On US Torture Report, UN's Ban Ki-moon Has No Comment After 24 Hours, Outsources to Prince Zeid

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, December 10 -- After the much anticipated US torture report was released on the morning of December 9, at that day's UN noon briefing in New York Inner City Press asked UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric for a comment from Ban Ki-moon, which was expected.

But Dujarric said that there was no comment, that the UN was following it. Video here, and embedded below. 

  Fully 24 hours later, still no comment from Ban Ki-moon, during a time frame he commented on Lesotho elections, for example.

 Instead, at the December 10 noon briefing Dujarric read out a statement from Geneva by the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Prince Zeid.

  Inner City Press asked Dujarric why Ban hadn't commented in his own name. He is commenting through me, Dujarric replied, and stands with Prince Zeid's comments.
 
  Inner City Press asked if Ban stands with the comments of UN Special Rapporteur Ben Emmerson, that there should be prosecutions. Apparently not -- the answer was UNclear.  Dujarric added that Ban has no intention to discuss the report with any US official. And so it goes in Ban's UN.

The UN Security Council churned on -- UN Peacekeeping chief refused to answer a simple Inner City Press question as he left the Council, here-- even with some of the countries which hosted “black sites” for torture members of the Council.

An Amnesty International representative said that countries that are members of the International Criminal Court, which hosted such sites, could be acted against by the Court. UN expert Ben Emmerson chimed in, calling for prosecutions:

“the summary of the Feinstein report which was released this afternoon confirms what the international community has long believed - that there was a clear policy orchestrated at a high level within the Bush administration, which allowed to commit systematic crimes and gross violations of international human rights law.. The identities of the perpetrators, and many other details, have been redacted in the published summary report but are known to the Select Committee and to those who provided the Committee with information on the program... Torture is a crime of universal jurisdiction. The perpetrators may be prosecuted by any other country they may travel to. However, the primary responsibility for bringing them to justice rests with the US Department of Justice and the Attorney General.”

But still, from Ban Ki-moon, silence. Watch this site.

   

In Lesotho, US Orders Departure of Non-Employed Members of US Mission Personnel, UN's Ban Ki-moon Silent on TV Ban

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, September 1 -- After Lesotho Prime Minister Thomas Thabane fled his country to South Africa, the US State Department spokesperson on September 1 stated

"The United States remains deeply concerned by uncertainty over the political process and the state of public security in Lesotho’s capital Maseru.  We continue to call upon government officials and all parties to reach a resolution through peaceful dialogue.  We urge government officials, leaders of the Lesotho Defense Forces, and the Lesotho Mounted Police Service to respect democratic processes in line with the Lesotho Constitution and the rule of law.  Multiparty democracy is important to inclusive political development and economic progress in Lesotho, and any threat to that model would be a setback not only for the nation, but also for democracy in the region. 

"The United States recognizes South Africa’s regional leadership as Chair of the South African Development Community’s Organ for Politics, Defense and Security, and other SADC members as they work with Lesotho’s leaders to reach a political solution.

"The U.S. Embassy in Maseru continues to conduct essential services, but has issued an Emergency Message to U.S. citizens advising that the Department of State has ordered the departure of non-employed family members of U.S. Mission personnel due to concerns over a possible deterioration of the security situation in Lesotho.  The Emergency Message advises that the U.S. Embassy in Lesotho will be open September 2-3 for emergency American Citizens Services only, and that citizens should be aware the Embassy may be forced to suspend operations without advance notice if the security situation deteriorates further.  U.S. citizens seeking assistance in departing Lesotho can contact the U.S. Embassy at USConsularMaseru [at] state.gov."

  On August 31 the UN had echoed the concern, from Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, “concerned about the reported military takeover in Lesotho” and “calls for respect for the constitutional order and democratic rule.”

   Ban said nothing about censorship or the media black out.

    But from Johannesburg, the government of South Africa issued a statement that it “has verified that the Lesotho Defense Force did take over the radio and TV stations, resulting in a total black out in broadcast.”

  That seems it might have been a key thing for Ban Ki-moon to mention, especially 15 hours later. But no. This is a trendnoted by the Free UN Coalition for Access. 

  Meanwhile, this question: who will represent Lesotho at the upcoming UN General Assembly? Here's a speech by Lesotho last fall on de-colonization, French Polynesia and Western Sahara. And this year?

   

As South Korea Cracks Down on Questioning of President Park Geun-hye, Ban Ki-moon's UN Notably Silent

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, August 31 -- A recent and ongoing press freedom case in South Korea has echoed all the way to the UN in New York. UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon was a long-time South Korean diplomat before taking up his UN post. But he has been notably quiet about press freedom generally, and now strikingly, with regard to South Korea.

  The government in Seoul has summoned Sankei Shimbun's Tatsuya Kato on possible charges of defaming President Park Geun-hye, and has blocked him from leaving South Korea in the interim.

  At issue is an article that Tatsuya Kato wrote and Sankei Shimbun published, citing the South Korean publication Chosun Ilbo, 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.

  While understandably causing anger, such a report should not trigger travel bans or criminal charges.

  It is particularly troubling that while Tatsuya Kato of Japan's Sankei has been targeted, the South Korean publication Chosun Ilbo from which he quoted 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 at the UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon's spokesman was twice -- three times, actually -- asked about South Korea's treatment of Sankei Shimbun's Tatsuya Kato, only platitudes emerged. Continuing the trend 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. How far back does it go? What will happen in South Korea, and at the UN? Watch this site.

   

On Lesotho Coup & TV Black-out, UN's Ban Now Concerned, Silent on Censorship, Trend Noted by the Free UN Coalition for Access

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, August 31 -- After Lesotho Prime Minister Thomas Thabane fled his country to South Africa, the US State Department on August 30 said the US “is deeply concerned by clashes between security forces today in Lesotho, and calls upon government officials and all parties to remain committed to peaceful political dialogue and to follow democratic processes in line with the Lesotho Constitution and principles of the rule of law.”

  Fifteen hours later, the US echoed the concerned, from Secretary General Ban Ki-moon: he is “concerned about the reported military takeover in Lesotho” and “calls for respect for the constitutional order and democratic rule.”

   Ban said nothing about censorship or the media black out.

    But from Johannesburg, the government of South Africa issued a statement that it “has verified that the Lesotho Defense Force did take over the radio and TV stations, resulting in a total black out in broadcast.”

  That seems it might have been a key thing for Ban Ki-moon to mention, especially 15 hours later. But no. This is a trend noted by the Free UN Coalition for Access. We'll have more on this.

  Meanwhile, this question: who will represent Lesotho at the upcoming UN General Assembly? Here's a speech by Lesotho last fall on de-colonization, French Polynesia and Western Sahara. And this year?