Western Sahara Rights Monitors Floated Then Dropped, Payback for Ross Threats? & Araud Video

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, April 26, with video -- Since the US proposed and then agreed to withdraw a proposal to include human right monitoring in the mandate of the UN mission in Western Sahara, questions have abounded: why?

  Inner City Press asked US Ambassador Susan Rice on April 25, after the resolution on the rights-less mandate was approved by the Security Council, if it would be possible to get “the whole story.”

  Ambassador Rice replied, “the story's done, we have a resolution.”

  But of course, the story is NOT done. Inner City Press spoke to other ambassadors on Thursday afternoon. Some bragged that Rice had been undercut by the State Department, that she'd proposed the human rights monitoring without full support in Washington, and had to walk it back after Morocco's response, which included canceling military training operations with the US.

  Two well placed ambassadors exclusively told Inner City Press of another explanation, though: that once Morocco tried (and failed) to get (American) UN envoy on Western Sahara Christopher Ross replaced, there had to be some response by the US, and this was it.

  This makes the introduction to the “Friends” of Western Sahara of a resolution with rights monitoring included, and then its withdrawal, make more sense: it was a message.

  Not exactly as the Frente Polisario would have you believe -- a pure human rights message -- but a message nonetheless. Was the message received? Watch this site.

Footnote: We've extracted from the video of French Ambassador Gerard Araud's April 25 stakeout, mostly about Mali, the question on Western Sahara by Inner City Press, and Araud's answer and put it online, here. Araud said France “didn't oppose” human right monitoring in the UN mission's mandate, but “that's typical UN approach.”

  It is rare for France, glad to have a veto on the Security Council, to criticize the UN. But perhaps its muscle flexing in Mali, if not the shameful endgame in Central African Republic and now Guinea Conakry, has given France a new attitude at the UN.

  Araud claims there has been “a steady improvement on human rights in Western Sahara” - that's not at all clear from Christopher Ross' reports - and to “ask the penholder” (that is, the US, see above).

As UNSC Hears of Guinea Conakry, and DRC Brags of Brigade, Has France's Pen Gone Dry?

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, April 25 -- Another Francophone African country is in chaos, and its name is Guinea-Conakry. After protests killed one and injured ten, the head of the UN Department of Political Affairs Jeffrey Feltman briefed the Security Council on Thursday afternoon.

  Afterward Council members told Inner City Press about the briefing, with views ranging -- in France -- from “c'est dommage” (it's a shame) to “ca ira” (it will work).

  Then another French phrase: ville morte. Tomorrow there is a “dead city” protest.

  What about the elections set for June? Previously, Feltman's predecessor B. Lynn Pascoe listed Guinea-Conakry as one of the UN's mediation successes. Now what?

  Inner City Press asked, Who had the pen on Guinea?” This means, which Security Council member is in charge of drafting Council products? France drafted the Mali resolution, and a few Central African Republic press statements. The US drafted, then changed, the Western Sahara resolution.

  But who's got the pen on Guinea? It seems, as one wag said, that France's pen has gone dry.

  Meanwhile up in the General Assembly, the Democratic Republic of Congo took the floor to say its problems come from “certain neighboring countries,” and that the UN's new intervention brigade will “eradicate negative forces.” Click here for that.

  Then Sudan's Permanent Representative Daffa-Alla Elhag Ali Osman trashed a Temple University professor who has spoken about Darfur, Molefi Kete Asante. It wasn't clear who had set up the "expert" panels in Vuk Jeremic's GA debate, but there was talk of a declaration, being coordinated by South Sudan, and South Africa. Watch this site.

As Guinea's Shot Strongman Spirited to Morocco, Saharan Questions, Few UN Answers

By Matthew Russell Lee
www.innercitypress.com/unws1guinea120609.html

UNITED NATIONS, December 6 -- Guinea dictator Moussa Dadis Camara, who took power in a coup and oversaw the slaughter of at least 157 opponents in September, has himself been shot and seriously wounded. Sources tell Inner City Press that Lt Aboubacar Toumba Diakite, the chief of his presidential guards and an active participant in the stadium mass murder, has been concerned that while he may be held accountable, Dadis Camara would get away scot free.

Dadis Camera was flown for medical treatment to Morocco. In October, Inner City Press reported Morocco's involvement in Dadis Camara's close protection security. Now, he's flown there for surgery. Why is Morocco so close with Guinea, and Equatorial Guinea for that matter?

The answer is that while it is the African Union position that the people of Western Sahara, which Morocco claims, deserve a referendum with independence as an option, Morocco has been trying to pick off AU members with offers of military and financial aid.

Meanwhile the UN, which as Inner City Press reported has advised Burkina Faso president Campoare that Dadis Camara should remain in power in the interim, was on Friday asked about the shooting:

Inner City Press: it’s widely reported that Colonel Moussa Dadis Camara of Guinea has been shot and taken out of the country to Morocco. Is there, either Said Djinnit or whoever in the UN is dealing with that, can that be confirmed, and do they have a statement on the assassination attempt against the de facto leader?

Spokesperson Marie Okabe: I don’t have any reports today directly from Mr. Djinnit on this incident, but the Secretary-General is aware and following the situation. The latest violence underscores the urgent need to move towards the restoration of constitutional order in Guinea in a peaceful and consensual manner. The Secretary-General calls for calm and reiterates the need to avoid violence and to respect the rule of law. And he has instructed his Special Representative for West Africa [Said Djinnit] to remain actively engaged with national and regional stakeholders in the search for a solution that provides the people of Guinea an opportunity to elect their leaders in a democratic manner. And that’s what I have for you…

Watch this site.

And see, www.innercitypress.com/unws1guinea120609.html

Guinea Speaks at UN as Junta Kills Over 150 in Conakry, First Avenue Echoes

By Matthew Russell Lee
www.innercitypress.com/unga64guinea092609.html

UNITED NATIONS, September 28 -- As those in the UN General Assembly listened to the foreign minister of Guinea-Conakry give a speech ranging from his military regime's preference for Morocco over Western Saharan, China over Taiwan, in Conakry his government shot and killed at least 150 people protesting the dictatorship.

Even just outside the UN's compound on First Avenue, a throng of Guineans protested, with signs calling coup leader Captain Moussa Dadis Camara a liar and a killer. But most of the UN took no notice.

At the September 28 noon briefing, the spokesman for the President of the General Assembly was asked about the vote barring another coup leader, that of Madagascar, from speaking. Inner City Press asked why, by this logic, other coup leaders couldn't be barred. Video here, from Minute 19:44.

The response was that the Madagascar was was unique, sui generis to re-coin a phrase from Kosovo. But why?

In July of this year, Inner City Press asked the UN's envoy to Western Africa Said Djinnit what if anything the UN had done when previous Guinean president Lansasa Conte used his diplomatic status and immunity to traffic cocaine to Europe.

Djinnit said that he had been working with the leaders of the country, and appeared to blame Lonsana Conte's son(s) for the coke. But what was the UN doing in the run up to this bloodbath in Conakry?

Inner City Press inquired with the UN Spokesperson's office an hour after the Guinean speech, asking would there be some statement coming about about the killings in Guinea? There's something in the works, Inner City Press was told. Words but what action? Watch this space.

And see, www.innercitypress.com/unga64guinea092609.html