At UN, OIC & Saudis Criticize Ban Ki-moon on Rohinghas in Myanmar, Then Shift to Syria, ARU UNaddressed

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, July 10 -- At the UN at Wednesday there was criticism of Secretary General Ban Ki-moon for not doing enough on the issue of the Rohingyas in Myanmar.

Saudi Arabia's Permanent Representative Abdallah Yahya Al-Mouallemi said that upstairs, with Ban and his envoy Vijay Nambiar, the argument was made that Myanmar's President is “not fully informed” of the abuses against Rohingya; he added that this is “difficult to understand.”

His criticism, and that of Djibouti's Roble Olhaye, was well placed. Inner City Press asked Abdallah Yahya Al-Mouallemi about the Organization of the Islamic Cooperation's decision not to postpone the July 7-8 meeting of the Arakan Rohingya Union, which many Rohingyas around the world had requested. This questionwas not answered.

Rather, Abdallah Yahya Al-Mouallemi took the opportunity of his counterpart from Djibouti mentioning an upcoming meeting with the Security Council to call the situation in Syria worse than that of the Rohingya.

Three other ambassadors, of Turkey, Brunei and Egypt had been promised in the UN Media Alert. As with UN envoy to West Africa Said Djinnit earlier in the day (@FUNCA_Questions has asked DPA) they did not arrive to take questions. Abdallah Yahya Al-Mouallemi brought up Syria, but not Egypt. And so it goes at the UN.

Footnote: The turn-out for the press conference, called on short notice, was small: a Turkish journalist, who made a point of offering thanks for UNCA, another asking softball questions, and the UN scribes to write it all up (we predict the criticism of Ban Ki-moon won't make it in).

   Inner City Press counter-offered thanks for the Free UN Coalition for Access, and @FUNCA_info asked by Twitter where the Ambassadors of Turkey, Brunei and Egypt -- which Egypt? -- might have been. And we're still waiting to hear. Watch this site.

   

IOC Says Saudi Arabia, Qatar & Brunei Sent No Women to Olympics, Sochi Time Bomb?

By Matthew Russell Lee
www.innercitypress.com/ioc1women062910.html

UNITED NATIONS, June 29 -- Three countries have never sent women athletes to the Olympics: Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Brunei. This emerged on Tuesday, when Anita DeFranz of the International Olympics told the Press there are 204 national Olympic Committees and only three have not sent women. “Which three?” asked Inner City Press. Ms. DeFranz named them.

The IOC has become an Observer at the UN. Since the UN has 192 members, how does the IOC have 205? Ms. DeFranz explained that for example Puerto Rico and Guam has organizing committees but are not countries for purposes of the UN. Inner City Press asked, “And Abkhazia?”

While there was laughter, by the 2014 Winter Olympics it may not be so funny. Those games were awarded to Russia, for its notably warm resort town of Sochi. Georgia call for a boycott, after its war with Russia for Abkhazia and South Ossetia. (Georgia's Ambassador recently traveled to the International Criminal Court conference on the Crime of Aggression, his Mission told Inner City Press, still beating the drum for “accountability” for that war.)

Ms. DeFranz took questions about rules on ambiguous gender and the IOC's reliance on national identification documents to resolve disputes about underage gymnasts. Ms. DeFranz is a lawyer, and her answers showed it. Video here.

A loaded question about participation by countries “where women are brutalized,” Ms. DeFranz answered with her own question: “the United States?” She said the beach volley ball players are not required to wear such small swim suits, and that boxers have agreed to forgo beards, without it being formally required.

“What the benefit for the IOC of becoming an Observer?” Inner City Press asked. “Now we can talk,” said Ms. DeFranz. She said the UN flag has flown over the Games since 1992 in Barcelona.

Footnote: in audience was another Olympic athlete, swimmer Donna de Varona who spoke to Inner City Press about the U.S. Title IX. More countries should have it, she said. When asked about a case in Connecticut where Quinnipiac is defending closing its women's volleyball program by saying that cheer leading is a sport, she shrugged. It is if they compete, she said. Follow the money: hiss boom bah.

And see, www.innercitypress.com/ioc1women062910.html