By Matthew Russell Lee, Exclusive series
UNITED NATIONS, February 12 -- Two days after Inner City Press on February 9 reported, documented and publicly asked the UN about the repatriation of Burundian troops from the UN Mission in the Central African Republic, Reuters belatedly "saw" the repatriation and repackaged it as its own. The UN gave Reuters a response which Inner City Press had publicly requested from UN Spokesman Stephane Dujarric on February 9.
Even later, Agence France Presse got on the story, with a spoonfed quote from "Ismini Palla of the UN peacekeeping department," run by its fourth Frenchman in a row, Herve Ladsous (see his linking of rapes to R&R, here, YouTube video.)
At the February 12 noon briefing, Inner City Press asked Dujarric to belatedly issue the confirmation of repatriation which it had asked from him on February 9 - he did - and then asked him why he had not provided the answer to the media which asked for it, two days before Reuters and three before AFP. Dujarric claimed he had only just gotten the answer. Video here, UN transcript here:
Inner City Press: I just expected you to have some readout on the repatriation of Burundian peacekeepers from Central African Republic. On Tuesday, I'd asked you about Jimmy… you know, Jimmy Rusheshe, Pierre Niyonzima, and you said I will try to get an update. Did you get an update? And I have a follow-up on that.
Spokesman: Yes, my understanding is that those three are being repatriated.
Inner City Press: And I guess my question is, given… this is a pretty high-profile thing. This is the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights saying that these individuals took part in a crackdown in Burundi. I've seen other DPKO [Department of Peacekeeping Operations] quoted elsewhere giving this answer out to other media. And I'm wondering, why didn't your office… did you check… how long have you had that answer? And what's the policy on actually answering a question that's asked in this room?
Spokesman: The policy is I don't like to burden myself with content, so as soon as I have an answer, I unburden myself.
Inner City Press: Right. So when… you got this as you were standing at the podium?
Spokesman: I got this earlier today, and it's been in my head since this morning.
Inner City Press: Can you understand why I'm asking?
Spokesman: I understand. Okay.
Inner City Press: Is it acceptable?
Spokesman: Yes...
Really? In fact, not only had Inner City Press asked Dujarric about these Burundi officers since 2015 - after Inner City Press put the question in writing on January 29 to another Ladsous spokesperson, Nick Birnback, this was received as a response:
"Q: Beyond sexual abuse, what is the status of the deployment (or nor) of the Burundian officials I have asked the Spokesman about, including Niyonzima and Rusheshe?
"A: UN Peacekeeping is looking into the files of these two individual. We will have something to say on this issue in the coming days."
But despite Inner City Press being the media asking the questions, UN Peacekeeping / Dujarric gave the answer to Reuters and AFP.
Tellingly, both Reuters and AFP ignored that UN Peacekeeping had previously been deploying yet another human rights abuser from Burundi, Gaspar Baratuza, until civil society alerted the Press and the UN begrudgingly repatriated him.
UN Peacekeeping's Herve Ladsous has, in fact, gone out of his way to allow Burundians to "serve" in CAR -- while delivering the pay to the Nkurunziza government -- including through an October 1 meeting with the country's vice president on which Inner City Press also reported and asked the UN.
Inner City Press has in fact been asking UN Spokesman Stephane Dujarric, at numerous UN noon briefings, about even these most recent Burundian troops, by name, since 2015. Significantly, while even after Inner City Press published proof of the repatriation on February 9, Dujarric replied at that day's noon briefing he had no information.
Apparently he either didn't seek or disclose the confirmation, which Herve Ladsous' mission in CAR then belatedly delivered up to Reuters. This is how it works: by analogy, a crime syndicate.
Reuters UN bureau chief Lou Charbonneau previously wrote to Dujarric seeking to get Inner City Press thrown out of the UN, here. When this was exposed and Charbonneau's request was published, Charbonneau using the name of Reuters cited copyright to Google to get the leaked document removed from Google's search, shown here by the Chilling Effects project / EFF.
After a hand-off, Reuters correspondent tried the same, and most recently cut into Inner City Press' questions in even the UN briefing room about UN corruption. To this has Reuters at the UN sunk.
Perhaps in light of this history, the February 11 story is bylined not from the UN - but surely Google, to see that the story had already been reported and asked about the "seen" document published, exists elsewhere. The story was dutifully dumped on the Daily Mail, Malaysia's Star Online and, yes, StreetInsider.com. Exposed, itcontinues.
What is wrong with Reuters, and why does it do what it do? We'll have more on this.
Since this has become a pattern with Reuters, at least at the UN, Inner City Press asked Stephen J. Adler, Walden Siew and Paul Ingrassia and othr Reuters bigwigs to state the company's policies. It never happened. We'll have more on this.
Amid killings by the security forces in Burundi, the Pierre Nkurunziza government with the agreement of UN Peacekeeping chief Herve Ladsous has undertaken to deploy officers allegedly involved in human rights abuses into Ladsous' Central African Republic mission, MINUSCA, see below.
Since last year, Inner City Press has repeatedly asked the UN about the deployments of Pierre Niyonzima, Jean Bosco Mushimantwari and Jimmy Rusheshe.
After weeks of stonewalling, Inner City Press can now report that at least these three are being sent back to Burundi, per OHCHR. But, amazingly, even after Inner City Press published the Feb 5 memo, UN Spokesman Stephane Dujarric on February 9 when Inner City Press asked refused to confirm it. Video here.
Dujarric said he would get an update - but five hours later none was provided. See below.
But even when caught red-handed, the games of UN Peacekeeping and Burundi continue, with the switching of military grade of officers whom the Pierre Nkurunziza government wants to reward with UN posts, often for the abuses they committed.
Inner City Press asked repeatedly about (mis-classified) Gaspard Baratuza, and finally he was rejected by UN Peacekeeping for a Public Information post in the Central African Republic. The UN has refused to answer on other deployments - and now, even on deployment which are fully documented.
On January 5, after publishing the documents, Inner City Press asked the UN about a murder, and a deployment. Transcript here.
Inner City Press has obtained the UN and Burundian Mission to the UN documents keeping the CAR post for Burundi, by mis-classifying full Colonel Adolphe Manirakiza as a mere Lt Colonel. It is signed by UN Peacekeeping's Maqsood Ahmed.
Running this scam for Burundi is its reclusive Ambassador to the UN Albert Shingiro, who mocked his countrymen when they protested in front of the UN, and blocks the Press from his Twitter feed.
On December 24, Inner City Press asked for the second time, video here:
Inner City Press: whether you have any... first, any readout of Mr. Benomar's travels and attempts to speak with the Government in the region. I'm asking you... yesterday there was… you may have seen it; you may not have seen it… there was a protest outside the building by Burundians, and in speaking with them, they judge the performance of the Secretariat as weak.
And I wanted to know, just to get, I guess, your response to that, and if there's any update on the deployment of these two, Pierre Niyonzima and Jimmy Rusheshe, both of whom have been linked to the hospital killings in May…
Spokesman Stephane Dujarric: On your second part, no, I have no update than what was given. I know there are discussions going on. I don't have an update to share with you. On your first part, I think we can all agree on the frustration of the Burundian people as they see the violence increase in their country. The Secretary-General, through the work of his Special Envoy, is very much focused on finding ways to move the political dialogue forward and to obviously see an end to the current violence that we're seeing. He is currently in Kampala in Uganda meeting with local officials, and I believe there will be talks there early next week.
Inner City Press: Will your office be sending stuff out during this break?
Spokesman: Obviously, as I said, we'll be fully staffed. If there are updates to share, we will share them with you.
Back on December 17 Inner City Press was told, the third time it asked, that the Burundi's Army spokesman Gaspard Baratuza's deployment to the UN mission in CAR had been suspended, and Baratuza was being repatriated. UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric, who has shielded Secretary General Ban Ki-moon from such Press questions, said "it's an example of the [vetting] policy working."
But Inner City Press has obtained the Burundi government document for the deployment not only of Baratuza but other officers in Ladsous' MINUSCA. Today we focus and ask about Major Pierre Niyonzima.
According to Inner City Press' sources, Niyonzima not only defended extrajudicial executions, he participated in them. On May 14, they say, Major Niyonzima was the Senior army officer who led the attack on the hospital where those accused of involvement in the attempted coup were slaughtered. They say Niyonzima reports to Guillaume Bunyoni and has been involved in killings in Musaga, Nyakabiga and Mutakura. We'll have more on this, and on other deployees to Ladsous' MINUSCA, including Jimmy Rusheshe.
On December 21 Inner City Press asked the UN's Deputy Spokesperson Farhan Haq about these deployments, and the Burundian government's rejection of the African Union's proposed deployment, video here,transcript here:
Inner City Press: on Burundi, as you know, the African Union Peace and Security Council has made this proposal 5,000 peacekeepers and set a 96-hour deadline for the Government to respond. The assembly has met and rejected it and said it would be a violation of the sovereignty of the country. So, I wanted to know, what is the Secretariat… Mr. [Jamal] Benomar, what do they… you think of both the [African Union Peace and Security Council] taking a seemingly fairly aggressive protection of civilian stance and the Government rejecting it?
Deputy Spokesman: Well, first of all, regarding that, I believe that the discussions will continue with the African Union and the Government of Burundi. But, we certainly support the efforts by the African Union and its Peace and Security Council to deal with the protection of civilians in Burundi. We've made clear our alarm at recent developments and the need for there to be additional steps to bring the tensions on the ground to a halt. As you know, the Security Council itself has been apprised by the Secretary-General of various options for the way forward, and we await their guidance on that. Meanwhile, Mr. Benomar has started some of his travels. I believe he was in Washington, D.C., in the last few days, and he is expected to head to the region shortly.
Correspondent: And then… thanks a lot. I wanted… something a little more specific. It has to do with this vetting of troops from Burundi, but I guess you could say elsewhere. I know it was said last week that Gaspard Baratuza, a Deputy Spokesman of the army, was being repatriated.
Deputy Spokesman: Yes.
Inner City Press: But, I've since seen a letter… it was his deployment letter, but it also involved two other majors in the army who are said to have been involved in the… the assault on a hospital in May, right after the coup attempt in which people were killed in their beds, and these involve Mr. Pierre Niyonzima and Jimmy Rusheshe. And both of them, according to a letter from the Burundian Army, are… were being deployed to the UN in the Central African Republic. So, I wanted… I guess I want to ask you, like, what does the vetting consist of? What was the vetting that Mr. Baratuza failed that these two individuals apparently don't fail, given their involvement in extrajudicial executions?
Deputy Spokesman: As we get information… if any information causes us to have concerns about deployment, it is reviewed in that light. In that light, Mr. Baratuza, his suspension was first delayed, and then he was repatriated. And so, depending upon the information, as we get it, we'll act upon it.
Inner City Press: So, does… I guess what I'm saying is does the… either the human rights presence of the UN in Burundi have information about those who commanded the assault on this hospital, it's called Bumerec Hospital, in May and the connection to the people that were being deployed?
Deputy Spokesman: Like I said, we… yes, we do have a human rights presence in Burundi. As we get information, we act upon, and that includes anyone being deployed.
Obtained by Inner City Press
Ladsous' lack of vetting was criticized in the recently released report into the cover up of peacekeepers' rapes in the Central African Republic. Earlier, Inner City Press exclusive reported on Ladsous in his October 1, 2015 meeting with Burundi's vice president saying that he is "pragmatic" on human rights.
On December 16 Inner City Press was banned from questions to Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, but learned from the mission MINUSCA that Baratuza was already in Entebbe. Inner City Press asked several Security Council members, then Ban's spokesman Stephane Dujarric on December17.
Dujarric told Inner City Press Baratuza's deployment is suspended and he is being repatriated: "based on the information we've received regarding the Lieutenant Colonel, his deployment has been suspended, and he will be repatriated back to Burundi." Video here. Dujarric told Inner City Press this shows the UN system working - on a day when a report on rapes was issued showing UN Peacekeeping under Herve Ladsous not sufficiently vetting for human rights. We'll have more on this.
