By Matthew Russell Lee, Follow Up to Exclusives
UNITED NATIONS, December 29 -- When the UN Security Council members met about South Sudan on December 15, the best they could do was extend the mandate of the UNMISS mission for a single day. Even then, there was already news of UNMISS having given arms to warlord, or “rebel general,” James Koang.
Inner City Press asked US Ambassador Samantha Power about this on December 16 and she said she hadn't read it. On December 19, even while fielding a pre-picked question on South Sudan, Power still refused to answer. Video here.
Meanwhile, even though the UN is open and its spokespeople getting paid, on December 27, 28 and 29 they refused to answer basic Press questions including on South Sudan. On December 29 at noon, Inner City Press submitted to the UN's top three spokespeople:
“SPLA-IO Equatoria sector spokesman Wai Godwil has cited “130 cases of brutal murder, gang raping of civilian girls, women, boys, men and arbitrary arrest and torture by the Government SPLA in the month of November 2016. It also accused the Government of carrying out Arial bombardments in the rural villages of Mundri, Tore and Yei River counties.” What is the UN's knowledge of this, or what will it do?”
With no answer five hours later, Inner City Press went in and picked up the piece of paper on the counter - and was told not to take it. Despite being paid for no answers, apparently they can't afford a single photocopy. The person listed was Mathias Gillmann, who when Inner City Press asked about the 19 unanswered questions said, “Stephane is working on it, that's all I know.”
Working how?
On December 28 Inner City Press asked the three UN spokespeople, in the context of Ban Ki-moon scapegoating the Kenyan force commander for the UN-wide failure in July 2016:
“On South Sudan, in light of a Troop Contributing Country's recent statement that its peacekeepers have discarded in full their activities logs including for July 2016, please state what records the UN keeps for the activities of “its” peacekeepers, and what standards are applicable to Troop Contributing Countries.”
No answer - but “UN” spokesman Stephane Dujarric gave quotes to both Reuters and Yonhap in furtherance of Ban Ki-moon's run for South Korea's presidency despite mounting corruption allegations, because the nepotism Inner City Press documented in the lead-up by Ban ousting, evicting and restricting it. We'll have more on this.
On December 23, with it being clear there were not going to be nine votes in favor, US Ambassador Samantha Power put to the vote in the Security Council an unamended sanctions and arms embargo resolution. As predicted, it got only seven yes votes; Power followed with a long speech. Trying out for college professor or MSNBC?
This was in a Small Arms Survey report, picked up in the Washington Post. Inner City Press tweeted it at UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric, requesting a comment. Nothing.
On the morning of December 16, Inner City Press asked the Ambassadors of the UK and New Zealand about it, and both had heard of it and said it needed to be investigated. The Ambassador of France, the country that has run UN Peacekeeping for 20 years, did not comment. Video here.
The US holds the pen, and more, on South Sudan. In the early afternoon of December 16, when US Ambassador Samantha Power held a stakeout about Syria, Inner City Press asked about the US South Sudan draft, and the Washington Post report. Power said she hadn't seen the Washington Post report, but that the draft would pass. Video here.
At 4 pm the resolution, changed, was adopted 15-0. Afterward Egypt, for example, criticized the US for not consulting enough, and showing its draft(s) too late. Final adopted draft here.
But three days later on December 19 when Samantha Power came again to the Security Council stakeout, while it was mostly on Syria Power or her spokesman made sure to pick a South Sudan question which would allow Power to gently urge Japan to support the US call for sanctions and an arms embargo.
Inner City Press asked right after, what about UNMISS arming Koang? Nothing. Then as Power left, Inner City Press asked the question, quite audible. Power walked off; the understanding is that she has now read the report but wants to ask the UN about it before any comment.
Later on December 19, Inner City Press asked Ban Ki-moon's spokesman Stephane Dujarric, video here, UN transcript here:
Inner City Press: On South Sudan, I wanted to know, on Thursday, The Washington Post published a report based on the small arms survey report that UNMISS (United Nations Mission in South Sudan) gave hundreds of automatic weapons to a SPLM (Sudan People’s Liberation Movement)-in Opposition commander named James Koang, who, in turn, killed civilians with them. And I'm wondering, since it's pretty outrageous, what is UNMISS' under… explanation for having turned these weapons over? And even if they say they were under duress, what was their responsibility once they gave these weapons to the civilians that were killed with them and also to… did they ever inform the Security Council? And what do they do to protect civilians from their weapons they gave to a warlord?
Spokesman: I don't have anything to share with you on that.
ICP Question: I heard that UNMISS has an answer.
Spokesman: I… they may. I don't have anything for you on that right now.
Later: I've just been given something that I didn't have with me on UNMISS, which I will share with you, which… from the Mission, which says, when UNMISS opened its gates to save lives as the conflict erupted, it applied utmost diligence to disarm and collect weapons and ammunition from people seeking protection. The Mission worked tirelessly and impartially to save thousands who sought refuge in its camps at the points… protection of civilians sites in the town and avoid an escalation of violence with the forces controlling the area. Anyone who was armed and seeking for protection was not allowed to enter the UN Compound. In December 2013, at the early stages of the conflict, some SPLA (Sudan People’s Liberation Army) soldiers abandoned weapons outside the UNMISS compound, in order to seek protection inside the compound in Bentiu. UNMISS collected the abandoned weapons and safely stored them according to its weapons management policy. In response to direct threats from local SPLA commanders to UNMISS to hand over weapons abandoned by the soldiers, the Mission facilitated the transfer of a limited number of weapons to Major-General James Koang, who commanded the SPLA 4th Division in Bentiu at the time. Later in that month, he officially defected to the then newly-established SPLM-in-Opposition. Since January 2014, the Mission has also conducted several destructions of weapons and ammunitions that pose risks to the civilian population and UN staff. The Mission underscores that a political solution is the only viable solution to the crisis, as it continues to implement its protection of civilians mandate in Bentiu and around the country.
Question: Follow-up?
Spokesman: Yeah.
ICP Question: Do they… I mean, first of all, what's the number of weapons that they handed over? Small arms survey puts it at… at several hundred automatic weapons so it seems like… it's a large number. Why didn't they… this whole idea of like stay and deliver or stand and deliver, once they handed the weapons over, what did they do to ensure that they, in fact, wouldn't just be used to kill civilians?
Spokesman: Well, obviously, the Mission has continued to protect civilians in the… tens of thousands of civilians at its point… protection of civilians sites in Bentiu since then and continues to do so. I don't have an update on the exact number of weapons we're talking about.
ICP Question: And just one… I'd asked you whether… whether at the time because it seems like a pretty extreme thing to do to give these weapons. Did DPKO (Department of Peacekeeping Operations) or UNMISS tell the Council… and I ask you because my understanding… I asked Samantha Power about this on Friday, and today the US Mission has said that they're asking the UN for its answer. So did they not tell… I read from that that they didn't tell the Council. Is this the kind of thing that the Council should have been told?
Spokesman: I don't know what was updated in 2013 at the time.
And after that, nothing from the UN - Ban Ki-moon didn't answer when Inner City Press asked, Vine here, video here - nor from the US Mission to the UN.
Speaking for the US on December 16 was deputy Isobel Coleman, who did not in her speech mention UNMISS arming Koang. (In full disclosure, she is also the USUN ambassador to whom the Government Accountability Project directed its request that the Mission opposed the UN's eviction and restriction of Inner City Press - and apparently did nothing.) Nor now about this - the smashing by UN thugs of the same Periscope-camera ICP used to broadcast Samantha Power. We'll have more on this.
There were already over 9,000 viewers of Inner City Press' Periscope of this South Sudan Q&A, but even after Inner City Press tweeted the Washington Post story to Power, her spokesman and the US Mission generally, there was no response.
None of these did ANYTHING when Inner City Press was evicted, and is still restricting, by the UN of Ban Ki-moon and Cristina Gallach this year, despite a request from the DC-based Government Accountability Project. We'll have more on this.
When the UN Security Council met about South Sudan on November 17, outgoing US Ambassador Samantha Power lavished praise on Ban Ki-moon's Special Representative to the country, Ellen Loj, not linking her to the UN's failures in Juba in July and Malakal before that.
This stands in contrast to Ban's firing or scapegoating for the July failure of Kenyan's force commander Ondieki, on the job for only three weeks at the time. Was Loj as blameless as Samantha Power and Ban made her out to be, as each speechifies about “accountability”?
On December 9, Inner City Press asked UN deputy spokesman Farhan Haq about the detention then expulsion of the Norwegian Refugee Council's director Victor Moses more than a day before. Haq said he would check with UNMISS. He did not then have, or by the end of the day provide, any statement at all. Call it UNMISSing.
Inner City Press also asked UN OCHA's John Ging, who to his credit answered, here.
On December 5, Inner City Press asked Ban's lead spokesman Stephane Dujarric how and when Loj would be replaced. UN transcript. On December 7, after scapegoating the Kenyan force commander and letting the Danish SRSG off the hook, Ban has named another Western Europe and Other Group official to head the South Sudan mission: David Shearer of New Zealand.
Whatever his qualifications, there are already African Group diplomats at this last “diss” by Ban of the African Group - after the scapegoating of Babacar Gaye for Herve Ladsous in CAR and at the same time that the UN said nothing about the Dutch bringing Christmas figures in black-face to the UN Peacekeeping base in Mali, here and now here.
On December 8, Inner City Press asked Ban's deputy spokesman Farhan Haq about this, and about how Shearer was vetted - but Haq refused to answer either until Shearer already has the job. From the UN transcript:
Inner City Press: I wanted to ask you about this letter the Secretary-General wrote nominating, at least, David Shearer to head UNMISS [United Nations Mission] in South Sudan. One, I wanted to know whether, just from the public record, this issue where he did not, as a New Zealand politician, disclose a bank account he had at the UN with more than $50,000 in it was part of the… of the vetting process. And, two, given the firing that many complained of, of the Kenyan commander, were there… was there a short list? And, just to be direct about it, were there any African candidates on the short list, given that both the location of the mission and given recent issues both with Babacar Gaye and with the Kenyan general?
Deputy Spokesman: We're getting a bit ahead of ourselves here. We don't have an announcement at this point to make about the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for South Sudan. I hope we'll be able to have that at some point, but until then, I don't have a confirmation for the basis of your question.
ICP Question: But it seems like a stran… okay. I mean, the letter exists, so my question is, the thing is that you set up a process in which questions about vetting or issues that arise cannot… won't be answered until the person's already confirmed. Am I correct? See… that's why I'm asking the question now.
Deputy Spokesman: Like I said, you are basing a question on an announcement that I'm not able to make at this point.
ICP Question: Is there such a letter?
Deputy Spokesman: I'm sure that, as with other cases, there are communications that go to the Security Council about potential choices. We do not have a confirmation to provide at this point. That's the nature of the process. That… as you know, we wait for the process to play itself out, and then we can make our announcement.
On December 7, Inner City Press asked Ban Ki-moon's deputy spokesman Farhan Haq, UN transcript here:
Inner City Press: in South Sudan, there's pretty serious reports of fighting in Yei, where it seems that there was some sort of an attack by SPLA in Opposition. The Government is saying it's just criminals, but I wanted to know whether UNMISS can provide some clarity and also if UNMISS has any comment on the Government deporting AP reporter Justin Lynch, which happened yesterday, and was somebody who was obviously reporting on these topics. What's the UN's response to that?
Deputy Spokesman: Well, on the latter question, we don't have confirmation from the UN Mission, UNMISS, but we are aware of the reports, including from the Associated Press, that, that their reporter has been excluded.
Obviously, we believe that all reporters have to be allowed to go about their work without interference or without hindrance. We've raised up several times in recent weeks our concerns about the treatment of media in South Sudan, and we reiterate that in this case.
Regarding the fighting in Yei, I don't have any details at present from the Mission, but we'll check with them whether they have anything.
On November 30, Inner City Press asked Ban Ki-moon's deputy spokesman Farhan Haq, video here, UN transcript here:
Inner City Press: I wanted to ask you about South Sudan. In the session in Geneva today, the US ambassador there, Mr. Ambassador Harper, said that the US has information that the government intends to… to essentially carry out an attack in Equatoria in the coming weeks. I wanted to ask two things.
One, what the UN… UNMISS [United Nations Mission in South Sudan], if… I'm assuming that if the US has this information that UNMISS would as well, what steps it intends to take to protect civilians. And also, I guess, to ask for your comment, the US mission here in New York is seeking sanctions through the Security Council only on Riek Machar and not on Salva Kiir.
Given that these allegations are about the Salva Kiir Government, does the Secretary-General, who has been willing to talk about arms embargo, believe that the sanctions should be applied to… as well as the party that's actually planning an attack according to testimony today?
Deputy Spokesman: Well, to take your second question first, obviously, it's, the sanctions and how they're devised is up to the members of the Council, and we respect their ability to do that. At the same time, of course, the Secretary-General has made clear the response, that the responsibility for the violence in South Sudan is a responsibility by the leaders of both parties. It's, it's not restricted to one side or the other. And so any solution will involve making sure that both parties abide by this, both the SPLA [Sudan People's Liberation Army] and the SPLA in Opposition.
Regarding possible violence, of course, we take preparatory steps whenever we are aware of any reports of threats and the mission is doing all it can in terms of its posture on the ground and its patrolling to protect civilians. But I wouldn't want to speculate on what might happen in the future. But, yes, we try to take steps to make sure that we'll be ready.
After a closed door Security Council meeting later on November 29, Inner City Press was told that a “new” letter from the Kiir government on the RSF had been discussed. But neither the Council presidency, nor the US as penholder, represented by Isobel Coleman and not Samantha Power, provided any information.
The US has proposed to sanction Riek Machar -- but not Salva Kiir. Inner City Press asked UN Prevention of Genocide Adviser Adama Dieng about this choice, video here (he answered on other issues).
Some in South Sudan surmise that the US Adminstration has been against Riek Machar since, as far back as May 2016, Machar started saying Trump could win the US election. Should this play a role in choosing the target of sanctions?
Now, despite the claims that the UN as a whole is acting on the threats, under Ban Ki-moon's supposed “Rights Up Front” scheme not even complied with by Ban's own son in law Siddharth Chatterjee, the UN Resident Coordinator in Kenya, the UN has stayed quiet on a significant arrest in Yambio.
Kiir's National Security in Yambio arrested Azande Paramount Chief Wilson Peni Rikito and days later, quiet from the UN which claimed it was paying particular attention to Yambio. We'll have more on this.
Meanwhile many South Sudanese are asking Inner City Press why the US Special Forces in Yambio and Nzara are sitting on their hands amid the slaughter. The US says they are there to “find Kony” - who is nowhere nearby. Others say it is a resources play.
The US Mission the UN's point-person on South Sudan left the Mission on November 4, and since then his position has been filled in by US Ambassador (ostensibly) for reform, Isobel Coleman. She did nothing even when the DC-based Government Accountability Project wrote to her earlier this year about Ban Ki-moon's UN evicting and restriction Inner City Press.
Now for truthful exclusive stories about those actually responsible for the failure in the Terrain in July, there's threats of litigation -- in essence, SLAPP suits, Strategic Litigation Against Public Participation and reporting. It seems the current US mission would be fine with that. We'll have more on this.
The US has been responsible for South Sudan, in the Security Council and elsewhere, and this Administration has not succeeded. Inner City Press' sources are describing to it how the parties are reaching around the outgoing Obama administration to the incoming, and we'll have more on that.
Here's the text of South Sudan's charge d'affaires Joseph Moum Majak N. Malok November 17 speech to the Security Council.
For now here's more details on how the UNMISS that US Power praises, and for which Herve Ladsous has not been held accountable, partners with the Dinka SPLA. Beyond Christophe Du Toit of UNDSS; Kenyan Tulicha Osman Abdikardir (UNHCR) security advisor providing intel to SPLA MI and UNMISS / “SPLA Agent” Captain Toang Wal Mut. This is shameful.
The UN judged the Terrain Apartments in Juba, South Sudan to be safe and well-protected in October 2015, documents obtained and exclusively published by Inner City Press show.
This incompetence, well before the Kenyan force commander Johnson Mogoa Kimani Ondieki took over UNMISS in 2016, contribwhich uted to the rapes and death scandal for which UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon fired, or scapegoated, Ondieki on November 1. Here's Ban on November 4, complaining at the push-back, Vine video.
On November 10, Ban's head of peacekeeping Herve Ladsous refused to answer on either Juba or Yambio, see below and video here: Ladsous only said, “You know I do not speak to you, Mister.” This is Ban's UN.
Now Inner City Press is exclusively informed that Ladsous' UN Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) is accused by many South Sudanese as helping the government to the point of having SLPA personnel in its camps, evacuating Dinka residents of Yei, denying others aid - doing anything, in short, to be able to remain in the country.
Inner City Press has tweeted some photographs leaked to it despite or around the frequently Internet outages in the country. See two photographs here, and watch this site.
Combined with Ladsous' cover up of rapes in Central African Republic - now by at least 25 Burundians as well -- it is Ladsous who should be fired for UNMISS failures in South Sudan. But from sources in South Sudan, including inside the UN, these are others down the line with responsibility, including managing the UN's Security Information and Operations Center:
Christophe Du Toit, UNDSS - his record with the UN in Afghanistan is also subject to review; Thomas Acheampong - DCSA Operations; Enoch Penny Laryea; Essien Idim; Fanwell Mwape - who is said slated for an award for the great job done rescuing the Terrain people although his role is dubious, the sources say. We'll have more on this.
This too: Ban's son in law Siddharth Chatterjee, who Ban promoted without recusal to the top UN position in Kenya as resident coordinator, has said nothing even amid raids on South Sudanese in Nairobi. Instead, shamefully, this.
On November 14 in South Sudan, more censorship: Anisa Radio Yambio, tun by the Catholic church, has been closed. To some it appears this may be likely Juba elite kicking back at result of US election and likelihood of no more funding from US Gov / Troika.This is to suppress any information getting out of SPLA Juba military offensive post the US election result.
In Germany, the Left party is calling for the end of UNMISS as ineffective, see here.
There is also ongoing fighting in Maban (Upper Nile). Limited information provided by ICRC, but since initial alert, all communications networks have been suppressed. As usual, nothing from UNMISS / UNDSS on either of the above nor of yesterday’s outbreaks in Yambio or Unity. The UN is involved not only in scapegoating but also cover ups.
On November 10, Inner City Press exclusively received and due to UN cover ups published:
“Yambio: Fighting since 5 am today. Heavy fighting is still on going right now in Mashiya area and behind South Sudan hotel in Yambio. The fight started at around 05:00 at Hai Kuba (same area as Inner City Press previously reported where UNMISS never patrolled). UNMISS have refused to open their gate to let the civilians in and many of the civilians were making their ways to bush instead. Ongoing shooting - helicopter gunships.”
And, from sources and in light of UN cover ups, Inner City Press exclusively published this update:
"In this morning's fighting, two people have been killed by SPLA IG soldiers, Inner City Press is informed. Isaac Jacob of the Youth Choir at St Mary Catholic Church Yambio, and Kutaya who is the local chief of Kuzee in Yambio. The Sudan People's Liberation Army (SPLA) went to Isaac's house and found him packing up to leave the town.
The SPLA asked him why he was packing and his wife Veronica realized the situation was very tense and ran off. Just as she left running for her life she heardgunshots. After the SPLA left, she came back to find her husband Isaac had been killed. This happened just after 9 am, in broad daylight. SPLA-IG (In Government) proceeded to cross the road to Kuzee chief’s house and also killed Kutaya. The sources say: heavy SPLA IG presence on streets and no sign of UNMISS."
Then at the noon briefing Ban's spokesman Stephane Dujarric read a statement on Yambio which didn't mentioned the killings or who did them. It's in this transcript, along with Inner City Press' follow up:
Inner City Press: you read out on Yambio, it seemed to… there are reports there of two civilians and I've published the name… of being killed and the actual… what occurred there, it said, is that the SPLA [Sudan People’s Liberation Army] in Government arrived at the town and killed unarmed civilians in their homes. So I wanted to know, if you're now saying that the UN has done a patrol, are they saying that they… they're unaware of deaths occurring? And how is it that they're unaware of who attacked the town?
Spokesman: Well, it's… I'm not saying they're unaware of deaths occurring. They can only report on what they've actually seen. Our resources, as you know are fairly… are stretched. They… when you are involved in these situations and there is fighting, you may be facing men, because they're usually men, with guns in uniforms who may not have specific markings or who may not stop firing to fully identify themselves.
ICP Question: Sure. I guess I'm going to ask you again… maybe it's just a yes or no. Can you… can you ask the… the… the… UNMISS whether Isaac Jacob of the youth choir of St. Mary's Catholic Church in Yambio was, in fact, killed?
Spokesman: I don't have… you can email the UNMISS PIO [Public Information Office]. I don't have that information here.
And the head of UN Peacekeeping, Herve Ladsous, refused to answer about Yambio (or Juba), here.
On November 8, Inner City Press asked Ban's spokesman Stephane Dujarric about South Sudan's government's request that the Kenyan force commander of UNMISS be reinstated. Contrary to Ban's reversal for Saudi Arabia, removing them from the UN Children and Armed Conflict annex on Yemen, Dujarric said curtly that Ban's decision on Kenya and South Sudan will not be reversed -- then he walked off allowing no follow up questions. Video here. From the UN Transcript:
Inner City Press: the South Sudanese Government, the information minister, Michael Lueth, has said that the Government of South Sudan has asked the Secretary-General to reinstate the Kenyan force commander. Is that… is that a request that you’re aware of? And you’d said that there’s no… there’s no provisions for reviewing it. If a host country were to make such a request, would that be at least considered or rejected out of hand?
Spokesman: The decision taken by the Secretary-General is not going to be reversed. Thank you.
With the UN resident coordinator in Kenya Siddharth Chatterjee, Ban Ki-moon's son in law, still silent, Inner City Press is informed of this list of SPLA/IO officials being eyed, including John Garang's son Mabior Garang -- and in South Sudan of a murky joint UN / Malong militia Mathiang Anyoo convoy to Yei, advised by a UN affiliated Security Adviser Osman Abdi a/k/a TULICHA Osman Abdikardir.
There was also a raid by authorities in Kenya on a gathering of South Sudanese, resulting in arrests. This is precisely the type of situation in which a UN resident coordinator like Ban Ki-moon's son in law Siddharth Chatterjee is supposed to get involved -- his counterpart in Cambodia, as just one example, is so involved -- but he is silent.
On November 7, Inner City Press asked Ban Ki-moon's spokesman Stephane Dujarric about all this, including why Ban's son in law has done nothing. First Dujarric said "I know your interest in Kenya. Vine video here.
Then he said the role fell to UNHCR. Not only is this not how UNHCHR does it in Cambodia - the raid on South Sudanese in Kenya is not a UNHCR, nor UN Peacekeeping, matter.
Inner City Press asked, since Ban unilaterally fired the Kenyan force commander of UNMISS, who could fire the UN resident coordinator in Kenya? Vine video here.
The answer? Only his father in law, Ban Ki-moon. This is why nepotism is unacceptable, and is not accepted at other international organizations, only in today's UN - and those who ask about it are ousted and evicted.
Now, due to a statement by Riek Machar, the SPLA/IO has said it has released 72 Kenyan aid workers in Akobo. What about elsewhere? And targeting of South Sudanese in Kenya? Where is the UN Resident Coordinator? We'll have more on this.
Amid silence by Ban Ki-moon son in law in Nairobi -- and who would or could fire HIM, people are asking -- here is the list:
1. Dr. Adwok Nyaba
2. Gen. Oyay Deng Ajak
3. Dr. Majak de Agot
4. Dr. Cirino Hiteng
5. Mr. Mabior Garang de Mabior
6. Hon. Henry Odwar
7. Mr. Stephen Par Kuol
8. Hon. Manasseh Zindo
9. Ms. Sandra Bona Malwal
10. Mr. Peter Marcello
11. Mr. Lam Jock
12. Mr. Aggrey Idri
13. Gov. Agel Machar
14. Gen. Martin Abucha
15. Mr. Stephen Dayak
And here is a written threat to Kenyans that UN staff tell Inner City Press they received and asked it to publish and expose, to raise the alarm about, here. International NGOs in Bentiu include Acted and Intersos.
Threat Against Kenyans UN Staff in Bentiu, South Sudan Tells ICP They Received by Matthew Russell Lee on Scribd
In July 2016 the UN did nothing while those living in Terrain were raped and, in the case of journalist John Gatluak, killed.
On November 1 the UN belatedly released a 10-page summary of its report into Terrain and Juba and fired Kenyan UNMISS Force Commander Lt-Gen Johnson Mogoa Kimani Ondieki.
On November 2, Inner City Press asked Secretary General Ban Ki-moon's outgoing spokesman Stephane Dujarric why Ban had again spared the head of DPKO Herve Ladsous -- “full confidence,” perhaps a euphemism for “Permanent Five member of the Security Council” -- and if Ban's own son in law, whom Ban made the UN Resident Coordinator in Kenya, was even informed by the government there it is pulling out of UNMISS.
Inner City Press asked an obvious question: was the UN's top official in Kenya, Siddharth Chatterjee, informed of this? From the UN transcript:
Inner City Press: on this Kenya one, I wanted to ask you, since you say it's the first that you saw of it, was this tweet, was the… the Resident Representative in Kenya, the Secretary-General's son-in-law, informed by the Government of this decision that impacts the UN system?
Spokesman Stephane Dujarric: Well, I think, if we had been informed officially, I would have said something.
Inner City Press: Was he informed? Can you check whether he was informed?
Spokesman: I… as far as… what I'm just telling you is that, as far as I know, we've not… no one has been apprised of this officially.
To many it's strange, that the UN's top official in Kenya would not be informed, or would say he was not informed. But has he opined on it? While Siddharth Chatterjee, the UN's Resident Coordinator in Kenya, blocked Inner City Press on Twitter, others tell it that Chatterjee has surprisingly - or not surprisingly - said nothing about this on his twitter feed, but has instead tweeted links about air quality in Delhi and about his own military article about... his murky time in Sri Lanka, as part of the Indian Peacekeeping Force.
Now that Kenya expelled SLPA/IO spokesman James Gatdek Dak back to South Sudan, and Kenya's in SPLA/IO controlled areas like Bentiu have had their passports confiscated and are subject to death threats received by the UN, where is the UN's resident coordinator in Kenya? Once again promoting himself and his articles about India. Ban's son in law is no friend of free press, see here. But this is too much.
And here is a question that this UN nepotism has raised, now more than even after Ban Ki-moon unilaterally fired the Kenyan force commander -- what would it take for Ban to similarly fire his own son in law? Would he? Ever? Some are beginning not only to complain, but to ask. We'll have more on this.
UN Resident Coordinator in Kenya Siddharth Chatterjee, given the job by his father in law Ban Ki-moon
The day before the UN's hypocritical marking of the third International Day to End Impunity for Crimes Against Journalists, Ban's and Cammaert's UN cover up report did not even mention the killing of journalist Gatluak.
Inner City Press asked Secretary General Ban Ki-moon's outgoing spokesman Stephane Dujarric why not - and got no answer. Beyond the Vine video here.
Likewise, Inner City Press asked why the UN's mis-classification of Terrain as safe (when the escape plan involved putting blankets over razor wire) was not in the report: no answer. (Also the report says the UN Security official who dismissed the call of a women trapped in the Terrain could not be identified.)
So Inner City Press asked Dujarric to respond to the idea that having rapporteurs like Patrick Cammaert, who issued a similar “not too tough” report on the UN's failings in Malakal, unacted on by Herve Ladsous, is a conflict of interest, if they want to be commissioned for future reports.
Dujarric replied that Cammaert is not in it for the money (which is not what Inner City Press said, but was also unresponded to be Dujarric and Ban when “Ban's” Libya envoy Bernardino Leon cashed out to the UAE) and that he is respected.
The action claimed is like when Ban Ki-moon "fired" Senegal's Babacar Gaye for rapes in CAR, which have continued since, but never fired Herve Ladsous who linked the rapes to "R&R."
Inner City Press later on November 1 asked UK Ambassador Matthew Rycroft if UN Peacekeeping at Headquarters doesn't bear responsibility. Video and his full answer, here. From the UK Transcript:
Inner City Press: Are you guys keeping UN headquarters bearing responsibility for these various peacekeeping scandals whether in CAR (Central African Republic) or South Sudan? Or is it always the fault of the Force Commander or SRSG (Special Representatives of the Secretary-General)?
Rycroft: Well, I think the role of the UN here at headquarters is to make sure that the right processes are in place, that missions learn the right lessons, that there is the right leadership in place, and I’m sure that the UN here as well as in Missions will be taking all of that forward. We'll have more on this.
On October 25, Inner City Press asked Ban Ki-moon's spokesman Stephane Dujarric, UN transcript here:
Inner City Press: I wanted to ask you about South Sudan. I'm… I'm… I trust that you've seen now Amnesty International has… has come out with this report about the events in Juba in July, and they ag… as with other groups con… conclude that the UN did fire teargas at IDPs [internally displaced persons]. They also have some pretty gruelling description of UN police ordering people to stay out in the rain and putting them at risk. I'm wondering, especially since the UN's report is now delayed more than a month, what is your… it seems that you can't… you can't… what's the UN's response to these very troubling depictions by credible persons…?
Spokesman: First of all, we worked and engaged, both at the headquarter level and mission level, with Amnesty International in the production of the report, including providing responses to some of their questions. Yes, teargas was used during the crisis by one of the contingents as sort of a… as a non-lethal measure when security personnel felt they were overwhelmed with an influx of external… of people coming into the UN House compound. This was done to ensure the safety of the UN personnel, as well as the property, and of the IDPs, in accordance with standard rules of operations. Our report, I know, is overdue. I do expect it later this week or early next week. It's a question of scheduling. And I think we will also lay bare a lot of the issues that took place in that time in Juba.
ICP Question: But, just on… just… only on the specifics of the teargas, like, Amnesty International quotes an elderly man saying that he was gassed, and his eyes hurt for three days. So was he… was he somehow a threat to the UN?
Spokesman: You know, I think, obviously, we're very sorry for anyone who was injured in the operation, for all the individuals who suffered from teargas. I've walked into teargas in my other… previous life. It's not pleasant. Obviously, it's used as a last resort when there is a mass movement of people, and the security forces felt they were being overwhelmed, and it was a non-lethal response to a mass movement of people.
ICP Question: And this spokesperson who said it was an accidental teargas explosion, was this just a miscommunication or kind of reflexive… I mean, you've seen that before…?
Spokesman: I know. I can only speak for this spokesperson, which is myself.
On October 21, still withholding the UN's report on Terrain, Ban Ki-moon's spokesman Stephane Dujarric announced the departure of Ban's South Sudan envoy Ellen Loj. Inner City Press asked him, UN transcript here:
Inner City Press: to follow up on your announcement about South Sudan, is this in any way related to this Terrain Cammaert Report that's supposed to come out? It seems like it's an extraordinary time to announce that a person is leaving right before the report on who bears responsibility. And the second is, will the Secretary-General, in fact, be picking a new one, or will he delegate that or defer that to the incoming Secretary-General, given how close it is in time and that it's a major post to be given out?
Spokesman: The, the timing, I think you'll have to draw your own conclusions. As we stressed, her contract had ended over the summer, so she had planned to leave over the summer. She decided to stay on because of the lack of stability in the country. On the Cammaert, sorry, what were you asking about the Cammaert?
Inner City Press: I was saying that…
Spokesman: The replace... the replacement, excuse me, I don't think the replacement will be chosen right away. If one is chosen before December 31st, I have no doubt there will be consultations with the Secretary-General-designate’s office.
On October 19, Inner City Press asked Ban Ki-moon's outgoing spokesman Stephane Dujarric, UN transcript here:Inner City Press: I wanted to ask you about South Sudan. I would think that you've seen it. The Guardian has a very long piece about the Terrain situation, and it says, among other things, that there have been very few safety improvements for humanitarian workers since the attack on the Terrain Hotel. And one… and it has a source… a security expert who lived in the Terrain saying that the approved evacuation plan involved putting blankets on the top of razor wire in order to escape. So since the DSS [Department of Safety and Security]… I've asked you this before… has to certify the safety of such places and did, in fact, certify the Terrain, what's your response to somebody on the record saying that the plan was to put blankets over razor wire, and where is the Cammaert report?
Spokesman: I think the Cammaert report should be out shortly, hopefully before the end of this week or early next week. We're in the final stages. It will also obviously look at lessons learned. As far as the details of the security plan for any UN premises, we're not going to discuss them here.
ICP Question: What about accountability? Like, you're saying it's already moved to lessons learned, but isn't the idea…
Spokesman: I didn't say it's already moved to lessons learned. I said lessons learned will be part of that. I would ask you to hold off judgment until you see the report.
ICP Question: What explains the delay from 23 September, when it was due, to now, 19 October…?
Spokesman: I think, as I said, there was a long delay… there was a delay due to the Security Council coming in, because the mission didn't have the absorption capacity to deal with both the Security Council mission and the… and Mr. [Patrick] Cammaert's team. Obviously, I think what's important is for Mr. Cammaert to take the time he needs, and the report is just about done. The Secretary-General will get it very soon.
Inner City Press: Just to nail this one… I mean, the Security Council trip was at most four days.
Spokesman: No, no, I completely…
ICP Question: The delay is 26 days…?
Spokesman: I… that was a delay, and then Mr. Cammaert, as lead investigator, took the time he felt he needed to do a thorough job.
On October 7, Inner City Press asked UN spokesman Farhan Haq, UN transcript here:
Inner City Press: I wanted to ask you something about South Sudan. In the wake of that report that came out, it seems that UNMISS or UN Peacekeeping has acknowledged that they intentionally used tear gas to, quote, protect the safety of UN personnel in July in Juba. They had previously said… Elizabeth Chester, spokeswoman, had said, and I had asked your office in writing about, she called it an accidental tear gas explosion. So I would like… maybe you don't know from the podium, can you square those two? Was there an accidental tear gas explosion and then intentional use, or was it one in the same incident?
Deputy Spokesman: I think we'll need to wait for Patrick Cammaert's board to complete its work, and then we can proceed once we have the information from them. And we'll put out whatever they give us on that.
On October 6, Inner City Press asked UN spokesman Farhan Haq, UN transcript here:
Inner City Press: there was a report that was put out by the Center for Civilians in Conflict… for Civilians in Conflict. And among other things, it was about South Sudan and Terrain. And so it sort of… I guess it's a curtain raiser to the Cammaert… the report that's supposed to come out. But it said… it said a couple of things about repatriation. It basically said that DPKO had in some instances claimed that people had been repatriated, you know, when they had not. And the example they gave is they said… they said that Ghassim Wane, Assistant Secretary-General of Peacekeeping, said in an early August interview with RFI the two commanders had been repatriated; however, a senior UNMISS (United Nations Mission in the republic of South Sudan) official told Civic several weeks after that only one had been repatriated. It kind of reminded me of the Mayuyu one. How is… what does DPKO mean when they say "repatriated"? Does it mean that somebody actually has left or intends to leave? And can you kind of clear up, if that's the main penalty that there is for misdeeds, should DPKO be saying people are out when they're not out?
Deputy Spokesman: Yes. On that, a decision was taken to replace commanders in a unit following the crisis. One of the two identified commanders was repatriated. The other had already rotated out with his unit. In the current context of South Sudan, where the UN Mission in South Sudan is overstretched, it was decided not to replace an entire unit without immediate replacement and leave the protection of civilian site with even less resources to be protected. And, of course, the overview of how this crisis happened and how we handled it will hopefully be available shortly once we have Patrick Cammaert's team finalize their report.
ICP Question: They also… I mean… and maybe that's the thing that I'm not reading between the lines correctly. They said that basically, like, one of the so-called repatriations was, in fact, just leaving with a unit. Instead of staying behind for an extra additional month to provide some kind of a re-up, they left at that time. But it seems that's less than repatriation. Right? That's just leaving in the natural course of things. I mean… I guess I just… is there some way to…
Deputy Spokesman: Like I said, one of the two identified commanders was repatriated. The other had already rotated out with his unit.
ICP Question: And when is the report coming out? When is the Cammaert report coming out?
Deputy Spokesman: Hopefully not too much longer. It's being finalized right now. I will never make an actual prediction because it never quite works out, but I don't think it's that much longer before we get that.
On October 5 Inner City Press asked, UN transcript here:
Inner City Press: the Government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo has told MONUSCO (United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo) that they want the… the SPLA-IO (Sudan People’s Liberation Army in Opposition) fighters of Riek Machar to leave the country within a week, saying that there'd be somehow destabilising force in Eastern Congo. Can you confirm that? And what… what is the UN's, I guess, response? If that is the request, will they, in fact, do it? And where will the individuals go?
Deputy Spokesman: Well, we're aware of the request from the Government. As you're aware, the UN Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo has been apprised of the situation regarding these fighters. We're trying to see how best this can be handled in our own communication and our own dialogue with the Government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Ultimately, they're the ones who determine how their territory is to be used properly, and we respect that.
ICP Question: And what happened… the… the… they were apparently disarmed or whatever. What happened with the actual armaments that they had when they crossed the border? Where are they now?
Deputy Spokesman: The fighters who are being referred to in this case are people who have not disarmed. There were some… there was a group of people who the UN took charge of on humanitarian grounds that included Riek Machar and some of his close aides. Those individuals had been disarmed at the time that they were transported by the United Nations. This is a different group of people who were not transported and who have not been disarmed. Have a good afternoon, everyone.
Now what? On September 23 at a rare stakeout by UN Peacekeeping boss Herve Ladsous, Inner City Press audibly asked about Terrain, without answer. (On October 5 an NGO took its report on Terrain into the UN Censorship Alliance, a group which has defended and empowered Ladsous' and the UN's UNresponsiveness. We'll have more on this.)
On September 26 Inner City Press asked Ban Ki-moon's deputy spokesman Farhan Haq about the delayed report - due September 23 - and about Riek Machar, UN transcript here:
Inner City Press: I wanted to ask you about South Sudan. I'd tried to ask Mr. [Hervé] Ladsous on Friday for an update on the… the report into the Terrain Hotel and other failures to protect civilians in Juba. He didn't answer, but I went back and looked. It seems like, on 23 August, Mr. [Patrick] Cammaert was in charge and said we'd be finished in a month. Is it finished? Has it been turned over, and when will it be made public?
Deputy Spokesman: On that, what I can say is that the special investigation team led by Major General Patrick Cammaert departed Juba on 18 September after arriving in the capital on 9 September. The team has completed its investigation on the ground and is now in the process of drafting its report, which will be submitted to the Secretary-General. As we announced earlier, the findings of this report will be made public.
Inner City Press: is there a distinction between the findings and the report itself? What's going to be made public and how… on what kind of a gap… just given that the month is now expired, when… when… when do you anticipate releasing these findings?
Deputy Spokesman: Well, the… as I just mentioned, they're finalizing the report, so hopefully it's not much longer before we can have the report go to the Secretary-General. And, as we have made clear, we'll put out the findings… it will be clear to you what has been issued once we give it to you.
ICP Question: Okay. And I guess what I wanted to… also, on South Sudan, Riek Machar, it's reported, along with his people in his party, have announced an armed… the beginning of an armed struggle against what they call the… the racist regime in Juba. This was announced in Khartoum on Sunday. And I wanted to know, given the UN's involvement in trying to broker that initial deal that's fallen apart, what's the response to… to what seems to be a return to war?
Deputy Spokesman: We obviously want the parties to abide by the peace agreement. We made it very clear that the peace agreement remains the only viable option for the resolution of the conflict in South Sudan. And so we would encourage all of them to avoid any rhetoric of any return to conflict and to go back to the enforcement of all of the various terms of the agreement.
ICP Question: But does that term involve Riek Machar being first Vice President and being back in Juba or not or being out… chased out of the country and in another country?
Deputy Spokesman: We've made our concerns clear. We want to make sure that all of the stakeholders, including the Government of South Sudan and the opposition, are able to fully implement the agreement. It has to be an implementation of the agreement that is in line with what is acceptable to the parties.
On September 16 Ban Ki-moon's UN gave awards to peacekeepers in South Sudan from Ban's native South Korea, where he coyly seeks to run for president. From the UN's press release:
“Peacekeepers from the Republic of Korea Horizontal Military Engineering Company or ROK-HMEC which are deployed to Bor in Jonglei Region received medals for outstanding contributions to the UNMISS and South Sudan.
The awards ceremony was presided by the mission’s Director of Mission Support (DMS), Ms. Stephani Scheer, as well as the Republic of Korea’s Ambassador to Uganda, Mr. Parke Jong Dae.
“South Korea has made a very valuable contribution to peacekeeping activities for several decades and their support to the UNMISS is the country’s biggest contribution to the peacekeeping operations throughout the world,” said Ms. Scheer during her remarks.
The Ambassador said the Government of the Republic of Korea will continue it’s [sic] to support to UN peacekeeping Missions around the world, and in particular press on with their support for the people of South Sudan in order for the country to achieve peace.
The DMS then thanked the engineering company (ROK-HMEC) for the outstanding support to the UNMISS mandate in South Sudan.
The DMS also toured the mission’s level two hospital which is operated by Sri Lankan peacekeepers.”
All of this is shameful, a new low even for Ban's UN.
On September 17, as Inner City Press covered the UN Security Council meeting on Syria, under Ban's eviction order it was first locked out of the UNSC stakeout, then told to leave the UN by a UN Security officer. This is Ban's UN.
On July 11, 13 and 14, Inner City Press asked the UN about its lack of response to rapes and killing in the Terrain Apartments in Juba, South Sudan, having been contacted by sources there shocked at the lack of response by the UNMISS mission and others. Video here, including the UN on August 15 claiming after a month to STILL be investigating its negligence.
On August 16, UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon issued a statement that he “has decided to launch an independent special investigation to determine the circumstances surrounding these incidents and to evaluate the Mission’s overall response.”
On August 23, Ban named Patrick Cammaert to head it. Inner City Press asked, UN transcript here:
Inner City Press: About South Sudan, when you mentioned that Mr. Cammaert had previously done the Malakal one, I wanted to know, has that resulted in any accountability? I went back. He did the study of Gaza in 2015. He was sent to Sri Lanka in 2009. I want to know, overall, is the goal of this exercise, particularly given the Terrain events but also rapes outside the gate, to actually hold someone accountable or to write a Malakal-style study?
Spokesman: You know, I think the Malakal report was fairly… was fairly clear. I think it’s important that we be able to assess, not only the facts on the ground, but the role of the mission, how the mission responded, how the various contingents responded. And from that, obviously, if there are further steps to be taken, they will be taken.
ICP Question: Right, but I guess I’m asking as an example, in the Malakal case, have any steps yet been taken?
Spokesman: Well, I think, you know, obviously, we have seen how various contingents responded, and we hope that also what we’ve learned from Malakal will be able to better prepare us for similar situations that may happen in the future.
ICP Question: Relatedly…
Spokesman: Okay. I’ll come back to you.
What's “come back” is Cammaert. With all due respect, Ban for his “independent” investigations picks the same people again and again, or people who need or want a UN post - it creates an incentive to deliver a report that doesn't lead to accountability, in order to get the (next) job: a cover-up cadre.
On the morning of August 17 Inner City Press reported that the UN Department of Safety and Security's Chris Du Toit is said by staff to be the one who adjudged the Terrain Apartments to be “safe,” and had gone “on leave,” like Ban Ki-moon.
On the morning of August 22 Inner City Press exclusively published: The UN Department of Safety and Security's MORSS - Residential Security Survey Report of October 29, 2015 says that “the residence is recommended to UN personnel,” that “UN PK [Peacekeepers]” are “present in the area... guarding the UN House,” and that the gates are in good condition. At noon on August 22, Inner City Press asked Ban Ki-moon's lead spokesman Stephane Dujarric, Beyond the Vine here, UN Transcript here:
Inner City Press: I wanted to ask you about the Terrain Apartments in South Sudan. Back on 14 July, you'd said that the UN was already then starting to look at its role and I have since then obtained what was the UNDSS certification that it was safe. And it says things like the residents is recommended to UN personnel but it also says that there were CCTV cameras covering the area 24/7, that the gate was fine, and it recommended some mitigating measures. I guess my question is, if a month ago... more than a month ago, you'd said from here that the UN was investigating its role, what happened in that month? Is it true that, as was said in this DSS certification, that there are close… you know, closed-captioned TV running the whole time? And if so, why didn't the…
Spokesman: Again, I think you have access to documents that I don't have access to.
ICP Correspondent: Well, you can get this.
Spokesman: Well, I'm not… obviously, I'm not on the distribution list of the same documents that you are on. The… there was a preliminary work that was done, I think, as Farhan announced last week. A special investigation will be conducted. I expect to be… to be able to announce more details on that investigation either later today or at tomorrow's briefing. Obviously, they will take a look at all the circumstances, what decisions were taken by… by the UN, and, obviously, the fact that the perpetrators of these attacks will need to be brought to justice.
In South Sudan, UN DSS Called Terrain Apartments Safe Before July 2016 Rapes and Murder of Journalist John... by Matthew Russell Lee on Scribd
At the August 17 noon briefing, Inner City Press asked Ban's deputy spokesman Farhan Haq, UN transcript here:
Inner City Press: I wanted to ask you about is whether the head of, my understanding is he is or was the head of the UNDSS [Department of Safety and Security] in South Sudan, Chris Du Toit, I'm told that he had in writing deemed the Terrain Apartments to be "safe" for UNFPA [United Nations Population Fund], FAO [Food and Agriculture Organization] and other staff to live in and that he's now just recently gone on leave. Was such a determination made? And how does the UN, in places like Juba, determine and certify off-site places for its personnel to live? [Vine here.]
Deputy Spokesman: Well, first of all, I'm not going to get into the specific facts of the case, which are being determined, like I said, first, by the body that's from the UN Mission that's already been working on this and now by a special investigation that will be formed in the coming days. What I can say more generally is simply that we do rely on our Department of Safety and Security to determine, in any country, where places are that are safe for UN staff to stay.
ICP Question: Right. So, it's fair to say that this was… this place had been determined to be safe? That's why people were living there…
Deputy Spokesman: No, that's not fair to say. I'm not… like I said, I'm not going into any specific facts. Those remain to be determined by the groups who are looking into it.
ICP Question: And I also want to ask one thing. I've heard that… that staff of UNFPA in particular, but other UN system staff were discouraged of speaking with the media in the month since this event took place. And I wanted to know, is that… what is the UN's… does it feel that it has a right to tell its staff not to speak about things that… that… in which they themselves were the victims, or are they free at all times to speak about what happens to them?
Deputy Spokesman: No, people are free to speak to the media. Obviously, as staff are aware, when there's an investigation under way, we don't want to prejudice the course of an investigation. [Vine here.] But that… and that is what's happening. But, as a general rule, yes, of course, they're free.
ICP Question: But, it seems like this investigation is really triggered by the AP report. That's why I say it's sort of a chicken-and-egg problem. You were doing your own report. Then the AP ran a story where people spoke to it anonymously, and now you're doing a special investigation. Is that…?
Deputy Spokesman: I don't think that that's fair. I think part of what was happening is that the facts uncovered by the UN Mission prompted the people here at Headquarters to believe that something more is needed...
Inner City Press: I've gone back and looked at it. On 11 July, I asked Stéphane [Dujarric], as it happened, about the Terrain. And he said he hadn't heard anything about it. And then, two days later, Ellen Løj was on the TV screen, and I asked her about Terrain. And she said she acknowledged that she was aware of it and that they'd sent… they called the army to go. And then, on 14 July, Stéphane said more about it. That's what you're referring to. Was there any other statement that you guys proactively put out? When?
Deputy Spokesman: Yes. Exactly. We got those… those were the details we shared over the days as we got them.
Also, who is going to DO Ban's belated (second) investigation? Will the investigation involve DPKO's “conduct & discipline unit” under Mercedes Gervilla, or OIOS' Michael Dudley - the spouse of Mercedes Gervilla? It's “all in the family,” as is so often the case in Ban's UN, where Ban's mentor Han Seung-soo is given a UN post while on the board of Standard Chartered Bank, with two contracts with the UN. We'll have more on this.
On August 16, Inner City Press asked UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon's spokesman Farhan Haq what was done in the last month, other than cover up. Video compilation here; Vine here, UN Transcript here:
Inner City Press: I wanted to ask you again about the Terrain Apartments. I went back and looked not only at what Ms. [Ellen] Løj said, but the day after that, Stéphane [Dujarric], on 14 July, when asked about what she said, said that the UN was already at that time investigating its own role. So, I wanted to know, in the intervening month, what has the UN found out? Like, yesterday, it was said sort of like the UN, based on the AP report, is going to be looking into it. In the month since 14 July and now, [16 August], what did the UN find out about its role?
Deputy Spokesman: Like I said, we are investigating this. That investigation has not concluded. We may have more to say on this in the next day or so in terms of what will be done in terms of any further investigation, but at this stage, the point is it's ongoing.
ICP Question: But, when did the investigation start, I guess, having now looked at what was said on 14 July? Did it start then or did it not start until now?
Deputy Spokesman: It started very rapidly upon the first awareness of this incident, which, as you're aware, we reported to you at the time.
Not so much - when Inner City Press asked, Ban's lead spokesman Stephane Dujarric said he knew nothing; it took a question to SRSG Loy to get the first admission, see below.
On July 11, Inner City Press received video about the attack while in the UN Press Briefing Room; many including on Capitol Hill in DC were asked about it. But only on August 15 did the US, through its Ambassador Power, say anything.
Is this is a(nother) joint UN and US Administration cover-up?
