By Matthew Russell Lee
UNITED NATIONS, June 11 -- Well before today's UN General Assembly session to name the next UNGA President, Secretary General Ban Ki-moon's spokesman Stephane Dujarric was asked of accusations that the candidate was chair and still part owner of Entebbe Handling Services (ENHAS) and if ENHAS does business with the UN.
Dujarric said, “I do not think they have any contracts with MONUSCO The President of the General Assembly is not a staff member of the UN. And again, we’re checking on the veracity of the reports that have been floating around, Matthew.”
Since then, Dujarric has not provided any information or updated the transcript. But even the most cursory search find many ENHAS contracts with missions of UN Peacekeeping under Herve Ladsous, including MONUSCO in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
From the “2013- 2014 Acquisition Plan - UN Mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo (MONUSCO),” there's “ENHAS Airfield services in Entebbe, $1,860,000” - click here to view.
See also, “2013 PO Awards for Field Missions - Others” listing “Entebbe Handling Services Ltd ( ENHAS ) Training, other $50,847, 13SOA-130654, 13RFP-130022” and “Entebbe Handling Services Ltd ( ENHAS ) Training, other $147,279, 14SOA-140105, 14RFP-140003.” Click here.
So why would Dujarric deny it? Then not either look into it or provide a correction?
Similarly, Inner City Press has repeatedly asked Dujarric about how Ban's supposed Human Rights Due Diligence Policy applies to the mere two convictions for 130 rapes in Minova by the DRC Army. MONUSCO's Martin Kobler said the policy is clear, but his boss Herve Ladsous refuses to answer the Press questions.
Ladsous has also refused to explain why he is procuring drones to be based in northern Mali, before any approval for this. And Dujarric provides no answers.
Last week Dujarric's deputy Farhan Haq answered Inner City Press that Pakistani journalist Hamid Mir was killed. But it was an assassination attempt - he was not killed. Haq simply doctored the transcript to make it appear he hadn't said “killed,” but never told the Press the transcript was changed.
This was, media could report what the UN Office of the Spokesperson said - then have it not line up with that was said, or in the case of ENHAS, what the public record shows. This is unacceptable, and the new Free UN Coalition for Access will pursuing this. Watch this site.
