UNITED NATIONS GATE, May 18 -- Stephane Dujarric, the lead spokesman of UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres, has taken it upon himself to personally cover up child rapes and sexual abuse by UN personnel, most recently a Moroccan peacekeeper's alleged child rape in DR Congo.
The UN's transparency under Guterres has declined steadily. But on his issue of refusing to provide basic if-asked information from the UN Peacekeeping missions about the allegations the UN data dumps in one line on its website, Dujarric stands apart.
While Dujarric was away on Guterres' most recent junket, now saying nothing about the no confidence motion in Tuvalu while Guterres is there, long time deputy spokesman Farhan Haq to his credit - it is his job after all - twice provide the if-asked information, see below.
(It was Dujarric who said, on camera, that Guterres' UN would "continued to answer emailed questions from Mr. Lee," here. Inner City Press has not been able to enter the UN once since then. So that only rationale for stopping is content: censorship.)
The moment Dujarric returned, with his glad handing jokes with the scribes his uses to oust the Press, even this if-asked information was again withheld. It is not because it is an "international" staffer on whom Guterres refuses to give information. The only difference between the Moroccan peacekeeper's child rape and the allegations Haq answer on is... Dujarric, and perhaps the French connection. We'll have more on this.
Guterres says he has a "zero tolerance" policy for sexual abuse, exploitation and harassment,and for retaliation. But on March 15 he took his administration's "press briefing" about UN sexual abuse off the record, in a room he has banned Inner City Press which most asks about it from for 315 days.
On May 15 the UN data dumped a serious new charge, of child rape by a Morocco peacekeeper in the DR Congo in April. Inner City Press immediately in writing asked Guterres and his spokesmen, Farhan Haq and the returned Stephane Dujarric, "Please immediately provide all if-asked information for new SEA allegation against Moroccan peacekeeper in DRC uploaded this morning, since Inner City Press is banned from entering to ask at noon briefing. Please confirm receipt and explain."
Dujarric held his noon briefing, bantering with his stooges who did not ask about UN child rape; no answer was sent to Inner City Press. This is the cover up by child rape by the UN.
On May 13, in the middle of a belatedly UNSecurity Council meeting about Cameroon and still without providing basic if-asked information about rapes by UN peacekeepers at least identified as being from Cameroon, the UN data dumped more sexual exploitation allegations against it, in the DR Congo, by an "international" with nationality undisclosed.Inner City Press on the morning of May 14 asked Guterres, his spokesman Stephane Dujarric (who never answers despite his on camera promise to) and deputy spokesman Farhan Haq, who sometimes does provide the if-asked information,"May 14-2: On UN sexual abuse and exploitation, immediately provide all if-asked further information about the allegation(s) in the DR Congo put online on May 13 in the middle of the belated UNSC meeting on Cameroon, and explain why the SG does not disclose the nationality of international staff accused of sexual misconduct, and of the April 17 regarding Burundi and South Africa peacekeepers and still the Cameroon troops' rape allegations you have not provide any further information on - and now the four cases put online on May 9,four more sexual misconduct cases, declaring three "unsubstanted" including the alleged rape of a child in Guinea Bissau by a UN civilians whose nationality the UN declined to disclose. The fourth involves a UN person from DRC, but the position in the MONUSCO mission is undisclosed."
Deputy spokesman Haq some hours later replied, and we publish in full, "On question May 14-2, we can say the following: The United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO) has received an allegation of sexual exploitation involving a civilian international staff. The allegation refers to an exploitative relationship involving an adult woman that allegedly took place over an unspecified period and resulted in the birth of a child. The matter is being investigated by the Office of Internal Oversight Services (OIOS). Meanwhile, the mission is making all efforts to locate the alleged victim and her child to provide them with the appropriate support as per the UN’s victim assistance policy." But why is the nationality withheld? We'll have more on this.
On May 9 - still unanswered four days later - the UN declared three "unsubstanted" including the alleged rape of a child in Guinea Bissau by a UN civilians whose nationality the UN declined to disclose. The fourth involves a UN person from DRC, but the position in the MONUSCO mission is undisclosed. Even the UN's initial disclosures are getting more and more evasive. Will they continue, as they began after physical ousting and banning Inner City Press which asks, to not provide if-asked information? Or will the Deputy Spokesman, as he did earlier this week and then more than a month before, provide at least that information? Watch this site.
On May 2 the UN disclosed two cases, both in CAR, by "peacekeepers" from Senegal and from Gabon, another country Guterres' UN is failing on. On May 3 Inner City Press asked UN Spokesman Stephane Dujarric and others for the if-asked information on these cases, and one from Guinea Bissau. For five days, nothing. Inner City Press reiterated the questions early on the morning of May 8. Then this, from Deputy Spokesman Farhan Haq, which we publish in full minutes after receipt: "Regarding question May 8-2, here is the relevant information from the missions:
The UN Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in the Central African Republic (MINUSCA) has received two allegations of sexual exploitation involving members of its military contingents deployed to the Mission.
The first allegation refers to attempted transactional sex by a Gabonese peacekeeper, involving an adult woman, that allegedly took place in March 2019. The second allegation refers to transactional sex involving an adult woman by a Senegalese peacekeeper that allegedly also took place in March 2019. The Mission informed the alleged victim of available assistance in line with the UN’s victim assistance protocols, which was declined by the victim. The UN has accordingly separately informed both Member States. Further, the UN has requested the countries to appoint their own National Investigation Officer within five working days and for investigations to be completed within the reduced 90-days timeframe.
Meanwhile, the Mission reports that the Senegalese peacekeeper is currently confined to barracks, while the peacekeeper from Gabon has been repatriated. The UN has withheld payment for both peacekeepers.
The United Nations Integrated Peacebuilding Office in Guinea-Bissau (UNIOGBIS) has received an allegation of sexual exploitation involving a civilian international staff. The allegation refers to transactional sex with an adult woman. The alleged victim was offered medical, psycho-social and legal assistance and the Mission is maintaining continuous contact with her to keep her informed of the status and progress of the investigation which is being conducted by the Office of Internal Oversight Services (OIOS)." Why is the time frame of the abuse in Guinea Bissau not given? And why is the nationality withheld? We'll have more on this.
Background: On April 20 the UN went even more murky with sexual abuse in Guinea Bissau by a UN "international" it would not even say where from. Could it be Guterres' colonial Portugal? Inner City Press has asked in writing and more than a day later, no answer at all. We'll have more on this.
On April 17, the UN data dumped new sexual abuse allegations, by troops from Burundi in CAR and South Africa in DRC and others it wouldn't even specify the nationality of of. Photo here. On the same day his UN denied in one line the application for re-entry by Inner City Press which asks about these UN rapes, here.
This is cover up of rapes. #DumpGuterres: no second term.
