At UN, Sri Lanka Accused of Shelling Civilians, "Friendly Censure," Security Council Diplomat Says, LTTE Also Condemned

Byline: Matthew Russell Lee of Inner City Press at UN
www.innercitypress.com/unscsri1lanka032609.html

UNITED NATIONS, March 26 -- The UN Security Council's second session in a month on the conflict in Sri Lanka was a "friendly censure" of the government, according to Jorge Urbina, the Ambassador of Costa Rica, a member of the Council. Following a closed door session at which Sri Lanka's Mission to the UN showed pictures of the conflict zone, U.S. Ambassador Rosemary DiCarlo said that Sri Lanka has been shelling areas with civilians, near to hospitals. She said that the camps for internally displaced people, which she called interment camps, would only be funded by the UN for three months. Video here.

Top UN Humanitarian John Holmes, on the other hand, said he "wouldn't like to put a time" frame on how long the UN would fund these camps, from which IDPs cannot leave or receive visits, even from family members. Likewise, he declined again to confirm his own agency's figures of 2,683 civilians killed from January 20 to March 7, a number that only came out because the document was leaked to Inner City Press.

Holmes' equivocation, combined with UN Resident Coordinator Neil Buhne's even more pronounced placating of the government -- which has led senior UN officials in New York to say Buhle has been "captured" -- have led the Sri Lankan government to claim that no one in the UN has criticized their conduct in the conflict, neither from the UN Secretariat nor from UN member states. Following, most pointedly, the public on-camera statements of U.S. Ambassador DiCarlo, that claim has been debunked.

Inner City Press asked Sri Lanka's representative after the meeting to explain his Foreign Minister's claims. He said he would have to look into them. Asked when the newspaper editor locked up during the conflict would be put on trial or released, he said "I am not an astrologer." He said the Army is closer than one kilometer from the zone, but is holding back.

A senior UN official on March 25, the day before the Council meeting, said that the UN internally is increasingly worried of a "nightmare scenario" in which the government makes a final push, tens of thousands of civilians end up dead and "everyone blames the UN." At least in its worries, the UN shows foresight. Perhaps the beginning of wisdom is to worry about the right things.

U.S. Ambassador DiCarlo said the number of civilians trapped between the LTTE and the government number from 150,000 to 190,000. The UN's Holmes added the Sri Lankan government's figure, 70,000. We note that he also wryly stated, on his way into basement Conference Room 7, that "this meeting doesn't exist," a reference to its strange location, title and format, a concession by the Council to its members who wanted no briefing at all. Holmes has to deal with politics. The question is, when must humanitarian principles unequivocally win out?

French Ambassador Jean-Maurice Ripert, who spoke as he rushed out of the meeting, said that "both sides must comply with international humanitarian law." He added that the Sri Lankan government is asking countries with Tamil diaspora populations to make sure money is not donated or exported from their soil to the Tamil Tigers. How this would be implemented by the UK is not clear. UK Ambassador Sawers spoke briefly to the Press, but not on this point. Video through here.

The senior UN official who spoke to Inner City Press spoke of a strategy of making Tamils outside of the country aware they could be charged with crimes. If this is the UN's plan to help the civilians, the UN-enunciated "responsibility to protect" should begin at home.

And see, www.innercitypress.com/unscsri1lanka032609.html

On Haiti, UN's Council and Ban Focus, Abuse and Mandate Questions Unanswered

Byline: Matthew Russell Lee of Inner City Press at UN
www.innercitypress.com/ungo2haiti030709.html

UNITED NATIONS, March 7 -- Haiti, so often a second thought in the UN system, is for this week its focus. Accompanied by US ex-President Clinton and hand-selected press, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon will travel there on March 9 and 10. Then the Security Council, including nine members at the highest UN level, will arrive in Haiti on March 11, in the run-up to considering the renewal of the ever-changing Peacekeeping mission there. On March 6 Inner City Press asked Costa Rican Ambassador Jorge Urbina, who is leading the Council’s trip, who or what is being fought in Haiti, and whether the mission will seek answers on the UN’s own misdeeds, including a follow-up on the 107 Sri Lanka soldiers sent home in late 2007 charged with sexual abuse.

Ambassador Urbina said that while the issue of exploitation by peacekeepers is not formally in the terms of reference of the mission, other Ambassadors or if not he himself “may ask about this difficult issues” when they meet with the UN Special Representative Hedi Annabi or the mission’s Force Commander. He acknowledged that the mission has become one of “peacebuilding,” aiming at sustainable development, which is “not the focus” of the Security Council.

With much fanfare, the UN set up a Peacebuilding Commission to work in post-conflict countries. So far it has focused on Burundi and Sierra Leone, and now Central African Republic and Guinea-Bissau. This last is hardly post-conflict: last week the president and prime minister were killed. In Haiti on the other hand, the military component of the ostensible Peacekeeping mission has devolved to law enforcement, and not very effective at that.

Haiti has been plagued by a spate of kidnappings, and sources alleged darkly that some UN peacekeepers stand by or even participate. (To be clear, those making these allegation are speaking of particular peacekeepers from relatively low-wealth countries, and call it a “crime of opportunity”). One wonders if this issue will come up in the Council’s trip or, less like, Bill Clinton’s and Ban’s.

On this last, Inner City Press inquired with Ban’s Deputy Spokesperson Marie Okabe on March 3, and later sent a reminder, without receiving any response. When one is received, it will be reported on this site.

As Inner City Press noted on March 2, that day UN Peacekeeping chief Alain “Le Roy mentioned ‘good news’ from Haiti. That's not what a long-time Haitian journalist, standing Monday morning in the snow across First Avenue from the UN, told Inner City Press. In fact, some are alleging some UN complicity in the very crimes in Haiti being denounced. The snowy Haitian journalist has urged further investigations.” The next day, Inner City Press sent a timely request to Ms. Okabe, followed by a reminder, but has not heard back.

Back on February 3, Inner City Press asked Ms. Le Roy’s colleague “Ms. Malcorra about reports of staff unrest in the UN Mission in Haiti, MINUSTAH, about which a question has been pending with the UN for five days. Malcorra shook her head, yes there is tension there, that she thinks can be resolved. Sources tell Inner City Press that international UN staff face a reduction in benefits.”

Later, Ban’s Spokesperson told Inner City Press that the unrest was not limited to Haiti. A Peacekeeping spokesperson tried to limit the complaints to higher-level staff. But the issue arose at a UN Department of Management Town Hall meeting, and it emerges that compensation was in fact being cut, and is now being phrased in, 100% for two years, then tapering off after that.

This Spokesperson responded back in November 2008 to questions about the deadly school collapse in Petionville, telling Inner City Press, which asked whether the UN given its central role in Haiti might be trying to encourage improvements in building codes, that "there is a government in Haiti... those codes have existed for two hundreds years." That might be the problem. Reportedly

"anger boiled over as thousands of Haitians looked on in the blazing sun, with the stench of rotting bodies beginning to rise from the rubble. Rumors have circulated that the international rescuers were working slowly to inflate their wages. About 100 men rushed the unstable pile... Thousands cheered them on, chanting, 'We don't need money to do the work!' Baton-swinging Haitian police and United Nations peacekeepers in riot gear drove the men away, only for them to return and throw rocks."

The Spokesperson was asked who decided on this use of force. Initially and cordially, she said that a "serious problem of crowd control" had existed as parents tried to get to the school, which "two teams, French and American, were working with MINUSTAH" to clear the rubble. Video here, from Minute 13:20.

One wondered, given the insistence that the UN system which includes the UN Development Program can do nothing about the building codes and practices that led to the collapse, why MINISTAH was described as being in charge of the rescue effort.

In fact, the Council mission if not that of Ban and Clinton might want to inquire into how MINUSTAH spends money, and who decided on it. As Inner City Press exclusively reported in October 2008, "there are other extensive overhead costs of the UN system in Haiti, not least the rental of a former hotel in Port au Prince. After weeks of waiting, DPKO finalize provided the following:

"the main MINUSTAH headquarters complex (The Christopher Hotel) is rented directly from a private individual (Dr. Gerard Desir) at the rate of $3.86 per square meter. The total complex is 24,383 square meters which includes parking, office space, pre-fab office space, canteen and conference space. The total monthly rent is thus $94,000. Please note that this does not include the MINUSTAH logbase, which is located on a plot of land provided at no cost by the Haitian Government. The decision to select the Hotel Christopher was based on a locally-completed analytical process which determined that this facility was one of the few premises in Port au Prince which would meet the Mission's requirements with regards to space, water and power . It is also in a neighbourhood that was judged in 2004 to be among the safest in Port au Prince."

Beyond all these hard-won numbers, we are left with the question of the transition from a peacekeeping mission, not to peacebuilding, but emergency humanitarian. As Annabi said, such aid is needed. But is DPKO the right agency to be coordinating it?

The Council may also wish to follow-up on a UN shooting incident in April 2008 which Inner City Press asked Deputy Spokesperson Okabe about

Inner City Press: There are reports from Haiti that a protest has been filed with MINUSTAH (the United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti) after the death of the peacekeeper and the shooting up of street vendors and the destruction of their property and some deaths. Has MINUSTAH received a protest in that regard and is there an investigation?

Deputy Spokesperson Okabe: I'll look into that for you.

Added later to the transcript:

"The Deputy Spokesperson later told the correspondent that, according to MINUSTAH, the mission says it has not been sent any complaint or protest directly, but it has received a copy of a letter from two local commercial associations (Association of the Defense of Haitian Merchants & Consumers and The Association for Small Businesses) addressed to the Government prosecutor, in which it is alleged that the two persons named were killed by MINUSTAH troops on 12 April 2008 following the public murder of a Nigerian United Nations Police, who was shot dead in the market in Belair.

MINUSTAH is, of course, investigating these allegations, but has not found any facts to substantiate them. Consequently the allegations that any MINUSTAH personnel killed these individuals or subsequently removed their bodies from the scene remain unsupported by any evidence."

The individual named in Inner City Press follow-up written question were Amonese Pierre and Anna Ainsi Connu. While the UN has said it is investigating itself -- we have heard this before -- this particular case should continue to be followed, as a matter of the UN's own "Responsibility to Protect" and otherwise.

In March 2008, exactly a year ago and where we’ll leave this retrospective off, Inner City Press asked about "an AP story today about Haiti -- the headline is 'Millions Starve as Food Rots in Haiti's Ports' -- talking about blockages in the ports. It talks about WFP somehow getting its food in, but that other charities can't get its food in. Does MINUSTAH, or the UN system, can it confirm that millions are starving while food rots in Haiti's ports?

Ban's Spokesperson Michele Montas said, "I don't know whether I can say that or not. There have been a number of measures against corruption in the ports, which might have created this situation. I have nothing from MINUSTAH giving me information about people dying of hunger because the food is not getting in. Okay, thank you very much."

No, thank you – while we await the delayed response to our timely March 3 inquiry. Watch this site.

And see, www.innercitypress.com/ungo2haiti030709.html

As UN Council Meets, NGOs' Eviction from Darfur Called "Only the First Step," Bashir Indictment Freeze Requests

Byline: Matthew Russell Lee of Inner City Press at UN
www.innercitypress.com/un4bashir030609.html

UNITED NATIONS, March 6 -- With African Union and Arab League diplomats headed to New York to lobby the Security Council for a suspension of the indictment against Sudan's Omar al-Bashir, the Council met Friday about Bashir's expulsion of NGOs which serve Darfur. The percentage of the humanitarian work in Darfur impacted by the expulsion order varied by source. The UN's Catherine Bragg, who cancelled her noon press availability and postponed it until after the Council's Friday afternoon session, put the figure at 50%. Costa Rica's Ambassador Jorge Urbina, on the other hand, said he'd head the figure was closer to 70%. Inner City Press asked Ambassador Urbina, on camera, to comment on the NGOs departure from Sudan. He declined, but off camera said "something must be done." Asked if the harm to civilians would make Costa Rica re-think its opposition to suspending the indictment of Bashir, he said no.

Footage from Khartoum showed al-Bashir dancing with a crowd and apparently little security. We will not back down, he told the crowd. This is the new Sudan.

At a diplomatic luncheon Friday for Ghana, Inner City Press asked a range of Ambassadors about the situation in Sudan. While most spoke off the record, the representative of the Holy See said he disagreed that the indictment would make peace talks less likely. Look at South Sudan, he said. Even after the death of John Garang, the talks continued. Bashir has been in power for nearly 20 years.

But now the Justice and Equality Movement says it will not negotiate with a war criminal. Were these foreseeable impacts thought out? Will Ocampo be the one serving breakfast in Nyala?

On the way into the Council, a senior Sudanese diplomat stopped and told Inner City Press that "our people" say the meeting is about the requests for suspension from the AU and Arab League. They are member states, he said, they should come before the NGOs. All of this could have been avoided, he said. This is only the first step. We have nothing to lose.

Beginning with this quote, we will endeavor to live-blog outside the Council's closed door session. Watch this space.

On his way into the meeting, Austria's Ambassador stopped to say that the UN taking over the humanitarian programs in Darfur is "unrealistic," and that Austria would not support any suspension of the indictment, as they believe in the rule of law, the fight against impunity and the independence of the court. He was asked, since Sudan could only be prosecuted due to the Council's 2005 vote to refer the case, if the Council couldn't not ask for deferral. That would be even more problematic, he answered, saying that the court proceeding must proceed.

Update of 4:09 p.m. -- in a rambling stakeout interview, Sudan's Ambassador said he has a "dossier" of proof against each of the 13 expelled NGOs. He said that the International Rescue Committee, for example, "has an MOU with the ICC," and that other NGOs "use their planes to fly supposed victims to Paris." One reporter suggested that he return to the stakeout Monday at 10 a.m. with the dossier. You can come to my office, the Sudanese Ambassador said, adding to the crowd, but he better be careful, he might have a heart attack, the evidence is so strong.

Reporters laughed, some cringed. Inner City Press asked if these 13 NGOs are being allowed to continue operations in South Sudan. I don't know if they have operations in the South, the Ambassador said. Inner City Press asked what Sudan would think of Bill Frist as the US Special Envoy for Darfur. That is a US decision, he said, adding that Sudan would prefer an "upgraded" US Ambassador in Khartoum, and might not allow in a new US Special Envoy. What will happen Monday at 10 a.m. is not known. Even Friday afternoon, the Council meeting continues.

Update of 4:35 p.m. -- France's Ambassador Jean-Maurice Ripert came to the stakeout, saying among other things that if Sudan does not reverse its position, Kalma camp and another may run out of water in 48 hours. Inner City Press asked him if France thinks the expulsion is a violation of international humanitarian law or implicates the Responsibilility to Protect (which France's Bernard Kouchner has said he invented). Yes, Ripert said, we think this violates the law, and we've said that in the Council, asking members to act on their commitments made in January to support international humanitarian law.

Will there be a written statement, then? A draft is being circulated. But it seems clear that several members will not sign onto anything that does not raise the suspension of the indictment of Bashir.

Update of 4:54 p.m. -- UK Ambassador John Sawers came to the stakeout out and, long story short, said there would be no Council statement. A British reporter said NGOs called this "grotesque." Sawers explained that one of the Permanent members insisted on references to the ICC. He said that Russia would have been willing to sign on to some reasonable statement. So call it China -- which, like the US, hasn't spoken at the stakeout.

Inner City Press asked Sawers if the expulsion was entirely unexpected, if any contingency planning had been done. You can't plan for everything, he said, adding that no one saw the NGOs as connected to the ICC. No one?

Update of 5:35 p.m. -- the UN's Catherine Bragg emerged, and her spokeswoman Stephanie Bunker said she's had a long day and has other engagements, so will take only three questions. She was asked about the capacity of national NGOs, and spoke of trying to replace six thousand some humanitarian workers. She dropped the estimate of impacted humanitarian services to 40%.

Inner City Press asked if it's true that Kalma camp and one other will run out of water in 48 hours. Ms. Bragg said the situation is serious, as the NGO providing water and sanitation in Kalma camp is being expelled. She said "we" are trying to pick up the slack. Inner City Press asked, does that mean the UNAMID peacekeepers? I don't have the details, she said. For the second day in a row, she did not answer if the NGOs being expelled have operations, and if they will continue, in South Sudan.

Update of 6:05 p.m. -- the Libyan president of the Council for March came out, speaking of a "high level" delegation from the African Union and League of Arab States which will come to the Council to argue for a suspension of the indictment under Article 16 of what he called the "Roma Statute." Inner City Press asked if the threat of African Union members which have joined the OCC un-joining came up in the Council. No, but there is a meeting of such members to reconsider their membership, he said.

Since the AU / Arab League delegation would come until March 16 or so, in part due to the Council being in Haiti next week, Inner City Press asked about the report that the Kalma camp will run out of water in 48 hours. The Libyan Ambassador said this was a "detail," that it might be true if the water came in bottles, but if the water is in wells, it will not run out. We'll see if it's a detail...

And see, www.innercitypress.com/un4bashir030609.html

In UN Council, Myanmar and Mugabe in Footnotes, Demand for Tony Blair, Kosovo Wide Open

Byline: Matthew Russell Lee of Inner City Press at UN
www.innercitypress.com/sc81nov110408.html

UNITED NATIONS, November 4, 10:30 am, updated -- With proxy wars raging in the Congo, Somalia and elsewhere, the Costa Rican presidency of the UN Security Council began with a breakfast Tuesday morning. Ambassador Jorge Urbina greeted dozens of diplomats and freeloaders at the Council's entrance. Several of each stopped and spoke with Inner City Press, together painting a picture of the coming month's program of work.

"Myanmar and Zimbabwe are in the footnotes," one well-placed source confided, adding that the U.S. put Myanmar on, and the UK "peace and security in Africa," in this case the code word for Mugabe. The Kosovo meeting was going to be closed, but since the Serbian foreign minister -- "who seems to live in New York," one staffer snarked -- wants to speak, or even his president Tadic, it will an an open session.

There is a footnote on the Middle East, which Inner City Press is told means Tony Blair, the still-outstanding request that he come and briefing the Council, since he serves as envoy to the Middle East Quartet. Last week, even UNRWA's Karen AbuZayd noted that many hats Blair wears, wondering what if anything he accomplishes.

Urbina is said to favor meetings being open, rather than private consultations. Whether that means he will describe Council dynamics at the stakeout microphone, as neither the Belgian or Chinese Ambassadors were willing to do, remains to be seen.

Update of 1 p.m., while in Amb. Urbina's press conference: he has confirmed that Zimbabwe is on, but in response to Inner City Press' request that in the spirit of transparency he disclose which delegation asked to put it on, he said "the Council as a whole." He confirmed that Tony Blair has been asked to briefing the Council, some time ago, but has yet to respond.

That there will be no debate in his month on Protection of Civilians, he ascribed to delay by the Secretariat, and that John Holmes will only report in December. The November 22 to 28 trip, he refused to state the destination, or if the press can go. Still it was heady stuff, and may bode well for the month.

And see, www.innercitypress.com/sc81nov110408.html

In UN Basement, Zimbabwe and Myanmar and a Fig Leaf NGO, Consensus Belied by Empty Chairs

Byline: Matthew Russell Lee of Inner City Press at UN
www.innercitypress.com/un2rice061908.html

UNITED NATIONS, June 19 -- The staged Zimbabwe meeting convened by Condi Rice occupied less than an hour in the UN basement Thursday. Around a horseshoe table were nameplates for the 15 Council members. South Africa's and Libya's seats stayed empty until 11:55. Then again, Costa Rica's seat was not filled,* and doubtless Mugabe's name is mud in San Jose. The rape debate upstairs created conflict. In Conference Room 7, African nations were given the extra seats, along with World Vision in the center.

Ms. Rice's co-sponsor, the foreign minister of Burkina Faso, said afterwards that now is not the time for sanctions. The UK's Attorney General, Baroness Scotland of Asthal, congratulated African nations for standing unanimous up to Mugabe. Mbeki, not so much. But in the wings waits Jacob Zuma. The world is closing in upon Harare, but the location of the meeting, in the basement not the chamber, was telling. Perhaps World Vision was there only as a fig leaf, the rationale for exile from the Chamber. When NGOs brief the Council, it happens in the basement. But if one or more nations opposed addressing Zimbabwe in the chamber, other than as a strictly humanitarian issue, a room in the basement and a sample NGO were matched to move things forward.

Condi Rice took just a few questions, the first two on the Middle East. The settlements should not be addressed in the Council, she said -- some muttered this is like some other P-5's position in Myanmar and Zimbabwe -- and yes, for the record, Iraq is a sovereign country. BBC Afrique, ever intrepid, got to the front and asked if pressure on Mugabe really helps the Zimbabwean people. Mugabe is not helping them, Condi Rice shot back. Then she turned to leave, but a quick-thinking journalist called after the Burkina Faso minister. They returned, complete with translator, to say it's not the time for sanctions.

As the entourage moved off, two men from World Vision came out. They've called for an end to Mugabe's restrictions on NGOs. Inner City Press asked, what's the status of restrictions in Myanmar. It's gotten much better, was the answer, although the government of Than Shwe is still "overly sensitive about security." Might that be Mugabe's excuse?

* - Costa Rican Ambassador Jorge Urbina later confirmed to Inner City Press that it was only scheduling, he was speaking in the Council and sent his political director, who arrived a bit late. Duly noted.

And see, www.innercitypress.com/un2rice061908.html

UN Council Faces and Dodges Congolese Push-Back About Bemba's Indictment by ICC

Byline: Matthew Russell Lee of Inner City Preses in Africa:
www.innercitypress.com/unsc1bemba060708.html

KINSHASA, June 7 -- The UN Security Council's contradictory stance on the International Criminal Court was on display Saturday in Kinshasa, in the corridors of the huge Palace of the People. Emerging from an hour-long meeting with Congolese Senators, France's Ambassador to the UN Jean-Maurice Ripert told local reporters that while the issue of the ICC had been brought up, the ICC is entirely independent from the Council, and thus he had nothing to say on the matter. But back in Sudan, earlier in this ten-day Council trip from Africa, Amb. Ripert had bragged about France's position, later clarified to be the European Union's as well, that "further measures" might have to be taken on Sudanese officials who don't cooperate with the Court. So speaking in and of Sudan, the Security Council speaks of the Court and condemns those who don't comply. But speaking in and of the Congo, to legislators angry that one of their own was arrested in Belgium without notice, the Security Council claims it has nothing to do with the ICC, and refuses to answer questions.

Inner City Press then asked Costa Rican Ambassador Jorge Urbina, who often speaks about the rule of law, how the issue had come up, and if it concerned Bemba. He nodded in assent, but repeated the argument that the Security Council is entirely separate from the Court. Meanwhile, his country at the ministerial level is pushing a Presidential Statement at the Council in New York, to back up ICC prosecutor Luis Moreno-Ocampo. So what's this about selective separations between the Council and Court?

The Palace of the People is a huge, Soviet-style building. The Council moved from its Senate meeting through a darkened hallway to meet with members of the Assembly. A videographer and sound-man argued with security about a stolen tripod. "This disappear here mysteriously all the time," a knowing local quipped. She predicted that the UN will never leave the Congo, at least not under Kabila. "They call it Maman Monique," she said, using the Congolese i-for-u pronunciation.

While the Council Ambassadors met with legislators and ministers, in the streets of Kinshasa the talk was of the Ministre de Poubelles, the Minister of Garbage, a famous local artist. Another artist, a popular painter, has a work called Le Ministre Inutil, the Useless Minister. There is a vibrant art scene and street life in Kinshasa, that Maman Monique has little to do with. Except MONUC-ers in their personal time. More on this to follow.

And see, www.innercitypress.com/unsc1bemba060708.html