After US Power Tells UN to Cut North Korea's Mic, Inner City Press Asks UN About Its Rules

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, April 30, with UN and hallway video and transcription -- When the US Mission and that of South Korea started an event on human rights in North Korea in UN Conference Room 3 on April 30, on the podium were US Ambassador Samantha Power, author Barbara Demick UN human rights official Ivan Simonovic and others. 

  In the audience was North Korean Counselor Ri Song Chol, with a right of reply speech to give, too early as it happened. Inner City Press shot this video; below is a transcription.

  US Ambassador Power said to cut the microphone, then said that UN Security would be called. Ultimately the North Korean delegation left. Inner City Press at the day's UN noon briefing asked what rules apply.Video here.

 From the UN transcript:

Inner City Press: this morning, as I'm sure you know, there was a… an event on North… on human rights in the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, and the DPRK envoy sought to speak and there was some back and forth from the podium telling the UN… the UN technicians to turn off his microphone and, in fact, it was turned off for a time and eventually there was some talk of calling UN Security and eventually they did leave with UN Security.  So I wanted to ask you, maybe here or shortly after the briefing, what are the rules in terms of invoking UN Secretariat resources such as turning off a microphone or calling Security to remove a diplomat of a country?

Deputy Spokesman:  I don't have any of the details of this meeting so I need to confirm what exactly happened and who asked for what.  I… I can't even confirm that that… what… the details of that.

Question:  Okay.  I just want… a request was made from the podium from the US ambassador to turn off the gentleman's microphone and it did turn off.  I just want to know from you is this usual UN procedure or was it a mistake or…

Deputy Spokesman:  This is not something I'd heard of.  So we would need to look into it and see what's happened and who made any sort of request.

  But here's a transcription from Conference Room 3:

"I’m Barbara Demick. I have been covering the DPRK since 2001. I wrote a book about North Korea called Nothing To Envy, and I’ve also been writing for the Los Angeles Times and the New Yorker on the subject. I’m delighted to be here and happy you will have an opportunity to hear...

DPRK DIPLOMAT

Demick: I think you’ll have a chance to speak in the question and answer period.

DPRK again tries to speak.

Samantha Power: Sir, you’re discrediting yourself further by interrupting the proceedings. We will continue our panel You can speak when the panel concludes.

DPRK still trying to speak (speech as prepared for delivery now put online by Inner City Press here, excerpted below)

Power: I think the audience will agree it’s better to allow the DPRK to speak, since it is a self-discrediting exercise. Conclude your statement, and we will go back to our panel. There’s no need for a microphone.

DPRK: (inaudible)

Power: Please shut the mic down, since this is not an authorized intervention. If we could ask the acoustics people? Please ensure that the microphone is not live. Thank you.

DPRK keeps speaking, but can’t hear without a mic. Woman yells in Korean.

Power: So we are calling UN Security. Sir, you can either conclude your remarks, or you will be removed from the room.

Demick: you will have a chance to speak.

Power: No. He’s had his chance.

  Inner City Press has asked UN deputy spokesperson Farhan Haq what the UN's rules are, for cutting of a member state's microphone. Here's a part of DPRK's speech: (and here, on the US Mission's website, is Power's)

"The DPRK categorically rejects the groundless allegations made in this event organized by the US and south Korea.
 
  "It is well known to the world that the United States pursues the political confrontation and plot against the DPRK even in the international human rights fora as an extension of its hostile policy towards the DPRK. The principal human rights violator of the world is none other than the United States."

  "Under the 'Liberty Statue,' the United States enjoys its reputation by ranking the Number 1 in murder and crimes by murdering the innocent black people, extreme racial discrimination, sexual abuses against the women, and in the number of prisons and prisoners. These are just a tip of iceberg among the human rights violations committed in the US every day. The acts of racial discrimination committed by the white police officers through shooting, strangling, and beating to death the African-Americans in several cities of the US such as Ferguson and Baltimore as well as cruel and barbarian acts of torture by the CIA in the secret prison camps in all parts of the world clearly show that the US, so-called guardian of 'freedom' and 'human rights,' is the true kingpin of human rights violations and the barren land of human rights."

"The United States has no rights to raise the human rights issues of other countries, as it officially detain people, without any legal procedures, and brutally torture them in secret prisons placed in several countries around the world. The United States should disclose whole part of the report on torture by the CIA at detention centers, accept the international special investigation and take measures to punish those responsible for those crimes. It is preposterous for the US to accuse other's human rights. The US is better advised to correct its own faults in human rights."

 Eventually the North Korea trio left the conference room accompanied by UN Security officers. Inner City Press followed, and asked them if they'd return for a more UN-conventional right of reply. No, was the response.

Update: Inner City Press has obtained North Korea's speech and puts it online here, since the mic was cut off. Inner City Press also asked UN deputy spokesperson Farhan Haq what are the UN's rules for cutting off microphones on member states, and use of UN Security.

 As the DPRK trio went up the escalator, a heckler who had followed from the Conference Room shouted at them, "You are human scum!"Video here.
They proceeded up the escalator, through the UN's checkerboard floored lobby and were gone.

 The event was called "Victims’ Voices: A Conversation on North Korean Human Rights," and included author Barbara Demick.

  Back on April 8 the North Korean mission to the UN held a press conference at its office on Second Avenue, at which its Deputy Permanent Representative An Myong Hun denounced the continued detention of the Mudubong ship in Mexico.

  An Myong Hun said that in January Mexico was going to release the ship, which ran into a Mexican coral reef (damage to which North Korea paid for) - then reversed its position, saying that a UN Under Secretary General had told them to hold the ship.

  Inner City Press asked An Myong Hun if that UN Under Secretary General was Angela Kane of Disarmament, soon to be replaced by Kim Won-soo (see Inner City Press' scoop, here). An Myong Hun said that the USG was unnamed - but said the United States was behind the continued "illegal" detention of the ship.

  But, An Myong Hun said, DPRK has not spoken about this with the United States. He was on his way to deliver a speech to the UN Disarmament meeting Inner City Press is also covering. 

Here's how An Myong Hung began his press conference:

"One peaceful commercial ship of my country has been detained for more than eight months and we think that this is complete abnormal situation. Mudubong, which was on a peaceful voyage for foreign trade activities, entered into one port at Mexico but unfortunately it went aground on a coral reef near that port. It was totally an accident. Mexico requested payment for damage to the coral reef according to its domestic law. We the DPRK fully paid all this compensation for environmental damage to the reef. And since we fulfilled our legal obligation by payment, Mexico authorities decided to release the Mudubong and allow Mudobong to leave the port, January this year.

"But suddenly, the Mexico government revoked its position. They said they have received advice from an unnamed Under Secretary General of the United Nations for the continued detention of the ship."

  The North Korean mission held another press conference back on February 16, President's Day, when the UN was closed. The purpose then  was to go public with the opposition of the DPRK Korea to the “Conference on North Korean Human Rights” to be held by the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington on February 17.

   Inner City Press asked North Korean Ambassador Jang Il Hun if, as the Korea Times has reported, the event would be held in the US Capitol. No, he said, he expected it would be held on CSIS's campus. The State Department told him that since it is not a US government event - despite the participation of Ambassador Robert King and Kurt Campbell - the DPRK's request for cancellation or participation was not granted.

   But, Jang Il Hun said, why wasn't DPRK allowed to participate in the US goverment event in September 2014 in the Waldorf Astoria Hotel? Inner City Press covered that event, here, and asked the same question, in the spirit of the right to reply. 

  Despite the presence of UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Prince Zeid, and a blue UN flag, Inner City Press was told that was not a “UN event,” so no right to reply.

  Inner City Press also asked Jang Il Hun if UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon has replied to his government's recent letter. No, was the answer. Video here and embedded below. And so it goes at the UN.

  This press conference was held a small room at the DPRK mission on Second Avenue; Inner City press tweeted photos here, and here. 

  Jang Il Hun said he hoped this would be the first of many such events, part of DPRK's campaign. In the foyer were photographs of gifts given to DPRK, including a signed Wilson basketball. “Now you must leave,” the Press was told. Back at the UN, the temperature was 57 degrees. Watch this site.

Here's the DPRK Mission's statement:

No.4 /02/15

Press Statement of the Permanent Mission of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea to the United Nations

The Permanent Mission of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea to the Unite Nations releases the following press statement with regard to the “Conference on North Korean Human Rights” to be hosted by the United States in Washington D.C.

The United States and south Korea are going to convene so-called "Conference on North Korean Human Rights: the Road Ahead" on 17 February in Washington by bringing together Michael Donald Kirby, former chairman of COI and Marzuki Darusman, the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the DPRK.

The Permanent Mission of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea to the United Nations condemns the convening of such human rights gathering as a political human rights plot against the DPRK and makes clear its position as follows;

The "Conference on North Korean Human Rights: the Road Ahead " constitutes a product of the hostile policy of the United States against the DPRK, and it is nothing but a rubbish event for the United States to get rid of the predicament driven at home and abroad, due to the recent confession by the defector of the fabrication of his testimony and to the disclosure of CIA's torture crimes.

We made due request to the U.S. on our participation in the gathering, since we are the party directly concerned. But the U.S. ignored our request for participation because they are afraid of disclosure of their plot for fabrication.

The US is advised to clean up its own human rights ravages. If the U.S. is sincerely interested in human rights, they should, above all, call into question the CIA's torture crimes and the gross human rights violations committed by "national security law" in south Korea, far from clinging to the attempted fabrication of falsehood and plot through such as the kind of above "conference".

The United States does not have qualification at all to talk about human rights situation of other countries, since it is the worst human rights violator in the world.

We, the people of the DPRK are proud of our political and social system chosen by ourselves and we will strongly respond to any attempts to overthrow our system under the pretext of human rights.

   

On Central African Republic Alleged Child Rapes, Inner City Press Asks UN When If Ever Its Rape Report Would Have Been Publicly Disclosed

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, April 30 -- French soldiers in the Central African Republic allegedly  sexually abused children, and after more than nine months, no action has been taken. On April 30, Inner City Press asked UN deputy spokesperson Farhan Haq when, if ever, the UN was going to make public its report -- which it did not even share with the CAR authorities, only France. Video here.

From the UN's transcript:

Inner City Press: if Mr. [Anders] Kompass had not given the unredacted report to the French and if it had not appeared in the Guardian, when was this ever going to be made public?  What… can you describe what the UN's process… once it hears testimony from nine-year-old children that they were raped by soldiers in an area in which it has a mission, how is it taken this long?  What is the normal process once you have such a report?  Would it ever have been made public [inaudible]

Deputy Spokesman Haq:  The normal process is to hand it over to the authorities who are in a position to prosecute and that was in fact been done and they have in fact been prosecuting.  Of course, their investigation, their own work in this is continuing, and we respect the ability of them to turn… to continue with that investigation.  Regarding that… the handling of evidence, as you know, we've… we said yesterday… and I'm not going to go over all of that again, what our concerns were, but it has to do with another thing that is a key priority of the United Nations, which is to say the protection of the sort of people who place their trust in us come forward with vital information as witnesses or as victims or as investigators, and we want to make sure that no harm comes to those people.  And that's also an important priority to keep in mind.

Inner City Press: The question becomes — so what's the UN's usual procedure if it receives allegations of rape of children, it provides it to a country.  How long does it give a country… when you say prosecution, has anyone been charged in the nine months since the information was provided, anyone?

Deputy Spokesman Haq:  That's not a question for me but for the French authorities.  They are ones that are conducting the prosecution.

Inner City Press:  Once you provide information about child rape by soldiers to a country, if no one is charged, when do you go public?  Was it just a fluke that the Guardian published it, or would you ever have gone public with it?  That's really now question.  Is there a procedure for the UN to say children say they were raped and the country has not done anything?  When does that happen?

Deputy Spokesman Haq:  Yes, at some point, the relevant information comes out, but we also have to respect the ability of the authorities to conduct an investigation without our interference in their investigative process.

We don't try to interfere with countries' investigative processes.  In the meantime, what we did through our human rights office in Bangui is conduct a human rights investigation in the late spring of 2014.  That was in response to serious allegations of sexual exploitation and abuse of children by French military personnel.

We… we tried to make sure that that will be followed up on, and in fact it is being followed up on.  In terms of when it's being made public, I believe the French authorities have their own way of processing this, and you really need to ask them the question of how they disclose this sort of information as they go about this.  But certainly we're not trying to prejudice or interfere with an investigation.  For us, the main priority is accountability.  The main priority is to make sure that whoever committed this, if… if there were crimes committed, that justice is done and that the people who committed these… these alleged crimes are held accountable.

Inner City Press:  Is there a deadline for a country to actually prosecute somebody once they're given information such as this because you treat other countries differently?  For example, in the DRC [Democratic Republic of the Congo], DPKO [Department of Peacekeeping Operations] has said we won't work with the army because they didn't do certain judicial things.  So what's the rule?  Is it nine months, a year, a year and a half?

Deputy Spokesman Haq:  This country is in fact doing judicial things and we're respecting that process.  Ultimately for us the important point is to make sure justice is done, and we'll continue it follow up on that.  But they are in fact going ahead with that process.

 Setting aside for now whether that's true or not, what about Equatorial Guinea?

  On April 30 prosecutors in CAR's capital Bangui said they were never told about the allegations or report by the UN. What is the UN's function, when the rape of CAR children is reported only to France, and not to CAR? 

  Inner City Press asked UN deputy spokesperson Farhan Haq about the process, how long the UN would wait -- without answer. Haq spoke positively of French president Francois Hollande now saying "no mercy" to the perpetrators. After nine months?

  Now it emerges that troops for example from Equatorial Guinea are also named in the UN report. Was Equatorial Guinea also told by the UN (and not CAR)?  This is a cover-up, in more ways than one.

  Herve Ladsous, the fourth Frenchman in a row in charge of UN Peacekeeping, has made an announcement from Bangui: that he will deploy drones there. 

But who will get the information, and what will be covered up, like the rapes?

The UN's own in-house organ UN News Center, not mentioning the rapes of course, quotes Ladsous that "the arrival of attack helicopters and drones would help." 

 The story is more complex. Inner City Press has asked the UN questions, below.

  Yesterday's Guardian report focused on a UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights staffer Anders Kompass -- who some media insist on identifying as an "aid worker" -- saying he is being retaliated against for sharing this information with the French.

  As Inner City Pres previously reported, there is more to this story and to Kompass, in the public record. Kompass shared information with Morocco, to undermine human rights reporting in Western Sahara. Inner City Press reported on Kompass and this in December; the leaked documents are online.  

 What is the relationship between the two stories, beyond the UN's near total lack of transparency and standards? 

  On April 29, the UN came out with a statement that Kompass was suspended with pay for leaking a report to French authorities with the name of victims and witnesses. Inner City Press asked UN deputy spokesperson Farhan Haq these questions, here

Inner City Press: since this report was given in mid-2014, one, can the U.N. say whether any of the alleged perpetrators have been disciplined?  It's almost a year at this point.  So you're saying they're looking into it now.  I'm staring now at an e-mail of Rupert Colville of that office who is asking about Anders Compass in December in connection with the leaking of information to Morocco about Western Sahara, which was revealed in these Moroccan leaked cables.  And I wanted to know, when was he suspended?  And what's the relationship of these two? At the time, Mr. Colville said there was an OIOS [Office of Internal Oversight Services] investigation of the leaking regarding Western Sahara.  So the question is: are there two investigations?  Is there one investigation?  And can you tell us on what date Mr. Compass was suspended? Deputy Spokesman Haq:  Some of these details will, of course, have to wait.  The actual investigation that the Office for the High Commissioner for Human Rights is doing into this.  So I would wait for that to be completed.  I am aware of a separate issue involving the Office for the… for Internal Oversight Services.  But that's… that is, I believe, on a different matter.  But I'll have… but, of course, right now, I need for those particular things to be finished so I can comment on them.  Otherwise, I don't have the details of either of those investigations while they're underway.  So I'd expect your patience while we go through that. Regarding the case of Mr. Compass and his… Compass and his start date, like I said, he's been placed on administrative leave with full pay pending the results of the investigation.  Regarding what you said about the French and any follow-up action, I think that's a question to ask the French authorities.  Like I said, we have been made aware by the French that they are conducting their own investigation into this. Inner City Press: But since the current UN mission works with the French authorities in a cooperative context and you have this human rights due diligence policy, doesn't the UN have some duty to know what the French authorities have done? Deputy Spokesman:  Well, regarding human rights due diligence, it's our human rights people who have investigating this.  And we're following up on that. So we’re… Question:  I know. Deputy Spokesman:  These are not UN forces.  These are forces under the control of… Question:  The policy covers UN working with outside forces that may have committed human rights violations.  And the question is, what has the UN done to make sure that these rapes and abuses didn't take place-- Deputy Spokesman:  I just read out a statement stating what we have done. Question:  Are you still working with the same forces that are accused of the rapes? Deputy Spokesman:  And as far as that goes, like I said, you would be well advised to ask the French how they're following up, but they are also conducting their own investigation, and that… like I said, the substance of this is very serious, and we do expect that there would be follow-up on that. 

 But has there been? The head of UN Peacekeeping, former French diplomat Herve Ladous, has invoked the UN's stated human rights due diligence policy to not work with the Congolese Army in combating the Hutu FDLR rebel. But apparently no invocation, or even inquiry under, the UN's human rights due diligence policy as to the army of his native France. This is outrageous.

Here's their statement:

The United Nations, through its Office of Human Rights in Bangui, conducted a human rights investigation in late spring of 2014, following serious allegations of sexual exploitation and abuse of children by French military personnel, prior to the establishment of the United Nations peacekeeping operation in Central African Republic. The resulting report was provided to an external party in mid-July 2014 in unedited form, which included the identities of victims, witnesses and investigators.  The unedited version was, by a staff member’s own admission, provided unofficially by that staff member to the French authorities in late July, prior to even providing it to the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights’ (OHCHR) senior management.  This constitutes a serious breach of protocol, which, as is well known to all OHCHR officials, requires redaction of any information that could endanger victims, witnesses and investigators. There is also an internal investigation into the handling of this matter by OHCHR, including the manner in which the confidential preliminary findings were initially communicated to external actors, and whether the names of victims, witnesses and investigators were conveyed as part of that document.  One staff member has been placed on administrative leave with full pay pending the results of the investigation. Our preliminary assessment is that such conduct does not constitute whistleblowing.

We'll have more on this - and on the behavior in CAR of MINUSCA, run by Frenchman Herve Ladsous.

 Inner City Press back on November 21, 2014, asked the New York spokesman for High Commissioner for Human Rights Prince Zeid for

"an update on action on the leaked cables, related to Western Sahara, involving current OHCHR official Anders Kompass and one, previously head of OHCHR's office in NY, who's just left. What steps has OHCHR taken on the cables / issues?"

  Now three weeks later there has been no answer. from the OHCHR spokesperson in New York. But we now publish this response from OHCHR Geneva spokesperson Rupert Colville to similar questions:

From: Rupert Colville [at] ohchr.org
Date: Friday 12 December 2014
Subj: Investigation leaked cables Western Sahara and OHCHR

The investigation is being carried out, at our request, by the Office of Internal Oversight Services (OIOS) in New York, which is an operationally independent office that assists the Secretary-General in fulfilling his internal oversight responsibilities. While the investigation is under way, there is nothing else I can say on the matter.

  Colville was asked, among other things, “Is Anders Kompass still in active duty during this investigation? Who is leading this investigation?”

  The UN system often uses the pendency of an investigation as a way to wait for the “problem” to go away. As the publication Tel Quel, here, has noted, many in the media are not covering the leaks.

  Relatedly, the leaks are now being covered up or censored. Two recent uploads, about Morocco and the African Group at the UN, were put on “ filefactory.com” -- then taken down after, the site says, a complaint under the US Digital Millennium Copyright Act.

  This is a new trend -- attempt to use copyright law to take down leaked documents. Reuters, for example, filed a “for the record” complaint with the UN trying to get Inner City Press thrown out - then, when the “for the record” complaint was leaked and published, conned Google into blocking it from Search, calling it copyrighted. Click here for that.

So that media uses or abuses copyright to censor its own “for the record” complaint filed with the UN, and does not cover these new leaks about Western Sahara, Morocco, and the UN. This is a new trend. Watch this site.

  In the above, the referenced former head of OHCHR's New York office is Senegal's Bacre Waly Ndiaye, noted Tijania Sufi. The cables reveal a deep scandal in the UN system. Now OHCHR in Geneva is saying it will not comment until an investigation, Inner City Press understands by the UN Office of Internal Oversight Services, is complete. But there is no indication that will be publish. This is one of the ways the UN covers up.

 There other ways, beyond Western Sahara. On rapes in DR Congo by Army units the UN support, Ladsous refused to answer Press questions for months.  Video here of then and now spokesman pulling microphone away from Inner City Press. These practices are being opposed by the new Free UN Coalition for Access.

 Now on UN Peacekeeping's November 9 press release covering up mass rape in Thabit in Darfur, Ladsous has not answered any questions; UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric on November 21 told Inner City Press the UN won't comment on leaks. The Western Sahara leaks are so extensive that despite a seeming media blackout by Western wire services, they will not go away. 

While Ladsous is not the only UN official exposed by the cables, his extraordinary campaign of refusing Press questions, to the point of physically blocking Press filming (Vine here), as well as a DPKO to OHCHR connection, make him key to the case. As to MINURSO, Ladsous is blamed for the non-deployment of Bolduc. 

  Back on November 14 Inner City Press asked UN Deputy Spokesperson Farhan Haq about Bolduc and an investigation of leaks in Geneva of which sources tell it. Video here.

  On November 5, Inner City Press reported on leaked cables showing among other things the UN's Ladsous undermining MINURSO on the issue of human rights, and improper service of Morocco by Office of the High Commissioner of Human Rights staffers Anders Kompass and Bacre Waly Ndiaye.

    Since then, along with anonymous death threats, Inner City Press has received additional information including of a UN Office of Internal Oversight Services investigation of Anders Kompers and Bacre Waly Ndiaye.

  On November 14, Inner City Press asked the UN's Haq, per UN transcript:

Deputy Spokesman Haq:  You had a question on Western Sahara?

Inner City Press: It's a two-pronged question.  What Stéphane [Dujarric] said earlier in the week about Kim Bolduc, the new SRSG [Special Representative of the Secretary-General].  I wanted to just kind of confirm it.  In reading it, does that mean that she has never has been allowed in?  And, if so, where has she been since August?  What is the plan to resolve that?  And I also wanted to ask you about regarding the cables that I base the initial question on.  Can you confirm that OIOS [Office for Internal Oversight Services] is conducting an investigation at the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights on at least two staff members who apparently leaked this information to the Moroccan Government?

Deputy Spokesman Haq:  On that, I cannot confirm that.  As you know, the OIOS conducts its work independently.  At some point, once they have completed their work, they apprise us [inaudible].  But I wouldn't be aware of any work that is ongoing.  Beyond that, regarding Kim Bolduc, as you know, both Christopher Ross and Kim Bolduc briefed the Security Council on 27 October.  And at that point, the Security Council reiterated its desire, first of all, to see Ambassador Ross's facilitation resume and reiterated its desire to see Kim Bolduc be able to take up her duties at the helm of MINURSO [United Nations Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara] as soon as possible.  And we look forward to the resumption of Mr. Ross's visit to the region and also to the deployment of Kim Bolduc.

Inner City Press:  But is she currently, I mean, she is the SRSG?

Deputy Spokesman Haq:  She is the SRSG, but she has not been able to function with her MINURSO duties in-country.

  In-country, eh? We'll have more on this. And on this: Inner City Press is informed that while Ladsous claims to have performed as required in connection with the appointment of Bolduc, even on this he is accused of failing to do his duty, as on many other parts of his job. Video compilation here; recent Vine here.

   Document leaks from inside the UN have identified improper service of Morocco, on the question of Western Sahara, by a staffer at the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, Anders Kompass.

  Inner City Press has waited to report on them; the spokesperson for the High Commissioner has today said his office is aware the leaked cables, which contain the perspective of certain diplomats, and that the situation is being investigated to clarify the facts.”

  Whatever the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, now under Jordan's Prince Zeid, does about the content of the leaks, more will be required in the UN Secretariat in New York -- particularly at the top of the Department of Peacekeeping Operations, which runs the MINURSO mission in Western Sahara.

  The cables show that Herve Ladsous, a long-time French diplomat now the boss of DPKO and thus of MINURSO, was flacking for Morocco on the supposed quality of its human rights mechanisms. This directly undercuts the MINURSO mission, for which Ladsous is supposed to be working.

   

In Bangui, UN Didn't Report French Rapes to Central African Republic Authorities, Cover Up

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, April 30 -- French soldiers in the Central African Republic sexually abused children, and after more than nine months, no action has been taken. 

  On April 30 prosecutors in CAR's capital Bangui said they were never told about the allegations or report by the UN. What is the UN's function, when the rape of CAR children is reported only to France, and not to CAR? 

  Inner City Press asked UN deputy spokesperson Farhan Haq about the process, how long the UN would wait -- without answer. Haq spoke positively of French president Francois Hollande now saying "no mercy" to the perpetrators. After nine months?

  Now it emerges that troops for example from Equatorial Guinea are also named in the UN report. Was Equatorial Guinea also told by the UN (and not CAR)?  This is a cover-up, in more ways than one.

  Herve Ladsous, the fourth Frenchman in a row in charge of UN Peacekeeping, has made an announcement from Bangui: that he will deploy drones there. 

But who will get the information, and what will be covered up, like the rapes?

The UN's own in-house organ UN News Center, not mentioning the rapes of course, quotes Ladsous that "the arrival of attack helicopters and drones would help." 

 The story is more complex. Inner City Press has asked the UN questions, below.

  Yesterday's Guardian report focused on a UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights staffer Anders Kompass -- who some media insist on identifying as an "aid worker" -- saying he is being retaliated against for sharing this information with the French.

  As Inner City Pres previously reported, there is more to this story and to Kompass, in the public record. Kompass shared information with Morocco, to undermine human rights reporting in Western Sahara. Inner City Pressreported on Kompass and this in December; the leaked documents are online.  

 What is the relationship between the two stories, beyond the UN's near total lack of transparency and standards? 

  On April 29, the UN came out with a statement that Kompass was suspended with pay for leaking a report to French authorities with the name of victims and witnesses. Inner City Press asked UN deputy spokesperson Farhan Haq these questions, here

Inner City Press: since this report was given in mid-2014, one, can the U.N. say whether any of the alleged perpetrators have been disciplined?  It's almost a year at this point.  So you're saying they're looking into it now.  I'm staring now at an e-mail of Rupert Colville of that office who is asking about Anders Compass in December in connection with the leaking of information to Morocco about Western Sahara, which was revealed in these Moroccan leaked cables.  And I wanted to know, when was he suspended?  And what's the relationship of these two? At the time, Mr. Colville said there was an OIOS [Office of Internal Oversight Services] investigation of the leaking regarding Western Sahara.  So the question is: are there two investigations?  Is there one investigation?  And can you tell us on what date Mr. Compass was suspended?

Deputy Spokesman Haq:  Some of these details will, of course, have to wait.  The actual investigation that the Office for the High Commissioner for Human Rights is doing into this.  So I would wait for that to be completed.  I am aware of a separate issue involving the Office for the… for Internal Oversight Services.  But that's… that is, I believe, on a different matter.  But I'll have… but, of course, right now, I need for those particular things to be finished so I can comment on them.  Otherwise, I don't have the details of either of those investigations while they're underway.  So I'd expect your patience while we go through that. Regarding the case of Mr. Compass and his… Compass and his start date, like I said, he's been placed on administrative leave with full pay pending the results of the investigation.  Regarding what you said about the French and any follow-up action, I think that's a question to ask the French authorities.  Like I said, we have been made aware by the French that they are conducting their own investigation into this.

Inner City Press: But since the current UN mission works with the French authorities in a cooperative context and you have this human rights due diligence policy, doesn't the UN have some duty to know what the French authorities have done?

Deputy Spokesman:  Well, regarding human rights due diligence, it's our human rights people who have investigating this.  And we're following up on that. So we’re…

Question:  I know.

Deputy Spokesman:  These are not UN forces.  These are forces under the control of…

Question:  The policy covers UN working with outside forces that may have committed human rights violations.  And the question is, what has the UN done to make sure that these rapes and abuses didn't take place--

Deputy Spokesman:  I just read out a statement stating what we have done.

Question:  Are you still working with the same forces that are accused of the rapes?

Deputy Spokesman:  And as far as that goes, like I said, you would be well advised to ask the French how they're following up, but they are also conducting their own investigation, and that… like I said, the substance of this is very serious, and we do expect that there would be follow-up on that.  

 But has there been? The head of UN Peacekeeping, former French diplomat Herve Ladous, has invoked the UN's stated human rights due diligence policy to not work with the Congolese Army in combating the Hutu FDLR rebel. But apparently no invocation, or even inquiry under, the UN's human rights due diligence policy as to the army of his native France. This is outrageous.

Here's their statement:

The United Nations, through its Office of Human Rights in Bangui, conducted a human rights investigation in late spring of 2014, following serious allegations of sexual exploitation and abuse of children by French military personnel, prior to the establishment of the United Nations peacekeeping operation in Central African Republic.

The resulting report was provided to an external party in mid-July 2014 in unedited form, which included the identities of victims, witnesses and investigators.  The unedited version was, by a staff member’s own admission, provided unofficially by that staff member to the French authorities in late July, prior to even providing it to the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights’ (OHCHR) senior management.  This constitutes a serious breach of protocol, which, as is well known to all OHCHR officials, requires redaction of any information that could endanger victims, witnesses and investigators.

There is also an internal investigation into the handling of this matter by OHCHR, including the manner in which the confidential preliminary findings were initially communicated to external actors, and whether the names of victims, witnesses and investigators were conveyed as part of that document.  One staff member has been placed on administrative leave with full pay pending the results of the investigation.

Our preliminary assessment is that such conduct does not constitute whistleblowing.

We'll have more on this - and on the behavior in CAR of MINUSCA, run by Frenchman Herve Ladsous.

 Inner City Press back on November 21, 2014, asked the New York spokesman for High Commissioner for Human Rights Prince Zeid for

"an update on action on the leaked cables, related to Western Sahara, involving current OHCHR official Anders Kompass and one, previously head of OHCHR's office in NY, who's just left. What steps has OHCHR taken on the cables / issues?"

  Now three weeks later there has been no answer. from the OHCHR spokesperson in New York. But we now publish this response from OHCHR Geneva spokesperson Rupert Colville to similar questions:

From: Rupert Colville [at] ohchr.org
Date: Friday 12 December 2014
Subj: Investigation leaked cables Western Sahara and OHCHR

The investigation is being carried out, at our request, by the Office of Internal Oversight Services (OIOS) in New York, which is an operationally independent office that assists the Secretary-General in fulfilling his internal oversight responsibilities. While the investigation is under way, there is nothing else I can say on the matter.

  Colville was asked, among other things, “Is Anders Kompass still in active duty during this investigation? Who is leading this investigation?”

  The UN system often uses the pendency of an investigation as a way to wait for the “problem” to go away. As the publication Tel Quel, here, has noted, many in the media are not covering the leaks.

  Relatedly, the leaks are now being covered up or censored. Two recent uploads, about Morocco and the African Group at the UN, were put on “ filefactory.com” -- then taken down after, the site says, a complaint under the US Digital Millennium Copyright Act.

  This is a new trend -- attempt to use copyright law to take down leaked documents. Reuters, for example, filed a “for the record” complaint with the UN trying to get Inner City Press thrown out - then, when the “for the record” complaint was leaked and published, conned Google into blocking it from Search, calling it copyrighted. Click here for that.

So that media uses or abuses copyright to censor its own “for the record” complaint filed with the UN, and does not cover these new leaks about Western Sahara, Morocco, and the UN. This is a new trend. Watch this site.

  In the above, the referenced former head of OHCHR's New York office is Senegal's Bacre Waly Ndiaye, noted Tijania Sufi. The cables reveal a deep scandal in the UN system. Now OHCHR in Geneva is saying it will not comment until an investigation, Inner City Press understands by the UN Office of Internal Oversight Services, is complete. But there is no indication that will be publish. This is one of the ways the UN covers up.

 There other ways, beyond Western Sahara. On rapes in DR Congo by Army units the UN support, Ladsous refused to answer Press questions for months.  Video here of then and now spokesman pulling microphone away from Inner City Press. These practices are being opposed by the newFree UN Coalition for Access.

 Now on UN Peacekeeping's November 9 press release covering up mass rape in Thabit in Darfur, Ladsous has not answered any questions; UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric on November 21 told Inner City Press the UN won't comment on leaks. The Western Sahara leaks are so extensive that despite a seeming media blackout byWestern wire services, they will not go away. 

While Ladsous is not the only UN official exposed by the cables, his extraordinary campaign of refusing Press questions, to the point of physically blocking Press filming (Vine here), as well as a DPKO to OHCHR connection, make him key to the case. As to MINURSO, Ladsous is blamed for the non-deployment of Bolduc. 

  Back on November 14 Inner City Press asked UN Deputy Spokesperson Farhan Haq about Bolduc and an investigation of leaks in Geneva of which sources tell it.Video here.

  On November 5, Inner City Press reported on leaked cables showing among other things the UN's Ladsous undermining MINURSO on the issue of human rights, and improper service of Morocco by Office of the High Commissioner of Human Rights staffers Anders Kompass and Bacre Waly Ndiaye.

    Since then, along with anonymous death threats, Inner City Press has received additional information including of a UN Office of Internal Oversight Services investigation of Anders Kompers and Bacre Waly Ndiaye.

  On November 14, Inner City Press asked the UN's Haq, per UN transcript:

Deputy Spokesman Haq:  You had a question on Western Sahara?

Inner City Press: It's a two-pronged question.  What Stéphane [Dujarric] said earlier in the week about Kim Bolduc, the new SRSG [Special Representative of the Secretary-General].  I wanted to just kind of confirm it.  In reading it, does that mean that she has never has been allowed in?  And, if so, where has she been since August?  What is the plan to resolve that?  And I also wanted to ask you about regarding the cables that I base the initial question on.  Can you confirm that OIOS [Office for Internal Oversight Services] is conducting an investigation at the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights on at least two staff members who apparently leaked this information to the Moroccan Government?

Deputy Spokesman Haq:  On that, I cannot confirm that.  As you know, the OIOS conducts its work independently.  At some point, once they have completed their work, they apprise us [inaudible].  But I wouldn't be aware of any work that is ongoing.  Beyond that, regarding Kim Bolduc, as you know, both Christopher Ross and Kim Bolduc briefed the Security Council on 27 October.  And at that point, the Security Council reiterated its desire, first of all, to see Ambassador Ross's facilitation resume and reiterated its desire to see Kim Bolduc be able to take up her duties at the helm of MINURSO [United Nations Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara] as soon as possible.  And we look forward to the resumption of Mr. Ross's visit to the region and also to the deployment of Kim Bolduc.

Inner City Press:  But is she currently, I mean, she is the SRSG?

Deputy Spokesman Haq:  She is the SRSG, but she has not been able to function with her MINURSO duties in-country.

  In-country, eh? We'll have more on this. And on this: Inner City Press is informed that while Ladsous claims to have performed as required in connection with the appointment of Bolduc, even on this he is accused of failing to do his duty, as on many other parts of his job.Video compilation here; recent Vine here.

   Document leaks from inside the UN have identified improper service of Morocco, on the question of Western Sahara, by a staffer at the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, Anders Kompass.

  Inner City Press has waited to report on them; the spokesperson for the High Commissioner has today said his office is aware the leaked cables, which contain the perspective of certain diplomats, and that the situation is being investigated to clarify the facts.”

  Whatever the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, now under Jordan's Prince Zeid, does about the content of the leaks, more will be required in the UN Secretariat in New York -- particularly at the top of the Department of Peacekeeping Operations, which runs the MINURSO mission in Western Sahara.

  The cables show that Herve Ladsous, a long-time French diplomat now the boss of DPKO and thus of MINURSO, was flacking for Morocco on the supposed quality of its human rights mechanisms. This directly undercuts the MINURSO mission, for which Ladsous is supposed to be working.