Protection of Civilians in UN Security Council Cites Cluster Bombs in Yemen, Little on Burundi

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, January 19 -- When “Protection of Civilians” was debated all day in the UN Security Council under its Uruguayan presidency for the month on January 19, one expected to hear not only about Syria but also Yemen and Burundi, and even abuses by UN Peacekeepers themselves.

   At the UNTV stakeout, Inner City Press managed to ask Uruguay's Vice Minister for Foreign Affairs Jose Luiz Cancela about both Burundi and Yemen, and Deputy Secretary General Jan Eliasson about peacekeepers accused of rape, particularly in the Central African Republic. DSG video here.

Inner City Press also asked Cancela about Ladsous' position that he couldn't or wouldn't stop a genocide in Burundi. Video here.

   Cancela, previously his country's Permanent Representative at the UN, replied diplomatically that the consent of host countries is required -- one might say, then “Never Again” means little -- but then focused on the upcoming Council trip to Burundi.

  But what will the Security Council accomplish in Burundi? The Council's “penholder” on the country, France, is not even sending its Permanent Representative; scribe-like media was selected, excluding others like the Press, with no transparency.

  Meanwhile on Yemen, little is said amid the airstrikes; the UN's envoy is not accountable. The Netherlands' speaker called for accountability by the leadership of UN peacekeeping missions - but what about the head of the Department, Herve Ladsous, who publicly linked the rapes to “R&R”? Video here.

  In the Council chamber, João Vale de Almeida of the EU lamented that no compliance with International Humanitarian Law resolution was passed at the Red Cross and Red Crescent meeting in December.  Croatia to its credit mentioned cluster bombs not only in Syria but also Yemen.

  The session ended with some rights of reply: Azerbaijan and Armenia going one round on Nagorno Karabakh, Israel and Ukraine speaking, and then an abrupt end.