As Sudan Outlaws SPLM, UN Official Praises Bashir, Silence on Somalia Shooting and Haiti Rape by DPKO's Ladsous

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, September 4 -- As Sudan's Omar al Bashir government increasing bombing in Southern Kordofan, pushes its attacks into Blue Nile State and outlaws the main opposition party, a high UN official, seemingly living in a parallel universe, has offered praise to the government.

Ban Ki-moon's special adviser on sexual violence and conflict Margot Wallstrom on September 2 issued a press release praising the Sudanese government for offering a pardon to a journalist who reported on rape, gushing about "an important signal of respect for freedom of expression by the Sudanese Government."

Like with the pardon in Darfur of the five sheikhs almost turned over to the government for torture by UNAMID chief Ibrahim Gambari, the pardon was locally viewed as related to the Eid al-Fitr holiday ending Ramadan, not to any change of policy by the National Congress Party.

But these UN officials ask the media to cover their praise of Sudanese authorities, just as their bombing of civilians in Southern Kordofan and Blue Nile State increases, and Bashir's National Congress Party outlaws the SPLM and arrests its officials.

Some might see this as just a failure to coordinate, a failure of the supposed "One UN" policy.

Others however see a pattern of UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon being pushed to appoint officials and then failing to oversee them; they periodically see in the news an opportunity to increase their visibility or "brand" and issue press releases from parts unknown, which Ban Ki-moon's office in term does not answer for.

Amid serious charges of sexual abuse against UN peacekeepers in Haiti, Ban has said nothing. He's been in Kiribati. Ban's new head of peacekeeping, Herve Ladsous, was a public face of the coup against Aristide which the African Union called unconstitutional; nothing has been heard or seen from Ladsous.

UN Peacekeeping's Department of Field Support has said it provides human rights training to the UN-funded AMISON mission in Somalia. AMISON troops recent opened fire on a vehicle and killed a Malaysia journalist -- see above -- but nothing has been said by the UN. Watch this site.

As UN Welcomes Election Haroun Claims, Council Trip Stalls on Haroun Meeting

By Matthew Russell Lee, Exclusive

UNITED NATIONS, May 17, updated -- After Ahmed Haroun, indicted by the International Criminal Court for war crimes in Darfur, declared victory in the recent election in South Kordofan, the UN Mission in Sudan put out a statement “welcoming” the election.

Now in the Security Council, sources tell Inner City Press, there is controversy over what to do if Haroun is at the airport when the Council arrives on its trip later this month.

At least one Council member is pointing at UNMIS' statement as a basis for meeting with Haroun. Others, including an African member, say it would be very “difficult.”

There was a lunch with the Permanent Five members of the Council, South Africa and Nigeria. Gabon was supposed to come but didn't, sources say. US Ambassador Susan Rice invited US envoy Princeton Lyman. While one of the non-Western P-5 say that his country and the US are “on the same page about North - South” issues, the Haroun issue remains a problem.

UNMIS and the UN Secretariat have added to this problem by, at least twice, flying Haroun to Abyei.

In New York on May 16, Inner City Press asked UN spokesman Martin Nesirky about the allegations by the SPLM in South Sudan that Haroun rigged the election. Nesirky pointed again at the statement, emphasizing that the UN “urges all parties to remain calm, and encourages those with complaints regarding the electoral process to address them through legal means or dialogue.”

On May 17 Inner City Press asked Nesirky, in the context of “legal means,” if the UN had any comment about Khartoum's National Congress Party government retaining two journalists for their coverage of the elections in South Kordofan.

Nesirky merely said the UN is aware of the reports, and that the Mission, UNMIS, is checking into it.

But UNMIS has repeated said it was checking into killings, mostly of Dinka, in Abyei and environs, most times without following up. In fact, UNMIS has at least twice offered free flights to Ahmed Haroun, despite his history of organizing attacks.

Inner City Press also asked Nesirky about a report in Sudanese state media that UNMIS is already moving out of North Sudan, shifting equipment from Kadugli, Port Sudan, El-Obeid and Khartoum down to Juba in the South.

Nesirky responded that any extension of UNMIS' mission is up to the Security Council. But shouldn't the Secretariat be able to confirm or deny movements by the peacekeeping missions it administers?

Update of 7:20 pm -- when UNSC President for May Araud emerged from the Council past 7 pm Tuesday, Inner City Press asked him about Haroun. After a pause, he said sever words: "We are not going to meet him." Watch this site.

At UN, Sudan Ignores Finding That It Bombed, Council Largely Ignores Darfur

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, December 16 -- Fighting continued in Darfur on Thursday, as the UN Security Council met about Sudan, mostly South Sudan. The Council issued a press statement about the secession referendum scheduled for January 9, including condemning Khartoum's bombings in Western Bahr al Gazal State.

Outside the Council, Inner City Press asked the Sudanese State Minister of Humanitarian Affairs Mutrif Siddiq about the bombings, and his government's fighting with the Minni Minawai faction. It's not with the whole faction, he quickly said, naming a subcommander who he said tried to “collect taxes after the harvest.” Video here.

The fact remains that Minni Minawi, the sole Darfur rebel to sign a deal with Khartoum, has walked away from it. So what does the "Doha process" with the LJM really mean?

Despite UN confirmation of the bombing, Sudanese minister Mutrif Siddiq would only concede that it was under investigation, as if the investigation weren't finished. Inner City Press later asked Council president Susan Rice about this.

She replied, "you heard Under-Secretary- General LeRoy in the Council speak very plainly to that as he also did in consultations."

Southern Sudan's Ezekiel Lol Gatkuoth and Pagan Amum, Secretary General of the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement came to the stakeout. Inner City Press asked about the bombing and Pagan Amum said it had already been condemned. He called for a peace agreement in Darfur. This seems a long way off.

Inner City Press asked about comments attributed to Benjamin Mkapa that “some Southerns” were intimidating other Southerns in the North to not register to vote in the referendum.

Pagan Amum denied that, saying that instead it was the National Congress Party which threatened Southerns with harassment if they voted for secession. Video here.

Inner City Press asked Mkapa himself who he blamed for the low registration in the North. He said that it was understandable if Southerners who have lived in the North for years didn't register. Video here. Then he was gone.

Footnote: The International Organization on Migration gave a press conference on Thursday as well. Inner City Press, along with questions about Sudanese refugees returned from Israel and elsewhere, asked about IOM's role in the Sudan referendum. It's in their law, was the answer. IOM was asked to run the process in North Sudan but declined.

IOM says they didn't choose the sites in the eight diaspora countries. But are they observing for fairness? Watch this site.

On Sudan, UN Won't Confirm Darfur Attacks, US Still Nothing on 12 Murders in Unity

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, December 6 -- As the Darfur Peace Agreement unravels and the pace of death escalates in South Sudan the UN, and surprising to some the US are slow and reticent to investigate and comment.

On December 6, Inner City Press asked UN spokesman Martin Nesirky about Omar al Bashir's targeting of his one ally in Darfur, Minni Minawi:

Inner City Press: in Sudan over the weekend, the President [Omar al-]Bashir Government has raided the offices of the transitional Darfur regional authority and has said Minni Minawi’s faction is now a target, a military target for the Government, if previously they were an ally of the Darfur Peace Agreement, and that they’re going to the South and will now be fighting. What is the comment of the UN on the total unravelment of the Darfur Peace Agreement?

Spokesperson Nesirky: I have seen the reports. I don’t have any specific comment at the moment. But I know that my colleagues are checking with the Mission on that. But we’ve certainly seen the reports.

Inner City Press: Okay. And they’re going to try to verify this raid on the transitional Darfur regional authority?

Spokesperson: I’ve heard what you’ve said, and certainly we’ll try to check on that.

Hours later, there was no confirmation. On December 3, the UN belatedly confirmed to Inner City Press the death of 10 SPLM soldiers and two civilians in South Sudan:

Inner City Press: there is a report that the SPLA [Sudan People’s Liberation Army] is saying that 12 of their soldiers have been killed in an ambush by government-supported militias in Unity state. So, it seems like it’s a pretty high number in a big clash. I wonder if it’s something the UN has heard of and can confirm or deny or is going to go verify it.

Spokesperson Nesirky: Well, what I have been told is that we are aware that an SPLA truck with approximately 35 soldiers and their families was reportedly ambushed by an unknown group around 8 o’clock. This was on 1 December between Tamoa and Tubarit in Unity State, as you said, while traveling from Mayom to Bentiu — excuse my pronunciation of these places — a joint monitoring team that comprised SAF [Sudan Alliance Forces] and SPLA and led by the UN Mission in Sudan that went to Bentiu hospital where most of the casualties were brought by an SPLA truck. And the first report by that monitoring team confirms that 11 people were killed on the spot. And then one died in the hospital I just referred to. Ten people were wounded. However, the identity of the attackers is still not known. The team, I mean, the monitoring team, will be conducting patrols to the incident site and will meet with SPLA commanders and local authorities to try to further investigate this. That’s what I have for you.

Inner City Press: But does, I mean, I guess without knowing, the SPLA has said that they believe it’s a government-backed militia, and I just wonder, does the UNMIS [United Nations Mission in the Sudan] see any connection between this and the upcoming referendum? Is this viewed [inaudible]?

Spokesperson: As I’ve said, they’re investigating it.

After this at least partial confirmation, Inner City Press on December 3 e-mailed the US Mission to the UN, this month's Security Council presidency, to ask both for US comment on the killings, and if the Council would take them up. As of the close of the Council's business on December 6 there was no answer. Watch this site.

As Gbagbo Moves to Eject UN Choi from Ivory Coast, No UNSC Action Under US, Only Obama Statement

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, December 3, upstead -- In Ivory Coast, Laurent Gbagbo's adviser and Ambassador to the UN Alcide Djedje has threatened to throw out of the country UN envoy Y.J. Choi after Choi rejected the decision of the Gbagbo dominated Constitutional Council that Gbagbo won the run off election, 51% to 49% over Alassane Ouattara.

This took place hours after the UN Security Council, led this month by the US, had begun to call a meeting, then stood down. Inner City Press observed and reported the preparations for the meeting.

Inner City Press can now report that a video link was established, and a UN Mission in Cote d'Ivoire official appeared on screen, ready to speak to the Council.

But the US never convened the Council to meeting. Another Permanent Five ambassador told Inner City Press on Friday afternoon that the US had said, only a press statement, no meeting.

Some fairly or unfairly even wondered if the US decision not to call a meeting despite the “crisis” in Ivory Coast was related to Permanent Representative Susan Rice not being in New York.

At 11:50 am, Inner City Press asked the US Mission to the UN to confirm or deny by e-mail that there would be a Council meeting. Not having any response for an hour, Inner City Press asked again, including a question on Sudan, and was told that it would be called.

During that time, apparently more friendly press was told that there would be no meeting, but rather a press statement read by Brooke Anderson.

Now as 6 pm has passed, no meeting, and no UN Security Council press statement read by Brooke Anderson. (Also, no answer on 12 SPLM soldiers killed in Sudan.)

The US Mission had not informed UN staff still in waiting that they could go home (perhaps to return this weekend).

An African diplomat told Inner City Press at the stakeout that some countries, like his, wanted to check that all had been done correctly, including in Choi's statement.

At 5:15 pm e-mailed out a copy of a statement by US President Obama, hailing Ouattara's win and calling on Gbagbo to respect the result.

So has Barak Obama become the Security Council? What explains the Council's failure to meet, and failure to even issue a press statement?

Some of those surrounding the Council have been told to be "on alert" for a Council meeting, or at least read out of a UNSC statement by some US Ambassador, over the weekend...

On S. Sudan Vote & Ban's Panel, UN Dodges Questions of Payment, Diaspora Visits

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, November 26 -- With questions mounting about the registration process for the Southern Sudan secession referendum scheduled for January 9, the UN is withholding basic information about the Panel to which Secretary General Ban Ki-moon “outsourced” key parts of the UN's role.

At media briefings by Ban's spokesperson, Inner City Press has asked about how the Panel is funded, which registration sites they have visited in the United States, Canada, Ethiopia and Kenya, and whether they are implicitly trying to blame the SPML for under-registration of Southern Sudanese in the Northern part of the country and/or in the eight “diapora” countries in which polling would be held.

UN acting Deputy Spokesman Farhan Haq has declined to answer many of these questions, referring instead to a separate spokesperson's office set up for the panel. While Inner City Press has sent this “outsourced” office two recent rounds of questions, only one has been answered, and then only partially.

This seems to be a pattern at the UN -- to name a Panel and then refuse to answer questions about the subject matter outsourced to the Panel.

Left unanswered for example is when the registration site in four of the diaspora countries -- Australia, Egypt, Uganda and the United Kingdom -- will be visited and by whom, how much Panel chair Benjamin Mkapa has been paid and by whom, and what he meant when he blamed “some Southerners” for blocking registration in the North of Southern Sudanese.

Herebelow in order are Inner City Press' two rounds of question, both of which were copied to Ban Ki-moon's two top spokespeople without response, the UN Panel spokesman's partial response to the first round, and the second round un-responded to for more than 24 hours:

Hi. I would like responses on deadline to the following questions, as well as those I asked at the OSSG's noon briefings on November 22 and November 19:

How many people work for the Panel?

How much has thus far been paid to these people and to each of the three Panelists?

How much of this has come from the Basket Fund, and how much through UNMIS?

What is the status for each donor or pledger to the Basket Fund?

As asked November 19, has a vote by the Basket Fund group been taken regarding funding the Panel? If not, why not?

How much has been paid from the Basket Fund (or UNMIS) to IOM?

In which of the eight diaspora states have registration sites actually been visited?

Please provide updated registration figures or estimates for each diaspora country, as well as the number and location of registration (and polling) sites in each.

As asked November 22, on the statement “made from the Secretary-General’s Panel on the referendum. There seems to be a lot of controversy about the low numbers of Southern registrants in the North. Some people are putting the number as low as 9,000. So it seemed like, in your statement, you are saying some Southerners are encouraging other Southerners — I just want to understand, because the SPLM [Sudan People’s Liberation Movement] blames it all on Khartoum.”

When the Panel chair referred to “a campaign by some Southern leaders to encourage people not to register and vote outside Southern Sudan” was he referring to any SPLM role or not?

Separately, why is there no Office of the Spokesperson for the Secretary-General briefing on November 26?

These were partially responded to by the Panel's spokesman:

Matthew, The Panel will have 38 staff when it reaches full deployment, which is expected by the end of this month. They are paid regular salaries just like any other UN staff members.

Any questions about the basket fund should be directed to UNDP.

Registration sites have been visited in Canada, Ethiopia, Kenya and the United States. Staff are about to visit sites in Australia, Egypt, Uganda and the United Kingdom as well.

IOM is conducting registration in the diaspora countries, so it will have the figures on the number of people registering and the number of sites. The Southern Sudan Referendum Commission will have the equivalent information for within Sudan.

The Panel chair was referring to Southern leaders and not to any specific SPLM role.

This response openly evaded the question for example of how much Benjamin Mkapa has been paid, as well as declining to answer questions about the Basket Fund to which the spokesman, and the Office of the Spokesman for Ban Ki-moon, has repeatedly made reference. And so these follow ups were submitted more than 24 hours ago to both UN offices:

Thanks but I again ask, with emphasis: How much has thus far been paid to each of the three Panelists? What you sent implies that they are “like any other UN staff members.” Are the three Panelists paid “When Actually Employed”? When have they so far been actually employed? How much have they been paid and by / through which mechanism: UNMIS or Basket Fund?

Please specify (with address) the registration sites the Panel has already visited in Canada, Ethiopia, Kenya and the United States, and will visit in Australia, Egypt, Uganda and the United Kingdom including date and who visit(ed).

And I am still asking for your (and OSSG/UNMIS) response or update on para 14 ofUnited Nations A/65/571 of 12 November 2010, Financing arrangements for the United Nations Mission in the Sudan for the period from 1 July 2010 to 30 June 2011, Report of the Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions

“14. Concerning the requirements for the Secretary-General’s Panel, the Committee noted that, in paragraph 78 of his report to the Security Council on the Sudan (S/2010/528), the Secretary-General had indicated that it was expected that UNDP would contribute an amount of $0.9 million. Upon enquiry, the Committee was informed that the provision of those funds was uncertain, as the UNDP project documents for the referenda in the Sudan did not include the activities of the Panel and it would, therefore, require a decision by the basket fund steering committee. As such, no immediate disbursements could be made to facilitate the deployment of Panel support staff. The Committee was informed that should UNDP succeed in mobilizing resources for supporting the Panel, reimbursement to UNMIS would be made. The Advisory Committee is of the view that the Mission should continue to pursue this issue with UNDP and requests that further information on the status of the contribution be included in the context of the performance report.”

What is the status? What has UNMIS / DPKO / the Secretariat done? On deadline, thanks.

And after 24 hours and counting, no answer at all. Watch this site.

From the UN's November 22 transcript:

Inner City Press: I want to ask about Sudan on the statement that you made from the Secretary-General’s Panel on the referendum. There seems to be a lot of controversy about the low numbers of Southern registrants in the North. Some people are putting the number as low as 9,000. So it seemed like, in your statement, you are saying some Southerners are encouraging other Southerners — I just want to understand, because the SPLM [Sudan People’s Liberation Movement] blames it all on Khartoum.

Acting Deputy Spokesperson Haq: Well, that was just a summary of a press conference that President Mkapa held in Khartoum, and I’d just refer you to the transcript of that. We have that available in our office.

Inner City Press: And does the Secretary-General’s Panel have any role in overseeing these sites, these eight Diaspora voting sites in Africa, the United States, Australia? Are they going to visit any of those sites? And there is some controversy now about the IOM [International Organization for Migration] role in it. It’s not exactly clear to me who is funding the IOM for that work, but what is the Panel’s role on these other sites?

Acting Deputy Spokesperson: No, you can check with the Panel itself about the sites. It’s looking at the whole referenda process, which includes sites for Southerners to vote in the North.

Inner City Press: But isn’t his Panel — I have had some problem in the past getting responses from the Panel, so I just wanted to know, it’s the Secretary-General, he set up the terms of reference, it’s his delegated Panel, right?

On Sudan, UN to Name Panel This Week, Obama's 5 Minutes on Darfur & Bashir Photo Op?

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, September 20 -- Before the Sudan meeting on September 24, which will include US President Barack Obama and Rwandan President Paul Kagame among others, UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon is trying to name the three members of his Panel to monitor the referendums set for January 9.

The UN says it is trying to name a former African head of state as the panel's chairperson, but has received push-back from the National Congress Party of Omar al Bashir and from the SPLM. The UN privately admits that it will not open the 80 monitoring sites it has announced, but perhaps only as few as fifty five.

Meanwhile on Darfur, joint UN - African Union mediator Bassole wants to announce a new set of talks in Doha for September 28-29 with “a movement,” believed to be the relatively pro government Liberation and Justice Movement, which is headed by a former UN staff member.

Another former UN staff member who served with the Mission in Western Sahara which has yet to hold the referendum promised there is now in charge in Sudan of the Referendum Commission, with the UN trying to provide assurances to the SPLM that this does not portend delay.

Inner City Press on September 20 asked UN spokesman Martin Nesirky to confirm that previous service with the UN in Western Sahara. Nesirky, who often tried to shirk off such questions from Inner City Press to the UN Department of Peacekeeping Operations or Department of Political Affairs could not do so in this instance, and promised to revert.

Nesirky or DPKO should also explain how it is legitimate for the UN to use UN Volunteers for most of the 600 new posts in its UNMIS Mission. Nesirky's office has previously claimed that the UN's humanitarian coordinator Georg Charpentier does not show his press releases to the Sudanese humanitarian affairs minister, something of which a more senior UN official has since said that Nesirky's answer was not true, that the releases ARE being shown during this “tense” period.

Of the September 24 meeting itself, the UN has already circulated the elements of the statement it hopes will issue, and says that Ban Ki-moon will restrain himself to five minutes, hoping that other participants will. But President Obama's advisor Samantha Power, on a September 20 conference call, said that Obama will be delivering “substantial remarks” in the meeting.

Inner City Press was not called on to ask Ms. Power or Ambassador Susan Rice to describe the current status of the UN Security Council's trip to Sudan, which has been stalled based on the desire of the US, UK and France to avoid a photo op with Omar al Bashir, indicted for war crimes and genocide. There is a dinner on Monday night hosted by Sudan at which this may be discussed. Or will the trip be among Obama's “substantive remarks” on Friday?

On the White House conference call, very little was said of Darfur. The UN has accepted restrictions on its freedom of movement so that it does not even leave its bases while civilians are being slaughtered, as happened earlier this month in the Tarabat Market. President Obama, it seems, will not be mentioning this. And the UN, retaliating for coverage of its inaction, speaks only to its friends. Some diplomacy. Watch this site.

Of UN Council, Rice on Sudan and Congo, S. Africa Running for Seat, UN Musical Chairs

By Matthew Russell Lee
www.innercitypress.com/sc1ricesaf042610.html

UNITED NATIONS, April 26 -- Promoting its candidacy for a Security Council seat in 2011-12, South Africa threw a reception at the UN Monday night. The news, however, came from current Council members. U.S. Ambassador Susan Rice was there, meeting and greeting including with the Press. One of her answers, about the Council's Congo trip, she said was off the record. Other answers will be reported, diplomatically of course.

Since on the day Sudan's Omar al Bashir declared electoral victory the UN had said nothing at its noon briefing, rebuffing a shouted question from Inner City Press on Sudan and from another journalist about the Balkans, Inner City Press asked Ambassador Rice if she thought the UN was being too quiet.

Amb. Rice replied, as she would on Northern Congo, that she had spent the day immersed in something else, presumably Iran. These proposed sanctions, it seems clear, are the US Mission's and Administration's focus. But what about the outbreak of fighting between the SPLM and northerners, either tribes or Bashir's army?

The focus, Amb. Rice said, the "big enchilada," is really on the referendum on South Sudan being independent. But if the process of these election was not credible, why and how would that one be?

Still on Sudan, when Inner City Press told Ambassador Rice about reports of UN envoy Ibrahim Gambari meeting earlier in the day with Omar al Bashir, she smiled thinly. On the other hand, Sudan's Ambassador told Inner City Press he had called Gambari directly, and Gambari had gushed about the meeting, He said that in the pending UNMIS resolution, there is an attempt to give UNMIS chief Haile Menkerios a role up in Darfur.

A Moroccan political coordinator, on the other hand, said the mixing of UNMIS and UNAMID would give Gambari a role in the South, "even if it breaks away." We'll see.

Turning to the Congo, Inner City Press asked about the UN's strange failure to commit to investigating the alleged 11 civilian deaths caused in the re-taking of the airport in Northern Congo. When told that the alleged perpetrators are the Congolese Army, with which the UN works, Ambassador Rice said "good question." Inner City Press told her she is more likely to get an answer. "Thank you," she said.

There was chit chat, too. A reporter recounted that St. Lucia's Ambassador said Ms. Rice is part Caribbean. Ambassador Rice nodded. "All you need to know about me," she said, is I am half Jamaican and was conceived in Nigeria. She laughed. "My grand mother's maiden name was Daley [or Daly], as in Irish."

Some reporters suggested she speak more with the press, contrasting her approach to that of the French. She shrugged. I can't do it every week, she said, adding that Americans are "not peacocks."

Menkerios, as it happens, will speak to the Security Council on Tuesday afternoon and then, it is promised, with the Press. An African Ambassador, requesting anonymity, told Inner City Press on Monday night that Menkerios' old position with the Department of Political Affairs will be filled by current Cyprus representative Taye-Brook Zerihoun. Then who would take Cyprus -- Atul Khare? Watch this site.

Footnote: as requested by the South African mission, Inner City Press would be remiss not to note that, with the African Union's endorsesment, South Africa is virtually assured of re-gaining a Council seat in 2011-12. When Inner City Press quipped that this fast return made the country the "Japan of Africa," a South African representative reminded that before what's now called the Dumisani Kumalo term, South Africa had not been represented. So welcome back -- the fix is in.

And see, www.innercitypress.com/sc1ricesaf042610.html

UN Silent on Sudan Vote Boycott Call, US' Rice on Chad and DC, But Not Corruption

By Matthew Russell Lee
www.innercitypress.com/usun1splmcorr012610.html

UNITED NATIONS, January 26 -- In the run up to elections in Sudan, the SPLM rebels have called for a boycott of voting in South Kordofan state. Inner City Press asked UN Spokesman Martin Nesirky on January 25 for the UN's response.

Mr. Neskirky replied, "I’m sure my colleagues on the ground are aware of it, and we’ll need to get full guidance from them on that." But 24 hours later, no UN "guidance" had been provided.

On January 26 following UN Security Council consultations on the subject, Inner City Press asked U.S. Permanent Representative Susan Rice what the she makes of the SPLM call for a boycott, due they say to problems with the census. Video here, from Minute 4:05.

Ambassador Rice replied that there are unresolved or unimplemented parts of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement, including how to deal with the census. She said it "merits the close attention of the parties." If the lack of UN response or guidance for more than 24 hours is any guide, perhaps it merits more "close attention" from the UN.

Inner City Press also asked Ambassador Rice about Chad's statement that it does not want the UN's MINURCAT peacekeeping force extended when it expires in March. She replied that there have been such "reservation" about the continuation of UN peacekeeping presence in Chad "and elsewhere."

This seemed to refer to the Democratic Republic of the Congo, where President Joseph Kabila pushed to limit the mandate extension of MONUC to a mere five months. Some say Chad's interest is more monetary. We'll see.

Ambassador Rice was asked about a recent piece by the spokesman for her predecessors John Bolton and Zalmay Khalilzad, Richard Grenell. She said she hadn't read it, but rattled off Security Council votes taken in 2009.

She explained her three days a week in Washington DC as a product of being in the Cabinet and National Security Council. More recent family health issues, cited to many writers by the US Mission, were not mentioned.

But while one of the critiques is a failure of achievement on UN reform, even as the number in investigations by the UN's OIOS had radically declined, Ambassador Rice did not address this. More recently, a U.S. indictment in Florida raises issues of corruption in UN Procurement. On January 25, Inner City Press asked Mr. Nesirky:

Inner City Press: There is a New York Times article that took place either Friday or Saturday with a headline “Contractor charged with trying to get corruption from UN procurement” but the actual indictment, USA Vs. Bistrong, seems to indicate that the contractor actually got what he was looking for, that is he was able to influence the bidding practice within the UN. I just wondered whether, in response to these allegations, the UN is going to conduct its own investigations, whether through that OIOS unit or otherwise?

Spokesperson: Well, the Office of Internal Oversight Services has completed an investigation into a matter where many of the facts at issue here were with respect to Mr. Bistrong. And I think you can expect a report from OIOS. It’s forthcoming.

And while the criminal information refers to a UN agent, the United Nations considers this person to be an individual already investigated by the United Nations, who has been separated from service and convicted by the United States authorities. And the United Nations will, however, confirm with United States authorities to ensure that there are no other UN personnel implicated.

Inenr City Press: Are you referring to Mr. Jacob Loeb [Yakoblev], just to be clear who we’re talking about?

Spokesperson: I’m telling you what I have here. I can also give you a couple of other details. The events reported in the press refer to actions which occurred in 2001 to 2006. And since 2006 procurement processes have been tightened to ensure the bid-rigging and bribery described in the criminal information are no longer possible. The UN Procurement Division (UNPD) believes that the allegations refer to persons who are no longer employed by the United Nations.

And the Procurement Division is aware of the issues referred to in the criminal information filed on 22 January 2010 against Richard T. Bistrong. And in consultation with the Office of Internal Oversight Services (OIOS) and Office of Legal Affairs, the Procurement Division is reviewing the matter to identify what actions are warranted. And also, following a review, existing or prospective procurement vendors will be referred to the Senior Vendor Review Committee for appropriate action.

But where is the US Mission to the UN on these issues? Watch this site.

And see, www.innercitypress.com/usun1splmcorr012610.html