Of UN Trucks With White Powder, Spox Says "Anti-Humidity," Ladsous Linked Rapes to R&R

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, September 24 -- When peacekeepers from France allegedly raped children in the Central African Republic and the UN learned about it more than a year ago, the UN and UNICEF did nothing, until French UN Peacekeeping chief Herve Ladsous asked to fire the whistleblower Anders Kompass in March of this year, as stated in twoUN Dispute Tribunal rulings.

  On September 11, refusing to answer on this, Ladsous instead linked the rapes to soldiers' lack of "distraction" and saying rapes could be avoided by some "relatively cheap R&R." Video here.

  On September 15, the UN Mission in CAR, MINUSCA, disclosed yet another "allegation of sexual exploitation committed by one of its civilian staff."

 On September 23 it was reported that a ship carrying UN Peacekeeping mission equipment was found in Mombasa, Kenya, with cocaine and AK-47s hidden INSIDE the UN Peacekeeping equipment. It appears the equipment was headed to the DR Congo, where Ladsous has declined to go after the Hutu FDLR militia (he has a history, here.)

On September 24, Inner City Press asked UN Spokesman Stephane Dujarric, who twice now has Banned the Press from even posing a question to Ladsous, about the ship, the guns and the white powder. Video here. Dujarric said that APC guns can be stored inside the vehicle; if they were not registered it was, he said, a “clerical” error.

  On the white powder, Dujarric said that it might be “anti-humidity” powder to protected the tires of the vehicles during the voyage. The death of the UNODC official, he said, was by natural causes. Online, some speculated about Ladsous and a “French Connection” remake. But Ladsous' most recent video, linking UN rapes to “R&R,” takes the prize. Will it come up at the Peacekeeping summit?


In another story, presented as related, Shamus Mangan of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime

“was found dead with considerable blood in his mouth...Eleven sachets of a powder believed to be cocaine were found in his room, as well as other drugs, police said. An official statement is awaited on details of the seizure from the vessel impounded last Thursday nigh... an assortment of weapons, including a General Purpose Machine Gun (GPMG) with serial numbers G6 5309, were recovered. The arms were hidden beneath combat wagons.”

The first story, here, says

“the Kenyan coastal police on Thursday raided the vessel, which was docked in the Indian ocean port of Mombasa, on suspicion that it carried drugs and lethal weapons. The ship had come on the radar of the Kenyan coastal police after they were alerted by the FBI and Interpol, who have been closely monitoring the movements of the international drug cartel. After almost four days of searching, the authorities recovered a huge consignment of drugs that was concealed inside the tyres of the trucks. The authorities also recovered weapons, including AK-47s, from the vehicles. The Hoegh Transporter, a vehicle carrier, began its voyage on July 22 at the Port of Hitachi in Japan, where civilian vehicles destined for Kenya were loaded, before reaching Korea on August 1. It then went to Dubai and left from there on September 3. Its next stop was Mumbai, where the trucks meant for the UN peacekeeping mission were loaded. The ship left Mumbai on September 10... Mombasa handles imports, such as fuel and consumer goods, for Uganda, Burundi, Rwanda, South Sudan, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Somalia.”

  So where WERE these trucks headed?

   The UN was closed on September 23, and as set forth below, its spokesman has declined to answer questions, at least Peacekeeping related questions, online. Meanwhile the UN's noon briefings on both September 25 (the day of limited coverage of the Pope at the UN) and September 28 - when ironically a UN Peacekeeping summit will be held, chaired by Barack Obama. Will this and Ladsous' linkage of UN rapes and R&R be addressed?

  On September 24 at the press conference for Indian Prime Minister Modi's arrival in New York, Inner City Press asked about the upcoming Peacekeeping summit. Periscope video here. We will pursue this. Watch this site.

 (Note that the UN has previously tried to explain away drugs, even in its mail room in New York, when Inner City Press exclusively uncovered them, here.)

  Inner City Press on September 15 asked UN Spokesman Stephane Dujarric, video here, transcript here:

Inner City Press: does this person have immunity or would the UN waive immunity?

Spokesman Dujarric:  Immunity in criminal cases… in all criminal cases does not apply.  And if… if a case were to go… a judicial case were to go forward, there would be no immunity for these actions, clearly, as they're not part of that person's work.

Inner City Press:  When you say the person can't leave the country, is that by order of… the UN won't facilitate them leaving or the CAR…

Spokesman:  That's as far as… I'm speaking on behalf of the UN.

Inner City Press:  I guess, inevitably, I have to ask you this.  Since Mr. [Hervé] Ladsous said that one of the reasons these abuses take place is people don't leave the country and go for R&R elsewhere for recreation, one could say, how long has the person been in the country?

Spokesman:  Matthew, I think… I think you continue to gain great pleasure in distorting what Mr. Ladsous said…

Inner City Press:  You can read the transcript.  He said…

Spokesman:  Listen, I think you raised that issue yesterday.  I answered clearly this is a case… a possible case of sexual abuse, which is to be condemned and which will be pursued as far as we can, both internally and with the relevant judicial authorities.

Inner City Press:  How long has it been since the person left the country?  The reason I ask is that he made the linkage.  He's the one that brought up people traveling…  [Cross talk - actually, talk over, by scribes]

Spokesman:  Matthew, I will say this one last time.  Civilian staff and military staff work under two different regimes.  So you're… to compare soldiers that have been in-country in very difficult circumstances for three years and civilian staff is not to be comparable.  Yes, ma'am?

  Later on September 15, Dujarric declined a Press question about what Ladsous said, ironically during a Reditt "Ask Me Anything" session. Ask Me Anything, except...

  On September 14, Inner City Press asked UN Spokesman Stephane Dujarric about what Ladsous had said, similar to comment which as noted below have gotten other military officials fired, even after they apologized. (Ladsous has not apologized, clarified, or answered any Press questions.) September 14 video here, transcript here:

Inner City Press: I'd wanted to ask you this on Friday or Mr. Ladsous, but I want to ask you, from this podium, he said, in discussing rapes, he said that peacekeepers there don't have enough recreation, that they don't have enough comfort.  He said that they are looking into getting them flights to get them fresh air, and although he did use the word, he's not excusing it.  I'm going to tell, many people saw this as basically a statement that somehow linking the rapes to a lack of other distractions…

Spokesman Dujarric:  I think… I think it's a complete misinterpretation of what Mr. Ladsous said.  He stressed a number of times that there was no excuse...

Inner City Press:  Then what about the flights?  I'm sorry.

Spokesman:  I'm a little over-caffeinated with me today so just bear with me.  He repeatedly said that there was no excuse for rape.  Okay.  That is clear.  That is UN policy, and I think that's everyone's policy.  There is no excuse for rape.  What he said in talking about the case of one contingent that had been deployed in basically a very hardship peacekeeping operation for more than three years.  When troops are not rotated, when troops don't have an opportunity to be rotated out for [rest and recuperation] and that's true for any armed forces, it creates the conditions where there can be all sorts of abuse or other things developing.  It is not an excuse for rape.  And I think it's clear that we have seen rape and horrendous sexual abuse by soldiers in many parts of the world.  Some of them come from very rich armies.  Some come from very poor armies.  There is no excuse.  What he was saying and I think people would agree with it, that three years for any contingent being stationed in very difficult circumstances is too long.

Inner City Press:  I guess what I want to say, US military, an admiral in the Pacific was fired for comments exactly like that for which the person… the person excused himself and apologized… he said distraction, comfort.

Spokesman:  Matthew, Matthew.  I read what you wrote.  I'm aware of the other case.  I think they're complete… they're not comparable.

Inner City Press:  Where are the flights going?  Where are the [rest and recuperation] flights going? 

Spokesman:  I will come back…

  Back in 1995 for similar comments, US Admiral Richard C. Macke was fired, as reported in the LA Times and the New York Times, which said Macke "apologized after members of Congress and Japanese officials complained, but it was too late.... A senior White House official said tonight that Anthony Lake, the national security adviser, had heard of Admiral Macke's remarks and told the Defense Department that the statements were 'not acceptable.'"

  Anthony Lake is now in the UN system, as the head of UNICEF - does he think UN Peacekeeping chief Ladsous' similar comments in 2015 are acceptable? Or does he, apparently like his and some other major member states, hope no one notices what Ladsous says and, worse, does?

  UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon has yet to act. Nor have Ladsous' French sponsors, who dumped him on the UN after he'd previously beenrejected for the post by Ban's predecessor Kofi Annan, said anything.

 When Inner City Press started asking about this, Ladsous took to saying"I don't respond to you, Mister," right on UNTV. Instead he summoned Agence France Presse, Reuters and others to private briefings, as here in the hall. These media didn't report Ladsous' antics -- nor despite being present at Ladsous' September 11 press conference did they report his linkage of soldiers' rapes to their lack of "comfort" or R&R. This is today's UN.

  It was Senegalese Babacar Gaye, the head of the CAR mission, and not overall Peacekeeping chief Ladsous who was fired by UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon; Inner City Press obtained and put Gaye's letter online here (credited here and here) citing systemic problems.

  Before Ladsous' carefully controlled four day visit to the country - no questions on the peacekeeper rapes, colonial photographs sent out - UN Spokesman Stephane Dujarric told Inner City Press, which asked, that Ladsous would take questions when he returned, including about peacekeepers' sexual abuse.

But when Ladsous appeared at the September 11 UN noon briefing, UN Spokesman Stephane Dujarric for the second time did not allow Inner City Press to ask Ladsous a single question. Dujarric gave the first question to the UN Correspondents Association, which after a perfunctory questions about the number of sexual abuse cases said its “real” question was if Ladsous will meet Obama. (Yes, apparently, and inappropriately, see below). Video here.

  Inner City Press prepared to ask Ladsous an obvious question: what is his response to appearing in at least two UN Dispute Tribunal rulings as having tried to get the whistleblower Kompass fired? But Dujarric gave the second question to a Reuters reporter who has previously channeled Ladsous, then to Agence France Presse, whose UN reporter in 2011 asked UNCA's board to act on Inner City Press' reporting on Ladsous.

Even with the questions allowed, Ladsous' answers should get him fired. First, speaking of sexual abuse, he said he didn't want to “deflower” the subject. Vine here. Then explaining the peacekeepers' rapes he said that a solution would be to get them more “recreation” (translating back and forth with Dujarric, Ladsous began to say “R and R”).

  Ladsous was asked, what do you mean? He said that Asian countries are good at this. We'll have more, but on top of his role in covering up rapes in DR Congo, Darfur and now CAR, this should get Ladsous fired. More here.
   

UN Peacekeeping Trucks "Hid" Cocaine & Guns After Ladsous Linked Rapes to R&R

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, September 23 -- When peacekeepers from France allegedly raped children in the Central African Republic and the UN learned about it more than a year ago, the UN and UNICEF did nothing, until French UN Peacekeeping chief Herve Ladsous asked to fire the whistleblower Anders Kompass in March of this year, as stated in twoUN Dispute Tribunal rulings.

  On September 11, refusing to answer on this, Ladsous instead linked the rapes to soldiers' lack of "distraction" and saying rapes could be avoided by some "relatively cheap R&R." Video here.

  On September 15, the UN Mission in CAR, MINUSCA, disclosed yet another "allegation of sexual exploitation committed by one of its civilian staff."

 On September 23 it was reported that a ship carrying UN Peacekeeping mission equipment was found in Mombasa, Kenya, with cocaine and AK-47s hidden INSIDE the UN Peacekeeping equipment. The story,here, says

“the Kenyan coastal police on Thursday raided the vessel, which was docked in the Indian ocean port of Mombasa, on suspicion that it carried drugs and lethal weapons. The ship had come on the radar of the Kenyan coastal police after they were alerted by the FBI and Interpol, who have been closely monitoring the movements of the international drug cartel. After almost four days of searching, the authorities recovered a huge consignment of drugs that was concealed inside the tyres of the trucks. The authorities also recovered weapons, including AK-47s, from the vehicles. The Hoegh Transporter, a vehicle carrier, began its voyage on July 22 at the Port of Hitachi in Japan, where civilian vehicles destined for Kenya were loaded, before reaching Korea on August 1. It then went to Dubai and left from there on September 3. Its next stop was Mumbai, where the trucks meant for the UN peacekeeping mission were loaded. The ship left Mumbai on September 10... Mombasa handles imports, such as fuel and consumer goods, for Uganda, Burundi, Rwanda, South Sudan, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Somalia.”

   The UN was closed on September 23, and as set forth below, its spokesman has declined to answer questions, at least Peacekeeping related questions, online. Meanwhile the UN's noon briefings on both September 25 (the day of limited coverage of the Pope at the UN) and September 28 - when ironically a UN Peacekeeping summit will be held, chaired by Barack Obama. Will this and Ladsous' linkage of UN rapes and R&R be addressed? Watch this site.

 (Note that the UN has previously tried to explain away drugs, even in its mail room in New York, when Inner City Press exclusively uncovered them, here.)

  Inner City Press on September 15 asked UN Spokesman Stephane Dujarric, video here, transcript here:

Inner City Press: does this person have immunity or would the UN waive immunity?

Spokesman Dujarric:  Immunity in criminal cases… in all criminal cases does not apply.  And if… if a case were to go… a judicial case were to go forward, there would be no immunity for these actions, clearly, as they're not part of that person's work.

Inner City Press:  When you say the person can't leave the country, is that by order of… the UN won't facilitate them leaving or the CAR…

Spokesman:  That's as far as… I'm speaking on behalf of the UN.

Inner City Press:  I guess, inevitably, I have to ask you this.  Since Mr. [Hervé] Ladsous said that one of the reasons these abuses take place is people don't leave the country and go for R&R elsewhere for recreation, one could say, how long has the person been in the country?

Spokesman:  Matthew, I think… I think you continue to gain great pleasure in distorting what Mr. Ladsous said…

Inner City Press:  You can read the transcript.  He said…

Spokesman:  Listen, I think you raised that issue yesterday.  I answered clearly this is a case… a possible case of sexual abuse, which is to be condemned and which will be pursued as far as we can, both internally and with the relevant judicial authorities.

Inner City Press:  How long has it been since the person left the country?  The reason I ask is that he made the linkage.  He's the one that brought up people traveling…  [Cross talk - actually, talk over, by scribes]

Spokesman:  Matthew, I will say this one last time.  Civilian staff and military staff work under two different regimes.  So you're… to compare soldiers that have been in-country in very difficult circumstances for three years and civilian staff is not to be comparable.  Yes, ma'am?

  Later on September 15, Dujarric declined a Press question about what Ladsous said, ironically during a Reditt "Ask Me Anything" session. Ask Me Anything, except...

  On September 14, Inner City Press asked UN Spokesman Stephane Dujarric about what Ladsous had said, similar to comment which as noted below have gotten other military officials fired, even after they apologized. (Ladsous has not apologized, clarified, or answered any Press questions.) September 14 video here, transcript here:

Inner City Press: I'd wanted to ask you this on Friday or Mr. Ladsous, but I want to ask you, from this podium, he said, in discussing rapes, he said that peacekeepers there don't have enough recreation, that they don't have enough comfort.  He said that they are looking into getting them flights to get them fresh air, and although he did use the word, he's not excusing it.  I'm going to tell, many people saw this as basically a statement that somehow linking the rapes to a lack of other distractions…

Spokesman Dujarric:  I think… I think it's a complete misinterpretation of what Mr. Ladsous said.  He stressed a number of times that there was no excuse...

Inner City Press:  Then what about the flights?  I'm sorry.

Spokesman:  I'm a little over-caffeinated with me today so just bear with me.  He repeatedly said that there was no excuse for rape.  Okay.  That is clear.  That is UN policy, and I think that's everyone's policy.  There is no excuse for rape.  What he said in talking about the case of one contingent that had been deployed in basically a very hardship peacekeeping operation for more than three years.  When troops are not rotated, when troops don't have an opportunity to be rotated out for [rest and recuperation] and that's true for any armed forces, it creates the conditions where there can be all sorts of abuse or other things developing.  It is not an excuse for rape.  And I think it's clear that we have seen rape and horrendous sexual abuse by soldiers in many parts of the world.  Some of them come from very rich armies.  Some come from very poor armies.  There is no excuse.  What he was saying and I think people would agree with it, that three years for any contingent being stationed in very difficult circumstances is too long.

Inner City Press:  I guess what I want to say, US military, an admiral in the Pacific was fired for comments exactly like that for which the person… the person excused himself and apologized… he said distraction, comfort.

Spokesman:  Matthew, Matthew.  I read what you wrote.  I'm aware of the other case.  I think they're complete… they're not comparable.

Inner City Press:  Where are the flights going?  Where are the [rest and recuperation] flights going? 

Spokesman:  I will come back…

  Back in 1995 for similar comments, US Admiral Richard C. Macke was fired, as reported in the LA Times and the New York Times, which said Macke "apologized after members of Congress and Japanese officials complained, but it was too late.... A senior White House official said tonight that Anthony Lake, the national security adviser, had heard of Admiral Macke's remarks and told the Defense Department that the statements were 'not acceptable.'"

  Anthony Lake is now in the UN system, as the head of UNICEF - does he think UN Peacekeeping chief Ladsous' similar comments in 2015 are acceptable? Or does he, apparently like his and some other major member states, hope no one notices what Ladsous says and, worse, does?

  UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon has yet to act. Nor have Ladsous' French sponsors, who dumped him on the UN after he'd previously beenrejected for the post by Ban's predecessor Kofi Annan, said anything.

 When Inner City Press started asking about this, Ladsous took to saying"I don't respond to you, Mister," right on UNTV. Instead he summoned Agence France Presse, Reuters and others to private briefings, as here in the hall. These media didn't report Ladsous' antics -- nor despite being present at Ladsous' September 11 press conference did they report his linkage of soldiers' rapes to their lack of "comfort" or R&R. This is today's UN.

  It was Senegalese Babacar Gaye, the head of the CAR mission, and not overall Peacekeeping chief Ladsous who was fired by UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon; Inner City Press obtained and put Gaye's letter online here (credited here and here) citing systemic problems.

  Before Ladsous' carefully controlled four day visit to the country - no questions on the peacekeeper rapes, colonial photographs sent out - UN Spokesman Stephane Dujarric told Inner City Press, which asked, that Ladsous would take questions when he returned, including about peacekeepers' sexual abuse.

But when Ladsous appeared at the September 11 UN noon briefing, UN Spokesman Stephane Dujarric for the second time did not allow Inner City Press to ask Ladsous a single question. Dujarric gave the first question to the UN Correspondents Association, which after a perfunctory questions about the number of sexual abuse cases said its “real” question was if Ladsous will meet Obama. (Yes, apparently, and inappropriately, see below). Video here.

  Inner City Press prepared to ask Ladsous an obvious question: what is his response to appearing in at least two UN Dispute Tribunal rulings as having tried to get the whistleblower Kompass fired? But Dujarric gave the second question to a Reuters reporter who has previously channeled Ladsous, then to Agence France Presse, whose UN reporter in 2011 asked UNCA's board to act on Inner City Press' reporting on Ladsous.

Even with the questions allowed, Ladsous' answers should get him fired. First, speaking of sexual abuse, he said he didn't want to “deflower” the subject. Vine here. Then explaining the peacekeepers' rapes he said that a solution would be to get them more “recreation” (translating back and forth with Dujarric, Ladsous began to say “R and R”).

  Ladsous was asked, what do you mean? He said that Asian countries are good at this. We'll have more, but on top of his role in covering up rapes in DR Congo, Darfur and now CAR, this should get Ladsous fired. More here.
   

India Diplomat Khobragade Now Gets Same Immunity as French Diplomat Romain Serman Got, After Araud Threats: Double Standards

By Matthew Russell Lee, Follow Up on Exclusive

UNITED NATIONS, March 12 -- Today the US Federal Court for the Southern District of New York granted Indian diplomat Khabragade the same immunity that French diplomat Romain Serman availed himself of - but which theFrench Mission to the UN under Gerard Araud has tried to cover up.

  The difference is that Khobagade was told she would be arrested if she tried to re-enter the US, while Serman has already come back, as France's Consul in San Fransisco. 

  Following the US indictment of Khobragade in early January for underpaying a domestic worker, Inner City Press cited the case of French diplomat Serman, about which it had asked the French Mission to the UN for comment.

  While the French Mission had declined to comment and instead made only threats, twice on January 13 French Ambassador Gerard Araud summoned Inner City Press at the Security Council stakeout and shouted.

  His spokesperson had told Inner City Press that pursuing the story was a "hostile act." And on January 13, when Inner City Press asked when his spokesperson had declined the opportunity to comment, Araud insisted it was all just outrageous, and made other threats.

  Since that day, Araud has refused to answer any questionsfrom Inner City Press, including on France's insistence on still selling Mistral warships to warships to Russia even as it purports to deplore its actions in Crimea.

  Back in 2011 Inner City Press uncovered and exclusively reported on the case of a French diplomat, Romain Serman, who after resisting arrest while allegedly buying cocaine was later allowed to leave the country. See story here, arrest report here.

  In connection with that story, Inner City Press expressly asked the French Mission to the UN to comment on, explain or contest the NYPD arrest record document.  They did not -- rather, Inner City Press was told that it being published was a "hostile act."

   The French Mission took other actions that form another story. But the point is, the French Mission was asked for comment, and made none.

   Now, 32 months later, French Ambassador Araud approached Inner City Press at the Security Council stakeout just after 10 am on January 13. He said the arrest document is from 2006 but Serman did not leave the US until 2007. He said, "if you had checked --"

  Inner City Press replied that his Mission was asked for comment but gave none, only threats.

  Araud said, "You let me finish first!"  Inner City Press continued to listen, but as soon as Araud finished he turned and walked into the Security Council.

  Later on January 13, at 1 pm with the Security Council's consultations on the Democratic Republic of the Congo still ongoing, Ambassador Araud emerged and again began shouting at Inner City Press. While we'll have more on this, notably Araud still did not explain why, when given the chance to comment, it had responded only with threats.

   Why was no comment given by the French Mission back in April 2011, including on the other leaked documents they objected to about the UN mission on Cote d'Ivoire ONUCI and other topics? There is more to be said on all this as well.

 But, in comparison to Ms. Khobragade, it seems clear that Serman was NOT placed on any US watch list, because he not only returned to the US -- he is now France's consul in San Francisco.

  While it may be debatable if resisting arrest for attemped cocaine purchase is more or less serious than allegedly underpaying a domestic worker, the disparity in US treatment between the French and Indian and French diplomat has still not been explained.

  Usually the agreement upon being allowed to leave the US in this way is that the person will not come back to the US. But Romain Serman came back to the US -- as France's consul in San Francisco, still.

  When Inner City Press reported this, the then spokesperson of the French mission demanded that Inner City Press remove the story from the Internet. 

  As with stories on Sri Lanka that the United Nations Correspondents Association demanded be taken down from the Internet or Inner City Press face expulsion, Inner City Press refused. The French spokesperson called this a "hostile act" (Inner City Press countered that it was an act of journalism) and things proceeded from there.

  This becomes even more relevant now in light of reports not only of the disparity in indictment of Khobragade versus none for the French Serman, but of US State Department spokesperson Psaki's comments last week about Khobragade being put on a watch list. 

  Back in April 2011, Inner City Press asked spokespeople at the US Mission to the UN and then Mark Toner at the State Department, "Was the State Department aware of Serman's arrest record when he re-entered in 2010, and how does applicable law and precedent allow this?"

 And we're still waiting for a response, as we are to FOIA requests pending at the State Department. Soon the new Free UN Coalition for Access will have to get on this case. Watch this site.

   

After French Mission Asserts Diplomatic Impunity, Araud Shouts of Romain Serman NYPD Record On Which His Mission Declined to Comment

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, January 14 -- When does diplomatic immunity become diplomatic impunity? 

  Last week Inner City Press compared the high profile case of Indian diplomat Devyani Khobragade who was indicted in connection with allegedly underpaying a domestic worker with an earlier case of a French diplomat Romain Serman who was taken into police custody while attempting to buy cocaine, according to NYPD records.

  Inner City Press had asked the French mission to comment on the NYPD record and Serman's case but was told only that it was a "hostile act" if the records, also including leaked documents showing France's domination of the UN with regard to former colonies in Africa, remained online. Inner City Press rejected that French censorship bid.

  On January 13, after the comparison to the Indian diplomat, things escalated. Both on his way into the Security Council and again on his way out, French Ambassador Gerard Araud stopped to shout at Inner City Press about the story. 

  When Inner City Press began pointing out that his Mission had been asked for comment but had only responded with the "hostile act" threat, Araud shouted over the point, and made another threat, to sue.

Click here for video / audio by UNTV taken at the stakeout. And embedded below: "flag shot" with UNTV ambient audio.

  Perhaps Araud or the French Mission to the UN do not understand press freedom as guaranteed by the First Amendment to the US Constitution. This is what investigative journalism is: ferreting out such documents, seeking comment on that, analyzing and comparing them, publishing.

  The French mission should have commented, if it disputed the document or thought it should be amplified with some explanation -- for example, that citing diplomatic immunity made the arrest, but not this record, go away: 

"for attempting to purchase cocaine and marijuana from a known drug dealer...106th Street and Park Ave...claimed to be a diplomat from the country of France and displayed a ID which proved such. When...Miranda rights he refused to cooperate...was taken into custody"

  That is the story: that for attempting to buy cocaine, for which many are in prison in the US and New York State, a French diplomat not only was not treated similarly, but was allowed to leave the country and then return, now, as French consul in San Francisco. 

  That is the comparison to the Indian case, in which it is said that Ms. Khobragade is on a "watch list" and would be arrested if she tried to re-enter the US where her two children, 4 and 7, live.

  The Indian case was widely reported and it does not seem that the Indian foreign service or Ms. Khobragade threatened to sue any media for reporting it.

   That is Araud's French Mission's tactic, deployed in lesser ways against others covering the UN who in turn were so cowed, or so needed access to the French Mission, that they resisted any reporting of the French Mission's censorship and conditioning of access on positive coverage.

  Araud's threat to sue notwithstanding, the UN is so lawless that it allows its Media Accreditation unit and process to be open for bids at censorship or outright exclusion. After facing such from some atop the United Nations Correspondents Association (now the UN's Censorship Alliance), not unrelated to ces jeux francais, the new Free UN Coalition for Access asserts journalists' right to due process and, even regarding the French mission and French foreign policy, freedom of the press. Watch this site.

Footnote: ironically the day after Araud's threat, French president Francois Hollande said he would not try to sue, since he has immunity and it would be a double standard. But is France engaged, through Araud, in triple standards? Or is Araud on his own on this one and soon, as he foreshadowed, leaving the UN?

   

Exclusive: Before India's Khobragade, US Let French Diplomat Serman Flee Before Indictment -- & Return as Consul in SF

By Matthew Russell Lee, Exclusive

UNITED NATIONS, January 9 -- In the run up to today's US indictment of Indian diplomat Devyani Khobragade for underpaying a domestic worker, US State Department spokespeople repeatedly insisted that the US has the utmost respect for India, that the relationship is extremely important to the US and they want to "move on."

  Back in 2011, though, Inner City Press uncovered and exclusively reported on the case of a French diplomat, Romain Serman, who after assaulting a New York Police Department officer while allegedly buying cocaine was allowed to leave the country before any indictment. See story here, arrest report here.

  While it may be debatable if assaulting a police officer when being arrested for cocaine purchase is more or less serious than allegedly underpaying a domestic worker, the disparity in US treatment between the French and Indian and French diplomat cannot be missed.

  The Indian diplomat was arrested, booked and stripped searched -- and today indicted. The French diplomat Romain Serman was allowed to quietly leave the country without any indictment.

  Usually the agreement upon being allowed to leave the US in this way is that the person will not come back to the US. But, amazingly, Romain Serman came back to the US -- as France's consul in San Francisco, still.

  When Inner City Press reported this, the then spokesperson of the French mission demanded that Inner City Press remove the story from the Internet. 

  As with stories on Sri Lanka that the United Nations Correspondents Association demanded be taken down from the Internet or Inner City Press face expulsion, Inner City Press refused. The French spokesperson called this a "hostile act" (Inner City Press countered that it was an act of journalism) and things proceeded from there.

  This becomes relevant now in light of reports not only of the disparity in indictment of Khobragade versus none for the French Serman, but that the US State Department might as an accommodation allow Khobragade to leave the country, as Serman was allowed to do WITHOUT indictment. 

 Would Khobragade then be allowed to return -- as a consul -- as Serman was? Watch this site.

   

Exclusive: Intruder Enters UN Through Unguarded East River Post, To Ban Ki-moon's Office, Budget Cuts Blamed

By Matthew Russell Lee, Exclusive Must-Credit

UNITED NATIONS, August 27 -- There was a break-in at the UN on Monday afternoon, Inner City Press has learned, while global news media focused on Syria chemical weapons and possible missile strikes. 

  The intruder came in through the door or Security post next to the satellite dish facing the East River, proceeded up toward the top of the UN where Secretary General Ban Ki-moon's office is.

   When the intruder was finally apprehended, he was taken into custody by the 17th Precinct of the New York Police Department. As it turns out, he had been with his father working an electrical job on 21st Street. 

  But as more than one UN Security officer told Inner City Press, it could have been someone else, it could have been much worst.

   Budget cuts are blamed, as they are for delay in responding to an electrical fire in the UN basement. The post by the satellite dish, which used to have an officer there, has been without guard for some time. Tuesday, Inner City Press went an observed, the post was filled again. But for how long?

  The fire, in the third sub-basement where there used to be a UN Security operational post, was belatedly noticed by cleaning staff. The UN spent $2 billion on its renovation, while cutting actual people working. 

  The same holds true for its audio-visual work: an expensive and so-far unsuccessful upgrade in hardware, while spending less on people, as questioned by the new Free UN Coalition for Access, @FUNCA_info. We'll have more on this: watch this site.

  In January 2012 Inner City Press exclusively reported the finding (and initial covering up) of cocaine in the UN's mail room. After that exclusive, and Inner City Press asking at the day's UN noon briefing, then DSS chief Greg Starr held a stakeout. Several wire services wrote stories giving no credit, saying this was fine since based on UN response to the Press' exclusive. 

 Now the DSS acting chief is Kevin Kennedy, who said on August 23 that he was heading to Somalia. How will the UN and its Alliance react? We'll see.

As Feltman to UN Scoop Stolen by Reuters, Its HQ Silent, UN Reporter Charbonneau Says It's Policy

By Matthew Russell Lee, Media Analysis

UNITED NATIONS, May 23 -- On March 28, Inner City Press exclusively reported that US official Jeffrey Feltman would replaced Lynn Pascoe as the head of the UN Department of Political Affairs. Click here to see that story.

   After Reuters stole the story on May 21, unlike for example Foreign Policy which gave credit, Inner City Press e-mailed that wire service's UN reporter Louis Charbonneau and then, receiving no response, sought to post a commenton the story on the Reuters.com website. While other non-substantive comments were allowed by Reuters, this one was not.

  So Inner City Press for two days sought to reach Reuters editors or officials. The links to the two editors on the triple-bylined story led only to their "blogs." (The threebylined reporters were "Arshad Mohammed, Warren Strobel and Louis Charbonneau; Editing by Vicki Allen and Eric Beech.)

  Reuters' "Director of Global Communications" Barb Burg was reachable only through a secretary, who a day later said to e-mail the two editors. One was "out of the office;" the other has yet to respond.

  Meanwhile it is understood that Reuter's UN Correspondent Lou Charbonneau has adopted a policy of NOT crediting Inner City Press, allegedly based on another report more than a year ago in which after Reuters' Charbonneau reported he has "seen" a report, Inner City Press posted the whole report on line. 

  Now to remove any pretext, Inner City Press has immediately after Charbonneau's belated complaint removed from the Internet both the story and the report.

  Charbonneau earlier this month, after Inner City Press asked Kosovo's Enver Hoxhaj about his country's support of Syria, took the answers as a stand-alone story with no credit. (Charbonneau has asked about Kosovo's Brussels office, a non-story). Compare UN video to Charbonneau's Reuters "story."

  It should be noted that other exclusives have been stolen at the UN. Earlier this year Inner City Press reported that 14 kilograms of cocaine were found in the UN mail room and covered up. 

  After writing the story, Inner City Press asked Secretary General Ban Ki-moon's spokesman Martin Nesirky about it at the next noon briefing. He had no answer, but later in the day organized a 6 pm stakeout by UN Security chief Gregory Starr to "rebut" the charges.

The UN correspondents of Reuters, Bloomberg (changing 14 kilos to "35 pounds"), AFP (changing to "35.5 pounds")Agence France Presse (whose Tim Witcher was previously used to harass Inner City Press by the French Mission to the UN, after Inner City Press published an expose on France's use of the UN in Cote d'Ivoire, and the last minute switch from Jerome Bonnafont to Herve "The Drone" Ladsous for DPKO), Mexican media and others showed up, many complaining, then wrote stories which other than the Mexican media gave no credit to Inner City Press' underlying exclusive. 

  The defense appears to be that once a press availability is scheduled, even if clear in response to anther media's exclusive, no credit need be given. Is this journalism? Or a club of corporate insiders? Watch this site.

UN Security Stonewalls on Drugs, Bombs & Noose, Crackdown on Amorous?

By Matthew Russell Lee, Exclusive

UNITED NATIONS, May 8 -- While UN Security's high officials have yet to provide any update on the 14 kilos of cocaine transferred from the UN to the New York Police Department as exposed by Inner City Press earlier this year, nor on incidents involving bomb sniffing dogs and a hangman's noose found in the UN, they are prepared to crackdown on two UN Security officers found in flagrante delicto in the UN Library, multiple sources tell Inner City Press.

  Some of these sources urged Inner City Press to tread cautiously with this story, given the propensity to retaliate among UN brass under Secretary General Ban Ki-moon. But others said a factual presentation would help the officers in question.

  According to these sources, the two UN Security officers were stumbled upon in the women's bathroom of the UN's Dag Hammarskjold Library by a person going to use the facilities after a yoga session. Other Security was called; the incident is now well known within UN Security, with concern of over-discipline.

  Under the UN-like rubric of "Make Love, Not War," we'll note that this incident created substantially less danger than the decision, when a UN bomb sniffing dog three times barked when a vehicle from the delivery company aptly known as TNT arrive, to send the vehicle back out into New York City traffic.

  Similarly, the hangman's noose that was found was a symbol of hate, not love. But nothing seems to have been done about that. After Inner City Press asked and wrote the story, the UN replied:

Subject: Your question at the Noon Briefing
From: UN Spokesperson - Do Not Reply [at] un.org
Date: Tue, Jan 31, 2012 at 4:51 PM
To: Matthew.Lee [at] innercitypress.com

On your question about a noose: The Safety and Security Service is aware of this matter. An investigation was launched immediately, and that investigation is being finalised. For that reason we cannot say more at this stage.

  And nothing has been said since. Watch this site.

  This week Inner City Press received and answered a number of questions about UN Security:

Reading the transcripts of a couple press conferences back in January, I saw you asking some tough questions about what seemed like a pattern of events involving suspicious packages detected by dogs. How would you put the drug package incident into the context of security issues at the UN?

 The combination of the UN's legal immunity and its leadership's lack of transparency make it a soft target, so to speak, for drug trafficking and other malfeasance.

 I learned of the 14 kilos of cocaine only through a lower level UN Security source -- the package had been found (by a fluke, it seems to me) and quietly turned over to NYPD. Nothing would ever have been said about it.

 After I wrote about it and then raised it in a noon briefing, Ban Ki-moon's spokesman's office and UN Security decided to come out with a story, that someone 14 kilos of cocaine in the UN, in a bag (badly) marked "UN" somehow didn't have anything to do with the UN. I think this remains a dubious theory. Frankly, they should have waited to see who might come and try to PICK UP the cocaine.

My research led me to an earlier drug case, of khat in the UN mailroom, on which the UN stonewalled.

 Then UN Security source came and told me of the barking of the bomb sniffing dogs -- and vehicle sent right back out into New York City -- and also of a noose, which UN Security belatedly said it was investigating, with no update yet.

As I understand it, the investigative premise is that some guy in a drug cartel started putting together a fake diplomatic package, but then DHL picked up the package before it was ready. What are your thoughts on this hypothesis?

 What it seems to me is that someone knew that DHL will deliver any package with a UN logo on it to the UN, and so this was used -- they should have waited to see who would come and try to pick up the package.

What can we learn from this incident about the UN's relationship with its host city and country?

 That the UN would, in the second bomb sniffing dog, went a vehicle which a dog had barked at back out into the city shows some contempt for City and its residents. Also not letting an NYC ambulance easily in -- recently I covered a story where an audio engineer had a seizure and ambulance was not immediately let into treat him. Think what this means for people inside the UN on tours -- and even for diplomats...