UNITED NATIONS, October 31 -- As the scandal triggered by the indictment of Macau businessman Ng Lap Seng, former UN President of the General Assembly John Ashe, Frank Lorenzo and Sheri Yan continues to expand, Inner City Press has continued to dig deeper into a earlier scandal it reported earlier in Secretary General Ban Ki-moon's tenure, in 2009.
As set forth below, Inner City Press has demonstrated the link between indicted Ng Lap Seng (as chairman) and Frank Liu's World Harmony Foundation. Under UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon's limited audit, only Ng's most recently foundation, the Sun Kian Ip Group, is being reviewed by the UN.
Inner City Press now reports that Ng's World Harmony Foundation is STILL a member of the UN's "Global Compact," purportedly about human rights. Meanwhile, while refusing to answer Inner City Press' written questions, UNDP's South South office has on October 31taken its website off-line.
This is called a cover up. We'll have more on this.
if I can, because it has to do with Mr. Ng Lap Seng who has been indicted. I wanted to ask you this. There was a concert held in 2009. It was for, about the end of slavery. Ostensibly, the sponsor was the World Harmony Foundation and Frank Liu, but it turned out it was something called the Culture Project that actually held it. The reason I am asking all this is I've become aware through the program of 2009 that Mr. Np Lap Seng was the chairman of the World Harmony Foundation and I’ve also heard the OLA said he couldn't directly sponsor it. They couldn't vet him and so the Culture Project was brought in as kind of a middleman. I wanted to ask you, did the UN, maybe you’ll have to check these things, but I think this is not within the scope of the audit because it was before the Sun Kian Ip Foundation even existed, if OLA found that an individual cannot be allowed to give UN money, how is it permissible that he does it in a roundabout way that was listed right on the program? Can you give me an answer to that?
Spokesman: I will look into what I know, I think what this episode has shown is that obviously there is a need for us to look at how we work with outside partners because we do, the work we do with civil society and the private sector is critical to the work of the United Nations.
Question: Is the audit, I guess what I'm saying is that this case seems to squarely bring up that the audit is not going to cover Mr…?
Spokesman: Let’s let that first phase end and then we can move on.
In October of that year there was a concert in the GA Hall called “Breaking the Silence, Beating the Drum,” for the victims of slavery. At the time, Inner City Press discovered, and gained an on-camera admission, that another businessman Frank Liu had paid $110,000, through a theater company, to “sponsor” the event, in exchange for photographs with Ban Ki-moon. Click here for that. Inner City Press interviewed Liu, who complained that after the exposure, he was denied Ban and got only lesser UN photos.
But there's more.
Inner City Press has learned that the reason for the middleman was that the UN had (rightly) expressed qualms about accepting the money directly. But then Ban's UN allowed or even encouraged an evasion of its own prohibition: Liu or the World Harmony Foundation funneled the money through a middleman, as would become more prevalent later in Ban's time as Secretary General.
And now there's even more.
While it seemed until today that the corruption of the “Breaking the Silence” concert, and of UN Peacekeeping Day for which Liu was officially given photo ops and a tour by UN Peacekeeping of its Situation Center, were limited to Frank Liu, there was another more powerful force behind this World Harmony Foundation:
David Ng, a/k/a Ng Lap Seng (as noted in last month's FBI charge sheet), a/k/a Mr. Wu, to many delegations at the UN. Inner City Press today is putting online, here, the program from the “Breaking the Silence” event, embedded below, which lists as sponsor the World Harmony Foundation, President Frank Liu and Chairman... David Ng. This brings at least two strands of UN scandals under Ban together (there will be more.)
Since in the same time frame the UN took Liu's money openly for UN Peacekeepers Day, it appears to some that the UN's qualms even in 2009 were with David Ng. This would have been understandable, given Ng's involvement in Clinton campaign contribution scandal and exposure for running, in essence, a brothel. But this makes the UN allowing Ng to funnel money in through the theater company even worse.
It also makes Ban's decision to try to limit the Office of Internal Oversight Services' audit to Sun Kian Ip Foundation, a much more recent Ng vehicle, laughable or worse. Ng has been buying events and photos in Ban's UN since at least 2009. This must be investigated. This too:
In 2011, Ng's South South News gave money to the UN Correspondents Association, which then not only gave South South News an UNCA “award” but gave Ng a photo op with Ban Ki-moon, at the UNCA “ball” in December 2011 at Cipriani 42nd Street. (Inner City Press filmed, published and questioned it and UNCA's then and current president, video here.) This year, UNCA moves its event further from the UN, perhaps tellingly to Cipriani Wall Street. Will this sleaze simply continue?
UNCA's Vice President, as we have noted, was among the UNDP listed attendees at Ng's August 2015 Macau "conference;" the UN continues to refuse Inner City Press' questions about who paid for the travel and hotel costs, and where the Sun Kian Ip / UNDP iPads went. We'll have more on this.
As detailed below, South South News made payments to the UN Correspondents Association, which then "delivered" Ban Ki-moon for photo ops with its businessmen. (Ironically, UNCA Executive Committee minutes after the delivery complained, disingenuously, that "some of the Asian guests were quite aggressive getting photos with the SG... congratulate Giampaolo for his hard work.")
"Ban's pre-concert photo op, it emerged, had initially had three phases: artists, member states then sponsor. The last was officially cut out. But witnesses at the photo op, with the exception of the UN's organizer, tell Inner City Press that sponsor Frank Liu of the World Harmony Foundation and six of his associates still managed to get access. In the green room behind the General Assembly rostrum, Inner City Press spoke with Frank Liu. He complained about being excluded. They come and ask you for money, he said, and then this. Without apparent irony, he said that he perhaps shared Inner City Press' desire to 'reform the UN.'" See UN letter leaked to Inner City Press, here.
UNGA lobby, sponsors of African "Drums" event, (c) M. Lee
Throughout all this, the compromised position of the UN Correspondents Association has come to the fore.
While UNCA does not represent all journalists accredited to cover the UN -- Inner City Press for example quit the group in 2012 with another Executive Committee member and co-founded the new Free UN Coalition for Access -- the UN gives it a privileged position, a large clubhouse on the third floor of the UN and, automatically, the first question at press conferences.
But is that appropriate, given that UNCA received money from South South News, “NGO 1” in the filing against Ashe? Not only did UNCA receive money from South South News: it gave the group an “UNCA award” at a ceremony at the high-ceilinged Cipriani's restaurant on December 15, 2011.
Inner City Press, which did not quit UNCA in fully ripened disgust in 2012, was present on December 15, 2011 and witnessed, when Secretary General Ban Ki-moon came into Cipriani's, him being shepherded into a side room for photographs with Asian men in business suits who Inner City Press did not then recognize.
Shepherding Ban for this (compensated) photo op with dubious businessmen was Giampaolo Pioli, then as now the president of UNCA. South South News interviewed Pioli that night, bragging of the UNCA award it got / paid for, screenshot from video here.
(For context it must be noted too that Pioli rented one of his Manhattan apartments to Palitha Kohona then granted Kohona's request as Sri Lanka's Ambassador to screen his government's war crimes denial film “Lies Agreed To” in the UN's Dag Hammarskjold Library Auditorium: this precipitated Inner City Press quitting UNCA, in full disclosure.)
How can UNCA be given first questions to ask about a scandal involving South South News, from which UNCA took more then to which it gave an award? And what are the other implications?
(In terms of Mr. Ng's desire for photo ops, Inner City Press is informed that he separately wanted a photo with US President Obama, and paid six figures to a middleman - who disappeared with the money. UNCA on the other hand, one wag noted, delivered Ban Ki-moon for photos at Cipriani's.)
UNCA, it should be noted, has been and is open to business interested beyond Mr. Ng and South South News. Another UNCA awards ceremony was sponsored by a company called “Acoona;” the Italian oil company ENI pays the group money.
But UNCA's South South News connection, given what has been disclosed and charged this week, should at a minimum and as a first step disqualify UNCA from first questions from the UN, and from the continuation of its role.
Wider, and going forward in this series, limiting UN investigation to OIOS - whose director of investigations Stefanovic has resigned, Inner City Press hereby exclusively reported on October 9 - looking at only two NGOs is laughable. The scandal is expanding: there is a pattern here, pattern and practice. Watch this site.
UNITED NATIONS, October 31 -- The UN Spokesman ended his open statement at the October 29 UN noon briefing with this: “I have a bit of sad news. We have been informed that Haider Rizvi, who was, as you know, a reporter in the UN press corps for many years, died last night in Lahore, Pakistan. Our thoughts are with him and his family.”
Ours too. Haider began covering the UN in 1993; in recent years there were times he and Inner City Press were the only ones asking questions at press conferences onindigenous issues, on disarmament, decolonization and against the increasing corporatization of the UN.
Relatedly, when Inner City Press resisted attempts atcensorship and ejection by the honchos of the UN Correspondents Association, then co-founded the Free UN Coalition for Access, Haider expressed support (“Bravo! I am with you) and said of UNCA, “That gang has become a king mafia.”
UNITED NATIONS, October 30 -- As the scandal unveiled in thecorruption charges against former UN General Assembly President John Ashe, Ng Lap Seng, Francis Lorenzo of South South News and others continues to expand, the compromised position of the UN Correspondents Association has come to the fore.
In 2011 until now, Inner City Press has exposed UNCA for taking funds from Ng Lap Seng vehicles, to which it gave awards, and arranging Ng Lap Seng photo op(s) with UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon. UNCA has not provided any explanation; the UN through Ban's spokesman has said for example that many people get photographs with Ban. But people like Ng previously found in US Senate reports to have made irregular campaign contributions, and co-owning hotels links to prostitution?
UNCA's first vice president went to Ng's Macau conference in late August 2015, for which numerous other attendees have told Inner City Press Ng paid for all travel and hotel, iPads, etc. Again, no answer from UNCA.
Outrageously, after UNCA has been exposed as delivering photo ops to indictees Ng Lap Seng and Frank Lorenzo with Ban Ki-moon and others in previous UNCA "Balls," here is UNCA's new pitch to "Ambassadors" -- one question is, given the history, should Ban be going to such $12,000 a table events? What is being sold? Here is UNCA's recent pitch:
"Dear Ambassador,
The United Nations Correspondents Association is honored to invite you to participate and contribute to the 20th annual UNCA Awards event with guest of honor U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and H.S.H. Prince Albert II of Monaco, recipient of the 2015 Global Advocate of the Year Award for climate change. Exclusive raffle prizes include business class airline tickets around the world with hotel accommodations and a grand prize FIAT 500X car. As your esteemed presence will ensure the success of this event, we are pleased to send you the below opportunities to attend the gala dinner:
Mission Table Special Price / $6000 (half-table) 5 seats at VIP table at the gala event
Special Ambassador Contribution / $2,000 -1 VIP ticket for Ambassador with premium seating to dinner + 1 complimentary VIP ticket for spouse or guest -Special acknowledgement of the Ambassador and the Mission in the UNCA Awards Journal of the evening -Additional tickets for UN Diplomats of the Mission can be purchased at the special price of $750 each
Giampaolo Pioli, UNCA President Please make all checks payable to 'UNCA Awards Committee' Contributions to the UNCA Awards Committee are tax deductible. The UNCA Awards Committee is a 501-c(3)"
What - to sell photo ops with Ban Ki-moon to businessness / brothel owners indicted for corruption and out on $50 million bail, the same money used to make contributions and then get UNCA "journalism" awards?
These UNCA prices, though elevated, are less than what UNCA took from Ng Lap Seng's vehicles.
Ng Lap Seng was found to have brought the same bags of cash later deployed at the UN into the US earlier, in the late 90s, when his Fortuna hotel was linked to organized crime and even human trafficking. From the WSJ:
“Who is Ng Lap Seng, and what did he want? According to several well-informed sources in Hong Kong and Macau, Mr. Ng is a mysterious figure with extensive business in China, where he also held a minor post as a member of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference in his hometown of Nan Hai in Guangdong province. In Macau, his most visible interest is his ownership of the Fortuna Hotel, a garish high-rise in the gambling district, featuring a 20,000-square-foot nightclub with 'table dancing' by strippers, as well as a massage parlor and, according to its brochure, 'over 30 independent karaoke rooms, all luxuriously decorated with the most advanced sound system for any one interested in performing his favorite songs.' The brochure also boasts 'attractive and attentive hostesses from China, Korea, Singapore, Malaysia, Vietnam, Indonesia and Burma together with erotic girls from Europe and Russia, certainly offer you an exciting and unforgettable evening with friends or business associates.'”
So what does UN Women, which has still to comment on UN Peacekeeping chief Herve Ladsous linking rapes to “R&R,” same about Ban's UN (through UNCA) accepting “pimp and trafficker” Ng Lap Seng into the UN, and into UNCA's Cipriani ball for photos with Ban and his spouse? We'll have more on this.
Just as UNCA "leaders" from Voice of America and Reuters(censorship bid here) tried to use the UN to get the investigative Press out, now the UN responds to questions about UNCA selling Secretary General Ban Ki-moon photo ops to Ng Lap Seng by suggesting that the questioner, because present, "condoned" the sale.
Now, with UNCA still silent on its links with South South News and other Ng Lap Seng vehicles, here is video Inner City Press published in December 2011 of UNCA's murky photo ops for Ban at Cipriani, which UNCA seeks to reproduce this coming December.
Even then in December 2011, Inner City Press' accompanying story reported that it
"filmed what it could of the photo op -- those arranging it kept telling the Press it had to leave -- and afterward several in Ban's circle said they had no idea who the businessmen had been. There was dark talk about one David Ng, a businessman who has bankrolled 'vanity' media projects given awards that night -- people funded by Ng used the word "vanity," so we use it here."
Inner City Press published that in December 2011 about Ng and South South News; it quit UNCA and with another Executive Committee member who quit in disgust co-founded FUNCA, the Free UN Coalition for Access. UNCA continued taking funds from South South News. We'll have more on this.
While UNCA does not represent all journalists accredited to cover the UN -- Inner City Press for example quit the group in 2012 with another Executive Committee member and co-founded the new Free UN Coalition for Access -- the UN gives it a privileged position, a large clubhouse on the third floor of the UN and, automatically, the first question at press conferences.
But is that appropriate, given that UNCA received money from South South News, “NGO 1” in the filing against Ashe? Not only did UNCA receive money from South South News: it gave the group an “UNCA award” at a ceremony at the high-ceilinged Cipriani's restaurant on December 15, 2011.
Inner City Press, which did not quit UNCA in fully ripened disgust in 2012, was present in December 2011 and witnessed, when Secretary General Ban Ki-moon came into Cipriani's, him being shepherded into a side room for photographs with Asian men in business suits who Inner City Press did not then recognize -- but now does.
UN Spokesman Stephane Dujarric, when Inner City Press asked on October 13 about what it had seen, said perhaps Inner City Press had "condoned" it. Video here. But Inner City Press quit UNCA afterfinding conflicts of interest in it, and being "ordered" to not report on this. From the October 13 transcript:
Inner City Press: I want to ask inevitably about the revelations about Mr. [John] Ashe and Frank Lorenzo and others. And just as you… as the lead Spokesman, a person that travels around with the Secretary-General, how… what would you say to the photos that exist of the Secretary-General with David Ng, who was since indicted, and Frank Lorenzo and, particularly, in instances where it appears that groups that receive contributions from the two and then put them in a room to have photographs with the Secretary-General? Is this something that… how does the Secretary-General view this in retrospect, and what's going to be done in the future?
Spokesman: First of all, a photo of the Secretary-General with any individual should in no way be interpreted as a sponsorship or agreement. It's just a photo. The Secretary-General is very much a public figure, attends a lot of public events where there are a lot of people. Sometimes people come up to him and ask to have their photo taken. And it's done within the… within, obviously, the security constraints that need to be had. I think whether it's the Secretary-General of the United Nations or anyone in leadership position, you will find when you travel with them that a lot of people want to have their photo taken with them. Inasmuch as that is… we try to control that, sometimes it's difficult to do so. I think the Secretary-General is as shocked as anyone in this building at the charges that were levelled at these two individuals. And he's very disappointed at the accusations towards the United Nations.
Inner City Press: obviously, to business interests having an actual kind of formal handshaking one, I guess I'll just say that that is worth something to them. That's why they…
Spokesman: I'm not… I'm not debating that point… [cross talk] I'm just saying that having a picture of the Secretary-General with any individual should in no way be seen as a sponsorship, approval, making them BFF's or anything.
Inner City Press: I guess I just want to be more specific. If an event… and there's one that actually, as it turns out, I witnessed in Cipriani. If the Secretary-General enters a large space and is then taken to a smaller space for such photographs, what's the basis for that, as opposed to people with selfies? I mean, I understand what you're saying…
Spokesman: I think, you know, if you were there, then maybe you condoned the event as well. The issue is the Secretary-General attends a lot of events. Sometimes there is a VIP reception. None of it should be construed as anything as the Secretary-General having his picture taken with anyone.
Inner City Press: it's been a number of days now; I'm assuming that, if not you, OLA [Office of Legal Affairs], someone has read through this long FBI [Federal Bureau of Investigation] affidavit. And I want to just ask you again, because in it, it says that, after the… the… the official UN document about the Macau centre was procured, there was a separate payment to Mr. Ashe, separate communications with a UN official number one, who reissued the document as a… amended… revised for technical reasons, with the name of the company in it. And it seems to me, even before you waiting for an OIOS [Office of Internal Oversight Services] investigation, the scope of which wouldn't touch that, who in the UN is actually… how does it work, first of all? Who… which part of the UN amends documents after they're released? Is it DGACM [Department for General Assembly and Conference Management]…?
Spokesman: Listen, I'm not going to talk about the specifics of the case. But it is clear that if the President of one of the legislative bodies in this Organization which controls the agenda, or a sponsoring country for resolution, asks the Secretary-General to amend a text, we serve as the Secretariat. It's not… it's… it doesn't entail sponsoring of what's inside that text.
While Inner City Press' answer to the spokesman's "if you were there, then maybe you condoned the event as well," is that Inner City Press quit UNCA after finding conflicts of interest in it, and being "ordered" to not report on this, we'll have more on this.
On October 13, Inner City Press asked this follow up:
Inner City Press: I just want to directly ask you about the idea that it's sort of people struggling to get photos with the UN officials. There was a… there was a peacekeeping day concert that was… for which solicitation of… you know, sponsorship was sought by a group called World Harmony Alliance, and it had nothing… the group has nothing to do with peacekeeping, but they paid for day. They… they… in fact, the funder complained that he didn't get the promised photograph with Ban Ki-moon, but I wonder, what was… what's the UN's understanding when they take outside financial sponsorship for such a day? I mean, former UN official [Ibrahim] Gambari was seen with the same group taking photographs on the fourth floor in the Millennium Hotel. What's it all about? What’s happening?
Spokesman: What former officials do in hotels is really not of my purview.
Inner City Press: Sure. What about UN peacekeeping?
Spokesman: I would take a look at that actual programme, but I would expect every part of the UN to do due diligence when it partners with an outside organization. And just… I'll leave it at that.
On October 12, Inner City Press asked Ban's deputy spokesperson Farhan Haq, video here, transcript here:
Inner City Press: in light of these charges against John Ashe, Frank Lorenzo, and others, it's emerging that the Secretary-General, if not met, had staged photo opportunities with a number of the individuals charged. And I wanted to know, in looking at this, do you have some kind of a comment on how these occurred, particularly in instances where they may have been arranged by a third party, been arranged by an organization that invited Ban Ki-moon and then received funds from South-South News or others and then put the two together on photograph? Was that appropriate? And what would be your response to… to OIOS [Office of Internal Oversight Services] looking at that or otherwise?
Deputy Spokesman: Well, regarding that, as you're aware, the Office of Internal Oversight Services will do an audit. They've been requested to do that, and so we'll be able to see whether there was any effect from either the relationship with these various groups, these two groups, the Sun Kian Ip Group and the Global Sustainability Foundation, and any of the monies received. So, we'll await what they have to say about any of this.
Inner City Press: But, given that Mr. Frank Lorenzo has been charged and he's now out on $2 million bail, he was head of South-South News, which spread $12 million, according to the documents, throughout the UN system. So, what was, how, what was the criteria used to choose these two NGOs and not either South-South News or International Organization for South-South Cooperation or South South Steering Committee on Sustainable Development? It seems like it's a very limited inquiry and…
Deputy Spokesman: It's not really an inquiry. It's an audit, and this is initial step. If OIOS feels like there is something… there's a direction which they need to go as a result of these initial results, they're certainly free to do that, but we needed to get the ball rolling and have an initial step forward so that we can look into what exactly is the impact of the monies and the relationship with these groups.
John Ashe at UNCA with former president, after and before Pioli click photo for source / credit
Back in December 2011, shepherding Ban for this (compensated) photo op with dubious businessmen was Giampaolo Pioli, then as now the president of UNCA. South South News interviewed Pioli that night, bragging of the UNCA award it got / paid for, screenshot from video here.
(For context it must be noted too that Pioli rented one of his Manhattan apartments to Palitha Kohona then granted Kohona's request as Sri Lanka's Ambassador to screen his government's war crimes denial film “Lies Agreed To” in the UN's Dag Hammarskjold Library Auditorium: this precipitated Inner City Press quitting UNCA, in full disclosure.)
How can UNCA be given first questions to ask about a scandal involving South South News, from which UNCA took more then to which it gave an award? And what are the other implications?
(In terms of Mr. Ng's desire for photo ops, Inner City Press is informed that he separately wanted a photo with US President Obama, and paid six figures to a middleman - who disappeared with the money. UNCA on the other hand, one wag noted, delivered Ban Ki-moon for photos at Cipriani's.)
UNCA, it should be noted, has been and is open to business interested beyond Mr. Ng and South South News. Another UNCA awards ceremony was sponsored by a company called “Acoona;” the Italian oil company ENI pays the group money.
But UNCA's South South News connection, given what has been disclosed and charged this week, should at a minimum and as a first step disqualify UNCA from first questions from the UN, and from the continuation of its role.
Consider: if it gave rise to criminal charges that South South News paid Ashe to get a GA document for Ng to show off in Macau, who about South South News paying UNCA, and UNCA delivering Ban for a photo op with Ng, that Ng could use for related purposes? We'll have more on this.
Wider, and going forward in this series, limiting UN investigation to OIOS - whose director of investigations Stefanovic has resigned, Inner City Press hereby exclusively reported on October 9 - looking at only two NGOs is laughable. The scandal is expanding: there is a pattern here, pattern and practice. Watch this site.
UNITED NATIONS, October 30 -- As the scandal triggered by the indictment of Macau businessman Ng Lap Seng, former UN President of the General Assembly John Ashe, Frank Lorenzo and Sheri Yan continues to expand, Inner City Press has dug deeper into a earlier scandal it reported earlier in Secretary General Ban Ki-moon's tenure, in 2009.
if I can, because it has to do with Mr. Ng Lap Seng who has been indicted. I wanted to ask you this. There was a concert held in 2009. It was for, about the end of slavery. Ostensibly, the sponsor was the World Harmony Foundation and Frank Liu, but it turned out it was something called the Culture Project that actually held it. The reason I am asking all this is I've become aware through the program of 2009 that Mr. Np Lap Seng was the chairman of the World Harmony Foundation and I’ve also heard the OLA said he couldn't directly sponsor it. They couldn't vet him and so the Culture Project was brought in as kind of a middleman. I wanted to ask you, did the UN, maybe you’ll have to check these things, but I think this is not within the scope of the audit because it was before the Sun Kian Ip Foundation even existed, if OLA found that an individual cannot be allowed to give UN money, how is it permissible that he does it in a roundabout way that was listed right on the program? Can you give me an answer to that?
Spokesman: I will look into what I know, I think what this episode has shown is that obviously there is a need for us to look at how we work with outside partners because we do, the work we do with civil society and the private sector is critical to the work of the United Nations.
Question: Is the audit, I guess what I'm saying is that this case seems to squarely bring up that the audit is not going to cover Mr…?
Spokesman: Let’s let that first phase end and then we can move on.
In October of that year there was a concert in the GA Hall called “Breaking the Silence, Beating the Drum,” for the victims of slavery. At the time, Inner City Press discovered, and gained an on-camera admission, that another businessman Frank Liu had paid $110,000, through a theater company, to “sponsor” the event, in exchange for photographs with Ban Ki-moon. Click here for that. Inner City Press interviewed Liu, who complained that after the exposure, he was denied Ban and got only lesser UN photos.
But there's more.
Inner City Press has learned that the reason for the middleman was that the UN had (rightly) expressed qualms about accepting the money directly. But then Ban's UN allowed or even encouraged an evasion of its own prohibition: Liu or the World Harmony Foundation funneled the money through a middleman, as would become more prevalent later in Ban's time as Secretary General.
And now there's even more.
While it seemed until today that the corruption of the “Breaking the Silence” concert, and of UN Peacekeeping Day for which Liu was officially given photo ops and a tour by UN Peacekeeping of its Situation Center, were limited to Frank Liu, there was another more powerful force behind this World Harmony Foundation:
David Ng, a/k/a Ng Lap Seng (as noted in last month's FBI charge sheet), a/k/a Mr. Wu, to many delegations at the UN. Inner City Press today is putting online, here, the program from the “Breaking the Silence” event, embedded below, which lists as sponsor the World Harmony Foundation, President Frank Liu and Chairman... David Ng. This brings at least two strands of UN scandals under Ban together (there will be more.)
Since in the same time frame the UN took Liu's money openly for UN Peacekeepers Day, it appears to some that the UN's qualms even in 2009 were with David Ng. This would have been understandable, given Ng's involvement in Clinton campaign contribution scandal and exposure for running, in essence, a brothel. But this makes the UN allowing Ng to funnel money in through the theater company even worse.
It also makes Ban's decision to try to limit the Office of Internal Oversight Services' audit to Sun Kian Ip Foundation, a much more recent Ng vehicle, laughable or worse. Ng has been buying events and photos in Ban's UN since at least 2009. This must be investigated. This too:
In 2011, Ng's South South News gave money to the UN Correspondents Association, which then not only gave South South News an UNCA “award” but gave Ng a photo op with Ban Ki-moon, at the UNCA “ball” in December 2011 at Cipriani 42nd Street. (Inner City Press filmed, published and questioned it and UNCA's then and current president, video here.) This year, UNCA moves its event further from the UN, perhaps tellingly to Cipriani Wall Street. Will this sleaze simply continue?
UNCA's Vice President, as we have noted, was among the UNDP listed attendees at Ng's August 2015 Macau "conference;" the UN continues to refuse Inner City Press' questions about who paid for the travel and hotel costs, and where the Sun Kian Ip / UNDP iPads went. We'll have more on this.
As detailed below, South South News made payments to the UN Correspondents Association, which then "delivered" Ban Ki-moon for photo ops with its businessmen. (Ironically, UNCA Executive Committee minutes after the delivery complained, disingenuously, that "some of the Asian guests were quite aggressive getting photos with the SG... congratulate Giampaolo for his hard work.")
"Ban's pre-concert photo op, it emerged, had initially had three phases: artists, member states then sponsor. The last was officially cut out. But witnesses at the photo op, with the exception of the UN's organizer, tell Inner City Press that sponsor Frank Liu of the World Harmony Foundation and six of his associates still managed to get access. In the green room behind the General Assembly rostrum, Inner City Press spoke with Frank Liu. He complained about being excluded. They come and ask you for money, he said, and then this. Without apparent irony, he said that he perhaps shared Inner City Press' desire to 'reform the UN.'" See UN letter leaked to Inner City Press, here.
UNGA lobby, sponsors of African "Drums" event, (c) M. Lee
Throughout all this, the compromised position of the UN Correspondents Association has come to the fore.
While UNCA does not represent all journalists accredited to cover the UN -- Inner City Press for example quit the group in 2012 with another Executive Committee member and co-founded the new Free UN Coalition for Access -- the UN gives it a privileged position, a large clubhouse on the third floor of the UN and, automatically, the first question at press conferences.
But is that appropriate, given that UNCA received money from South South News, “NGO 1” in the filing against Ashe? Not only did UNCA receive money from South South News: it gave the group an “UNCA award” at a ceremony at the high-ceilinged Cipriani's restaurant on December 15, 2011.
Inner City Press, which did not quit UNCA in fully ripened disgust in 2012, was present on December 15, 2011 and witnessed, when Secretary General Ban Ki-moon came into Cipriani's, him being shepherded into a side room for photographs with Asian men in business suits who Inner City Press did not then recognize.
Shepherding Ban for this (compensated) photo op with dubious businessmen was Giampaolo Pioli, then as now the president of UNCA. South South News interviewed Pioli that night, bragging of the UNCA award it got / paid for, screenshot from video here.
(For context it must be noted too that Pioli rented one of his Manhattan apartments to Palitha Kohona then granted Kohona's request as Sri Lanka's Ambassador to screen his government's war crimes denial film “Lies Agreed To” in the UN's Dag Hammarskjold Library Auditorium: this precipitated Inner City Press quitting UNCA, in full disclosure.)
How can UNCA be given first questions to ask about a scandal involving South South News, from which UNCA took more then to which it gave an award? And what are the other implications?
(In terms of Mr. Ng's desire for photo ops, Inner City Press is informed that he separately wanted a photo with US President Obama, and paid six figures to a middleman - who disappeared with the money. UNCA on the other hand, one wag noted, delivered Ban Ki-moon for photos at Cipriani's.)
UNCA, it should be noted, has been and is open to business interested beyond Mr. Ng and South South News. Another UNCA awards ceremony was sponsored by a company called “Acoona;” the Italian oil company ENI pays the group money.
But UNCA's South South News connection, given what has been disclosed and charged this week, should at a minimum and as a first step disqualify UNCA from first questions from the UN, and from the continuation of its role.
Wider, and going forward in this series, limiting UN investigation to OIOS - whose director of investigations Stefanovic has resigned, Inner City Press hereby exclusively reported on October 9 - looking at only two NGOs is laughable. The scandal is expanding: there is a pattern here, pattern and practice. Watch this site.
Inner City Press: in what you read and what was published in UN News Centre, is the allegation that the weapons were going to the opposition or going to the government to conduct further operations against the opposition?
Spokesman: The allegations weren't made by us. Questions were raised, I think including by you or somebody else, that there may have been going to somebody else, and there may be weapons on board. The only weapons that were on board were those belonging to peacekeepers. You would have to ask the opposition to see what their motivation was to grab this barge, take the fuel, but I can't…
Inner City Press: does UNMISS believe that the opposition was grabbing weapons they thought were meant for them…?
Spokesman: There were no weapons on board. Again, I think you have, besides the ones the peacekeepers had, which have not been returned. Again, I can't speak to the motivation of people who have gone and committed illegal actions against the United Nations. You have to ask them.
Inner City Press: The more nitty-gritty question I wanted to ask is that most people there are saying that it's Johnson Olony, not Riek Machar. You said that Mr. Ladsous had called Riek Machar. It seems like it's another commander, Johnson Olony, who Mr. Gordon Brown has called a warlord, who may not be under the command of Riek Machar…
Spokesman: I'm sure that contacts are being held from the ground. From here, we spoke to Riek Machar, who portrays himself as the leader of the opposition, and therefore has responsibility.
Inner City Press: there's this case of two journalists from Syria from a group called Raqqa being silently slaughtered, Mr. Ibrahim Abdul-Qadir and Fares Hamadi, who were found killed, murdered, inside Turkey. And so a number of press freedom groups are saying there should be an investigation. The idea that these were guys seeking out a reporting about ISIS crimes. Do the…?
Spokesman: I don't need to look into that report. I don't want to comment on something I'm not aware of...
Inner City Press: There's a long story in a publication called Kigali Today where they interview an FDLR person who they say has escaped into Rwanda and who gives a lengthy and detailed account of his time with the FDLR. And he says repeatedly that the FARDC, the Congolese Army, works with the FDLR, that many FARDC commanders are in fact FDLR members, and the only weapons, the only ammunition FDLR has comes from the Congolese Government. Given the mandate by the Security Council to neutralize the FDLR and given, I guess I'm wondering, what is the response of MONUSCO or the UN System to a seeming defrocking of a connection between the two?
Spokesman: I did not read Kigali Today today. Everyone is entitled to an opinion.
Inner City Press: It’s more than an opinion.
Spokesman: You're entitled to an opinion. I'm entitled to an opinion. Obviously, as you know, MONUSCO, within parameters of its human rights due diligence policy, has been supporting the fight against the FDLR.
Inner City Press: The purpose of my question was to say it seems in fact that the incoming president of Security Council, Mr. Rycroft, in a Twitter response today said that he hopes that MONUSCO can work with the Government to neutralize the FDLR. The article alleges…
Spokesman: I understand what your end goal is here. The UN does work with the Government to the best of its ability within the parameters of its human rights due diligence policy. And then that's it. And then I'm going home.
The UN's peacekeeping mission in South Sudan, under Herve Ladsous, has been slow to report on crimes against (some) civilians, much less to protect them as this month in Leer. Inner City Press on October 28 asked the UN to respond to criticism from the African Union, below. Inner City Press asked on October 26 about Leer, and on October 27 the UNcame back with this:
"Yesterday, Matthew you asked about South Sudan. The Department for Peacekeeping Operations says that it is aware of reports of SPLA [Sudan People’s Liberation Army] attacks in Leer. While the UN Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) does not currently have presence in Leer, it is looking at ways to improve its ability to assess the situation and enhance the protection of civilians by establishing longer and more established presence in southern Unity state."
But now that the African Union report has been released, there are more questions for the UN and Ladsous to answer.
From Paragraph 27: "the Commission was unable to access any data in the possession of the UNMISS which has been documenting the violations committed since the start of the violence in December 2013 — despite the resolution of the Security Council mandating it to cooperate with AUCISS."
So, despite the UN's claims about "Rights Up Front," not only did UNMISS not comply with general requirements of reporting on harm to civilians - the AU says UNMISS didn't even comply with UN Security Council resolutions. Who will answer for this?
Inner City Press: I'm sure you've seen finally, after much delay, the AU [African Union] released its report on South Sudan. There's a lot in it, and many people are saying many things about it, but the thing I'd wanted to ask about is the section that has do with the UN. And it says… this is in paragraph 37. And this is… it's sort of surprising. It says, "The commission was unable to access any data in the possession of UNMISS [United Nations Mission in South Sudan] which had been documenting the violations committed since the start of the violence despite the resolutions of the Security Council mandating it to cooperate with AU CISS. So what does DPKO [Department of Peacekeeping Operations] say?
Spokesman: Well, obviously, we welcome the report and the issuance of the report, which the Secretary-General has called for, had called for. I think the issue of transparency is an important one, as is the issue of accountability. As for the details of the report, I think we're still reading through it. So if I have something to add…
Inner City Press: Right. Eventually, there's some direct allegations about the mission…
Spokesman: I understand.
Inner City Press: Okay. I have one more...
On October 29, Dujarric returned with this, on which Inner City Press followed up:
Yesterday I was also asked about the report of the African Union on the human rights situation in South Sudan.
I can tell you that in line with relevant Security Council resolutions, the UN Mission supported the African Union Commission of Inquiry.
The Mission fully cooperated with the Commission's investigation team at all stages of its work in South Sudan, in accordance with standard practices and policy, including the need to preserve confidentiality and to protect victims and witnesses.
This support is acknowledged in the report of the Commission, in its paragraph 3 where it states that the Commission would like to thank the former Special Representative of the Secretary General, her interim successor, and their team for the immense support provided to the Commission in the course of its work in South Sudan.
Inner City Press followed up:
Inner City Press: thanks for the response on the African Union report. But, obviously, I mean, they said that no data was provided to them. So maybe there's some... I just... I guess I would like you to explain, because this same issue seemed to have come up with the rapes in the Central African Republic, that the UN seems to have some reading of confidentiality, which either makes it impossible to make information available or, in this case, you know...
[Cross talk]
Spokesman: I think they're two different... very much two different cases. The case in the Central African Republic, as you know, is the subject of an inquiry.
On South Sudan, you know, obviously, people can interpret it different ways. Obviously, there is a need to respect the confidentiality of witnesses and victims. When you are a human rights investigator and you collect those names and the witnesses, you do so in confidence. So it's important to protect that. I think it's clear from the AU mission's report that, overall, they were very grateful for the support and work from the peacekeeping mission.
Inner City Press: But they said any... the Commission was unable to access any data in the possession of UNMISS.
Spokesman: Well, I think people can have different interpretation.
Inner City Press: Right.
Spokesman: The AU have... has said what it has said and I have said what I have said.
An internal UN document leaked to Inner City Press, which exclusively published it here, shows the high degree of dysfunction in the country, and in the UN.
UNITED NATIONS, October 26 -- The UN Secretariat's bungling of Yemen mediation has become ever more clear, according to multiple sources and documents exclusively seen by Inner City Press, see below.
On October 26 Inner City Press reported that its sources exclusively told it of a new low, that the UN brought into Sana'a what the Houthis call two members of US intelligence, with the cover identification that they work for the company running the former hotel now occupied by the UN. But, the sources say, security in Sana'a recognized the two and they are now detained.
On October 30, Inner City Press asked UN Spokesman Stephane Dujarric about it, video here, transcript here:
Inner City Press: maybe you can confirm or deny that two individuals flew in to Sana’a on a UN plane have been detained by the Houthis who accuse them of being US intelligence individuals. What was the protocol for getting on a UN plane to Sana’a? Does the UN have a position of not flying in intelligent members of a UN member state?
Spokesman: I'm aware of two people who I believe are UN contractors and their situation. I don't have an update on it. The protocol for flying on UN planes and on UN humanitarian flights is pretty clear. I can give you the details. We do not, we do not knowingly fly in or out combatants.
Inner City Press: I just wondered, could you maybe say what kind of contractors they are? I heard and reported they were making a building that the UN works in. Is that true?
Spokesman: That's my understanding.
We'll have more on this.
Meanwhile the Houthis are denouncing UN envoy Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmad and his (mis) representation to the Security Council regarding what they agreed to. This has happened before and the goal seems to be delay to allow for more air strikes. There's work of mercenaries, in essence, including from Colombia in Aden, joining the troops from ICC-indicted Sudan.
A new level of dysfunction was hit with the deployment in Aden of hundreds of troops from Sudan, putting ICC-indicted Omar al-Bashir on the same side as the US and UK. (Inner City Press is exclusively informed that "UN" envoy Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed is working on a similar Saudi deal with his native Mauritania, see below.)
Now Inner City Press is reliably and exclusively informed of a letter, drafted by Saudi Arabia and conveyed to UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon by envoy Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed, which has Ban thanking Hadi and stating that the Houthis have agreed without reservation to implementing UN Security Council Resolution 2216. They have not - this is just another misleading move by the envoy, not a third strike but a fourth.
But more fundamentally, why would Ban Ki-moon even consider signing a letter that was drafted by Saudi Arabia? Ban's Deputy Secretary General Jan Eliasson, arguably undermining the envoy, recently traveled to Saudi Arabia and then Iran.
Inner City Press is reliably and exclusively informed that the Saudis snubbed Eliasson, denying several of his meeting requests and finally providing him only with the Foreign Minister, just before he left. In Iran, complaints against envoy Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed were lodged, that he does not have the trust of the Houthis. What kind of envoy is this? What kind of UN?
After the UN Security Council's praise of talks ostensibly committed to UN envoy Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed was not updated after Hadi canceled participation in the talks, then the Saudi led coalition bombed Oman's Ambassador's house in Sana'a.
The Saudi Mission to the UN, doling out information selectively as always, tweeted a photo of a meeting between its Ambassador and the deputy ambassadors of Security Council members the UK and US, of the EU - and UN humanitarian deputy Kyung-hwa Kang. What did Kyung-hwa Kang, if not the Ambassadors, say about the airstrikes?
The UN's envoy Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed, after complaining about his leaked email showing his marginalization from Yemen talks, that Hadi had committed to come to talks. The Security Council praised him in a Press statement.
Then Hadi canceled. It is similar to the UN's ceasefire-that-wasn't, and the failed "talks" in Geneva in which the UN never gave the Houthis passes to get into the UN building, after allowing them to be delayed along the way so that Ban never met them (while meeting with an individual on the US Al Qaeda sanctions list.)
In many contexts it's "three strikes and you're out," in this case faux ceasefire and two talks that never happened. But the Security Council has not updated its Press Statement of praise; some members apparently simply work around the UN envoy. We'll have more on this.
On September 5 as airstrikes on Sana'a picked up force, there was no comment from the UN or its envoy Ismail Ould Cheihk Ahmed. Nor on September 6. On September 7, the UN finally spoke -- not about the airstrikes but about a leak.
On September 8, Inner City Press asked UN Spokesman Stephane Dujrarric if he was denying the veracity of the UN email Inner City Press published, below. Dujarric did not deny it. Video here. Inner City Press on September 9 asked Dujarric's deputy, below, on September 9 about Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed.
Inner City Press exclusively reported the following: on August 27-28 in Muscat, the US and UK, the EU Ambassador to the UN and Saudi intelligence, met with the Houthis -- without the UN and its envoy present, or even sources say aware of the meeting. These sources say that the UN's Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed was on vacation in his native Mauritania, and was entirely out of the loop.
On September 10, Inner City Press asked UK Ambassador Matthew Rycroft if the UK had met with the Houthis and GPC in Muscat, without the UN Envoy present. Video here. The answer, as transcribed by the UK Mission:
Inner City Press: There was a letter from the Envoy that seemed to imply that.
Amb Rycroft: There has been a lot of different types of talks in Morocco and different engagements with others. The United Kingdom and other countries are involved in some but not all of those talks – depending on the format. Whether or not we are there or not we are very supportive of Ismail and his work.
Meanwhile Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed says the same parties will now meet with him. Replay?
On September 9, Inner City Press asked UN Deputy Spokesperson Farhan Haq, video here, transcript here:
Inner City Press: I saw the statement by the Envoy that leaks may be distorting. But I wanted to ask a factual question, which is that there are reports, and some are confirming, that there were meetings in Muscat by the US, UK, EU [European Union] ambassador to Yemen, the Houthis and Saudi intelligence that took place in August, 27th and 28th. And I wanted to know, it seems that the UN's Envoy wasn't present. Was this by choice? Was he not invited? Was he unaware? What's his role in these talks that are taking place between the parties that I've named in Muscat?
Deputy Spokesman: Well, I wouldn't have any confirmation about any of the meetings that do not involve Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed, the Special Envoy. He has been present in Muscat as well as in Riyadh in recent days and has used his time in those two cities to talk to many of the key players representing the Government of Yemen, Ansar Allah and the General People's Congress, and so he is continuing with his efforts to get the parties to talk to each other and to get a halt to the fighting. And beyond that, I wouldn't have any details on any meetings that take place outside of his purview.
The September 10 briefing by this envoy to the UNSC was requested by the UK - which, it seems, met with the Houthis without Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed.
Sources also note to Inner City Press that the Saudi have "dissed" Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed, relegating him only to meeting with Saudi intelligence, not diplomats as was previously the case with the UN. This too is embarrassing to the UN. Hence the Sunday evening statement:
"The Special Envoy for Yemen of the Secretary-General of the United Nations, Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed, is disturbed by press reports regarding the leak of internal United Nations correspondence. The content of these reports, especially in some Yemeni media outlets and Internet sites, constitute distortions and misinterpretations. These reports do not reflect the position of the Special Envoy or of the United Nations."
A well placed UN source told Inner City Press that the replacement envoy should never have commented on the leak, especially while remaining silent on the increased airstrikes and Qatar sending troops and Apache helicopters.
Perhaps the discomfort is with the reference to the US National Security Council's "Eric Polovski" (that is, Eric Pelofsky) being "on board." Another source exclusively told Inner City Press that in the Security Council's last meeting on Yemen, those raising the mounting humanitarian toll were Venezuela, Chile and New Zealand. Consider again this, to USg Jeff Feltman:
"Dear Jeff,
Before traveling to Jeddah I held two days of meetings with Ansar Allah and GPC in Muscat in which I tried to convince them to improve upon the 10 points which they had submitted to me earlier. This was necessary to respond to concerns in Riyadh that the commitments to the implementation of 2216 were still inadequate and failed to include recognition of the legitimacy of the government.
AA/GPC agreed to a new wording on UNSC resolution 2216 that states unequivocally that they are committed to the full implementation of 2216, (see document attached) with the exception of article which infringe on Yemeni sovereignty and those related to sanctions.
In addition, the new text includes acceptance of the return of the current government for a period of sixty days during which a new government of national unity shall be formed. They also accepted to remove references to counter-terrorism and the Saudi border to which the GoY had objected, as well as the mandatory support by the international community for reconstruction that was in the earlier version. The latter was particularly opposed by KSA and GCC who did not want it to be interpreted as a form of mandatory compensation. Both Ansar Allah and GPC seemed positive and showed considerable flexibility.
My meetings followed two days of meetings between the Ansar Allah and KSA intelligence officers which were also attended by the US, UK and Oman. The discussions focused on possible confidence building measures such as a pullback from border areas in exchanges for a cessation of airstrikes and agreements in which they would cease operations within Saudi Arabia. This was the first time that Ansar Allah have been open to discuss limited and geographically specific agreement. Although they repeated that the return of President Hadi would be unacceptable, they expressed their openness to the return of the government for a limited time. The US Ambassador, Matt Tueller has been keeping me regularly informed of these discussions, which has been most helpful. The confidence building paper proposed by the Houthis to KSA is attached for reference.
Although US officials were disappointed that Saudis had sent relatively junior representatives, they still felt the meetings were positive, largely friendly and a good way for KSA to sound out Ansar Allah’s intentions. Ansar Allah and KSA agreed that there should be further meetings with hopefully more senior representation although no dates were agreed. The meetings unfortunately shed very little new light on KSA’s strategy in the conflict or their willingness to support a negotiated settlement in the near future.
The meetings in Muscat were of course heavily influenced by the military developments in Yemen. The coalition has not been able to make rapid progress since their successes in Aden, Abyan and Shabwa in August. Taiz remains contested and there are reports that Ansar Allah has regained some territory which had been lost in the past week. The coalition’s difficulties moving northward suggest that an assault on Sanaa would likely be difficult and time-consuming than they had previously expected.
The instability and violence which have plagued Aden following its capture is likely also a source of concern. The mostly pro-independence Hiraak fighters are unwilling to cooperate fully with the GoY in attempts to expand northward. This leaves the coalition dependent on ground troops from Islah, Salafi and AQAP related groups, which UAE is reluctant to support.
Conclusion:
I believe, following my discussions in Muscat, that we now have a strong opportunity to obtain a peace deal, and avoid a violent confrontation in Sanaa, for the following three main reasons:
i) The revised paper (attached) is much stronger and contains serious concessions by the H/GPC. It will be difficult, at this stage, to push them towards further concessions.
ii) The recent slower advance of the GoY affiliated forces around Taez and Maarib could also offer another opportunity.
iii) The on-going insecurity and lawlessness in Aden, and the increased visibility of AQAP in Aden region in the aftermath of the liberation of the city by the GoY and Coalition forces, has started to raise serious concerns for UAE, and in some KSA circles.
In light of the above, I have reached the conclusion that we should now move towards a new round of direct talks, two and half months after our first round in Geneva. My recent shuttling has now reached a point whereby it is becoming somewhat transactional with the Special Envoy obtaining a paper from one side and seeking comments/acceptance by the other side. I do not think we can sustain this and I recommend we move to a more strategic phase. I recommend holding this next round of talks in Oman Sultanate as a first choice, which seems to be acceptable to the Omanis and all parties, especially KSA. My second proposed option would be Kuwait, however the Houthis are still hesitant about this potential venue. Ideally, we should aim at holding this meeting before Eid.
My discussions in Jeddah and Riyadh will be explicitly in favour of moving to peace talks phase as opposed to continuing this shuttling around papers/proposals. I have first indications that Abu Ali and Matt Tueller are supportive of this new approach. In this regard, it was important to time my visit to Jeddah before the meeting between King Salman and President Obama tomorrow. Eric Polovski – White House NSC – who was just recently in Muscat is also fully on board on this.
I am conscious that the implementation of this new proposal depends very much on the GoY's openness and the KSA genuine support (and not only on what I am hearing from Abu Ali). But this proposal is also the only way to keep the UN's efforts at the center of the mediation process and to avoid a fatigue among our various stakeholders, especially the H/GPC. This is why I once again need the support of the SG and the P5.
Best regards. Ismail
Muscat Principles for a Solution to the Political Crisis in Yemen Commitment by all parties to implement relevant UNSC resolutions including resolution 2216, according to an implementation mechanism to be agreed upon, and without infringing on national sovereignty, and with reservations regarding the sanctions against Yemeni citizens.
A permanent and comprehensive cease-fire by all parties with the withdrawal of all armed groups and militias from the cities, according to an agreed mechanism to avoid any security and administrative vacuum along with lifting of the land, sea and air blockade.
Agreement on neutral monitoring instrument in order to verify implementation of the mechanisms mentioned above that will be agreed upon, under the auspices of the United Nations.
To respect international humanitarian law, including the elements relating to the protection of civilians and the release of prisoners and detainees from all parties, including those mentioned in UNSC resolution, and to facilitate humanitarian relief and allow the entry of commercial goods, food, medical supplies, oil derivatives and other essential good without restriction. Kaled Bahah’s government, formed by consensus, returns and performs its tasks as a caretaker government for a period not extending 60 days, during which a government of national unity is formed, in a way that does not violate the constitution.
To resume and accelerate United Nations-brokered negotiations, according to the UNSC resolution.
All parties are obliged to hand over heavy weapons to the State in accordance with the outcomes of the Comprehensive National Dialogue."
Note: the "Eric Polovski" in the above would seem to be Eric Pelofsky. Just saying.
On September 1 the Office of the High Commission for Human Rights raised its estimate of civilians killed to 2,112 (from March 26 to August 27), with 4,519 civilians injured in that period in what OHCHR called a "conservative estimate."
OHCHR cited an airstrike on Taiz on August 20 which killed 53 civilians. OHCHR said "Fifty-three of these civilian deaths occurred on 20 August, reportedly as result of a series of airstrikes by Saudi-led coalition forces that hit 20 homes near Salah Palace in Taiz. According to local reports, active fighters in the Houthi popular committees were believed to be based in the Salah Palace at the time." Believed? Question to OHCHR in this case: what is international law?
Or this one: "attacks by coalition forces on Hodeidah port, which is a key entry point for humanitarian supplies and commercial imports into Yemen."
UN Relief Chief Stephen O'Brien on August 19 told the UN Security Council, "To date only 18 percent, some $282 million, of the $1.6 billion requested through the Yemen Humanitarian Response Plan has been received. UN agencies have still not received the funding from Saudi Arabia of $274 million pledged in April."
After O'Brien said that, Inner City Press asked Yemen's Permanent Representative at the UN, down the hall toward the Trusteeship Council Chamber, about it. He told Inner City Press, among other things, that explains the request for a UN "liaison" in Riyadh.
After the Security Council's triplet of meetings on Yemen, Syria and South Sudan ended on August 19, Inner City Press asked New Zealand's Permanent Representative Gerard van Bohemen "On Yemen. Mr O’Brien said that Saudi Arabia haven’t paid the pledge and that there was some dispute about the UN sending maybe somebody to be a liaison, what was said about actually getting aid unblocked?"
Ambassador van Bohemen replied, "I think you need to talk to him about it. What he explained was there’s been quite a complicated discussion going with the Saudi government about the terms on which the money will be made available, but he knows the detail about it, I don’t."
We still hope to have more on this.
On August 7 Inner City Press was informed that as Houthis and Saleh's GPC headed to Oman for consultations on August 8 and 9, the UN's replacement envoy Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed was not even initially invited. He had to beg to get included, which after sweating has been allowed, in the run-up to his briefing on August 12 to the Security Council.
On August 12, Inner City Press asked Yemen Permanent Representative, outside the Council meeting, questions ranging from the destruction of schools and health care facilities in Sa'ada by Saudi airstrikes to when, according to him, the Houthis might be "driven" out of Sa'ana. Video here. He said in a few weeks - and added that the Oman talks were "not UN."
So how then might the parties negotiate? UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric said Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed was headed back to Riyadh. That seems to be his base, where he works from - and for? Watch this site.
Oman has received murky thanks for France for facilitating the release of a hostage, who was working for the Social Development Fund there. Did Oman pay for France? Or will others be released, as France brought about in Mali?
On July 28, Inner City Press asked Saudi Arabia's Permanent Representative about Mokha or Mocha; he replied that previous allegations about Saudi airstrikes on Old City Sana'a and on a palace in Aden once used by Queen Elizabeth had been proven untrue. We'll have more on this.
Inner City Press asked Yemen's representative about the talks in Cairo involving the United Arab Emirates, allies of former president Saleh and, it's said, the US and UK. He replied that the Yemeni government - in exile - deals through formal channels, the GCC or UN.
He might have been asked, which foreign minister is he reporting to: the one named by Hadi, or the one - his predecesor - named by Bahah? We'll have more on this as well.
After publishing its multi-sourced story, Inner City Press on July 22 asked the UN's Associate Spokesperson about new APC and weapons in Aden, and if Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed is on vacation. Video here. She replied that she would check - but did not revert with any response either way.
So on July 23, amid reports that without Cheikh Ahmed or any UN presence talks were occurring about Yemen in Cairo, Inner City Pressasked:
Inner City Press: on Yemen, yesterday you'd said you would check on Mr. Ould Cheikh Ahmed, whether, in fact, he is on vacation at this time. Did you?
Associate Spokesperson: No.
Inner City Press: You said leave is a good thing. In the transcript, you said, I'll check on his vacation. But yes, people do take leave, it is a good thing, although there are people in Yemen who say, given that the humanitarian pause failed, it seemed a strange time to do it. So I just wanted to know, factually, is it, in fact, the case?
Associate Spokesperson: Is it the fact…?
Inner City Press: That he's on vacation after the failure of the humanitarian pause.
Associate Spokesperson: I don't know specifically for the Special Envoy, but I can tell you that, you know, most people at that level at the UN, all people at that level at the UN continue to work on their portfolios wherever they are and whatever they're doing. These are portfolios that you can't just drop. And I'm sure that's the case also with the Special Envoy. As far as leave goes, you know, I'm not going to get into a “who's on leave when”, blah, blah, blah, with you. I just… I don't want to do that…
[cross talk]
Inner City Press: I'm just saying because yesterday, you said, "I'll check".
Associate Spokesperson: Because as you mentioned… as you mentioned yourself, you know, leave is part of working life.
Inner City Press: Okay. Was he also on leave when UN staff had to leave Libya and he was the deputy SRSG in Libya? Because that's what I'm told by the people…
Associate Spokesperson: He was also on leave when what…?
Inner City Press: On leave when the people were evacuated from Libya that were the staff members of the UNSMIL mission.
Associate Spokesperson: Well, I just said I'm not going to go and check his attendance sheet.
So much for checking.
Inner City Press asked the UN where Cheikh Ahmed is. UN Deputy Spokesperson Farhan Haq told Inner City Press that he has been "planning his travels," soon to Riyadh. Yeah, Inner City Press was told by another less constrained but at least as knowledgeable source: planning his future travels while already on vacation. Another source compared it to then UN envoy to Pakistan Jean-Maurice Ripert going on vacation amid national disasters in Pakisan and then losing his post.
The buzz in Sana'a, where Hadi has named a governor in exile described as an Islamist, is that Cheikh Ahmed may well have known of the plans to bring in APC and weapons to those fighting the Houthis in Aden, and so "misleadingly" urged a pause. Another compared this to the UN luring out surrendering rebel leaders in Sri Lanka - to their deaths.
And so from Aden, photographs of brand new light brown vehicles, American-made, brought in. Will they end up in the hands of Al Qaeda?
