Burundi Notes Belgium Had No Government For a Year, UN UNreformed

By Matthew Russell Lee

 UNITED NATIONS, July 22 -- The Security Council tables were turned on Monday morning, when the Ambassador of Burundi began his speech with the fact that former colonial powerhouse Belgium was without a government for more than a year.

  He then mocked those to whom "good government is so dear," citing a proverb from another colonialist, France: "An empty stomach has no ears."

  On the other end of the spectrum, after the chair of the UN Peacebuilding configuration Paul Seger of Switzerland spoke in the open meeting, he like Burundi was not allowed into the Security Council's consultation.

  These exclusions are one of the reforms proposed by the new ACT grouping, and the Small Five before it. Seger stopped and told Inner City Press that, along with lines of another saying about Mohamed and the mountain, he had invited Security Council members to consult with him on Friday, and they did. But at what level?

  Seger was in Burundi from June 24 to 28, and among other things as regards the International Monetary Fund said, "both the Burundian authorities and the donors consider the socio-economic situation to be difficult, although the two sides do not necessarily have the same interpretation of the causes of this fragility. The recent mission by the International Monetary Fund summed up the main challenges well. I strongly encourage the government to follow its recommendations."

  There were four then one then no media in front of the Security Council -- the Conference Building wi-fi seems not to work, beyond the lack of the media worktable that existed in front of the Security Council before and during the Capital Master Plan renovation. To return to Seger's speech, while the IMF tends to try to make things easier for journalists to cover it, the opposite may be the trend at the UN. The Free UN Coalition for Access has asked why. Watch this site.

   

For Child Soldier Recruiter Chad, 5 Steps in 4 Months In Mali, Ladsous' Rules Like on Rape, No Zero Tolerance

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, June 17 -- Children and Armed Conflict was the topic in the UN Security Council on Monday, with more than two dozen countries saying there should be zero tolerance for the recruitment of child soldiers. But is the UN implementing such zero tolerance?

The elephant in the room, or Council Chamber, was the case of Chad and the UN's mission in Mali set to begin on July 1. Chad is on the UN's list of child soldier recruiters, but is itself being recruited to join the UN mission by Department of Peacekeeping Operations chief Herve Ladsous. Inner City Press first reported on this issue on June 3, here.

Ladsous has spoken of a four month "grace period." Only in the UN could such a grace period, like Ladsous's three strikes and maybe you're out policy on rape, be considered zero tolerance.

The Security Council members spoke first. France's Gerard Araud praised Chad for steps it is said to be taking. But what of the negative precedent of accepting a country currently listed on the child soldier recruitment list as a Troop Contributing County? Nothing on this.

The UK Mission to the UN, when asked last week by Inner City Press, replied through its spokesperson Iona Thomas:

"The UK takes the listing of the Chadian Army in the Secretary General’s report on Children and Armed Conflict very seriously. We understand there are ongoing discussions between the Chadian government, DPKO and the SRSG on Children and Armed Conflict to address Chad’s obligations on the CAAC agenda. It is important that Chad fulfils these obligations as soon as possible and we are monitoring this closely."

  After Monday's Security Council session, Inner City Pressagain asked the SRSG on Children and Armed Conflict Leila Zerrougui about Chad and the Mali mission, MINUSMA. 

   She said that there are five short term items Chad must comply with. When? She said, during the "grace period" -- that is, Ladsous' four months.

Even if that could be described as zero tolerance -- it can't -- it must be recalled that even after Ladsous belatedly threatened to withdraw support from two Congolese Army units implicated in the mass rapes at Minova in November 2012, Ladsous never in fact suspended support, despite only three people being arrested. 

  Three perpetrators for 135 rapes? It is not only on the zero in zero tolerance that Ladsous can apparently not do the math.

  Inner City Press has spoken several times with Chad's Permanent Representative Ahmad Allam-mi, who has also expressed frustration with the UN. If it's that the UN should re-inspect more quickly, then do it. 

 But to claim that accepting a country still on the child soldier recruitment list as a troop contributing country is not a precedent against the claimed zero tolerance -- is laughable. Or Ladsous-ian, to coin another phrase. There will be more.

Footnote: In Monday's open debate, contrary to reform requests by the Small Five and now ACT, UK Ambassador Lyall Grant put the Presidential Statement up for decision before non-Council members spoke. The meeting was difficult to cover, again due to the lack of previously existing media workspace at the Council stakeout. Time is ticking on all this. Watch this site.

For More UNSC Transparency, ACT Is Launched, UK Will Meet With Them; More Open to the Press?

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, May 2 -- Should the UN Security Council become more Accountable, Coherent and Transparent? That was the question as the new ACT grouping was launched Thursday in the UN's ECOSOC Chamber.

  After the proponents spoke, the UK Political Coordinator said his country will meet with ACT while preparing the Program of Work for its Council presidency in June. He noted, however, that the Security Council is the master of its own procedures.

  But who's being served by these procedures? Ireland's Permanent Representative described the Council's debates as "ritualistic;" Uruguay's PR complained ever so diplomatically about the recent radical shift in UN Peacekeeping -- away from its previously claimed impartiality, we say -- without sufficiently consulting the Troop Contributing Countries.

  The Swiss Permanent Representative, who has been working particularly hard on this since the Small Five initiative was essentially killed off by Secretary General Ban Ki-moon's lawyer Patricia O'Brien last May, opened the floor not only to members states, but then to NGOs and to the media.

  Inner City Press, descending from the dark back of the ECOSOC chamber, with its unfinished ceiling, was given the floor and asked if ACT will question why the wrap-up sessions at the end of the month are closed to the press and public, along with meetings like that on Jordan and its Syrian refugees. This is an issue another new group, the Free UN Coalition for Access, is working on.

  Also, Inner City Press asked, why are impacted countries always kept out of the Council's consultations, loitering in the Quiet Room or at the stakeout with the press?

  Norway's representative -- not its Permanent Representative as the UK political coordinator called her -- said these issues would be considered going forward, ACT is just beginning. We wish it well.

  There are those they don't, who think it is still a threat to more fundamental Council reform. Japan's representative spoke, and brought up the O'Brien letter. For an analysis of the effects of various reform proposals, see PfC. Watch this site.

Qatar's Syria Draft May Be Voted On in UNGA Late Next Week, Swiss Proposals, Press Circus

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, May 1 -- The proposed Syria resolution drafted by Qatar may be voted on in the UN General Assembly "late next week," two of its proponents told Inner City Press on Wednesday.

  Meanwhile, Inner City Press has obtained and is todayexclusively publishing a letter from the Swiss Mission to the UN to Qatar's Ambassador, urging "informal negotiations on the text open to all Member States" and a series of amendments, adding for example "all parties" and "armed elements of the opposition."

  It may be worth noting that due to the way the UN proposes to conduct the (delayed) move-back to the Secretariat Building, all media at the UN have been told to shut down their offices at 1 pm on Friday, May 10. 

   So if the GA vote is then, there will be very little coverage, even by those wanting to hype up such a resolution.

  The Swiss Mission will, on May 2, be re-launching at least the ideas behind the old Small Five configuration, as a "new group of states called ACT, which stands for Accountability, Coherence and Transparency in the Security Council. The cross regional group is aiming to improve the working methods of today’s UN Security Council. The Ambassadors of Ireland, Liechtenstein, Norway, Papua New Guinea, Tanzania, Uruguay and Switzerland will present the new group, its vision and priorities as well as the work done so far."

  Also on May 2 there will be a scam press freedom event, featuring a UN system "spokesperson" who participates in the non-answering of questions by a particular media, DPKO's Kieran Dwyer, and the president of the UN Correspondents Association Pamela Falk of CBS, who ghoulishly took photographs while the UN Department of Public Information conducted a non-consensual raid of Inner City Press' "swing space" office on March 18. 

 To show how they work together, as the UN's Censorship Alliance, note that UN DPI is now broadcasting on UNTV, including in the UN lobby, a video in which Falk falsely claims UNCA is a trade association of all the correspondents of the UN; Falk is now promoting this dubious claim and video herself. UN free press? What a joke. Watch this site.

UN Working Methods Ritual Masks Small 5 Trauma, Singapore Cites O'Brien Letter

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, November 26 -- Security Council reform is a perennial UN issues, sadly like the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Monday's session on Working Methods was an open debate for the fifth year in a row.

  But this one was different, coming as it did after the shoot-down of the reform resolution by the so-called Small Five by a letter from Secretary General Ban Ki-moon's top lawyer Patricia O'Brien.

  Singapore said, "the Office of Legal Affairs gave an interpretation that 'it would be appropriate if the General Assembly were to adopt the draft resolution with the affirmative vote of two-thirds of the General Assembly membership.' Member States learnt of this legal opinion, not from the OLA or even the PGA who had first raised the query."

  While Singapore went on to focus on a Permanent Five member faxing the OLA letter out -- to Inner City Press' information, this was done during the General Assembly session -- the letter was leaked and published by Inner City Press the night before.

  The larger problem was that O'Brien letter was never made an official document. It was "put out there" in order to get the Small Five to withdraw their resolution. Then it disappeared. And O'Brien never appeared to answer any Press questions about the letter and its reasoning. Such is the lawless UN.

  Still Monday's session, which after Singapore heard from Egypt, Small Fiver Switzerland and Iran in the morning, then incoming member South Korea, Small Fivers Costa Rica and Uruguay and others in the afternoon.

  Russia's Vitaly Churkin in the morning said that working methods are the property of the Security Council -- he confirmed this translation afterward to Inner City Press, while others told Inner City Press that his reference to Charters Six and Eight was MIS-translated as Chapter Seven. The P5 are united on these issues. And many beyond them praised the Council's new website.

  Morocco's Ambassador Loulichki suggested that non Permanent members be consulted on what committees they might like to chair.

    Inner City Press hears that on Working Methods or documentation, outgoing member Portugal might be replaced by incoming Argentina. Fresh from their face off with the International Monetary Fund and a foreclosing vulture fund, here's hoping they can move the ball of transparency forward. Watch this site.

At UNGA's Surreal Stakeout, Swiss Small 5 Lost in Translation, Morocco Runs

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, September 25 -- Even penned in cavernous Conference Room 1 during a badly administered first day of the UN General Debate, opportunities that seem potentially newsworthy crop up unexpected.

  Between scheduled "media availability" stakeouts by Julia Gillard of Australia and Guatemala's president, Switzerland's president Eveline Widmer-Schlumpf appeared on UN Television speaking at the stakeout microphone.

  After first her answers were in German. But then an Australian journalist asked if Europeans would vote, in thecurrent Security Council seat race, for Luxembourg and Finland rather than Australia. 

  She declined this question, but half-answered the next one, about Obama or Romney. She said they would be the same on banks, that she has a preference but will not say it.

  As she responded to a question about sanctions on Iran, Inner City Press ran from the Media Center along a corridor of blue painted barricades to the stakeout and asked a Swiss question: does the "Small Five" effort to reform the Security Council's working methods survive its withdrawal earlier this year?

To be diplomatic, it seems the question was misheard. She answered "2022," apparently that Switzerland is running for a Security Council seat in a decade's time. She called it a "one year term," when the terms are for two years.

Afterward a spokesman told Inner City Press, "you can't use that." If agreed in advance, Inner City Press always respects that. 

  But in this case, the comments were already broadcast on UN Television. And this comes shortly after hoopla about Switzerland's ten years in the UN -- click here for decade's review by Inner City Press. For the record, Inner City Press has had praise for the Swiss Mission to the UN and related community. But answers to questions on UN TV are for use.

  Minutes later the foreign minister of Morocco Saad-Eddine El Othmani appeared. Inner City Press has previously filmed Q&A with him, and this time ran to the stakeout as for Switzerland's president. 

 But this time a signal was given and the media availability abruptly called to a close. There are questions. Hey, it might have been a softball about Morocco's position on a UN envoy for the Sahel. Maybe -- watch this site.

Ten Swiss Years in UN Spin HRC & Sanctions Reforms, Going Big in Small Five

 

By Matthew Russell Lee, Review

UNITED NATIONS, September 4 -- Switzerland joined the UN ten years ago, and its UN Mission website presents it as an unmitigated success. But closer examination finds that some of its claimed impacted, on and of the UN, are more ambiguous than presented.

Switzerland makes much of the Geneva-based Human Rights Council. But just this month, Sudan's candidacy for the HRC while its president has been indicted for genocide by the ICC has drawn fire. Word has been, for Sudan to drop out, it will get a quiet commitment for lighter treatment by the HRC.

Last week on August 30, Inner City Press asked UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon's Associate Spokesman Farhan Haq about the efficacy of any challenge to the Secretariat to Sudan's candidacy:

Inner City Press: there's a letter that was sent to Patricia O’Brien about Sudan’s candidacy for the Human Rights Council. It’s been publicly announced; I don’t know if the UN has received it. And also, does the Secretariat have any role in ruling on the eligibility of countries to run in elections for the Human Rights Council?

Associate Spokesperson Farhan Haq: Well, certainly, Member States can request our expertise, our legal expertise, on points of order if they choose to do so. In this case, though, the question of membership in the Human Rights Council is up to the Member States, as it properly is, and we will leave it in their hands how to handle this issue.

Now, amid claims by some it vindicates the HRC, Sudan is backing out. But in exchange for what? Sudan's National Congress Party's secretary of organizations Adil Awad on September 2 said he now expects Sudan to be relieved of monitoring by a special rapporteur...

On the positive side, Switzerland's (increasingly leadership, and lonely) role in the so-called Small Five for reform of the Security Council's working methods stands out.

Their draft resolution was withdrawn, but Ambassador Seger seems committed to press forward, bringing a legal approach too rare in the UN. Seger insists, correctly, on more participation in the Security Council as head of a Peacebuilding Commission configuration. Seger's predecessor Peter Maurer now heads the ICRC and is headed to Syia.

On the other hand it was unfortunate that Nicolas Michel, while serving at the UN's top lawyer, also accepted Swiss payments for his housing, in violation of the UN charter and rules, as exposed by Inner City Press.

And Joseph Deiss, while he was PGA, was only halting in disclosing who paid for his housing and travel. For a PGA, it is legal to take from one's country. But Deiss appeared to deny it, when Inner City Press first raised it.

The ombudsperson of the Al Qaeda Sanctions committee was something of a good reform. But recently, for example, the reform proved illusory. A person removed from the Al Qaeda list, businessman Jim'ale, was then just put on the Somalia / Eritrea sanctions list.

Switzerland is in the position to critique and even reform these things. We'll be watching.

UN Reform Withdrawn by Swiss After Letter of Ban's Lawyer, Who Won't Speak

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, May 16 -- Less than three hours after he withdrew the Small Five draft resolution on Security Council working methods, Swiss Ambassador Seger told Inner City Press that the letter by UN Legal Adviser Patricia O'Brien that led to the withdrawal was "wrong," but that the President of the General Assembly had let it be known that he would express support for the letter.

  In his withdrawal speech, both as prepared and delivered, Seger criticized "legal arguments according to which our resolution should be submitted to a qualified majority of all member States under resolution 53/30 which we find, with all due respect, utterly wrong and biased."

  Inner City Press obtained the O'Brien letter and exclusively published it May 15; Seger on May 16 referred to it being leaked to the press. But it should have been public.

  At Wednesday's noon briefing, Inner City Press asked the spokesman for Secretary General Ban Ki-moon if Ban agrees with his lawyer's ruling. The spokesman, Martin Nesirky, said that since the resolution was withdrawn there was no reason to answer. 

 

  Inner City Press asked again that Patricia O'Brien hold a press availability to answer questions, now that she had issued a legal opinion not only to Ban but all 193 member states. Nesirky said such a briefing is "unlikely," for the reason he previously said. But now O'Brien has impacted a major UN reform issue: is there no accountability?

  Ban Ki-moon talks about transparency, but O'Brien never takes press questions. Ban's more recent hire, top Peacekeeper Herve Ladsous, never answers questions, unlike for example Kofi Annan's top Peacekeeper Jean-Marie Guehenno.

  Ban talks about reform, but blocks it. Here his top lawyer rules for a two-third General Assembly vote for a reform he disfavors, when for his half-baked "Change Management" Ban wanted to proceed without any GA vote at all, until the Group of 77 slapped him down. Some reformer.

  Ban main reform has been the five year mobility rule, now renamed the "rotation" rule. Inner City Press asked on Wednesday if it applies to Patricia O'Brien and later this arrived:

Subject: Patricia O'Brien
From: UN Spokesperson - Do Not Reply [at] un.org
Date: Wed, May 16, 2012
To: Matthew.Lee [at] innercitypress.com

Regarding Patricia O'Brien, her term started in 2008. Please see below:

6 August 2008 Secretary-General SG/A/1147 BIO/4002

SECRETARY-GENERAL APPOINTS PATRICIA O’BRIEN OF IRELAND AS UNDER-SECRETARY-GENERAL FOR LEGAL AFFAIRS AND UNITED NATIONS LEGAL COUNSEL

United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has appointed Patricia O’Brien of Ireland as Under-Secretary-General for Legal Affairs and United Nations Legal Counsel. Ms. O'Brien, the first woman in this position in the history of the United Nations, will replace Nicolas Michel.

  Note that Michel, whatever other issues, at least held press conferences. So, O'Brien until August 8, 2013? And now Q&A or accountability until then? Watch this site.

Footnote: Ambassador Seger recounted how after he briefed the Security Council as head of the Burundi Peacebuilding Configuration he was not allowed into consultations.

  Inner City Press suggested, ask for an Arria formula meeting, like was held on Guinea Bissau. There, Brazil's Ambassador who heads the PBC on Guinea Bissau pressed to get admitted. It shouldn't be required every time, fine -- but if it is, why not press?

Small 5 Have Support Ranging from S. Africa to Norway But May Withdraw

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, May 16, updated 10:50 am -- As Permanent Representatives poured into the General Assembly on Wednesday morning for the expected fight on the Small Five's draft resolution recommending changes to the Security Council's working methods, Inner City Press began taking an informal poll.

South Africa's Permanent Representative Baso Sangqu expressed support for the S5, as did for example Norway and G-4 member Japan.

Others in the UfC said it is "too important an issue" to divide the membership, and urged withdrawal of the proposal, citing the legal opinion letter of Ban Ki-moon's reclusive top lawyer Patricia O'Brien, which Inner City Press obtained and put online yesterday.

After that story, some in UfC pointed out to Inner City Press that even though the Permanent Five wanted that opinion from O'Brien, so did they, and that there are "some Davids" in the UfC, not only the P5 Goliaths.

In fact, the P5 was advised to take a backseat or less visible role, but chose not to. Likewise the P5 were offered an informal process of conferring on working methods, a large Latin country says, but the P5 rejected it.

Still, by 10:15 am Permanent Representatives from Africa and Latin America emerged and told Inenr City Press the buzz is that the Small Five would give a speech and withdraw their proposal.

If not, a UfC Perm Rep told Inner City Press, there would be a no-action motion, and if that failed, a push by the Small Five to lower the requirement to 50% from the O'Brien dictated two-thirds. 

Update of 10:50 am -- a Small Five Permanent Representative who had been fiery on Tuesday now tells Inner City Press, we are going to meet with the PGA. O'Brien's letter sure to figure. Meanwhile there's talk of the African Group asking for a deferral. Watch this site.

Update of 11:12 am -- a Small Five dip has said they will withdraw, not just defer. Still no formal confirmation.

Update of 11:50 am - after a long speech, live Tweeted here, the Swiss Perm Rep said "S5 withdraw" the resolution. Fin.

At UN, Ban's Lawyer O'Brien Sides with P5 Against S5, Says 2/3 Required

By Matthew Russell Lee, Exclusive

UNITED NATIONS, May 15 -- What is the place of law in the UN? This is a question raised not only by the so-called Small Five's draft resolution about the Security Council, but also the May 14 advisory letter of reclusive chief UN lawyer Patricia O'Brien, which Inner City Press has obtained and puts online here, and how it will be dealt with on May 16.

  Costa Rica, Jordan, Liechtenstein, Singapore and Switzerland, as the Small Five, have put forward recommendations for reforms of the Security Council's working methods. Inner City Press first wrote about the proposal on May 2, then earlier today after being the only media staking out meetings with the President of the General Assembly by the Permanent Five members of the Council, then the Small Five, exclusive article here.

  A member of the Permanent Five told Inner City Press, "This requires a two-thirds vote. We hope they [the Small Five] will just withdraw it."

  Inner City Press asked the PGA's office about the Legal Adviser's letter, but they would not confirm it. The PGA himself told Inner City Press, "we are still going through it," he said, "in the morning." 

 

  When the Small Five, and entourage, came out later from the PGA's office, one of their representatives told Inner City Press with a smile, "We say simple majority and that it will be adopted by consensus!"

  Patricia O'Brien, not surprisingly, sided with the powerful Permanent Five. (O'Brien has repeatedly refused to take questions from the Press, including on the long pending complaint that the UN introduced cholera to Haiti.) One her grounds, the last paragraph in the Annex, has now been taken away by its deletion. But what will happen on May 16? Watch this site.