On Cameroon UN Bachelet Claims Positive Signals Helping Cover Up Biya Killings and Guterres Censorship

By Matthew Russell Lee, CJR PFT NYP

UNITED NATIONS GATE, June 24 –After Paul Biya who has ruled Cameroon for 36 years on January 28 had his opponent Maurice Kamto arrested, Inner City Press again asked UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres and his spokesmen for their comment and action, if any. This came after Guterres had Inner City Press roughed up on 3 July 2018 after it interviewed Biya's Ambassador about the two men's Budget Committee deals and bannedfrom the UN since - Guterres even tried to get Inner City Press banned from the Park East Synagogue, here, which was denied / dodged by his spokesman Stephane Dujarric, who put up then took down a podcast in which he brags about his "mutually assured destruction" relationship with journalists, here. 

Guterres' head of human rights Michelle Bachelet has continued her record of inappropriate wishy washy statements on Cameroon while supporting Guterres' censorship of Press to try to conceal his shameful role, coming up on a full year now. Bachelet is turning out to be a joke. On June 24 while bragging about the relevance of the human rights mechanisms she is weakening, Bachelet in Geneva (Biya's home) said: "My mission to Cameroon last month took place in a context of intensifying crisis, including in the North-West and South-West regions of the country, as well as increasing restrictions on the democratic space. The authorities expressed openness to finding human rights-based solutions to the challenges facing the country, including through possible technical cooperation in the military, security and justice sectors.  A number of positive signals followed that mission, including visits and discussions by the Prime Minister in the North-West and South-West regions. However, there have also been reports of extensive burning of houses and shops by security forces in Bamenda, and at least one extrajudicial killing; as well as other reports of human rights abuses by separatist armed groups, including burning of houses, crops and granaries. Furthermore, the arrest of over 350 people following demonstrations organised by the opposition on 1 June is disturbing.  I call on the authorities to uphold the rights to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly, and to ensure due process. I also encourage the authorities to view the opposition as partners in the broadly inclusive dialogues which will be indispensable to laying the foundation for sustainable peace in Cameroon; and to promptly investigate all allegations of human rights violations by the security forces." Of course, such investigations never happen or have any impact; Biya's killings continue, as well inside the UN Guterres' collusion and censorship. Yes, Bachelet is turning out to be a bad  joke. We'll have more on this. 

  But others who fiddled while Buea burned, like HRW which told Inner City Press Cameroon was not in their view a top 90 problem to be included in their World Report 2018, now belatedly scramble, amid admonishing fight back, with previously withheld citations to torture in the Yaounde "detention" facilities of Biya's State Defense Secretariat (Secrétariat d’Etat à la défense, SED). Nor has Inner City Press' September 2018 Freedom of Information Act request, here, been responded to. From the request: "On behalf of Inner City Press and in my personal capacity as its United Nations bureau chief, Matthew Russell Lee, this is a request pursuant to the federal Freedom of Information Act, 5 U.S.C. § 552 for the following information: 1) most pressingly, for the report on human rights abuse by the Cameroon military and of the US' knowledge thereof, on information and belief headed by Brig. Gen. Timothy McAteer and concluded in November 2017; 2) any and all other records in your possession concerning abuses by the Cameroon security forces, including but not limited to in the North-West and South-West regions, from January 1, 2017 to the date of your response to this request.  This request, particularly (1) above which can and should be treated separately, should be afforded expedited treatment. Inner City Press is reporting on abuses in Cameroon, including with the knowledge of the US - and why there has been no UN Security Council meeting on Cameroon. The US is for this month the president of the US Security Council and this request should be fully responded to in that time frame, including any necessary appeal."  Not a single document yet. We will have more on this.

In the run up to the so-called National Day on May 20 - in New York, before having Inner City Press roughed up and banned, Guterres' chief of staff Maria Luiza Viotti and his Deputy SG Amina J. Mohammed partied with Tommo Monthe in a Manhattan townhouse singing "Buvez du champagne," Video here, from 4:30 -- this: "The insecurity in the North West and South West regions of Cameroon keeps paralysing activities in that part of the country despite the failure of administrative officials to admit the fact. The Divisional Officer of Alou, Lebialem Division of the South West region has convened a meeting in Dschang to prepare for the National Day celebrations.  Due to the insecurity in Alou, the meeting can not hold in the locality but in neighbouring Dschang in the West region of Cameroon." We'll have more in the approach to this ghoulish Cameroun National Day, including in New York. In the village of Ikata in SW Cameroon on April 26 Paul Biya's soldiers shot unarmed civilians including a woman named as Glory, and burned houses down. While Guterres' UN does nothing about the outrage of Nigeria sending back to military custody refugees and asylum seekers, Julius Ayuk Tabe and nine others are expected in court on Monday April 29 where their hearing continues but they have now released a statement through their defense team saying they will not be appearing.  Their lawyers say given the fact that they have taken the matter to Appeal court all proceedings at a lower jurisdiction (military tribunal) must be halted as per the law on criminal proceedings.  The lawyers have since appealed a decision by the Military tribunal to judge the detained leaders in Cameroon despite the fact that they are refugees and asylum seekers. One would have thought that former UNHCR chief Guterres would not collude in this, but that was before the golden statue and UN Budget Committee deals with Biya's ambassador Tommo Monthe.  Guterres is killing what's left of the UN's credibility with his corruption and no due process censorship. Of course, Guterres and Dujarric won't answer questions from Inner City Press not only about Cameroon but even about how 27 new Resident Coordinators are being recruited, nor about the UN's own rapes. Their UN is increasingly corrupt. 

  More here.

At UN, Lack of GRULAC Endorsement Delays Ban's Re-Appointment

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, June 16 -- When Ban Ki-moon ten days ago announced he wanted a second term as UN Secretary General, he went to meet behind closed doors with the UN's Regional Groups. As first reported by Inner City Press on June 7, in the Latin American and Caribbean States group, called GRULAC, at least five countries said they needed more time.

Nevertheless it was announced that the Security Council would meet on June 16 to recommend Ban for a second term. Ban's Spokesperson's Office on June 15 issued a schedule with re-appointment on the Council's agenda.

But early on June 16, this changed. Ban's Spokesperson's Office put out another announcement, that only the Council's “Program of Work” would be considered on June 16.

Sources tell Inner City Press this is because GRULAC has still not endorsed Ban for a second term. Ban has spend the last five days in Latin America. But as one source put it, “look at his record, especially in Latin America.”

In typical UN fashion, the source pointed first to Ban's appointments, or doling out of top posts. Asked about Ban's recent appointment of Mariano Ferandez, a Chilean to head up the UN's Mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH), another source said “that was only for Bachelet.” The Haitian government, it's said, preferred a Trinidadian candidate. “What has Bachelet accomplished for Ban?” the source asked.

(Inner City Press notes that Bachelet's UN Women office has responded to questions about allegations of rape by UN peacekeepers in South Kordofan in Sudan, by asking the Department of Peacekeeping Operations at the highest level.)

More generally as one GRULAC source told Inner City Press, “Ban has not focused on Latin America enough. We want a commitment that this would change in a second term.” Watch this site.

Candidates for Top UN Women Post From Rwanda, Tunisia, Malaysia, No Bachelet

By Matthew Russell Lee, Exclusive
www.innercitypress.com/un1women070210.html

UNITED NATIONS, July 2 -- As UN Women, the world body's so-called Gender Entity, was birthed Friday in the General Assembly, Inner City Press learned for a well placed Mission about six of the eight candidates for the Under-Secretary General position at the top of UN Women.

These are the Rwandan foreign minister, Louise Mushikiwabo, UN gender advisor Rachel Mayanja (nominated by Gabon), a Malaysian official who heads up the gender work of the Non Aligned Movement, officials from Tunisia and Norway and, Inner City Press is told, Sri Lanka's Radhika Coomaraswamy.

The biggest donor, assured for that reason a seat on the Executive Board, is said to agree that the USG should come from the Global South. So the Norwegian, it seems, has little chance.

Earlier on Friday, Inner City Press asked UN Deputy Secretary General Asha Rose Migiro to name the candidates, since she had said the process would be open and transparent. Eight countries, she said, have submitted names, including one country naming another's national. She gave as an example the United States nominating her. “Have they?” Inner City Press asked. No, she said.

Not on the list is Michelle Bachelet of Chile. Some say she wanted UNICEF and is miffed. Others say she will only take it if offered: i.e., if it is not a competitive process. We'll see. Watch this space.

And see, www.innercitypress.com/un1women070210.html

UN Closes Day Care on Two Day Notice, Offers Gender Entity Post to Rwandan

By Matthew Russell Lee
www.innercitypress.com/un1gencare062210.html

UNITED NATIONS, June 22 -- As the UN talks about establishing a new "Gender Entity," offering the top post first to Chile's Michelle Bachelet and now a Rwandan minister, Inner City Press is told, it has this month unceremoniously eliminated the after school day care it for years had offered to staff.

"It's hypocrisy," says one impacted working mother. "They talk about work life balance and advancing women, then cut this program on only two days' notice."

The day care, in the UN Secretariat building, was discontinued on June 18. The impacted parent only learned of it on June 16, too late to put up a fight. The rationale is that with the UN's renovation, the day care could only continue out in the "real" New York west of 1st Avenue, where permits would be required.

On June 22 the UN posted this notice on its intranet:

After-school recreation and study programme for United Nations children Posted: Tuesday, 22 June 2010, New York | Author: Department of Management

Because the UN Secretariat building is currently a construction zone, it is not possible to house the After-school Recreation and Study Programme on the premises due to lack of available space. Therefore, we regret to announce, ST/IC/2010/17, that we are not in a position to offer the Programme as of the end of the 2009/2010 school year, and we regret any inconvenience that this will cause to parents.

If we were to move the Programme to a rented building, we would be subject to New York City laws and code compliance. In reality, this means that the children participating in the Programme would have to be housed preferably on the ground floor, but not above the third floor. The child care space would also have to meet a number of other code requirements including certain exit criteria and access to play areas. Such a space is not available at this time. In addition, the operator of this service would have to be fully licensed and certified.

Several readers found the UN's admission that has been below code compliance, and less safe than certified, strange. They point out, for example, that in the UN's DC-1 building on 44th Street and 1st Avenue there is a barely used room next to the third floor cafeteria. "They just don't think this is important," the working mother said. "And yet they're naming a new Gender Entity." She laughed, but bitterly. Watch this site.

And see, www.innercitypress.com/un1gencare062210.html

As Ban Heads to Chile, UN Praises Chile Despite Protests, MassiveGood Spin

By Matthew Russell Lee
www.innercitypress.com/un2chile030410.html

UNITED NATIONS, March 4 -- With the UN's Ban Ki-moon now flying off to Chile, his officials' slavish praising of the government of President Michelle Bachelet has become more and more questionable.

First Alicia Barcena, head of the UN office in Santiago, told Inner City Press that no looting was occurring, contrary to TV images on BBC and France24. This UN official, who served for years in New York, asked "What is looting?" She said there was no violence or problems between the government and the people.

Next, the UN's deputy humanitarian chief Catherine Bragg told a press conference that Chile is a strong government that is doing a good job. But when Bachelet traveled near Concepcion on March 4, she didn't go into the downtown due to protests of her performance.

Inner City Press asked Bragg, why was the UN going out of its way to praise Chile's government? Why was there such a stigma on receiving UN aid? Bragg said she was just telling it like it is. This is how the world appears to the UN: governments good, critics invisible.

Ban is traveling with only seven other people -- two of them guards -- on a commercial flight. He learned of the available seat on Thursday morning. He also publicly clicked a two dollar donation to MassiveGood, along with Bill Clinton. What is Clinton doing these days for Haiti? Bachelet was serving as UNIFEM spokesperson for Haiti until her own earthquake hit. And now?

Footnote: On MassiveGood, after Ban's clicking, UN official Philippe Douste Blazy appeared to describe the program. Inner City Press asked Douste Blazy how transparency in how the money is spend will be ensured, and about his earlier idea of a UN Lottery to raise money.

Douste Blazy did not say much about transparency -- a French observer described high costs, that is, MassiveOverhead -- but he again praised the lottery idea. Inner City Press asked, but doesn't that take money from the poor? We're not doing it yet, Douste Blazy answered. Oh, good.

And see, www.innercitypress.com/un2chile030410.html

After "Looter" Killed in Chile, Others Tear Gassed, UN Official Barcena Claims There's "No Violence"

By Matthew Russell Lee
www.innercitypress.com/un1chile030110.html

UNITED NATIONS, March 1 -- In the aftermath of the earthquake in Chile, authorities fired tear gas and water cannons at people seeking to enter stores and supermarkets. According to the BBC, one "looter" was shot dead and 160 arrested; the items being taken were not only food but "plasma TVs and other electrical appliances."

Of course, this does not imply mass criminality, or systematic government repression. But when long time UN official Alicia Barcena briefed the Press at UN headquarters by phone at noon on March 1, and Inner City Press asked her about the government's use of tear gas and water cannons, she answered, "What is looting?" Video here, from Minute 15:20.

Inner City Press explained, when people go inside broken open stores, and in this case get shot at with tear gas and water cannons. Oh no, Ms. Barcena said, "there has not been any violence... no violence between the army and the people, none at all."

Tell that to the man shot and killed, or those fired on with tear gas. It would be one thing for the UN to say that the level of violence, other than the death, has been minimal in their view, or proportional. But hours after a person was shot and killed to providing a briefing that "there has not been any violence" is something else.

The UN has taken on the role of criticizing the media for reporting on looting, in Haiti and now Chile. The UN wants the images to be more positive, and so, in this case, its officials misspeak. This undermine the UN's duty of reporting on human rights, which include the rights of alleged looters, killed or gassed by the government.

While this case involves ignoring the shooting -- summary execution? -- of a single "looter," the principle of denying what takes place extends to the UN in the Congo, in the person of scandal plagued envoy Alan Doss, denying that civilians are killed by UN-supported troops of the Congolese Army.

The UN wants and in some sense needs to get along with governments where it works. But this can contradict with its role and goal of being a credible human rights reporter, or being credible more generally.

Inner City Press asked Ms. Barcena about rumors the President Bachelet might stay on past March 11. Barcena said no, only her emergency coordinator Carmen Fernandez would stay on.

Strangely, while still the sitting Chilean president, Ms. Bachelet has been listed as a UN (or UNIFEM) representative in Haiti. No matter how much one may like or respect Ms. Bachelet, it would seem that the UN should not be giving positions to sitting heads of state. But what do we know?

In fact, now Ms. Bachelet is being tipped for the newly created Under Secretary General for women's affairs post. Could this explain the counter-factual claim that there's been "no violence" by the Army against civilians, even "looters," under her watch?

And see, www.innercitypress.com/un1chile030110.html

Nepotism May Threaten UN Economic Crisis Summit, Role of Nephew of GA President d'Escoto Questioned

Byline: Matthew Russell Lee of Inner City Press at UN
www.innercitypress.com/unpga2clarks060909.html

UNITED NATIONS, June 9 -- As industrialized countries' public skepticism has grown at the UN General Assembly's summit on the global economic crisis, postponed until later this month, analysts have focused on General Assembly President Miguel d'Escoto Brockmann's refusal to simply accept the proposed outcome document drafted by member states.

Inner City Press is told by well-placed sources that a major reason for the so-called Draft-Gate which threatens to undermine the crisis summit is the presence among the PGA's paid staff of at least two d'Escoto relatives, and the freedom that he gives them.

Michael Clark is an American staff member who has given numerous lengthly press conferences about the summit, most recently speaking so extensively about his views of a world without money that Inner City Press was not permitted a single question, about some countries' critique of the draft. At the time, Inner City Press reported that Michael Clark previously served with the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, and trying to open India to U.S. commercial firms.

Now it can be told, confirmed by d'Escoto Brockmann's spokesman to his credit on June 9: Michael Clark is d'Escoto Brockmann's nephew. Another niece, Sophia Clark, is d'Escoto Brockmann's Deputy Chief of Staff.

These two family connections were confirmed by spokesman Enrique Yeves on Tuesday. He noted that out of twenty cabinet members, only two are relatives of the President, and that these are "freely designated posts" not subject to competition or qualifications. They are, however, paid from the UN budget.

Chilean president Michele Bachelet, previously scheduled to attend the summit, has as Inner City Press heard recently canceled, Yeves confirmed on Tuesday. Few high level officials from industrialized countries are slated to come.

It is becoming, as one well placed source put it, a wasted opportunity. When the UN General Assembly had a chance to come out with innovative ideas to regulate the global financial system, he asked, "who did they turn to? Father Miguel's nephew."

Within those parts of the General Assembly not related to Escoto Brockmann by blood or marriage, one can find dissatisfaction with Michael Clark and the way d'Escoto has "let him run wild," as one source put it. This source states that Clark has been trying to find this next job after d'Escoto Brockmann's year as PGA expires, and that this has included trying to find some European jobs.

The source traces changes that Clark made to what was ostensibly d'Escoto Brockmann's personal draft to subsequent criticism of the draft. "Father Miguel is taking heat for a problem Michael created," the source says, calling it misplaced loyalty.

Yeves said for the record that Michael Clark is by no means the only adviser on the summit, and argued that Clark's appearance at three press conferences in a row about the summit was not, as one source put it, a "try out," but simply a product of the travel schedule of d'Escoto Brockmann and his other advisers. Inner City Press asked to interview Michael Clark for this story.

Yeves said all such requests to the PGA's advisers go through him, and that answer would be given by Tuesday at 5 p.m.. Inner City Press hours before that time also made the request directly to Mr. Clark. After that deadline, this story is being published, and will be updated. Watch this site.

And see, www.innercitypress.com/unpga2clarks060909.html