When Inner City Press Asks If Ban Ki-moon To Run for President of South Korea, His Spox Haq Says "Right Now" Focused on UN, Explains Much

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, October 22 -- Will Ban Ki-moon try to become president of South Korea when he finishes as UN Secretary General in 2016? On October 22, Inner City Press asked Ban's deputy spokesperson Farhan Haq. 

  Triggering the question was Ban's inclusion in a poll about possible candidates, including Seoul Mayor Park Won-soon and Hyundai "scion" Chung Mong-joon, and Haq's refusal to answer basic questions about the DR Congo, South Sudan and cholera.

  Haq said "it's not his decision to be included in a poll.  What the Secretary-General is doing and what he is concentrating on is his job as Secretary-General."

  But Inner City Press followed up with "a natural question, is he going to run or not?  Has he made a decision never to run?  Is the door open?  What is his position?"

 Haq replied that Ban's "position is that right now he is focused on his work as Secretary-General and that is where it will stand."

  This is akin to the coy answers given by actual candidates, in the US and elsewhere. It has now been suggested to Inner City Press it could further explain Ban's silence on attacks of press freedom in South Korea.

  The government in Seoul has indicted journliast Tatsuya Kato on possible charges of defaming current President Park Geun-hye, and has again blocked him from leaving South Korea.

  At issue is an article that Tatsuya Kato wrote citing Chosun Ilbo -- which also ran the recent poll including Ban -- that during the sinking of the Sewol ferry in April, President Park was not seen for seven hours and may have been trysting with a recently divorced former aide. 

  It is particularly troubling that while Tatsuya Kato has been targeted, Chosun Ilbo from which he quoted, and which ran the poll including Ban, is not being targeted. This disparate treatment of journalists, based on nationality or other factors, should not be tolerated.

  As a comparison, when Afghanistan recently imposed a similar travel ban on a New York Times reporter, not only the US State Department but also many others spoke out. But when Ban's spokesman Stephane Dujarric was directly asked about this comparison, and and Ban's silence on South Korea and Kato's case, he said that Ban is more active in Afghanistan than South Korea. Really? 

  On August 31, Ban Ki-moon's comment on the coup in Lesotho did not mention that the military took over the television and radio stations there.

  The day's New York Times recounted how South Korean artist Hong Sung-dam had his painting depicting Park Geun-hye and his view of her role in the sinking of the Sewol ferry censored by authorities in Gwangju.

  Some including the new Free UN Coalition for Access, an anti-censorship alliance established at the UN during and counter to Ban Ki-moon's time in control, have noted a trend toward ignoring some attacks on the media. Some others have ignored and enabled it.

In the UN on October 22, the former chair of the UN's Commission of Inquiry on North Korea, Michael Kirby, held a non-televised session in what calls itself a journalists' organization, UNCA.

  This group, perhaps following the silence of Ban Ki-moon with whom they play soccer and to whom they provide photo ops, has said nothing about South Korea's indictment of and travel ban against Tatsuya Kato.

There is a pattern. Executive committee members of same group, now known as the UN's Censorship Alliance, tried to get the investigative Press thrown out of the UN, for itsreporting on their murky screening of a Sri Lankan government film denying war crimes.

 One of those supporting the ouster has now tried to put even the first Haiti cholera case against the UN into the Censorship Alliance's non-televised clubhouse. Of course the UN, being sued, would want a presentation by the lawyers to not be on its worldwide Webcast. We and the new Free UN Coalition for Access will have more on all this.

   

At UN, Dutch Bike Racks & Ban Ki-moon's Pedaling Postponed, Drone Deal Undisclosed by Ladsous

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, July 31 -- It was a slow Wednesday at the UN, the last day of July, when a microphone and sound system were set up by the entrance doors and a mostly blond crowd began to assemble. Event video here.

  Inner City Press was looking for news -- Secretary General Ban Ki-moon's spokesperson had refused to say if the Geneva Conventions cover the UN's new Intervention Brigade in Eastern Congo, nor which company got the contract for drones signed by UN Peacekeeping's Herve Ladsous (video here) -- and so went to check it out.

  The event was to cut the ribbon on a bike rack, but not just any bike rack. The Netherlands' Permanent Representative Herman Schaper is leaving his post, and the staff of his Mission organized this donation and ceremony, without his knowledge, as a form of going away present.

  But would Ban Ki-moon attend? At 3 pm he and his senior adviser Kim Won-soo arrived in front of the UN in the black Hyundai Equus the South Korean mission gave him last December. But they went into the building. Inner City Press was asked: will Mr. Ban come back?

  If you build it, he will come. An orange bicycle, one of many identical bikes owned by the Dutch mission, was set up on the bike rack. Soon Ban's chief of Peacekeeping Herve Ladsous, the fourth Frenchman in a row to hold the post, walked by. Inner City Press asked, "Who got the drones contract?" Video here.

  Ladsous slowed and looked back. He did not answer, continuing on into the building. How can the UN sign contracts and spend public money and not say who is being paid?

  Some joked that this ceremony, with the sound sytem and security, cost most than the single eight-bike rack being displayed. But there will be 80 racks -- 640 bikes, as Ambassador Schaper calculated, for the three thousand people working in the building.

At 3:30, Schaper and his entourage went into the lobby. And there like clockwork came Ban Ki-moon, with his larger entourage including a staffer with two pairs of scissors in a basket. Ban gave a speech, citing how he presided over another bike ceremony last May. (Inner City Press was there, and rode the few blocks north to Ambassador Schaper's building overlooking the East River.)

  Ambassador Schaper lauded the CitiBike program (Inner City Press' review is here) and noted that in the Netherlands and Denmark, biking is not a sign of being pure but of being wise, healthwise and for the environment.

  They cut the ribbon and then the moment came: would Ban Ki-moon ride one of the bikes that had been brought for this purpose? He gamely tried, with the orange bike leaning against the model bike rack. (A co-founder of the Free UN Coalition for Access asked, "Where's the helmet?" But this is international territory; such a complaint is "not receivable," as the UN said of cholera in Haiti. Meanwhile there are threats for merely hanging a Free UN Coalition for Access sign on the founders' door, here.) 

  The orange Dutch mission bike was the kind one could step over, between the seat and handlebars. But trying to raise a leg over the seat is something else.

  Come now, SG, Ban Ki-moon was told. You don't need to do that.

  And he did not. 

  Some from the Dutch mission expressed disappointment. But the UN has far greater tasks to attend to -- for example like deciding to disclose which units of the Congolese Army it supports, if the Geneva Conventions apply to its Intervention Brigade, and whether to disclose who it's now paying for drones or if not, why not. Then there could be bike rides, and long ones. Watch this site.

   

UN Staff Slam Outsourcing, Reduced Access to Justice, Mobility "Sham" - Ban Ki-moon Town Hall Tales

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, January 15 -- After the whimpering end of "the worst UN budget committee session ever," as several participants called it, in December 2012 Inner City Press asked Secretary General Ban Ki-moon's spokespeople for Ban's comments on the deferral of his mobility proposal.

  The question has yet to be answered. Rather, Inner City Press was told that Ban would be holding a Town Hall meeting with UN staff and the question would be addressed there.

  There was only one problem: the Town Hall meeting, held on January 10, was closed-door and could not be attended by the Press.

 However Inner City Press has learned what was said, and the questions that were raised by staff members not only in New York but also in Geneva, Vienna, Naibori, Kinshasa, the Hague and Beirut.

 From Geneva questions ranging from outsourcing of jobs to cut-back for the merger of UN libraries with UNITAR -- to form "UN Knowledge" -- to even Ban's acceptance of a Hyundai "Equus" were raised.

 (Here is Inner City Press on the Hyundai, here the UN's subsequently provided and published answer about the car.)

 The questioner said if Equus means "horse of the victorious general" it will be hard for Ban Ki-moon to live up to it, with temporary staff with reduced access to justice.

  A plan by the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs to cut 45 jobs in Geneva was panned; it is said to be "on ice."

  When Ban Ki-moon's time to respond to this came, there was little detail. The libraries merger was called "efficiency;" lack of consultation with staff was blamed on deadlines set by the General Assembly. 

  Some staff interviewed by Inner City Press agreed that Ban is genial but answers are not forthcoming.

   From the UN in Vienna came the suggestion that Ban withdraw his mobility proposal. The head of the Staff Union, in New York, said that consultations on mobility were like "gang rape."

   Other staff have described the conflation of UMOJA and mobility a "sham."

   In what seemed to be a planted question, a political affairs staffer with MONUSCO in Kinshasa asked Ban what he could do about violence in Eastern Congo "including the apparent interference by a neighboring country." Was any polling done in MONUSCO, that this would be their question?

  By contrast the UNDOF question, also about violence, focused on conditions and pay for staff.

On the podium with Ban were Susana Malcorra, Yukio Takasu and deputy Jan Eliasson, who yesterday chose the questions for Ban's predecessor Kofi Annan, none on Oil for Food or Sri Lanka, which Eliasson is working on at least until the second quarter of 2013.

  In the front row were various Under Secretaries General, from Jeffrey Feltman through Maged Abdel Aziz , Kim Won-soo and Angela Kane -- but no Herve Ladsous, who oversees MONUSCO and UNDOF and the other peacekeeping missions. 

  Ladsous refuses to answer Press questions, even on how Ban's Human Rights Due Diligence Policy will be implemented after the actuall gang rapes in Minova in Eastern Congo. 

  To staff, Ladsous speaks through one-way video monologues. More on those to follow. Watch this site.

UN Explains Hyundai, Defers DRC, Sudan & Liberia, Silent on Cambodia & NJ Incident

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, December 28 -- How does the UN decide when to take a donation, particularly from a government? Inner City Press first raised the question when Ban Ki-moon accepted flights around the Gulf from the United Arab Emirates -- would he similarly accept flights from Syria?

   Back then in January, Ban's spokesman Martin Nesirky said that accepting gifts including transportation is "thought about extremely carefully."

   But how is it thought about? Inner City Press has asked the UN what rules applied to the armored Hyundai luxury sedan that Ban Ki-moon accepted earlier this month, with a red bow in the hood and a champagne toast. 

  The UN has told Inner City Press, "it was decided to accept the donation made by the Government of Korea given the donation is consistent with the policies, aims and activities of the Organization."

   Does this mean that giving an armored car is consistent with UN aims? Or that South Korea, as a donor, is consistent with UN aims as other countries, including on the Peninsula, might not be?

   The UN also told Inner City Press that "the Government of the Republic of Korea will pay for all costs and expenses related to the vehicle."

   Is the low mileage of the car consistent with UN policies and aims? The UN answered, "Fuel costs will be similar to the existing armoured vehicles in the fleet." But what about its carbon footprint?

   At least the UN responded to these automotive Press questions, and one about UNRWA. Others questions have been ignored or deferred, among others about Darfur and Liberia, Cambodia and, yes, New Jersey:

Dec 28-1 In Sudan, what is UNAMID doing about the seige of Ronga Tas IDP camp in Central Darfur, and the attempt by authorities to arrest 27 people who organized a demonstration? What is UNAMID's response to calls that the UN do more to protect civilians? Does UNAMID support the government's push to relocate these 33,000 people to places other than their places of origin?

Dec 28-2 In Liberia, this is a request for a detailed update on what the UN ever did about the complaints of the National Staff Association of UNMIL, first to Jane Holl Lute then to the Secretary General, about working conditions and discrimination. In particular, this is a request whether the UN ever investigated and came to a conclusion on the NASA's charges about the UNMIL Deputy Chief Engineer...

Dec 28-5 please confirm or deny an incident described to Inner City Press in which during a Secretary General trip in New Jersey [on information and belief to play golf] his vehicle and security were stopped by authorities and searched. What are the legalities of UN DSS personnel carrying weapons outside of the UN premises, including in the adjacent states of New Jersey and Pennsylvania?

Dec 28-6 On Cambodia, given the history, what is the Secretary General's or Secretariat's comment on the 20 year prison term for journalist Mam Sonando for criticizing Hun Sen, and the restrictions on Chan Soveth of Adhoc, who was questioned on Monday?

   The questions on Cambodia and New Jersey have received no answer as of 5 pm on Friday. On Liberia, Sudan and the Democratic Republic of Congo, these deferrals were provided:

"On UNAMID and UNMIL - DPKO advise they are in touch with the missions and when they have something we will let you know. On MONUSCO - DPKO does not have a further update at this stage. As already advised, human rights investigations continue."

   This last is about the 126 rapes by Congolese forces the UN may still be working with, which occurred in November 2012. 

  How is the UN's supposed Human Rights Due Diligence Policy meaningful, with not only this delay, but lack of transparency in stating which FARDC units the UN has been working with? 

   DPKO chief Ladsous refused to answer this question,retreating to the hall with favored correspondents on November 27 (video here) then having his spokesman seize the UN TV microphone on December 18 (video here), stillnot addressed by the UN. Watch this site.

At UN, Japan & EU Move to Cut Rio+20, US "Divides on Scales," of R2P & Ban Ki-moon's Car

By Matthew Russell Lee, Exclusive

UNITED NATIONS, December 21 -- Alongside the approach of the US fiscal cliff in Washington, at the UN in New York the annual budget fight is entering the end-game. Thursday the gloves came off, tellingly about a $8.7 million budget proposal to "implement Rio+20" on sustainable development.

  The UN Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions ACABQ supported the budget item. But on Thursday the European Union and Japan proposed to cut that budget to zero. This gave rise to howls among the Group of 77 and China, and accusations that the EU and Japan are hypocrites on sustainable development and the environment.

  There are other fights, on a proposed salary freeze in the UN Common System and the deferred issue of re-costing of the budget. The funding and mandate of the Responsibility to Protect office is being questioned, while other "Special Political Missions" are almost agreed.

  Less certain is Secretary General Ban Ki-moon's "mobility" proposal, on which Ban met with a group of Permanent Representatives and got feedback sources say he did not expect. Still the effort continues.

  Seemingly less contentious than in other years has been the scales of assessment. But, a good Fifth (Budget) Committee sources exclusively tells Inner City Press that "some attempts by the United States to split the Group of 77 irritated the Group and made progress stop."

  The US Mission's budget and reform ambassador Joe Torsella was at Morocco's End of Security Council Presidency reception in the UN Tent Thursday night, just behind the North Lawn building where the talks are talking place. 

  Man's got to eat. But seven fishes for Christmas Eve? (Click here for that story from last year). This year, how will re-costing play out?

  What about reform issues like Secretary General Ban Ki-moon this week accepting as a gift from South Korea an armor plated Hyundai? What safeguards are in place? Watch this site.

Footnote: the UN provided Inner City Press with this answer to a related, previously asked question about the Capital Master Plan:

Subject: Answer to your questionFrom: UN Spokesperson - Do Not Reply [at] un.org
Date: Tue, Dec 18, 2012 at 10:12 AM
To: Matthew Russell Lee [at] innercitypress.com

Please find our answer to the question your asked yesterday at the Noon briefing:

"The CMP is contributing to a report the Chef de Cabinet is preparing on what lessons the Secretariat (not just the CMP) can learn from Hurricane Sandy."

 
 We'll see. Watch this site.