UN Corruption Raised in US Campaign, As Inner City Press Faces Eviction from UN for Digging

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, April 2 -- Since at latest October 6, 2015 when the UN's former General Assembly President John Ashe, David Ng Lap Seng and Frank Lorenzo of South South News were indicted, the UN has been sitting on a time bomb.

Under now outgoing Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, the UN became a pay to play sinkhole of corruption, with the resident media, the UN Correspondents Association, involved. 

 UNCA took money from Ng's and Lorenzo's South South News, and gave Ng a photo op with Ban. Since then, denial. 

  On April 2, days before the UN has threatened to evict from its premises Inner City Press which has asked about the corrupting influence of Ng, South South News and UNCA, while Ban's spokesman Stephane Dujarric literally walks away and Ban's “Communications” chief Cristina Gallach sets eight UN Security guards on Inner City Press' investigative reporter without due process (audio here,April 6 eviction order here), there was a primary speech in Eau Claire, Wisconsin.

 There Trump rambled into UN corruption, focusing on the building, but calling the whole place corrupt.

  Without referring to stopped clocks, today's UN is definitely corruption. Unlike under Oil for Food, the resident press corp defends the UN rather than scrutinize it.

 Therefore they seek to oust the only media looking into the scandal, as relates to Ban Ki-moon: Inner City Press. The eviction is scheduled, by Under Secretary General Cristina Gallach who blithely attended Ng's South South Awardswith Lorenzo in September 2015, and after Inner City Pressquestioned her about it bulled forward without recusing herself, for April 6, this week. Watch this site.

The UN's unwillingness to address the obvious corruption of South South News, to which it has given awards and Ban Ki-moon photo ops via its UN Correspondents Association, and whose Ng Lap Seng bought documents from Ban's Secretariat, became even more clear on March 29 -- though not in the UN's favored media.

  Ban's spokesman Stephane Dujarric read out a statement that Ban's “Task Force” report on corruption had been circulated, limited to structural flaws in the Office of the President of the General Assembly.

  Inner City Press, facing eviction from the UN for seeking to cover an event by one of Ng's and South South News' fundees, UNCA, in the UN Press Briefing Room,  asked why Ban wasn't studying corruption in his own Secretariat.Video here.

On April 1, Inner Cit Press Dujarric this, transcript here:

Inner City Press: I understand that we're waiting to get these audits that you said have been finished released, but in the same way that, that there seems to have been no answer on whether the Secretariat, outside of the audit process, identified who it was in the Secretariat that modified the document of… for the Macau Centre.  I wanted to ask you about paragraph 48(H) of the criminal complaint where it talks about, you know, the… the “Kenyan UN Official One” and it describes in great detail… basically, it seems pretty clear the person took money in order to do various things.  And it's described as a Kenyan.  So, my question is, doesn't seem… there's nothing in the paragraphs before or after that that refer to either Sun Kian Ip Foundation or Global Sustainability Foundation.  So, it's something that wouldn't appear to be dealt with by the audits.  What is the UN's response to this…

Spokesman:  The audits are a first step, and we'll see what comes out of it.

Inner City Press:  But if the audits…

Spokesman:  I think we have to wait for the audits to be finalized.

Inner City Press:  Okay.  And when will that… will they come out?

Spokesman:   I should have an answer for you later this afternoon.

 And yet nothing was provided.


On March 31, Inner City Press asked Dujarric this, UN transcript here:

Inner City Press: on corruption, there's a lot of focus has been on Ng Lap Seng, but on the side of it that Sheri Yan and the Global Sustainability Foundation, there's reporting… and I'm going to read to you from a published report.  It says, the United Nations has ordered an investigation of Chong… of Chau Chak Wing, the boss of Guangzhou Kinggold Group, which is basically the money behind Sheri Yan that was flowed into the Global Sustainability Foundation, which paid for the slavery memorial at the founding of which Ban Ki-moon's spouse and Mr. Nambiar were present.  Is this, in fact, true?  Is the UN actually doing more investigation than I'm aware of, or is this report false and you're not investigating…?

Spokesman Dujarric:  I haven't seen the report.  If you send it to me, as I said, I will look at anything that is shown to me.

 Dujarric, whose answers show him closely reading his tweets these days, was sent the quote. Nothing. Nothing at all.

Part of the answer, not given by Dujarric on March 29 or admitted by him on March 30 when Inner City Press asked, was that Ban's personal lawyer Miguel de Serpa Soares was on the "Task Force," one of only three members. On March 30, Inner City Press asked Dujarric about this, UN transcript here:

Inner City Press:  I hadn't seen when you were reading out the task force report on UN PGA office.  And upon seeing it, I noticed one of the three members is also Miguel de Serpa Soares, who is… is my understanding, as well as Under-Secretary-General of Legal Affairs, also the counsel to Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon.  So, I wanted to know, given, even though the way it's been structured is this was only a look at the PGA's office, given… when you read the criminal complaint, there are number of references to the Secretariat.  How would you respond to those who say, as Ban Ki-moon's lawyer, Mr. Serpa Soares has a legal, ethical duty not to find anything wrong by Ban Ki-moon?  He's literally required.  It would be unethical for him to say, I have found wrongdoing with the Secretariat. 

In Ban's UN, Coverage of Security Council Discouraged, No Wires, No Follow Through, After $2 Billion Spent

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, August 10 -- At the UN, transparency and access are in decline, due to collusion. Rather than follow any semblance of a rule of law, the UN doles out information on a selective basis to those who support or don't critique it - some of whom then charge money for access to the "UN" information.

 But with the UN having spend $2 billion in renovations, the least one might expect are electrical outlets at the UN Security Council stakeout, for press coverage. But as of today, no.

  On August 7, the electrical wiring in place since the renovation was removed, without any replacement. Inner City Press for the Free UN Coalition for Access went and asked Secretary General Ban Ki-moon's spokesman:

Inner City Press: looking forward to next week but as you may know in covering the Security Council at the stakeouts there is basically, like, no wires and outlets.  And we kind of put one in there.  The reality is that they were just tearing it out.

Spokesman Stephane Dujarric:  Wires like electrical wires?

Inner City Press:  Like to plug a computer in, to plug a camera into.  Just now, safety and security was physically removing them with no prospect of them being replaced.  So I wanted to know if it’s important for the UN to have the Security Council covered, can it be solved, will it be solved?

Spokesman Dujarric:  Though I do not speak for the Security Council, I can assure you that it is important that you cover the Security Council.  I will raise the power issue.  Happy Friday.  See you Monday.

 But on Monday, August 10 as the UN Security Council convened a meeting on the crackdown in Burundi, there was no replacement wiring. There was a single orange wire protruding from a rusting, long unused box. 

This was the supposed "work order"? 

  Likewise, at noon on August 10 Inner City Press asked Ban's spokesman for Ban's response to South Korea re-starting "propaganda" broadcasts across the border. The spokesman said he has language on it, but three hours later, none.

  The Free UN Coalition for Access said that work table(s) should be at the UNSC stakeout, as had existed before. But the leadership of the old UN Correspondents Association - the president is virtually never at the stakeout - not only didn't push for it: it asked its partners in the UN for a rule banning the use of the stakeout as work space. 

 On August 10 as the Burundi meeting began, the lobbying of UNSC ambassadors was to attend a lunch at Reuters with John Kerry. And so it goes - for now. 

 Inner City Press on July 31 asked UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon's spokesman Stephane Dujarric why he had not informed all UN resident correspondents of Ban's August 4 visit to the White House.

  Dujarric replied, "It was sent out to UNCA.. I think that UNCA, FUNCA, as I said in the statement, I would urge both parties to take all steps and solve this issue." Video here and see below.

 On August 4 at the UN noon briefing, Dujarric's deputy Farhan Haq said the UN would be issuing a read-out. But by 2:00 pm, an hour after the White House pool read-out, nothing from the UN. Or only to the UN Censorship Alliance? 

  The White House itself transcribed Ban Ki-moon before the UN did:

"SECRETARY-GENERAL BAN:  Thank you, Mr. President, for your warm welcome to the Oval Office again.  I had an extremely constructive meeting with President Obama this time on the eve of a truly historic General Assembly in September and in the aftermath of all these very historic diplomatic achievements that President Obama and the U.S. government have been making in many areas like the Iranian nuclear deal and normalization of diplomatic relations with Cuba, and his recent very successful visit to Africa.  And all these are truly historic diplomatic achievements.

The United Nations continues to stand working with you and the U.S. government.  We really appreciate your strong leadership and support, and strong, generous humanitarian assistance to many places of conflict.  And I really count on your strong support.

On climate change, I highly commend President Obama’s strong commitment since day one in his office up to now, and I count on your continuing leadership until we’ll be able to address at this one -- this climate change -- and have climate change meeting in December, in Paris.

I’d like to congratulate you and highly commend your visionary and forward leadership announcement of yesterday on a Clean Power Plan.  This is hugely important and visionary leadership.  The U.S. can and will be able to change the world in addressing a climate phenomenon.  And we are the first generation, as President Obama rightly said yesterday, to put an end to global poverty.  And we are the last generation who can address climate change phenomenon.

I think this Clean Power Plan powers economies and generates jobs.  And also, it can have -- generate huge dividends here at home, in U.S. economy.  And I’m sure that this will impact other countries.  And I really appreciate your personal engagement starting with China and Brazil and India, and many others, as I’m going to have some small-scale leaders meeting on the margins of the General Assembly.  I hope you will really lead all this campaign under your strong leadership.

We are very committed.  We discussed about how to mobilize $100 billion for climate financing, and working very closely with President Hollande in his capacity as President of future COP 21, and Chancellor Angela Merkel in her capacity as chair of G7, and World Bank President and IMF managing director, and we, the Secretary-General.  We are really trying to present a politically credible trajectory of $100 billion to the world so that this can be supported at the COP 21 in Paris.

This is a top priority now as we have successfully agreed on a sustainable development agenda with a set of 17 sustainable development goals.  This is hugely ambitious and encouraging news.  And we also agreed in just about the last month a financial and technological framework to support a sustainable development agenda and climate change.  On all these matters, we really count on your strong support.

On regional issues, President Obama has explained and briefed all what we discussed.  We are completely on the same page.  On Syrian issues, on 29th of July -- last week -- my special envoy and I presented a proposal to establish a four thematic working group to operationalize a Geneva communiqué, and I there was encouraged to find such strong support by the Security Council members.  We tried to expedite -- to provide some political solution to this, operationalizing Geneva communiqué.  At the same time, we are doing our best effort to provide humanitarian assistance to needy people.

On Yemen, there is no military solution, there is only solution by political way, through dialogue.  I have been continuously coordinating and working together with GCC members led by, again, the Saudi Arabians.  And my special envoy is always in the region working very closely with the parties.

We are very concerned about the humanitarian situation in Yemen, as President Obama said.  Eighty percent of the population -- to be exact, more than 21 million people -- are in need of urgent humanitarian assistance.  Our humanitarian team, despite the difficulties of security and safety, will be mobilizing all possible support.  I’m urging the world members -- member states -- to provide generous humanitarian assistance.  This is what I’m really asking for such generous support.

I highly appreciate and commend the leadership of President Obama on South Sudan.  His recent visit to Africa and convening a leaders meeting on South Sudan really made a big impact.  We are working very hard with the IGAD members and African Union so that this August 17th summit meeting of IGAD will be able to have adoption of this agreement between the parties.  We are working very hard.

And I really appreciate your strong support for human rights.  In all these conflict areas, it is the people whose human rights are being abused.  And we are taking human rights up front as priority issues, and I really appreciate the United States continuing support and leadership.

Again, thank you very much, Mr. President, for your global leadership.  And I wish you continued success.  Thank you."

 Here's from the White House pool, annotated below:

"Ban followed the President's remarks by hailing an "extremely constructive meeting" and spoke to the President's recent "extraordinary diplomatic achievements", mentioning the Iran nuclear deal, the normalization of ties with Cuba, and the "successful visit to Africa".

Climate change: "I highly commend President Obama's strong commitment" to climate change and his "visionary and bold leadership".

"The Clean Power Plan powers economies and generates jobs. It generates huge dividends here at home."

On the Paris US climate summit at the end of the year: Ban says he is "working very closely with President Hollande" and with Chancellor Merkel (as the head of the G-7).

Also: "this is a top priority. We have agreed on a set 17 sustainable development goals." To the President: "We really count on your strong support."

More quotes:

"We are completely on the same page on Syrian issues."

"On Yemen, there is no military solution. There is only a solution by political way, by dialogue. 80% of the population is in need of urgent humanitarian assistance."

Ban also said he commends "President Obama's leadership on South Sudan." His meeting on South Sudan in Africa "made a big impact."

Also in the Oval Office today, the whole 8-person strong delegation from the SG's office:

Amina Mohammed, Special Advisor on Post-2015 Development Planning Susanna Malcorra, Chief of Staff (officially Chef de Cabinet) Janos Pasztor, special advisor on climate change (officially UN Assistant Secretary-General on Climate Change) Robert Orr, UN Assistant Secretary-General for Policy Coordination and Strategic Planning Edmond Mulet, UN Assistant Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations Andrew Gilmour, Political Director Chang Wook-jin, Special Assistant Stéphane Dujarric, UN spokesperson."

  Of the quotes, we note Ban's "We are completely on the same page on Syrian issues." This includes, of course, the US "arm and equip" program.

  The attendees did NOT including Herve Ladsous (see below), but did include Robert Orr, who does not seem to be a UN official, at least full time, anymore. Chang Wook-jin is not much seen or known around the UN. We'll have more on this.

 On August 3, another development-focused correspondent asked Dujarric:

Question: I was away last week.  Can you describe what the decision is when information on Secretary-General’s visits or events are decided between MALU [Media Accreditation and Liaison Unit] and UNCA [United Nations Correspondents Association] and how it’s decided when to send the invites?

Spokesman:  Sure, we try to send the information out as… when we’re able to send it out.  We traditionally use the vector of the UN Correspondent’s Association or MALU.  If some felt that the information was not spread accordingly, we will try to do a better job.

Question:  Thanks.

Spokesman:  Matthew.

Inner City Press:  I second that. 

  UNCA is the UN Correspondents Association, now the UN Censorship Alliance. It is problematic for Dujarric to ever use the "vector" of UNCA, not only because not all resident correspondents aren't and dont' have to be members of UNCA, which has in fact tried to get media thrown out of the UN -- UNCA charges money to receive the information the UN gives it. We'll have more on this.

 On July 30, when disgrunted "members" of UNCA who are strong-armed into paying money in order to get such information informed Inner City Press and the Free UN Coalition for Access of the inside game, Inner City Press immediately asked UN Spokesman Stephane Dujarric:

"Please confirm or deny that the Secretary General is visiting the White House next week, and if confirm, say how and to whom this has already been announced or disclosed.

"Separately and not as pressing as the above, Inner City Press is multiply informed of DSS Security officer, more than twenty years in UN's employ, fired or separated from service for improperly removing a bottle of wine from a reception. Given among other things the individual's length of service, please state whether there were other charges, and any impact on pension."

 While this was asked on the afternoon of July 30, the stated deadline for signing up to cover Ban's dutiful White House visit, there was no response that day. (The Spokesman was still working, for example at Morocco's Throne Day at the Waldorf Astoria's Starlight Roof.)

  Instead, on July 31 Dujarric returned with this, modified only to pardon typos:

"We asked through UNCA if journalists would like to join the press gaggle at the White House. If you would like to join, please fill out the information requested in the form below before the noon briefing. Also, include a scanned copy of your press pass... The meeting will be around 10a. You will need to be at the WH gate about  90mns before. More details to come, if you tell me you will join.

"On the ofher issue, I have no information at this time."

  Inner City Press for FUNCA immediately replied:

"UNCA does not represent all UN resident correspondents, as you know, so it was and is inappropriate to limit such information -- the Secretary General's meeting at the White House -- to UNCA. This is particularly but not only true in light of UNCA actions of which you are aware.

"This information should have been sent at least to all resident correspondents, as is is done even with information about the UN parking garage, on an e-mail list in the possession of MALU (and I assume your Office). Please confirm that this should have been and will be the practice."

  Dujarric's response was merely this:

"We can have a longer discussion on this later. Let me know if you would like to join the group at the White House."

  This was and is UNacceptable. Inner City Press went to the July 31 noon briefing and asked why all resident correspondents had not been informed so all would have equal access. Dujarric replied, "UNCA, FUNCA, I would urge both parties to take all steps and solve this issue." From the UN transcript:

Spokesman Dujarric: UNCA, FUNCA, I would… as I said in the statement, I would urge both parties to take bold steps and solve this issue once and for all.

Inner City Press:  I would just say send it to all resident correspondents like you do things about the garage and everything else.  It seems pretty straightforward.

Dujarric:  I hear you.

  First, whether or not FUNCA had come into existence after UNCA tried to silence reporting ranging from the Sri Lanka landlord conflicts of interest of its president to UN Peacekeeping's Herve Ladsous, UN correspondents are not required to pay allegiance to UNCA. So the notice should not be through them.

  Second, it is UNseemly for the UN to try to steer business to UNCA, whose "leadership" not only hasn't criticized Ban's lack of transparency but has actively tried to get the investigative Press that does report on this thrown out. This is the UN's Alliance.

  UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon has not held a sit-down press conference in months. From an open meeting in which he gave a speech to UN Peacekeeping, embroiled in rape cover up scandals, Ban's security ejected Inner City Press, at the demand of UN Peacekeeping chief Herve Ladsous.

  But the UN tries to conceal this by partnering with an also in decay UN Correspondents Association, which does not complain about Ban or the ejection of the Press by Ladsous -- in fact, UNCA itself tried to eject the Press for reporting on its current president's conflict of interest, unilaterally granting a UN screening for a Sri Lanka government film denying war crimes after renting an apartment to Sri Lanka's ambassador, here.

(Inner City Press on July 30 asked Ban's spokesman about more UN assistance with covering up of war crimes in Sri Lanka, so far without answer.)

UNCA told only those which pay it money:

"Dear Colleagues, The Secretary-General will be going to Washington for a meeting with President Obama on Wednesday 4 August. The meeting will take place around 10am.

There will be a photo-op/brief remarks by POTUS and the SG in the Oval Office after the meeting.  If any UNCA members are interested in attending, as the White House said they could accommodate a few journalists, please contact Stephane Dujarric by tomorrow afternoon, Thursday. July 30th:

Stephane Dujarric (Mr.)
Spokesman for the Secretary-General
United Nations Headquarters |  Room: S-233
New York, NY, 10017

Transportation to Washington is the correspondent's own responsibility.

Giampaolo Pioli, UNCA President"

This notice was given to Inner City Press by dissatisfied UNCA "members" who are strong-armed into paying money in order to get such information. (We note that August 4 is Tuesday, while Wednesday is August 5.) Inner City Press sought confirmation more than an hour before this publication -- "Please confirm or deny that the Secretary General is visiting the White House next week, and if confirm, say how and to whom this has already been announced or disclosed" -- but none was received.

  Relatedly at the UN, unthinking support is sought from outsiders without full disclosure - for example Leonardo DiCaprio, see below. Secretary General Ban Ki-moon holds no press conferences in the UN, even as the Yemen humanitarian pause he announced didn't materialize; on July 21 while his Deputy Spokesperson said of Ban, "this week, he is away from the office," his UN scheduled said "all appointments are internal."

In late June Ban's security detail ejected the Press from an open meeting in which Ban spoke to UN Peacekeeping force commanders. That ejection was at the demand of UN Peacekeeping chief Herve Ladsous - this is confirmed, by Security which says it will not again act act as bouncer for Ladsous, who now rather than speaking at the UNTV stakeout like his predecessorssummons a few friendly journalists to whom to deliver or deposit "news." The new Free UN Coalition for Access challenged this; the old UN Correspondents Association says nothing, as its past and current leadership takes advantage of, or doesn't care about, the lack of access.

  Given these trends, discontent within UNCA rank and file led to the release of these [annotated] minutes of a July 13 meeting of UNCA, now the UN's Censorship Alliance, below. These minutes state that 

"Giampaolo Pioli announced dinner on Monday, December 14, at Cipriani Wall Street. Site was selected because of SG’s schedule and space availability. Honorees include Prince Albert of Monaco and most likely Leonardo DiCaprio whose final confirmation is expected in August."

  DiCaprio may conflate the UN with this UN Censorship Alliance; it is unclear if he knows his inviter for example rented one of his apartments to an alleged war criminal, that used the organization to demand that an article reporting this be removed (censored) from the Internet or the investigative Press ejected from the UN.

  An award at Cipriani sounds nice - but from whom? This is the sloppiness, much of it intentional, at the UN. We'll have more on this.

"Giampaolo Pioli (Chair), more proxies than present

"Giampaolo announced dinner at Cipriani Wall Street, "special discount price of $100." Site was selected because of SG’s schedule and space availability. Honorees include Prince Albert of Monaco and most likely Leonardo DiCaprio whose final confirmation is expected in August. UNCA members were encouraged to apply for the media awards [No conflict there, of course].  

Security arrangements for the upcoming UNGA:  Green Ps will not have to wait in the same line as those seeking accreditation... High speed internet issues: a possible solution is having a separate access code for media center reporters in the NLB. [UNCA seems most concerned with obtained more privileges than other journalists.]

 UNSC stakeout: No access to the council when meetings are not being held, but reporters can move there before meetings once UN TV sets up. [UNCA "leaders" have tried to limit other journalists like this before: FUNCA resists it.]

 Reporters will be able to pay for high speed internet and access to other Time Warner channels for a fee. Anyone who wants to subscribe to TW needs to inform Melanie by email in order to provide a list to the installers. [So UNCA is a middleman, purportedly for all journalists, for corporate Time Warner?]

 Review of procedures for holding UNCA press conferences: It was decided that UNCA will be more selective in hosting press conferences and will focus on subjects and speakers that are a big draw. Meeting adjourned at 5:00 pm. It was followed by a wine and cheese reception."

  UNCA "press conferences" have degenerated into Italian book club events; previously, Pioli hosted his former tenant Palitha Kohona to screen a video denying war crimes in Sri Lanka, then used the organization to demand a Press article about it be removed from the Internet. This is the UN Censorship Alliance.

The invitation, which even most UNCA members ignored, said "At the end of the meeting, we will have a glass of wine to wish everyone a good summer vacation."

  Whether the Hamptons or the Amalfi coast, when UN press access is in decline, it time to share a glass of wine.

 2015 opened with Ladsous openly refused to answer Press questions, video here.

  "Leadership" of the UN Correspondents Association, far from questioning this, took advantage by grabbing two qeustions, just as UNCA demands and most often wastes side-aside first questions at UN press conferences.

  The following day, January 23, there was a UN Security Council meeting about human rights and UN Peacekeeping missions, including MONUSCO. But the meeting was closed to the public and press. Inner City Press for theFree UN Coalition for Access asked and asks, Why? The old United Nations Correspondents Association, on the other hand, not only doesn't protest such closures - it scheduled its only "faux fighters" meeting for exactly the same time.

  This decayed UN Correspondents Association, run by president Giampaolo Pioli who has himself demanded censorship, held its annual meeting on January 23, and even by its own account, not a work about access problems or lack of information.

Here was the agenda, annotated, now with "minutes" as provided by disgruntled members who say the UN "makes" them pay UNCA, added in italics:

Space, "including journalists on the waiting list for office space" -- on January 23, UNCA's "leadership" said that "that after meeting with DPI working space on the 4th floor will become available to 6-8 journalists beginning in February."

  Even or especially if this representation is true, there is a problem: UNCA is essentially selling or trying to sell these UN spaces. UNCA tells correspondents that if they pay money to join it, they will be helped in getting office space from the UN. Is this proper?

Less than a quarter of those UNCA took $66,485 from attended this meeting; numerous Executive Committee members did not attend. Pioli bragged of "a larger number of sponsors," but the minutes did not list them. There'll be more on this.

  Meanwhile, UNCA leadership is proposal to downgrade some with "white" UN passed to "green," requiring them to go through a separate entrance and metal detectors. UNCA is responsible for Banning many from entry into the UN.

"UNCA room activities, press conferences and events for 2015" -- Pioli in his last tenure granted the Ambassador of Sri Lanka Palitha Kohona, a former tenant of Pioli in one of his Manhattan apartments, the use of UNCA to screen inside the UN a film denying Rajapaksa government war crimes. It was reporting about this that Pioli ordered Inner City Press to remove from the Internet. There have been no reforms since. 

  Now UNCA brags that HRW will use or be used by its space. This is shameful - and we'll have more on it. Pioli sat in on the January 26 noon briefing, apparently to see if any of these outrages would be aired, typically asking no questions at all. 

"Social media" - despite Ban's UN purporting to use UNCA to reach all journalists at the UN, the Press is blocked from UNCA's moribund social media presence. Is this attributable to all 15 Executive Committee members? Just Pioli?

 On January 23, Pioli said that the Reuters correspondent who grabbed two questions after Ladsous said "I don't respond to your questions Mister" is in charge of UNCA tweets. 

"UNCA soccer" - this involved providing a craven photo op for, yes, Ban Ki-moon

"UNCA Awards 2015" - in December 2014, UNCA gave out an award about Haiti with no mention of the UN bringing cholera there, or UN peacekeepers shooting at democracy demonstrators. Ban Ki-moon was in attendance and they had him take pictures with another of their awardees, which was mischaracterized as  UN award. As with office space, it seems that UNCA sells the UN.

   Similar to the claim that UN labor issues are handed in happy one-way meeting with staff during country visits, it is with this that it seems the UN will partner to say it has listened on media access issues.

  After the September 2014 General Assembly week UNCA "minutes" and partial list of grievances were provided to FUNCA by one of UNCA's many disgruntled members. They are laughable. The ejection of non-French journalists from the UN Briefing Room was not mentioned, nor the physical blocking of filming.

  Instead, UNCA complains that there is too much news during the General Assembly -- they want fewer side events -- and apparently too many journalists at the UN: they want a private wi-fi password leaving the current open wi-fi only for "guests and others."

  Tellingly, one of the UNCA proposals is for a booklet co-signed by Ban Ki-moon and UNCA.

  With this bogus list and presumably seeking that booklet, they say that the UN's Media Accreditation and Liaison Unit proposes to meet only with their Executive Committee. This is akin to a fake wrestling match, in which the two sides pretend to fight, for an audience.

  The Free UN Coalition for Access has told MALU, but repeats: if they even aspire to legitimacy, the UN must reach out to all journalists, at the UN and ideally beyond, and not that subset which pay UNCA money. That is a decidedly partial subset: a fake wrestling match. 

 The UN while throwing out media from workspace gives its UN Censorship Alliance a large room, which it then limits to those that pay it money in dues. Here's how it works: a new media at the UN is told, from the pinnacle of the UN's Censorship Alliance, to pay UNCA $90 and UNCA will get the UN to give the media UN office space. 

     Today's UN Censorship Alliance is unlikely to get any meaningful media access problem addressed -- members its Executive Committee have, in fact, caused or colluded in many of the decreases in access. They drafted a rule with MALU to eliminate journalist workspace at the Security Council stakeout; they withheld audio tapes and transcripts of a Ban "interview" with them, even from their own members.

  The Free UN Coalition for Access targeted these censorship practices in aSeptember 29 flier, online, in the UN including on the "open" bulletin board it got the UN to install (the flier was torn down, one can only imagine by whom, but has gone back up.)

   The French-only briefing was described on HuffPost Live, here.)

Footnote: as noted the old UN Correspondents Association, which is given privileged status and set-aside first questions nearly always used for softballs, has done nothing in recent years to improve or even defend press access. In fact, members of UNCA's Executive Committee have tried to get the investigative Press thrown out of the UN, and there have been no reforms since. It's become the UN's Censorship Alliance. They provide Ban Ki-moon with photo ops playing soccer with them. This is today's UN - and FUNCA is fighting to hold the UN to its stated principles.

   

Amid UN Culture War, Inner City Press Asks Ban Ki-moon of LGBT Benefits, He Calls It Human Right

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, January 8 -- In the budget committee showdown at the UN in late December, an issue that was almost voted on and then was deferred at least until March was  Secretary General Ban Ki-moon's policy position -- or "executive order," as one delegate called it -- on same sex marriage. 

  This was Ban's administrative action to pay benefits for LGBT families.

  "Between the OIC and African countries, it's going down," one Permanent Representative told Inner City Press.  But ultimately it got put off, at least until March.

  Ban Ki-moon in a speech to the UN General Assembly on January 8 said "I must express my deep concern that the General Assembly was unable to agree on many important management issues in December. I trust that you will resolve your differences and review your working methods when your discussions resume in March."

After the speech, Inner City Press asked Ban Ki-moon,video here:

Inner City Press: in your speech you said you were dissatisfied with the General Assembly not acting on management issues. I wanted to know if that means LBGT or same sex benefits for UN staff, and what would you have the Assembly do? 

SG Ban: on LGBT, I have made my position clear. This is an issue of human dignity and there should be no discrimination whatsoever for any staff, any people, on the basis of sexual orientation or religion or belief. So this is the fundamental principle of human rights, and that is why, on the basis of that I have taken some administrative measures to allow the same and equal treatment for the staff who are having that sexual orientation. This is, I think, the proper thing to do. 

  But what will the General Assembly do in March? What lobbying is taking place behind the scenes? We'll stay on this.

Other items in the late December crunch included the Capital Master Plan, the Extraordinary Chambers court in Cambodia, revised estimates for the Ebola mission UNMEER and for the Human Rights Council (regarding cut-backs at which, see this Inner City Press story) and UNHQ long term accommodation needs, otherwise known as building on a current New York City playground.

Another item concerns the UN's UMOJA system, with cost overruns and corruption scandals. One former UMOJA official, Paul van Essche who was caught up in a scandal -- "PHP irregularities," Inner City Press exclusive coverage here -- now announces he'll resurface as UNICEF's chief of information technology in January 2015. We'll have more on this.

   

In UN Budget, Compromise on Yom Kippur, Same Sex Benefits Deferred

By Matthew Russell Lee, Exclusive

UNITED NATIONS, December 29 -- In the run up to the December 24 budget showdown at the UN, diplomats worked until six in the morning, on issues ranging from the 2016 budget to the first performance report.

  At 3 pm on December 24, however, the outgoing head of the Group of 77, Bolivia's Sacha Llorenti, told G77 representatives that the other side said no more talks today. Later in the day it was rolled-over to the next week, and now Inner City Press is first to report some of the results.

  Beyond the money (see below), the contentious issue of Secretary General Ban Ki-moon's same sex marriage benefits, on which the Organization for Islamic Cooperation and others were prepared to vote no, has been pushed over into the next session. One African Permanent Representative, not in the OIC, told Inner City Press Ban should "just withdraw" his policy. Ban is on annual leave.

  On Yom Kippur, Diwali and other religions' holidays becoming official UN system holidays, sources tell Inner City Press that language has been arrived at that allows these holidays to be celebrated without requiring it.

  The Partnerships facilities, which many delegates linked to former UN official Robert Orr, ran into opposition from those who say its modalities and "programmatic" elements must be further negotiated. The return of some $150 million by the Capital Master Plan is still being pushed for; G77 says it "held the line on re-costing."

  In the hallway outside Conference Rooms 5, 1 and 3, Inner City Press interviewed a range of diplomats and UN Secretariat officials about the  rebellion by some member states at Secretary General Ban Ki-moon's policy position -- or "executive order," as one delegate called it -- on same sex marriage. 

  "Between the OIC and African countries, it's going down," one Permanent Representative had told Inner City Press. The other side says that Ban has the power to "just do it." But, even the person making this argument conceded,  Ban is no Obama.

  And, another asked, where IS Ban Ki-moon, as his policy is "going down" in the Fifth Committee? On December 29 the answer was: on annual leave.

  A delegate from Uruguay last week urged the rest of the Fifth Committee of the UN General Assembly to do everything possible to come to a conclusion before midday on December 24. That didn't happen.  Now will it be done on December 29?

In this session the Fifth Committee is considering, for example, the proposed program budget outline for the biennium 2016-17. On this, amid threats of cut-backs, the Group of 77 and China put a resolution into an “L document” on December 23, leading to protests from diplomats from Italy, Japan and the US.

Diplomats stayed until 6 am on December 24, and returned for a G77 meeting at 11 am, moved due to its size from Conference Room 9 to CR 1. Bolivia's Permanent Representative Sacha Llorenti, soon to turn over the G77 gavel to South Africa, reported back to G77 Ambassador where things stood.

For now, the Fifth Committee “plenary” is not set until 3 pm, with the full General Assembly with no time set at all.

Other items include the Capital Master Plan, the Extraordinary Chambers court in Cambodia, revised estimates for the Ebola mission UNMEER and for theHuman Rights Council (regarding cut-backs at which, see this Inner City Press story) and UNHQ long term accommodation needs, otherwise known as building on a current New York City playground.

Another item concerns the UN's UMOJA system, with cost overruns and corruption scandals. One former UMOJA official, Paul van Essche who was caught up in a scandal -- "PHP irregularities," Inner City Press exclusive coverage here -- now announces he'll resurface as UNICEF's chief of information technology in January 2015. We'll have more on this.

   

UN Wants FDR Off-Ramp Closed Or Will Empty Its Library and Cafeteria, Pays Aramark's Costs

By Matthew Russell Lee, Exclusive

UNITED NATIONS, February 7 -- The United Nations is urging New York City to close the 42nd Sreet FDR Drive off-ramp, or it will vacate its Dag Hammarskjold Library and its annex including the cafeteria by the end of this year.

  Closing the off-ramp would obviously inconvenience driving New Yorkers. (At the same time, the UN is trying to takeover the Robert Moses Park just south of 42nd Street, as Inner City Press has previously covered, here.)

  But the UN says that there is not enough "off-set" from the ramp to the UN buildings, apparently referring to a car or truck bomb. The UN is installing bollards along First Avenue from 42nd to 48th Street for that purpose. It is constructing a new screening building on between 42nd and 43rd Street, with an eye toward eliminating the turnstiles currently in the UN lobby.

  The cafeteria is run by Aramark, right now with the UN covering all of the company's net operating costs. While still UNclear with whom, a new contract is set to be signed by the end of the year, according to the UN's (British) head of the Office of Central Support Services Stephen Cutts.

  At a meeting on February 7, Cutts said that Aramark "will re-open" the Delegates Dining Room on February 3. He was quickly reminded that has already happened -- that is, that February 3rd came before the date of his three minute speech on February 7 -- and he said, "I'm out of date."

  Michael Adlerstein of the Capital Master Plan said that the North Lawn Building will be demolished by the end of 2015, and that this year's General Debate will be in the historical GA hall (on which there are still no windows).

  Catherine Pollard of the Office of Human Resources Management was there; as Inner City Press reported, she is competing to take over the Under Secretary General post at UNOPS in Copenhagen. The head of the UN's "UMOJA" system said that this will be expanded to all special political mission then to the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs and all Nairobi-related offices.

  Few questions were taken at this "Town Hall" meeting, about which a number of Department of Management staff complained to Inner City Press afterwards, offering exclusive audio to demonstrate what they were talking about. Does it make sense to leave the Library and cafeteria empty? Who made that determination? That is something we will be trying to determine. Watch this site.

  

At UN, Skanska Worked Before New $66.8M Contract, Which It Calls $65M, Follow the Money

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, July 5 -- How does the UN choose to whom to pay money, and how much to pay?

Amid hoopla at the UN about its UMOJA computer system upgrade in Lebanon, Inner City Press reported on whistleblowers' complaints that PriceWaterhouseCoopers got contract after contract without things ever going out to bid again.

  On July 1 when UMOJA launched in Lebanon, Inner City Press began to ask about UMOJA and this at the noon briefing, but this was disallowed despite the brevity of the noon briefing.

But on July 2, Inner City Press managed to ask about another strange contract:

Deputy Spokesperson: Matthew, last question?

Inner City Press: I got a couple on Sudan; one about money. Which do you…?

Deputy Spokesperson: Money.

Inner City Press: All right. Skanska announced today and put out a press release that they have been awarded $65 million contract for the renovation of the General Assembly Building. But the timing seemed strange, because it’s already been fenced off and people thought that they’d already been given this whole contract. So is there some way to know, did they release a second contract to Skanska and was it done competitively? And if it wasn’t done competitively, why wait until now that it is already fenced off? Isn’t Skanska already working on the building?

Deputy Spokesperson: We’ll have to find out for you, Matthew; I don’t have that information with me.

  It took a couple of days, but an answer did come in today, unlike on the UN Mine Action Service chief in Somalia David Bax sharing information with US intelligence, or which Congolese Army units Herve Ladsous' UN Peacekeeping supports:

Subject: Your question (from 2 July) on Skanska
From: UN Spokesperson - Do Not Reply [at] un.org
Date: Fri, Jul 5, 2013 at 12:49 PM
To: Matthew.Lee [at] innercitypress.com

The United Nations, on 2 July 2013, signed a contract for a portion of the renovation of the General Assembly Building with Skanska USA Building Inc. The value of the contract is $66.8 million. (Please note that the news release you based your questions on quoted $65 million as the value of the contract. That number is not correct.)

The United Nations selected Skanska USA Building Inc. as Construction Manager for the Capital Master Plan in July 2007 in a competitive bidding process. For each phase of the renovation of the UN Headquarters the UN negotiates separate guaranteed maximum price contracts with the Construction Manager. The UN has the option to negotiate contracts with other construction companies, if it disagrees with Skanska’s pricing.

The General Assembly Building was closed for construction on 31 May 2013. Work performed by Skanska before the signing of the contract was authorized in the form of task orders, which was funded outside of this guaranteed maximum price contract.

  This seems to be the way PriceWaterhouseCoopers kept getting UMOJA contracts -- the UN could have gone back to market but said it wasn't required to. What triggers actual competition? Tellingly, Skanska began to work and get paid before the new contract was agreed to.

Here, Skanka's own press release says $65 million; the UN says $66.8 million. What's $1.8 million between friends? We'll have more on this. Watch this site.