Ban's Handlers Manhandle Press, 2 Week After Ban Apology to Turkish PM

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, October 10 -- The night before UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon left on Sunday for Norway, he refused a press question and had his "handlers" push a reporter.

This happened two weeks after Ban rushed to apologize to Turkish prime minister Ergodan after three UN Security officers were injured by Ergodan's guards.

Further reporting by Inner City Press finds that after Ban's fast apology, beyond the complaints that Inner City Press quoted, there was a proposal to walk off the job, during the General Debate, barely averted. Some leadership. So now who apologizes?

Consider:

Ban Ki-Moon doesn't deign to talk about pop stars. On Saturday, the United Nations' secretary general observed the 20th anniversary of South Korea's admission to the UN with a press reception at its consulate on E. 45th St. Among the guests were some Korean pop acts, including DBSK and 4 Minute. Ban thanked them for coming and accepted a CD from one artist, but his receptiveness did not extend to what we think was a legit question about his teeny bopper guests. When The News' David Yi asked Ban why it was important for the acts to be there, he reports the UN chief turned away and three of his handlers "pushed" him aside. "How dare you ask a question like that to the UN secretary general?" said one. Seriously? [Click here, last item.]

It's strange that Ban and his handlers would think pop music questions beneath him, when he similarly did photo ops with teeny bopper singers while he was in South Korea.

On Monday in a UN noon briefing which saw only two questions, Inner City Press asked about Cambodia, where Ban has had little to say about the crackdown on human rights and accountability, and if it is true that Ban will return to New York on October 12, only to re-cross the Atlantic Ocean to go to Switzerland on October 16.

Ban's Deputy Spokesman said he wasn't ready to confirm, then did so 40 minutes later. Who else will get roughed up? Watch this site.

UN Afghan Envoy Defends Data, Says Pushes for Maxwell Despite Ban Apology

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, September 29 -- When the UN's envoy to Afghanistan Staffan de Mistura took questions on Thursday, Inner City Press asked him about the UN's versus NATO's, that is ISAF's, violence figures.

De Mistura replied that NATO's numbers are based on a "purely military point of view." He said, "if you are asking me if there has been an increase or decrease of civilian casualties, " there's been "a substantial and unfortunate increase... the Afghan people will tell you."

After urging the press to "ask the Taliban" if they are willing to seriously negotiate, de Mistura prepared to leave. Inner City Press asked him for an update on the case of Louis Maxwell, the UN Security official by most accounts killed by Afghan National forces, without accountability. Video here, from Minute 5:07.

Thank you for asked me that, de Mistura came back to the microphone and said. He pointed out that it is not just Maxwell anymore, "it's also our Mazar-i-Sharif colleagues." He claimed the UN is following up, pushing for "final clarity." He said the same thing in July, and did not seem to have any new information.

He said "Maxwell died for the UN, we should not let it down, we will pursue it, we do have an idea is what direction that happened." We'll see.

Some in the UN have noted Ban Ki-moon's failure to defend the UN Security officers injured in a run in with the guards of Turkish Prime Minister Erdogan on September 23, when Ban quickly apologized to Erdogan. Afghanistan is less powerful than Turkey, but still there has been no accountability. Watch this site.