Africa said it was not for France to censor the Press.

What happened this time? Actually, there are separate leaders for each leg of the trip, Inner City Press has learned and, after Nesirky's answer, has reported.

Also in his end of presidency press conference, Quinlan twice joked about the leaking of his draft Presidential Statement on humanitarian access in Syria, saying "WE didn't leak it" to Reuters. It is not hard to figure out for whom Reuters' UN Bureau serves as a pass through (and for whom it spies: click here for story, here for document, here for audio.) It was pointed out that Agence France Presse had it to -- natch. We'll have more on this.

Footnote: on behalf of the new Free UN Coalition for Access, Inner City Press thanked Quinlan for the relatively many stakeouts he did in September, noting that one on Abyei was somewhat needlessly delayed. It was a month more transparent than most, thought, to be repeated in November 2014. Watch this site.

   

Media for UN's DR Congo Trip Picked "In Consultation" With France, US Leads on Rwanda, UK on Uganda: UN as Colonialism

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, September 30 -- That the UN under Secretary General Ban Ki-moon is or can be a colonial project was confirmed on Monday when Ban's spokesperson Martin Nesirky told Inner City Press the decision on what journalist can go and cover the Security Council's Great Lakes trip was made "in consultation with the lead mission from the Security Council for the entire trip." Video here, from Minute 13:10.

  That "lead mission" is France, which supported the genocidaire government in Rwanda and their post-genocide escape into Eastern Congo.

  Even in the past for similar Security Council trips, Inner City Press went after it was explained that France tried to block or "veto" it (for noting France's history in the region), but then co-leader of the trip South Africa said it was not for France to censor the Press.

  What happened this time? Actually, there are separate leaders for each leg of the trip, Inner City Press has learned and now, after Nesirky's answer, reports.

The final leg of the trip, to the African Union in Addis Ababa, is not led by France in any way, involving October's Council president Azerbaijan.

The UK is given a piece of the Uganda leg, and the US is said to "lead" the Rwanda leg. So did the US State Department, unlike South Africa in 2010, allow France to ban the participation of Inner City Press? 

  And, why does the UN -- and US -- allow a former colonial power to choose which media get to accompany a UNSC trip on a UN plane? Some may be asleep at the switch, but for others, they have even less excuse. Watch this site.

Subject: Re: Security Council trip to Africa
From: Jerome Bernard 
Date: Fri, Sep 20, 2013 at 6:46 PM
To: Matthew Russell Lee [at] InnerCityPress [dot] com
cc: Free UN Coalition for Access [at] FUNCA.info

Hi Matthew,  I am sorry but because of the very limited number of seats in the UN plane it won't be possible for you to travel with the Security Council for this trip to the Great Lakes Region of Africa. I am sure there will be other opportunities for travel in the future. Best regards, 

Jerome Bernard, Office of the Spokesperson for the Secretary-General

   

Ban Ki-moon DID Receive Syria's Protest, Spox Tells Inner City Press, France's Jarba-Fest Going Forward Was Ban's Answer: Precedent

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, September 30 -- After UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon issued a read out of his meeting with Saudi-sponsored Syria rebel boss Ahmad al Jarba on Saturday, Inner City Press asked Ban's spokesperson Martin Nesirky about Syria's urgent letter of four days previous.

  In that letter, a copy of which Inner City Press provided to Nesirky, Syria said that France's September 26 session with Jarba in the UN's ECOSOC Chamber violated the UN Charter.

  Nesirky replied that "the Secretary-General met with Mr. al-Jarba at his Residence this evening with a small number of the Secretary-General's senior advisers. The Spokesperson is not aware of any letter so far from the Syrian Mission on the topic you mention."

  Inner City Press sent follow up questions that Nesirky did not answer that day, or the next. So on Monday Inner City Press asked Nesirky about the letter, about why Ban's meeting with Jarba was not even in the UN Media Alert, and about France's September 26 Jarba-fest in ECOSOC.

  Nesirky said the meeting was put together quickly and was in Ban's residence. But, we note, when Ban met in his -- well, the UN's -- residence with his Syria chemical weapons envoy Ake Sellstrom, he made sure to have UN Photo there, to flash the front page of Sellstrom's report.

Then Nesirky said that yes, Ban HAD received Syria's letter, and that the French meeting going forward was the response.

Inner City Press asked if that means that any member state can now hold such a meeting inside the UN, declaring a rebel in (or out) of another state to be the sole legitimate representative of the other state's people.

Nesirky didn't answer that. But that's the question. Some say it's more and more clear who Ban Ki-moon works for, he doesn't even try to hide it anymore.

At the same noon briefing, Nesirky confirmed that while his office solicited expression of interest from journalists to cover the UN Security Council's trip to Africa's Great Lakes region, France was allowed to hand-pick which journalists would go.

Then Nesirky cut off and did not allow Inner City Press' follow up question on the legitimacy of this, saying others didn't want to hear about Inner City Press' travel plans. (He later refused without explanation to take an Inner City Press question about the Democratic Republic of the Congo.)

  When Ban's partner and Alliance the UN Correspondents Association held a faux "UN briefing" by Jarba in July, Nesirky refused to answer how that complied with UN rules, or the basis on which the UN gives UNCA a big clubhouse to hold such meetings (which included a Sri Lanka goverment film denying war crimes.) 

  No substantive answers -- but a threat by Ban's Department of Public Information to suspend or withdraw the accreditation of Inner City Press for daring to hang the sign of the new and alternative Free UN Coalition for Access@FUNCA_info on the door of its shared office, when Ban's UNCA has five signs.

There's more to say, but this is Ban's UN. Watch this site.

   

Of $100 Charge to Hear Angela Kane on Speak at UN on Syria, Ban Ki-moon Spox Says Only Kane Won't Keep the Money

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, September 30 -- Does the UN under Secretary General Ban Ki-moon now allow admission fees of up to $100 to be charged to hear a UN official speak, in the UN, about their work? Apparently yes.

  Inner City Press on Monday asked Ban's spokesperson Martin Nesirky about an invitation or solicitation sent out that morning by the Global Security Institute, founded by Alan Cranston, to hear UN official Angela Kane speak in the "elegant Delegates' Dining Room" at the UN in late October -- for $100.

  In the past, for example when the Korea Society charged $10 to hear Ban's official Robert Orr speak, Nesirky's office said that only minimal facilities charges could be passed on. 

 This was repeated to the Free UN Coalition for Access@FUNCA_info by the UN Development Program when people, even children, were charged $5 to hear UNDP Administrator Helen Clark speak in New Zealand.

   But $100? For Ban's negotiator with Syria? Is this inflation? Or decay? Nesirky didn't say the change was any problem, rather tried to turn the question on Inner City Press and say the question might imply that Kane was keeping the $100 per person. 

  Other UN audits exclusively obtained and reported by Inner City Press might raise questions -- but that wasn't, and isn't, the question Inner City Press asked on Monday.

  At the same noon briefing, Nesirky confirmed that while his office solicited expression of interest from journalists to cover the UN Security Council's trip to Africa's Great Lakes region, France was allowed to hand-pick which journalists would go.

Then Nesirky cut off and did not allow Inner City Press' follow up question on the legitimacy of this, saying others didn't want to hear about Inner City Press' travel plans. (He later refused without explanation to take an Inner City Press question about the Democratic Republic of the Congo.)

There's more to say, but this is Ban's UN. Watch this site.

   

As Letta's Coalition Collapsed, He Preened with Rouhani & Maria Bartiromo, Rose Colored Glass in UN Rose Garden

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, September 30 -- As if in denial as his government collapsed by in Rome, last week Italian Prime Minister Enrico Letta gallivanted around New York. From Media Alerts sent out by the Italian Mission to the UN:

September 24: "We are pleased to confirm that the Italian Prime Minister, Enrico Letta, will hold a stakeout in the UN Rose Garden, TODAY, Tuesday September 24, following the address of the President of the United States of America."

The connection to Obama's speech was unclear. Also September 24:

"We are glad to inform that the Italian Prime Minister, Enrico Letta, will meet the press TODAY AT 12:15 PM outside the New York Times building located at 242 West 41st between 7th and 8th Avenues."

The next day, Letta was back in the UN Rose Garden, apparently looking through rose-colored glasses:

"Please be advised that the Italian Prime Minister, Enrico Letta, will hold a possible stakeout in the Rose Garden of the UN, tomorrow, Wednesday, September 25, following his address to the UN General Assembly, at approximately 1 pm."

Also on September 25 Letta Occupied Wall Street, in his way, with the so-called (and once self-described) Money Honey:

"8.20-10.15 Meeting at the New York Stock Exchange with NYSE delegation headed by CEO Niederaurer (Statement, Opening Bell, visit to the trading floor, interview with Ms. Maria Bartiromo for 'Closing Bell' show) (2 Broad Street)"

And then it all wrapped up:

"The concluding press conference of Prime Minister, Hon. Enrico Letta will be held, as scheduled, tomorrow Thursday 26 September at 1:20 pm at the Italian Academy, Columbia University (1161 Amsterdam Avenue)."

While Letta was up to this in New York, also meeting with Hassan Rouhani, his support at home was falling apart. A lesson? Watch this site.

   

On Syria, From Fabius Fumble in NY, Refugee Action Shifts to Geneva, Qatar Aid Games

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, September 30 -- From the UN Security Council Friday night, where after a 15-0 vote on the Syria chemical weapons resolution French foreign minister Laurent Fabius spun his propping up of Saudi-sponsored rebel boss Jarba, the Syria action moved Monday to Geneva.

  The UN's refugee agency held a morning of speeches. Lebanon said that those fleeing Syria have brought prostitution with them -- lacking in class, as one wag noted. Qatar bragging about the aid it is giving, without mentioning that its arming of extremist rebels has played a role in the refugee flows.

  UNHCR allowed Germany to jump the line of speakers because of a need to catch a flight. Donor status has its benefits, apparently. It got the UN three names: William Joseph Burns.

    Norway's outgoing foreign minister Espen Barth Eide, whom Inner City Press observed Friday night at the Security Council stakeout in New York, was there in Geneva.

  (Fabius, meanwhile, followed up his Friday night fumble with "French Morning" on Saturday, a food festival to which he brought his own pack of scribes.)

  Back in the Security Council, there is a draft Presidential Statement on humanitarian access. Qatar in Geneva thundered that access must be unconditional, and without discrimination -- ironic, given its policies. The EU's Kristalina Georgieva called it a "resolution;" this sloppiness is not limited to her.

  Agence France Presse, which like any good state media would never mention Fabius' meltdown Friday in New York, couldn't even keep its calendar straight, reporting that Australia hands over the presidency of the Security Council to Azerbaijan on Wednesday. No, that would be Tuesday October 1. 

  But facts were never AFP's strong suit - witness its coverage, past and upcoming, of the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Rwanda. The international machinery was never mobilized in this way for that crisis, much less for Sri Lanka in 2009. We'll have more on this. Watch this site.

   

Ban Ki-moon's 106-Word Jarba Read-Out Trumps Latin Presidents Including Brazil, & Uganda PM

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, September 30 -- UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon met with Saudi-sponsored Syria rebel boss Ahmad al Jarba on September 28 at his (UN-provided) residence. It was not on the UN Media Alert, but afterward his Office of the Spokesperson issued a 106 word read-out of the meeting.

  All this despite and without responding to an urgent September 24 protest from Syria's government. Inner City Press asked about Syria's letter; Ban's Office of the Spokesperson replied that it was not aware of the letter.

   Inner City Press immediately provided a copy and asked, "what is the Secretariat's response to the argument? Separately, as now applies to SG's September 28" meeting with al-Jarba?

More than a day has elapsed, and there has been no response. Rather, the questions have mounted. If it was an unofficial or personal meeting, why was there a read-out more than 100 words long?

We must therefore compare this Jarba read-out to some of Ban's other read-outs, for now just between September 22 and September 24 with a focus on Latin America.

  For the President of Paraguay on September 22, Ban Ki-moon's Office of the Spokesperson issues a read-out of 71 words -- compared to 106 words for the Saudi sponsored Syria rebel boss Jarba.

  For the President of Panama on September 22, Ban's Office issued a read-out of 41 words, less than half of its Jarba read-out.

  On September 23 for the President Santos of Colombia, a country with major UN operations, Ban's Office of the Spokesperson issued a read out of 70 words. WithUruguay's President Mujica the read-out was 59 words, including noting that Uruguay is a major per-capita peacekeeping contributor.

  Even for Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff, Ban's read out was shorter than for Jarba, despite Rousseff raising the US's widespread spying through the NSA. (Ban, it should be remembered, said that whistleblower Edward Snowden "misused" information and his position, in a closed door meet with Iceland parliamentarians which he later claimed was "closed").

So Ban was more detailed with Saudi-sponsored rebel Jarba than with the president of Brazil?

While we'll have more on this, Ban's "going light" (particularly when compared to his still not fully explained or justified meeting with Jarba) is not confirmed to Latin America. 

   As simple one Africa example, for Ban's September 20 meeting with Amama Mbabazi, Prime Minister of the Republic of Uganda, the read out was only 54 words, despite the upcoming UN Security Council trip to Uganda as well as the DRC, Rwanda and Ethiopia.

   For that, Ban's Office solicited journalists' request to go(after first limiting the invitation only to those paying money to the UN Correspondents Association, which held a fauxUN briefing by Jarba in July) -- but then allowed colonial powerhouse France to handpick which correspondents could go.

And so, some wonder, particularly after his Saturday night meeting with Jarba, for whom does Ban Ki-moon work? Watch this site.

   

On Syria, Given Ban Ki-moon's & Jarba's 100 Word Read-Out, Why Not in Media Alert, No Photo? 23 Hours, UNanswered

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, September 29 -- Despite and without responding to an urgent September 24 protest from Syria, UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon met Saturday at his (UN-provided) residence with Saudi-sponsored Syria rebel boss Ahmad al Jarba.

  Inner City Press asked about Syria's letter; Ban's Office of the Spokesperson replied that it was not aware of the letter. Inner City Press immediately provided a copy and asked, what is the Secretariat's response to the argument? Separately, as now applies to SG's September 28" meeting with al-Jarba?

  A full day has elapsed, and there has been no response. Rather, the questions have mounted. If it was an unofficial or personal meeting, why was there a read-out more than 100 words long?

  Why was it not listed on the UN's Media Alert? Why, unlike Ban's meeting at the residence with his Syria chemical weapons prober Ake Sellstrom, was there no photograph?

  The murky meeting has been covered, not surprisingly, not only by Agence France Presse (France sponsored Jarba in the UN's ECOSOC chamber) but now by Saudi-supported Al Arabiya. Another Gulf station which is "all in" against Assad has seen fit to simultaneous try to rehabilitate Sri Lanka's Mahinda Rajapaksa, who killed at least 40,000 civilians.

  As September ends tomorrow, Ban Ki-moon is still withholding the UN's report on the UN's inaction during this 2009 killing. But unlike his Saturday meeting with Jarba, he had a photograph taken with Sellstrom AND the first page of his report. 

  What is the difference? Look at the positions of the US and France, and of the Gulf countries that have been allowed to increasingly fund and dominate in the UN, and the answer is obvious. But we are still awaiting responses from Ban's spokesperson's office, a full day after the questions were asked. Watch this site.