Inner City Press: Joachim Rucker

Showing posts with label Joachim Rucker. Show all posts

Saturday, February 28, 2015

UNanswered: Did UN's Jeffrey Feltman Says Sri Lanka Will Now Investigate "Under UN Supervision"?

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, February 28 -- Nine days after the UN Human Rights Council under Joachim Rucker granted HCHR Zeid's request to withhold the already delayed report on war crimes in Sri Lanka, the UN on February 26 added Jaffna as a stop to the Sri Lanka visit by Secretary General Ban Ki-moon's highest political official Jeffrey Feltman.

That came two days after Inner City Press asked if Feltman would go to Jaffna, site of protests of the delay, and was told "Colombo only."

On Friday, February 27, Inner City Press asked UN Spokesman Stephane Dujarric:

Inner City Press: on this trip by Mr. Feltman to Sri Lanka, I wanted to know: can you confirm he's meeting with the Tamil National Alliance… that's tomorrow? And will there be any readouts?

Spokesman Dujarric: We talked to our colleagues in DPA [Department of Political Affairs] to make sure we can get some readouts e-mailed over the weekend as they happen.

But more than 24 hours later, after Feltman's meeting with the TNA, there was no read-out.

Meanwhile it was reported under the headline "UN clarifies the delay" that "the UN Under Secretary General for Political Affairs, Jeffrey Feltman, told the TNA that the release of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Inquiry on Sri Lanka (OISL) report on alleged war crimes in the Island was postponed to September this year following the assurance given by the new Government, that it would conduct an internal investigation under UN supervision."

So since UN DPA is tweeting about Feltman's trip, Inner City Press asked in this same medium, "Press Q: So, did government promise an 'investigation under UN supervision'?"

So far, no answer. The UN is UNresponsive - click here for that, including with regard to the UN's Censorship Alliance - but we'll stay on it.

Rucker, speaking in Geneva, has claimed that this delay was "very rational" in a "relatively unique" case. Are all forms of impunity and justice delayed "relatively unique"?

On February 24, UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric said:

"Mr. Feltman will then travel to Sri Lanka on Saturday. There, he plans to meet with senior officials of the Government of Sri Lanka, political parties and civil society groups. This will be his first visit to Sri Lanka, and he looks forward to discussing with Sri Lankan leaders various issues of mutual concern."

Inner City Press immediately asked Ban Ki-moon's Spokesman Stephane Dujarric if Feltman will at least visit Jaffna in the north, site of protests of UN High Commissioner Prince Zeid's recommendation of the day:

Inner City Press: I want to ask in advance whether he’s going to go only to Colombo or Jaffna where there were pretty big protests over the weekend against the decision to defer that human rights report. I’m wondering what’s the relationship between his trip and that… the process supposedly in six months to…

Spokesman Dujarric: My understanding is that he will only go to Colombo to meet with various people. We’ll get you, as the meetings happen, we’ll try to get you readouts.

Now, Jaffna has been added. But what will the read-outs be? We'll have more on this

Back on February 13 after Sri Lanka's new government spoke of doing another local investigation into war crimes in 2009, and asking for a suspension of the UN Human Rights Council process, Inner City Press went to Foreign Minister Mangala Samaraweera's meeting with UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon.

No other media at the UN attended; only the UN's own in-house UN Photo and UN TV. But accompanying Mangala Samaraweera were outgoing Ambassador Palitha Kohona and others. Video here.

Ban Ki-moon, before Inner City Press was whisked out of the meeting, told Mangala Samaraweera he had met him after the tsunami - that is, when Ban was a South Korean diplomat.

On February 17, after High Commissioner Prince Zeid recomended and got for Sri Lanka a six month deferral of action, Ban's deputy spokesperson Farhan Haq, asked ofShavendra Silva by IPS, said

"the Secretary-General is aware that the new administration is planning to set up a domestic accountability mechanism and will be carefully assessing developments. The Secretary-General, as you're aware, met with the Minister of External Affairs of Sri Lanka last Friday, 13 February, and stressed the importance of Sri Lanka to show firm and clear commitment to accountability, reconciliation and human rights. He also encouraged the Government to engage continuously with the High Commissioner for Human Rights. Advancing accountability, like other parts of the post-war agenda in Sri Lanka, will lay the basis for the country to make further progress on peace, democracy and development. The UN remains committed to support Sri Lanka’s efforts to address the postwar agenda. The Secretary-General is also aware of reactions from various communities to the decision by the Human Rights Council, and the Secretary-General will positively engage with the new Government and support its efforts."

This is shameful all around, in light of talk of accountability.

Last week, the UN's Oscar Fernandez Taranco met the US State Department's Nisha Biswal. Inner City Press asked if it was about Bangladesh, and was told, "in part."Taranco was at Ban's meeting with Samaraweera, here. So was Sri Lanka and the deferral request the other part? Watch this site.

Back on February 12 Inner City Press asked UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon's spokesman for the UN's position.Video here.

First, Inner City Press asked whether Sri Lanka's Palitha Kohona is leaving the UN:

Inner City Press: yesterday, he met with Ambassador Kohona of Sri Lanka. I couldn't tell if that was a farewell call or not.

Spokesman Dujarric: It was indeed a farewell call.

Inner City Press: And did the issue of not pursuing the Human Rights Council investigation into Sri Lanka arise?

Spokesman Dujarric: It was, indeed, a farewell call. I mean, the Secretary-General's position on the, on the human rights investigation is unchanged. He's obviously aware that the new administration is considering setting domestic accountability mechanisms and will be carefully assessing these developments. The Secretary-General has stressed the importance of Sri Lanka establishing credible mechanisms that meet international standards. Advancing accountability, like other parts of the post-war agenda in Sri Lanka, will lay the basis for the country to make further progress on peace, democracy and development. The UN stands ready, as always, to support Sri Lanka's efforts to address the post-war agenda as we have consistently affirmed.

It's a question that when raised, here, to the US State Department went so far unanswered. New foreign minister Mangala Samaraweera is set to meet with Ban on February 13. Watch this site.

Back on January 12 the UN said that Secretary General Ban Ki-moon made this call:

"The Secretary-General congratulated President Sirisena’s election and the successful conclusion of the presidential election. The Secretary-General and President Sirisena discussed the President’s 100-day plan and Sri Lanka’s post-war agenda. The Secretary-General affirmed continuous support by the UN to Sri Lanka."

That is, the UN's read-out of Ban's call had no mention of accountability or of the UN Human Rights Council inquiry into the bloodbath on the beach in 2009. We'll have more on this.

After Mahinda Rajapaksa conceded defeat but before 10:30 pm on January 8 in Washington, US Secretary of State issued a statement, below.

Inner City Press published it, and asked the UN for its comment. Told to expect one in the AM, New York time, Inner City Press noted, the earlier the better. Twelve hours later, there was nothing.

So Inner City Press asked again at the noon briefing on January 9, after new President Sirisena's inauguration. UN Deputy Spokesperson Farhan Haq said the UN welcomes the transfer of power, then later in the briefing read out this statement:

"The Secretary-General congratulates the people of Sri Lanka on the successful conclusion of the presidential election, and welcomes the constitutional transfer of power.

"The Secretary-General applauds the Sri Lankan Elections Commission for its professionalism in ensuring a peaceful and credible election. He also commends the efforts of the candidates, including in particular outgoing President Mahinda Rajapaksa, law enforcement agencies and civil society for upholding and respecting democratic governance.

"The Secretary-General looks forward to working with President Maithripala Sirisena and the people of Sri Lanka. He affirms the continuous support of the United Nations for development, reconciliation, political dialogue and accountability in Sri Lanka."

Inner City Press immediately asked Haq if what this reference to accountability portends for the UN inquiry into the events in 2009. We'll have more on this.

Amnesty International has said that "Sri Lanka has for years resisted all international efforts to investigate the conflict years, and instead relied on domestic investigation bodies that toed the government line. This has to end – the new government should cooperate fully with the UN investigation.”

Watch this site.

In other possible routes to accountability, talk of seeking justice in US courts as to several joint American citizens in Team Rajapaksa - or on the team during the 2009 "Bloodbath on the Beach" -- has picked up. Some team members have reportedly already left the country: we'll have more on this.

Thursday, February 26, 2015

UN Official Jeffrey Feltman's Visit to Sri Lanka Now Expands to Jaffna, Amid Protest of Delay of War Crimes Report

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, February 24 -- Nine days after the UN Human Rights Council under Joachim Rucker granted HCHR Zeid's request to withhold the already delayed report on war crimes in Sri Lanka, the UN on February 24 added Jaffna as a stop to the Sri Lanka visit by Secretary General Ban Ki-moon's highest political official Jeffrey Feltman.

This comes two days after Inner City Press asked Feltman would go to Jaffna, site of protests of the delay, and was told "Colombo only." But what will Feltman say, in Jaffna? What would Zeid say?

Rucker, speaking in Geneva, has claimed that this delay was "very rational" in a "relatively unique" case. Are all forms of impunity and justice delayed "relatively unique"?

On February 24, UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric said:

Now, Jaffna has been added. But what will the read-outs be? We'll have more on this

No other media at the UN attended; only the UN's own in-house UN Photo and UN TV. But accompanying Mangala Samaraweera were outgoing Ambassador Palitha Kohona and others. Video here.

Ban Ki-moon, before Inner City Press was whisked out of the meeting, told Mangala Samaraweera he had met him after the tsunami - that is, when Ban was a South Korean diplomat.

On February 17, after High Commissioner Prince Zeid recomended and got for Sri Lanka a six month deferral of action, Ban's deputy spokesperson Farhan Haq, asked ofShavendra Silva by IPS, said

This is shameful all around, in light of talk of accountability.

Back on February 12 Inner City Press asked UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon's spokesman for the UN's position.Video here.

First, Inner City Press asked whether Sri Lanka's Palitha Kohona is leaving the UN:

It's a question that when raised, here, to the US State Department went so far unanswered. New foreign minister Mangala Samaraweera is set to meet with Ban on February 13. Watch this site.

Back on January 12 the UN said that Secretary General Ban Ki-moon made this call:

That is, the UN's read-out of Ban's call had no mention of accountability or of the UN Human Rights Council inquiry into the bloodbath on the beach in 2009. We'll have more on this.

After Mahinda Rajapaksa conceded defeat but before 10:30 pm on January 8 in Washington, US Secretary of State issued a statement, below.

Inner City Press published it, and asked the UN for its comment. Told to expect one in the AM, New York time, Inner City Press noted, the earlier the better. Twelve hours later, there was nothing.

Inner City Press immediately asked Haq if what this reference to accountability portends for the UN inquiry into the events in 2009. We'll have more on this.

Watch this site.

Sunday, April 6, 2008

At UN, Serbia's Vuk Jeremic Speaks of Kosovo, Says Ruecker "Doesn't Deserve" Higher UN Post

Byline: Matthew Russell Lee of Inner City Press at UN
www.innercitypress.com/sc5kosovo040408.html

UNITED NATIONS, April 4 -- Serbian Foreign Minister Vuk Jeremic met late Friday with the UN's Ban Ki-moon, then after 7 p.m. took question from the two media outlets left, a television station and Inner City Press. He spoke of Serbia asking the International Court of Justice to declare Kosovo's unilateral declaration of independence, and some countries' recognition of it, as illegal. Inner City Press asked him about the European Union's announcement that so-called Pillar IV of the UN Mission in Kosovo will end in June. While Ban's Deputy Spokesperson declined to comment on this earlier on Friday, Jeremic replied that he told Ban that the UN must keep up UNMIK, under Security Council Resolution 1244. He said that Ban assured him that the UN is in fact conducting an investigation of its actions in Metrovica on March 17, when they stormed the courthouse and re-took it by force.

Back on April 1, Inner City Press had asked Ban's Associate Spokesperson Farhan Haq about "reports that UNMIK in Kosovo has alleged that Serbian Interior Ministry personnel were in Mitrovica when this courthouse incident took place and that somehow they have an office there, something that Serbia rejects. Is that what UNMIK is alleging and, if so, based on what evidence?

Haq answered, "I'll have to look into that. I hadn't heard of that before."

But rather than look into it and provide an answer or evidence, while the noon briefing was still going on, Haq's colleague upstairs e-mailed Inner City Press that the question should be directed to UNMIK. But UNMIK increasingly says it is waiting for guidance from New York, meaning that the questions should be asked in New York. Ultimately, Ban Ki-moon is responsible, as Vuk Jeremic on Friday made clear.

Of the rumor inside the UN that the current head of UNMIK Joachim Ruecker might come to New York to take over the Department of Management, with a promotion to Under-Secretary-General, Vuk Jeremic said without hesitation, "He doesn't deserve it." We'll see.

Press analysis: A Balkan diplomat consulted by Inner City Press said the reason that a Swiss cantonization of Kosovo could never work is that while "Switzerland is rich," Kosovo does not have the economy to support such an arrangement. He mused that in Ban Ki-moon's upcoming trip to Russia he will attempt to render moot what he said was Russia's threat to veto any second term as Secretary-General for Mr. Ban. He predicted that Kostunica would represent Serbia at the Council's April 21 debate, and openly questioned why the UN never responded to Serbia's formal request for an emergency meeting following the events of March 17 in Mitrovica. "It's strange they didn't answer," he said. Strange indeed...

and see, www.innercitypress.com/sc5kosovo040408.html

Russia Has "Tough Questions" for UN on Kosovo, for Georgia on Abkhazia

Byline: Matthew Russell Lee of Inner City Press at UN
and see, www.innercitypress.com/un1churkin033108.html

UNITED NATIONS, March 31 -- "I haven't heard of any proposal for a division of Kosovo," Russian Ambassador to the UN Vitaly Churkin told the press on Monday. "If such proposal are being entertained, it is between Serbians and Albanians, if they want to involve UNMIK," the UN Mission in Kosovo.

Inner City Press asked UN Spokesperson Michele Montas if a partition proposal has been made to UNMIK. Yes, she said, the proposal was made to UNMIK's deputy Larry Rossin. Rossin had previously been accused of improperly leaking a diplomatic proposal that had been made to him in confidence. But now it's no longer a matter of leaking: the UN's spokesperson confirms that the proposal has been made.

Asked about reports of the U.S. moving to arm the Pristina government, Ambassador Churkin called this provocative and said that, if true, the international military presence should confiscate such weapons. Amb. Churkin said "we have tough questions to ask" about UNMIK's move earlier this month to re-take the courthouse in Mitrovica. Ukraine, too, has had questions, about the rules of engagement under which one of its peacekeepers was killed. The Ukrainian interior minister, Yuriy Lutsenko, has claimed that these rules were, don't shoot until you've suffered the first injury. The head of UN peacekeeping denies that. Perhaps this will be among the "tough questions" that will be asked in the Security Council.

Inner City Press asked Amb. Churkin about the status of Georgia's request that the UN's Abkhazia peacekeeping and observer mission be reconsidered. Churkin said that the Council has repeatedly praised the Russian peacekeepers, and that, in his view, Georgia's request is a distraction from needed negotiations with the Abkhaz. "The problem is they have been doing things, like sending military into the Upper Kodori Valley," Churkin said, rather than offering socio-economic progress. In the run-up to the NATO meetings in Bucharest, Georgia has made an Abkhazia proposal, which its de facto leaders have rejected.

Summarizing his month as president of the Council, Churkin ran through the numbers: 16 official meetings, 13 consultations, five resolutions, seven press statements -- and, he pointed out, no official Presidential Statements, which require unanimity. Russia has table "elements" for such a Statement about Kosovo, but it seems unlikely they will pass. So too any Statement on Myanmar. Churkin said "we are not an elections board." But when the leader of the opposition is not allowed to run in an election, where is the elections board to condemn this?

South African's Dumisani Kumalo takes on the Council presidency for April, with thematic debates scheduled on regional cooperation (expect an appearance from African Union officials) and perhaps on small arms. There's been talk of the UK tabling a resolution on Somalia. Monday morning outside the Council, French Ambassador Jean-Maurice Ripert told reporters, "I have to go to Somalia," referring to a meeting on the subject. "Bon voyage," one journalist quipped. "Mais c'est un beau pays," Ripert said. It's a pretty country. Yes, it is, despite everything.

Footnote: Given the questions about UNMIK one wonders what Russia -- to say nothing of Serbia -- would say if UNMIK chief Joaquim Rucker were in fact to be put forward for an Under Secretary General post such as in the Department of Management. The current holder of the post wrote a letter to the editor of the Washington Post, blaming the ever-expanding UN budget on the member states. But only $31 million in new money was approved on March 28, according to the GA's spokesman, compared to the $1.1 billion proposal previously reported on. Days after the vote, the actual resolution was still not available. Only at the UN. To be continued.

And see, www.innercitypress.com/un1churkin033108.html

Saturday, March 29, 2008

UN's Top Lawyer Declines to Answer on Subsidy, Insurance or Settlements, Liberia Crash Fallout

Byline: Matthew Russell Lee of Inner City Press at UN
www.innercitypress.com/un4subsidymichel032708.html

UNITED NATIONS, March 27 -- As the UN's chief lawyer Nicolas Michel purported to take questions from the press on Wednesday about the UN's Lebanon tribunal, behind the scenes he declined to answer questions not only about the housing subsidies he took from the Swiss government, but also about the UN-affiliated Cambodian genocide tribunal, his office's role in reviewing charges of UN Development Program involvement in diamond mining and smuggling in Zimbabwe, and how the UN and his office settle legal claims against the UN. While Ban Ki-moon's spokesperson said publicly that Michel is "very open about these issues," when faced with written questions from Inner City Press, Mr. Michel has said that henceforth all inquiries should go through the spokesperson's office. Wednesday at Michel's briefing, during which even though it was television Mr. Michel purposed to go off the record, click here to view, the spokesperson declined to call on Inner City Press to ask a question. Very open, indeed...

Underpinning the freeze out of the press, the Lebanese newspaper Al Akhbar repeated and cited Inner City Press' report that Michel's receipt of housing subsidy from the Swiss government throughout 2006 was omitted from his public financial disclosure form. Unlike Inner City Press, Al Akhbar concluded with a question in the nature of an editorial, asking why Switzerland would be paying, if not to seek some influence? Reportedly, Al Akhbar's story is viewed as damaging the credibility of Nicolas Michel, and perhaps by implication the tribunal, in Lebanon. Mr. Michel's response was not to finally disclose how much subsidy he took from the Swiss, but rather to refuse to answer any further questions and to declare his last transmission "off the record." Inner City Press is respecting but noting that request, from the UN's top lawyer.

Among the questions still lacking answers are how much Michel received in housing subsidy from the Swiss government, and for how long. Of even since-discredited Evelyn Herfkens, formerly of the UN Development Program, it is known that she received $280,000. (She is being asked to return the subsidy.) Herfkens found an apartment, across from the UN, from $7000 a month, while Michel has said he couldn't find anything in Manhattan for less than $20,000, due to size of family and, apparently, taste. But how much did he end up taking from the Swiss government, to live in suburban Westchester? At first he said he couldn't find or didn't have access to the records. Now he says he will answer no more direct questions.

Because the UN so often claims immunity, denying the jurisdiction of national courts over its actions, a lack of transparency by its chief legal official is particularly troubling. On a simple legal issue, Inner City Press asked Nicolas Michel "how are settlements paid out by UN peacekeeping missions? I asked at the noon briefing a report from Liberia [click here]. The spokesperson said that arrangements are made by each peacekeeping mission, on a case by case basis. But is OLA involved in the payment of settlements (and presumably the signing of releases)? How does immunity impact this?"

Because unhappy with the coverage of the housing subsidy he took from the Swiss, Mr. Michel refused to answer this question, even the thematic part, about immunity. Rather, Inner City Press had to await a non-thematic (but nonetheless appreciated) answer from Monrovia from an UNMIL spokesman, that

Matthew, this is what I can give you now:

Q:Was there an accident Nov 29 2007 involving UNMIL?

A: Yes

Q: Does UNMIL acknowledge its role and is it seeking to pay a settlement

A: UNMIL has acknowledged its role and accepted the outcome of an investigation by LNP and UNMIL investigators.

Q: How much was determined to be paid and from which funding would it be paid?

A: UNMIL's insurers in Monrovia (Secure Risks) are dealing with the claim, according to the laws of Liberia.

So -- UNMIL has insurance, and this will pay the victims of an UNMIL crash. At times, as will shortly become apparent, the UN does not even insure its own workers.

Q: Update on the UNMIL helicopter crash and any payments made in connection with that.

A: As has been discussed here in UNMIL press briefings, the cause of the crash was determined to be accidental. We have no details of any payment which may have been made as the helicopter and the pilots who died were working for a Ukrainian company contracted through UN HQ.

That is to say, the question cannot be answered from the field, only through Headquarters in New York. But here in New York, spokespeople say questions can only be answered from the field, and delay for days providing the most simple financial information.

To be fair to Nicolas Michel, we note two analogous things, that Mr. Michel is not the only UN official questions about whom the spokesperson leaves unanswered. Earliest this week, Inner City Press asked if new Sports and Development envoy Lemke is still an elected official in Germany. Information was promised, but none was provided. Finally, Inner City Press contacted the Germany mission to the UN, which replied

"At the moment, Mr. Lemke is a member of the government of the German federal state of Bremen. He was, however, appointed by the Secretary-General to his new post on the understanding that he will resign from his post in Bremen. He will of course tender his resignation to the Bremen parliament before he assumes his new post in Geneva, which will both happen after his visit to New York."

And, also to be fair to Nicolas Michel, two UN officials who has chosen to maintain financial disclosure confidentiality are the UN Mission in Kosovo's Joachim Rucker -- whether this lack of disclosure would weigh against rumored consideration for Department of Management is not known -- and the Department of Peacekeeping Operation's Dmitri Titov, now the "Rule of Law" chief.

Oh to be the lawyer advocating for a lawless organization...

And see, www.innercitypress.com/un4subsidymichel032708.html

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