By Matthew Russell Lee, Patreon Video Q&A
BBC - Guardian UK - Song - SDNY/FOIA
UN GATE, June 3 – Each day, the current United Nations gets worse. And Inner City Press, banned now for the 1889th day by Secretary General Antonio Guterres continues to report on it. From UN whistleblowers outraged by their abandonment by Guterres and other UN big wigs like Filippo Grandi, this:
Under Grandi in Afghanistan, part of his retinue engaged with the bacha bazi or dancing boys, outraging many Afghans. Then a secret relationship while at UNRWA, covered up by UN / UNHCR lawyer Lance Bartholomeusz, brought along with so many in Grandi's brotherhood to UNHCR. Grandi even hired Bartholomuesz' assistant's wife.
The UN has never answered Inner City Press' questions about what it was informed by UN staff, instead choosing to ban it with impunity. And those they let in promote secret embargoed suck up "press conferences" with Grandi:
"Dear colleagues, UNCA is extending an invitation to an embargoed press conference with UN High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi on the worldwide release of UNHCR’s annual Global Trends report on forced displacement in 2022. The press conference will take place online on June 12th, 2023, at 8:00 AM. To pre-register to attend this press conference, please email Ms. Emmanuelle Brand at UNHCR at brand@unhcr.org by no later than 9 June, Friday. A link to join the press conference will be emailed immediately prior to the briefing. Please note for your news diaries the following June 2023 media events: - 12th June at 8:00 am – 9:00am EST (1400-1500 CEST): Embargoed press conference with UN High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi on the worldwide release of UNHCR’s annual Global Trends report on forced displacement in 2022 - Palais des Nations, Geneva. - 13th June at 11pm EST (14 June, 05:01 CEST): Worldwide release of UNHCR’s annual Global Trends report on forced displacement in 2022. Embargoed copies of the report and press release will be available in advance. Thank you for your attention. Valeria Robecco President, United Nations Correspondents Associaton
The cover ups continue - Grandi's spokesperson Melissa Fleming refuses all of Inner City Press questions, even to confirm or deny, and refuses to answer even a friendly letter from a pro bono law firm, video here. Today's UN is a place of impunity and censorship
An independent (minded) journalist asked Dujarric about the letter, video here, transcript:
Question: My second question is the law firm ‑‑ what is it called? ‑‑ Quinn Emanuel wrote a letter to the UN asking about reinstatement of our colleague Matthew Lee into the UN press corps. Do you have any comment on that?
Spokesman: No. All I can tell you is that we've received the letter, and I'm not aware of any change to his status.
Question: You're not aware? I mean, aren't you part of the group that decides the fate of... or even the negotiations... The letter calls for renegotiation [Cross talk]
Spokesman: I decide the fate of no one. [Laughter] Trust me, trust me, my authority is extremely limited, whether at home or at work. What I can tell you and, joking aside, is that the letter has indeed been received, and I'm not aware of any... and there has been no change in Mr. Lee's status.
Question: Has the letter been answered? Do you plan to answer it?
Spokesman: It's been received. Whether or not it's been answered, I don't know yet.
The letter was received by the UN's Melissa Fleming, Maria Luiza Vioti and Tal Mekel and to each UNCA Executive Board member, to them citing UNCA's stated goals that it has a charter to supposedly uphold.
What's next?
We'll have more on all this. Watch this site.
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