UNITED NATIONS, April 28 -- The UN Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara, MINURSO, which has yet to hold any referendum, was unanimously "renewed" for a year on April 28 by the UN Security Council.
In explanation of vote, Venezuela said human rights monitoring should have been included, and the African Union should have been allowed to address the Council. Angola, citing Chad and Nigeria as well, echoed this.
Afterward Inner City Press asked Moroccan Permanent Representative Omar Hilale a series of questions: about what Venezuela said, about the African Union, injured protesters, and why Frente Polisario couldn't speak at the same microphone.
Hilale asked if Venezuela was the right country to speak of human rights. He called the African Union "toxic" on this issue, having made up its mind it should not address the Council.
Inner City Press asked how this is different, say, from the European Union addressing the Council about Kosovo. (Hilale said every situation is different: the old "sui generis").
Inner City Press asked why Polisario couldn't speak at the UNSC stakeout where, for example, private citizen Hilary Clinton recently did. Hilale said Hilary Clinton is with a member state. But so are a lot of people.
Hilale went after Independent Diplomat, saying they shouldn't be allow inside the UN. Inner City Press noted that for example France, the UK and US like ID's work with the Syrian opposition. Hilale insisted, let them do it from outside the UN.
When Inner City Press turned around, neither the Polisario representative nor Independent Diplomat were in the "Turkish Lounge" area next to the Security Council stakeout -- from which the press, too, was banned, to which the Free UN Coalition for Access has objected. We'll have more on all this.
Inner City Press: on Western Sahara, I think it was a week ago, I asked… it was a kind of confirm or deny these reports of a clash between Moroccan security and protesters in Laayoune, you said you'd ask MINURSO [United Nations Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara]. Given that a week has gone by and today is the day of the consultations, did you ask them and they say it didn't happen…?
Mr. Lee, you had asked about Western Sahara: MINURSO [United Nations Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara] has received reports of violence during a protest in Laayoune last week that resulted in protesters being injured. The Mission has been in touch with the relevant authorities and will continue to follow up.
Follow up? Why did this take a week?
On April 22 before the consultations began, a group of Moroccan diplomats greeted Council Ambassadors as they went in. They are, it is acknowledged, doing their job. Polisario was nowhere to be seen. At the stakeout already there was talk that while Polisario should be able to speak at the UNTV microphone -- Hilary Clinton did -- there would be a block.
Inner City Press: there are reports and I wanted to know whether you or MINURSO [United Nations Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara] know if they are true of a, quote, Moroccan crackdown on demonstrations in [inaudible] directed at the idea of there being a human rights monitoring mechanism so it…
Spokesman Dujarric: We will ask our colleagues in MINURSO.
But nine hours later, no answer, no information. No monitoring.
Meanwhile, Inner City Press has become aware that Morocco wrote to the Security Council; Inner City Press has uploaded the letter here.
On April 10 Inner City Press obtained from multiple sources the advance copy of Secretary General Ban Ki-moon's report on the MINURSO mission. We published it in full here and embedded below (unlike others who try to remove things from the Internet, like here).
On April 13, Ban's spokesman Stephane Dujarric said the report "speaks for itself;" Inner City Press asked how that applies to Paragraph 62 merely reciting Morocco's and the Frente Polisario's positions for and against oil drilling at this time. Video here.
Dujraric said he had "nothing to add;" he also said that enovy Christopher Ross will help provide more details. On the record?
While there has been no formal response to the African Union's request that the UN Security Council at least hear from its envoy Chissano, Inner City Press asks why at a minimum an Arria formula meeting could not be set up? These do not require unanimity, even of some members boycott, as might happen here, the meeting goes forward. We'll have more on this.
UNITED NATIONS, April 13 -- The UN Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara, MINURSO, which has yet to hold any referendum, gets reviewed this month in the UN Security Council, with the UN's ambiguous position on (not) including human rights monitoring in the mission's mandate and on exploitation of natural resources once again coming to the fore.
On April 10 Inner City Press obtained from multiple sources the advance copy of Secretary General Ban Ki-moon's report on the MINURSO mission. We published it in full here and embedded below (unlike others who try to remove things from the Internet, like here).
On April 13, Ban's spokesman Stephane Dujarric said the report "speaks for itself;" Inner City Press asked how that applies to Paragraph 62 merely reciting Morocco's and the Frente Polisario's positions for and against oil drilling at this time. Video here.
Dujraric said he had "nothing to add;" he also said that enovy Christopher Ross will help provide more details. On the record?
Of “resource exploration,” the UN report says
“During the reporting period, investments in the territorial waters adjacent to Western Sahara continued to be a subject of contention between the Government of Morocco an Frente Polisario, given the long-standing status of Western Sahara. Some foreign oil companies, including Kosmos Energy, carried out oil exploration, and exploratory drilling in Western Saharan territorial waters. In a letter dated 19 March 2015 addressed to me, the Permanent Representative of Morocco stated that “Kosmos Energy’s exploration activities were preceded by wide consultations” with the local population, and “are governed by applicable international principles and standards, in particular those deriving from the Charter of the United Nations and recalled in letter S/2002/61 dated 29 January 2002 addressed to the President of the Security Council … by [the] Under Secretary -General for Legal Affairs.” Frente Polisario and Western Saharan organizations spoke out against these activities repeatedly, pointing out that they had not been consulted and that any exploitation of these resources, if found, would violate the legal opinion provided in the letter cited above. Secretary-General Abdelaziz of Frente Polisario, in a letter to me dated 26 January 2015, referred to the activities as a violation of international law.”
Of protests, the UN report says “Moroccan security forces dispersed them quickly. On several occasions, credible reports were received about the disproportionate use of force on the part of the security forces and hostile actions on the part of the demonstrators in response.”
Of Douste-Blazy being described as attending for the UN, the report says of the “CransMontana Forum, held an event in what it referred to as 'Dakhla, Morocco' [that] following press reports of a high-level United Nations presence, my spokesperson issued a note to correspondents indicating that my Special Advisor on Innovative Financing had attended exclusively in his private capacity and that I had not delegated him or anyone else to represent me or the United Nations.”
But the Forum repeated the claim in a press release, as Inner City Press reported.
Similarly side-stepping the issue, Ban Ki-moon's report says “ I call on the Parties to continue and further enhance their cooperation with United Nations human rights mechanisms and OHCHR, including by facilitating OHCHR missions to Western Sahara and the refugee camps near Tindouf, with unrestricted access to all relevant stakeholders. These missions and other future forms of cooperation between the Parties and OHCHR and other United Nations human rights mechanisms should contribute to an independent and impartial understanding of the human rights situation in both Western Sahara and the camps, with the goal of ensuring protection of all, as well as to comprehensive and sustained implementation of international human rights standards by the Parties. Human rights do not have borders; all stakeholders are thus obliged to uphold the fundamental freedoms and human rights of all people. It is vital that all human rights protection gaps and underlying human rights issues in situations of protracted conflict be addressed.”
We note that OHCHR recently delayed for (at least) six months an already-agreed to human rights report on Sri Lanka.
Here are two more sample paragraphs of the report:
39. Both parties continue to diverge significantly in their interpretation of the MINURSO mandate. Morocco considers the mandate to be limited to ceasefire and military matters, demining and logistical support for confidence-building measures. Frente Polisario considers that the organization of a referendum for self-determination remains its central element. These opposing views have a direct impact on the credibility of the Mission vis-a-vis the parties, affecting its ability to fully implement its mandate and exercise standard peacekeeping functions. For the United Nations, the successive Security Council resolutions define the mandate of the United Nations Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara. Standard peacekeeping functions performed by United Nations operations throughout the world underpin effective mandate implementation, including assessments of and reporting on local conditions that may affect their operations and the political processes.
40. The perception of MINURSO and United Nations impartiality continues to be affected by the fact that MINURSO vehicles operate with Moroccan license plates west of the berm. Logistical and administrative complications also arise, since Moroccan license plates must be removed and replaced by United Nations plates when MINURSO vehicles cross east of the berm and travel outside the area of operations. Implementation of the March 2014 verbal agreement of the Moroccan authorities to gradually replace Moroccan with United Nations license plates for MINURSO vehicles, as agreed with my previous Special Representative (see S/2014/258, para. 49), has not begun; Foreign Minister Mezouar reiterated this commitment to my new Special Representative in February 2015.
(These trolls would, apparently, say that Ban is noting crackdown on protests and license plate games because he is funded by Algerian petro-dollars. And what of the censor?)
Speaking of courts, there is this finding by a court in Spain: "A Spanish judge Thursday upheld genocide charges against 11 Moroccan ex-officials accused of atrocities in Western Sahara, a court ruling showed -- a penultimate step towards a possible trial. Judge Pablo Ruz upheld accusations against the 11 ex-security officials and governors of ethnically motivated torture, killings and detentions in the former Spanish colony between 1975 and 1991, the ruling said."
On April 7, Inner City Press asked UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon's spokesman Stephane Dujarric about a letter sent to Ban by the Chairperson of the African Union Commission, Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, which cites “ the need to provide MINURSO with a human rights mandate.”
Dujarric replied that he hadn't seen the letter. Video here. Inner City Press reported that Ban's chief of staff Malcorra had, in fact, seen it. When Inner City Press asked again on April 8, Dujarric said the letter was "processed"video here -- and we can verify, it was circulated.
(Reuters, which didn't ask and openly panders to the mission(s) most opposed to a MINURSO human rights mandate, brags it is responsible, while both trying to get other media thrown out of the UN, here and FOIA-ed herethen trying to censor that, here: laughable. As was writing that the AU letter was "seen by Reuters" after it was published online in full by another publication.)
Inner City Press put online the Polisario's letter to Ban Ki-moon, here, in part because the UN ban Polisario from speaking at the UN Security Council stakeout while, for example, allowing current private citizen Hilary Clinton to speak there, with UNCA the UN's Censorship Alliance hand-picked for the softball first question.
The new Free UN Coalition for Access opposes censorship and seek to amplify the voices that are being kept away from the microphone, so puts thisonline.
FUNCA also has put online Morocco's Foreign Minister Salaheddine Mezouar's letter, which says:
"The African Union prejudged, in a biased manner, the outcome of the political negotiations under the auspices of the United Nations, by admitting, within its membership, an entity that bas [sic] no attribute of sovereignty."
The African Union wrote: “I would be most grateful if you could share this letter and the accompanying communiqué and report with the President of the Security Council, to be circulated as official documents of the Council, as well as with the General Assembly. Your assistance in ensuring that AU Special Envoy Joachim Chissano is given the opportunity to address the Security Council during its April 2015 meeting on Western Sahara will also be highly appreciated.”
Inner City Press on April 7 asked Dujarric if the letter has been circulated, and for Ban Ki-moon's position including on Chissano addressing the Security Council. Video here.
Dujarric replied, “I haven't personally seen the letter” adding that if it contains the request, “I'm sure it will be circulated in due time.” But how much time is due? And hasn't Ban's chief of staff Malcorra seen the letter? What's the response? When does it go to the Security Council - and General Assembly?
“As for people addressing the Council, that's up to the Council,” Dujarric said, though Ban has on other topics been critical of the Security Council.
Dujarric said that the report is in progress; when Inner City Press pointed out that Ban often touts the importance of regional organization, Dujarric said “in all files we deal with regional organization have a role to play, but in Western Sahara there is a Security Council mandate.” That's true on most of Ban Ki-moon's files. Why so hands-off on this one? Consider that UN Peacekeeping, in charge of MINURSO, is run by the fourth Frenchman in a row, Herve Ladsous, who refuses all Press questions, on human rights issues from rapes in the Congo and Darfur to killings BY peacekeepers in Mali.Video here, Vine here. We'll have more on this.
The UN's ambiguous position on Western Sahara was exemplified last month by UN adviser Philippe Douste-Blazy attending the Crans-Montana Forum in Dakhla, Western Sahara.
After the UN said Douste-Blazy was there in his "personal capacity," Inner City Press on March 16 asked if Douste-Blazy and UN advisers like him are under a responsibility to make clear when they are not representing the UN.
It "behooves" them, UN deputy spokesperson Farhan Haq told Inner City Press, reiterated that while Douste-Blazy is UN adviser on "innovative financing," he has not there for the UN. Haq would not answer if Douste-Blazy had told the UN in advance, saying only that he is not required to.
But a press release about the event says:
"The annual session of Crans Montana Forum held from 12 to 14 March 2015 in the southern city of Dakhla under the Patronage of His Majesty Mohammed VI wrapped up, Saturday night, with an award ceremony that paid tribute to international figures from different backgrounds. The 2015 Foundation Award was awarded to former President of the Republic of Estonia (2001-2006), Arnold Ruutel, former Spanish Prime Minister (2004-2011), José Luis Rodriguez Zapatero, Deputy Secretary General of the United Nations, Philippe Douste Blazy, former French Minister of Ecology and Sustainable Development (2007-2010), Jean Luis Borloo."
So apparently Douste-Blazy accepted an award there AS a UN official. Now what?
For days, Inner City Press had been asked to find out what Douste-Blazy was doing there. Inner City Press previously exposed Douste-Blazy's waste of funds through MassiveGood, here. Then this, from the UN Spokesperson's Office:
"We have noted press reports to the effect that the United Nations is participating in the Crans-Montana Forum currently being held in Dakhla, a city in that part of Western Sahara under Moroccan control.
"The Secretary-General was invited to this Forum, but informed its President that he could not attend. He did not delegate Mr. Philippe Douste-Blazy or anyone else to represent him or the United Nations. Mr. Douste-Blazy, who serves as a special adviser to the Secretary-General on innovative financing, is attending exclusively in his private capacity.
"While Dakhla is described in Forum materials as a city in Morocco, the definitive status of Western Sahara is the object of a negotiating process being conducted under the auspices of the Secretary-General in accordance with the relevant United Nations resolutions."
Well there's that. And this, and before that, this. Douste-Blazy is, of course, a former French government official. But how much longer should he be a UN "adviser"?
Earlier this year after Ban spoke by phone with the King of Morocco, on February 11 Ban's spokesman Stephane Dujarric said:
"on the status of Christopher Ross, the Personal Envoy of the Secretary-General for Western Sahara. I can report that he arrived in Rabat today. Mr. Ross will hold discussions with Morocco and the Frente Polisario and with the neighboring States during this mission."
But will Ross, the Envoy FOR Western Sahara, actually visit Laayoune? Inner City Press asked:
Inner City Press: On Mr. Ross' visit, I wanted to know whether he in fact will go to Laayoune, the main city in Western Sahara. Maybe I missed when you read it out.
Spokesman Dujarric: I will get you… as I said, as we get details, we'll get them to you.
Inner City Press: If he's not, can we find out why he's not?
Spokesman Dujarric: Sure.
So far, seven hours later, nothing. This is the UN and Western Sahara. Back on November 21 asked the New York spokesman for High Commissioner for Human Rights Prince Zeid for
"an update on action on the leaked cables, related to Western Sahara, involving current OHCHR official Anders Kompass and one, previously head of OHCHR's office in NY, who's just left. What steps has OHCHR taken on the cables / issues?"
Now two months and three weeks later there has been no answer on this from the OHCHR spokesperson in New York. But we published this response from OHCHR Geneva spokesperson Rupert Colville to similar questions:
From: Rupert Colville [at] ohchr.org Date: Friday 12 December 2014 Subj: Investigation leaked cables Western Sahara and OHCHR
The investigation is being carried out, at our request, by the Office of Internal Oversight Services (OIOS) in New York, which is an operationally independent office that assists the Secretary-General in fulfilling his internal oversight responsibilities. While the investigation is under way, there is nothing else I can say on the matter.
On January 29, Carman Lapointe the head of OIOS wrote:
"Our operating policies do not allow OIOS to provide information on whether we are investigating any matter, and so you will need to continue to consult OHCHR on this topic.
"In general terms, however, I can say that when/if we receive allegations of leaked confidential documents, we would advise that investigations into leaks of confidential documents are very challenging for OIOS to substantiate. As you may be aware, OIOS has authority to conduct only administrative investigations, and we have very limited (and no coercive) powers. Unless staff members involved in leaks admit or confess, or the leaks are undertaken blatantly using United Nations assets that we can examine forensically (such as by an attachment to an email from a UN computer or other device) we would have no jurisdiction to pursue further. "
Meanwhile on January 23 the UN issued this read out:
"The Secretary-General spoke with His Majesty King Mohammed VI of Morocco on Thursday, January 22. He expressed appreciation for Morocco’s valuable support of the activities of the United Nations, particularly in peacekeeping and in a number of critical issues in Africa and the Middle East.
"On Western Sahara, the Secretary-General acknowledged Morocco’s concerns about the UN-sponsored negotiations between the Kingdom of Morocco and the Frente Polisario. He confirmed that reports to the Council on this issue will remain objective and reflect facts. He also reiterated that the UN Mission in Western Sahara, MINURSO, will continue to exercise its existing mandate as set forth by the Security Council.
"In response, His Majesty indicated that Morocco looks forward to moving ahead in collaboration with the United Nations and that Morocco’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations will be working with the Secretary-General’s Personal Envoy, Christopher Ross, to arrange his next visit to Morocco as soon as possible, as well as with the Secretary-General’s Special Representative and Head of MINURSO, Kim Bolduc, to facilitate her rapid deployment to the region."
So how long will that take?
The UN system often uses the pendency of an investigation as a way to wait for the “problem” to go away. As the publication Tel Quel, here, has noted, many in the media are not covering the leaks.
This is a new trend -- attempt to use copyright law to take down leaked documents. Reuters, for example, filed a “for the record” complaint with the UN trying to get Inner City Press thrown out - then, when the “for the record” complaint was leaked and published, conned Google into blocking it from Search, calling it copyrighted. Click here for that.
So that media uses or abuses copyright to censor its own “for the record” complaint filed with the UN, and does not cover these new leaks about Western Sahara, Morocco, and the UN. This is a new trend. Watch this site.
In the above, the referenced former head of OHCHR's New York office is Senegal's Bacre Waly Ndiaye, noted Tijania Sufi. The cables reveal a deep scandal in the UN system. Now OHCHR in Geneva is saying it will not comment until an investigation, Inner City Press understands by the UN Office of Internal Oversight Services, is complete. But there is no indication that will be publish. This is one of the ways the UN covers up.
There other ways, beyond Western Sahara. On rapes in DR Congo by Army units the UN support, Ladsous refused to answer Press questions for months. Video here of then and now spokesman pulling microphone away from Inner City Press. These practices are being opposed by the new Free UN Coalition for Access.
Now on UN Peacekeeping's November 9 press release covering up mass rape in Thabit in Darfur, Ladsous has not answered any questions; UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric on November 21 told Inner City Press the UN won't comment on leaks. The Western Sahara leaks are so extensive that despite a seeming media blackout by Western wire services, they will not go away.
While Ladsous is not the only UN official exposed by the cables, his extraordinary campaign of refusing Press questions, to the point of physically blocking Press filming (Vine here), as well as a DPKO to OHCHR connection, make him key to the case. As to MINURSO, Ladsous is blamed for the non-deployment of Bolduc.
Back on November 14 Inner City Press asked UN Deputy Spokesperson Farhan Haq about Bolduc and an investigation of leaks in Geneva of which sources tell it. Video here.
On November 5, Inner City Press reported on leaked cables showing among other things the UN's Ladsous undermining MINURSO on the issue of human rights, and improper service of Morocco by Office of the High Commissioner of Human Rights staffers Anders Kompass and Bacre Waly Ndiaye.
Since then, along with anonymous death threats, Inner City Press has received additional information including of a UN Office of Internal Oversight Services investigation of Anders Kompers and Bacre Waly Ndiaye.
On November 14, Inner City Press asked the UN's Haq, per UN transcript:
Deputy Spokesman Haq: You had a question on Western Sahara?
Inner City Press: It's a two-pronged question. What Stéphane [Dujarric] said earlier in the week about Kim Bolduc, the new SRSG [Special Representative of the Secretary-General]. I wanted to just kind of confirm it. In reading it, does that mean that she has never has been allowed in? And, if so, where has she been since August? What is the plan to resolve that? And I also wanted to ask you about regarding the cables that I base the initial question on. Can you confirm that OIOS [Office for Internal Oversight Services] is conducting an investigation at the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights on at least two staff members who apparently leaked this information to the Moroccan Government?
Deputy Spokesman Haq: On that, I cannot confirm that. As you know, the OIOS conducts its work independently. At some point, once they have completed their work, they apprise us [inaudible]. But I wouldn't be aware of any work that is ongoing. Beyond that, regarding Kim Bolduc, as you know, both Christopher Ross and Kim Bolduc briefed the Security Council on 27 October. And at that point, the Security Council reiterated its desire, first of all, to see Ambassador Ross's facilitation resume and reiterated its desire to see Kim Bolduc be able to take up her duties at the helm of MINURSO [United Nations Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara] as soon as possible. And we look forward to the resumption of Mr. Ross's visit to the region and also to the deployment of Kim Bolduc.
Inner City Press: But is she currently, I mean, she is the SRSG?
Deputy Spokesman Haq: She is the SRSG, but she has not been able to function with her MINURSO duties in-country.
In-country, eh? We'll have more on this. And on this: Inner City Press is informed that while Ladsous claims to have performed as required in connection with the appointment of Bolduc, even on this he is accused of failing to do his duty, as on many other parts of his job. Video compilation here; recent Vine here.
Document leaks from inside the UN have identified improper service of Morocco, on the question of Western Sahara, by a staffer at the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, Anders Kompass.
Inner City Press has waited to report on them; the spokesperson for the High Commissioner has today said his office is aware the leaked cables, which contain the perspective of certain diplomats, and that the situation is being investigated to clarify the facts.”
Whatever the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, now under Jordan's Prince Zeid, does about the content of the leaks, more will be required in the UN Secretariat in New York -- particularly at the top of the Department of Peacekeeping Operations, which runs the MINURSO mission in Western Sahara.
The cables show that Herve Ladsous, a long-time French diplomat now the boss of DPKO and thus of MINURSO, was flacking for Morocco on the supposed quality of its human rights mechanisms. This directly undercuts the MINURSO mission, for which Ladsous is supposed to be working.
African Union members of the Security Council, from Uganda to South Africa to Nigeria, have demanded that MINURSO have the same type of human rights monitoring mechanism as the UN Peacekeeping missions in the DR Congo, Mali and Central African Republic.
Now Ladsous is exposed undermining extending this to Western Sahara -- the policy of his country, France, but undercutting DPKO.
During General Assembly debate week in September 2014, Ladsous refused to answer Press questions and ended up blocking the Press' camera, Vine here.
UNITED NATIONS, March 11 -- When Hillary Clinton spoke about her privatized e-mails for 20 minutes in front of the UN Security Council on March 10, the venue seemed noteworthy and not entirely appropriate.
The first question seemed fishy, with its praise of Clinton and invitation to blame the controversy on sexism.
The UN moved the flags of the 15 members of the Security Council but left up a sheet emblazoned "Security Council" in English and French. UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric told Inner City Press on March 11 that "the fabric is unmovable, it is tied to the wall."
Previously it has been said that only member states and their representatives may speak on UNTV camera at the UN Security Council stakeout. Inner City Press on March 11 asked Spokesman Dujarric to explain, in light for example of the Frente Polisario of Western Sahara, parties to UN-mediated talks on what's called the last colony in Africa, has been banned from speaking. Video here.
Dujarric said that the US Mission to the UN asked on Hillary Clinton's behalf for the venue, and checked with this month's Security Council presidency: France.
But, Inner City Press asked, since Polisario was blocked by a single member's opposition, was the request circulated to all members? This, Dujarric did not answer.
Many have now noted that the set-aside first question to Hillary Clinton at the UN Security Council stakeout position on March 10 was a softball, beginning with “it's wonderful to see you” and ending with an invitation to blame the inquiry into privatized State Department email on sexism.
To defend the setting-aside of this question, it has been falsely claimed to the Washington Post and repeated by others that there is a “tradition” of the UN Correspondents Association getting the first question in such setting.
Inner City Press on March 11 asked Dujarric, who before being spokesman worked in the UN Department of Public Information in charge of UNTV, if there is any such tradition as to the Security Council stakeout.
No, was the UN Spokesman's on-camera answer, here.
In fact, as noted, a simple review on the UN Television online archivesof the last ten, or twenty, or one hundred question and answer sessions at the Security Council stakeout position where Hillary Clinton spoke shows there is no such tradition. So why was this "tradition" invented and invoked?
Dujarric on March 11 told Inner City Press that the choice of first question was made by Mrs Clinton's spokesperson.
(He said there is a tradition to set aside the first question for UN in the Press Briefing Room -- but this did not happen, for example, on March 11, nor when Chad had a press conference as Security Council president for December 2014. For the reasons below the "tradition" of the UN Secretariat calling first on what's become the UN Censorship Alliance is contested. But it does NOT apply to the UNSC stakeout where Hillary Clinton spoke.)
The Washington Post's Al Kamen In the Loop reported:
“by tradition, the first question at a U.N. news conferences is asked by the president of the U.N. Correspondents Association. But UNCA president Giampaolo Pioli, of the Italian paper Quotidiano Nazionale (National Daily) wasn’t in town Tuesday. We reached him in the Central African Republic and he said protocol would dictate that one of the other UNCA officers would do the honors. They did indeed follow protocol and the next officer in line, UNCA first vice president Kahraman Haliscelik, the New York correspondent for the Turkish Radio & TV network, opened the questioning”
And here was the question: "Madam Secretary, on behalf of the U.N. correspondents association, thank you very much for your remarks andit's wonderful to see you here again. Madam Secretary, why did you opt out using two devices at the time? Obviously, if this hadn't come out, it probably would not have been an issue. And my second follow up question is, if you are a man today, would all this fuss be made?"
The question... speaks for itself. The pretext for setting aside this first question doesn't hold up. Again, a simple search of UNTV's online videos of the last week or month or year of question and answer sessions at the Security Council stakeout where Hillary Clinton spoke shows there is no such tradition, whatever UNCA and perhaps others claim.
But this Pioli, flying along with Security Council members for quick visits to the Central African Republic and Burundi, about which Pioli has never asked the UN a question nor apparently written any articles (unlike US politics), is a Democratic campaign contributor. Whatever one's political affiliation, is this appropriate? Watch this site.
UNITED NATIONS, February 11 -- After UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon spoke by phone with the King of Morocco, now on February 11 Ban's spokesman Stephane Dujarric said:
"on the status of Christopher Ross, the Personal Envoy of the Secretary-General for Western Sahara. I can report that he arrived in Rabat today. Mr. Ross will hold discussions with Morocco and the Frente Polisario and with the neighboring States during this mission."
But will Ross, the Envoy FOR Western Sahara, actually visit Laayoune? Inner City Press asked:
Inner City Press: On Mr. Ross' visit, I wanted to know whether he in fact will go to Laayoune, the main city in Western Sahara. Maybe I missed when you read it out.
Spokesman Dujarric: I will get you… as I said, as we get details, we'll get them to you.
Inner City Press: If he's not, can we find out why he's not?
Spokesman Dujarric: Sure.
So far, seven hours later, nothing. This is the UN and Western Sahara. Back on November 21 asked the New York spokesman for High Commissioner for Human Rights Prince Zeid for
"an update on action on the leaked cables, related to Western Sahara, involving current OHCHR official Anders Kompass and one, previously head of OHCHR's office in NY, who's just left. What steps has OHCHR taken on the cables / issues?"
Now two months and three weeks later there has been no answer on this from the OHCHR spokesperson in New York. But we published this response from OHCHR Geneva spokesperson Rupert Colville to similar questions:
From: Rupert Colville [at] ohchr.org Date: Friday 12 December 2014 Subj: Investigation leaked cables Western Sahara and OHCHR
The investigation is being carried out, at our request, by the Office of Internal Oversight Services (OIOS) in New York, which is an operationally independent office that assists the Secretary-General in fulfilling his internal oversight responsibilities. While the investigation is under way, there is nothing else I can say on the matter.
On January 29, Carman Lapointe the head of OIOS wrote:
"Our operating policies do not allow OIOS to provide information on whether we are investigating any matter, and so you will need to continue to consult OHCHR on this topic.
"In general terms, however, I can say that when/if we receive allegations of leaked confidential documents, we would advise that investigations into leaks of confidential documents are very challenging for OIOS to substantiate. As you may be aware, OIOS has authority to conduct only administrative investigations, and we have very limited (and no coercive) powers. Unless staff members involved in leaks admit or confess, or the leaks are undertaken blatantly using United Nations assets that we can examine forensically (such as by an attachment to an email from a UN computer or other device) we would have no jurisdiction to pursue further. "
Meanwhile on January 23 the UN issued this read out:
"The Secretary-General spoke with His Majesty King Mohammed VI of Morocco on Thursday, January 22. He expressed appreciation for Morocco’s valuable support of the activities of the United Nations, particularly in peacekeeping and in a number of critical issues in Africa and the Middle East.
"On Western Sahara, the Secretary-General acknowledged Morocco’s concerns about the UN-sponsored negotiations between the Kingdom of Morocco and the Frente Polisario. He confirmed that reports to the Council on this issue will remain objective and reflect facts. He also reiterated that the UN Mission in Western Sahara, MINURSO, will continue to exercise its existing mandate as set forth by the Security Council.
"In response, His Majesty indicated that Morocco looks forward to moving ahead in collaboration with the United Nations and that Morocco’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations will be working with the Secretary-General’s Personal Envoy, Christopher Ross, to arrange his next visit to Morocco as soon as possible, as well as with the Secretary-General’s Special Representative and Head of MINURSO, Kim Bolduc, to facilitate her rapid deployment to the region."
So how long will that take?
The UN system often uses the pendency of an investigation as a way to wait for the “problem” to go away. As the publication Tel Quel, here, has noted, many in the media are not covering the leaks.
This is a new trend -- attempt to use copyright law to take down leaked documents. Reuters, for example, filed a “for the record” complaint with the UN trying to get Inner City Press thrown out - then, when the “for the record” complaint was leaked and published, conned Google into blocking it from Search, calling it copyrighted. Click here for that.
So that media uses or abuses copyright to censor its own “for the record” complaint filed with the UN, and does not cover these new leaks about Western Sahara, Morocco, and the UN. This is a new trend. Watch this site.
In the above, the referenced former head of OHCHR's New York office is Senegal's Bacre Waly Ndiaye, noted Tijania Sufi. The cables reveal a deep scandal in the UN system. Now OHCHR in Geneva is saying it will not comment until an investigation, Inner City Press understands by the UN Office of Internal Oversight Services, is complete. But there is no indication that will be publish. This is one of the ways the UN covers up.
There other ways, beyond Western Sahara. On rapes in DR Congo by Army units the UN support, Ladsous refused to answer Press questions for months. Video here of then and now spokesman pulling microphone away from Inner City Press. These practices are being opposed by the new Free UN Coalition for Access.
Now on UN Peacekeeping's November 9 press release covering up mass rape in Thabit in Darfur, Ladsous has not answered any questions; UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric on November 21 told Inner City Press the UN won't comment on leaks. The Western Sahara leaks are so extensive that despite a seeming media blackout by Western wire services, they will not go away.
While Ladsous is not the only UN official exposed by the cables, his extraordinary campaign of refusing Press questions, to the point of physically blocking Press filming (Vine here), as well as a DPKO to OHCHR connection, make him key to the case. As to MINURSO, Ladsous is blamed for the non-deployment of Bolduc.
Back on November 14 Inner City Press asked UN Deputy Spokesperson Farhan Haq about Bolduc and an investigation of leaks in Geneva of which sources tell it. Video here.
On November 5, Inner City Press reported on leaked cables showing among other things the UN's Ladsous undermining MINURSO on the issue of human rights, and improper service of Morocco by Office of the High Commissioner of Human Rights staffers Anders Kompass and Bacre Waly Ndiaye.
Since then, along with anonymous death threats, Inner City Press has received additional information including of a UN Office of Internal Oversight Services investigation of Anders Kompers and Bacre Waly Ndiaye.
On November 14, Inner City Press asked the UN's Haq, per UN transcript:
Deputy Spokesman Haq: You had a question on Western Sahara?
Inner City Press: It's a two-pronged question. What Stéphane [Dujarric] said earlier in the week about Kim Bolduc, the new SRSG [Special Representative of the Secretary-General]. I wanted to just kind of confirm it. In reading it, does that mean that she has never has been allowed in? And, if so, where has she been since August? What is the plan to resolve that? And I also wanted to ask you about regarding the cables that I base the initial question on. Can you confirm that OIOS [Office for Internal Oversight Services] is conducting an investigation at the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights on at least two staff members who apparently leaked this information to the Moroccan Government?
Deputy Spokesman Haq: On that, I cannot confirm that. As you know, the OIOS conducts its work independently. At some point, once they have completed their work, they apprise us [inaudible]. But I wouldn't be aware of any work that is ongoing. Beyond that, regarding Kim Bolduc, as you know, both Christopher Ross and Kim Bolduc briefed the Security Council on 27 October. And at that point, the Security Council reiterated its desire, first of all, to see Ambassador Ross's facilitation resume and reiterated its desire to see Kim Bolduc be able to take up her duties at the helm of MINURSO [United Nations Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara] as soon as possible. And we look forward to the resumption of Mr. Ross's visit to the region and also to the deployment of Kim Bolduc.
Inner City Press: But is she currently, I mean, she is the SRSG?
Deputy Spokesman Haq: She is the SRSG, but she has not been able to function with her MINURSO duties in-country.
In-country, eh? We'll have more on this. And on this: Inner City Press is informed that while Ladsous claims to have performed as required in connection with the appointment of Bolduc, even on this he is accused of failing to do his duty, as on many other parts of his job. Video compilation here; recent Vine here.
Document leaks from inside the UN have identified improper service of Morocco, on the question of Western Sahara, by a staffer at the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, Anders Kompass.
Inner City Press has waited to report on them; the spokesperson for the High Commissioner has today said his office is aware the leaked cables, which contain the perspective of certain diplomats, and that the situation is being investigated to clarify the facts.”
Whatever the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, now under Jordan's Prince Zeid, does about the content of the leaks, more will be required in the UN Secretariat in New York -- particularly at the top of the Department of Peacekeeping Operations, which runs the MINURSO mission in Western Sahara.
The cables show that Herve Ladsous, a long-time French diplomat now the boss of DPKO and thus of MINURSO, was flacking for Morocco on the supposed quality of its human rights mechanisms. This directly undercuts the MINURSO mission, for which Ladsous is supposed to be working.
African Union members of the Security Council, from Uganda to South Africa to Nigeria, have demanded that MINURSO have the same type of human rights monitoring mechanism as the UN Peacekeeping missions in the DR Congo, Mali and Central African Republic.
Now Ladsous is exposed undermining extending this to Western Sahara -- the policy of his country, France, but undercutting DPKO.
During General Assembly debate week in September 2014, Ladsous refused to answer Press questions and ended up blocking the Press' camera, Vine here.
